AICRA and East West Group of Institutes Create World Record for Largest Robotic KIT at Bengaluru

All India Council for Robotics & Automation (AICRA), in association with Technoxian and East West Group of institutes (EWGI) has created a world record in Bengaluru. The record was for ‘Largest Robotic KIT making training (multiple locations)’. Over 2000 students from EWGI assembled at the institute’s campus at Magadi Road for a day long workshop robotics conducted by the Technoxiam team.

The event was inaugurated by Mr. Vijay Kumar Hegde, Inventor, Susi Global Research Center in the presence of Mr. Tejas Kiran, Head of placements and corporate relations , East West Group of Institutes; Anuj Jain , State coordinator, Karnataka , AICRA and other dignitaries.

Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Mr. Vijay Kumar said “Robotics is the need of the hour and will have a growing demand in the future. I am very happy to have this opportunity to inaugurate this spectacular event. Students should learn and develop new skills that make them more industry ready. I applaud  AICRA, EWGI and Technoxian for this brilliant initiative and would like to congratulate all the students who took part in creating history”

Vijay Kumar Hegde is a inventor who has designed various low cost and effective devices. He has successfully designed and implemented a model to create electricity from tidal waves. He also recently launched a low cost and energy saving oven that would reduce the consumption of fuel by over 60%

“History has been created today and we at East West Group of Institutions are proud to be the only institute in the city to be a part of this. At EWGI we believe in providing our students with the opportunity to learn and develop new skills. This is a legacy we have built over the past 50 years of our academic journey. We wish to come up with more such initiatives that will benefit our students” said Mr. Tejas Kiran,Head of placements and Corporate Relations at East West Group of Institutes

East West Group of Institutions (EWGI), is a well known and prominent group of educational institutions that crowns absolute place among the top colleges in Bengaluru. The institutions were founded by a philanthropist and social worker, Shri. C. M.NAGARAJ in 1968, seizing the limelight as a vision for its reputation in the realm of higher education. Today, the institutions have become the treasure house of knowledge to thousands of enthusiastic student communities across the globe. 

Commenting on the successful completion of the record, Mr. Anuj Jain , State coordinator, Karnataka , AICRA said “ This program was aimed at helping all the robotic enthusiasts in inculcating a certain way of creating confidence about robotics. This program has taught students that practically working on various activities on robotics is moreover easy when practiced and done in the right way. With this initiative we wish to fire up the hidden passion and enthusiasm of the student towards the new and innovative technology which will be a major motivator in the coming future. We are glad that we were part in facilitating this historic event”

Council for Robotics & Automation (AICRA) a not-for-profit organization is the apex body, setting up standards in Robotics & Automation and education industry as well as helping over 35,00+ members organizations and professionals to solve difficult technical problems, while enhancing their leadership and personal career capabilities.

Honda ‘Africa Twin True Adventure Camp’ Reaches Bengaluru to Explore the Adventure DNA

Aiming at catering to adventure enthusiasts across the country, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. conducted Chapter 2 of its nationwide initiative - ’Africa Twin True Adventure Camp’ in Bengaluru last weekend.

Being the hub of adventure seekers and travel aficionados, the Bengaluru phase witnessed over 30 participants in the 2-day camp conducted at the Bigrock Dirtpark (Kolar Taluk, Karnataka).

Setting the camp apart was the training and counsel provided on motorcycling and off-roading by Mr. Vijay Parmar, President of Himalayan Motorsports Association along with his team of subject experts in a fun and interactive way.

Africa Twin True Adventure Camp is a combination of both theoretical and practical sessions wherein the riders brush up their basics and learn more about the advanced features of Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), different modes of riding for different terrains and other off-road capacities of the Africa Twin motorcycle. Boosting up rider confidence, special sessions were also given to expose participants to other factors like humps, underground turns, gravel, pits and dirt tracks.

