Celebrating the centennial year of Rotary in India, the Rotary Bangalore DownTown on Friday felicitated organisations adding value for over 100 years in Bengaluru.
The Bangalore Press, Higginbothams and Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited have been given the ‘Rotary Centennial Legend Award’.
Chief guest at the event N Parthasarathi, former Indian ambassador to South Korea and CEO of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, recalled how the organisations became a part of the cityscape.
“These organisations, being native to the city, have been a part of our growing up years and influenced us at some stage in our lives,” he said.
Ananth H R, managing director, The Bangalore Press, famous for its calendars and diaries, said: “What Sir M Visvesvaraya observed with eight varahas in the UK was what made him start The Bangalore Press. The cost of an invitation was enough for him to set up a Press like this in his own State.”
Murali B P, retail head, Higginbothams Private Limited, thanked Rotary Bangalore DownTown for the honour.
Suvarna Kumar, general manager, Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd, of Mysore Sandal soap fame, said: “Being a consumer product, surviving for 100 years is not a cakewalk. Mysore Sandal Soap is still growing year on year and is one of the best performing public sector companies with a turnover of Rs 900 crore and a profit of Rs 150 crore this year.”