VOLUME XLII > ISSUE 2

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VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009
May-June 2009
Published since 1967

6
> COVER STORY 1
> ENTERTAINMENT 5
> DIASPORA 6 8
> NEWS FLASHES 8
> BUSINESS 10
> SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY 28 14
> ENVIRONMENT 32
> EDUCATION 33
29
> DIPLOMACY 35

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 COVER STORY

London Book Fair

World of
Words
Celebrating Indian
literature at the
London Book Fair
© AFP

BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 1

COVER STORY
>> India is a remarkable success story for its
traditions of thought, political,
philosophical and religious<<
David Miliband
The 38th London Book Fair, a large book-publishing
trade fair, was held from 20 to 22 April at Earls Court,
London. It was a great opportunity for writers and
publishers from all over the globe to come together and
discuss the possibilities of working with each other. This
year the focus was on the Indian book and publishing
market. Digital publishing was a hot topic at the event.
Renowned Indian writers such as Vikram Seth,
Anita Nair, Ramachandra Guha and Amit Chaudhuri,
participated in seminars and readings. Over 90
exhibitors were represented, including 50 writers and
40 publishers from the subcontinent. These ranged
from academics, arts and children’s book publishers to
2 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
those wanting to get books into print. India, with a
population of 1.3 billion people and a market worth
£625 million, was seen as an area with growth
potential. This year’s focus on India was also seen as
strengthening cultural and publishing relations
between India and the UK.
The guest of honour, David Miliband, British Secretary
of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, spoke
at the Book Fair about India and its remarkable success
story as a democracy. He praised India's economy, its
traditions of tolerance and mutual respect across
divides. “It’s a remarkable success story in many ways
for its internationalism, the third largest sender of

© AFP
peacekeeping forces around the world are Indians; it is
a remarkable success story for its traditions of thought,
political, philosophical and religious,” he said.
The Indian book initiative was supported by the
British Council as part of a new programme called
‘India 09: Through Fresh Eyes’. With over half of India’s
23 official languages being represented at the show,
The print run of Dan Brown’s sequel to
The Da Vinci Code will include over
half-a-million for overseas territories
the aim was to get wider exposure for the range of
Indian writing and literature. Recession-hit readers in
the US and Britain are spending less and less on books,
forcing English language publishers to eye overseas
markets, India in particular, to stay afloat. While the US
and the UK are still the largest markets for English
language publishers, growth has petered out. The US
market was worth an estimated $24.3 billion in 2008
while sales in Britain were about £3 billion. But that
year, book sales by volume in the US dropped six per
cent compared to 2007, while in value terms the drop
was 2.5 per cent. In Britain, the volume was down by
© AFP
COVER STORY
four per cent and value by six per cent. In contrast, the
demand for English language books is booming in the
third largest market – India, which has been growing
at about 10 per cent a year for several years.
Research by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), which used
the London Book Fair to encourage British publishers
to export more, and the Publishers Association,
estimates that the market was worth about 1.25 billion
in 2007. Publishers estimated that English language
books contributed about half that amount. In
comparison, the Chinese market was worth about £7
billion in 2007, but its English language market is
smaller than India’s and British exports to the country
are worth only about £10 million. No wonder India –
with an estimated 350 million people who know
English – spells good news for publishers.
Random House, for example, has declared that the
record-breaking first print run of 6.5 million copies of
The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown’s sequel to The Da Vinci
Code, will include over half-a-million for overseas
territories, including India and South Africa, a record
for a new fiction title. “India is an incredible growth
market at the moment,” said Alistair Burtenshaw,
Group Exhibition Director, London Book Fair. “It
provides fascinating business opportunities in almost all
sectors and that’s absolutely the case in publishing.”
According to reports, the London Book Fair coincided
with a growing push by Western publishers to ramp up
their operations in India. Hachette will be joining the
ranks of Penguin, HarperCollins and Random House by
publishing its first book in India, My Friend Sancho
by Amit Varma. Publishers have noticed a new
mainstream literary culture that has transformed book
reading from the preserve of the educated elite to a
cerebral leisure activity.
“It’s not that people have suddenly got interested in
books and reading, it’s that the nature of the interest is
coming more to resemble the nature of the interest
you might see at Cheltenham, Oxford or Hay-on-Wye
book festivals,” commented Simon Littlewood,
International Director, Random House. “There’s a
curiosity about authors and the authorial process –
building on established bedrock of literacy and literary
interest,” he added. “The London Book Fair is a
wonderful event and I feel very privileged to be
involved in it,” said Nobel Prize winner Professor
Amartya Sen. Sen observed that the “Book Fair is a
BRITAIN >
BRITAIN TODAY VOL>XLII
TODAY VOL ISSUE 2 2009 13
2 2009
XLII ISSUE
COVER STORY

marvellous way of getting people

Speaking Volumes together, and I am greatly looking
forward to learning about things I do
An exclusive interview at the not know and things I do know, but
do not quite understand.” Lord
London Book Fair, writes HS RAO Kinnock, Chair of the British Council,
was pleased that the British Council
had been able to bring Miliband and
Sen together at the London Book Fair.
From the precarious state of democracy in Pakistan to India’s role in
“For the last 75 years, we have
the UN Security Council – David Miliband, British Secretary of State
facilitated the exchange of knowledge,
for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Nobel Prize winner
creativity and ideas throughout the
Amartya Sen interacted on almost everything under the sun in a
world and this event is a great example
unique conversation at the London Book Fair. It was an interactive
of our cultural relations work in
session, billed as an event in which the top British diplomat would
action – with two people for whom I
be ‘interviewing’ the leading economist and it attracted some 50
have the highest regard,” he said,
journalists from 26 countries. The focus of the discussions was on
adding that “we are part of the
the subcontinent, with Miliband describing India as “an important
biggest festival of Indian literature ever
country for the future of the world” and maintaining that Britain
outside the subcontinent and I am
has been a strong supporter of New Delhi becoming a permanent
proud of the British Council’s role in
member of the UN Security Council (UNSC).
making this happen.” “We are
“How would you think India will play a role if it becomes a particularly proud of our Market Focus
permanent member?” asked Miliband. initiative for 2009, which features
“It depends on India, how it would play its cards. I am not a great
agitator for it [the UNSC membership],” said Sen, but added that
“there is merit in India’s case and it could make a major
contribution to the UNSC.”
As discussions turned to Pakistan, the 75-year-old economist said
democracy is in a “precarious” state there. According to him,
Pakistan had bad luck because in 31 out of the 61 years of its
existence as an independent country, it was under military rule.
Pakistan has also suffered because of the break-up of East Pakistan
in the 1971 Liberation War, he felt. C
– PTI

>> The London Book Fair is a wonderful event

and I feel very privileged to be involved in it<<
Amartya Sen

India, a territory of great significance

in the global publishing arena,” said
Alistair Burtenshaw.
Miliband and Sen undertook a tour of
the London Book Fair, accompanied by
Lord Kinnock, Alastair Gornall and
Alistair Burtenshaw, Reed Exhibitions,
Susie Nicklin, Director, Literature,
British Council and Sujata Sen,
Director, East India, British Council.
Sen also gave the keynote
speech titled ‘India in the Modern
World’ at the prestigious
Chairman’s Breakfast. C
– IANS

4 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY


The eight-week music series will have a
special ‘Indian Voices’ day on 16 August
THE PROMS 2009
Indian Notes
Britain’s Proms go Bollywood style
The Proms, Britain’s classical music
concert, held annually, is taking on
an Indian flavour this year. The
eight-week music series will have a
special ‘Indian Voices’ day on
16 August that will feature stars
from Bollywood. There will be a
range of music and dance from
India, including classical vocal
pieces and folk tunes from around
the subcontinent.
The event will begin at the Royal
Albert Hall with a concert of North
Indian classical singing, featuring
sarangi (a short-necked fiddle)
player Pandit Ram Narayan. Other
musicians from India include Manjiri
Asnare Kelkar, Rajan and Sajan
Mishra and the Kerala youth
ensemble, Asima. There will be
performances of folk music and
dances from Rajasthan and lessons in
how-to-dance Bollywood style. Singer
and Indian television star Shaan and
his band will perform with Honey’s
Dance Academy in what is advertised
as an ‘all-singing, all-dancing
Bollywood extravaganza’.
Meanwhile, drum and bass artist
Goldie has been asked to compose
a new piece for the BBC Concert
Orchestra on the theme of evolution,
to celebrate the 150th anniversary of
Charles Darwin’s book, The Origin of
BRITAIN TODAY
ENTERTAINMENT
Species. And the Ukulele Orchestra of
Great Britain will play re-workings
of tunes such as The Ride of the
Valkyries and Anarchy in the UK.
This year’s Last Night of the Proms, to
be held on 12 September, will present
five open-air ‘Proms in the Park’
concerts in Hyde Park in London,
Manchester in North West England,
Glasgow in Scotland, Swansea in
Wales and Hillsborough Castle in
Northern Ireland. The events feature
their own concerts plus a live
broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall
for a mass sing-along. A further 16
giant screens will be erected in cities
around Britain.
This is the 115th year of the Proms
and it still remains true to its
original aim, which is to present the
widest possible range of music,
performed to the highest standards,
to large audiences. C
– AFP
> VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 5
 DIASPORA
UNIVERSITY OF TEESSIDE
AJOY KUMAR
Framework For Art
UK-based artist returns to his
hometown in South India to
exhibit his work, writes
RICHARD MAINO
Ajoy Kumar, 38, recently
went back to India to
exhibit a collection of
his artwork that he
completed while studying
in the UK. Kumar works
in the School of
Computing at the
University of Teesside,
England, as a developer
of learning materials for
three-dimension (3D)
animation. He graduated
from Teesside in 2008
with a BA honours
degree in digital
character animation.
He paints in his spare
time and about 30
examples of his artwork,
much of it completed
during his degree course
at Teesside, were
included in a recent
6 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
exhibition at the Nanappa
Art Gallery in his
hometown of
Thiruvanthapuram in
South India. The artwork
featured in the exhibition
is all painted using acrylics
and is linked to the
character development
work of his animation
degree. It is the third time
he has exhibited at the
gallery since 1994.
His artwork was also
displayed in Abu Dhabi
in 2004 where he
worked in the Ministry of
Public Relations.
“It was really great to go
back to my hometown –
and the place where I first
became interested in
animation – to hold the
exhibition,” said Kumar.
“It also allowed those who
taught me art in India to
see how my work has
developed.” The Nanappa
Art Gallery is run by his
guru and mentor,
Kaladharan, who initiated
him into art in the early
1990s when he was a
student of complementary
medicine. He remembers
he was well on his way to
taking up homoeopathy
when he changed career
direction and turned to
animation. “I did complete
the homoeopathic course
but never took the exams,”
added Kumar who
explained that caricaturing
was what he did best in
the early days.
After winning a prize of
Rs. 10,000 in The
Hindustan Times’ annual
caricature contest, he used
the money to pay for a
course in 3D animation,
then in its infancy in the
country. It diverted the
path of his life forever.
“As soon as I had my own
money, I started travelling
a lot and that expanded
my horizon,” he said.
Most of his works take
about a day to complete.
“When I begin to paint I
like doing it quickly,” he
said. Kumar believes his
affection for brush-
stroked artwork as well
as virtual computer-
generated images is not a
contradiction. “It’s very
important to develop
skills in drawing as it is a
vital part of using the
technology in animation,”
he observed. “Technology
is the tool but you need
drawing skills too.”
Many of his paintings
feature females, some are
bold nudes. These were
painted with live models
at the university, said
Kumar, adding that the
ambience there, meeting
students, debating and
seeing many people work
is his inspiration to keep
on painting.
Teesside describes itself
as an innovative university
dedicated to pursuing
excellence as well as
enabling individuals and
organisations to achieve
their potential through
high quality learning,
research and knowledge
transfer. It is one of
the top 10 modern
universities for graduate
prospects. Teesside
has more than 75
years of innovation
in education. C
– LPS

