Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employee Volunteers Drive the Clean-Up & Beautification of Bangalore City

In line with the philosophy of “Respect for the planet”, the employees of Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) volunteered for a cleanliness drive under its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative to beautify Bangalore city and make public places cleaner.

In an endeavor to create better surroundings, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today conducted its sixth activity under ‘ICARE’, an employee voluntary initiative to paint the Nayandahalli flyover and spruce up the junction. Toyota aims to spread awareness on the importance of clean environment and undertake clean-up activity in one of the busiest and largest junctions in Bengaluru. More than 150 Toyota employees jointly participated towards making Bangalore city cleaner and beautiful. This CSR move by TKM has been in partnership with The Ugly Indian group to bring out a larger gathering [a total of 300 volunteers including Toyota employees and Ugly Indian volunteers] for a common social cause, transforming the select city junction into a clean environment.

The activity was divided into two phases. Firstly, beautification of the flyover walls and pillars through painting and designing murals and secondly repairing of the space below the flyover which is mainly used as parking space. In order to provide a feel-good factor to the road users, the volunteers also blocked the visibility of the drains around to ensure clean space around.

With a view to scale-up the active implementation contributing to nation’s mission of “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”, TKM concerted efforts enhances the spirit of cleanliness in the community around and provides optimum developmental benefits from such initiatives.

Speaking on this initiative, Naveen Soni, Vice President - Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “At Toyota, we believe in giving back to the society we live in through integrated strength. Our objective is not only manufacturing ever better cars, but also enrich community lives.

As a responsible corporate citizen, we want to instill cleanliness as a mindset among the citizens of Bengaluru through this fun-filled activity. Cleaner public places and a beautiful city is desirable to all and we are trying to achieve that in our own ways. We believe in the philosophy ‘Grow together’ and thus focus on the community around us. We at Toyota would like to further enhance the Beauty of the Garden City which Bengaluru is known as, to its true sense.

‘ICARE’ is driven solely by the passion of our employees and shared responsibility to make a big difference in the society we live in. These kinds of activities empower our employees to be the change makers in the community and support them grow as individuals with real understanding of the social issues around them. Our employees have been actively involved to drive many CSR interventions in the areas of health, environment and education.” He added.

One of Toyota’s global CSR priorities is to protect the environment and reduce the amount of harm done to it, by instilling eco-mindsets in children and the community. Under its Environment initiatives, Toyota has developed an Eco Zone to create a biodiversity zone where children can observe and learn about the environment beyond classroom, while communities will evidence the environment conservation in person. With Eco Zone, Toyota Kirloskar is promoting “Harmonious co-existence” of humans and nature through various eco-activities.

Eco-Zone has been developed in the premises of TKM manufacturing plant. It is an open-air learning center, designed for eco-experiential learning for students. It is spread across an area of 25 acres alongside 500KW solar park.

As a part of the water conservation and environment drive, TKM adopted a lake (Abbanakuppe) in the vicinity - a first of its kind project, with an objective to protect the natural resource. This Lake Rejuvenation project is planned to run in collaboration with local community to ensure the sustainability of the lake. The objective is for the community to take ownership of the lake to ensure they have a supply of safe drinking for years to come. Four villages in the vicinity will be benefitted by this lake.

With GreenMe initiative, TKM is working with students, teachers and community to create pro-environment behavior in terms of water, waste, climate change issues, using environment education as a tool. Children are engaged through activity-based module focusing on the change in the mindset.

Our CSR’s main objective is to nurture the young minds and to spread the awareness from child to community in various focus areas of Education, Sanitation, Health, Road Safety and Environment.

Through varied CSR projects, Toyota has touched more than 11,00,000 lives. Toyota will further continue its various CSR interventions from a longer-term perspective and development of socio-economic stature of the society, touching many more lives to make a difference in each one’s well-being.

Popular American Brand Cold Stone Creamery Opens in Forum Shantiniketan Mall

Tablez, the organised retail arm of LuLu Group International, is ringing in the summer season with the opening of a new outlet of Cold Stone Creamery at The Forum Shantiniketan Mall, in Whitefield Bengaluru, today. This is the 6th store of Cold Stone Creamery in Bengaluru, with expansion plans of adding 6 more outlets in the city by the end of 2019.

Completing 30 years in 2018 and a presence in over 30 countries worldwide, Cold Stone Creamery is a force to reckon within the ice-cream industry. A pioneer in fresh ice-cream with delicious ingredients and unique customer service, Cold Stone Creamery is well known for crafting the freshest and 100% vegetarian ice-cream products.

Speaking on the launch, Adeeb Ahamed, Managing Director, Tablez said, “Since introducing Cold Stone Creamery three years back, this brand has set itself apart with unique flavours and unmatched experience to become a consumer favourite across India. We are delighted to start this new outlet in Forum Shantiniketan Mall and believe that it will bring ice cream lovers together in an interactive store experience unlike any other.”

Cold Stone Creamery has “Signature Creations” and “Create Your Own” concepts, with over 20 toppings, where the ice-cream is customised for each guest by combining a variety of mix-ins on a frozen granite stone. New flavours of the season are Rose Faluda, Dark Indulgence and Hazelnut Crunch. The chosen flavour-scoops are put on the slab and the mix-ins - which can be of a variety of nuts, chocolates, candies - depending on the choice of the customer, are mixed with the ice cream to create a blended treat. The store also offers signature ice cream cakes, shakes, smoothies and sorbets.

Cold Stone Creamery’s trained crew guide the customers through different aspects of the experience to help them give an ‘Ultimate ice-cream experience’. Crew members are trained in not just serving ice cream, but also break into songs, dance and sometimes juggle the ice-cream to entertain their guests. Cold Stone’s delicate ‘chop-chop-fold-fold’ process ensures quick and gentle mixing to prevent the escape of air from the ice-cream.

SAAP Partners with Tenvic Sports to Enhance the Sports Culture in Andhra Pradesh

With the inspiring vision of the Hon. Chief Minister, SAAP (Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh) which is an apex body for Promotion of Sports in the state, has created a comprehensive sports policy that covers various sports disciplines across all districts of A.P. with regards to coaching programs. To create “Sports culture” as a long-term project by investing in Knowledge, Infrastructure and Technical expertise is the goal. One of the Core Principles is to acknowledge that physical education along with recreational, competitive and high-performance sport should be developed simultaneously.

 SAAP has partnered with private sports management firms such as TENVIC to achieve their planned objectives and goals in a systematic manner long-term.

New methodologies have been proposed to ensure sustainable and impactful delivery of sports coaching program from Grassroots to Centre of Excellence (CoE). The current sports coaching program has been designed across age-groups and skill levels in line with “A.P. State Sports Sunrise Model” which intends to improve participation of all children in the state of A.P and thereby enhance performance via Academies and CoE.

Speaking on the association, Mr. Anil Kumble says " TENVIC was started with the objective of identifying, nurturing and training talent at the grassroot level. This initiative by the govt of Andhra Pradesh and the Chief Minister Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu touches upon all level of sports - from the grassroot to the center of excellence with additional focus on infrastructure development. TENVIC is proud to be associated with the sunrise state of Andhra Pradesh and look forward to a successful partnership in the upcoming year."

“The seed has been sown to realize the vision and promise of our Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu to develop sports culture in Sunrise state of Andhra Pradesh. TENVIC will play lead role in bringing state agencies, sponsors and sportspersons into a profitable relationship to realize vision in a steady manner”. As said by Mr. LV Subramaniam, Special Chief Secretary For Youth and Sports.

SAAP has created four-tier sports coaching program from Grassroots to Centre of Excellence (CoE) as Pinaka, Vijaya, Panchajanya and Gaandiva.

·         Pinaka – PLT Level (175 NTR Kreeda  Vikas Kendras)

·         Vijaya – Adopted Schools (Currently 32)

·         Panchajanya – Academies (Currently 9 regional centres)

·         Gaandiva – CoE (one center per sport)

The project outline includes facilitating a Center of Excellence which is a high performing training center for training and development of international class athletes and coaches with 5 international coaches at the CoE; 100 domestic coaches deployed across 13 A.P. districts at 100 training centers.

