June
June
Re-starting business of Bio-based Acetic Acid from October 2018
Jun 06, 2018
Godavari Biorefineries Ltd. (GBL) will be re-starting production of Bio-based Acetic Acid from October 2018. GBL will produce acetic acid from ethanol, backed by strong demand from customers as they have expressed the need for renewable raw materials adhering to the 'green chemistry' principles.' GBL has been a pioneer in the use of Sustainable and Renewable Resources to produce chemicals.
Our Chairman, Samir Somaiya's article on 'Building a Modern Biorefinery' appeared in the June edition of Industrial Biotechnology
Jun 01, 2017Click here to download the pdf file.
Godavari Biorefineries: Underprivileged Students Achieve Over 90% Marks in Karnataka State Exams
IndiaCSR, IN | Jun 07, 2015
SAMEERWADI, Karnataka: In the recent 12th grade results in Karnataka, 12 students sponsored by Help A Child, an initiative of Godavari Biorefineries Limited, scored more than 90% in the exam and 3 students have scored 100/100 marks in Physics and Math. ‘Help A Child’ in association with Somaiya Vidyavihar provides scholarships to highly motivated students. The resounding success of this program has shown that children when given an opportunity have ability and a will to succeed despite insurmountable odds.
Abhishek Karadi, from S.R. Pre University College, Banahatti who has secured 95.66 % in HSC Commerce stream, said that “I come from a humble family background, where my father is a weaver and mother is a housewife. Even though I excelled in school and got 91.84% in the Xth exams, I never thought that I could study further for graduation, as financially it was not possible. Graduation was a distant dream. ’Help A Child’ sponsored my education. They not only provided me with financial support but also moral support. This has helped me secure good marks in the 12th grade”.
Another topper, Dixita Vare who has secured 94.83% in HSC Science stream from S.R. Pre University College, had secured 94.24% in the Xth, Banahatti says “I was planning to quit studies due to lack of finances, since I come from a very poor financial background, my father is a daily wage labourer and mother is a housewife. ‘Help A Child’ provided me access to textbooks, financial help and kept me motivated which made it possible for me not only study but also excel in my exams”. Further, one student Prashant Hangandi B.A III (S.T.C. College, Banahatti) has bagged two gold medals in Economics and Geography subjects from the Rani Chennamma University, Belgaum. He did B.A from S.T.C. College, Banahatti and scored 89.93% in final year.He has been sponsored by ‘Help A Child’, since 2009.
“Education is the backbone of every society in this world. However, underprivileged children from rural areas often have to drop out from school denying themselves access to quality education and professional skills and continuing the cycle of poverty.We aim to reach out to those who need our help the most, to ensure that they do not have to give up their education simply because of a lack of funds. He adds, “Much more needs to be done. Many individual and corporates have joined hands with us in this initiative, sponsoring students for their higher education. Many of our ex -students today have become sponsors. We are proud of the achievements of our students.” - Samir Somaiya, Chairman, Godavari Biorefineries Limited
Nandan Mehta, who has sponsored a student through Help A Child says “ I have supported Help a Child for some years where I have had the opportunity to witness growth and development of the child I supported. The importance of enabling Higher Education, especially of rural and underprivileged children, can be really understood when one meets these children and sees their determination to achieve in life. I am very happy to be able to contribute towards this initiative”.
‘Help A Child’ is an initiative of GBL initiated in 2001 in association with Somaiya Vidyavihar. ‘Help A Child’ sponsors higher education of students from underprivileged backgrounds for courses above the 10th grade. This includes 11th and 12th, undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The underprivileged students come from diverse backgrounds. Some of the parents are laborers, weavers or farmers in rural areas and the children are often first generation learners. Some students are orphans or belong to single parent families, with the children working part time to help their families survive.
Some children are from the slum in a large city. Despite these insurmountable conditions, the students have shown the capability and a will to succeed. GBL started this initiative with the belief that talent of a child should not be denied an opportunity simply because the family does not have the financial resources to help them continue.
