Cover Story
- With a tight rein on costs, low cost airlines IndiGo and SpiceJet show their full service rivals how to make money in the airline business. Is this model sustainable?
- Most of India's smaller cities remain on the fringes of the aviation boom. Regional airlines have been non-starters in India, unlike in Europe, the United States and even China.
- Despite some marquee projects in the big cities, airports still stand for poor infrastructure. And that is changing far too slowly.
- It is difficult to imagine India as an aviation factory destination. But if its civil and defence aircraft needs continue to grow, that could soon be reality.
- The industry can grow by over 20 per cent a year-if key infrastructure projects are done in time.
From the Editor
You won't get the lounges with pile carpeting, deep sofas, canapes and laptop docks. You don't have the noise and to-do of Mamatadi's Duronto non-stop trains either. Big slip-up at work?
Acknowledge your mistake, learn and don't let it hurt your confidence. When you acknowledge a mistake, you are also sending out a signal: Not only are you aware of what you did, but are also equipped to deal with it. Here is a take on people, place and products doing the round these days. First the chicken, then the egg
After successfully reinventing the chicken in the form of the Kuroiler, Vinod Kapur has developed a new type of egg— the Kegg. Will he succeed the second time? After dominating the Indian market, this value-added services upstart wants to go global. But the transition could be costly and it will need to brave a fragmented and cut-throat market. Ramky has emerged as a leading waste management company. Will a global footprint help it achieve its ambition of being a billion-dollar player? The life insurance sector begins the task of wiping out losses that piled up over almost 10 years. But the focus on profits comes at a cost. Businesses — both domestic and global — are forking out big bucks for Indian assets. Could this be the silly season for valuations? The STAR Network of channels says it has emerged the largest in India, for the first time. But the big breakthrough will be if Rupert Murdoch's Indian operations can lead the country's media and entertainment pack. He's getting there, fast. Meet some ministers of state who are brimming with ideas and initiative - but could do with more on their table.
How Google searches
Internet search has come a long way. And, it is just the beginning of a long journey for all; even Google. Overlooking a bad show
Kamya Jaiswal considers if she should sell the three poor performers in her portfolio. Find out why she holds back two...Black holes that gobbled up Rs 7,000 crore
Several funds have earned less than a savings bank account in the past three years. If you own such lemons, get rid of them. Leaderspeak with Mallika Srinivasan
Here is a small Q&A with Mallika Srinivasan, Vice Chairman, TAFE. The other Maran
Kalanithi Maran's ambitions have taken wing. The Chairman and Managing Director of Sun TV Network breezed into the aviation business recently, acquiring a 37.75 per cent stake in low-cost carrier SpiceJet for about Rs 750 crore, in his personal capacity. This 3G auction is a bonanza… a good part of it will go to trim the deficit and fiscal consolidation.BT-TAM Most-watched Ads in May 2010
When a hardcore technology brand decides to rope in television soap bahus and their respective beaus to promote its family of processors, it had to have effect. This issue we check out the latest Thinkpad, and a great way to watch digital content on your TV. Mandating listed companies to have a minimum public float of 25 per cent is the right step, but should it be done in the middle of a global downturn, asks Motilal Oswal. The Nuclear Liability Bill has become a hot potato for the UPA government. We zero in on the key issues. Now for those investors who feel strongly about eco-friendly business practices, here's an initiative to help them track the performance of green companies on Indian stock markets. A new tool—derivative trading on the volatility index—for investors to reduce their portfolio risk. The peace pipe of the Ambani brothers is still warm, and Mukesh enters the telecom space."Huge potential in Indian Tier-II towns"
Mark Hoplamazian, Global President and CEO, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, spoke to BT's Dhiman Chattopadhyay about why it took Hyatt nearly three decades to put its India plans on the fast track. The global CEO of market research company Synovate, Robert Philpott, spoke to BT's Shamni Pande on how it emerged as one of the leading players in India within six years. Nobody could predict that an innocuous-looking plastic trumpet would evoke such strong reactions at the FIFA World Cup 2010. With smoking getting outlawed in most public places across the planet, no puffing in open country. The monsoon hit Mumbai last fortnight and Mumbaikars are not sure if they should laugh or cry. In 1924, Shinjiro Torii, a Japanese wine merchant hired Masataka Taketsuru, who had recently returned from Scotland and had become well versed in manufacturing its top product, whisky.
Haunted by the past
Ponni Sugars is desperate to grow and has the cash to do so. But the management needs to think big and change its mindset. Idea engineers, anyone?
Technology product and services companies seek out creators of user experience. L.N. Mittal's Multibillion Dollar India gambit
He's made tentative investments in the energy and steel sectors, via joint ventures and acquisitions, but the big bang will clearly come when the chairman of the world's largest steel company freezes his plans to set up a mega-steel unit in the country. So, what's stopping him? 