(1.1) Long-term Athlete Development :The LTAD model outlines a framework for the development of motor-skills and physical skills which run parallel to a chronological age profile of an athlete. This project attempts to explain the physiological development of a young athlete all the way to adulthood and has been ubiquitously implemented as a standard framework by national sporting bodies around the world

(1.2) Pinaka – PLT Level :Basic motor skills (walking, running, jumping) are fundamental to sports performance and form the basis from which more complex skills are acquired, through development of strength, balance, co-ordination. However, given that these qualities develop at different rates in each child, and interact in a complex way, the best we can probably say is that the ages of 6-12 seem to be a good time for basic motor and physical skills to develop.

The three different departments namely Education, Sports and Health will collaboratively develop a Sports Development based curriculum, which will be made mandatory part of Education System in Schools and in Higher Education. In all schools, recommendation is to have minimum one period daily for Sports and Physical literacy. State intends to

provide a playing area to every school kid in the school by 2020.

With this aim, SAAP is creating sports-based curriculum in 303 Adopted Schools across all districts in A.P. State. SAAP has awarded 32 of these school for TENVIC to manage and deliver the program. These would serve as feeding centres to the 6 regional sports academies to further progress the talent of the trainees.

(1.4) Panchajanya – Academies :A continuous, systematic sports training with scientific approach to the upcoming talented players is required to unearth sports talent and enable them to perform well at higher level competitions.

SAAP has created six regional sports Academies in the state. These centres will serve as a base for all junior athletes in the state. Key objectives are as follows:

- Specialized centres in select disciplines for individual and team games

-- Scientific Assessment and Training with modern tools and equipment

- Achieve High Performance Potential

- Prepare junior athletes to adopt pathways to grow into national and

  International reckoning.

SAAP has awarded TENVIC 9 of these academies to deliver the program.

(1.5) Gaandiva–Centre of Excellence :Centre of Excellence (CoE) for the training and development of international class athletes and coaches. This will follow a “Hub and Spoke” model, with a CoE high performance centre and 100 grassroots centres that will cover all of 13 A.P. districts.  The salient features of CoE are the following:

The project Is being delivered in a Hub and Spoke model. The COE or the Hub will train 75 elite athletes with the goal to bring Senior and Junior National medals by 2021 and International medals by 2028. Now, there are 36 athletes 10 more are expected to join by February 2019. The CoE is developed to promote the top talent in the state and ensure they receive the best in class training and opportunities to excel at the National and International levels. The spokes include 116 schools chosen by SAAP and each school will host 150 students from the school and neighboring schools to train athletes.  The second objective of Project Gaandiva for Athletics is deploying 116 athletics coaches at the grassroot level. These coaches will be responsible for developing interest and talent at the grassroot level.

HSIL Limited EBIDTA Jumps by 48% to Rs.109.15 Crore for Quarter Ending December 31, 2018

HSIL Limited today reported revenue of Rs.735.72 crore for quarter ending December 31, 2018 as against Rs.579.45 crore for the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The consumer business division of the Company grew 55% Y-o-Y in the quarter and the packaging business saw strong growth in revenue of 30% Y-o-Y.

Operating profit (EBIDTA) for the quarter stood at Rs.109.15 crore, and grew 48% Y-o-Y in the quarter. Profit before and after tax for the quarter ended December 31, 2018 was Rs.38.93 crore and Rs.25.50 crore, respectively, against the Profit before and after tax of Rs.24.80 crore (including exceptional loss of Rs.6.94 crore) and Rs.15.58 crore, for the corresponding quarter last year.

Sandip Somany, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, HSIL Limited said, “These solid sales gains, along with cost efficiencies generated Rs.25.50 crore profit for us this quarter. Our substantial investment in businesses outside of bathware space are yielding results, and this is visible from our initial success of plastic pipes and fittings business and profitability of consumer business. We have maximized our manufacturing capacity utilization and the same has aided us to achieve a strong result this quarter. “

He further said, “We expect sales and financial results across our businesses to further improve over the remainder of the current financial year driven by our investments in technology, digital tools and core innovation in products. We look forward to a strong FY 19-20.”

Financial highlights of the quarter ended December 31, 2018

Key Highlights of FY18-19 Q3:

·         Operating Revenue at Rs.735.72 crore up by 27%
·         EBIDTA at Rs.109.15 crore up by 48%
·         PBT at Rs.38.93 crore up by 57%

Tata Motors Bags Order to Supply Tigor EVs to Capgemini India

Tata Motors, has announced the next milestone on its journey of driving electrification, through its partnership with Capgemini, to deploy Tigor Electric Vehicles (EV) in three major cities. Capgemini, a global leader in consulting, technology services and digital transformation, will deploy the Tigor EVs at its Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad campus, reinforcing its commitment to a sustainable environment. Tata Motors has collaborated with Karthik Travels, a mobility solutions company to manage a smooth induction of the Tigor EV fleet into Capgemini’s transport ecosystem. The first batch of Tigor EVs was handed over by the Tata Motors team to Capgemini officials, at an event held at the company’s Bengaluru campus.

Commenting on the deployment of Tigor EVs, Shailesh Chandra, President – Electric Mobility Business and Corporate Strategy, Tata Motors, said, "We are delighted to partner with Capgemini on their thoughtful initiative of promoting zero-emission vehicles for the employee mobility needs. Tigor EV, recently awarded as the ‘Electric Car of the Year’ by Assocham India’, will join Capgemini’s existing fleet of cars. Tata Motors will continue to work towards bringing aspirational e-mobility solutions for the customers, leading the drive towards faster adoption of electric vehicles in the country. "

Tata Motors is playing a lead role in proactively driving the electric mobility in the country. To build a sustainable future for India, the company has been working collaboratively on various electric and hybrid vehicle solutions.

Urgent Need to Invest in R&D, Skill-Building, and Capacity Building for Skilled Individuals: Dr. Sriram Birudavolu.

Micro Focus Guides Enterprises into the Digital Transformation Era

Micro Focus has announced a critical milestone in a years-long effort to create and deliver solutions that help organizations transform their business in accordance with rapidly evolving IT requirements. By combining industry-leading software and domain expertise in four core areas – Enterprise DevOps, Hybrid IT Management, Predictive Analytics and Security Risk and Governance – the company is now uniquely positioned to deliver on all critical aspects of enterprise digital transformation to help customers innovate faster with less risk.

According to two recent reports from Gartner, there are indications that Digital Transformation is a priority in 2019:

“Growth is the number one priority for CEOs, and many see digital business as the primary means of achieving its growth objectives. Only 33% of enterprises have managed to reach the scaling stage of digital business.” Getting to the Details of the Digital Platform: A Gartner Theme Insight Report, Bill Swanton, December 7, 2018 

“Only 4% of organizations have no digital initiative at all, which signals a shift from digital as an option to digital as a mainstream platform.” Smarter with Gartner, “CIO Agenda 2019: Digital Maturity Reaches a Tipping Point”, October 16, 2018

“Digital transformation is forcing organizations to look at IT from more perspectives than ever before, as an effective strategy spans many different - previously disconnected - technology disciplines and investments,” said Tom Goguen, Chief Product Officer at Micro Focus. “Leading organizations today are looking for complete sets of solutions to achieve greater speed and agility, supported by a high level of protection and an advanced analytics ecosystem, to balance managing the top and bottom lines without the added risk of starting from scratch. Through a concerted effort that combines M&A and an aggressive R&D agenda, Micro Focus is now in a position to deliver on this promise.”