Speaking on the start of the boot-camp, Mr. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Senior Vice President -Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “The city of Bengaluru has always seen ardent adventure enthusiasts. Africa Twin True Adventure Camp activity brings together the enthusiasts and the experts making riders experience more adventurous. The interactions between the communities enhanced the learning’s & skills to explore the full potential of this machine across all terrains.

The adventure camp activity will further make its way to Mumbai and Kochi shortly.

Tata Motors Unveils #Dark Edition of Flagship SUV – The Tata Harrier for the Upcoming Festive Season

To kickstart the celebrations in the upcoming festive season across the country, Tata Motors today announced the launch of the #Dark Edition of its flagship SUV – the Tata Harrier. This edition comes soon after Tata Motors announced the launch of dual tone variants of the Harrier to celebrate 10,000 customers of the company's flagship product.

The #Dark edition of the Harrier will offer a total of 14 design enhancements to make it a perfect blend of design flourish and premiumness. The New Atlas Black colour is complemented with R17 Blackstone Alloys and other changes in the exterior to make it a head turner. The interiors are completely refreshed to offer an all new Blackstone theme- with the Premium Benecke Kaliko Blackstone Leather upholstery, Blackstone Matrix dashboard and a new Gunmetal Grey chrome pack which further accentuates the interiors.

The #Dark edition, in the new stunning Atlas Black colour packaged with striking black exteriors and interiors, further accentuates Harrier’s powerful stance while maintaining the natural elegance of a premium SUV. The #Dark Edition will be available in XT and XZ variants. The Harrier range starts from Rs.12.99 Lakh onwards, ex-showroom Delhi.

Commenting on the launch of this limited edition, Mr. Vivek Srivatsa, Head Marketing, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors said, “In line with our endeavour to take the style quotient of the Harrier even higher, we wanted to offer a product that would make heads turn. The colour Black has always been desired amongst car buyers across the SUV segment. To meet these aspirations and to mark the onset of the festive season, we have launched the Harrier #Dark Edition today in a completely new avatar with a compelling package of striking exteriors and inviting interiors with 14 design enhancements. We are confident our customers will appreciate the Harrier in this look as much as they have appreciated the Harrier since its launch.”

The Harrier, which is built on the OMEGARC and derived from Land Rover's legendary D8 platform, is the perfect combination of stunning design and excellent performance. Powered by the cutting-edge Kryotec 2.0 Diesel engine and Advanced Terrain Response Modes, Harrier assures an exhilarating performance on the toughest of terrains.

The Yoga Institute Wins Prime Minister’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Yoga

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has felicitated The Yoga Institute, Mumbai with the Prime Minister's Award for Outstanding Contribution for Promotion and Development of Yoga for the year 2018-19. The prestigious award was presented in the category of ‘National Institute’ at a special ceremony held at Vigyan Bhavan.

In recognition of the honour, the Prime Minister said, “The Yoga Institute has set the standard for yoga education, research, publication, innovation and creativity. This award is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and philanthropic vision of its founders.”

Smt Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra, Director the The Yoga Institute – Mumbai, received the award from the Prime Minister. She said, “On behalf of everyone at The Yoga Institute, I would like to thank our Hon’ble Prime Minister and the AYUSH committee members for this honour. We are humbled to be recognized for all the hard work done by the Institute over the last 100 years. We are committed to upholding this legacy and shall always remain at the service of India, and the world.”

The Yoga Institute was established in 1918 by Shri Yogendraji, also known as the Father of Modern Yoga Renaissance, and celebrated its centenary milestone on 25 December 2018. A non-profit organization, it is also the oldest organized center for Yoga in the world, and the first Yoga institute to be certified by the Quality Council of India. Every day, 1,500+ people visit the Institute to learn and practice Yoga. With the three generations of the Yogendra family and more than 50,000 teachers trained globally, The Yoga Institute is working relentlessly to make Yoga a way of living.

Narayan Seva Sansthan Organizes Artificial Limb Measurement Camp in Bengaluru

Narayan Seva Sansthan - a charitable organization that runs charitable hospitals in the country for Specially-abled, in particular polio and by-birth disabled, hosted another Artificial Limb Measurement Camp in Jaya Nagar, Bengaluru on 30 August. Wherever 15 specially abled got measured and benefitted by obtaining artificial limbs for better mobility.