Samir Somaiya, Chairman of Godavari Biorefineries Limited (GBL), founded Help A Child when, during one of his visits to the farmers in a village near the GBL Plant, he met a meritorious girl, who had to give up her studies due to lack of finances. Help a Child, was born out of the belief that that education is the key to socio- economic transformation.
Godavari Biorefineries Limited initiated the program for the children in the villages around its factory in Sameerwadi, Karnataka. Seeing the positive impact that it had in the lives of the selected students, their family and the community it was extended to the villages in and around its second plant at Sankarwadi, Maharashtra. Started in rural Karnataka it has now expanded to Mumbai and Pune. Since 2001, it has supported more than 3500 students to achieve their dreams. The Alumni have gone to become teachers, engineers, doctors and accountants. Some of the engineering students are now working in companies such as TCS, Mahindra Tech, L&T, and Mindtree.
The students sponsored qualify based on two criteria: merit and need. For merit, girls need to have scored 70% or above in their previous course/year while boys need to have scored 75% or above. The need criteria this is based on both family income and circumstances. Priority is given to students who are orphans, from single parent families, alcoholic parents or students also working part time to support their families.
Help A Child takes a holistic approach to supporting the children in their higher education, from financial support, material support, personality development to also engaging with families and communities.
In the case of girls, in rural areas, Help A Child works closely with the parents and communities to garner support for higher education create understanding of issues and thus reduce pressure on girls for marriages.
Click here to download the pdf file.
Sustainability Yeilds Sweet Success
CEN.ACS.ORG | Jun 01, 2015BASIC ECONOMICS TEACHES that companies exist to maximize their profits. Godavari Biorefineries, an Indian producer of sugar, ethanol, and biobased chemicals, didn’t get that memo. Its managers appear focused as much on philanthropy and sustainability as they are on generating a financial surplus every year.
It’s an unconventional approach that is working for the firm. Sales at the 76-year-old company have risen steadily from $160 million in 2010 to $202 million last year, according to a recent financial report. Investors seem to like what they see. Godavari succeeded in securing a $15 million cash injection last month from a private equity fund.
Godavari is an unusual company. On the one hand, it does business in the standard way of producing price-competitive materials at large, integrated complexes. On the other hand, it funds medical services and the education of young people in the communities where it operates and also lends money to farmers that supply it with sugarcane.
“We have a strong sense of social mission that started with my grandfather, who was born poor,” says Samir Somaiya, Godavari’s third-generation chairman and managing director. “We take a very long-term perspective to business.”
The company was founded in 1939, when the elder Somaiya, after enjoying some success as a sugar trader, decided to start up his own sugar mill. In the decades that followed, Godavari’s business thrived, partly because it was protected by Indian import tariffs. When his grandson Samir Somaiya joined the company, those tariffs were in the process of being dismantled. The company had to close plants, a trauma that has guided Somaiya’s decision-making ever since.
“I decided to never rely again on tariff protection,” Samir Somaiya says. He went further than that, reorganizing the business so success doesn’t depend on any specific set of conditions. “We don’t want to be vulnerable to any technology, any one process, any customer,” Somaiya says.
India is a major sugar exporter, and Godavari is one of India’s major sugar refiners. Under Somaiya, a basic tenet has been to extract more value out of sugarcane farming. Starting with sugarcane, Godavari refines sugar, ferments ethanol, and derives an ever-expanding range of biochemicals. From plantation waste, it extracts energy at cogeneration plants that are integrated with its mills and chemical plants.
Ethanol is Godavari’s starting point for a family of downstream chemicals. It converts ethanol into acetaldehyde and then acetic acid. From there it produces derivatives such as ethyl acetate, crotonaldehyde, 1,3-butanediol, and flavor and fragrance ingredients. The company calls itself one of the world’s top 10 producers of ethyl acetate, and it exports more than two-thirds of the chemicals it makes. With the launch of new biochemicals and the commissioning of more power generation capacity this year, the company expects its sales to surge by 25% to $250 million.