Micro Focus has Built Solutions that Target the Four Areas Most Critical to Lasting Digital Transformation Success

Enterprise DevOps—Build and deliver better software faster
Winning the race to innovate requires a high-speed approach. Micro Focus solutions unleash the power of DevOps across the hybrid IT landscape, quickly bringing innovative ideas to life at the pace of business to securely deliver high quality software and services faster

Hybrid IT Management — Run and transform
IT Infrastructure, services and even purchasing models are rapidly evolving.  Maximizing business value and accelerating outcomes compels organizations to find new ways to extend existing investments and take advantage of new platforms – from containers to public clouds to IoT. Micro Focus solutions help organizations run ITOps at the speed of DevOps, delivering services on demand and generating operational and business insights, all while helping organizations address security, compliance and governance requirements

Predictive Analytics—Analyze in time to act
Data lakes are valuable only if the business can surface the insights hidden within its depths. Micro Focus helps leverage machine learning to transform unlimited volumes of data into accurate, actionable, automated insights at the speed of your business. Be in a position to make predictions and influence business outcomes quickly and efficiently with comprehensive and relevant real-time intelligence

Security, Risk, and Governance—Secure what matters most
Cyber threats are escalating. Aging apps and processes (along with new ones) are full of unforeseen risks. Privacy and compliance requirements are mounting. Micro Focus provides the industry’s broadest set of integrated security, risk, and governance solutions, with an analytics-driven approach to securing what matters most - identities, applications and data

By delivering a holistic set of solutions that can be integrated together and with existing legacy systems, Micro Focus has differentiated itself by better matching the current and future enterprise IT reality – all in a market largely dominated by point solutions that are often not interoperable and only address a specific portion of collective IT needs. The breadth of the portfolio, depth of enabling analytics and proven ability to protect the organization’s most important assets gives customers the confidence they need to transform their business on their own terms, no matter where they are in the IT lifecycle.  The end result is greater speed and flexibility with lower overall risk.

This announcement follows a number of deliberate steps over the past 24 months to round out Micro Focus’ digital transformation capabilities. In order to deliver on the wide-ranging and complex requirements, the company pursued a two-pronged strategy. One step has been to strengthen the company’s overall portfolio through M&A. The acquisition of HPE software was an important first step to strengthen the company’s overall bench, and subsequent acquisitions have added further depth while at the same time previously announced divestitures have allowed the company to stay focused on its core strategy without negatively impacting customers. At the same time, the company has been executing on an aggressive product development strategy – such as launching a modernization approach for core business systems and announcing new data protection solutions for virtualized and Hybrid IT environments – to evolve its offerings and align to this overall strategy. 

Insurtech Startup Kruzr Raises $1.3 Million from Saama Capital and Better Capital

InsurTech startup Kruzr has raised 1.3 Million USD (Rs. 9.5 Cr) for its seed round led by Saama Capital with participation from Better Capital. Kruzr is a preventive motor insurance technology which helps insurance companies personalize policy premiums & improve their risk model by delivering an engaging preventative driving assistant to their customers. Kruzr is founded by Pallav Singh, Ayan, and Jasmeet Singh Sethi.

Kruzr blends the power of voice technology and artificial intelligence in its personal driving assistant that helps drivers minimize mobile distractions, drowsy driving, speeding and external risks like weather and accident-prone zones. In pilots with insurers, Kruzr managed to cut down distracted driving by 80%. Kruzr is working with motor insurance companies in Europe, UK and India to bring its technology to their customers to prevent accidents & improve claims.

“Road accidents cause over 1.3 million deaths globally every year, and motor insurance companies lose billions of dollars due to these. However, more than 75% of accidents are actually preventable with timely driver assistance. We at Kruzr are building technology to minimize these accidents and help make motor insurance truly preventive and customer-centric.” says Pallav, co-founder and CEO.

The funds raised will be utilized to grow the technology team, scale the product, and expand the business in Europe and UK.

“We were very impressed by the founding team’s vision for Kruzr and their significant customer progress in the European automobile insurance market.  We believe Pallav, Ayan and Jasmeet can build a world-class product company out of India serving this sizeable and growing global market,” said Suresh Shanmugham, Managing Partner, Saama Capital.

“Kruzr is leveraging the latest advances in mobile, big data, and AI to build a unique preventive driving technology that will save lives and help motor insurance companies design personalized policies. I’ve watched the Kruzr team learn and iterate to build traction with the world top insurers & am excited about the future ahead”, said Vaibhav Domkundwar of Better Capital.

Urgent Need to Invest in R&D, Skill-Building, and Capacity Building for Skilled Individuals: Dr. Sriram Birudavolu

Distinguished speakers from NASSCOM and DSIC discussed on cybersecurity measures required at the organizational level, and the need for amending current laws to emphasize on data protection

The need for better cybersecurity practices in Industry 4.0, a stronger regulatory environment for data and IT security, and investments towards improving the cybersecurity landscape were among the major topics under discussion during the 27th Convergence India 2019 expo and conference. The integration of IoT across industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and in consumer durables is a huge opportunity for businesses to achieve unparalleled levels of efficiency, while also enhancing their offerings through more intelligent collection and analysis of data. IoT has also seen a growing adoption in the global healthcare industry, with around USD 1036 billion being invested towards the development of devices and systems. There are currently about 87 million devices connected across the world, which are being leveraged to reduce costs and enhance quality of services across the healthcare value chain.

The increasing use of IoT and digitization across industries like healthcare and manufacturing also throws open challenges related to data and IT security. A panel discussion session titled ‘Cybersecurity/Cybercrime: Breaching data is a reality. What is the way ahead?’ saw speakers from the IT and cybersecurity, as well as academic domains discussing the current data security scenario both at the enterprise as well as consumer/user level.

Dr. Sriram Birudavolu, CEO – Cyber Security Centre of Excellence, Data Security Council of India (DSCI) said, “Classifying data according to the level of sensitivity is imperative for companies today and the first step towards creating robust data management systems. Simply implementing laws is not enough for cybersecurity. Rather, a culture needs to be instituted in the country for managing data and keeping it secure like any other asset. This is always a more practical alternative to creating hundreds of laws that end up stifling innovation, and curbing the growth of smaller, emerging players across industries. But given the lack of adequate laws in place to govern data management and protection in the present business landscape, the onus is on companies to perform extensive due diligence through effective data classification, storage, and conducting regular audits to ensure best practices.” Dr. Sriram also emphasized on the urgent need for the government and the industry to invest in R&D, skill-building, and capacity building to meet the rapidly increasing demand for both skilled individuals and stronger cybersecurity solutions.”

One of the points discussed during the panel discussion was the need to relook at the IT Act, which was enacted first in the year 2000 in accordance with international standards. In addition, the speakers also touched upon what needs to be done at the organizational level, in addition to amending the current laws to emphasize on data protection and securing IT assets in compliance with international laws and global standards.

Vishal Kumar, Director - Cyber Education & Services, Quick Heal Technologies Private Limited also said during the panel, “Data needs to be structured and controlled in a more efficient manner at the business and organizational level for it be protected properly. Cybersecurity mechanisms are no longer just an IT requirement, but rather a business need – from the basement to the boardroom. Organizations and enterprises dealing that deal with large amounts of data need to establish policies and train employees on how to handle sensitive data and protect the interests of the organization as well as its customers.”

Sudhanshu Mittal, Director – Industry 4.0, Centre of Excellence for IOT, NASSCOM said during a panel discussion ‘Industry 4.0: Innovation through digital collaboration’, “Industry 4.0 will enable businesses to adopt digital technology no matter at what stage of maturity they are in when it comes to the use of technology in the enterprises. But it is also important to understand that digital transformation is a journey and not a one-time activity. Businesses need to try out different solutions and systems and see what works for them, and then take the necessary steps to integrate the right ones into the organization. Technology developers need to identify specific problems faced during industrial processes, like manufacturing for instance, involving assembly line operations and production equipment. IoT offers the ability to connect various stages in the manufacturing process and existing knowledge related to each process which can enable optimization of inputs, save costs, and improve unit economics.”

Organized by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and Exhibitions India Group, the event builds upon Government of India’s ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives through a display of a vast array of products pertaining to fields such as ICT, IT & ITeS, broadcast & digital media, emerging technologies & enterprise solutions, virtual & augmented reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud services, semiconductor manufacturing, etc.

