Comprehensive Chennai Business Directory
Dedicated to providing resources and advancement services for Chennai's ('s) India's smaller businesses
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Chennai is a city where the traditional and the modern blend in life everywhere. From traditional vegetarian fair to fast foods, from nine-yard sarees to the latest in fashion, from ancient temple architecture to modern high-rises with Indo-Saracenic and Victorian styles - from classical music and dance to discos throbbing to heady beats, Chennai has them all and many more vivid contrasts that are a pleasant surprise. And perhaps the most striking of them all is that here is a modern metropolis with beaches, parks and even sanctuaries in the heart of the City.
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 The business community of Chennai never sleeps. It is a very unique character of the Chennai Business scenario. Be it a national holiday or a festival or the rainy season, shops are always open and shoppers don’t tire of shopping. Before the festivals the shops are open for festive purchases, during the festivals the shops are open for last minute shopping and after the festival is over the shops are open for the next festival. And if the month is not auspicious for any sort of Holy Communion; there are the seasonal offers, discounts and Adi discounts et al. If not these reasons, there is always the evergreen Kalyanam Season, when shopping is at its crescendo. Does Pondy Bazaar ever sleep is my question, and the answer is NO! Nonetheless, some shops owned by a minority community remain closed on their respective festive days. It is a respite to the eyes to see shutters down in Pondy Bazaar. Of course we also need to remember that Pondy Bazaar always has its customers. Homes maybe flooded, the child maybe wailing in the mother’s arms, old men/women limping, the sun scorching but Pondy Bazaar is the one place that beckons them all. Be it the plastic boxes that are given as a token of affection for Kolu, accessories, clothing, pirated bestsellers, branded apparel, eat outs, electronic gadgets, flowers, fruits; Pondy Bazaar has it all. It’s your one stop for shopping. And when one talks about Pondy Bazaar a mention about Pothys is inevitable. This was the shop that made funky seasonal decorations the ‘in’ thing. And since then, we have seen RmKV, Saravanas, Nallis following suit in their own novel style. Since then the drive from Tambiah Road to the Pothys Junction has been a fun ride. Pondy Bazaar is every the powerhouse of shopping opportunities and employment opportunies. Recently in a movie (Thirittu Payyale) there was a sequence that showcased the employment opportunities in Paondy Bazaar. The heroine (Sonia Aggarwal) tells the hero (Jeevan) to find himself a job in one of the shops in Pondy Bazaar to prove his mettle. As hilarious as it sounds, it is a fact that Pondy Bazaar has a lot to offer.  The Southern Indian Chapter of Indian American Business Promotion Council (New York) was launched in Chennai on September 6, 2006. Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, launching the chapter, said the business communities in India and the US should play a vital role in further developing trade and other ties between the two countries. The Council's Best Business Person of the Year Award was presented by the Governor to M Krishnan and M Murali of Sri Krishna Sweets, in the presence of US Consul General for South India, David T. Hopper. The function was organised in association with the Madras Management Association (MMA). The IABPC seeks to encourage, promote and provide information plus explore opportunities for creating new businesses and setting up joint ventures in the United States and India; to improve the relationship among various businesses and help bring about a better understanding and cooperation between the US and India in general, via business, in particular, said Prakash Swami, executive director of IABPC. It will also act as a liaison and represent, establish, and provide links and relationships with the US city, state and Federal legislative bodies. The council is committed to promoting India in the US and the US in India, particularly in the private sector, in an effective, enduring way to spur investments and growth, Prakash added. It will propagate the economic reforms made in India to attract foreign direct investments and guide US corporations to flourish in the Indian corporate soil. It will promote the commercial and economic ties of business communities in the US and India and serve as a forum for key business and government decision-makers in India and the US to boost trade and investments, said Shanthi Radhakrishnan. A key role of the council is to encourage small and medium Indian companies to come to the US to do business. The Council will work with Empire State Development Corporation in New York, state and city administration, Small Business Administration (SBA) in Washington, and similar organisations to help businessmen from India identify projects of interest and set up businesses in the US to generate employment in the US and help make their American dream come true, said Albert Chelladurai. It will also strive to propel American industries operating in India to further their economic dialogue, high-technology policies, energy dialogue, and trade issues, Albert added. In addition, the council will take delegations to India consisting of Senators, Congressmen and businessmen to identify projects and joint ventures and bring about industry-level dialogues for effective cooperation and understanding. The council will initiate policy and business development conferences in the US and India and help its US-based members set up meetings with Indian federal and state ministers and secretary-level dialogues in areas such as commerce, finance, IT, industries and communication, and captains of Indian industry. It will not only facilitate the convening of meetings but also follow up diplomatically and doggedly to ensure success of the ventures. Further, the council will represent and partner with various Indian states in the US and US states in India as regards trade and investments. We will work on the concept of business buddy states between the two nations so that businesspersons of the buddy states can explore and expand their business contacts. The council will afford networking opportunities to all Indian and US-based businesses and successful businessmen to share their experiences and expertise with small businesses and start-up ventures. It will provide training programmes and 'mentor' meets to small businesses to enable them to move to the next level, Prakash said.  |
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