KSDL plans to expand reach of products like Mysore Sandal Soap, shower gels into European markets
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
The state-run Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) plans to further expand the reach of products like Mysore Sandal Soap and shower gels into European markets , Minister for Large and Medium Industries M B Patil said on Wednesday.The minister said this during the British High Commissioner to India , Lindy Cameron, and Deputy High Commissioner for Karnataka and Kerala, Chandru Iyer's visit to KSDL.During their visit, they were briefed on the company's history, market reach, financial performance, and future expansion plans, the minister's office said in a release."KSDL currently exports its products to 23 countries. We now plan to further expand the reach of products like Mysore Sandal Soap and shower gels into European markets," Patil said.The cooperation from the UK would be helpful in achieving this goal, he was quoted as saying by his office in a release.The minister, while recounting KSDL's origins, explained that the then Maharaja of Mysuru, Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, had sent a representative to Britain to study the soap-making process.The establishment of KSDL was later made possible through the efforts of the Maharaja and the visionary Sir M Visvesvaraya, he added.Lindy Cameron noted that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the United Kingdom would benefit both countries and, by extension, industrial states like Karnataka."We should share expertise in ways that serve mutual interests without compromising our respective goals," she said, according to the release.During the visit, the UK officials were shown a live presentation highlighting KSDL's legacy and achievements. A special exhibition was also arranged to showcase the company's wide range of products.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
13 minutes ago
- Indian Express
North Block is leaving the building, with files, stationery and nostalgia
In its 94-year existence, North Block has seen a lot. It was the seat of power of the colonial British government, the site of spontaneous celebrations when India became Independent in 1947, and, ever since, has been a witness to successive governments shaping policy for the nation. These days, however, the corridors of the building are nearly deserted, with sections roped off, and locks hanging on doors that till recently hid a flurry of activity. The building is in the process of being emptied as part of the government's plan to redevelop the Central Vista area – the stretch from India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhawan. North Block now is to be repurposed as a museum, with key ministries that have operated out of it since 1931 when its construction finished – including Union Ministries of Home Affairs and Finance, and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) – to be moved to a set of 'Kartavya Bhawan' buildings down the road. However, the work of shifting a government can't be hurried up. And in this case is being coordinated by a ministry – Housing and Urban Affairs, which is also spearheading the Central Vista redevelopment. Other ministries have appointed a nodal officer each for the exercise, which began around a month ago. Under their watch, files are being sorted into marked boxes, computers are being packed, and office supplies are going into cardboard containers. Artwork, including many, many photographs of Mahatma Gandhi, is being bubble-wrapped. The packing is being done by office staff, aided by a team of workers hired for the job. Once packed, the boxes are carried by workers down the stairs to a side entrance, and loaded onto tempos and government cars. These then cover the short distance to the new address. An official working in North Block says the move has been fairly smooth so far, particularly when it comes to files, given that nearly all, save the sensitive ones, are now on the government's E-Office portal. Officials in the know say the DoPT has almost entirely moved out. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State for Prime Ministers' Office, Science and Technology and Personnel, is expected to shift soon, sources said. The Home Ministry has been allotted Kartavya Bhawan 3, and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and the Intelligence Bureau were some of the first ones to shift. According to sources, the shifting of some offices to KB3, as the building is referred to, began before its formal inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 6. The Finance Ministry, however, is yet to begin shifting. An officer in the middle of shifting says: 'I'm soaking in the last few days at this building. Many of my former colleagues who have worked here have been dropping by to see the offices one last time.' Like the South Block that stands across it, North Block, designed by British architect Herbert Baker in red sandstone, incorporating Indian features like jaali, chajja and chhattri, is as much a regal structure as a functional one, with plenty of light and ventilation. The new buildings, in comparison, look like any modern corporate office, with glass cabins for officers, open plan seating for most employees and access-control systems. Offices in the South Block, which houses the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, have not started moving out yet. Once both the buildings are emptied, they are to be restored and refurbished, before reopening as Yuge Yugeen National Museum. The government claims it will be the largest museum in the world. The 'charm' of North Block is what those who have worked here keep coming back to in conversations. G K Pillai, who spent seven years in North Block, first as Joint Secretary from 1996 to 2001 and then as Union Home Secretary from 2009 to 2011, recalls the sense of history that permeates the rooms. 'Stalwarts, including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, worked here. Old-timers would tell us about important meetings that took place in the past,' Pillai, who is now retired, says. The former IAS officer adds that he personally believes that not all the ministries from North Block and South Block should have been shifted to the new quarters. 'Some of them could have stayed. The next generation of officers will lose that sense of history,' says Pillai. Durga Shanker Mishra, a 1984-batch IAS officer who retired as Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary last year, recalls his time in a ground-floor North Block office as Director (Personnel) in the Home Ministry in 2002-2004. 'I have good memories of that office. Though I was a director in Home, I had been given a room on the Finance Ministry's side. It was a well-sized room.' However, Mishra says: 'As is the case with old buildings, there were challenges. It needed more maintenance over the years.' As Secretary, Housing and Urban Affairs, Mishra was, in fact, part of the deliberations when the Central Vista project was planned and started. He says the new Central Secretariat buildings will change the way the government works, in terms of efficiency and coordination. In fact, while senior officers – who along with ministers had large airy offices – are understandably nostalgic about the high-ceilinged large rooms that they are leaving behind, not all in the North Block will regret the change. A majority of its employees worked in cramped spaces, with partitions created within dingy rooms to accommodate more officials over the years. Mezzanine levels were also added to create space, with the temporary additions doubling the number of rooms in both North and South Blocks over the years. A section official says: 'We are looking forward to the new building. I've heard that the canteen is very nice.' But true to form, the open-plan layout of the new Secretariat also has its share of detractors. On August 5, the Central Secretariat Service Forum, which represents around 13,000 employees, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister's Office expressing concerns about 'the lack of privacy and confidentiality' in the new arrangement.
