One such is a miniature version that can be worn as an amulet
Ramzan marks the revelation of Koran and families go into a huddle reading it through the night. The Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute in Public Gardens is now hosting an exhibition of copies of some rare Korans.
One of them has been created in Hyderabad with Persian and Urdu translation and explanatory passages on the side. Another Koran is a miniature version which could be worn as an amulet. “This is among the 5,000 Koran amulets commissioned by Hasan Nizami, a legatee of Nizamuddin Aulia of Delhi. It is a priceless object as very few are in circulation,” informs S.M. Ahmed Ali of the institute.
Then there is a Koran which is a gift of Reza Shah Pehlavi, first Shah of the House of Pahlavi of the Imperial State of Iran, when his wife visited the city in 1960. It has the Persian translation along with the Arabic original.
A few facsimile copies show how different writing styles have evolved. A 7 th century Koran in Kufic script is without the diacritical marks. “This is one of the earliest copies and unique. It will be difficult to read as we are used to seeing the sound markers,” adds Mr. Ahmed.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by The Hindu Bureau / Hyderabad – April 14th, 2022
Abu Dhabi-based dentist couple Abdul Rahiman Nizar and Simi are the latest recipients of the 10-year UAE Golden Visa.
Abu Dhabi :
Abdul Rahiman Nizar gained popularity for amassing a rare collection of all the teeth extracted so far in his career.
Abu Dhabi-based dentist couple Abdul Rahiman Nizar and Simi are the latest recipients of the 10-year UAE Golden Visa.
Dr Nizar has served in Abu Dhabi for 20 years, including 18 years at Ahalia Group. However, the Indian doctor gained popularity for amassing a rare collection of all the teeth extracted so far in his career.
“Teeth are the strongest part of your body. I have always liked teeth. And once into my job, I started collecting it. Soon, it became a hobby. And I began to have a varied collection, which has been helping students in their dental studies,” said Dr Nizar, who is from Kerala, India.
“Over the years, I have collected nearly 15,000 teeth. I clean each tooth with antimicrobial hydrogen peroxide and then treat it with disinfectant. Once dried, I preserve them in a box. I am aiming to see my name in record books,” said the general practitioner dentist.
Dr Nizar urges people to take care of their teeth and visit a dentist every six months.
“Early detection of any tooth decay will help to avert a situation of tooth extraction. I always try to save a tooth and opt for extraction only as a last resort,” he said.
Dr Simi, who works at Al Mafraq Medical Centre in Baniyas, has also been collecting teeth.
“We are very excited to have bagged the Golden Visa. During this pandemic, both of us served the community, sacrificing our off days,” Dr Simi said.
The couple have four daughters: Grade 12 student Neha, Naila in Grade 8, Naima in Grade 3 and Naira is eight months old.
Dr Nizar, who also holds a 10-year US visa, added: “We plan to spend the rest of our lives in the service of Abu Dhabi. I thank the leadership for this honour and our hospital for the support in building our careers.”
source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home / by Ashwani Kumar / September 29th, 2021
A student with high functioning autism and has been breaking academic records since his high school days.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education student Aman Maqbool has been breaking academic records since his high school days. Supplied photos
Indian student of determination Aman Maqbool is the latest recipient of the UAE Golden Visa.
A 20-year-old student of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Aman is a student with high functioning autism and has been breaking academic records since his high school days.
Aman first made headlines , including a report in Khaleej Times, after scoring an impressive 94.2 per cent in his Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Grade 10 examinations.
A former student of Delhi Private School, Sharjah, Aman has found immense support from his family, teachers, and counsellors at school and university.
Aman Maqbool with former Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
“He scored 95 per cent in his Grade 12 CBSE examinations,” his father Maqbool Ahmed told Khaleej Times. Aman is a BSc information science and technology student at MAHE Manipal, Dubai campus.
“After Grade 10, he chose commerce. He decided to pursue a BSc in computer science since computers are his passion,” added Ahmed, a Kerala native.
The family, including Aman’s most significant pillar of support – his mother Anitha and younger brother Ayaan, have been UAE residents for over two decades. “Aman is very passionate about studies. He loves going to campus and loves learning and studying,” said his mother.
