Team Coorg celebrate with the trophy. Photo – Supplied
Muscat :
Team Coorg Oman clinched the top honours at the Gulf Hockey Fiesta for Starcare Cup organised by United Thalessery Sports Club (UTSC) in association with Oman Hockey Association (OHA) at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher on Friday.
In an exciting final of the Asian Hockey Federation-recognised event, Team Coorg defeated Qatar Wanderers 4-1. The eventual champions scored two quick goals through Kavan and Pradhan Somanna to take 2-0 lead just five minutes into the match.
Pradhan struck his second and team’s third goal in the 14th minute and a minute later Omani player Ali Salim made it 4-0.
Qatar Wanderers managed to pull one back in the 16th minute.
Earlier in the semifinals, Qatar Wanderers edged King Khan Hockey Club of Dubai for a 1-0 win while Team Coorg defeated UTSC 4-2.
A total 12 teams, including seven from outside Oman, took part in the event, which was officially inaugurated by Indian Ambassador Indramani Pandey by hitting the ball to PR. Sreejesh, the Indian hockey team vice-captain and goalkeeper, who flew in from India to preside over the event as the chief guest.
Later, the prize-distribution ceremony was graced by OHA’s former chief Dawood Al Raisi, present general secretary Mohammed Redha Taqi Al Lawati, popular hockey personality SAS Naqvi, Starcare Hospital vice-chairman C.M. Najeeb, CEO Dr Mohammed Naseem, ISD President Abdul Rahim, Indian School Muladha Principal SI Sheriff, Mohammed Riaz LLC Chairman Mohammed Riaz, Aziz of Al Jadeed Exchange, Oman hockey veterans Mohammed Shambeh Al Raisi and Abdulrahman.
The best goalkeeper award went to Ahmad Alam, a former Pakistan goalkeeper and Olympian. Best defender award was claimed by Ali Salim of Team Coorg. Future player award went to Geroge Extel of Bahrain Hungry Humoours while Juniad of Qatar Wanderers was adjusted the man of the tournament award.
During the ceremony, a raffle draw was conducted which saw several gifts presented includng two gold coins of eight grammes each, return air ticket to Sharjah and two return tickets to Mumbai.
Starcare Hospital was the main sponsor for the event and the other sponsors were Mohammed Riaz LLC, Al Jadeed Exchange, Majan Distrubters, Foodlands Restaurant, Lynx, FAP, Al Nahla Solutions, Times of Oman and Gulf Madhyamam.
source: http://www.timesofoman.com / Times of Oman / Home> Sports> Hockey / by Times News Service / February 28th, 2016
Niranjan Nikam in conversation with Yamini Muthanna.
Mysuru is the Ashtanga Yoga capital of the world, a sobriquet which is music to the ears of Mysureans, after the cleanest city tag for the second time. The city has also produced two of the finest yoga exponents in the world, B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois. However, there is one more Guru, who is quietly doing his bit on whom many discerning yoga practitioners swear — it is B.N.S. Iyengar.
Bengaluru-based Yamini Muthanna, dancer and yoga exponent, is one such. She was in city recently to participate in the launch function of her book “The Power of Yoga” at Dhvanyaloka Open Air Theatre.
After the book launch, organised by the Mysore Book Club, a first-of-its-kind experiment in Mysuru, Yamini, who gave a breath-taking yoga demonstration, shared her views on how the book shaped, the power of yoga, the undue importance for competitions and why everybody should practice yoga, with Senior Journalist N. Niranjan Nikam. Excerpts. — Ed
by N. Niranjan Nikam
SOM: We just saw your demonstration of yoga. I was thinking all the time, aren’t children the best yogis because their body is so flexible. How is it that we lose all that and only when we see people like you, we say to ourselves, “I wish I was like her — flexible, elastic and graceful.”
Yamini Muthanna: Children are natural Yogis. They are so free in their mind and body so the Asanas are easy for them. They do not have points of resistance either in their body and mind due to stress or tension that an adult might have. Therefore, I personally feel that flexibility in a Yoga Asana practice is a product of freeing the body and mind rather than putting in a lot of imposed effort. Anybody can train to be flexible with proper training of the body and freedom in mind. Yoga Asanas are patterned so beautifully that the body can be slowly animated into an Asana with proper judgement and care.
