We are global leaders again !

After Birla's & Tata's ...it's Ramakrishna Karuturi !! With his efforts India is now global leader in roses. Here is the news about it.

B'lore firm buys world's largest rose co
TIMES NEWS NETWORK: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2007 09:40:33 AM

A day after Valentine’s Day, there’s news of a deal that’ll make the global Indian takeover come out smelling of roses. Next Valentine’s Day, when lovers and spouses gift roses across the world, chances are most of the flowers will have an Indian imprint.

Karuturi Networks, a little known Bangalore company , is close to acquiring the Netherlands-based Sher, the world’s largest producer and supplier of roses, for about $50 million (Rs 220 crore) to emerge as the global leader in roses. Sher’s greenhouses in the Netherlands, Kenya and Ethiopia produce 600 million roses annually.

When contacted, Ramakrishna Karuturi , MD of Karuturi Networks, confirmed that his company was about to wrap up the deal. The acquisition will be funded through internal accruals and the proceeds of a $25 million foreign currency convertible bond issue. UTI Bank and the Londonbased Silverdale Services are involved in the deal.

It all began on a Valentine’s Day 12 years ago when Karuturi, a mechanical engineer, was sniffing around Bangalore for roses for his wife. Finding none, he decided to step out of the cable business he was running and plant high-value stem roses for a living. He set up Karuturi Networks, which now processes 12 million roses annually.

Karuturi Networks has 60 hectares of greenhouses in India and Ethiopia for rose cultivation. Apart from the European company’s facilities, Karuturi will get a strong brand in Sher.

Isn't that inspiring?
Atleast I was inspired a lot by this news. This is truely clear that we have a long way to go. Steel, Aluminium or Roses. We are not really leaving anything behind.
It's a proud feeling isn't it? Well...I believe.. we are helping the economy to improve... and I am right... unless someone wants to come forward, leave his/her comments to this blog and prove me wrong :)

-Mumbaikar