Early in August this year, Narayan Seva Sansthan has organized camp across India like Jaipur, Agra, Aligarh, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Senior Prosthetics and Orthotics specialist team supervised the Measurement and Distribution camp where polio affected as well as those who lost their legs/hands due to diabetes, accidents, etc, got themselves measured for artificial limbs.

Prashant Agarwal, President, Narayan Seva Sansthan said, “We have provided around 99,133 calipers, 10,452 wheelchairs and around 3,646 tricycles which we feel are not adequate. That is why Narayan Seva Sansthan runs ‘Measurement and Distribution Camp’ initiatives across India to help every underprivileged differently abled to be able to ambulate by themselves.”

Narayan Seva Sansthan has a ‘Smart Village for Differently- Abled’ with all the facilities that these individuals may require. The Sansthan operates with its 480 branches in India and 86 branches abroad focusing on alleviating disabilities. As a daily practice, a free of cost vehicle is assigned by Narayan Seva Sansthan to pick up the patients and their families from Udaipur Railway Station while also providing free accommodation and food at Narayan Seva Sansthan.

Enjoy the Crunch of MUNCH with Nestlé MUNCH CRISP-POP!

Nestlé MUNCH, one of India’s most popular brands in the chocolate and confectionery category sets another innovation benchmark in the coated wafer category with the launch of Nestlé MUNCH CRISP-POP. With the all-new Nestlé MUNCH CRISP-POP, get the subtle pops of caramel flavored popcorn, packed in a coated wafer format to awaken the senses.

In a nation where millennials are looking for unique and richer experiences, Nestlé India’s latest offering delve into the crunchy MUNCH treat with the delightful flavor of caramel popcorn.
         
Commenting on the launch, Mr. Nikhil Chand, Director – Foods and Confectionery, Nestlé India said, “Inspired by the generation that enjoys popcorn and movies, the MUNCH CRISP-POP is once again a category first, that brings the delicious caramel pops to India’s favorite crunchy MUNCH. MUNCH CRISP-POP has been developed after extensive consumer research. This product has been created by leveraging the capabilities of our global product development center and then customizing it to the local taste and flavor expectations of the consumers in India. We are extremely excited to launch MUNCH CRISP-POP and are confident that our consumers will enjoy the unique experience of caramel popcorn through the CRUNCHilicious MUNCH.”

Priced at INR 10, the combination of caramel flavored popcorn and delicious coated wafer Nestlé MUNCH CRISP-POP will be available at super markets, large, format grocery stores.

Hero Motocorp Introduces Customer Outreach Programmes in Flood Affected Areas

Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, today announced special benefits for its customers in the flood affected regions of Kerala, North Karnataka & South Maharashtra.

The benefits are aimed at ensuring seamless mobility for people in these regions and to help accelerate the ongoing rehabilitation initiatives.

Extending support to all the owners of Hero MotoCorp products, the Company will forego any fee for check-up or repair of their vehicles in the flood affected areas. In addition, customers will also be provided with 30% discount on Genuine Hero Spare Parts to ensure optimal vehicle performance.

The benefits - available across all dealerships and authorized service centers of Hero MotoCorp in the affected regions - can be availed of till September 10th, 2019.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Hero MotoCorp is monitoring and assessing the situation and will continue to extend its support to the rehabilitation initiatives in these regions.

TECNO Brings ‘Segment-First’ 6.1” HD+ Dot Notch Display and AI Front Flash at just INR 5499

Following an efficacious launch of the brand’s flagship PHANTOM 9 last month, TECNO the premium smartphone maker is set to – further add to the festive excitement of its fans with the introduction of yet another global product line “SPARK”, thereby strengthening its India portfolio.

After making its mark in the mid-range smartphone segment, the brand is shifting gears with the launch of two all-new entry-level smartphones from its best-selling global ‘SPARK’ series in India, namely TECNO SPARK Go at INR 5,499 and TECNO SPARK 4 Air at INR 6,999.