Award Winning Photographer Shiv Gandhi’s Maiden Expo in Bengaluru

Shiv is popular among collectors for his wide picture collection ranging from Wildlife, Heritage, monuments and Tribute to Painters [Raja Ravi Varma, John William Godward]

Award winning Ace Photographer, Ad Film maker and a Wildlife Conservationist Annechira Shiva popularly known as Shiv Gandhi, will exhibit his rare and prestigious collection of photographs at his maiden photo exhibition, ‘SCAPES OF INDIA’ at RêVES Art Gallery from February 1st 2019 to Feb 11, 2019. The pictures captured during his passionate photographic journey are a rare collection covering nature including mountains, rivers and some mesmerizing pictures of lesser known travel destinations.

Travel and Nature Photography is not as easy as ‘just Click’, says Shiva. The sketch/framework of the image created in his mind, which then is slowly and carefully nurtured into series of thoughts linking it to its heritage, history, present and to its timeless beauty.  These deep compositions in his mind create an imaginary picturesque of the scene.  He transfers this imaginary picture into his Camera. This requires perfect lighting knowledge, combination of various angles, camera adjustments, and indeed lots of patience and perseverance.

The images displayed in this collection are captured and presented in their original form thereby retaining its natural beauty without much interference from photo editing softwares.  His photography brings about a stronger emphasis on nature’s aesthetic value as he gives life to the images utilizing nature’s lights, communicating to us the mysterious, awe-inspiring hidden wonders and facts of the nature.

The collection at ‘SCAPES OF INDIA’ will be available for patrons in 3 sizes -12x18, 16x24, 20x30 inch sizes.

Venue: RêVES Art Gallery
467, Marenahalli Rd,
8th Block, Jayanagar,
Bengaluru
Time: 10am – 8pm

Indian AI Start-Up Shortlisted to Showcase at NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, USA

Bengaluru based edisn.ai, a sports tech firm building the next generation fan engagement platform using artificial intelligence, has been selected to showcase its innovative products in Charlotte, U.S.A., on February 15th during the NBA All-Star weekend. edisn.ai is the only company from Asia selected for this showcase by the Sports Tank Innovation Studio.

Sports Tank Innovation Studio is a Shark Tank style demo day that will be attended by Business Executives, Athletes, Brands, and Investors across the sports industry. Only 5 companies are shortlisted every year and the event tends to be a developmental gateway for sports tech companies.

Three awards will be handed out at the invite-only event, including the “Innovation Award” from Under Armour and the “Audience Choice Award.” A group of professional athletes will be also on-site to select a winner for the “Athletes Choice Award.”

Ashok Karanth, CEO of edisn.ai, said, “This is an unbelievable opportunity to showcase Indian sports technology at a prestigious global platform. We are honoured to be the only company shortlisted from Asia for this event. Our state-of-the-art player recognition and contextual content delivery will redefine the future of sports content consumption.”

edisn.ai counts a leading sports broadcaster, an E-sports platform and an Olympic sports federation amongst its growing list of clients. The company is said to be in closing a seed investment with a leading investor and will make a formal announcement soon. The company is headquartered in Bangalore with sales offices in Europe and USA.

AOL Teachers' Khurshed and Dinesh Pen Two Books on Recipes of Happiness

Khurshed Batliwala, Author-Faculty, The Art Of Living & Dinesh Ghodke, Author-Faculty - The Art of Living present to the readers ‘Happiness Express’, a book that offers the authors’ recipe for happiness. The book was released in Bengaluru recently, and involves five major ingredients. The overall content is arranged in such a way, where all chapters are quite independent of each other and you could read them in any order.

Everyone wants to be happy, but the time most people spend being truly happy is fleeting - gone like dew drops in the morning sun. Khurshed and Dinesh have spent the greater part of their lives being happy and coaching others to be happy. In Happiness Express, they share the secrets behind their smiles.

This warm and funny book which abounds in personal anecdotes and practical tips for everyday wellbeing will make Happiness a more intergral part of your life than ever before.

Speaking on the occasion Khurshed Batliwala, Author-Faculty, The Art Of Living said "Our first book Ready Study Go helped thousands of students figure out how to study and enjoy the process. We hope what we have written in Happiness Express helps even more people find joy and cheer in their lives".

Expressing delight on the book launch, Dinesh Ghodke, Author-Faculty, The Art Of Living said Everybody loves to sleep and food. But most don't know much about the process. By the time a person retires, he has slept for a total of 22 years, but they don't know what happened in those 22 years. So, we wanted to show how you can make this a restful time“.

Preface of the book:

People often ask us how we manage to stay so happy and what our secret is. This book is the answer.

The recipe for happiness involves five major ingredients, and that’s how this book is organized. All chapters are quite independent of each other and you could read them in any order. Do you have trouble resting? Do you feel tired and worn out a lot? The chapters on Sleep and Meditation are for you. One of the best things you can do to get that elusive smile could well be simply closing your eyes. We can almost guarantee that following the steps in these chapters will dramatically improve the quality of your sleep, as well as your life.

Feeling unfit and unwell? Read the chapters on Food and Exercise. Being physically active and eating healthy, tasty meals, can make a huge difference to your wellbeing.

Feeling stagnated? Head to the chapters on the Brain, Learning and Focused Mind Mapping. There’s an incomparable joy in understanding and learning something new. Quite a few adults deny themselves this pleasure because they think they cannot learn new things or are afraid of making mistakes. That’s where these chapters can come to your rescue.

Do you tend to forget things? Do you wish your memory could function better? The chapter on Memory unravels the mystery of how our memories work, and, explores two memory enhancement protocols – The Memory Palace and The Spaced Repetition System (SRS).

Keep getting into trouble because of habitually postponing stuff you must do? The chapter on Procrastination provides insights into the working of your mind and includes an approach we call the S.T.A.R. technique to help you get over this and other infuriating habits.

Want some quickie tips on becoming happier? Read Happiness Sutras. This is your go-to chapter whenever you feel down. If you are doing everything right, yet somehow feeling wrong, perusing this chapter should help you out and restore your smile in a jiffy.

We were recently asked what our dream was. We replied – we are living our dream!

Life is a dream. This book ensures it doesn't turn into a nightmare. Welcome aboard the Happiness Express!

Highlights of the Book:

Sleep - The right amount and type of sleep will make you younger, healthier and smarter.
Meditate - Could the fastest way to happiness could be simply closing your eyes?
Food - A healthy gut results in a happier you.
Exercise - We were meant to move. Sitting is the new smoking!
Learning Techniques - Give the innate curiosity you had as a child a second chance. Rediscover the thrill of learning something new.
Improving Memory - How do we remember stuff? Revealing ways to strengthen memory.
Publishers:  Westland

Legrand India Announces its First “Voice Controlled Experiential Centre” in Bangalore

Legrand India, a global leader in electrical and digital building infrastructure inaugurated their first voice enabled “state-of-the-art experience centre” Innoval in the tech city Bangalore today. Innoval will host Legrand Group India’s company products – Legrand, Numeric & Valrack. Globally Innoval’s are present at France, Greece, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Dubai, and made its first-time entry in the Asia Pacific region with its launch in Mumbai, India followed by its successful launch in Ahmedabad, Lucknow. The company is now all set to amaze the Bangalore market with its voice enabled experiential centre launch today. This is the first such showroom in India to be fully automated and voice controlled.

Innoval is Legrand’s global brand of product showcases. The name Innoval reflects Legrand’s brand value of developing ranges of innovative products (Valley of Innovation). The narrative at Innoval is based on the concept of ‘Source to End Usage’, where the products are arranged in relation to each other and according to where they fall on the energy and data distribution grid.  The IoT enabled product offerings across multiple categories include-  IOT switches, Wireless Speakers, Assisted Living, Customised Hospitality Solutions, IOT based Energy Monitoring, Data Centre Monitoring System, Intelligent PDUs etc. The products are compatible with popular third-party voice-controlled devices available in market like Google Home and Alexa along with their own mobile applications and touch panels.

