Vinny’s Blog

Here is updated review of Pune….

Pune to become 7th metro city in India

New Delhi: Pune will soon acquire the status of being a metropolitan city in India. According to an Assocham report on ‘The 7th emerging metro city in India’ it owes its up gradation to a fast development pace in the area of infrastructural facilities, friendly business environment, education avenues and employment opportunities.

http://www.livemint.com/2008/10/30125639/Pune-to-become-7th-metro-city.html

OK…it’s time again to see where Pune is….India has been through some rough times recently Stock Market has been up and down and all around with new lows. So how is Pune doing in all these situations ?

I liked  Pune because of it’s many unique features that are not available else where in India.

1. Close proximity to Bombay in 2-3 hours by road one can reach Bombay/Mumbai from Pune. Mumbai is the financial hub for India.

2. Pune is considered India’s Detroit (biggest automobile manufacturer)  in India, with automobiles come 100s of ancillary units and small business so that another plus.

3. Educational town…it’s universities are very well known for providing quality education.

4. Climate – is 2^nd to Bangalore. Which means good climate. Not too hot and not too cold.

5 Life Style – relaxed not too fast like Bombay and not too slow like it is else where..it’s a medium pace city.

6. IT or Information technology has grown many folds in Pune because setting up operations in Pune is cheaper than opening up offices in Bombay or Bangalore. Since cost of living is lower in Pune when compared to Bangalore or Bombay/Mumbai. Pune provides better returns on investments.

But enough me yapping let us see if any of this holds true for Pune am I still right on Pune or have I lost it ?

Let us first look at the job market…and see where is that going in Pune. Pay special attention to dates..articles here are only since Sep. when the markets started to show sing of weakness and till October when they really went down significantly. October days are when DOW lost 100s of point and so did other stock markets around the world. However good new for Pune just kept coming… if that’s any indication…then it shows that Pune has a strong background for success. And if I am still right in reading it then looks like people who invested in this area could count on their investments as being safe and sound for now.

-Adding more jobs non IT.

Trumph (India) launches its first customer solution centre in Pune

BS Reporter / Pune October 14, 2008, 15:18 IST

German giant in machine tool business Trumph International Beteiligungs has launched its first customer solutions centre in Pune at an investment of Rs 21.46 crore.

Trumph (India) Pvt Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of Trumph International would expand its India business with the support of this establishment located in Hinjewadi near Pune, a press release issued said.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?tp=on&autono=47973

-Adding more jobs non IT.

VW India to set up an R&D centre in Pune

VW Group has announced at the 2008 Paris Auto Show that it plans to establish their global research and development center at Pune in India, that would we working on the development of small cars for the global market. Even as global car makers are stepping on the gas to make India an important production base, some of them like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Ford, Honda etc have already started eyeing the R&D pool in the country.

According to a senior representative of VW Group, India has a pool of world-class engineers which the company would like to tap. He added that after establishing its technical center at Pune, the VW India may develop a global car, that would be conceptualized from its proposed R&D centre in Pune.

VW India is investing 560 million Euros to set up a manufacturing unit in Chakan, near Pune. It is also rolling out a car based on its Polo model’s platform in the country by next year. By 2009, the company will also launch its small car Up!, apart from its luxury model, Beetle in India.

http://www.wheelsunplugged.com/ViewNews.aspx?newsid=1479

-Adding more non IT jobs.

HDFC Standard Life Opens Seventh Office in India

Fri. October 10, 2008; Posted: 06:51 AM

MUMBAI, India, Oct 10, 2008 (A. M. Best via COMTEX) — SLFPF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating — HDFC Standard Life Insurance Co. Ltd., a private life insurance joint venture between India?s housing finance institution and U.K.-based Standard Life plc, opened its seventh zonal office in Pune, Maharashtra, India.

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1934751/

-Adding more non IT jobs.

Auto Subsidiary in India from Cosma International

Cosma international is planning to set up a new auto subsidiary in Pune in India. It will be a wholly owned subsidiary specialising in making auto component for body parts of automobiles. Klaus W Niemeyer, GM of Cosma International, told the reporters that Cosma Body Parts bagged orders from European car manufacturers to set up a plant in India.

http://www.cartradeindia.com/news/auto-subsidiary-in-india-from-cosma-international-110503.html

– Adding more IT Jobs

Arzoo.com launches operations in Pune

Arzoo.com, a leading online travel portal, promoted by Mr. Sabeer Bhatia, announced the launch of their Pune Sales office.