The newly launched duo goes on sale starting today and will be available at 35,000+ offline retail stores across the country. Adding joy to the festivities, every TECNO SPARK Go buyer will get a complimentary gift of Bluetooth earpiece worth INR 799. Offer available for limited period only.

Since its debut in 2017, TECNO has been growing rapidly in the Indian market owing to its strong CAMON product portfolio. In line with the brand philosophy of ’Expect More’, TECNO has been consistently pushing the benchmark on camera quality and features-pack available in the mid-range segment.  With the introduction of Spark series, TECNO has further strengthened its commitment by bringing the best-in-class smartphone design, display & camera experience to the entry-level segment.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Arijeet Talapatra, -Chief Executive Officer, TRANSSION India said, “At TECNO, it is our relentless focus to bring future-ready devices at affordable price points. We are committed to continuously push the boundaries and owing to this focus, each offering from the TECNO portfolio is a game-changer in its respective segment. With every new launch, we aspire to scale new heights of product innovation and customer centricity. With the proliferation of high speed Internet and ever-growing content consumption pattern, there exists a remarkable need for high quality video viewing devices in the entry-level segment, especially in Tier 3 cities and towns. Recognising this demand, with TECNO SPARK, we are certain to address the pain points of our consumers, related to video watching experience in the entry-level segment, with vivid 6.1-inch dot notch display, brighter color output with eye care feature, Dual Volte and an AI powered camera coupled with Video Chat Flash. All this is further supported by a user friendly interface powered by Android 9 Pie for an immersive viewing experience.” 

Key features of TECNO SPARK:

Immersive video viewing experience

6.1” HD+ Dot Notch Display coupled with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and impressive 85% screen to body ratio makes the smartphones ideal for binge watching videos, reading, and browsing. The duo also comes with an exceptionally high category-defining 450 nits screen brightness and 1000:1 Contrast ratio which accentuate the brightness even in the sunlight, thereby, ensuring an amazing video watching experience. The device also comes with a unique AI Read mode that automatically adjusts the screen brightness and colors while reading to provide extreme comfort to your eyes and an ease of reading like never-before.

Futuristic Design

In terms of design, the TECNO Spark duo is aesthetically crafted with trendy Dot Notch 2.5D Curved edges, 3D back cover, slim bezels and gradient finish. With all these elements coming together, the TECNO Spark duo’s exquisite look makes it ideal for consumers who want their brand to reflect their personal style. Tt is available in two attractive and contemporary color schemes- Nebula Black and Royal Purple.

Shun the Low light photos

Setting it apart with the camera optics, TECNO Spark Go comes with 8MP AI rear camera, F2.0 aperture and night Algorithm 2.0 paired with Dual Flash that let you capture clear, bright and beautiful shots in any light. On the other hand, TECNO Spark4 Air comes with a category-first dual-lens camera sporting a 13MP f1.8 primary sensor which captures perfect portraits.  The Dual flash light lets your beauty shine through even in the dark setting. In addition to these, the SPARK duo features Portrait Mode, HDR, Night Mode and professional camera settings to further enhance the overall photography experience.

Enhance your selfie experience

5MP AI selfie camera with Micro slit front flash, which is major breakthrough in dot notch display, ensures stunning selfies under any light. Its customizable flash light, allows the user to capture sharper and brighter selfies even in low light conditions. It comes loaded with features like AI Beauty Mode, Portrait Mode, in-build localized AR Stickers and Wide Selfie Mode for better selfie experience. Video call is another unique experience on the duo as it comes with AI beauty mode and adjustable flash that enables you to look beautiful irrespective of the surroundings & lighting conditions.