DR SHAN NAIR
Great Performance
Dr Shan Nair presented the
2008 Bharat Samman award
Dr Shan Nair (left), Co-founder, Nair & Co., being presented the
Bharat Samman Award by British High Commissioner to India
Sir Richard Stagg at a grand ceremony held in New Delhi.
Dr Shan Nair, Co-founder
of UK-based Nair & Co., a
leading global integrated
solution provider helping
companies expand
internationally, received the
2008 Bharat Samman
award in New Delhi
recently. It was presented
to him by British High
Commissioner to India
Sir Richard Stagg. This is
an expatriate award that
recognises the economic
and philanthropic
achievements of the
Indian diaspora.
“I am humbled that my
compatriots see my efforts
as an achievement. Nair &
Co. is proud that it has
been able to reach such
heights. We NRIs are clearly
committed to contributing
to India’s growth,” said
Dr Nair.
The awards were part of a
three-day celebration
hosted by the NRI Institute
during Pravasi 2009. Over
500 diplomats, industrialists
and Government
DIASPORA
the UK nuclear industry,
but re-trained as an
accountant in the early
1990s. He founded
Nair & Co. in 1994. He
currently oversees the
Group’s overall
development, its policies,
strategies and goals.
Today, Nair & Co. supports
700-plus client operations
in over 40 countries, HEMA MACHERLA
offering a one-stop
solution for companies
seeking to make their
Reading
overseas expansion less
risky, stress-free and more Hero
strategic in the finance,
tax, HR, compliance and Sarah Brown
legal arenas.
honours writer
Headquartered in the UK,
Nair & Co. has key offices of Indian origin
in India, China, the US
and Japan. Indian-origin Hema Macherla,
who arrived in the UK with little
With the Bharat Samman
dignitaries, including English language skills decades
award, Dr Nair joins an
UK’s Lord Khalid Hameed, ago and went on to become an
illustrious list of past
Baroness Sandip Verma acclaimed writer, has been
awardees that includes
and Blair Gulland of UK’s honoured by Sarah Brown, the
Sam Pitroda, Chairman
Gulland Solicitors, joined wife of British Prime Minister
of India’s National
the five-hour Gordon Brown. London-based
Knowledge Commission;
extravaganza held at the Macherla, who is the author of
Lord Swraj Paul, British
Lalit Hotel’s grand the novel Breeze from the River
parliamentarian and
ballroom. Dr Nair met Manjeera, has been adjudged a
Founder, Caparo Group
with Sheila Dikshit, Chief Reading Hero by the Reader
and Baron Karan Bilimoria,
Minister of Delhi and Organisation, a prominent
Founder, Cobra Beer.
AR Lakshmanan, charity whose aim is to bring
Chairman, Law Some of the other winners about a reading revolution.
Commission of India and at Pravasi 2009 included:
The organisation said Macherla
also gave a talk on Peter Dillon, Chief
is a Reading Hero “for her
India’s emergence as a Executive Officer, Richberry
considerable personal
world force. Group of Companies,
achievements, first in becoming
Canada; Prasad Srinivasan,
“Dr Nair is a path- a reader in English and then
Chairman, Public Health
breaking entrepreneur progressing her writing to
Foundation, Connecticut;
who is among the top become a published author,
KS Kadar Pillai, Chief
50 outstanding Asian inspiring young women and
Executive Officer,
Americans in business,” mothers, adult learners and
AL-Hokook International,
said Jagmohan Singh, those with English as a second
Kuwait; K Kumar,
General Secretary, language”. Honouring Macherla,
Committee Chairman,
NRI Institute. “His Sarah Brown said, “I have been
Indian Business Group,
contributions to the field moved and inspired to hear the
Dubai; Sanjeev Sharma,
of science and technology stories of how the Reading
General Manager, Ecocell
and business remain both, Heroes, despite frequently
Technologies, Dubai
unique and constructive.” adverse circumstances, have
and Dr Rami Ranger,
developed and used their
An Oxford-educated Chairman and Managing
reading skills to help others.” C
scientist, Dr Nair began Director, Sun Oil
– PTI
his career as a scientist in Ltd, UK. C
BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 7
 NEWS FLASHES
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Preserving
Our Planet
National Geographic
Channel, India, celebrates
Eco Week
UK-based designer Mark Liu at the celebrations.
Staying true to the National
Geographic Society’s commitment
to conservation, exploration and
education, the National
Geographic Channel (NGC), India,
recently launched the ‘Preserve
Our Planet’ movement. On
International Earth Day (April 22),
the channel partnered with the
British Council, MADI Design
Support, Olive Beach and ELLE
magazine for a week-long
initiative, ‘Nat Geo’s Eco Week’.
Through a series of on-ground
activities, the channel presented
the current state of the earth,
urging viewers to contribute
towards preserving our planet.
The programme began with a
photography exhibition, a
compilation of NGC’s spectacular
images highlighting climate
change. A two-day Green Film
Festival showcased award-winning
NGC films on global warming.
Speaking about the initiative,
Nikhil Mirchandani, Managing
Director, NGC, South Asia, said:
“The National Geographic Channel
contributes to the National
Geographic Society’s commitment
8 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
to conservation and through the
Eco Week, we want to sensitise our
viewers to the fact that no
environmental issue stands on its
own.” He emphasised that it is
time to change – to think and act
towards preserving our planet as even
the smallest things we do count,
whether it is buying ethically produced
products or recycling waste or simply
turning that light off before leaving a
room. “If we learn to change
incrementally, in small steps, the
things that we can do; we can have all
the fun, all the excitement, all the
passion that we want in our lives. But
we can also have a more sustainable
and a greener world. What you do
really counts,” observed Rod Pryde,
Director, British Council, India. The
event concluded with a Green Fashion
Show on Earth Day. This was a
fashion show with a difference
as designers stayed away from
synthetic fibres and presented
an eco-friendly collection as
part of their contribution
towards saving the
environment. Prominent
Indian designers such as Ritu
Kumar, Rajesh Pratap Singh,
Raghavendra Rathore, Kakoli
Banerjee and UK-based
designer, Mark Liu, showcased their
eco-friendly collections. The show was
followed by an organic dinner
especially designed by Olive Beach.
NGC also planted a tree for each
person attending the Eco Week.“
I was tired of making clothes using
man-made fibres,” said Kumar.“This
was a refreshing change from the
routine and I strongly believe that
everyone should actively contribute to
saving the environment.”
Pratap Singh presented well-cut
silhouettes and slim-fit trousers and
dhotis in white, black and red hues,
while Rathore’s collection was for men
and the line had suits, kurta pyjamas
and waistcoats in black, blue and
white. In contrast, Banerjee showcased
a colourful collection that had long
dresses, short skirts and tunics in
bright colours. Mark Liu also
experimented a bit with colour and his
line had shades of pink, purple and
black. “People normally think that
eco-friendly dresses are boring
because they can only associate
nude shades like white with this fabric.
I wanted to change this perception
and hence I experimented a bit with
the colour,” explained Liu. C
– IANS
 NEWS FLASHES

DIPANKAR DE SARKAR

Man Of Words
Indo-Asian News Service correspondent
bags British award
Dipankar De Sarkar, the European
Bureau Chief of Indo-Asian News
Service, was named Journalist of
the Year by the Asian Voice
Political and Public Life Awards
at a ceremony. The award was
presented by Caroline Flint,
Minister for Europe, in the House
of Commons, Britain’s lower house
of Parliament.
De Sarkar is one of the longest-
serving Britain-based foreign
correspondents writing for the
Indian media. The other winners
included: Harriet Harman, Minister
for Women and Equality
(Parliamentarian of the Year); Naresh
Goyal, Chairman, Jet Airways and
Anita Goyal, Executive Vice President,
Jet Airways (International
Entrepreneurs of the Year); Christian
Colson, Slumdog Millionaire
Co-producer (Special Award for Dipankar De Sarkar named
International Achievement); MP Sarah Journalist of the Year.
Teather, Liberal Democrat (Opposition
Parliamentarian of the Year) and
Baroness Paula Uddin (Peer of Pickles, Conservative Party
the Year). Chairman; Keith Vaz, Home Affairs
Select Committee Chairman and
Among the large gathering at the Labour MP as well as a number of
ceremony were Geoff Hoon, UK other British MPs and Ministers. C
Transport Minister; CB Patel, Asian
Voice Publisher and Editor; Eric – IANS

© AFP
MADAME TUSSAUDS

Master
Blaster Waxed
India’s Sachin Tendulkar
gets Tussauds treatment
Indian cricket legend, Sachin
Tendulkar, came face-to-face with
himself when a waxwork figure of
his was unveiled in his home city of
Mumbai, on popular demand.
The figure, on show at London’s
Madame Tussauds museum, is the
first of an Indian sportsman at UK’s
world famous waxwork attraction.
Tendulkar, 35, nicknamed the
‘Little Master’ or ‘Master Blaster’,
described being immortalised in
wax as a “great honour”. “It’s
fantastic, fabulous,” he added.
The wax figure shows Tendulkar in
a familiar pose – in full whites of
the Indian team, batting pads, arm
>>It’s fantastic, fabulous<<
Sachin Tendulkar
guard and gloves, holding his bat
and helmet aloft in celebration.
“This was the way I celebrated
when I passed the record,” said
Tendulkar, referring to the moment
when he broke Brian Lara’s record
for the most runs in Test cricket.
“I saw the picture and it was a
special moment, a very dear one
to me.” According to Liz Edwards
from Madame Tussauds, this is the first
time that one of its wax figures has
been launched outside London and was
designed to coincide with the start of
the Indian Premier League (IPL)
Twenty20 tournament. “Guests vote
for wax figures to come in. Sachin’s
name was constantly coming up and
we were delighted to work with him,”
she commented. C
– AFP

BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 9

UK Industry Digest
UK Trade & Investment is the UK
Government organisation that
supports companies in the UK
trading internationally as well as
overseas enterprises seeking to
locate in the UK.

UK Trade & Investment is

represented at the British High
Commission in New Delhi and
at the Deputy High
Commissions, Trade Offices
and Business Information
Centres across India.