Keeping in mind the vastly different profiles of visitors, the products are arranged as per the business verticals, namely - Home Automation, User Interface, Energy Distribution, Structured Cabling, UPS and Cable Management. The design approach is based on the concept of Designeering. It has all the technicalities of engineering, but put forth in an intuitive and easy to understand communication system. With the interactive product displays, fully automated experience, educational infographics and clean minimal visual language, Innoval has been designed to provide its visitors with a hands on experience that can help them make an informed choice.

Innoval is also built from the perspective of providing training for all players in the electrical trade, from investors to installers. Legrand has been known industry wise for its innovation, value adds to solutions, and in helping these professionals adapt to a constantly changing business. The purpose of Innoval, is to support all of these partners (investors, system integrator, architects, panel builder, end customer etc.) by helping them to acquire new skills in order to better understand the market. Innoval also seeks to engage with direct consumers wanting to experience the brand before making a purchase decision. With the new generation becoming decision makers, the demand for products with innovation, technology has increased, and Legrand wants to tap this growing user base.

Jean Charles Thuard, CEO & Managing Director, Legrand India said, ‘The breadth of Legrand's offer has diversified over the last 20 years in India. It has developed product solution for various industries and its user (investors, system integrator, architects, panel builder, end customer etc.) To speak to these new aged customers and to consolidate its credibility with regards to the new offers and expertise, Legrand has updated its approach for its customers”. He further added, “Today with the launch of first voice enabled experiential centre- Innoval, Legrand wants to provide an experience that is unique to the brand. Legrand aggressively sees voice technology taking center space in our lives and in all the devices that we use. Legrand recent launch of IP based Door Phone Classe300 allows you to access/control your home from any location in the world by means of voice. We will be increasingly launching such solutions going forward. Today with the launch in Bangalore we plan to reach out to our customers and business partners in Bangalore. Customers are evolving and becoming more involved towards the product they are buying. This is a great way to establish dialogues with these new-age modern customers and to showcase new offers. Innoval allows Legrand to be more than just a supplier, rather to act as a genuine partner, creating close ties with the electrical and digital trade as a whole.”

Sameer Saxena, Director- Marketing, Legrand India said, “Legrand has a vast offering of electrical and digital infrastructure products across several business verticals; many of which highly technical to understand. The idea behind Innoval was to break this down for the customer, by curating the products within a framework of an experiential and interactive narrative that is simpler to comprehend. It was first time in India that any B2B brand is taking step towards B2B experience zone for their customer (in highly technical segment). The same could have been possible due to innovative and creative thought process of worlds and countries leading electrical giant – Legrand.”

Legrand is world’s leading electrical and digital building solution provider company with global turnover of 5.5 billion Euros. The company enjoys leadership in premium wiring devices as well as MCB in the Indian market. Its products are widely used in residential, commercial, industrial and hospitality industry.  Legrand India takes a further leap with its Smart connected Home offerings. Through its entry in the IoT space its takes a further leap from the brand in its Smart Connected Homes offering, this is the first IOT product in India, with many more to come in future. 

Eat More, Save More in the #MonthofMore with Dineout’s GIRF 2019

It’s bigger. It’s better. It’s back! Dineout’s legendary Great Indian Restaurant Festival (GIRF) is back with its 3rd year edition filled with more deliciousness, more savings, more happiness and much more. Set to take place for the entire month of February, it’s time for India to a enjoy a month of 28 cheat days. Ankit Mehrotra, CEO and Co-Founder of Dineout says, “GIRF is proving to be a unique and beneficial initiative for India’s F&B industry. This year, GIRF has grown with over 5000+ restaurants and will be held in 10 cities across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh and Jaipur. There will be coupons and pre-buy deals on the app that will have to be purchased to avail 50% Off. From cafes to bars, fine dining restaurants, fast food cafes to luxury dining restaurants, GIRF will have all kinds of restaurants."

In a bird’s eye view, we are partnered with the following restaurants for GIRF 2019. From Hard Rock to Soda Bottle Openerwala, The Irish House, Bombay Brasserie, Social, Lord of the Drinks, The Beer Cafe, Cafe Delhi Heights, Chili's Bar and Grill, Punjabi By Nature, Pind Balluchi, Chai Point and Chaayos, some of the most popular chains across the country will be a part of the festival.

Ankit says, “During GIRF there will be FLAT 50% Off on food, drinks, buffets and the newest edition of the TOTAL BILL, the Month of More will be exactly what foodie dreams are made of! It is officially the month of foodies.”

Apart from availing 50% Off, users can also get a 20% cashback by paying their restaurant bills using Dineout Pay through the Dineout app. As February kicks off, all you’ll see is more food.

Automation Anywhere Introduces the New Digital Worker

Automation Anywhere, the leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), has unveiled human-centric Digital Workers to help organizations augment their human workforce and accelerate digital transformation.

The company is pioneering the concept of ready-to-deploy digital personas that combine task-oriented, cognitive and analytical abilities to automate repetitive activities, creating the world’s first marketplace for the workforce of the future. Beginning today, users can download Digital Workers from the Automation Anywhere Bot Store, the company’s online marketplace for off-the-shelf, plug-and-play automation, and customize them to fit their unique business processes. With Digital Workers, organizations can rapidly scale their automation initiatives to drive productivity, efficiency and growth.

“Our vision is to transform the enterprise into an engine of unconstrained innovation, with cutting-edge automation and intelligent tools,” said Mihir Shukla, CEO and Co-founder of Automation Anywhere. “Today, we are taking a bold step forward, unveiling the first Digital Workers that not only enhance business performance, but also help unleash untapped human potential. We believe that this new, cognitive technology will liberate human workers, enabling them to focus on value-added activities and pursue new skills that exercise their creativity and ingenuity.”

While software bots are typically task or process-centric, Digital Workers are human-centric – built to augment human workers in specific business functions, across a range of verticals. Some examples for Digital Workers in the Bot Store include a Digital Accounts Payable Clerk, Digital Talent Sourcer and Digital Talent Acquisition Coordinator. Over the next year, the company, with its growing ecosystem of channel partners, system integrators and developers, expects to see innovation around hundreds of Digital Workers across functions and industries.

According to a report by Forrester Research, ¹ increasingly, intelligent machines — ranging from AI to intelligent assistants to RPA bots — are working side by side with employees to solve business problems. The forces of automation will help employees maintain a happy and productive state of flow by making job activities more engaging.

Bot Store users can now leverage Digital Workers to expand the automation footprint of their organizations and infuse artificial intelligence into their business processes. The Bot store is focused on increasing the speed and adoption of automation with bot deployment — and now with Digital Workers.

“The idea of a human-centric Digital Worker that augments the abilities of our employees has the potential to be truly transformative”, said Ravi Konda, senior manager of Automation at Symantec.

“It shifts our thinking from – what tasks can we automate to what roles can we augment and enhance, which is a great way to approach automation.”

Ashok Leyland Light Commercial Vehicle Business on Growth Path

Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja Group flagship, is on a growth path in its Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Business. In April-December, FY 18-19, the LCV business of Ashok Leyland has grown a phenomenal 34% compared to similar period in FY 17-18. Aiding in fueling the growth is its rapidly expanding dealership and service network. Today, it inaugurated a new LCV dealership on Hosur Road (near Electronics city), Bengaluru, Karnataka. This is the 11th LCV dealership in the state. The new channel partner, Magnum Motors, has a 3S (Sales, Service and Spares) facility and has a state of the art showroom along with a workshop that is equipped with the latest equipment. This new dealership will add to the extensive LCV distribution network of over 500 touch points. The Company currently offers a range of LCV products - DOST, PARTNER and MiTR across the country through its exclusive, state of the art dealership outlets.

