Latest news with #VikramMohan
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Sunrise in Siruvani: A peek into Tamil culture and Kongunadu cuisine
The picturesque Western Ghats bathed in pastel pink hues at twilight, and an absolute calm form our first impression of Dvara Siruvani. Before we get to the property, which is an hour's drive from the city, we stop by for a satisfying lunch at Rasanai with Kongu kozhi thanni rasam, a fiery chicken soup, followed by a line-up of chicken biryani, and the impressive Sivaji Nagar military hotel mutton chops, rounded off with mango pudding for dessert. Once at Dvara, I sip my welcome drink and watch the mighty hills and the forests take on a many colours. There are 16 cottages that include mountain view, private infinity pools and garden view. Each cottage is named after native flowers likekonrai, vaagai, parijatham to name a few. I bow down to enter my cottage named Kurunji through an artistically carved door that once graced a Chettiar home in Karaikudi. Short in stature, such doors encouraged the tradition of bowing while entering a home to show its inhabitants respect and humility. A private garden opens into stunning views of the Western Ghats and copious waters of the Noyyal flowing into the Mundanthurai check dam. Heirloom furniture including a wooden poster bed, Tanjore glass paintings and aesthetic artefacts compliment the interiors. An infinity plunge pool adds to the luxury. 'The property was a bit of an accident,' recalls Vikram Mohan, chairman of Pricol group that runs Dvara. 'The property evolved from a desiliting project to an outbound training centre with tents. Later, my wife Lakshmi and I developed Dvara as a labour of love. We both are collectors of South Indian antiquities for many years, from old Kanjivaram saris and Ravi Varma prints to old vengalapitalapathram, kadarams, thengaithuruvis and kavadis. Our bed runners feature paaavadai davani designs in multiple colours. Lakshmi's collection of her grandmother's saris became the beds' backdrop. We celebrate all things South Indian, Tamil heritage and conceptualised the property as a throwback to visiting homes in villages complete with Kongunadu samayal.' Every corner at the property unravels cultural memorabilia. Old utensils, South Indian antique artefacts, Tanjore paintings and enamelware peek through the common areas that have an old world charm. An antique chest at the reception is stunning. 'Some of the urulis displayed bear the cross on them indicating that they have been used in Christian households to make payasam. We added details like ergonomically designed thinnai, oonjal, and vilakkumaadam to replicate village life. While the doors tell stories of humility and a method of self-defence, the AshtaMangalam mural is indicative of qualities one needs to have to lead a good quality life. There is abundant greenery and the entire landscaping credit goes to my wife. We added Pollachi rekla vandi, and terracotta horses (crafted by a potter from Tirunelveli) to the garden decor. It's more like a virunthombal experience.' At dinner time, Chef Arul and his team lay out fluffy idiyappamidlis and creamy chicken stew. After a round of sulaimani, we call it a day. At the crack of dawn, along with M Rajesh, an in-house naturalist, we walk past bougainvillea and jasmine blooms, yellow trumpet trees and Rangoon creepers with red flower clusters for a trek to the foothills of the Western Ghats. Along the way, we spot a purple sunbird, an Oriental darter sunbathing with its wings spread out on a tree top, while the colourful Indian Pita whistles away and the common hawk-cuckoo sings repetitively. Lunch at Aarogyam, the in-house restaurant, showcases delicious Kongu cuisine. We try the aromatic Keeranur chicken biryani, bun parotta with Kongunadu mutton kuzhambu and vethalai poondu saadam, short grain rice flavoured with betel leaves and fried garlic. As a culinary anthropologist, Vikram has been studying the history of food of Peninsular India and that's how he introduced Kongu cuisine. 'It's all about the nuances of flavours. For example, betel leaf has a strong taste and how that imparts a dish or garlic when it's slightly roasted without curry. In Pollachi mutton kuzhambu, the flavouring comes from drumstick used in the curry. In villages around Karur, there is sorakkai thattaipayir saadam eaten with vaalaithanduthayir pachadi,' explains Vikram adding that he also picked recipes like asari kozhi varuval, endemic to the region. 'There is something called porial podi made with six ingredients like coriander seeds, fenugreek, dry chillies, channa dal, urad dal, and a hint of black pepper, coarsely ground. A pinch of asafoetida gives the umami flavour.' After a relaxing foot massage at the spa, I sit by the thinnai and gaze at the mountains, content and happy To know more, visit or call 7339111222
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pricol Ltd (BOM:540293) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strategic Investments and Market ...
Release Date: May 16, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Pricol Ltd (BOM:540293) reported a consolidated revenue growth of 18.69% for FY25 compared to FY24. The company achieved a return on capital employed of 22.86% in FY25, indicating efficient use of capital. Pricol Ltd (BOM:540293) has made strategic investments in R&D to develop new products, which are expected to yield results in 8 to 12 quarters. The acquisition of the plastics business from Syndrome A Components Limited is expected to enhance efficiency and increase margins. The company is confident about a significant revival in the two-wheeler market due to regulatory changes, which should positively impact future revenues. Q4 FY25 did not meet investor or management expectations due to a strong dollar impacting Forex earnings. There was a significant increase in manpower costs as a result of strategic investments in R&D, affecting short-term profitability. The two-wheeler sector, which accounts for 65% of the company's revenue, experienced muted numbers in Q4 due to regulatory changes. Export revenues were negatively impacted by new tariffs imposed by the US administration, causing uncertainty among export customers. The newly acquired plastics business reported lower earnings due to one-time acquisition costs and requires further investment to reach desired margins. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 1 Warning Sign with BOM:538730. Q: Can you provide insights into the increase in employee expenses and expectations for the future? A: The increase in employee expenses is primarily due to the addition of R&D staff for product and process development. This is a strategic investment to maintain our competitive edge. While the percentage of sales appears higher due to lower top-line revenue, we expect it to normalize to around 11.5% to 12% as sales increase. The current R&D investments will start yielding results in about 8 to 12 quarters. Vikram Mohan, Managing Director Q: What impact have raw material price inflation and export mix had on margins? A: The impact on margins is due to raw material price inflation and a slowdown in exports, particularly to the US. However, exports are resuming, and we are firm on pricing despite tariff impacts. We expect normalcy to return in about two quarters. Vikram Mohan, Managing Director Q: What are the capital requirements for the newly acquired Sundaram business? A: We plan to invest approximately INR 225 to 250 crores over the next four quarters to enhance efficiency, add capacity, and modernize operations. This investment will help improve margins and support top-line growth. Vikram Mohan, Managing Director Q: Could you provide guidance on revenue growth considering new product developments? A: Our guidance of 13% to 15% growth remains unchanged, even without new products. The new products, expected to start production in FY28 and FY29, will contribute to future growth. Vikram Mohan, Managing Director Q: What was the impact of the dollar movement on the bottom line? A: The forex impact was about INR 3.5 crores, which will be recovered in Q1 and Q2 of the current financial year. Priyadarshi Bastian, Chief Financial Officer For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