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
The most expensive teapot in the world costs $3 million, but does not even serve tea! Read on to know all about THIS luxury piece
Egoist the teapot(Photo: Guinness World Records) Can a mere teapot be more valuable than most luxury cars, yet it never brews a cup of tea for a guest? Made with obsessive attention to detail, this solitaire studded artifact bridges centuries of craftsmanship, goodwill, and cultural homage and holds the title of the most expensive teapot in the world. In 2016, Guinness World Records declared 'The Egoist' as the world's most valuable teapot, with a staggering valuation of up to $3 million. It was commissioned by the N. Sethia Foundation, a UK-based charitable organization founded by British‑Indian philanthropist Nirmal Sethia, and sponsored by his luxury tea company Newby Teas, the teapot was created as an homage to the world's finest teas. Who made this teapot This unique masterpiece was made by Milanese jeweller Fulvio Scavia. Its base is made up of 18‑carat yellow gold and sections of gold-plated genuine silver, giving it a rich and regal foundation, according to the official website of Guiness World Record. The exterior is lavishly adorned with 1,658 brilliant-cut diamonds and 386 rubies, which have been taken from Thailand and Burma, resulting into a bright, dazzling display. At its heart sits a 6.67‑carat Thai ruby, emphasizing the teapot's luxurious aesthetic. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Could This NEW Collagen Blend Finally Reduce Your Cellulite? Vitauthority Learn More Undo Egoist the teapot(Photo: Guinness World Records) The handle is made up of Ivory Interestingly, the teapot's handle is made from moulded fossilised mammoth ivory, a prehistoric material that needs to be handled with extra delicacy and precision, as noted by Guinness World Records itself. Sure! Here's a rephrased version of the passage in a simple, easy-to-understand tone while keeping all the key information and quotes intact, Nirmal Sethia build the collection in memory of his wife. According to the Chitra Collection's official website, 'The Chitra Collection is an extraordinary private museum of historic teawares.' Back in 2011, Nirmal Sethia, Chairman of the luxury tea company Newby Teas, began building what he hoped would become the world's greatest collection of tea-related items. His goal was to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural history of tea. Named in memory of his late wife, Chitra, the collection now includes nearly 2,000 items and is considered one of the most complete and finest collections of its kind. The teaware on display comes from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, covering more than 1,000 years of tea history. Tea has been an important aspect in history Egoist the teapot(Photo: Guinness World Records) The website further explains that, 'For centuries, tea played a central role in culture and society as a medicinal and revitalising drink, a focus for hospitality and familial domesticity, and as a symbol of national identity.' It adds that tea has also had a deep impact on history, 'Tea was also politically and economically significant as a source of profit, a tool of empire and as a trigger for revolution, war and slavery. Today, tea is the most ubiquitous of beverages and occupies an important place in the heart of Britain's life and psyche.' All the unique and beautifully crafted teawares in the Chitra Collection highlight how deeply tea has influenced art, culture, and daily life over the past thousand years. Although the collection is currently kept privately in London, there are discussions about eventually opening it to the public for exhibition.