Accentuate your smartphone unlocking experience

Adding more to user safety, TECNO SPARK duo comes with Face Unlock 2.0 which comes with advance security function of not unlocking the device when eyes are closed. Now, enjoy faster and safer screen unlocking conveniently. Face Unlock 2.0 comes with the screen fill light feature in device that helps users to unlock quickly in dark environment. Additionally, TECNO SPARK 4 Air comes with an anti-oil fingerprint sensor, especially keeping the Indian consumers in mind. It also enables consumers to hide their privacy app, and launch it with the fingerprint in 0.3 seconds. Now security is no more a concern. Experience the perfect combination of security, privacy and convenience – all under 7k!

Experience uninterrupted multi-tasking

While the display, design and security features steal the spotlight, the duo comes with a massive 3000mAh battery capacity with an intelligent power saving technology which empowers users to stream content, click photos and make calls without any interruption. Once fully charged, with both the smartphones you can enjoy 9.8 Hours of uninterrupted Video playback, 7.6 hours of web browsing, 10 hours of calling or 12.4 hours of music playback.

An Evolving Operating System HiOS 5.0

Based on Android 9.0 HiOS, the TECNO Spark Duo offers unique features that enable consumer to have an ever-evolving experience with the AI Video Call, Smart Panel, hassle-free notification management, AI read mode, AI Battery Lab and safe charging among many other aspects to give users a delightful experience.

Upping the ante of performance in Entry-level category

Equipped with MediaTek Helio A22, 2.0GHz Quad-Core processor and 2GB RAM, TECNO Spark Go is sharp and runs efficiently without any lag. The duo provides future-ready features including Dual VoLTE SIM solution. With SPARK duo, the consumers can use 4G VoLTE in both the SIM slots at the same time. It also comes with 3-in-1 multi card slot where users can put Dual nano SIMs and a dedicated microSD card which can support expandable memory of upto 256GB. Therefore, letting you reap the benefits of multi-tasking with ease.

Dream11 Creates a Guiness World Records Title for Hosting the 'Largest Online Fantasy Cricket Match'

Dream11, India’s Biggest Sports Game, today created a Guinness World Records title for hosting the 'Largest Online Fantasy Cricket Match'. This incredible feat was achieved by Dream11 during the 2019 final match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Dream11 users created over 1 crore (1,03,17,928) fantasy teams to compete in this fantasy sports match. To claim this record, Dream11 had to prove the participation of at least 40 lakh fantasy teams in that particular match. This is the first-ever Guinness World Records in the Online Fantasy Sports category.

The electrifying finale, which had the entire country on the edge of their seats, also proved to be an exciting playground for fantasy sports enthusiasts as fans of the game unequivocally surpassed the minimum requirement of fantasy teams playing the game of cricket at a given time to create history. Dream11 recorded over 1 crore fantasy teams created by over 43 lakh (43,77,610) unique users playing together for the final match of Indian Premier League (IPL) match.

Expressing his delight over the achievement, a Dream11 Spokesperson said, "Dream11 is excited to announce this record on India’s National Sports Day, as a dedication to our 7 crore+ users and their passion for sports. We are honoured to receive this certification from Guinness World Records. This global recognition is a validation of our belief in the rapidly evolving culture of sports fandom where more and more fans are seeking new avenues to immerse themselves in their favourite sports. This is resulting in a higher impetus for the sports ecosystem in India. We are deeply thankful to all our users who enjoy playing fantasy sports on Dream11 and made such an incredible feat possible for us!”

Swapnil Dangarikar, Adjudicator, Guinness World Records™, said, “After careful scrutinisation of all the evidence, I am very happy to confirm that Dream11 has set a new record for a Largest Online Fantasy Cricket Match with an impressive 1,03,17,928 teams participating. I am pleased to say, Dream11 is now Officially Amazing!”.

Guinness World Records is the ultimate global authority on new record creations as well as breaking old records that researches, measures, documents and authorizes the world’s superlatives. The creation of this record is a testament to the growing popularity of fantasy sports, and especially, Dream11 in India.

Mahindra Introduces New Bolero City Pik-Up Competitively Priced at Rs.6.25 Lac (Ex-Showroom, Bengaluru)

New Bolero City Pik-Up is perfectly suited to city applications with its easy manoeuvrability, stronger suspension, bigger cargo box and reliable, high-power engine.