www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

LAW
Effective Resolutions
UK considered a main centre for dispute
resolution, writes ANGELA SINGLETON
Renowned as a leading international
law centre, the UK is home to the
three largest legal companies in the
world – Clifford Chance, Linklaters
and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
All these are based in London, along
with more than 200 international
law firms. The sector employs
117,000 solicitors and 16,000
barristers. It contributes £14.9 billion
to the UK’s gross domestic product.
Owing to its transparent, flexible and
predictable legal system, the UK is
considered a main centre for dispute
resolution, with more than 10,000
disputes resolved through arbitration
and mediation in 2007. The difficult
economic climate means that the
number of disputes and differences
on contracts around the world is
predicted to rise, with many claims
to be filed in the courts.
“As the global slowdown continues,
dispute resolution will be the
>> The UK is one of the world’s principal venues
for international arbitration<<
unfortunate end to some cross-
border contracts,” said Sir Andrew
Cahn, Chief Executive, UK Trade &
Investment (UKTI). With extensive
experience in this area, UK firms are
well placed to go global and
THE LAW SOCIETY
provide international companies
with the support they need to
achieve timely resolution to
disputes, thereby saving money on
lengthy court cases, he added.
“The UK is one of the world’s
principal venues for international
arbitration, with 98 per cent of
commercial cases handled by
London law firms involving an
international party,” said Paul
Marsh, President of the Law
Society, the representative body for
solicitors in England and Wales.
“As a result, the UK has a lot to
offer in terms of experience in
conducting alternative dispute
resolution [ADR] and offering
training in arbitration and
mediation,” he pointed out.
Mediation has emerged as an
increasingly popular form of
dispute resolution in the UK over
the last 10 years. Similar to
conciliation, it involves a third
neutral party working with both
sides of a dispute to facilitate their
negotiations more effectively so
that they can arrive at a mutually
Paul Marsh
BRITAIN TODAY
BUSINESS
acceptable settlement. A leading
player in dispute resolution and
conflict management is the
London-based Centre for Effective
Dispute Resolution (CEDR), an
independent, non-profit
organisation that is supported by
multinational business, law firms
and public sector organisations.
Specialising in commercial
disputes, CEDR claims to be the
leading, independent, dispute
resolution service in Europe, with
more than 14,000 dispute referrals
and a consistent settlement rate of
75 to 80 per cent.
“With access to over 3,000
mediators, we set the standard for
dispute resolution and conflict
management with our leading
mediation, consultancy and
training services. We are also the
only provider in the UK to have
access to mediators internationally
through alliances with mediation
providers and our relationship with
mediators [that] CEDR has trained
in the last 20 years,” said a
CEDR spokesman.
CEDR has recently signed a
contract with the International
Finance Corporation (IFC), the
development arm of the World
Bank, for a one-year consultancy
contract to develop best practice in
the establishment of ADR projects
worldwide. In conjunction with
Conflict Management International,
CEDR will provide guidance and
support to IFC in its ADR projects in
emerging markets. C
– LPS
> VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 11
 BUSINESS
R&D CENTRE
Right Solutions
UK software major opens a research
and development centre in Hyderabad
UK-based IT major, Latens,
has established a research and
development centre in Hyderabad
in a bid to expand its global
presence as well as product
development capabilities.
The company develops software for
pay television that prevents piracy
>>The opening of our centre in
India enables us to continue developing new
and innovative products<<
12 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
and helps television operators
protect revenue. The new centre in
Hyderabad opened in May and
aims to employ around 20 people
by the end of the year.
“Although the global markets are
currently facing tough challenges,
Latens continues to grow rapidly,”
Jeremy Thorp
said Jeremy Thorp, the company’s
Chief Executive Officer. “The
opening of our centre in India
enables us to continue developing
new and innovative products,
allowing us to better serve our
existing and future customers,” he
added. According to Thorp, Latens
is fully committed to the delivery of
industry-leading solutions for digital
pay television and the centre in
Hyderabad will be focussed on this.
Latens is working with
Londonderry-based software
company, Singularity, on the
venture. Singularity has already
been operating in India for some
time. Latens Engineering Director,
Mark Crum, will head the project.
“Latens is a company that is going
places and we’re delighted to be
associated with its rapid,
international growth,” said Padraig
Canavan, Chief Executive, Singularity.
The company currently sells
software in India and in more than
20 countries in Europe, North and
South America. C
– PTI

Graham Gooch with the UK Trade & Investment team, Bangalore.
ESSEX
Diverse Potential
Essex representatives in India
to promote the region
Representatives of the Essex
Regeneration and Development
Agency (ExDRA), Essex County
Council and Essex County Cricket
Club (CCC) were in Bangalore and
Hyderabad in February to promote
the Essex region. The UK Trade &
Investment (UKTI) team helped put
together very well attended
COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH
Key Opportunities
Cambridge and Infosys to partner
The University of Cambridge
and Infosys Technologies Limited
have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to pave
the way for collaborative
research ventures in the areas
of engineering, management
and business, architecture
and pharma. The MoU was
signed by Narayana
Murthy, Chairman
(Left to right sitting): Professor Dame Sandra Dawson (Cambridge), Professor and
Vice Chancellor Alison Richard (Cambridge), Chairman of the Board Narayana Murthy
(Infosys) and Co-Chairman of the Board Nandan Nilekani (Infosys).
receptions in both cities. Lord
Hanningfield, Leader, Essex County
Council, led the delegation, which
included former England and Essex
Cricket Captain Graham Gooch.
Richard Hyde, Head, British Trade
Office, hosted both receptions.
Stephen Castle, County Councillor
and David Adlington, Inward
of the Board and Chief Mentor,
Infosys and Professor Alison
Richard, Vice Chancellor of the
University of Cambridge, at the
company’s Bangalore headquarters
during Professor Richard’s recent
visit to India. The University of
Cambridge will explore this
collaboration through its
Department of Engineering, Judge
Business School
BRITAIN TODAY
BUSINESS
Investment Director, gave detailed
presentations on the potential of
Essex in the areas of business,
education, research and
development as well as the quality
of life. Gooch gave very well
received speeches in Bangalore and
Hyderabad. He recounted stories
from his days of touring India as an
England player. David East, Chief
Executive, Essex CCC and a former
player himself, also talked about
plans to create a world class
academy and training centre in
Essex and ideas for the
development of the planned
English Premier League (EPL).
He highlighted business and
sponsorship opportunities for
Indian companies looking to access
the UK marketplace. Bangalore-
based Senior Trade and Investment
Adviser, Sunil Kumar, briefed the
Essex team about the South
Indian states and the opportunities
for inward investment. C
Centre for India and Global
Business, Department of
Architecture and School of
Biological Sciences. Through this
MoU, Cambridge and Infosys seek
to develop and implement key
opportunities over the next three
years.“This MoU marks the start of
a joint effort between one of the
finest universities in the world and
Infosys,” said Murthy. According
to him, this collaboration will
create an opportunity for some of
the best minds engaged in
academia and at Infosys to come
together to identify and create
relevant solutions. “We look
forward to exploring this
relationship and the promise
it holds for both parties,”
he emphasised.
The association of Cambridge with
large Indian corporations continues
to grow, as part of a larger picture
of increased collaboration between
academia and industry, observed
Professor Richard. “I am very
pleased to be launching this
partnership with Infosys during our
800th anniversary year.” C
> VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 13
 BUSINESS
ROLLS-ROYCE
Luxury Redefined
Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé
debuts in New Delhi
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, with the
support of its dealer partner, Select
Cars, recently previewed its
two-door, four-seat, Phantom
Coupé in New Delhi to a select
audience. “We received numerous
expressions of interest with our
tour of three cars, a rare sight in
New Delhi,” said Dr Matthew
Bennett, General Manager for
South and East Asia Pacific,
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “Our
presence here reflects our long-
term commitment since we opened
the showroom last year.”
The Coupé, the fourth new model
from Rolls-Royce under the BMW
Group ownership, is the most
driver-oriented model in the current
line-up, in the context of Rolls-
Royce luxury values. This model
completes the Phantom family,
adding to Phantom, Phantom
Extended Wheelbase (four-door
saloon) and Phantom Drophead
Coupé (convertible). A luxurious,
modern grand touring coupé in the
finest tradition, this car is powered
by the Phantom’s 6.75-litre V12
engine, producing 460 hp and
720 Nm of torque, making it the
14 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
definitive choice for all-day, long
distance driving. With its engine
tuned for immense low down
torque, the new Rolls-Royce
effortlessly achieves the 0-100 km/h
sprint in 5.8 seconds and continues
rapidly towards an electronically
governed top speed of 250km/h.
A combination of segment-leading
fuel economy and a 25 per cent
increase in fuel capacity, compared
to the Drophead Coupé, increases
driving range to more than 600 km.
A spacious picnic boot with a split
tail compartment gives easy access
to 395 litres of space or four sets of
golf bags. The lower part of the
tailgate, when lowered, provides a
>> Our
presence here
[India] reflects
our long-term
commitment<<
Dr Matthew Bennett
comfortable seating platform for
two adults.
The highly advanced spaceframe
aluminium chassis endows the
Coupé with the marque’s
legendary ride comfort, handling
and safety. It is the most torsionally
rigid Rolls-Royce ever built. The
unique architecture of the car is
further augmented by the rear-
hinged coach doors, allowing the
easiest possible access to the rear
lounge seat. To ensure a perfect
balance of refinement and driver
involvement, Rolls-Royce developed
a new gearbox programme, stiffer
rear dampers and modified spring
rates. In addition, a thicker rear
anti-roll bar, modified brake
response and tuned steering offer
more feel over other Phantom
models. As with every Rolls-Royce
car, the finely handcrafted interior
of the Coupé can be personalised
via the Bespoke programme,
allowing for any number of
features, each tailored to the taste
of the individual. For example,
customers can choose from more
than 44,000 different colours.
The Phantom Coupé’s cabin can
be ordered with an optional,
full-length, starlight headlining,
incorporating 1,600 tiny fibre
optics to create the ambience of a
star-filled night sky. The new
model is also available with a
brushed steel bonnet and A-pillar
surround previously seen on
its experimental predecessor,
the 101EX.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, with its
headquarters in West Sussex, saw
global sales in 2008 increase by
20 per cent, compared
to 2007, with
retails of 1,212
cars. The
company is
undertaking its
first nationwide
tour with the
Coupé that
includes visits
to Hyderabad,
Mumbai and Delhi.

DELEGATION
Commercial Gains
Business dinner in the UK reveals
mouth-watering opportunities in India
A delegation of business leaders
from India joined British Deputy High
Commissioner for Mumbai, Vicki
Treadell, in Manchester to assess the
North West’s business opportunities.
The group met with the members
of the region’s business community
at an India-themed dinner in
Manchester with the aim of forging
stronger business links.
>> UK Trade & Investment and the Northwest
Regional Development Agency have been
pro-active in promoting the North West as a key
location for Indian businesses and bilateral trade<<
Treadell attended the event,
organised by Sandra Brusby of UK
Trade & Investment’s (UKTI) India
Unit, in the North West. She spoke
to UK entrepreneurs about the
opportunities available in India,
which is the second largest export
market in the developing world
after China.
UK exports of goods and services to
India currently exceed £3 billion
and UKTI North West, working
closely with the Northwest Regional
Development Agency (NWDA),
offers a range of services and
events to ensure that companies
are well positioned to take
advantage of this growing export
and investment market. Treadell
emphasised the two countries’
strong links and pointed out that
North West companies are well
positioned to take advantage of
what is the UK’s eighteenth largest
export market.
Earlier in the day, Treadell and some
of the members of the Indian
delegation, including representatives
from the Internet and Mobile
Association of India and i2i
Telesource, India, viewed the
MediaCityUK site at Salford Quays
and toured the mobile
telecommunications incubator at
Cinnamon Park, Birchwood,
Sandra Brusby
Warrington. The overall aim was to
encourage India’s hi-tech industries,
now looking to expand overseas, to
locate to the North West.
North West businesses were also
made aware of two key events
taking place early next year. The
first of these takes place in January
when the New Delhi Auto Expo,
which showcases the Indian
automobile and auto-component
industry, is expected to attract
over 100,000 visitors and
800 exhibitors from
around the world.
The following month
BRITAIN TODAY
BUSINESS
UKTI North West, supported by
NWDA, is organising a fully
supported market visit to India that
will include pre-visit and in-market
briefings from British Embassy staff,
networking receptions and advanced
publicity. Interested small and
medium enterprises may even qualify
for UKTI financial support.
“UKTI and the NWDA have been pro-
active for some time in promoting the
North West as a key location for
Indian businesses and bilateral trade,”
said Brusby. “The support from the
British Deputy High Commissioner in
getting this message across is very
encouraging.” She added that some
of those visitors who came on the
tour to MediaCity have already
decided to return once they
have reported back
on the details of
their findings. C
> VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 15
 BUSINESS
INNOVATION CENTRE
Supporting Business
‘Business incubator’
opens in England to
grow innovative
firms, writes RAY
COOLING
MEPC Milton Park, one of Europe’s
largest multi-use business parks, and
Oxford Innovation, the UK’s leading
operator of innovation centres, have
opened a purpose-built, multi-million
pound centre, the Milton Park
Innovation Centre. It reflects the two
organisations’ continued support for
start-up and growing technology,
biotech and other innovative
companies. The Centre, based in
Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England,
>> The opening of the Milton Park Innovation
Centre reflects the importance we place on
supporting high-growth businesses<<
opened on Global Business
Incubation Day – a day of
worldwide celebrations of
innovation and entrepreneurship
through business incubation. It
provides a range of high quality
offices for up to 60 firms.
Businesses joining the Centre will
have access to a range of support
provided by Oxford Innovation,
including funding assistance,
networking events and mentoring.
The building has already attracted
three new businesses – the
Pharmaceutical Licensing Group
16 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
The first companies to move into the Milton Park Innovation Centre receive their keys
from Dean Worthington, Sales and Marketing Manager, Oxford Innovation.
(PLG), the professional association
for business development and
licensing executives working in the
pharmaceutical and biotechnology
industry; Maynard & Boldis,
providers of innovative, energy-
saving cleaning equipment and
Aether, a new environmental
consultancy specialising in emission-
to-air and environmental data
systems. Oxford Innovation will
manage the new building. It already
supports more than 400 start-up
firms, managing 14 other innovation
centres across the UK and offering
business support services.
“The opening of the Milton Park
Innovation Centre, on Global
Business Incubation Day, reflects the
James Dipple
importance we place on
supporting high-growth
businesses,” said James Dipple,
Managing Director, MEPC Milton
Park. “We are keen to work with
the companies joining the
innovation centre at every stage of
development, helping them to
achieve their full potential.”
“Number 99 Milton Park is set to
become a flagship innovation
centre, exemplifying the important
and positive role of business
incubation,” elaborated Dr David
Kingham, Managing Director,
OXFORD INNOVATION
Oxford Innovation. “This is a great
opportunity for PLG to move into the
heartland of the Oxfordshire
bioscience community and the
innovation centre provides a focus
for networking with the 50
pharmaceutical and biotech
companies located nearby,”
commented Dr Stuart Robinson,
Chairman, PLG.
“As an environmentally focussed
start-up company, it is important to
us that our office premises match
the sustainable nature of our
company,” explained Vasna
Maynard, Director, Maynard &
Boldis. According to Maynard, the
Milton Park Innovation Centre
operates with an environmental
conscience, providing a professional
image that truly represents business
ethics. Coupled with the
competitive pricing and support
package available, this makes the
Centre an attractive location to
grow business.
MEPC Milton Park is one of
Europe’s largest multi-use business
parks and home to some 165
companies with more than 6,500
employees. The park is part of the
MEPC portfolio, owned by Hermes
Investment Management. C
– LPS
 BUSINESS