IT’S UNUSUAL for a major biobased chemical maker to emerge from the sugar business, according to Sarah Hickingbottom, business development manager for oleo- and biochemicals at LMC International, a consulting firm based in Oxford, England. Most biochemical firms own a specific technology they use to produce chemicals from purchased feedstock. Or they are chemical companies that modify a petrochemical process to use a biobased feedstock instead.
But as the biobased chemical business matures, access to competitive feedstock may win the day, Hickingbottom predicts. Production processes in this relatively new business will eventually become standardized. When that happens, having access to cheap raw materials will be key.
As a major sugar exporter, India is advantaged, Hickingbottom says. But the country’s output varies from year to year, she notes. In poor harvest years, companies that maintain close relations with local sugarcane growers will likely be in a better position to secure raw materials. In that context, it’s possible that Godavari’s philanthropic bent may help the company businesswise, even if that wasn’t the point. Paul S. Zorner, an American member of Godavari’s board who has worked at and advised dozens of biobased fuel and chemical companies, notes that the firm helps fund the studies of thousands of young people in the communities where it operates. Godavari also loans money, when the need arises, to the 20,000 or so farming families that supply it with sugarcane.
According to Somaiya, several family foundations that he chairs pay for the education of 35,000 students in communities where Godavari operates. They also fund a 500-bed hospital and a rural health center.
Zorner first met Somaiya at a conference on sugar in South Africa. He has now been on Godavari’s board for seven years because the two men share similar ideas about how to extract value from sugar. The company’s manufacturing operations are highly efficient, Zorner claims. “Godavari’s plants have a very good scale and are well engineered both chemically and mechanically,” he says. “The only thing that is wasted is CO2, really.” Godavari was able to achieve this efficiency thanks to India’s abundance of engineering talent, he adds.
IN FACT, the company’s biobased chemicals are produced so efficiently that they compete pricewise against identical products obtained from petrochemical sources. There was a time when companies expected to receive a premium for renewably sourced chemicals, but according to Zorner, it’s a rare case when that happens.
Even without a price premium, at least one investor sees opportunity in Godavari’s focus on products from renewable sources. The Mauritius-based private equity fund Mandala Capital last month agreed to inject $15 million in Godavari. The cash will help to support product development and pay for a new specialty chemical plant. Mandala didn’t respond to a request for comment for this article, but in an earlier statement, the firm said it endorsed Godavari’s strategy of getting more value from sugar.
The academic world also sees value in Godavari’s approach. Somaiya teaches a one-month chemical engineering course on biorefining every two years at Cornell University. More broadly, Zorner says, Godavari can serve as an inspiration to the many parts of the world that have strong agricultural sectors but little industry. “It just shows what you can accomplish with the sun, water, and some manpower.”
Click here to download the pdf file.
Daughters of Wireman and Farmer Score Over 90% at SSC Exam
TNN | Jun 16, 2015MUMBAI: Diligent daughters of a wireman and a farmer topped their schools in rural Ahmednagar at the recently concluded SSC exams in Maharashtra. Pooja Tribhuvan achieved 94% and Tanuja Kale scored 92.2%. Both are school toppers already.
Their schools Somaiya Vidya Mandir Laxmiwadi, and Somaiya Vidya Mandir, Sakarwadi, achieved 90% pass results. They were proud to have female students as toppers.
The children's achievement is remarkable for more than half of them come from underprivileged homes. Several are first generation learners whose parents work as farmers or labourers. Parents play an inclusive role in their education.
Pooja's father is a wireman and her mother works in a sweetmeat shop. She said, "I studied for two or three hours a day. I had a few difficulties studying Sanskrit and English but the school helped me overcome them.'' Her father Kailashrao said, "I had to give up my education and work to support my family. So I wanted my children to have the opportunity to learn. Pooja worked very hard. It was her 'jidd' (determination) that she managed to achieve what her father could not. My son has studied here too."
Sakarwadi principal Sunita Pare said, "Our topper Tanuja Kale, who is the daughter of a farmer, had also topped the National Talent Search last year. She is a very intelligent student and has worked hard despite financial difficulties."