“We did not think he would get the golden visa. I applied on behalf of Aman because it was a token of appreciation for all the hard work he has put into his studies,” said his father. While Aman is brilliant and has a photographic memory, he struggles to communicate in a manner that is considered “socially acceptable”.
Aman Maqbool with his mother
Aman was diagnosed with high-functioning autism aged three to four years old, said Anitha. “He studied in Delhi Private School all his life before moving to MAHE for higher education. Our aim now is to help Aman become a lot more independent,” she added.
He underwent several speech and functional therapies as a child, including brain gym. “For children with autism, every action and word is a form of therapy. Aman is also active in sports, cycling, swimming, and exceptional musical skills. He plays the keyboard very well,” said Ahmed.
“What’s important for Aman is that he has a never-give-up attitude and is extremely hard working. We are sure he will reach much greater heights,” said his parents.
Aman receives an award.
Commenting on Aman’s impressive achievements, Nasreen Bahar, the inclusion champion at DPS, Sharjah, told Khaleej Times, “Aman has been a student with DPS since KG1. I worked with him after he reached Grade 6. He has a lot of potentials. He is academically gifted and well-versed in music. He can recall any day of the calendar day and date from the 1970s to 2030.” While his social skills are not indicative of his intelligence, Nasreen remembers Aman getting along well with his peers at school.
Similarly, Kritika Mathur, the deputy manager at the office of student affairs (student engagement and inclusion), said, “I’ve been working with schools for ten years now, and I’ve come across multiple stories of children who have family support and students who do not have family support. Aman has several major challenges, but his family efforts are solid, and his parents are determined.”
She added, “They are not victimising themselves in any way. They work with Aman to achieve his dreams. At present, Aman is going through several changes as he grows older. However, his parents are so forthcoming with these changes.”
Mathur said her message to all families with children of different abilities is that the issue is ‘not what’s happening with their child. “Parents need to educate themselves on how to grow with their child of determination,” she added.
source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> UAE> Education / by Dhanusha Gokulam / March 12th, 2022
The Hyderabad currency comprised 40,000 pieces of 100 Halli Sikka (HS), 1,00,000 pieces of 10 HS, and 25,000 pieces of of 5 HS, totalling 1,65,000 pieces
After the ocean liner, SS Egypt , sank in the Celtic Sea on May 20, 1922, the events that unfolded over the next 17 years forced the Nizam VII, Mir Osman Ali Khan, to shift the printing of Hyderabad currency from England to Nashik.
On this day (May 19) 100 years ago, SS Egypt owned by The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, England, left Tilbury docks in London for Bombay (Mumbai). It had 44 passengers and 294 crew members, besides a large shipment of gold and silver and 1. 6 lakh pieces of Hyderabad currency, which had a face value of Rs 51,25,000.
The next day (on May 20, 1922), the ship collided with a French cargo ship and sank off Ushant in France. The Hyderabad currency shipped by Waterlow and Sons to the princely state of Hyderabad too went down into the sea. The treasure was salvaged a decade later in 1932, only to trigger a prolonged legal tussle.
“The Hyderabad currency comprised 40,000 pieces of Rs 100 Halli Sikka (HS), 1,00,000 pieces of Rs 10 HS, and 25,000 pieces of Rs 5 HS, totalling 1,65,000 pieces. The face value was Rs 51,25,000,” eminent numismatist and heritage expert . Amarbir Singh told TOI, adding that since the currency notes were unsigned, they did not legally carry value.
“In those days, the finance member’s signature was over-printed in Hyderabad after the notes arrived from England. Hence, the currency that sank with SS Egypt was valueless. For this reason, they were insured for their printed value of £2,000,” Amarbir said.
Stating that few of the notes salvaged had made their way to Hyderabad, resulting in a spate of legal fights, Amarbir said the issue was closed 17 years after the notes were printed which entailed seven years of negotiation and litigation.
“The government of Hyderabad decided it would be safer to print currency in India. The outbreak of World War II shortly after proved it was indeed a wise decision,” Amarbir said, explaining how the princely state changed location of currency printing from England to India.
