T E Narasimhan's journal

In line with my experience sharing, which was mostly related to travel and what I learn, today I am sharing a different experience which I had in my professional life in the last three months.  It's a different experience, but the one which I always wanted 'connecting with the last mile and helping others.' Before I share the experience I would like to thank Tamilnad Mercantile Bank  (TMB( management for accepting my ideas and giving a free hand, besides money of course :), and Tamil Nadu Government, especially the Chief Minister's Office, Health Secretary and his Department, respective heads of District Health Departments, Block officers, TMB staffs, Police Department and Times Network to execute this project successfully. Special thanks to the Adfactors PR management and my colleagues, who helped me in this project. Adfactors PR also did a case study of this project, you can view the same here. Background: After I joined Adfactors PR in April, one of the India's o...

Indian Private Equity/Venture Capital (PE/VC) investments are off to a good start in January 2022 as the month reported a 180 % increase in investment flow. The record setting $77.1 billion invested by PE/VC funds in 2021 underscores the India investment appetite of alternative asset managers. IVCA-EY monthly PE/VC roundup showed PE/VC investors pumped around $4.5 billion in Indian companies. This increase has been primarily driven by VC/start-up investments that surged to $3 billion, representing 68% of the total monthly PC/VC investment received (Jan 2021 -S$700 million; Dec 2021 - $3.2 billion). January 2022 also recorded 13 large deals (deals of value greater than $100 million) aggregating $2.9 billion compared to three large deals worth $680 million in January 2021. Vivek Soni, Partner and National Leader Private Equity Services, EY said the record setting $77.1 billion invested by PE/VC funds in 2021 underscores the India investment appetite of alternative asset managers.  Pl...

India today further strengthened its observation capabilities from space with the launch of an earth observation satellite (EOS-04).  India's space agency, The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) today successfully launched Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C52 carrying an earth observation satellite (EOS-04), weighing 1710 kgs into a sun synchronous polar orbit of 529 kms. EOS-04 is the fourth in a series of earth observation satellites. The PSLV- C52 launch vehicle lifted off at 05:59 hrs (IST) in the opening of the launch window. The important flight events, namely, stage & strap-on ignitions, heat shield separation, stages & strap-on separation, satellite injection took place exactly as planned. After a flight of about 17 minutes 34 seconds three satellites namely EOS-04, INSPIREsat-1 and INST-2TD were injected successfully into a sun-synchronous polar orbit of 529 km. The orbit achieved for the satellites is very close to the intended orbits. It may be n...

Five major Indian states have headed to elections from February 10 to March 10. Various political parties have fielded candidates largely based on "caste" and "influence", which have been the tradition since the Independence. But about 1,000 years ago the story was different. Let us travel to Uthiramerur, about 90 kms from Chennai, which believed given birth to democracy about 1,000 years ago. The small temple town is located on  the National Highway-45, connects Chennai to the Southern parts of Tamil Nadu.  A  tough-to-take right turn stretches into a straight road that leads to this busy small town market.The 25k-ms road to this runs in the middle of dry agricultural lands on both the side and some time few industrial establishments and  education institutions. There are three famous temples in Uthiramerur – The Sundara Varadaraja Perumal temple dedicated to lord vishnu, the Subramanya temple -  a  temple for lord Muruga and the Kailasanatha temple for Lo...

How will you feel if you happen to meet innovation, transformation, hospitality and last but not the least technology under one roof? Isn’t it a vague combination? Doesn’t this, combination sounds unique? I am fortunate enough to experience this in a tiny village called Sanasandiram in Hosur town at Tamil Nadu. Located on the foot hills of a hill temple called Chandrachooda Eswarar temple, this village is located off the Chennai-Bangalore highway and once considered to be the dirtiest till two years ago, no proper roads, electricity and drainage system, is now considered to be one of the eco-friendly and well improved in terms of infrastructure in district. This transformation not only came to the village, it also happened to the rural youths who were working in tea-shops, was taking care of cattle today speak fluent English and are walking with high pride. Thanks to the entrepreneurship of two personality Dr Santhosh Babu and M. R. Ashok Kumar with a combination of technology which ga...