Speaking about LCV business and its network expansion, Mr. Nitin Seth, President - LCV, Ashok Leyland, said, “Ashok Leyland products are considered the best in class in terms of fuel efficiency, comfort and safety, and ahead of competition in terms of quality, reliability and technology. This is reason for the runaway success of ‘DOST’ and now ‘DOST+’. All our products have been receiving encouraging response from our customers, including customers from Bengaluru region. Our products were conceived and launched to meet the evolving needs of Indian LCV customers who are very cost sensitive. Our LCV family of customers has now grown to over 2,00,000, across India. We are extremely proud that our track record of service retention levels is exemplary with close to 80% of our customers returning to our dealer workshops, even after the warranty period. In line with our brand philosophy, Aapki Jeet Hamari Jeet, we will remain committed to maintaining and even enhancing the level of customer service and satisfaction.”

He further added, “We will be focusing to fill the gaps in future, but with the focus on 2.5 ton to 7.5-ton GVW trucks and 13 to 40 seats in bus. We are already in the process of investing Rs 400 crore towards the development of new LCV platforms. Once new products start coming in, we are aiming to substantially increase our market share from the current 18%. We will introduce the models starting from April 2020. This will coincide with the BS-VI emission norms implementation and the new models will be EV-compliant from the beginning, and hence we are also ready for the likely EV shift.”

Ashok Leyland LCV portfolio:

Ashok Leyland currently has three products, namely, DOST 2.5-2.75 ton GVW, PARTNER 6.0-7.2 ton GVW and MiTR bus 27 - 40 seat variants. Soon, Left-hand drive (LHD) versions of the products will be introduced for export where 80 per cent of the market is dominated by LCVs. The short-term goal of the Company is to reach 100,000 vehicles per annum by 2022. DOST, PARTNER and MiTR are manufactured at Ashok Leyland’s state-of-the-art Hosur plant.

DOST, Ashok Leyland’s SCV (Small Commercial Vehicle) range includes DOST LiTE, DOST STRONG and DOST+ to cater to different sections of the market and applications.

PARTNER, a modern and highly fuel-efficient load carrier, caters to the 4 ton payload segment and is available in both 4 tyre and 6 tyre options. It comes with Load body options of 10ft, 11ft, 14ft and 17ft. PARTNER is based on an internationally acclaimed vehicle platform and carries the renowned ZD30 CRDI engine.

MiTR bus, based on the same platform as PARTNER, comes in both standard bus and school bus options. It provides superior mileage even in stop and go conditions. MiTR School Bus complies with all school bus safety norms and compliance codes and offers unmatched ride comfort.

Rolls-Royce to Collaborate with Start-Ups for Data Innovation

R2 Data Labs, the data innovation catalyst inside Rolls-Royce, will develop a collaborative ecosystem of digital partners in India, the company announced in Bengaluru today. This will enable Rolls-Royce to use data to spark innovation in all of its businesses and collaborate more effectively with partners and customers. Rolls-Royce will provide mentoring and technical support to start-ups specialising in the areas of Advanced Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI),  Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Autonomous and Sensing.

The drive is in line with Rolls-Royce’s commitment to collaborative innovation and building an ecosystem of partners that harnesses the latest thinking and technologies from a wide community of innovators. Rolls-Royce has specifically chosen Bengaluru to launch this program in India due to the growing number of technology companies there. According to recent reports, Bengaluru is now ranked as the city with highest growth index for start-up hubs, followed by London and Tel Aviv. The city is one among the nine ‘International Start-up Hubs’ outside of the United States and the start-up capital of India.

Caroline Gorski, Group Director of R2 Data Labs, said: “Sitting at the heart of our vision for the digital age is a collaborative approach to innovation, where we actively look to develop new, radical ways of working to maintain our competitive edge. To this end, Rolls-Royce has been sponsoring, and collaborating with, niche technology startups in the areas of Artifical Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), Application Development and Future Technologies across the world to help validate, build and grow their business. Unlocking hidden value in data requires new technology but also new ways of thinking. Working with IoT start-ups helps us to accelerate digital transformation, deliver further value to customers, improve existing services and create new areas of growth. At the same time, we also get to help those innovators to succeed, and share in their pace, inventiveness and energy.”

Rolls-Royce has more than 20 years of experience combining engineering expertise with data analytics, offering operational efficiencies to airline customers. Building on these foundations, Rolls-Royce is expanding its digital capabilities to deliver increased value from existing services and introduce new services to customers across the group.

Kishore Jayaraman, President, Rolls-Royce – India & South Asia, said: “Digital skills help accelerate India’s drive to develop its economy. The country’s vibrant digital ecosystem, supported by an innovative start-up environment, will facilitate the development of capabilities in these areas in the hope of creating immense opportunities across the lives of individuals and affect diverse industries including financial services, retail, media, travel, hospitality and healthcare. We recognise that some of the best digital capabilities exist outside of our business. For Rolls-Royce to continue to pioneer the power that matters as a leading industrial technology company and be a strong industrial partner, we must champion collaboration. As a leader in applied industrial AI and analytics applications, R2 Data Labs is tasked to help Rolls-Royce become the ‘go-to’ industrial company.”

Rolls-Royce already partners with Tata Consultancy Services and Microsoft, two globally-recognised digital service providers. As part of the partnership, TCS – a leading provider of IT services, consulting and business solutions –  provides digital platform capability, allowing data to be captured, shared and analysed more easily across Rolls-Royce so that new products and services can be developed at pace.

HONOR Packs a Punch, Unveils the Thinnest Smartwatch – HONOR Watch Magic & HONOR BAND 4 Running

HONOR, the leading smartphone e-brand under the Huawei Group, unveiled two unique wearable devices i.e., HONOR Watch Magic and, HONOR BAND 4 Running along with HONOR View20. HONOR Watch Magic – is a 9.8mm smartwatch, thinnest in its category featuring Touch Screen Retina AMOLED, dual-chipset low-energy consumption system, 3-satellite positioning for multiple sports mode, TruSeen™3.0 smarter heart-rate monitor and Trusleep™2.0 sleep quality smart tracking for daily activities. Pitted as the Smart Companion for users, HONOR Watch Magic is available in two colors Lava Black and Moonlight Silver priced at INR 13,999 and INR 14,999 respectively on Amazon.in.

The HONOR Band 4 Running, designed specifically for runners features a 0.5” PMOLED Display, dual wearing mode (foot and hand), six-axis sensors to monitor and professionally manage the running postures is available in dual band color at INR 1599.

Speaking at the launch occasion, Allen Wang, Vice President Huawei India, said, “HONOR Watch Magic and Honor Band 4 Running have been designed keeping in mind the frenetic lives of young India who aspire for a Smarter and Healthier lifestyle. Making the maximum use of science, these devices understand the body functioning of users to adapt intelligently and, thence become an extension of you.”

Speaking at the launch occasion, Amazon said, “Consumers today are looking for   devices that complement the way they function and raise their fitness quo. We believe HONOR Watch Magic and HONOR Band 4 Running are the tech-accessories for it. HONOR Band 4 is already a hit among millennials, these two new wearable devices will certainly be a value add to the users.”

HONOR Watch Magic is powered by industry’s first, double-chipset architecture for low energy consumption. The AI enabled low-energy algorithm recognizes the usage and pattern of the user to customize and save power and thus, deliver battery life for a week.  The three satellite positioning helps achieve a faster and more accurate positioning – a feature designed specifically for sports enthusiasts. Catering to all outdoor, indoor and training mode the HONOR Watch Magic uses scientific training system ranging from an introductory to advanced professional courses. Besides, the HONOR Watch Magic also acts as a smart companion helping track daily activities, understand the sleep quality, heart-rate and thus lead a convenient life. Available, in two color options Lava black and Moonlight Silver the HONOR Watch Magic comes in sports and fashion mode.

The HONOR Band 4 Running offers seven types of fitness data ranging from Foot Strike Pattern & Impact, Swing Angle, Eversion Range, Step Length, Cadence and Ground Contact Time.

Some of the other features that are in common are Finding Your Phone, Message & Incoming Call Notifications.