The Hyderabad government requested Waterlow to destroy the notes and ordered a replacement stock from the printers, with the same series repeated, but in a slightly different type of font used in the serial number to indicate the difference. These were received and duly circulated, and the matter was regarded as closed, he said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad> News> City News> Hyderabad News / by Syed Akbar, TNN / May 19th, 2022
A view of the dargah of Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer
Ajmer’s dargah of Moinuddin Chishti is undergoing massive restoration work
The dargah of Moinuddin Chishti, fondly remembered as Khwaja Garib Nawaz, or the benefactor of the poor, in Ajmer, will, in two years’ time see a restoration and an incorporation of modern facilities. Considered a holy place of hope, where people from different denominations believe their prayers will be answered, the dargah was built in the 13th century. The tomb was constructed in wood, later covered with a stone canopy. In 1579, Akbar reconstructed the sanctum sanctorum and built the dome. It was renovated in later years by Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Jahanara.
The project, a part of the CSR wing of Hindustan Zinc Limited, is headed by architect Surbhi Gupta, a heritage management consultant. At present, the dargah that was organically built with various materials, ranging from brick and marble to sandstone, is seeing restoration and redevelopment of the interiors of the Mehfil Khana, widening of gates, structural consolidation, facade work in the courtyards, cleaning of stone surfaces, and new terracing in lime concrete.
“There is no single language of design or material as the dargah was never planned systematically,” says Surbhi, working on one of the most important pilgrimage sites of South Asia with members of her studio Rasika that specialises in heritage management.
The square structure of the royal darbar (Mehfil Khana),was built in 1888 AD. She says it “has been painted over as a part of living tradition. The idea is to bring out its character as a space meant for performances. The architectural character needs to be revived to bring back the original identity of the structure. The patterned ceiling will be designed on the lines of Kashmiri Khatambandh (a woodwork ceiling with a carved geometric pattern), and Mughal stone inlay flooring,” says Surbhi.
Work is also going on at the famous Shahjahani Gate, built by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan to mark the expansion of the dargah complex beyond the Buland Darwaza.
The project — under the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan — also revolves around sanitation, cleanliness, and waste management within the dargah’s periphery. The work entails providing clean drinking water for pilgrims, building toilets, and kiosk management.
“Every day, seven tonnes of rose petals are wasted. For the flower-waste disposal, a compost waste converter has been installed.” As the Khwaja was known far and wide for his large-heartedness and hospitality, the dargah distributes degh ka khana (food from a cauldron) comprising rice, almonds, cashew nuts, raisins and ghee. “The food is prepared in two big deghs , which were made during Mughal emperor Akbar’s reign. A retort packaging machine (sterile packaging of plastic and foil) has been installed to increase the shelf life of food from three hours to three months.”
Feeding into the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, Surbhi says that her team is working on the revival of wudu (Islamic ritual purification) points so that pilgrims can wash their hands, face and feet before offering namaz. Right now, the overflow leads to a cesspool of water. “We are also building newer ones that are aesthetic as well as functional,” says Surbhi, who from her days in college at CEPT, Ahmedabad, has been interested in heritage structures.
She chose Chunnamal ki haveli in Old Delhi, as a research project. “On the ground floor were shops, first and second floors were residential spaces. It had five chowks (internal courtyards). And it was built as an organic edifice over many decades during the 18th century,” she says.
Meanwhile, she hopes to look at the parts around the dargah. “The approach street is famous for food, craft and gota work done on the chadar laid at the dargah by devotees. We have proposed a facilitating centre that includes a large shopping space, kiosk, and toilets inside the complex,” she says.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Madhur Tankha / Septemeber 03rd, 2019
People Welfare Front’s candidate for Palayamkottai K.M.A. Nizam of MDMK. — Photo: A. Shaikmohideen; Fatima Babu, MDMK candidate for Thoothukudi.
A social worker for Thoothukudi and a retired teacher for Nagercoil
The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a constituent of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam – People’s Welfare Front, has fielded party’s Tirunelveli city district secretary K.M.A. Nizam, popularly known among the Palayamkottai residents as ‘Nizam Maama.’
Though he has not contested any election in the past, Mr. Nizam, a Grade I contractor, has held various positions in the party and is quite popular among the residents of Palayamkottai, thanks to his ‘helping tendency,’ especially to the needy.
When over 3,000 government employees and the teachers laid siege to the Collectorate recently as part of their Statewide indefinite strike, Mr. Nizam provided them lunch – both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, tea and dinner for two days.