SOM: Yamini, you started yoga at a young age and you have come a long way. What made you write “The Power of Yoga?”
Yamini: My practice of Yoga has been extremely beneficial for me in all circumstances of my life. It helped me cope during my teenage through motherhood. I have been in constant touch with my body and mind and Yoga has helped me to be always aware. Once I started teaching from 2001 onwards, I noticed it was helping my students also to deal with situations better than how they used to handle things before they started practice. I started documenting their progress and started prescribing need-based specific practice sessions. It was helping my students and, therefore, I decided to share it for a larger group of yoga enthusiasts. My message in the book is you can choose your daily practice according to your day’s needs and have tried to explain how it works.
SOM: I learnt a little bit of yoga about 25 years ago from a Guru here. Later, I practiced for quite some time with the book, “Light on Yoga,” by B.K.S. Iyengar. Your book is equally interesting as you make it look very simple, how far have you come?
Yamini: Guru B.K.S Iyengar’s book is my Bible for my personal Asana study. He has set the benchmark of perfection in the Asanas and I am yet to come across another book equal to that of “Light on Yoga.” The book has been my Guru ever since I started personal practice. I did personal practice from 1996 to 2001 before I started to teach. I did a thorough study of the book, summarised by Guru B.N.S. Iyengar’s teachings and built up my practice, experimented my understanding and documented them in a way which would be easy for a Yoga Practitioner to comprehend. My book is not about loads of information but it is a guide to delve deeper in the practice by triggering a curiosity.
SOM: Yamini, you were talking to me about angles and Trikonasana which is the cover page that has caught you in action is such a perfect pose. Share a little about angles and sequences with our audience.
Yamini: I have a strong understanding that Yoga Asanas are geometric patterns from the Sri Chakra Yantra. I do not want to go to the details of it as I do not have proof and specific information about it. Just as Guru B.N.S.Iyengar mentioned in his speech earlier that the body will get chiselled into a fine cut diamond with perfect glitter in the body with the practice of Asanas and Pranayama. I would like to add that perfect geometry exists in pyramids and prisms also creating certain beneficial energy source forming specific benefits in the universe. It is in the same lines I personally feel that Asanas are also patterned to generate specific benefit to the body. Therefore, it is very important to maintain perfect lines in an Asana construction.
SOM: You have talked at length about asanas, chakras, mudras, pranayama and their benefits, all with photographs and you yourself doing each one of them. However, you have not mentioned time needed for each asana, or have I missed it?
Yamini: No I have not gone too much into the details of these deeper practices of Hatha Yoga as I do not want practitioners to try them on their own with the help of a book as they could be dangerous. It is very important that their first instruction comes from a Guru. I have just mentioned them as an information guide into the future practice.
SOM: You said that you do not believe in giving certificates. I would like to share my experience — I had written a story about yoga talking to a teacher about four years ago titled “Posturing ‘Olympics’ (op)position.” I had read an article in Deccan Herald about a move to include yoga performance in Olympics. The yoga teacher had opposed this idea and I had even quoted that B.K.S. Iyengar was also not in its favour. You yourself and a few noted yoga exponents including Sharath Jois, grandson of Pattabhi Jois, whom I met the other day does not favour it. When I sourced this article of mine which I had promptly forgotten, after four years, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were 39 comments on it but all blasting me away to glory.
Yamini: I do not agree that Yoga Asana be treated as sports. Yoga is all about a personal well-being routine rather than challenge or competition. Your practice is your personal journey and you don’t need to get a medal or stand on a victory stand to announce your success. You silently practice yoga and reap the glory of the practice by using it in life and your routine mundane activities. It’s not sports.
SOM: But you yourself had participated in competitions earlier. In fact that is how you started your tryst with yoga.
Yamini: I did go for two competitions in 1986 and 1987, won the championships and understood it was a mistake. Master was also not too pleased by it. I did not inform him before entering the contest, because I knew he would not let me. I was sorry for a long time for that mistake.