EQUITY SHOES

Stepping Ahead
Pavers Foresight Smart Ventures acquires UK-based
Equity Shoes to expand its business and increase
sourcing from India
UK-based Equity Shoes Limited was 97 per cent of the leather footwear of heels and soles,” explained Seth.
recently acquired by Pavers Foresight industry makes men’s shoes and, The $12 million (turnover) Equity
Smart Ventures (PFSV) as part of its according to Seth, India offers good Shoes is a 127-year-old manufacturer
plans to expand its retailing business opportunities in the leather of women’s footwear. It churns out
and increase sourcing from India. footwear sector, especially four lakh pairs annually and has a
women’s footwear. strong retail presence in the UK.
“It was always our plan to enter
women’s footwear and Equity has There are very few premium PFSV is a 50:50 joint venture
survived in a high cost centre like women’s footwear manufacturers between Foresight Smart Ventures
the UK,” said Utsav Seth, Chief in India currently. “It requires and UK’s 40-year-old footwear retail
Executive Officer, PFSV. About special skills, components in terms chain, Pavers. C

Stuart Pavers (left) of Equity

Shoes plans to expand the
retailing business and
increase sourcing from India.

India offers good opportunities

in the leather footwear sector, especially
women’s footwear

BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 17

 BUSINESS
ADVANCED ENGINEERING
Integral To Success
DICK MEREDITH takes a fresh look at
the UK’s industrial strengths
“Advanced engineering is integral
to the UK’s success,” emphasised
Lord Mervyn Davies, UK’s Trade &
Investment Minister. “Names like
Rolls-Royce and Jaguar Land Rover
are leading the drive overseas.” The
Minister pointed out that Britain is
the world’s sixth largest
manufacturer and one of the
highest-spending countries on
research and development. This is
reflected in its export figures.
Advanced engineering exports
generated £109 billion in 2007 –
one-third of the total UK exports.
Orders in UK aerospace soared by
65 per cent in 2007 to a record
£48.3 billion. Boeing has been in
>> Our business in the UK has
lived up to and even exceeded
our expectations<<
Dr David Jack
TTXGP
The new British electric superbike, the TTX01.
18 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
the UK for more than 40 years and
its presence has created 30,000 to
40,000 jobs. “UK universities have
a great reputation for expertise in
the fields of aviation, aeronautics
and aircraft development and there
is a sound relationship between
research and applications in the
real world,” said Sir Roger Bone,
President, Boeing UK.
As well as using latest technology
and modern materials to make
cleaner cars, each vehicle made in
the UK now requires half the
energy to produce than it did just
five years ago, saving an estimated
700,000 tonnes of carbon
emissions each year. It is no surprise
then that six out of the top 10
global vehicle manufacturers and
19 of the top 20 auto parts makers
have a UK manufacturing presence.
In motor sport, the UK virtually runs
Formula One. Ford has invested
more than £775 million over recent
years in its Dagenham Diesel Centre
in East London.
According to Lord Peter Mandelson,
Secretary of State for Business
Enterprise & Regulatory Reform,
manufacturing and engineering are
cornerstones of the UK economy.
“We have a high skill base, excellent
R&D and cutting-edge products,”
commented UK Business
Ambassador Sir Kevin Smith,
Chief Executive, GKN. “If we
continue to invest in our strengths,
our comparative advantages in the
21st century will lie in low-carbon
industries, precision engineering
and high value-added
manufacturing in sectors such as
automotive, electronics, aviation
and semiconductors.”
The Yamazak Mazak Corporation,
the world’s largest producer of
computer-controlled, metal-cutting
machine tools, chose Worcester as
its European base. “Our business in
the UK has lived up to and even
exceeded our expectations,” said
Dr David Jack, Group Managing
Director for Europe.
Alongside its strategy to boost
awareness of UK engineering and
manufacturing strengths will be UK
Trade & Investment’s plan to create
a global presence for UK low-carbon
capability and its relevance across all
sectors. With low carbon central to
the future of advanced engineering,
there are some eye-catching
examples of the new world that is
emerging. One is this year’s zero-
carbon motor sport event being
held on the Isle of Man as part of
the 2009 Tourist Trophy (TT) Races.
Typical of the superbikes that will be
racing in the world’s first clean
emissions Grand Prix is the TTX01,
electrically powered with a carbon
fibre frame, built by a team based in
Sussex, South England. C – LPS

TAYLOR & SHROFF
Classic And Cool
Taylor & Shroff launches a premium
range of wines in India
A UK-based company, Taylor &
Shroff Ltd., which is part of the
Carr Taylor Group, has recently
launched its new range of wines in
India. The brand offers various
flavours – White Wine, Apricot
Wine and Red Wine. The complete
range is inexpensive and can be
enjoyed at any point in time.
Two wines – Cherry Wine and
Ginger Wine – were created for
their customers to celebrate
St. Valentines Day. Cherry Wine is
made especially for women as
cherries are considered to be a
gentle fruit, giving wine a unique
taste. This wine is sweet and can
be easily consumed with spicy
Indian food. Ginger Wine is for
men. It has a strong flavour and is
different from other wines available
in India and abroad. It also gives an
amazing flavour when added
with whisky.
“We are delighted to be part of the
Indian wine industry. We see lot of
potential in the market and are
planning to invest £5 million in the
next two years,” said Nainaz Shroff,
Managing Director, Taylor & Shroff.
“We are expecting a turnover of
£34 million in the next five years.”
Taylor & Shroff was set up by two
likeminded individuals from
paradoxical backgrounds – David
Carr Taylor and Nainaz B Shroff.
The Carr Taylor family has been
>> We are delighted
to be part of the
Indian wine industry<<
Nainaz Shroff
BRITAIN TODAY
BUSINESS
making classic cool climate wines
in the UK for over 37 years. With
15 hectares under their
management, they have gained
international recognition and are
proud winners of over 120 awards.
Taylor & Shroff wines are famous
for their fruity, luxuriously soft and
delicious taste. They are best
served chilled or poured over ice,
unlike many red wines. They are
soft and sweet with low fruit acid
and no tannin, can absorb rich,
spicy and oily food and are good
for freshening up the palate. They
can be used to pour over ice-
cream or to serve in fruit salads.
Chefs find them wonderful to use
in stir fries, desserts and creams,
savoury gravies and sauces. The
wine can be stored without
refrigeration for up to 25-plus
days, under the climatic conditions
of a hot country such as India.
What makes them more drinkable
is that these wines contain ethyl
and not methyl alcohol and,
therefore, they do not cause a
hangover or a headache the
next day. C
> VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 19
BUSINESS
SCHOLARSHIPS
Lucky Seven
First India marketing scholarships
give London exporters the edge
A lucky seven companies have
taken advantage of a scholarship
programme funded by UK Trade &
Investment (UKTI) London and the
London Development Agency to
give them a competitive edge in
India. Export development is a key
way for businesses to help
themselves through the economic
downturn and UKTI London’s India
Marketing Scholarships, also
supported by Jet Airways, gave
these small and medium enterprises
the opportunity to learn from
Indian experts in India about the
central role of marketing in
building business there.
The scholarship for UK managers
included all accommodation and
tuition costs for an intensive
five-day marketing course at the
globally respected Indian Institute
of Management in Ahmedabad
(IIMA). The programme, the first on
Strong economic growth is creating many
opportunities for UK companies in India
20 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
marketing in India that the IIMA
has run for overseas executives,
attracted applications from
companies across the industrial
spectrum. The successful applicants
came from sectors including ICT,
security, life sciences, healthcare,
food and publishing – all looking to
expand in the Indian market.
Course presenters included ex-IIMA
graduates such as Sanjeev
Bikhchandani, Chief Executive
Officer of naukri.com, India’s
leading Internet company.
Strong economic growth,
increasing demand for foreign
investment and a youthful
consumer demographic are
creating many opportunities for UK
companies in India. However,
India’s diversity and complexity, and
the rapid changes it is undergoing,
must be taken into account when
planning a marketing strategy –
and what better way to learn
about these issues than at the
country’s premier business school?
The participating companies have
either identified opportunities in
India or are already trading there,
but the course held lessons for all
of them. Among the key insights,
as one UK manager remarked, was
that “India is not one market, but
many different ones linked
together, and this understanding is
a vital part of any marketing plan”.
Other themes that emerged were
the importance of the mobile
phone to the future of marketing
in India; that marketing in India is
about individuals and not about
systems and processes; that two
influential parts of modern Indian
culture, Bollywood and cricket, cut
across all castes and regions and
that products and services should
be customised for the consumer.
Chandresh Pala, from UK ICT
consultancy Cohezia, said the
programme was very interesting
and “I am sure it will help us to
develop and implement our India
strategy”. Matthew Moyes,
representing a leading player in the
UK FMCG industry that, owing to
its size, did not receive a
scholarship, but was eager to take
part anyway, commented: “In short,
a well-planned, well-structured and
well-executed course.” Having
studied the theory of marketing in
India during the day, the UK
participants visited local businesses in
the evening. A number of them went
on for a week’s executive attachment
to an Indian company. John Stasi,
Policy and Partnership Manager at
UKTI London, who led the delegation
of UK managers, said that because of
the positive feedback from companies
on the IIMA course, it may soon be
repeated with other UK groups. C