Whenever he is approached for providing lunch for the participants of conferences, seminars in colleges here, he would oblige gleefully, saying that those who teach the younger generation should not be allowed to run from pillar to post for their professional needs.
Mr. Nizam will take on DMK’s T.P.M. Mohideen Khan and AIADMK’s A. Thamizh Magan Hussein.
The MDMK has nominated former MLA T. Sadan Thirumalaikumar, a doctor, at Sankarankovil (reserved) segment. He was elected to the Assembly from neighbouring Vasudevanallur (reserved) constituency in 2006 and had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls at Tenkasi (1991 and 2014), Assembly polls at Rajapalayam (1996) and Assembly by-poll in Sankarankovil (2012).
Nagercoil
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has fielded a retired teacher, Rani Selwyn, in Nagercoil constituency.
Ms. Rani is the State deputy secretary of the party’s women’s wing. She unsuccessfully contested for the post of Nagercoil Municipal Chairperson in 1986 and 1996.
The party has fielded 68-year old Sampath Chandra, chairman of the Kanyakumari District Central Cooperative Bank, in Colachel constituency.
Tuticorin
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a strong ally of DMDK –PWF, has fielded Fathima Babu (64), former Associate Professor of English, St. Mary’s College, in Thoothukudi. Ms. Babu is a familiar face in Thoothukudi. She is a social worker and an environmental activist. Thoothukudi Mayoral election during 2011 saw Ms. Babu as one of key contenders.
She has held various responsibilities such as Executive Committee Member of Thoothukudi Town Beautification, Senate member of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, and State Convener of Fishermen Movements of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. This candidate was conferred with ‘Greenpeace International Award’ in recognition of her efforts to protect the planet’s environment. Thoothukudi district administration honoured her at the Republic Day celebration in 2011 for outstanding social service.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Tamil Nadu / by Madurai Bureau / Tirunelveli / April 17th, 2016
Bihar,INDIA / North Carolina / Washington, U.S.A. :
U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues Uzra Zeya. File | Photo Credit: AFP
U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues Uzra Zeya will travel to India and Nepal this week to deepen cooperation on human rights and democratic governance goals with the two nations, the State Department has announced.
Ms. Zeya, the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights and an India-American, is expected to visit Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh during her visit to India.
Dharamsala is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-exile.
“Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights and U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Uzra Ms. Zeya will travel May 17–22 to India and Nepal to deepen cooperation on human rights and democratic governance goals, and to advance humanitarian priorities,” the State Department said on May 16.
“She will also discuss partnering with India and Nepal during this Year of Action for the Summit for Democracy. The delegation will include U.S.AID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Anjali Kaur,” it added.
It will be the first high-level contact between the U.S. and the Tibetan leadership after Joe Biden became President in January last year.
In New Delhi, people familiar with the development said last month that Ms. Zeya will hold talks with the Dalai Lama and other senior leaders of the Tibetan Government in exile in Dharamsala, signalling the Biden administration’s commitment to the Tibetan cause.
Last month, Tibetan exile leader Penpa Tsering paid a visit to Washington D.C. and met Ms. Zeya. Tsering — the elected head of Tibet’s India-based exile Government the Central Tibetan Administration — had also met House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other congressional leaders.
China considers the 14th Dalai Lama as a political exile who has attempted to split Tibet from China under the guise of religion.
According to the people cited above, key issues relating to the Tibetan cause are likely to figure in the talks.
As the U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues, Ms. Zeya has been coordinating the Biden administration’s policies, programmes and projects relating to the Tibetan cause.
Ms. Zeya was sworn-in as the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 14 last year.
On December 20, she was concurrently appointed as the U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues.
The U.S. has been consistently supporting the Tibetan cause notwithstanding China’s strong objection.
In 2020, the U.S. came out with legislation reaffirming the absolute right of Tibetan people to choose a successor to the Dalai Lama and the preservation of Tibet’s environment.
After the U.S. Congress passed the legislation, China had accused Washington of meddling in its internal affairs.
China has been insisting that the selection of the next Dalai Lama has to be decided within Chinese territory and that it has to have a say in the matter.
The issue of a successor to the 14th Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in Dharamsala since 1959, gained traction as he turned 86 in July last year.