SOM: What is the difference between a Nadia Comãneci’s perfect ten and yoga postures is the question many ask? Can you highlight the difference?
Yamini: Well, I am going to answer this in brief. Gymnasts use a lot of kinetic energy in their postures and expel a lot of force and energy to get into their perfect positions. Yoga uses potential energy with holds and binds in the asanas conserving energy. So some of the postures look the same but the benefits and the source of construction are different in both Yoga and Gymnastics.
SOM: Yamini you are a Kodava — and Kodavas are slim, tall, elegant, beautiful, handsome, rugged and with wiry bodies. The trouble sometimes is, we stereotype people. Did you turn a vegetarian when you started practicing yoga?
Yamini: I am a proud Kodavathi rooted in my Kodava culture and tradition. I have not given up anything at all. But my personal development has adopted various principles from my study of the two classical disciplines. They are my personal principles that do not interfere with my home culture, which is Kodava. [Daughter of Chendrimada Raja (late) and Sundari, Yamini is married to Kotera C. Muthanna].
No I did not turn vegetarian when I started practicing Yoga, though I changed a lot of principles to suit my practice. However, I am not a great fan of non-vegetarian food. You can call me a “No-fussytarian.” I eat whatever is healthy.
SOM: How much of your yoga has influenced your dance?
Yamini: A lot, in terms of energy and health. Breathing especially gets regulated when we do rigorous dancing. It has helped me keep my body agile and supple and less injury-prone.
SOM: What are your future plans and why the word ‘Power’ in the title of the book?
Yamini: Future plans — I shall keep doing what I am doing with more passion and conviction. I shall keep replenishing my knowledge in these two subjects. With the blessings of my Gurus, I have no doubt in accomplishing this; I will need their support and guidance always. I have already started my next book on Yoga, which would be exclusively for women from 18 to 80. The contents are just shaping up. I feel it will give an interesting perspective on woman’s body and how Yoga could benefit maintenance.
“Power,” I can’t think of a better term for Yoga. Yoga is a source of Power to better your life. As one adapts Yoga into his/her lifestyle, it becomes more and more obvious. I am using the term to emphasise this fact… It’s been my personal Power.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by Niranjan Nikam / February 24th, 2016
It is a known fact that cricket is a popular sport in many countries including India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England, Australia and others. But, the sport slowly is steadily gaining popularity in countries such as Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Afghanistan, UAE and others. The common factor among the countries where cricket is gaining popularity is the Indian factor.
Chillavanda Darshan Chinnappa (left) with former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes.
There are many Indians who have been promoting cricket worldwide. One such person who has been popularising the sport in United Arab Emirates (UAE) is Chillavanda Darshan Chinnappa, a native of Bilugunda village in Kodagu district who has joined hands with legendary cricketers like Ramiz Raja, Aravinda De Silva and Naveed Nawaz to start Future Legends Cricket Academy (FLCA) in Dubai.
Darshan Chinnappa, who is currently residing in Bengaluru, is the son of Chillavanda Chinnappa, a retired official of Survey of India and Chillavanda Parvathi, a retired employee of Co-operation Department. He is married to Chillavanda Nirmala and the couple is blessed with a daughter Raha Darshan.
FLCA was started two months back with former Sri Lankan skipper Aravinda De Silva, former Pakistani cricketer Ramiz Raja, Imran Zafar, Shahid Rafique Sheikh and former Sri Lankan cricketer Naveed Nawaz.
The academy has been providing world class facilities to children and also conducts master classes by inviting top cricketers from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and others countries. Legendary cricketers like Kumara Sangakara and Jhonty Rodes have already conducted master classes.
Darshan believes that the academy would be recognised at an international level and gain more popularity. Details on the academy are available at futurelegendsca.com and in the facebook page.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / February 22nd, 2016
Team Coorg receives the winner’s trophy from H E Indra Mani Pandey
Team Coorg edged past United Thalasserry Sports Club (UTSC) Oman 2-1 to lift the Republic Day Cup at the 67th Republic Day of India Hockey Festival, which was held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex recently.
