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Strategies & Market Trends : India Coffee House -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mohan Marette who wrote (8880)	10/24/1999 3:37:00 PM
From: Mohan Marette	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 12475

indiainfo.com to invest Rs 25 crore to expand operations indiainfo.com New Delhi, October 24: Bangalore-based internet publication indiainfo.com plans to invest Rs 25 crore in the next one year for expanding its operations in the country and to add attractive features on all its online updates. "We are planning to invest to the tune of Rs 25 crore by 2000. This is to build a strong national network and value-added features to our portal," B G Mahesh, president of indiainfo.com said here. He said the fund will be raised internally and is to push e-commerce in a big way. Currently the web site provides opportunity to buy books and Indian icons online. The portal site is being hosted by Visual Interactive Private Ltd and has already invested to the tune of one million dollars. Asked about the shift of focus, Mahesh said, "the site was initially focusing on foreign tourists. The effective search engine was the triumph behind our success and it is time to give more services to customers who log on to our portal". indiainfo.com also plans to forge alliances with some of the leading banks in the country to facilitate easy cash transactions to boost internet trade. "Ours is the comprehensive website on India and has latest inputs on developments in all fronts. Indiainfo.com will continue concentrate on politics while adding new updates on films and festivals of the country," Mahesh said. As per the ambitious expansion plan, the company will appoint content providers in key cities and receive inputs and analysis from experts in the respective fields. "We have alliance with news agencies to get a regular news feed and will put in place our own staffers in major townships to give a good coverage on day-to-day activities," he said. The portal was set up in 1993 by Mahesh and colleagues and the domain name (mahesh.com) was changed into the current indiainfo.com recently to give an Indian touch. "Initially, it was updated from the US and for some time by now we are in Bangalore and giving a full picture of the country to the outside world," Mahesh said. The other promoters of the company are based in the US and are willing to pump in money as and when required. Asked whether the company plans any initial public offering (IPO) in the near future, the chief of Indian operations said "as of now we have no plan to go public".