Ø  Specially designed for City Application with a shorter bonnet, leading to better manoeuvrability on narrow and crowded city roads.
Ø  Higher payload capacity of 1.4T and a large 8.7 ft cargo box
Ø  Strong Suspension – the rear suspension is over slung in nature allowing for a higher loading capability
Ø  Large 215/75 R15 inch (38.1 cm) tyres for better road grip and overloading
Ø  Warranty of 3 years/ 1 lakh kilometers for complete peace of mind
Ø  Superior performance with the proven 2,523cc m2Di engine, power of 46.3 kW (63 HP) & torque of 195 Nm
Ø  Wider co-driver seat for comfortable seating of people in the cabin
Ø  Aimed at transportation needs of stand operators, small & medium scale businessmen and traders across India to ensure last-mile connectivity

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., a part of the US $20.7 billion Mahindra Group and a leader in the Indian pick-up segment, today announced the launch of the ‘New Bolero City Pik-Up’, an addition to its ‘pick-up’ range. This new model scores high on parameters such as manoeuvrability, reliability and comfort, and is available at a competitive price of Rs.6.25 lac (ex-showroom, Bengaluru).

The New Bolero City Pik-Up has been developed keeping in mind the need for easy manoeuvrability, ruggedness and comfort. The new model boasts a strong suspension, with the rear suspension strengthened to take any type of load in city driving conditions. The cabin ergonomics have been further enhanced with a wider co-driver seat, giving the best driving experience during intra-city business trips. All these make the New City Pik-Up an ideal pick up for urban goods transportation.

Speaking on this occasion, Vikram Garga, Vice President - Marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, ““As market leaders in the pick-up segment for over two decades, it is imperative that we know the pulse of the market; hence new product offerings at regular intervals are necessary. With The launch of City Pickup, Now Bolero Pik-up Range has clearly defined portfolio for different needs – 1.7T Bolero Pickup for Intercity Application and Bolero City Pickup & Bolero Maxitruck plus for Intra city application. The new Bolero City Pik-Up reflects our customer centric approach to delivering on the increasing need for better manoeuvrability in cities, to counter traffic congestion, along with enhancing the earning potential for our customers, while retaining the tough and rugged DNA associated with Bolero Pick-ups”.

The New City Pik-Up is powered by Mahindra’s proven 2,523cc, m2Di, four-cylinder, diesel engine providing power of 46.3 kW (63 HP) & torque of 195 Nm for better performance. The City Pik-Up has a payload capacity of 1.4T and an 8.7ft x 5.6ft cargo box to carry heavy loads effortlessly. It sports eye catching wrap around headlamps, a stylised front chrome grille, a trendy dual tone instrument panel and comfortable fabric seats with matching door trims, giving it a more stylish and elegant look.

With a warranty of 3 years/ 1,00,000 kilometres and minimal maintenance costs, customers are guaranteed to earn more profit and have complete peace of mind.

As leaders in the pick-up segment for 20 years, Mahindra has continuously focussed on understanding the evolving needs of its customers in the areas of performance, reliability, profitability and comfort. To add to this, the widespread Mahindra dealer network facilitates easy repairs and servicing. Today with over 15 lakh delighted customers in India, the Bolero Pik-Up range scores far higher than its competitors.

HealthHR 2019 - India’s First HealthHR Conference Explores the Evolving Role of HR in India’s Fastest-Growing Industry

CreativeSprout through Assimilate, in partnership with Medvarsity has organized India’s first Health HR conference in Hyderabad yesterday till laate evening which discussed, showcased, and acknowledged the power of HR in transforming India’s business market, especially Healthcare. The conference addressed some of the critical points on the roles of HR beyond hiring and managing employees. It acknowledged that HR roles also include administering and promoting the value of the company by improving the internal workplace environment, promoting the organisation’s value for stakeholders, and to be able to equip HR with the essential skills to manage and improve the modern workforce.