Mr. Blinken had met a representative of the Dalai Lama during his visit to New Delhi last year.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> International / by PTI / Washington, May 17th, 2022
Dr. Rouf Hamza Boda has documented 100 indigenous and yet little known varieties of mushrooms in the Valley to earn the sobriquet of ‘Mushroom Man of Kashmir’. This includes the most expensive fungi in the world – Gucchi (Morel) – and the exotic Porcini.
Dr Boda is the author of Nano Mushroom Identifier, a Book that is beginners’ guide on mushroom cultivation. He belongs to Doru Shahabad of Anantnag and works as a lecturer in Government Higer secondary School, Verinaag in South Kashmir.
He says, “Since I come from a village (Doru Shahabad, Anantnag), I used to be part of the mushroom hunting groups in spring. I used to collect mushrooms in wicker baskets. Along the way, I often saw mushrooms of various shapes and sizes. Sometimes, seeing the large size of mushroom was intimidating.”
His childhood exposure made his pursue a Master’s degree in Botany and, he followed it up with a doctoral research on Mushrooms.
“My guide, Dr. Abdul Hamid Wani inspired me to research on wild mushrooms. I am the first person in the valley to research on wild mushrooms,” he says.
In his research paper, he has documented about 100 mushrooms from forest areas in South Kashmir and evaluated them for antioxidants. Rauf Hamza Boda says, “I have documented their nutritive value, cultivation pattern and studied their classification.”
He said that all mushrooms are fungi and they produce spores similar to pollen or seeds that are spread by wind. A mushroom mature only after this process is completed.In nature the mushroom grow in soil or on wood.
A local variety of mushroom on South Kashmir jungles
Mushrooms grow well on a pine tree. Hamza explains: “Mushroom extracts water and some minerals from the soil and gives it to the roots of these trees and the tree undergoes photosynthesis. This in turn produces many sugars for the mushroom.”
He says Kashmir has many naturally growing types of mushrooms, some of which are edible, including well-known species such as buttons, oysters, porcini and chanterelles, he said.
However, there are inedible ones too that can cause abdominal pain, or vomiting if eaten. Some can even prove fatal.
He says mushrooms are today known for their significant health benefits as these contain a variety of medicinal properties. “Mushroom is a low calorie food. It is rich in many health-boosting vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Mushrooms have been recognized as an important part of the diet.
For example, mushrooms exposed to ultraviolet light are a good source of vitamin D, an important component in bone and immune health. In addition, many of them have anti-cancer properties.”
However, he pointed out that climate change and urbanization have affected many mushroom species. As a result, there has been a gradual decline in the mushroom production including that of Gucchi mushrooms.
“I have been tracking them for the last 10 years. It is estimated that their production has decreased as a result of climate change, deforestation and habitat destruction. Similarly, other mushrooms that grow in early spring, such as the monkey cap, are beginning to disappear. Earlier, they were seen in March and April.
He said that mushroom growing is a profitable venture for anyone who has the basic knowledge about the technique and art of growing mushrooms.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Youth / by awazthevoice.in / May 03rd, 2022
The late Siddiqui, Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo and Amit Dave won the prestigious prize for feature photography.
Reuters photographers Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, Amit Dave and Danish Siddiqui. | The Pulitzer Prizes
Reuters photographers Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, Amit Dave and the late Danish Siddiqui won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography on Monday for their coverage of the coronavirus crisis in India.
Siddiqui, 38, was killed while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters near a border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan on July 16.
The jury said that the prize was awarded to the four photographers for their images of the crisis that “balanced intimacy and devastation, while offering viewers a heightened sense of place”.
This is Abidi’s third Pulitzer. Siddiqui had also won the prize before, in 2018.
_____
Twitter
______
Reuters Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni said that the world was “jolted awake” to the scale of India’s Covid-19 outbreak after the news agency’s photographers documented it.
“To have Danish’s incredible work honoured in this way is a tribute to the enduring mark he has left on the world of photojournalism,” Galloni said in a statement.
A mass cremation of victims who died due to the coronavirus disease is seen at a crematorium ground in New Delhi on April 22, 2021. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui
While Abidi is based in New Delhi, Mattoo is a photographer from Kashmir. Dave is based in Ahmedabad, from where he covers local and national news assignments for Reuters.