E. BRAUDE
Getting Hot
E. Braude UK
launches its product
range in India
E. Braude (London) Ltd., a specialist
manufacturer of heating equipment
for highly corrosive liquids, has
launched its range of products in
the Indian market. The company
representatives were in India in
2008 to attend the Wire and Cable
India Exhibition to display the
unique range of equipment
designed for corrosive liquids. The
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)
Advanced Engineering Team has
been critical in introducing Braude
to the Indian market and helping
the company launch its products.
Braude manufactures equipment for
corrosive liquids found in pickling
procedures that are used in the
steel industry and many chemical
and metal finishing processes.
Though the Braude name is well
established for over 30 years in the
steel and metal finishing industries
in the UK, Europe and other parts
of the world, the brand is
comparatively unknown. Its
equipment, however, has
been sold to some blue chip
Indian companies.
“We are interested in the liquids
and conditions other suppliers
would avoid; our expertise is in
heating aggressive and corrosive
solutions that conventional
Jet Stream Pumps.
>> India is a
vibrant and
exciting
market that
is going to
become
more
important
over the next
few years<<
David Snoxhill
equipment cannot withstand,” said
a spokesperson for Braude. Braude
is an ISO 9001 registered company
and all its products are
manufactured from high integrity
chemically inert fluoropolymers
such as Teflon. The products have
been designed to ensure a long life
in aggressive solutions. “The 2008
visit was the company’s first visit to
India and as such was a fact finding
exercise as much as a sales
promotion, following work
we have carried out with
UKTI in the UK and India,”
said David Snoxhill,
Managing Director,
Braude. “We have certainly
BRITAIN TODAY
BUSINESS
achieved the first objective and it
has confirmed our view that India is
a vibrant and exciting market that is
going to become more important
over the next few years. We also
took the time to see some of our
existing customers, which proved
very useful,” he added.
According to Snoxhill, the company
has appointed a Sales Manager,
Industrial Sector, to concentrate
principally on the steel, wire and
tube industries. Once its name is
established in these industries
Braude will extend its operation
further to the chemical and allied
industries. The electroplating
industry in India will be served by
CMP Pvt. Ltd., a well established
company that has been supplying
top quality chemicals and
equipment to the metal finishing
industry since 1963. CMP has
shown great interest in the Polaris
electric heaters, in particular, and
intends to offer them to its
customers to provide the solution to
problems occurring in aggressive
chemical environments.
Braude products include Polaris
non-corrodable electric immersion
tank heaters; the Nautilus range of
tank heaters and Jet Stream external
heating and cooling systems;
Braude controllers; Braude self-
priming chemical service pumps and
Frogspawn thermal insulation
spheres that form a floating blanket
on the surface of solutions to
reduce thermal loss by up to
70 per cent. C
> VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 21
 BUSINESS
JAIVEL
Manufactured To Win
Indian firm sets up office in the UK to take
advantage of its engineering expertise
Recognising the UK’s engineering
expertise, Indian firm Jaivel
decided to locate its first overseas
office in the country. Founded in
1998, Jaivel designs, engineers and
manufactures plastic and metal
moulds for many industries. “We
have been working with European
customers in Spain, France and
Norway, but the UK was always
our first choice to establish a
subsidiary,” said Vipul Vachhani,
Managing Director, Jaivel. “We
wanted to give our European
entity the best possible start and
that is what the UK offered.”
>> We wanted to give our European entity the best
possible start and that is what the UK offered<<
UK manufacturing accounts for a
fifth of the economy, generating
more than US$263 billion a year.
The sector employs around four
million people directly,
approximately 14 per cent of the
UK workforce, and millions more
through the supply chain and
related services. Manufacturing is a
key generator of productivity in the
wider economy, introducing new
products and processes. The
sector now accounts for about
75 per cent of UK research and
development spending and two-
thirds of the nation’s exports.
Jaivel had been considering an
overseas office for some time as the
number of its European-based
22 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
customers increased. This would
enable it to work in the same
time zone as these customers,
while maintaining the cost-
effectiveness of an Indian
manufacturing facility. When
examining possible locations, the
company had a number of
criteria, which included a large
potential market and a pool of
skilled engineers.
“UK Trade & Investment [UKTI]
spent a great deal of time with us
to ensure we spoke with the right
people. I always left the various
discussions feeling extremely
Vipul Vachhani
positive and with plenty of ideas
about how to move relationships
forward,” recollected Vachhani.
“As an Indian company, the strong
cultural roots with the UK meant it
was far easier for us to do business
in the UK and understand the
information we were given
compared with other locations,” he
added. “It was important that we
had as few barriers as possible to
getting the office up and running.”
Another critical factor in Jaivel
choosing the UK was its world
renowned aerospace industry, a
sector in which the group was keen
to gain more business. The UK is
the largest aerospace employer
in Europe, employing a highly
skilled workforce of over
120,000 people.
UKTI worked in conjunction with
Invest Leicestershire, the inward
investment agency for
Leicestershire, Leicester Shire
Economic Partnership (LSEP) and
the East Midlands Development
Agency (EMDA) to identify
potential locations. The East
Midlands area was attractive to
Jaivel because of its engineering
heritage and the number of
universities with strong
engineering and process
design capabilities.
After visiting innovation centres
in UK universities, Vachhani
decided to locate at
Loughborough. Its 40,000 square
feet office and workshop space
can accommodate up to 40
companies and aims to
encourage technology,
innovation and employment in
the Loughborough area.
Jaivel has already benefited from
its links to a thriving, research-led
university and the centre’s
entrepreneurial spirit. “We have
a good idea of what the UK
market is about and I think we
will see significant growth
over the next five years,”
concluded Vachhani. C

SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Growing Returns
Yorkshire and Humber’s
business links with India
British High Commissioner to India
Sir Richard Stagg met Yorkshire
businesspeople in Leeds as part of a
programme to help the region’s
companies win business in India.
It was hosted by UK Trade &
Investment (UKTI) and the UK India
Business Council (UKIBC). Sir Richard
met representatives of 14 local small
and medium enterprises (SMEs) who
are already making inroads in Indian
markets. The companies included
family firm Pavers Shoes of York;
Sheffield Forgemasters, which has
operated for over 200 years and
Leeds-based manufacturer Brandon
Medical. They discussed the
experiences of Yorkshire companies
>> Yorkshire’s small and medium enterprises
have a growing presence in the Indian market,
cutting across many sectors<<
establishing themselves in India and
the support available from UKTI
and UKIBC.
“Yorkshire SMEs have a growing
presence in the Indian market,
cutting across many sectors,” said
the High Commissioner. “In the
current difficult international
circumstances, we believe that
India will continue to grow and can
offer opportunities to other
innovative and entrepreneurial
firms in this region. My message is
that UKTI stands ready to help,”
he emphasised.
Sir Richard also met representatives
of Leeds’s legal services sector –
the UK’s second largest legal hub –
to explore the improvements in
Sir Richard Stagg (fourth from left) at the
Leeds University Business School.
prospects for doing business in
India. His agenda included a
networking event with Indian
international students at Leeds
University Business School, before a
panel discussion that allowed
business people, professionals and
students to exchange views and
ideas about the relationship
between India and the UK. Joining
Sir Richard on the panel were
Sharon Bamford, Chief Executive
Officer, UKIBC; Imran Hakim, the
Sir Richard Stagg
founder of iTeddy and Deepak
Lalwani, Director, Astaire &
Partners Limited.
Mark Robson, UKTI’s International
Trade Director for Yorkshire and
Humber, spoke about his
meetings with representatives of
Yorkshire-based businesses in
India and in Leeds and how
they are prospering on the
subcontinent. He underlined the
importance of making more
companies aware of the tangible
opportunities offered by the
Indian market, especially in these
difficult times.
“UKTI has expanded its network in
India and I want to encourage
more Yorkshire businesspeople to
BRITAIN TODAY
BUSINESS
take advantage of the support that
we offer to those looking at new
markets – both here in the UK and
on the ground in our Indian
offices,” he said. According to him,
India’s economy has grown and
changed dramatically over the last
five years. Indian companies are
moving up the value chain and
doing more sophisticated and
higher value work, creating new
possibilities for partnership and
investment. The focus is also
shifting away from traditional
centres such as New Delhi and
Mumbai, with the emergence
of a new tier of smaller, faster
growing cities.
“Indian students of today are the
leaders of tomorrow,” commented
Bamford. “They are our
ambassadors to India. We are
building a Next Generation
Network of young people –
post-graduates, professionals and
entrepreneurs here in the UK
and in India.” He concluded by
saying that Yorkshire, with its long
tradition of manufacturing
excellence and its emergence as an
important regional services hub,
had much to gain from the
Indian market. C
> VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 23
 BUSINESS
WORKSHOP
Power Of Innovation
Forging partnerships through
R&D and innovation
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)
Kolkata organised a workshop
‘UK-India: Harnessing the Power of
Innovation’, to highlight the R&D
strengths of the UK with a special
focus on the Global Partnerships
Programme (GPP) for inward
investment. The GPP is a UKTI
initiative designed to create
Mustaq Birader stressed on the
need to realise the potential for
qualitative partnerships
between India and the UK
24 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
partnerships between the
world’s most innovative
technology-led organisations and
their UK peers. In his opening
address, Mustaq Birader, Deputy
Head of Mission, British Deputy
High Commission, Kolkata, stressed
on the need to realise the potential
for qualitative partnerships
Mustaq Birader, Deputy Head of Mission,
British Deputy High Commission, Kolkata,
addressing the workshop.
between India and the UK. Dr Amit
Khandelwal, Head, Outward R&D
and Global Partnerships, UKTI,
spoke about the programme and
urged local interested companies
and research institutes to consider
reaching out to partners in the UK
through the GPP route.
Professor Partha Pratim
Chakrabarti, Indian Institute of
Technology, Kharagpur, delivered a
presentation on the research
potential in India today and how
the academia and industry could
work together to promote and
produce innovations. Amitava
Dutta and Debashish Roy of Adapt
Solutions, who are working with
UK partners under the GPP, spoke
about their experience and how it
helped them reach out to a broad
spectrum of possible partners.
The event was attended by people
from innovative start-ups,
universities and research institutes
mainly from the advanced
engineering, biotechnology and
ICT sectors. Most of the attendees
were interested in the programme
and were keen to identify UK
partners for joint research and
development work. C

SEMINAR
Improving Lives
UK’s waste management solutions
for East India
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)
Kolkata organised a seminar on
Waste Management Solutions from
the UK in order to highlight the
UK’s strengths in solid waste
management. A delegation of six
companies, led by Jonathan Swan,
Associate Director, Environment &
Water, Atkins, participated in
the seminar.
Mustaq Birader, Deputy Head of
Mission, British Deputy High
Commission, Kolkata, highlighted
the role played by scientific solid
waste management in the
development of a city such as
Kolkata and other urban centres.
He also stressed on how a robust
solid waste management
programme helps in improving the
lives of the urban poor.
In his presentation, Swan spoke
about the achievements of UK’s
Jonathan Swan, Associate Director,
Environment & Water, Atkins,
addressing the seminar on
Waste Management Solutions.
waste management industry, its
regulatory and technological
developments. Arnab Roy, Special
Secretary, Department of Municipal
Affairs, Government of West
Bengal, highlighted the challenges
Jonathan Swan spoke about
the achievements of UK’s
waste management industry
and its developments
BRITAIN TODAY
BUSINESS
faced by local authorities in dealing
with municipal waste and how they
are coping with the situation.
In his keynote address, Alapan
Bandyopadhyay, Municipal
Commissioner, Kolkata Municipal
Corporation (KMC), welcomed UK
expertise and technology to cope
with the problems of waste
management. He, however,
stressed that this technology
should be customised to meet the
local requirements and be made
economically viable.
The seminar was attended by more
than 130 people, from various
urban local bodies, private and
public sector companies, NGOs
and the media. The event was
followed by meetings
between the UK
delegation and local
organisations. The
KMC organised a
visit to their landfill
site for the UK
delegation. C
> VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 25
 BUSINESS
SURVEY
Record Performance
UK Trade & Investment helps
many firms earn profits
Data shows that UK Trade &
Investment (UKTI) has helped
hundreds more companies than
ever before to export. The latest
independent Performance and
Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS)
reveals that a record 20,700
businesses were helped to generate
£3.6 billion in additional profit. Of
these, over 3,700 companies were
from London.
“These excellent results show that
UKTI is helping UK firms to navigate
out of the downturn,” said Minister
for Trade and Investment, Lord
Mervyn Davies of Abersoch.
According to him, companies that
export are more resilient. Each year,
over 3,000 UK businesses receive
Tradeshow Access Programme
(TAP) grants of up to £1,800 to
participate in trade shows abroad.
This financial year, grants are
available for over 400 trade shows
in many markets. They include the
‘Big 5’ construction show in Dubai;
an offshore oil and gas show in
Brazil; a broadcast media show in
Beijing and the Medica 2009 in
Germany. ‘Solo’ TAP grants are also
available for companies wishing to
exhibit independently at events not
© AFP
listed on the UKTI website.
Under the new rules, the
number of grants
available to
>> UK Trade &
Investment can help to
guide firms through to
business success<<
Dominic Jermey
26 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
businesses in their lifetime will
double to six per company, with
the proviso that the company visits
at least two different markets. And
for businesses that have already
benefited from the programme, the
slate has been wiped clean.
Previously awarded grants will not
be taken into account. Also, a new
package of support announced by
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has
come on stream from 1 April.
UKTI’s ‘Gateway to Global Growth’
initiative will provide specialist and
tailored financial and legal advice
to over 1,200 businesses in
the next year to support their
growth internationally.
“Breaking into new markets is
never easy, but UKTI can help to
guide firms through to business
success,” said Dominic Jermey,
Acting Chief Executive,
UKTI. “There are
At the ‘Big 5’ construction show in Dubai.
great opportunities out there for
companies. Our message is that by
exporting, you go further,” he
emphasised. Building on its existing
efforts to promote the benefits of
exporting, UKTI’s advertisements
with the message to ‘Take it to the
WorldUK’ can be seen in major
transport hubs in England, in the
print media and on the UK’s iconic
black taxis.
Companies that have benefited from
UKTI’s programmes include Avanti
Communications, the UK’s only fixed
satellite operator and one of only
eight in Europe. It used a tour of
British embassies to help launch its
first Europe-wide satellite.
Conducted through UKTI’s Overseas
Market Introduction Service, Avanti
targeted European locations and has
subsequently used TAP to reach
these markets via tradeshows such
as the 2008 IBC Conference
in Amsterdam.
In another instance, through UKTI’s
Passport to Export programme,
Shadow Robot sold its Shadow
Dextrous Hand, the world’s most
advanced robotic hand, to high-
profile buyers including NASA and
Carnegie-Mellon University. Trimega
Laboratories has more than doubled
its turnover and forecasts that it will
reach £1 million in 2009, thanks to
support from UKTI. C