Eminent panelists at the event spoke on how to manage HR for the company’s growth, upskilling the workforce to compete with the dynamic market, the importance of continued learning for delivering excellence in the workplace, redefining the talent through engagement, and preparing millennials for tomorrow’s success. The engaging presentations and conversations included various topics such as driving Human capital valuation in mergers & acquisitions, reskilling for peak performance innovations in HR, leveraging technologies, and transforming industries by empowering the HR fraternity. While the primary focus was on the roles of HR in healthcare, the event also gave out some of the valuable insights into other business markets.

Some of the eminent speakers included Dr. Sangita Reddy: Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospital Group, Dr. Sriharsha Achar: CHRO - AHEL, (Col) Kannan Venkatnarayan: Member - Niti Aayog, Suresh Anubolu CHRO GVK Biosciences, Satish Rajarathnam: Sr VP HR Mphasis, Dr. Shailaja: Officer on Special Duty - Department of ITE&C, Government of Telangana and others.

Gerald Jaideep, Founder - CreativeSprout Media Pvt. Ltd. & CEO Medvarsity Online Ltd. added: “The grand success of the HealthHR Conference portrays the true potential of HR, the power of millennial workforce, and advancing technologies in driving the growth of healthcare and other industries in India. We were able to bring together some of the leading minds in Healthcare and HR and get them to share their insights, experiences and challenges with other HR professionals. The event also encouraged and rewarded the HR who are promoting next-gen solutions and startups who have come up with some of the excellent innovations to drive the growth of HR and other domains. With the healthcare industry growing to Rs. 8.6 trillion business over the next few years, strong HR leadership and practices will be fundamental to this.”

The event further felicitated the visionaries and innovators with awards and recognitions for their contribution to the HR industry other Visionary HR of the Year, Visionary Woman in HR of the Year, Best CHRO of the Year Award, Impact Award, Jury’s Favourite, and Top Innovator categories were the awards given out in different categories by recognising the visionaries of HR and startups.

The recent expansion of organisations into new domains and growing acquisitions have challenged the HR in hiring and managing the people for diverse organisational requirements. The event has addressed some of the critical issues faced by HR, ways to effectively handle the modern-day challenges, and also equipped the HR professionals with the optimal ways to enrich their knowledge to grow their careers and seize new opportunities. With many such activities, the HR professionals are about to bring a massive change and contribute to the success of Indian healthcare.

McAfee India’s Security Researcher, Hardik Shah, Recognized by Microsoft as One of the Most Valuable Security Researcher for 2019

At the 22nd edition of Black Hat USA held in Las Vegas, Microsoft recognized Hardik Shah, security researcher McAfee India, as one of the Most Valuable Security Researcher for 2019. Hardik was one of the top 50% researchers, ranked 37th globally, and was accredited by the Microsoft Security Response Centre (MSRC) for his outstanding contribution towards securing Microsoft’s customers and the broader ecosystem.

Each year, Microsoft announces the top security researchers who disclose newly discovered vulnerabilities in hardware, software, and services, directly to the vendors, a national CERT or other coordinators. Hardik was showcased amongst the top tier global researchers, evaluated basis not just the volume, but also the accuracy and impact of the reports he submitted. The program helps in providing a timely and consistent guidance to customers to help them protect themselves in the digital age.

The list at Black Hat comprises of security researchers across the globe, who possess varied experience and skills and have contributed bug reports and threat intelligence, thereby improving the security posture of Microsoft products and users.

Given the dynamic nature of the security discipline, there an increased need for well-trained and certified professionals, capable of recognizing system vulnerabilities and mitigating threats. This recognition helps strengthen the profiles of security researchers, as technology expertise in secure software development, intrusion detection and attack mitigation continue to remain in high demand.

Rubrik Appoints Kamal Brar as Vice President of Asia Pacific & Japan

Rubrik, the Multi-Cloud Data Control Company, has announced the appointment of Kamal Brar as Vice President of Asia Pacific and Japan. Brar will be responsible for driving Rubrik’s Asia operations. Based in Singapore, he will report directly to Chief Revenue Officer Brett Shirk.