Sakarwadi saw a pass percentage of 97.70 of which 20% passed with distinction marks. Besides Tanuja, Devyani Gagare scored 92% and Pratiksha More 91.6%. The Laxmiwadi school had a pass percentage of 91.3% with 16% students scoring distinction marks. Close on Puja's heels came Vrushali Ghane with 92.8% and Priyanka Paghire and Rudra Jambhulkar both with 91.8%.
The schools are run by Godavari Biorefineries in association with Somaiya Vidyavihar, Mumbai. Both institutes also provide visiting teachers and guest lecturers from Somaiya Vidyavihar, Mumbai, as well as experts from international colleges on occasion.
Samir Somaiya, president, Somaiya Vidyavihar, said, "It is the dedication of the school principals and teachers that creates the foundation for all great institutions. The children of the villages are dear to us and we are very proud of their achievements."
Click here to download the pdf file.
Making a Mark Despite the Odds
EI Staff | Jun 04, 2015
12 underprivileged students sponsored by ‘Help A Child’ achieve over 90% in the Karnataka State exams
Karnataka: In the recent 12th grade results in Karnataka, 12 students sponsored by Help A Child, an initiative of Godavari Biorefineries Limited, scored more than 90% in the exam and 3 students have scored 100/100 marks in Physics and Math. ‘Help A Child’ in association with Somaiya Vidyavihar provides scholarships to highly motivated students. The resounding success of this program has shown that children when given an opportunity have ability and a will to succeed despite insurmountable odds.
Abhishek Karadi, from S.R. Pre University College, Banahatti who has secured 95.66 % in HSC Commerce stream, said that “I come from a humble family background, where my father is a weaver and mother is a housewife. Even though I excelled in school and got 91.84% in the Xth exams, I never thought that I could study further for graduation, as financially it was not possible. Graduation was a distant dream. ’Help A Child’ sponsored my education. They not only
provided me with financial support but also moral support. This has helped me secure good marks in the 12th grade.”
Another topper, Dixita Vare who has secured 94.83% in HSC Science stream from S.R. Pre University College, had secured 94.24% in the Xth, Banahatti says, “I was planning to quit studies due to lack of finances, since I come from a very poor financial background, my father is a daily wage labourer and mother is a housewife. ‘Help A Child’ provided me access to textbooks, financial help and kept me motivated which made it possible for me not only study but also excel in my exams.
Further, one student Prashant Hangandi B.A III (S.T.C. College, Banahatti) has bagged two gold medals in Economics and Geography subjects from the Rani Chennamma University, Belgaum. He did B.A from S.T.C. College, Banahatti and scored 89.93% in final year.He has been sponsored by ‘Help A Child’, since 2009.
Samir Somaiya, Chairman, Godavari Biorefineries Limited says, “Education is the backbone of every society in this world. However, underprivileged children from rural areas often have to drop out from school denying themselves access to quality education and professional skills and continuing the cycle of poverty.We aim to reach out to those who need our help the most, to ensure that they do not have to give up their education simply because of a lack of funds.”
He adds, “Much more needs to be done. Many individual and corporates have joined hands with us in this initiative, sponsoring students for their higher education. Many of our ex-students today have become sponsors. We are proud of the achievements of our students.”
Nandan Mehta, who has sponsored a student through Help A Child says “ I have supported Help a Child for some years where I have had the opportunity to witness growth and development of the child I supported. The importance of enabling Higher Education, especially of rural and underprivileged children, can be really understood when one meets these children and sees their determination to achieve in life. I am very happy to be able to contribute towards this initiative”.
Students who achieved over 90% are Abhishekh Karadi, Dixita Vare, Shrinath Raval, Vinod Baogi, Sahana Savadi, Aditya Madar, Pooja Geddappannavar, Rohini Dhingane, Manjunath Madarkhandi, Preeti Sultanpur, Mahalaxmi Hangandi, Anusha Muragundi.
Link: http://www.educationinsider.net/detail_news.php?id=2194
Click here to download the pdf file.