It was the ninth successive year of the festival, organised by Team Coorg and Friends of Naqvi Group.
Three teams took part in the Republic Day Cup.
In the opening clash, UTSC Oman edged past Beatrice XI by a solitary goal to set up summit clash with Team Coorg, which received a first-round bye.
Earlier in the clash for the Ambassador Cup, Ambassador XI beat Indian School al Seeb 1-0. Later, H E Indra Mani Pandey, the Indian Ambassador to Oman, gave away the prizes in the presence of H E Sheikh Mahfoodh al Juma, the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) chairman and also a Majlis A’Shura member, and Kanak Khimji, the Oman Cricket chairman.
On this occasion, H E Pandey honoured veteran hockey coach and sports administrator S A S Naqvi for his contribution to the game.
Source: http://www.muscatdaily.com/ MuscatDaily.com / Home> Sports / January 27th, 2016
Coffee growers in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan districts are, however, apprehensive.Many want to know the measures taken to protect small and marginal farmers, who constitute 90% of growers in Karnataka.
Bengaluru :
When coffee growers in Karnataka were going through a rough patch due to labour shortage, elephant menace and unprecedented fall in prices, the Centre in November last year allowed 100 % FDI in five plantation crops: Coffee, rubber, cardamom, palm oil and olive oil. The decision, meant to rejuvenate the sector, is expected to have a huge impact on Karnataka, which accounts for 70% of India’s coffee production.
As of now, 100% FDI is allowed only in tea plantation. “Relaxed FDI norms will help coffee and cardamom growers since it is expected to bring in big overseas investors and retail giants besides enhanced technology utilization, automation, research, management and production of value-added products. Permitting foreign investment will also boost India’s coffee exports offering better prices for growers here, ” says Coffee Board chairperson Leena Nair.
Coffee growers in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan districts are, however, apprehensive. Many want to know the measures taken to protect small and marginal farmers, who constitute 90% of growers in Karnataka. Some coffee growers’ associations are holding talks to oppose the move as they fear small growers would be forced to sell their estates to foreign investors. Their entry may prove detrimental for small coffee planters, who may not be able to match the wages and technology of foreign players.
“The Centre should have held consultations and allayed fears before allowing FDI. But they have done in it in a hush-hush manner and kept us in the dark, making us believe that there is a hidden agenda,” says NK Pradeep, a Coffee Board member from Chikkamagaluru. Former Coffee Board vice-chairman Sannuvanda Kaverappa says a parliamentary committee that visited Chikkamagaluru last year to interact with coffee growers left in a huff. Nair allays all fears of growers saying: “The small-grower segment need not worry as enough safeguards have been provided and the Centre and the state government can always reject any FDI proposal in their segment.”
A Coffee Board executive says FDI will benefit coffee growers. The measure is expected to make the coffee industry vibrant like the tea sector, which opened gates for foreign investments in 2002. “Rather than starting a new venture, foreign investors may partner with existing plantations or trading companies. FDI will help boost developmental activities such as replanting, rejuvenation and R&D that need huge funding. It may also help in upgradation, modernization and automation of coffee-processing, curing, marketing,” he adds.
source: http//:www.retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com / ETRetail.com / Home> Industry / February 12th, 2016
Top seed Joshna Chinappa came back from behind to beat second seeded Toorpaki Wazir of Pakistan to clinch gold at the South Asian Games on Monday.
Star player Joshna Chinappa clinched the gold in women’s individual squash after beating Maria Toorpaki Wazir of Pakistan in a tense and ill-tempered summit clash to make up for India’s disappointment in the men’s event on Monday.
Top seed Chinappa, ranked 14th in the world, recovered from one set down to beat second seeded Wazir 10-12 11-7 11-9 11-7 at the brand new squash facility at the R G Baruah Sports Complex here.(Wrestlers make India proud at SAG)
With Chinappa’s gold, India has so far won three medals in squash with Sourav Ghosal and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu having grabbed a bronze each after losing to their Pakistani opponents yesterday.
