Just wondering ...

What’s up at BPL? The erstwhile market leader in the country’s consumer durables market seems to have disappeared from the public radar. The last time it was in the news was when Rajeev Chandrasekhar, son-in-law of BPL promoter T.P.G. Nambiar, sold BPL Mobile to the Essar Group amid allegations and lawsuits over fraud.

That apart, the group was, till a few years ago, sporadically in the news, but that was mostly about the pummelling it was receiving at the hands of its South Korean rivals in the market it once called its own. When the group again made news in July, it was nothing to do with its business.

It sold 10.5 acres of prime land in Bangalore to Brigade Group for Rs 70 crore as part of its strategy to come out of the red. But better times may be ahead. BT learns that BPL will shortly make a major announcement about its entry into a new business segment. Watch this space.

—K.R. Balasubramanyam