AptEner Mechatronics Announces Series A funding of INR 10 Crore

AptEner Mechatronics, a two-year-old Bangalore-based startup and creators of the ‘BluArmor’ range of smart multi-functional motorcycle gear that aims to provide 4-wheeler like comfort and safety to 2-wheeler riders, today announced a ‘Series A’ round of INR 10 Cr. led by Inventus India and KITVEN.

This development caps what has been an excellent twelve months for Team BluArmor. Over the past year, the team has successfully launched best-in-class hardware and software products targeted at rider-comfort and established a strong distribution chain in the domestic and international market.

BluSnap, the first product in the BluArmor range, is the world’s first snap-on cooler that retro-fits to existing full-face motorcycle helmets. In addition to cooling the air by up to 15 degrees, BluSnap blocks dust to provide cool, clean air for the two-wheeler rider. Riders can also bid farewell to expensive pin-lock visors using BluSnap’s quick de-fog option. True to their motto of “Build in India, Make for the World”, BluSnap has now been successfully sold in over 10 countries spread over 4 continents.

The company has also launched the ‘BluRydr’ travel companion app that auto-creates shareable travel stories. Using the route you take, the places you stop, and the pics and videos tagged to those places, BluRydr creates a travelogue that you can easily share with your friends. ‘BluRydr’ is a free download available on the Google Playstore.

Commenting on the development, Mr PK Sundararajan, CEO & Founder, BluArmor said, “We are very excited that Inventus India and KITVEN are joining us for the next phase of BluArmor’s journey. We have a slew of feature-rich products in the pipeline and this capital will enable us to rapidly bring them to market, expand quickly and strategically, and deliver on our vision around the world.”

Samir Kumar, Managing Director, Inventus India said, “In hot countries like India, Taiwan, etc. which have large 2-wheeler populations, riding with a helmet can be extremely uncomfortable. We believe PK's strong tech and business abilities, supported by a group of passionate bikers is capable of creating a successful smart 2-wheeler accessory company. We're excited to be partnering with this team.” 

Skill India to Send First batch of Care Workers under TITP to Japan

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), an executive arm of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), today announced that it will be sending second batch of 17 skilled candidates to Japan under the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP).

Amongst the 17 candidates who will be leaving for Japan by end of February, five candidates have been trained as Care Workers, which marks India’s first batch to Japan in this job category.  The candidates, trained as Care Workers by NAVIS Nihongo, will be interning in hospitals and nursing homes in Japan and will draw stipend as per Japanese wage norms.

The other 12 candidates will be interning in Machine Maintenance job category.   Earlier in July and September 2018, India had sent another group of 17 candidates to Japan, who are currently undergoing internship in leading electronic equipment and agricultural organisations.

The announcement was made yesterday at TITP Seminar, organised by NSDC in New Delhi.   NSDC is the Implementing and Monitoring Agency for TITP in India and has empanelled over 20 Sending Organisations for technical and language training of candidates for this program.

The TITP Seminar witnessed the presence of Mr. Yasuo Ariga, Deputy Director of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; Mr. Kei Saruwatari, Director, International Affairs Division of Organization for Technical Intern Training (OTIT); Mr. Kenko Sone, Minister, Economic and Development; Mr Kenji Aya, First Secretary from Embassy of Japan in India; Ms. Juthika Patankar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India; Mr. Ashok Chawla, Advisor from Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC. The seminar was attended by empanelled Sending Organisations, and also saw representatives from prospective organisations, interested in participation in TITP.

Sharing her vision, Ms. Juthika Patankar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “Skill Development is emerging as an important field of bilateral cooperation between India and Japan.  Technical Intern Training Program holds the promise of fueling the Indian economy by transfer of Japanese best practices.  Japan, on the other hand, will get a rich pool of skilled young workforce from India, especially in sectors such as health care, maintenance, electrical among others. The program will help in synergising India’s demographic dividend and Japan’s capital and technology to realise the true potential of the India-Japan economic partnership for a prosperous future.”

Talking about the initiative Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC said, “I am delighted that a new chapter in collaboration between the two nations has begun under the Care Worker Job Category. The platform for bilateral collaboration offered by TITP will pave the way for India and Japan to leverage their complementary strengths. The agile and competent workforce trained under the program will truly position India to emerge as the skill capital of the world.”

Mr. Yasuo Ariga, Deputy Director of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan stressed upon the great level of convergence of political, cultural, economic and strategic interests between the two nations.  He emphasized the importance of TITP to strengthen this bi-lateral relationship further.
Mr. Kei Saruwatari, Director, International Affairs Division of Organization for Technical Intern Training (OTIT) shared various nuances for enabling smoother execution of TITP.  He focussed on safeguarding interests of trainees in Japan and emphasised on standards and quality parameters in training.

First Batch Sent in July 2018 - In the last one year, TITP has gained momentum. The Sending Organizations from India, which are training the candidates in language, technical and cultural skills, have witnessed a progressive execution.  The first batch of 17 interns were sent to Japan in July and September 2018.  Of these 17 candidates, 15 were trained by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in consortium with Nihon Technology Pvt. Ltd. and are currently undergoing training at Maxell, an electronic equipment assembling company in Japan. The other 2 candidates, trained by Lohia Corp Limited, are interning in Japan in Agriculture sector, for cultivation of high quality strawberries in greenhouse.

About Sending Organisations - For execution of the TITP program, NSDC has empanelled a diverse pool of credible and experienced Sending Organizations, which includes leading institutes of higher learning, medical colleges and universities, Japanese language training institutes, eminent Indian industrial chambers and associations and proficient training partners of NSDC. These Sending Organizations are entrusted with the task of sending the trained Indian youth to Japan as per the requirements of Japanese firms.  Currently, over 500 candidates are undergoing training in India under TITP. 

Samsung R&D Centre in Bengaluru Switches to Solar Energy, Ties up with Solar Farm 500 km Away

Samsung’s R&D centre in Bengaluru has switched to solar power for its campus in the IT capital of India. The campus which houses over 3,000 R&D employees will draw 88% of its power requirement from a solar farm in Kalburgi district in Karnataka, around 500 kilometres away from Bengaluru.

 How does it work with the farm 500 kilometres away?

In December 2018, Samsung R&D Institute, Bengaluru (SRI-B), which is Samsung’s largest R&D centre outside Korea, adopted the green energy solution through a method called ‘energy wheeling’.

The solar farm by Bagmane Green Power LLP based in Kalburgi has a tie-up with SRI-B. Through ‘energy wheeling’, the solar farm adds the required power to the state electricity grid and SRI-B in turn, receives an equal amount of power from the local electricity grid.

This method reduces transmission and distribution losses, thereby making it more energy efficient.

Why solar?

SRI-B initiated the process of going solar in March 2016 as part of its Go Green Initiative to increase usage of non-conventional energy sources for its campus. This would reduce SRI-B’s reliance on the traditional power grid, making that energy available for other uses.

SRI-B then began seeking solar power suppliers to partner with, for its electricity requirements. Since December 2018, the R&D centre has drawn 8 lakh units of solar power, instead of depending on energy derived from traditional sources such as coal.

“Our switch to solar power is an embodiment of Samsung values of being a socially and environmentally responsible citizen. Through this initiative we have not only reduced our dependency on conventional sources of energy but we will also have a positive impact on the environment by reducing our carbon footprint and passing on a greener planet to the next generation,” said Dipesh Shah, Managing Director, SRI-B.

SRI-B has conducted various campaigns over the years to promote environment-friendly behavior among its employees. It ran a campaign recently to reduce usage of single-use plastic water bottles in the company. Last year, it ran multiple tree plantation drives as well as multiple events that encouraged employees to reuse and recycle waste items.

The search for fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2019 begins…

 

With the legacy of transforming lives of young talented women who have become icons in the glamour and fashion industry, fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2019 Co-powered By Sephora & Rajnigandha Pearls vows to continue its tradition with an aim to extend whole-hearted support to the new generation women who have the potential to lead and represent the country in the future. 