Arzoo.com, a leading online travel portal, promoted by Mr. Sabeer Bhatia, announced the launch of their Pune Sales office. Headquartered in Mumbai, this is the fifth sales office of Arzoo.com. Located at NIBM road, Pune, will offer complete travel experience to their customers. Arzoo.com is a one- stop shop for travel, where customers get all their needs taken care when planning a trip.

“The Sales office in Pune will mainly focus on the B- and C-class cities in Maharashtra,” says Mr. Amal Purandare, Head-India Operations of Arzoo.com.

http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/aviation/2008092313392.htm

-Adding more jobs IT.

24 Sep, 2008, 1609 hrs IST, ECONOMICTIMES.COM

NEW DELHI: IT services provider Satyam Computer Services Ltd has opened a 474,000 sq. ft development center in the Pune Special Economic Zone at the Rajiv Gandhi InfoTech Park, Hinjawadi.

It has a capacity to accommodate 5,700 associates.

“Our investment in this development center is further indication that the country is emerging as an innovation leader,” said Virender Aggarwal, head of Satyam’s APAC and MEIA regions. “It is also an indication that Pune is becoming India’s next IT hub.”

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Software/Satyam_opens_new_facility_in_Pune/rssarticleshow/3522225.cms

So looks like new 5700 jobs are being added in Pune…just by this one company…

-Real Estate…every where real estate is down…let us look at Pune

Lavasa lake city’, being developed by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) near Pune will be India’s first planned hill station. The 12,500-acre project will be ready as a complete town with a population of 1.5 lakh. The city is coming up on eight huge hillocks that surround the elongated Varasgaon dam backwaters to ensure excellent natural habitat for the city. “Lavasa is not a township or a huge real-estate project such as the Sahara group’s Amby Valley. It is a complete town that is self sufficient and meets residential and living needs of poor, middle-class and elite people. The hill station itself will create more than 50,000 jobs over the next 10 years. Hence, citizens residing here can enjoy the walk to work lifestyle,” said Lavasa Corporation President Rajgopal Nogja.

http://www.indianrealtynews.com/category/real-estate-india/pune/

-Let us see if someone else agrees with me on Pune holding a strong background.

Pune, the new Indian Silicon Valley ?
Ecrit par Devidas Deshpande le 14/10/2008

“Pune is emerging as the Intellectual Property (IP) city for the software products. So future developments regarding software products will essentially take place here,” said Subash Menon, chairman, Nasscom Product forum and founder chairman, MD & CEO, Subex Limited, Bangalore. Menon was in the city for a discussion of Nasscom Product Forum.

http://blogs.lemagit.fr/2008/10/14/pune-the-new-indian-silicon-valley/

Well let us see what President of India has to say about Pune

Develop Pune as research hub: President

13 Oct 2008, 0519 hrs IST,TNN

PUNE: President Pratibha Patil has called for focus on innovative approaches and research at universities in Pune to transform the city into a research centre of excellence.

Patil said, “India is going through a unique phase of multiple transformations, which includes social transformation through dynamic education.”

“We can see some of this transformation in Pune too,” she said, while pointing out the multiple changes in the city’s economy over the last few years — as reflected in the growth of the automobile, forging, engineering and IT industries. “The universities, as institutions for public good and welfare, have a role in this process of transformation.”

Patil’s statement is significant as Pune is home to the largest state university, besides six deemed universities, which collectively account for over 40 engineering, two medical colleges and a vast network of other institutions offering education in pharmacy, management and law, among others.

The city’s student population is pegged at over five lakh. The city also has a large network of nationally and internationally recognised research laboratories such as the NCL, NIV, NCCS, ARI and DRDO establishments. Of late, there has been a growing emphasis on greater interaction between the institutions and research facilities.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Pune/Develop_Pune_as_research_hub_President/articleshow/3588245.cms

-Need me to say something else about Pune…………..Pal ? Exactly..I didn’t  think so….if you invested in Pune then you are good for now. We will review this again in a few months to see where it’s going.

[views and opinions expressed here are mine and you need not agree with them. You should not make any financial decisions based upon material you read on this website. For that you must contact an expert in the relevant area of your need.]