PROVIDENT FUND
New Regulations
UK Trade & Investment guides expatriates
on how to figure out new Provident Fund
requirements in India
The Employees Provident Fund
Organisation, the nodal body for
Provident Fund in India, recently
brought about some changes in its
rules, applicable to expatriates
working in India. These will be
legally binding with immediate
effect. With little time to react and
understand the full implications of
the changes, British companies and
employees in India were confused
and grappling with the full impact
of the new rules. Violation of, or
non-compliance with, the new rules
would lead to heavy penalty or
imprisonment, or both. Compliance
on the other hand, translated into
higher costs, around 24 per cent,
with serious implications for the
cost structures of companies.
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) took
the initiative to organise a seminar
with expert speakers from
PricewaterhouseCoopers to shed
light on this issue. Expatriate
business persons as well as HR
heads of UK businesses attended
the seminar. Among the most
pertinent questions that arose at
the seminar were what viable
alternatives could there be with the
impact of non-compliance; what
recovery of the contribution could
be made when leaving the country
BUSINESS
and why such a change was brought
into the Indian Provident Fund Act.
The panellists explained that the Act
has been brought into effect to
bring various nations into Social
Security Agreements with India.
Accordingly, individuals contributing
to their respective national social
security funds would be exempted
from further contribution. On the
question of bypassing or delaying
the contribution to the Provident
Fund authorities, it was obvious that
non-compliance would lead to a
penalty and in some cases even
imprisonment. On the recovery issue,
it was very clear that the funds will
be recovered once the individual
leaves the country. However, as
official procedures take some time, An expert from PricewaterhouseCoopers
speaking at the seminar.
individuals might have to pursue the
matter themselves or through their
Provident Fund office for the
recovery of their contribution.
These and other issues pertaining to
the structure of the contributions Issues pertaining
were discussed to help UK firms
understand the new rules and how to the structure
they should best respond to them.
The seminar was very well received of the
and as a result of the positive
feedback from the Mumbai event,
UKTI held similar seminars in Pune
contributions
and New Delhi. C were discussed to
help UK firms
understand the
new rules and
how they should
best respond
to them
BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 27
 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
© AFP
PROJECT GOCE
Unearthing Secrets
European space mission to
reveal the Earth’s secrets
Planetary scientists have claimed that the European
spaceship, launched recently, would unearth the
Earth’s secrets from the movements of ocean currents
to the location of oil deposits. The
spaceship’s satellite would track the
variations in Earth’s gravity and
reveal data, which will enable
the detection of the
flow of molten rock that
underlies movements of
tectonic plates and
causes quakes.
The project, named
Goce, will also show
how gravity diverges
from the average in
different parts of the
world. According to the
scientists, this will provide
a benchmark against
which changes in ocean
currents, the melting of
28 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
>> Goce will yield
details of the Earth’s
gravity field to an
accuracy and resolution
that is simply
unobtainable by existing
terrestrial and
space techniques<<
Professor Philip Moore
ice-caps, or volcanic processes can be clearly shown.
“Goce will yield details of the Earth’s gravity field to an
accuracy and resolution that is simply unobtainable by
existing terrestrial and space techniques,’ said Professor
Philip Moore of Newcastle University.
It is necessary to measure changes in ocean circulation
to understand climate change, revealed Mark
Drinkwater, Goce Mission Scientist, European Space
Agency. “Currents carry large quantities of heat from
the equator to the poles. The system in the north
Atlantic, for example, helps to keep Europe’s climate
relatively mild,” added Drinkwater.
“Imagine a snowflake, which weighs a fraction of a
gram, falling onto the deck of a super tanker. The
impact the super tanker experiences from that
snowflake is comparable to the sensitivity of our
instrument,” explained Rune Floberghagen, Goce
Mission Manager. C
– PTI
 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL

>>What our technology
does is to replace
natural selection with
a DNA-based
quality score<<
Dr Alistair Elfick

Dr Alistair Elfick, the leading scientist on the project, shows the

Raman spectroscopy technique in action.

“In natural conception the fittest and healthiest sperm

are positively selected by the arduous journey they
make to the egg. What our technology does is to
replace natural selection with a DNA-based quality
score,” said Dr Alistair Elfick, the leading scientist on
RESEARCH the project. “But this is not about designer babies. We
can only tell if the sperm is strong and healthy – not if it

Conceiving Right will produce a baby with blue eyes,” he added. In the
past the quality tests of sperm have mostly been carried
out on the basis of shape and activity. Although these
do give some indication of the health of the sperm,
UK scientists develop a they do not give its DNA status. There are established
tests for sperm DNA quality but they work by cutting
fingerprint method that is set the cells in half and tagging them with fluorescent dye
– a process that kills the sperm and renders it useless.
to improve in-vitro fertilisation, This new process does not destroy the sperm, therefore
if it is found to have good DNA quality it can still be
writes RICHARD LEVICK used in IVF treatment.
Conception rates in either IVF treatment or intercourse
Scientists in the UK have developed a ground-breaking are at about one in four. By selecting the best quality
method for testing the quality of sperm before it is sperm it is hoped this new process could both increase a
used in in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and increase the couple’s chances of conception and give the child the
chances of conception. Researchers at the University of best potential start in life.
Edinburgh – funded by the UK’s Engineering and
Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) – have The research is in a pre-clinical phase and, if successful,
created a way of chemically ‘fingerprinting’ individual could be available to patients in the next five to 10 years.
sperm to give an indication of quality. Scientists can Infertility affects many couples and can be a stressful and
then consider whether or not the sperm is healthy upsetting experience. In about half of these cases there
enough to be used to fertilise an egg as part of are problems in the man’s sperm production. IVF – and
an IVF treatment. in particular intracytoplasmic sperm injection – a process
in which the sperm is injected into the egg, has offered
The sperm are captured in two highly focussed beams many childless couples the opportunity to have a family.
of laser light. Trapped in what are essentially ‘optical Raman spectroscopy is the measurement of the
tweezers’, an individual sperm’s DNA properties are wavelength and intensity of inelastically scattered light
identified by the pattern of the vibrations they emit in a from molecules. The Raman-scattered light occurs at
process known as Raman spectroscopy. This is the first wavelengths that are shifted from the incident light by
time this process has been used to evaluate DNA the energies of molecular vibrations. C
damage in sperm. – LPS

BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 29

 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NETWORK
Growing Chemistry
A chemistry network in India
has been launched with support
from Shell Global Solutions
India is going through a renaissance in higher
education. Dubbed the ‘Education Plan’, funding is
being made available for 30 new central universities.
Many new institutes will specialise in science education,
research and technology. International links form the
foundations for high-quality research and learned
societies are well-placed to take a proactive role in
cultivating these relationships. Two years ago, the
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) signed a five-year
international cooperation agreement with the Chemical
Research Society of India (CRSI) and, this year, that
agreement has been strengthened by the launch of a
new chemistry network.
The Chemistry Leadership Network India is
designed to assist strong contacts between the
top chemical scientists in India and the UK
With financial support from Shell Global Solutions, one
of Shell’s technology focussed organisations, the
Chemistry Leadership Network India is designed to assist
strong contacts between the top chemical scientists in
India and the UK. The initiative strives to become the
first port of call for Indian chemists looking for contacts
and information on funding, publishing and career
opportunities. It will also provide the infrastructure to
form collaborations, both within and between academia
and industry. The Leadership Network was officially
launched in London in January this year. This was shortly
followed by a number of events in India at the start of
February. On 3 February, the RSC hosted a special
symposium in Mumbai in celebration of the
Golden Jubilee of the Indian Institute of Technology.
30 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
A PhD student at a poster session,
Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai.
This included speakers from Indian industry,
complemented by a guest lecture delivered by Hugo
Vits, President, Shell Global Solutions, France, titled:
‘Building Competitive Edge through Industrial and
Academic Partnership’. On 5 February the third CRSI-
RSC Symposium was held at the National Chemical
Laboratory in Pune. Jointly organised with other leading
research institutes in Pune, the event featured a 50:50
mix of Indian and UK-based academic speakers.
Sourav Pal, Head of the Physical Chemistry Division at
the National Chemical Laboratory, was delighted to be
involved: “We were very pleased to host this event,” he
said. According to him, the symposium was a great
step in forging collaboration between the CRSI and the
RSC. He hoped that this will result in the tangible
outcome of bringing Indian and UK scientists together
in setting up research collaborations, especially at the
ground level.
These joint CRSI-RSC symposia have now been
established to take place every year on the day before
the CRSI National Symposium in Chemistry (the
largest chemistry symposium in India, with 600 to 700
participants). The British Deputy High Commissioner
in Mumbai, Vicki Treadell, was involved in the launch
events that were held in Mumbai and was very happy
to be associated with the scheme. “We believe that
these initiatives are key to furthering Indo-UK
collaboration in science and we hope our involvement
in the events is viewed as an endorsement of our
commitment to engaging with India,” said Treadell.
“We hope this marks the start of many productive
collaborations and increased engagement with
stakeholders in India across the chemical sciences.”

