New focus

Ever since he sold his stake in BPL Mobile last year, market watchers have been keenly waiting for Rajeev Chandrashehar8217;s next move. After months of silence, the tycoon has made public his first big move 8212; an entry into the railway freight business. The clever entrepreneur, that he is, Rajeev wants to be the first off the block to cash on Laloo Yadav8217;s decision to throw open the sector to private players. He has joined hands with Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines NOL, the sixth-biggest global player in the container business to walk this uncharted path. Rajeev8217;s Hindustan Infrastructure has entered into a JV with NOL8217;s arm APL. Insiders say that Hindustan is now expected to take a substantial stake in the JV, India Infrastructure Logistics Ltd. The logistics industry is also abuzz with Rajeev8217;s keen interest in hi-tech radio Frequency Identification RFID, space for which he has been hunting for a partner for quite some time now. The fact that the 7 billion NOL already has a RFID test center in Singapore also fuels the speculation that the tycoon may even go for a second JV with the former in this emerging technology space. The prospect of the second venture with NOL however will depend greatly on the fate of the first one. But seeing the way Rajeev has handled his biz in the past these new beginnings and various equity arrangements should not prove to be major hurdles for him.

New blooms

8216;Flower tycoon8217; Vikaas Gutgutia is a man in a hurry. The tycoon is looking to double the number of his Ferns 8216;n8217; Petals flower shops to 100. Currently present in 30 cities, the shops will be entering 20 more cities in the next two years he insists. The tycoon is now on a diversification spree and planning to explore two fast-growing but more competitive areas, fast food and wedding management. He seems quite excited about his traditional food foray and has named his soon to be launched chain as 8220;Chatak Chat8221;. He has set up a centralized kitchen at Faridabad to supply semi-cooked recipes to the first three outlets that would be coming up in Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon. As for wedding management, it will extend to beauty health spas, and the tycoon will even be launching a couture lifestyle brand La8217;mour targeted at the rich and famous going to or getting wedded. Seems like the tycoon has a quite a lot on his plate at the moment and only time and the markets will tell how many of his ventures manage to come through the 8216;test of the market8217;s fire8217;.

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