Chinappa, one of the few top Indian players to have opted to play in the SAG, thus gave some solace to the team management after men’s players failed to reach the final.
The women’s final match had all the drama which was witnessed during the men’s semifinals with Chinappa expressing unhappiness to the match officials with the “aggressive” play of Wazir who was seen as trying to be a bit physical with the top-ranked Indian.
Wazir, ranked 50th in the world, won the first set 12-10 after a neck-and-neck contest but she got injured midway in the second set at 7-7 as blood came out of her left eyebrow region after contact with Chinappa and play was stopped for a while to get her treated.
The Pakistani was immediately given first aid and she resumed play after a few minutes. It looked like the break gave Chinappa time to ponder on her game and the glamorous Indian started dominating the match from there on.
Wazir looked tentative just after coming from her injury break and Chinappa did not take much time to take the second set 11-7 and level scores at 1-1.
The third set saw Chinappa taking a 5-2 lead but Wazir came back with some superb shots to make it 6-6 and then 8-6. By then there was tension among the crowd at the stands, but a calm Chinappa just went about her job and brought the score to 9-9 and then 10-9 before taking the set.
In the fourth and final set, Wazir gave some fight initially but later frittered away as Chinappa won it 11-7 to give India the first gold in squash in this edition.
Chinappa later made it known that she was not happy with the way the referees handled the match and that she did not enjoy playing the match as her opponent was “very aggressive” and “not playing fair”.
“Wazir is a good player but she was very aggressive. Fortunately, I won the gold but I did not enjoy playing the final. I play in the professional circuit and there, these kind of things, likes lot of interference and blocking (by rival player) does not happen,” she said after the match.
“I tried to keep myself calm but I had to let them (match officials) know what was happening on the court. I cannot let things happening all the time,” said Chinappa, who argued with the referee on a couple of occasions.
“I am a kind of player who plays fair, without these interfering and blocking etc. Doing all these is not nice for the spectators and also for the game,” she added.
Asked if the referees should have handled the situation better, she said, “I don’t want to be in trouble again but I feel it is their job to control the match and stop all those things. They should have done better.”
source: http://www.indiatoday.intoday.in / IndiaToday.in / Home> News> Sports> Other Sports / PTI / Guwahati – February 08th, 2016
Ace quartermiler MR Poovamma and Asian champion shot putter Inderjeet Singh will spearhead a 68-member Indian athletics team at the 12th SAF Games to be held in Guwahati from February 5-16, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) said today.
Poovamma, who won gold in the women’s 4x400m relay at the 2014 Asian Games, and Inderjeet, a gold medallist at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2015, will be part of the Indian squad which also includes Olympian shot putter Omprakash Singh Karhana.
The Indian athletics team, comprising 36 men and 32 women, will compete in the track and field tournament of the SAF Games which is scheduled be held from February 9-12.
India topped the medal tally in athletics in the previous edition held at Dhaka in 2010, winning 29 medals overall, including 10 gold medals, 11 silver and 8 bronze. The Indian team is expected to face competition from Sri Lanka, which finished second in the medal tally in track and field in the 2010 Games.
This time, the athletics competition will witness 20 events in men and 17 in women respectively at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium, Sarusajai Sports Complex, Guwahati.
AFI President and Olympian, Adille J Sumariwalla said: “The 12th SAF Games is special because it’s being hosted in Guwahati and we hope to notch up maximum number of medals at home.
Though the competition is being held at a time when our elite athletes are in the midst of their training for 2016 Olympics, we’ve tried to select the best possible team under the situation. The team is a good mix of experience and youth and we hope they will return with a rich haul of medals from the 2016 SAF Games.”
Meanwhile, the preparations are in full swing at the various National camps and a number of elite athletes who have qualified for Rio, are also expected to be part of the action at the SAF Games.
The National campers for quarter miles, 400m hurdles and 4x400m relays for both men and women under coach Yuri Ogorodnik returned from a 69-day training stint in Turkey and will reach Guwahati from their present camp in Thiruvananthapuram.