The RSC has had strong links with India for many
years. In 1948 the existing Indian section was replaced
by four local sections. Today there are five international
sections based in India – Chennai, Deccan, East, West
and North India.
2007 marked the start of the cooperation agreement
with CRSI and also saw the first joint CRSI-RSC
Symposium on the Chemical Sciences. As the
collaborations between the RSC and the CRSI have
grown, this forms a sound base to build on with the
new support from Shell.
Alejandra Palermo, International Projects Manager,
RSC, is looking forward to taking the Chemistry
Leadership Network forward. “It is proposed to set up
an office in India with a local RSC staff-member to
coordinate activities,” she revealed. “Based on the
RSC’s experience in China and with the Pan-Africa
Chemistry Network, local presence has proved to be
invaluable in developing closer relationships with key
individuals and organisations.”
Other activities, such as international symposia –
perhaps in a road show format – should work to
build relationships with local scientists and increase
global awareness of the RSC and its activities,
added Palermo.
The RSC’s organic division has also established a close
relationship with India’s National Organic Symposium
Trust (NOST). This is a forum to promote organic
chemistry in India and to link to organic chemists
worldwide. Such existing initiatives provide great
examples to build upon.
Those that took part in some of the recent events
in India are already starting to see the benefits the
network can bring and plans for collaborations are
under way. Visiting chemists from the UK noted
how stimulating, motivated and well-prepared the
graduate students are. Jonathan Nitschke, a lecturer
at the University of Cambridge, believes personal
contacts will certainly help the UK’s competitive
advantage in attracting the best Indian chemists for
further collaboration, as well as graduate and
post-doctoral positions.
With support from industry, the High Commission of
India and the British High Commission, along with the
chemical societies and funding organisations in both
nations, the Chemistry Leadership Network in India
appears to have a very promising future. C
For more information on the network, and to find out
how you can get involved, please contact
Alejandra Palermo: Palermoa@rsc.org
– Article reproduced with the permission of the RSC
The Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai,
on the shores of Powai Lake.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
OPINION
Rewards From A
Passage To India
JONATHAN
NITSCHKE on
India’s chemistry landscape
A recent trip with the RSC to Mumbai and Pune
underscored for me India’s immense pool of
human capital, as well as the necessity of stronger
links between UK chemistry and the Indian
chemical community.
The Indian chemistry landscape is benefiting from an
influx of resources from both the private and public
sectors. This was clearly apparent from my visits to
Nicholas Piramal Limited in Mumbai and to the Pune
campuses of the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL)
and the nascent Indian Institute of Science Education &
Research (IISER) – one of five IISERs under construction.
I gained a real sense of the Indian Government’s strong
political will to invest in science training and research in
speaking with Krishna N Ganesh, Director of IISER Pune.
The Institute’s inaugural infrastructure budget is more
than £60 million. Professor Ganesh was one of the first
PhD students of my colleague, Professor Jeremy
Sanders. This created a good opportunity for old links to
be renewed – we have invited him to come and visit in
the near future.
I also foresee research collaborations growing out of
several of the discussions that I had with junior
investigators at my own career level. The UK and India
both stand to benefit if we are able to attract their best
to join us for PhD or post-doctoral education.
Making personal contacts will be essential to increase
the UK’s competitive advantage since these individuals
will be highly sought after by top US, German and
other institutions.
Historical and linguistic ties between our two countries
will not suffice. India is consolidating its place at the
high table of international science; I will be following
the development of the IISERs with great interest. C
Jonathan Nitschke is a lecturer at the
University of Cambridge
BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 31
 ENVIRONMENT

CLIMATE CHANGE

Time To Act
UK calls for urgent steps to tackle
climate change

The Indian Chamber of Commerce
(ICC) organised its Environment
Partnership Summit 09 in Kolkata
recently to debate the growing
threat of climate change and
suggest feasible solutions to
protect the Earth’s environment.
Speaking at the conference, West
Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee reiterated the
importance of urgent policy
initiatives to tackle climate change.
He admitted the task ahead for his
Government was not easy and said
he recognised the need to reduce
the emission of gases from
industries, find alternative sources
of energy and control automobile
cited the example of strong policies
prevalent in the UK that will help
combat climate change. “While
much was achieved in 2008, the
most important was the enacting of
the Climate Change Bill, the first of
its kind in the world, which sets out
plans to tackle climate change for
the next 50 years,” said the Deputy
High Commissioner. He went on to
>> It’s simple
maths, change
or perish<<
Simon Wilson
that if we don’t act, the overall
costs and risks of climate change
will be equivalent to losing at least
five per cent of global GDP each
year; forever. If a wider range of
risks and impacts is taken into
account, the estimated costs of
damage could rise to a staggering
20 per cent of GDP. In sharp
contrast, the costs of tackling
climate change can be limited to
around one per cent of global GDP
each year. “It’s simple maths –
change or perish!” warned Wilson.
Referring to West Bengal, Simon
Wilson said that the UK was in the
closing stage of a very successful
small adaptation project to grow a

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb

Bhattacharjee presenting an award to
Dr RK Pachauri, Chairman, Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (top).
Simon Wilson, British Deputy High Commissioner,
in conversation with Dr RK Pachauri.

pollution. Dr RK Pachauri,
Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC), who
was honoured at the Summit, said
West Bengal is particularly
vulnerable to climate change and its
impact will be diverse since
primarily the state is dependent on
agriculture. He advised real estate
planners and architects to “take
advantage of constructing energy
efficient buildings to lower the
costs of investments”.
In his keynote address, Simon
Wilson, British Deputy High
Commissioner to Eastern India,
explain that the legislation contains
a framework that will put Britain on
the path to become a low-carbon
economy, with clear, legally binding
targets to reduce carbon dioxide
emissions by at least 60 per cent by
2050, and 26 to 32 per cent by
2020, against 1990 levels.
Pointing out some of the major
read-outs from the Stern Review,
Wilson said evidence leads to a
simple fact that the benefits of
strong and early action on
combating climate change far
outweigh the economic costs of not
acting. The Stern Review estimates
model mangrove forest along
seven kilometres of coastline in
the Sunderbans. A film about the
project will be released in the
coming months. The film
documents the project and shows
how to scientifically and practically
plant mangroves so that different
species complement each other
and create a natural barrier to
rising sea levels.
The project, though small, has
been planned and executed to
ensure that it can be replicated
in other parts of India and
the world. C

32 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY


>> India stands today at a threshold
of greatness<<
BUSINESS CENTRE
Touching Tomorrow
Cambridge University launches
Centre for India & Global Business
The UK’s University of Cambridge’s
Judge Business School opened its
new Centre for India & Global
Business by launching its website
and an inaugural lecture in New
Delhi recently. The Centre is
devoted to the study of India’s
leading role in the global economy
with a vision to serve as a
collaborative platform that engages
EDUCATION
JUDGE BUSINESS SCHOOL
Professor Jaideep Prabhu
threshold of greatness. Its young
population, combined with its
service economy, predisposes it to
play an important role in the global
knowledge economy of
tomorrow.” He added that the
Centre aims to generate cutting-
edge thought leadership by
bringing together business,
academic and policy leaders from
multiple stakeholders from India, UK around the world to understand,
and other countries. Jaideep Prabhu, promote and engage with Indian
the first Jawaharlal Nehru Professor innovators. “The Centre’s vision is
of Indian Business and Enterprise at to become a world knowledge
the University of Cambridge, platform for creating and
delivered a series of inaugural disseminating cutting-edge
lectures in Delhi, Bangalore and practices and insights related to
Mumbai. Commenting on the launch India and innovation,” concluded
of the new Centre, Professor Prabhu Professor Prabhu. C
said, “India stands today at a – PTI
BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 33
 EDUCATION
CENTRE FOR INDIAN BUSINESS
Enterprising Education
Top centre for Indian enterprise open for
business, writes RAY COOLING
A major university that has more
students from India than any other
UK seat of learning has established
an academy for enterprise to help
people and organisations to do
business in and with India. Called
the Centre for Indian Business –
created at London’s University of
Greenwich – it will build on
relationships that the academy has
had with India for 50 years.
>> There is as much we can
learn from India as
we can teach<<
Tim Gore
About 100 people from industry
and academia attended the launch
in Delhi recently. It was hosted by
Tessa Blackstone, Vice Chancellor,
Greenwich University and
industrialist Mukul Kasliwal,
Chairman of the Advisory Board,
who also funded the event.
The Centre plans to build
partnerships with higher education
institutions in India, to teach its
courses there, organise student and
staff exchanges and to collaborate
on research. “In time, the Centre
expects to develop research and
consultancy,” said Tim Gore, the
Centre’s Director. The academy’s
MBA International Business in India
programme is specifically designed
for future managers of Indian-
related business and explores the
complexity and diversity in a
widely varied emerging market.
34 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
It addresses the demand of
companies from India looking for
internationalisation as well as
multinational corporations looking
to enter India. Drawing on current
Greenwich University research and
international academic theory,
there is a strong emphasis on real-
life case studies and professional
management application. The
focus is on managerial decision-
making. The course will help
students to develop skills in
assessing the global environment
for business, identifying new
international opportunities and
analysing international markets
and industries. The programme
provides students who may not
have a first degree in business
with a good grounding in
management, followed by
specialised international business
courses with a focus on India.
In addition to launching the Centre,
the university signed a
Memorandum of Understanding
with the Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI) and a joint
programme of activities.
Dr Margaret Noble, the university’s
Pro-Vice Chancellor for Learning
and Quality, also attended the
FICCI Higher Education Summit in
Delhi. Dr Noble led a master class
on quality assurance in educational
partnerships that attracted more
than 30 Vice Chancellors and
Deputy Vice Chancellors, mainly
from India. Gore gave a plenary
address, focussing on the nature
of knowledge production and
how international links benefit
local economies.
“I am very pleased to be able to
work with the University of
Greenwich to create a centre of
expertise on Indian business.
Building partnerships in a global
economy is today’s imperative and
Greenwich is well placed to do
this,” said Kasliwal.
UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH
Tim Gore, Director,
Centre For Indian Business.
According to Gore, the Indian
economy offers enormous
opportunities but some will be
lost if the skills are not there.
Employers are looking for
graduates with not just technical
skills but communication and
business skills and the ability to
think creatively, independently
and analytically – and that is what
Greenwich does so well.
“We are interested in genuine
partnerships,” he continued.
“There is as much we can learn
from India as we can teach. For
example, India has a long tradition
of entrepreneurship and
innovation, and its business
education is very strong.” C
– LPS

VISIT
Succeeding Together
British High Commissioner,
Sir Richard Stagg, in Pune
The British High Commissioner,
Sir Richard Stagg, was in Pune
recently and met with a number of
leading city personalities, including
Dr Narendra Jadhav, Vice
Chancellor, Pune University.
Sir Richard visited some companies
with British links and addressed the
Annual General Meeting of the
British Business Group. Here he
had the opportunity to meet Baba
Sir Richard visited some companies with British
links and addressed the Annual General
Meeting of the British Business Group
Kalyani of Bharat Forge and Sanjay
Kirloskar, Chairman and Managing
Director, Kirloskar Brothers. At
AESSEAL India’s recently built plant,
located at Varve, near Pune,
Sir Richard was given a tour of the
design, testing and manufacturing
areas of the new facility. He also
inaugurated the first phase of their
manufacturing unit.
The High Commissioner was
delighted to address the staff at
AESSEAL and congratulated them
on the new plant.
AESSEAL is a UK headquartered
mechanical seals, bearing
protectors and thermosyphon
systems manufacturer with
customers in oil and gas,
pharmaceuticals, steel, fertilisers
and power across the world. The
India operations of the company
are headquartered in Pune with
manufacturing facilities in Pune,
Mumbai and Hyderabad. It employs
a staff of around 230 in India.
BRITAIN TODAY
DIPLOMACY
Sir Richard was invited to Praj India,
a process engineering company
supplying equipment to the sugar,
food, drink, oil and gas sectors. Praj
designs and manufactures turnkey
plants for biofuels, especially
ethanol. One such plant has been
supplied to British Sugar in the UK.
The High Commissioner was
especially interested in the
company’s R&D facility, Matrix.
Here, research is being conducted
on new feedstocks to produce
ethanol and on algae, as a source
for future fuels, which can be
grown on carbon dioxide, a
byproduct of fermentation.
Sir Richard also visited Bilcare,
headquartered in Pune, which
has core expertise in packaging,
labelling, global logistics and
distribution and clinical
supplies management for the
healthcare sector. C
> VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 35
 DIPLOMACY
ANN MCKECHIN
Education Links
UK Minister sees growing scope for
Indo-UK education ties
UK Minister for Scottish Affairs,
Ann McKechin, visited Kolkata
recently to take forward the Indo-
UK trade and business agenda and
participate in the Kolkata Book Fair,
where Scotland was the partner
country. Addressing members at a
workshop on education links
organised by Scotland’s Colleges
International (SCI), the Minister said
Scottish colleges were ideally
placed to train Indian students in a
wide variety of subjects as well as
India is Scotland’s biggest international market
for college students
form partnerships with educational
institutions in Bengal to help deliver
training, skills and tailor-made
training courses for this region.
Today, India is Scotland’s biggest
international market for college
students with more than 1,400
Indians studying in Scottish colleges
and another 3,000 in Scottish
universities. McKechin said the
curriculum at Scottish colleges was
wide, ranging from engineering and
36 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
construction to fashion and
creative industries. While Scottish
companies were interested in the
Kolkata heritage sector, the
Minister observed that Scottish
companies were already involved in
major assignments in East India. In
this context, she pointed out that
Scottish architect firm RMJM has
designed the new airport for
Kolkata. RMJM has also designed
the new Rs 2,500 crore
International Convention Centre at
Rajarhat, due for completion in
2010. The Minister identified
biotechnology and information
technology as areas of Scottish
strength where West Bengal
companies could look for
partnerships. McKechin had a
meeting with the West Bengal
Chief Minister, Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee, where she discussed
Bengal-Scottish business and
cultural ties. Apart from
participating in a number of events
at the Book Fair, McKechin, who
has been involved in development
work, visited two Department for
International Development (DFID)-
assisted projects near Kolkata.
At the seminar, British Deputy High
Commissioner, Simon Wilson,
highlighted the buoyant Indo-UK
education ties. He said that the
UK-India Education and Research
Initiative (UKIERI), where both
countries have pledged
£23 million each to improve
educational links, is progressing
well with 475 new Indo-UK higher
education and school links created
over the past two years. SCI was in
Kolkata with a 14-member
delegation from eight Scottish
colleges to promote Indo-Scottish
educational ties in East India. C
UK Minister for Scottish Affairs,
Ann McKechin, at an income
generation project in
Madhyamgram (left); Ann
McKechin at a Department for
International Development
(DFID)-assisted slum improvement
project in Barrackpore, near
Kolkata (right).
 DIPLOMACY