Nestling in the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats, Mahabaleshwar is the highest hill station in Western India and it as religious and historical associations. My trip to this hill station started from the Bollywood city of Mumbai. I took a bus from Dadar one of the busiest places in Mumbai. The air-condition bus cost Rs. 300 and it will take about four to five hours. During my trip I did various activities I visited ancient temples, beautiful points of Mahabaleshwar, unforgettable trek to Pratapgad Fort, a stronghold of the Maratha leader Shivaji, boating at lake and finally roamed through the tiny lanes of the bazaar, and did some shopping from luscious strawberries, blackberries, jams and jellies. (Click here to read full text)

Reaching Rothang Pass will probably remain as the best adventure of my life. Driving in Tata Qualis in the challenging roads and landslides gave a thrill that I guess is not achievable anywhere else except in Himachal Pradesh. Himachal (Him+Aanchal) literally means a dupatta or cover of snow. ( Click here to read the full text )

Following River Cauvery was an thrilling and nice trekking experience. In these three days i have seen different flows and look of Cauvery and i visited (stopped at) Nisardagama (bamboo forest or island in the banks of river Cauvery), Bylakkupe (small Tibet and second largest Tibet settlements outside Tibet), Coorg (on the Western ghats), Bhagamandala (meeting point of three rivers), Talacauveri (origin point of river Cauvery), Abbi Falls, Harangi Dam, Somnathpur (which speaks about Hoysala Dynasty architects Sivasamudram Falls. ( Click here for the full text of the tour )

The hardest, tiring and the most dangerous trek in my life was at Parvathamalai – Hill of Hill on a full moon day. It took almost 10 hours inside the deep hill forest to trek without any lights, water and food in the hardest rocks to reach 3,000 feet hill top. There's a Shiva temple at the top of the Parvathamalai hill. Devas and spiritual beings from other lokas worship here every night along with Siddhas. (Click here to read the full text of the trek)

Rajasthan the Land of Maharaja’s is the homeland of the Rajputs, who are known for their chivalry, valor and heroism. In battle, the Rajputs preferred death to dishonour. Rajasthan not only famous for it’s desert, forts and palaces it is know for it’s hospitality. My 3,000 km journey to Rajasthan started from the Indian capital city of Delhi to the cities of Mandawa – Bikaner – Jaisalmer – Jodhpur - Mount Abu – Udaipur – Jaipur and finally I concluded the trip back in Delhi. (Click here to read the full text of the tour)

Talakad and Somnathpur is one of the finest examples of Hoysala Dynasty architecture. My drive started from Mysore and it took more than 2 hours to cover 32 kms by road since roads are heavily damaged. Talakad is situated on the left bank of the River Cauvery. It is one of the oldest towns in the state. It was capital of the Gangas [6th century A.D.], Talakad has a number of temples including Vaidyeshware. Most of the temples are buried by sand, a few buildings, including a 12th century Hoysala temple, still poke through the surface. Once every 12 years this surreal temple is dug out for the performance of Panchalinga Darshan, though it doesn’t take long for it to be smothered once again by the sand. (Click here to read the full text)

A fort in Panchalankurichi tells us how our great and brave freedom fighters fought against the British and died for our freedom. One among such a legend was Veerapandiya Kattabomman, a brave warrior who laid down his life for his motherland. Panchalankurichi Fort holds the greatest record - it was built in five days with new techniques. I started my journey to know more about this legend and about the fort to the town of Panchalankurichi from Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu . (Click here to read full text of my trip)

SAMODE PALACE, a magnificent example of Rajput-Mughal architecture, it boasts some of the finest frescoes and mirror-work in Rajasthan. The 150-year-old Samode Palace stands in serene sprawling splendour on a hilltop at the end of a dusty road and bad road, an hour's drive from Delhi - Jaipur highway. The palace surrounded by Aravali Mountain. I was travelling from Delhi to other places in Rajasthan via Samode Palace i spent two nights in this royal palace which is the best place to experience desert hospitality. ( Click here to read the full text of my trip )

Himachal (Him+Aanchal) literally means a dupatta or cover of snow, my drive to the hill stations of Shimla, Kullu, Manali and Rothangpass in Himachal Pradesh started from Delhi via states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Click here to read full text of my 7 day drive

Imagine a world with no tar roads, no motor vehicles, no phones, no papers, no smell of gasolene, only green trees and trees all around, clean fresh air and aerial views that are breathtakingly beautiful. The world is not very far away just 140 kms from Mumbai then you get Matheran. It was discovered by British collector of Thane Mr. Huge Mallet in 1850. My journey started from Mumbai by car after two hectic days in Mumbai towards Matheran. (Click here to read the full text of the trek)

It was a pleasant evening that led this lush journey by crossing the mountains, cut through the forests looking for Bylakuppe, which has a little more than four decades of history to it a charming village presents itself to the unsuspecting traveller. A diversion from the Kushal Nagar highway lead to Bylakuppe. My first stike to see gaggles of road-cloaked Buddhist monks wandering down the lanes, prayer flags fluttering in the wind, sign boards saying “Long Live Dalai Lama” and slogans against Chinese. ( Click here to read full text of my trip )