The winner will represent India at Miss World pageant. The others too stand a chance to represent the country at International Pageants like Miss Grand International and Miss United Continents.

This time too, the pageant will conduct a nationwide hunt in all the 30 states (including the Capital, Delhi). The Top 3 contestants from every state will win a Golden Ticket to the State’s Zonal crowning ceremony which will be held in Bangalore (South Zone) on 24th February 2019, Delhi (North Zone) on 06TH March, 2019, Pune (West Zone) on 02nd April, 2019 and Kolkata (East Zone) on 23rd April, 2019. Each state winner will make it to Grand Finale which will be held in June.

But before that they will undergo rigorous training from the best in the industry. The gorgeous Neha Dhupia and Dia Mirza will mentor the girls; East and West Zone will be handled by Neha and while Dia will take charge of the North and South Zone.

Dia Mirza – (South Zone & North Zone) Commenting on the same, “Miss India created a paradigm shift in my life and I hope the same for these girls too. The legacy of Miss India is extra ordinary, I will give my best from my end to girls to achieve their dreams and discover themselves. I’m sure Miss India will be a turning point to all the contestants”

Neha Dhupia – (East Zone & West Zone) Commenting on the same, “I started my journey with Miss India and since then it has been a never-ending relationship with the pageant. Every year I see a fresh lot of ambitious and enthusiastic girls with the dream to win the Miss India and make India proud at the prestigious Miss world. I’m looking forward to have Manushi’s successor this year.”

With Six Miss Worlds who have made India proud by marking their presence on the globe- Reita Faria (1966), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000) and Manushi Chhillar Miss World 2017, who brought the coveted crown back home after 17 years- the hunt for the new crown bearer has now begun.

The fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2019 auditions will be divided across four zones:

10th Feb Sunday Karnataka, Bengaluru, fbb/Big Bazaar, LG-29, Phoenix Market City, Opp To BBMP Office, Mahadevapura,   Bengaluru, Karnataka

The new format will permit you to audition ONLY if you belong to the audition states as mentioned above with a valid document to verify the same:

Criteria’s of the state auditions as stated below:

Birth state: The State mentioned on her Birth certificate

Current state: The State where she is currently studying or is employed in or is a resident of.

Native State: The State where both or at least one of her parent is residing /studying/ employed or born in.

Please note the participation criteria for any girl includes: 

Height criteria - 5’5” and above.

Age - 18 – 25 (25 as per 31st Dec 2019).

Age 26 & 27 are eligible for the runner up position only

OCI card holders are also eligible for runner up positions.

“We are ecstatic to be the title sponsors of the pageant sixth year in a row. This association strategically complements with fbb's brand objective of making India more stylish with the desire to democratise fashion.”- Rajesh Seth, COO, fbb, Future Group.

Talking about this partnership, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head - Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network, Viacom18 said, “Its a triumphant moment for us every time we see a fbb COLORS Miss India contestant making it big globally. Over the years we have set the bar high in empowering women to believe in themselves and to make a mark in the world. Once again as we open the doors of this platform for the young aspirants, I would like to urge more and more parents to support their daughters’ dreams as they dazzle with their confidence, intellect and personality.”

“2017 saw Miss Haryana Manushi Chhillar winning the fbb Colors Miss India pageant and she went forth to win the coveted Miss World Title for India after 17 years. Region to Nation to World has been a seamless journey for Manushi with the Miss India platform. With the Introduction of a new format wherein state pageant winners compete for the national title has helped Miss India permeate to smaller towns across India, helping Young women re-write their destiny. We at Miss India infused our Nations rich Cultural and Social diversity which gave the event a fillip in terms of reach and participation.  With partners like fbb, Colors, and Femina, we know that Miss India Crown will surely be within reach of a deserving contestant from across our Country. Looking forward to a great 2019” - Rohit Gopakumar, COO, Miss India Organization.

The finalists of fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2019 will undergo rigorous training and grooming sessions from the best experts in the industry before the Grand Finale in June which will be aired on Colors.

Medvarsity Online Along with ATI Nursing Education Hosts Nursing Professional Development Conference 2019

Nursing Professional Development Conference 2019 held on Jan 29, 2019 late evening at Hyderabad by Medvarsity, a pioneer in online medical training, in partnership with ATI Nursing Education, USA, shed light on the nursing education scenario in India.

This conference brought together Nursing Leaders and Educators, Practitioners, Medical Professionals, Human Resource Professionals in the country and from ATI Nursing Education (USA) on one platform to discuss the current nursing education system, the challenges and opportunities that are prevailing.

The agenda further focused on  the need for professional development and continuing education for nurses and the role of technology in nursing education. It also talked about the practical challenges that are encountered on a generic basis and solutions that can be adopted in the fields of Advanced Nursing Practices.

“Healthcare Industry is showing an exponential growth, and hospitals today are shifting focus from survival to excellence which indicates the need for excellent healthcare workforce. Nursing being one of the cornerstones of the healthcare system and the industry changing more rapidly than almost any other field; nurses need to invest on continuing education and professional development to keep themselves updated. Medvarsity, in partnership with ATI Nursing Education, USA, is working on building technology-based nursing education programs that can be implemented at college and professional level”, Dr. Ashwin Kandula, Associate Vice President- Operations, Medvarsity Online Ltd. said at the event.

The panel discussion which followed after the informative sessions by various esteemed dignitaries brought to light the challenges in the Nursing profession/education and how technological advancements can assist in overcoming these.  Speakers like Ms. Michele Steinbeck (Director of Nursing for International & Provider Markets, Ascent Learning/ATI Nursing Education), Dr. Kristi Gearhart Burgess (Client Executive for International & Provider Markets, Ascent Learning/ATI Nursing Education), Col. Saravjeet Kaur (Nursing Director, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad), Dr. Sriharsha A. Achar (Group chief Human Resources Officer, Apollo Hospitals Group),  Dr. Vasundhara (Principal, Apollo Nursing College), Ms. Sonymol (GM Nursing, Continental Hospital, Hyderabad) and Ms. Tessy Augustine (GM Nursing, Maxcure Hospitals, Hyderabad) spoke about the latest innovations in nursing. The session included discussions on the empowerment strategies, leadership roles, healthcare transformation, entrepreneurial avenues and reflection of nursing as a science in order to help upskill the community, as a whole.

Through the course of the discussion, it was noted that the current generation of nursing students are digital savvy and know their ways well through technology for knowledge acquisition. This can be made possible through adaptive learning, online instructions and simulation based techniques. A more team based learning environment, with the use of simulations are proving beneficial not only for the students, but for the faculty as well to help produce better quality nurses, complimenting the traditional classroom teaching. The new age nurses are looking to make use of technology to manage electronic medical records, communicate with clients, perform physical exams and strategize care plans. 

Kia First Indian Manufactured Car to Hit Roads by July 2019

The first ever car of the Korean car manufacturer Kia Motors rolling out of its Anantapur plant will be roaming on Indian streets this July.

The model will be a mid-size Sport utility vehicle (SUV) ready to give a tough fight to models such as Duster, S Cross and Creta. The Kia model SP-2 will be available in both petrol and diesel variants and the electric vehicles will come on a later date. Elaborating the road ahead for the Korean car giant, Kia Motors India head of marketing and sales Manohar Bhat said that models will roll every six months after the trial run is over. “We are going to launch three different models within one and half year,” Bhatt said. He said that the price range will be Rs 6,00,000 to Rs 16,00,000.

“We are one month ahead of schedule and we will be launching the SP2 vehicle in the second half of this year. We have invested $ 1 billion from our side already and another $1 billion by the vendors. There are two vendor parks adjacent to our unit. The unit is capable of producing three lakh vehicles per year from day one,” Bhat said. “The real test is to assess the quality in terms of material. As we are known for the quality of our vehicles,” he added.

He said that Kia is keen on catering to Indian market, so it has to be a ‘value for money’ car. “So, we will keep localization to a larger extent but can’t tell you an exact figure, but we will give you a vehicle that everyone will love,” he said.