ROLLS-ROYCE

Unparalleled Power
Rolls-Royce to power
The RB211 utilises Dry Low
Indian pipeline extension Emissions (DLE) combustion
technology that offers no
compromise in performance
or reliability.
The UK’s Rolls-Royce engines will
power an extension to one of
India’s major gas pipelines in a
deal with the Gas Authority of
India Limited (GAIL). The contract
is valued at more than $130 >> India is an important and
million. Six RB211-GT61 gas
turbine compression packages will growing market for Rolls-Royce
be supplied to increase the flow of
gas to 56 million cubic meters per and we are very pleased to
day. This is part of an integrated
national gas grid that GAIL is
creating for economic growth
strengthen our long-standing
across India. relationship with the Gas
Three gas compression sets will be
installed at Vijaipur and Jhabua. Authority of India Limited<<
Each will maintain pipeline
hydraulics by compensating for the Tom Curley
loss of gas pressure that occurs
along a pipeline.
Canada, facility and the
“India is an important and centrifugal gas compressors will
growing market for Rolls-Royce be built at its Mount Vernon,
and we are very pleased to Ohio, factory in the US. Assembly

THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS REPRODUCED WITH

strengthen our long-standing of the complete gas turbine

THE PERMISSION OF ROLLS-ROYCE PLC,

relationship with GAIL,” said Tom packages will also take place at
Curley, President, Rolls-Royce Mount Vernon. Delivery of all six
Energy Business. “Rolls-Royce has units is scheduled for the first

© ROLLS-ROYCE PLC 2009

unparalleled experience in quarter of 2010. C
providing power for major oil and
gas pipelines in 24 countries
around the world and this new
contract is further demonstration
of the benefits our technology is
delivering,” he added.
Rolls-Royce now has more than
100 gas turbine and compressor
installations in India and this new
contract increases the number of
RB211 compression units
operating on the GAIL network to
14. The Group also provides power
for the Oil and Natural Gas
Commission of India in the
Bombay High gas field with 36 gas
turbine and compressor units. Gas is pumped through the Europe Maghreb Pipeline by seven RB211 powered compressor sets.
Rolls-Royce will manufacture the
industrial RB211s at its Montreal,

BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 37

 DIPLOMACY
VISIT
Sharing Expertise
British High Commissioner to India,
Sir Richard Stagg, for greater
involvement in North-East India
British High Commissioner to India,
Sir Richard Stagg, visited North-East
India recently and met with a
number of dignitaries in Assam,
Shillong, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
Speaking at an interactive session
on ‘UK and North-East India –
Sustainable Development Through
Trade and Investment’, organised
by the Indian Chamber of
Commerce (ICC) in Guwahati,
Sir Richard said that there is a
growing realisation in the UK of the
immense business opportunities in
India and in the North-East.
Stressing on education, water
Sir Richard Stagg said that there is a growing
realisation in the UK of the immense business
opportunities in India and in the North-East
resources and tourism as areas
where the UK could offer
expertise, Sir Richard advised the
North-East states to maintain a
balance between commercial
tourism and preserving the rich
wildlife and environment.
Apart from attending the ICC
business session, Sir Richard called
on senior Assam Government
officials as well as the Governor,
Shiv Charan Mathur.
Deputy High Commissioner, Simon
Wilson, highlighted some of the
UK’s successes in the region,
including an Indo-UK tourism
venture. He mentioned that Tata
Tea, which had acquired Tetley of
the UK, would be setting up its
38 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
global headquarters at London and
that this is symbolic of the business
ties between the two countries. In
his inaugural address MK Saharia,
Chairman, ICC, North-East Initiative,
extended a warm welcome to the
British High Commissioner and
detailed the need for united efforts
towards sustainable trade and
business for development of the
region. Prem Saran, Government of
Assam Principal Secretary for Hill
Areas Development, invited global
investments, stating that North-East
India has a large pool of human
resources. Rajeev Singh, Secretary
General, ICC, put forth the
ICC’s intent on further initiatives
towards a UK and North-East
India partnership.
At a meeting with the visiting
British High Commissioner in
Shillong, Professor Ashoke Dutta,
Director, Indian Institute of
Management (IIM), Shillong, said
that he was keen on introducing
a ‘sustainable development’
management course at his institute
and would welcome a tie-up with a
UK institute. Professor Dutta also
said that IIM Shillong would be
keen to establish an academic,
faculty and technical collaboration
with a business school in the UK.
Assuring all possible assistance,
Sir Richard welcomed IIM Shillong’s
ambition to look at curriculum
suited to future management
requirements. Later, at an
interactive session with faculty and
students, the High Commissioner
spoke on the need for quality
management in a challenging
world. He dwelt on the challenge
of climate change and sustainable
development and need for future
managers to adopt best practices in
their workplace. In Meghalaya,
Sir Richard met the Governor,
Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary;
 DIPLOMACY

British High Commissioner to India,

Sir Richard Stagg, with Shiv Charan
Mathur, Governor, Assam (facing page).
Sir Richard Stagg at a Naga village;
Professor Ashoke Dutta, Director, Indian
Institute of Management, Shillong,
showing Sir Richard Stagg around the
campus (top row, left to right).
Sir Richard Stagg with Neiphiu Rio, Chief
Minister, Nagaland. The Chief Minister is
presenting a traditional Naga head-dress
to the High Commissioner (right).

Dr Donkupar Roy, former Chief

Minister; PA Sangma, Chairman,
Meghalaya Planning Board
and other senior officials.
Dr Roy and Sangma, in particular,
felt that Meghalaya offered
encouraging business potential
for UK colleges, especially in
vocational education.
During his visit to Nagaland,
Sir Richard had a number of
meetings with Nagaland Chief
Minister, Neiphiu Rio, who briefed
the High Commissioner on his
development agenda for the state.
Rio felt that there was large
scope for developing high-end
eco-tourism in the state as it was
unexplored. Sir Richard also met
Kateekal Sankaranarayanan,
Governor, Nagaland. C

Sir Richard Stagg laid a

wreath at the
Commonwealth War
Graves Memorial at
Kohima, Nagaland

BRITAIN TODAY > VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 39

OBITUARY
Adieu Lord Slynn, We Salute You
ANIL MALHOTRA, member of the International Law
Association and a practising lawyer in India, pays tribute
to Lord Gordon Slynn
The International Law Association (ILA), Regional Branch,
India, announced that Rt. Hon’ble Lord Gordon Slynn of
Hadley, former Law Lord and Chairman of ILA from
1988, who was a great friend of India, passed away on
7 April. A tear welled up in my eye. It was a painful
message. Nostalgia flooded me. Lord Slynn, well known
to many in the legal fraternity in Chandigarh, was a
warm human being of uncommon intellectual ability,
quick wit and friendly disposition. He was more widely
known internationally than any British Judge since Lord
Denning. Memories of my association with him were
very pleasant and very stimulating.
He melted our hearts when, as a Judge of the House of
Lords, he not only wrote a complimentary Foreword to
our book Acting for Non-Resident Indian Clients, but
personally organised its launch in The Attlee Room in the
House of Lords on 15 April 2005 for a very distinguished
gathering. We were overwhelmed. His gesture touched
us. His charisma was unique and distinct. His willing and
helpful nature, his gregarious disposition and his vast
reserves of energy made him stand out wherever he
went. On any visit to London, his personal invitation to
meet him entailed his warm and generous hospitality
over lunch in very elegant surroundings or English tea by
the Thames in the House of Lords restaurant with all the
accompaniments. His keenness and curiosity to update
his knowledge and inputs in Indian law was
overwhelming. His words, “It might be thought by some
that when people, formerly resident elsewhere, come to
live in this country and settle here, the law which
governs their lives is only English law,” in our book’s
Foreword always impressed me.
As a distinguished lawyer, Lord Slynn was nicknamed as
the French high speed train. At 46 he became one of the
youngest Judges to sit in the High Court. He served as
Advocate General and then as Judge at the European
Court of Justice before completing his career in the
House of Lords. He was honoured with six honorary
fellowships from universities around the world and had
15 honorary doctorate degrees. His assertiveness
married with his sense of humour was unique. He was
often “appalled” at the number of British cases going to
the European Courts of Human Rights. He never minced
his words in his unconventional ways. Lord Slynn loved
India. Dressed casually Indian style, he loved travelling
40 VOL XLII ISSUE 2 2009 > BRITAIN TODAY
within India and touring Lutyens’ city of Delhi. On
27 November 2004, he was interviewed by The Tribune in
New Delhi and he spoke freely of the enforcement of
human rights in the European Court. His published
opinions on substantive law as an Advocate General are
still regularly cited in European law cases.
His wife, Lady Odile Slynn, who founded the Kolkata-
based charity Child in Need Institute to help under-
nourished Indian mothers and children, was a regular
visitor to Chandigarh. Equally warm and affectionate, she
loved to stay at our home with the children. Lord Slynn
himself, a versatile personality, was fond of the visual arts,
dance and music and was very attached to his dogs in his
farmhouse at Eggington in the UK. He was a fine
connoisseur of wine and kept a huge cellar at home.
On one of his frequent trips to Delhi a few years ago,
when Sir Michael Arthur, then the British High
Commissioner, had hosted a big charity dinner at his
home where Sir Richard Branson was also present among
other dignitaries, we had lunch together that afternoon in
Connaught Place. The Imperial hotel was his favourite
haunt, which we realised after we had lunch at another
restaurant. I vividly remember he immensely enjoyed a
nice long drive in Lutyens’ Delhi. He was wearing an
elegantly crafted kurta pyjama that afternoon. The
tree-lined Aurangzeb Road fascinated him.
My last acquaintances with him at the 73rd ILA Biennial
Conference at Rio de Janeiro in August 2008 and
previously at the 72nd ILA Conference at Toronto in June
2006 were treasured moments. He wanted to know when
our next book was being published and released. Ever
encouraging and inquisitive, he ignited young minds with
new legal propositions and challenging questions.
Warm memories overtake me when he expressed a keen
desire to visit Shimla and Kasauli hills as his first love was
to tour India. Often coming to Delhi and Mumbai as an
Arbitrator, he always wanted to call on old Indian friends
in India. His life-size picture making the inaugural speech
at our book launch at the Lords with Kamlesh Sharma,
then Indian High Commissioner, adorns our office
entrance. His warm memories live in our hearts. His
thoughts inspire us. His ideas guide us. His views charter
our course to progress. He is immortal in our minds.
May his soul rest in peace. C
 © AFP
Burma’s pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace

laureate Aung San Suu Kyi symbolises the

struggle of Burma’s people to be free. She has

been detained for over 13 years by the Burmese

regime for campaigning for human rights and

democracy in Burma.

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