The leading long and triple jumpers in the country who are currently training under Romanian coach Bedros Bedrosian in Thiruvananthapuram are scheduled to participate first in the SAF Games and next at the Asian Indoor Championships to be held at Doha from February 19.
Asian champion Inderjeet Singh is scheduled to reach Guwahati directly from his training centre in the US. However, the organisers have not received enough entries to conduct the men’s hammer throw event, and therefore the event is uncertain till now.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sports / PTI / New Delhi – February 01st, 2016
‘The Romance of Indian Coffee’ is the Indian entry to the Gourmand International (Book) Award this time
The jacket of the book ‘The Romance of Indian Coffee’ written by journalist P.T. Bopanna.
The Indian entry to the Gourmand International (Book) Award this time is on what until recently was a south Indian addiction: coffee.
With the coffee culture proliferating across India, thanks to chains like Starbucks, Barista and Café Coffee Day, the routine act of consuming the black decoction stirred in milk, as most people do, and with or without sugar – which again is a personal choice – has acquired an uber-cool image among the Gen Y.
Bengaluru-based journalist P.T. Bopanna has brought alive this unique trait in his book The Romance of Indian Coffee , now shortlisted for the Gourmand International Award, where it will vie for the top honours among coffee books from Brazil, France, China, Thailand, and the U.S., to name a few.
Hailing from Kodagu, which is the home of coffee in India, it was natural for Mr. Bopanna to feel inspired to write on the brew which has a universal appeal.
“My earlier works were Kodagu-centric, but I found a wider canvas in coffee which is also related to Kodagu,” said Mr. Bopanna.
“The book traces the history of coffee in India with interesting titbits about the brew and how its cultivation in the shade lends it a unique flavour, unlike coffee grown in the open in most other countries,” explained Mr. Bopanna, who believes that making coffee is an art. Notwithstanding the proliferation of coffee bars, the best filter coffee, he said, was still prepared in the bylanes of Chennai and elsewhere in Tamil Nadu.
The contribution of Ivor Bull, a British planter, who introduced intercropping and is a legend among the locals, has been highlighted in the book as also recipes for making coffee liqueur.
But ironically, he notes that Kodavas, who market home-grown coffee to the rest of the world and have spanned a coffee culture in India, have taken after the British and prefer tea!
There are entries from as many as 64 countries for the Gourmand awards, started in 1995 as a celebration of global cookbook and wine book publishing. The final results will be announced on May 28 at Yantai, China.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by R. Krishna Kumar / Mysuru – January 31st, 2016
The biggest producer in the world of mild washed arabica coffee had record production of 14.2 million 60kg. bags in 2015, the highest in the past 23 years. In December 2015, Colombia’s coffee crop grew 34% to 1.4 million bags, the highest in that month in the past 20 years. Colombian coffee production grew 83% in the past four years, from 7.7 million in 2012 to 14.2 million 60kg. bags in 2015.
“This is excellent news for all Colombian coffee growers and the result of the joint efforts of the coffee growers and the government, who were able to renew the national coffee growing industry and reposition Colombia as a main player in the international market,” said National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia chief executive Robert Velez Vallejo.
In line with production, the export of Colombian Coffee sustained high levels of growth. During 2015, external sales surpassed 12.7 million bags of 60 kilos, 16% more that 10.9 million 60kg. bags exported the previous year. In Decevenmber, 1.2 million of Colombian coffee bags were exported, representing 13% more than the 1.1 million bags a year earlier.
So far this crop year, 3.5 million 60kg. bags were exported, 14% above the 3 million 60kg. bags that were sold during the same period the previous year.
source: http://www.vendingtimes.net / Vending Times / Home / Issue Date. Vol. 6, No.2,February 2016 / posted January 29th, 2016 / Emily Jed – Emily@vendingtimes.net
Chennai-based actress, model and ex-VJ Pooja Gallyot graduated from green tea to coffee last year and now is so hung up on the beverage that she is fast becoming an addict. On the other hand, Kolkata-based fashion designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh, a bona fide coffee lover, zeroes in on new cafes in the places she visits. For naturalist and wildlife conservationist Shrilekha, coffee shops present the ideal rendezvous to conduct business. It is these little tell-tale signs that have had coffee majors scent a business opportunity, even cleverly imparting magical qualities to the brew in that anything can happen over a cuppa. Truth be said, it’s a dramatic cultural switch that’s got the entire nation swaddled in its intoxicating embrace. According to the latest Technopak report, the chain café market, currently at Rs 1,820 crore, is growing at 20 per cent in value and commanding 27 per cent of the Rs 6,750 crore overall cafe market.
