Latest news with #Balasubrahmanya
New Indian Express
06-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Bengaluru IT couple quits corporate jobs to craft truly natural chocolates with homegrown cocoa
BENGALURU: Tired of seeing the word 'organic' on almost every label but rarely finding anything truly natural, an IT couple working in Bengaluru quit their corporate jobs and returned to their hometown Puttur in Dakshina Kannada, to start a chocolate brand. They wanted to put Puttur on the 'Made in India' chocolate map, using cocoa grown on their family farmland. What started as small experiments with homegrown cocoa and natural sweeteners like dates and jaggery, has now grown into a full-fledged brand, with the couple also providing employment to women from rural backgrounds. In a chocolate market largely dominated by foreign brands, Swathi Kallegundi and her husband Balasubrahmanya PS (above) wanted to show what organic chocolates from India could be like. The couple now produces 300-500 kilograms of chocolate every day. Swathi, an electronics and communication engineering graduate, and Balasubrahmanya, a software engineer, had worked for years in MNCs in Bengaluru. Like many urban professionals, they often relied on packaged foods labelled 'organic', but over time, found themselves questioning the quality behind the tags. The idea of starting something of their own came up when markets were shut during the Covid-19 lockdown. Balasubrahmanya and Swathi moved to Puttur to work remotely, living on their farmland. With time and access to fresh cocoa, banana, coconut and dates, they began experimenting with small batches of chocolate, using only cocoa and natural sweeteners like jaggery, coconut sugar or date sugar. 'That's how Anuttama was born. In Sanskrit, Anuttama means 'the finest' or 'none better', and we chose the name to reflect the focus on clean chocolate made from local ingredients,' Balasubrahmanya said. Swathi said that as the brand grew, they started developing flavours inspired by familiar tastes from Karnataka.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Time of India
Andhra Pradesh high court pulls up police for violating norms in arrests and summons
Vijayawada: Police are often violating norms while arresting the accused and summoning witnesses, the high court observed, while warning that it will not be a mute spectator if police continue to stifle personal liberty and freedom of individuals. If police are not taken to task, this kind of incidents will continue to recur, noted the bench comprising Justices R Raghunandan Rao and K Manmadha Rao during the hearing of a habeas corpus petition . One Meka Venkatarami Reddy had moved the HC contending that his relative, retired police officer T Balasubrahmanya Reddy, was abducted by unknown persons. He sought directions to the police to produce him before the court. The HC earlier asked Balasubrahmanya Reddy to appear before it after the prosecution said he was summoned by the special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged liquor scam. On Monday, Balasubrahmanya appeared before the high court and stated that police came to his house to issue notices to his son, Eswar Kiran Kumar Reddy. He further said that police took him to Vijayawada after he told them that his son was not staying with him. He also mentioned that a DSP rank officer abused him during the questioning. Taking a serious note of his submissions, the bench asked the prosecution under which section he was summoned. The bench also questioned how a father could be taken into custody if the son is not available. "When section 179 of BNS categorically prescribes that persons above the age of 60 and those suffering from health issues should not be summoned, how can the police ask Balasubrahmanya to appear before them in Vijayawada?" the bench asked, and directed the ASP of SIT to give a written explanation for the violations committed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The court further directed the SIT not to summon Balasubrahmanya again. Even if his statement is required, only the investigation officer should visit his home for recording the statement according to law, and no other police officer should go to his house, the high court said.