The body of a person, who died from the coronavirus disease, lies on a funeral pyre during a mass cremation at a crematorium in New Delhi on May 1, 2021. Reuters/Adnan AbidiFamily members embrace while wearing personal protective equipment as they mourn a male relative, who died from the coronavirus disease, during his cremation ceremony in New Delhi on April 21, 2021. Reuters/Adnan Abidi
Other winners
The New York Times won three Pulitzer Prizes and was named as a finalist in five other categories on Monday.
The Washington Post won the award in the public service category for its “compellingly told and vividly presented” account of the attack on Capitol Hill in Washington on January 6, 2021.
The journalists of Ukraine were also awarded a special citation for their coverage of the Russian invasion.
American journalists Corey G Johnson, Rebecca Woolington and Eli Murray of the Tampa Bay Times were awarded the Pulitzer for their investigative reporting.
The three had exposed highly toxic hazards inside Florida’s only battery recycling plant that forced the implementation of safety measures to adequately protect workers and nearby residents.
Novelist Joshua Cohen was awarded the Pulitzer in the fiction category for his book The Netanyahus. The book is based on the life of Benzion Netanyahu, the father of former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Pulitzer Prize in music was awarded to Raven Chacon for his composition Voiceless Mass.
Triumph India has plans to assemble the upcoming Tiger 660 in India. More than 50 percent sales of Triumph are coming from CKD models, and the brand is eyeing to close around 1,200 units.
Over 50% of our sales volumes are coming from CKD models
Over the last 12 months (November 2020 to October 2021), there has been about 10% de-growth in the Indian premium motorcycle segment (usually 500cc and above engine size, and costing more than Rs 5 lakh), but Triumph Motorcycles India grew by about 30% in this period. “We are confident of holding on to this growth over the next few months as well,” Shoeb Farooq, business head, Triumph Motorcycles India, tells FE’s Vikram Chaudhary.
He adds that the Trident, its entry-level 660cc motorcycle, has brought in a new set of customers to the brand. Excerpts:
What all reasons do you attribute to Triumph Motorcycles India’s growth in a shrinking market?
The basic strength of Triumph lies in its product, and we have been pretty aggressive in our product strategy, right from the BS4-to-BS6 transition to now. We have continuously built on our product range; we have 15 models right now, which is one of the largest in the premium motorcycle segment in India.
We have also entered a new territory, which is the 660cc motorcycle segment, and this has given us a completely new set of customers. We also have a very strong dealer network.
Then we aligned our global launches with India launches, and if a product is launched globally we try to ensure that within a few months it is available in India as well.
All these things put together have given us robust growth in a shrinking market.
How many motorcycles have you sold in the last 12 months?
We have sold about 1,050 units in the last 12 months, but in our financial year (which runs from July to June) we will close around 1,200 units.
This will be one of our best sales performances in India.
Did the chip shortage create supply challenges for you?
It’s not just the chip shortage, but also the container shortage (motorcycle parts come to India in shipping containers) that is a challenge, but we are trying to ensure minimum waiting period for our customers.
Have you become India’s largest premium motorcycle player, or is it still Kawasaki?
The premium motorcycle market size in India is close to about 4,500 units, and we represent a quarter of that.
The focus is not about becoming number one, but to create unique post-purchase experiences for our customers, by taking care of all their needs, from curated rides and track days and even choice in terms of riding gear.
Has the Trident become your largest selling single model, considering that it is the most affordable and must have gotten a new set of customers to Triumph India?
We are averaging close to 30-odd unit sales of the Trident motorcycle every month in India, which is about 30% of our monthly sales; our Classic motorcycle range together contributes another 30%, and the remaining is contributed by the Street Triple, the Rocket and the Tiger.
The average age of the Trident buyer is also lower than buyers of other Triumph models.
Going forward, we are getting more products on the 660cc platform, including the Tiger 660, and this will attract a lot of first-time buyers to the premium motorcycle segment.
The 660cc segment has also gotten us some buyers from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and this is expected to only grow with more models in the 660cc range.
The Trident is assembled in India. Will the Tiger 660 also be assembled in India?
Yes we plan to make it in India; now with the Trident, more than 50% of our sales volumes are coming through CKD models.
source: http://www.financialexpress.com / Financial Express / Home> Express Drives> Auto> Bike News / by Vikram Chaudhary / November 29th, 2021