Were it not for pilgrim Baba Budan’s temerity in smuggling a few coffee beans into Chickmagalur, Karnataka, we might never have got introduced to this refreshing drink. This history aside, coffee seems to be edging out tea in the social circuit with cafes being the perfect place to hang out, chat or simply relax. That certainly augurs well for business, with Café Coffee Day, popularly called CCD, the biggest player in the Indian market, competing with international brands such as Starbucks, Barista and Costa Coffee, not to mention the popular local hangouts.
To date, CCD maintains its Numero Uno position having added 58 more outlets to the 1,480 it held at the beginning of 2015. CCD’s principal Coffee Day Enterprises set the stock market abuzz with the largest Initial Public Offering last year. It had fixed its public offer price at Rs 328 per share, taking the total proceeds to Rs 1,150 crore. But when the IPO closed on October 16, it was over-subscribed 1.81 times with a demand worth Rs 2,000 crore.
“Customers today are looking at a differentiated food experience along with their coffees at cafes. Which is why we have introduced a special food menu called the ‘SuperMenu’—a range of soups, sandwiches, burgers and desserts,” says a CCD spokesperson. “We have also started a home delivery service in Bengaluru as a pilot project.”
Costa Coffee entered India in 2005 when it opened outlets at Connaught Place in Delhi. Today, it has close to 100 in 11 cities across India. While a good number is present in metro cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru, they’re spreading out in tier II cities such as Agra, Jaipur, Pune, Kochi, Ludhiana, Chandigarh and others. “While southern states have always had a strong culture of drinking coffee, over the past decade or so, the drink has penetrated to other parts too,” says Ashish Chanana, Chief Operating Officer, Costa Coffee.
Another chain that is fast expanding is the US-based Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Ltd, which tied up with Pan India Solutions to start a single outlet at Select Citywalk mall in Delhi. It has grown to 32 stores in 10 cities from 11 in 2008. “We source our coffee from seven different countries,” says Dina Banerjee, CMO, Pan India Food Solutions Pvt Ltd, Mumbai.
Though all eyes are on the newest entrant, US giant Starbucks, which joined hands with Tata Coffee Ltd to set up shop in India in 2012. By 2014, it had more than 60 outlets and the end of 2015 saw it operating 78. It had also managed to clock in Rs 171.2 crore, an 80 per cent jump from previous year’s Rs 95 crore.
Coffee shops have so much become revenue models that another giant has jumped on the bandwagon.
The most telling of entries is American fastfood chain McDonald’s McCafe in the country with its first cafe being launched in Mumbai. “The concept fits in well with what the Indian customer needs. Our plan is to increase the 40-plus McCafes to 60-65 by this fiscal-end and double it within 12-18 months,” says Amit Jatia, Vice Chairman, Westlife Development, franchisee of McDonald’s in South and West India.
There’s a good reason behind the dramatic rise of coffee cafes in India. Fashion designer Ghosh spends her holidays finding new cafes and spending her time reading, sketching and dreaming there. “Cafes across the world reflect the essence of its people and place,” she says, adding that the habit of going to cafes late at night with friends has earned them the moniker, ‘the owls’.
Chanana is in agreement too. Says he: “Coffee shops have given people across all age groups—especially the young—a legitimate, safe and cool place to hang out. Youngsters can go on a date without burning a hole in their pocket. Friends can spend time together at a conveniently located place. We’re also seeing a lot of older couples taking time out to catch up with each other over a cup of coffee. At Costa, we have lots of customers who are by themselves.”