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Towards an Indian GAIA-X: A civil society-led data infrastructure for democratic digital sovereignty
Nivedita is lawyer and company secretary by training and holds a masters in public policy from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs. Context and rationale India's digital economy is marked by increasing centralization of data and platform control, with a handful of private actors – both domestic and global – exerting monopolistic influence over critical digital infrastructure. Such a centralization of data and platform power poses the following risks: Asymmetrical power relations between platforms and users, workers, and small businesses; Lack of interoperability and open standards, stifling competition and innovation; A vacuum of public accountability in data governance frameworks. This provides the imperative for public-interest alternatives that embed democratic values into data architecture, moving away from extractive, black-box models. Enter the European Union's GAIA-X GAIA-X is a European-led initiative that seeks to create a federated, open, and interoperable data infrastructure, not controlled by any single corporation, but shaped by a consortium of governments, civil society, and enterprises. Its architecture is built on trust, transparency, portability, and open standards, enabling data sovereignty within a competitive and inclusive ecosystem. Why India needs a GAIA-X-type initiative India could benefit immensely from a similar initiative that: Redefines data governance as a public infrastructure concern, not a purely market-driven or state-controlled project. Provides neutral digital infrastructure for small businesses, cooperatives, nonprofits, and worker platforms—who are otherwise dependent on Big Tech platforms with exploitative terms. Establishes certifiable, independently governed protocols for data interoperability, portability, and privacy. Supports community data stewardship models, particularly in agriculture, health, urban governance, and employment. Current landscape: Are there Indian equivalents? India has witnessed a few attempts that are fragmented, top-down approaches toward data infrastructure. These include: IndiaStack (Aadhaar, DigiLocker, UPI): A state-led, centralized digital identity and service delivery stack. While innovative, its control rests heavily with the state and lacks independent governance mechanisms. Data empowerment and protection architecture (DEPA) : A promising but framework to enable user-consented data sharing via Account Aggregators. While DEPA introduces a federated structure, its current applications are mainly on financial and health data, and operational control is largely private-sector-led. ONDC (open network for digital commerce) : A government-backed initiative to create an open, interoperable network for e-commerce. It promotes decentralization, but lacks strong civil society or worker group participation in governance. IndiaAI and India datasets program : These lean toward centralized curation and monetization of public data rather than enabling democratic participation or enforcing open standards. Thus, India does not yet have an equivalent to GAIA-X—a multi-stakeholder, independently governed, and open protocol-based public data infrastructure initiative. Challenges to GAIA-X model adoption in India Political-Economic Barriers : India's data governance model currently favors state centralization and techno-solutionism, rather than decentralization or cooperative ownership models. There is limited institutional support for civil society-led standard setting, especially in digital infrastructure. Market Resistance . Dominant platforms will resist interoperability and open protocols, as these reduce vendor lock-in and profit margins. The political economy of 'free' services has deeply entrenched monopolistic platforms. Policy & legislative incoherence . Fragmented digital policies and industry favourable laws (e.g., IT Rules, DPDP Act, data localization mandates) lack a unified framework to support open, federated architectures. Enabling frameworks: Legal and policy levers Despite the challenges, India has potential legal scaffolding to enable a GAIA-X-style initiative: Framework Relevance Digital personal data protection (DPDP) act, 2023 Offers a legal basis for data processing and protection; can be expanded to mandate data portability and interoperability. Competition act (2002, amended 2023) The CCI has started investigating digital market dominance; this momentum can be leveraged to promote pro-competitive, open data infrastructures. National data governance framework policy (2022 Draft) Proposes non-personal data governance, though still state-centric; can be reformed to include public-interest data trusts and open standards. Open network for digital commerce (ONDC) Offers a template for open protocol development and federated governance—yet needs broader civil society participation and legal anchoring. Path forward To adapt the GAIA-X model in India, the following steps are essential: Convene a civil society-led coalition (legal experts, technologists, nonprofit actors, worker representatives) to define open standards for key data sectors (health, mobility, education, etc.). Pilot sector-specific data commons under democratic governance structures—e.g., worker-owned mobility platforms or farmer-led agri-data cooperatives. Advocate for amendments in DPDP rules and sectoral data policies to recognize open, federated data infrastructures as essential public utilities. Push for independent regulators or data stewardship boards that certify and enforce compliance with open standards, fair data sharing practices, and privacy by design. Engage with global counterparts (e.g., GAIA-X, Solid, DECODE) to build international solidarity for decentralized, democratic digital futures. Conclusion India's digital future must not be confined to binaries of state control vs. corporate monopolies. A third path—rooted in open standards, participatory governance, and legal accountability—is both possible and necessary. As Pacta's research argues, structural reforms in the platform economy must be matched by technical infrastructure that redistributes power, not just data. A GAIA-X-like initiative in India can catalyze this shift, provided it is civil society–led, independently governed, and legally embedded in constitutional values of equality, privacy, and access. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