Gallyot is a big fan of Starbucks. “I have gotten used to their coffee as wherever I travelled, I came across an outlet. It’s become like a comfort drink for me,” she says. For 24-year-old MBBS student Anjali Reddy, Starbucks doubles up as a place for study. In fact, people have come to associate coffee concoctions with different times of the day. “Post-noon, the choice of beverage quickly changes to Americano and Expresso. It’s become like a lifestyle craving,” says Kazem Samandari, Chairman of L’opera, Delhi.
Besides cultivating friendships and fun, these places have become the haunt of many working people. Wildlife conservationist Shrilekha often frequents Chamiers, an upmarket café in Chennai. “As I work from home, I often meet business associates at cafeterias and I love Chamiers which while elegant has a lot of breathing space,” shares Shrilekha.
Visiting cafes has widened the horizon of Delhi-based interior designer Parull Mahajan’s social interactions. The caffeine rush helps her mind to stimulate her creativity. “I visit the two of my favourite cafes—Choko La and Starbucks—at least three-four times a week and cannot do without my standard two or three cups a day. It’s an addiction I have no intention of wearing off,” she says.
In keeping with the global trend, coffee shops have become de facto offices for consultants, entrepreneurs, and writers. “Some of our Costa outlets in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai have had the privilege of hosting many start-ups, where the founders polished their business idea over several cups of coffee,” says Chanana. Work is also what takes Anitha KS, National Corporate Sales Manager at Vodafone, to Costa Coffee at the Lulu Mall in Kochi. “After meeting clients in the morning, I come here and carry on my work sipping on a cold coffee or cappuccino,” says Anitha. For his part, the outlet’s manager Anup Anand is delighted with the increased bottom line. “We have plans to open more outlets in Kochi and other cities of Kerala.” That’s significant given that Kerala is predominantly a tea-drinking state.
Coffee reigns with an aromatic fist even as south India leads in the production of coffee, with the drink dominating social interactions. Apart from the big players, there are a host of small and medium joints that gets people over for coffee and chitchat. In Bengaluru, which is the hub for rich traditional filter coffee, local brands such as Maiyas, Adigas, Shanthi Sagars, the SLVs, Hatti Kapi, Katte Kapi, Brahmin’s Coffee Bar and Coffee Board outlets are still going strong. Small joints rule the roost in Chennai too, courtesy Madras Coffee House, Leo coffee outlets (under brand Mylapore Mocha) and Kumbakonam degree coffee outlets.
Unique to the Bengaluru-Mysuru region is the ‘by-two’ coffee culture, a mini dose of coffee whose origins can be traced to some 100 years back during the literary and Independence movements. Then literary figures, freedom fighters and political leaders, with hardly any money in their pockets, gave impetus to this culture of having multiple servings of half a cup of coffee over endless discussions.
For many in the garden city, the small joints are the place to be. Marketing professional R N Prasad feels that the prominent coffee cafes are good only to conduct business with coffee being incidental. Each day, he drives some seven kilometres to have a cup of coffee at the Brahmin’s Coffee Bar. According to city historian Arun Prasad, tourists prefer the traditional filter coffee served at small joints.
In the grand theatre of coffee culture, there are the veterans—India Coffee House and Coffee Board outlets. K S Achyuthan, Kannada author and media professional, has been visiting the Coffee Board outlet near Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru for more than 50 years. “This is a meeting point for many journalists and lawyers as well as musicians and guests who come to All India Radio. I have also seen many legislators, MPs and even celebrities in this place which has hardly changed all these years.” Kannada filmmaker and environmentalist Suresh Heblikar makes it a point to visit India Coffee House whenever he passes by the place.
The India Coffee House in Puducherry, a heritage structure, came close to being torn down in 2008 until INTACH and concerned citizens appealed against the move. With CM N Rangaswamy’s support and renovations later, it opened in mid-2014 and has begun to attract crowds. This outlet also finds a mention in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi.
Looks like the old and the new will exist side by side even as coffee aficionados seek out their happy place.
with Meera Bhardwaj, Ayesha Singh, Shevlin Sebastian, Jonathan Ananda and Suhas Yellapuntala
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Magazine / by Sunita Raghu / January 23rd, 2016
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