“Kamal has successfully led some of the most disruptive technology companies across Asia Pacific and we’re excited to have him join Rubrik,” said Brett Shirk, Chief Revenue Officer at Rubrik. “His passion for software and building high-performance teams will drive short- and long-term success as he scales our business in the region.”

Rubrik has quickly grown from its founding in 2014; earlier this year it raised a $261 million Series E funding round at a $3.3 billion valuation. As data and applications proliferate in the enterprise, Rubrik’s unified platform is uniquely positioned to provide customers with the ability to secure and control their data wherever it resides.

“I am excited to join this dynamic organisation that has succeeded in becoming one of the fastest-growing enterprise software companies ever,” said Kamal Brar, Vice President of Asia Pacific & Japan, Rubrik. “Rubrik has a unique opportunity to engage enterprises across the Asia-Pacific region that are undergoing digital transformation initiatives and adopting hybrid cloud models. I look forward to helping customers leverage their data to gain a competitive advantage using Rubrik’s solutions to manage, govern and orchestrate data across on-premise and cloud environments.”

Brar joins Rubrik from Hortonworks, where he led its fast-growing business in APAC and the Middle East. Prior to that, he served as SVP of APAC at Talend where he launched its APAC operations. Brar also brings deep NoSQL to knowledge to Rubrik having led the APAC business at MongoDB. Additionally, he has held leadership positions at Oracle, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and MySQL.

Karnataka Boy Bags Silver at WorldSkills International Competition 2019, Kazan

Blazing a trail of glory for India at the global stage, the Indian Team returned with the best-ever finish at the WorldSkills International Competition 2019 in Kazan, Russia by winning 19 medals and Medallions of Excellence. The 48-member Indian team won one Gold, one Silver and two Bronze medals besides 15 Medallions of Excellence at the competition that ended with a spectacular closing ceremony at Kazan yesterday attended by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.

Pranav Nutalapati, 17 years old,represented Karnataka and won Silver Medal in Web Technologies after competing with 33 countries. At the age of 17, when most students are trying to manage school, Pranav from Karnataka managed to affix his place in WorldSkills Kazan. His fervour for IT can be traced back to his father's profession, who is the General Manager at a leading Artificial Intelligence company. When most students play video games, Pranav was busy completing a three-month internship at Razorthink Technologies, aiding them in finding viable solutions to various technical issues. He has taken part in IndiaSkills three times, and each attempt featured him displaying magnificent capabilities.

With this historic triumph, Team India won hearts and set new standards of skilling on the world stage. India finished 13th in the overall standings several notches up from the last time when it won 11 medals and finished in the 19th position at Abu Dhabi in 2017.

The competition has become a grand event in the arena of vocational skills with several contenders participating from across the globe. This year’s challenge witnessed an increased participation with more than 1,350 Competitors from 63 countries and regions who competed in 56 skills to win prestigious medals. The competition was extreme and by returning with 19 medals, Team India has started a new chapter in the history of vocational skills. This does not only prove the talent of the team but showcases their strong dedication and commitment.

Congratulating the Indian team on their performance, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “It is a moment of great pride and joy for every Indian today. Congratulations to Team India on this historic triumph and for presenting a brilliant show. This win will be an inspiration to many other young Indians who will soon become a part of the skilling ecosystem. The winners and their experts will be rewarded as a token of appreciation for their hard work and sincerity that has brought laurels to the nation. Personally, it has been a moment of great pride, being a part of this competition and witness the scale and standards at which India competed at WorldSkills 2019. The event is truly the ‘Olympics of Skills’. This victory takes us a step closer to fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Skilled India’. I wish all the luck to the participants for their future endeavors and would also like to extend my gratitude to all the partners who made it possible for the Indian youth to make a global mark.”

The Minister was in Kazan last week to encourage the team at the competition. During his visit, he inaugurated the India Pavillion for representatives from other countries, including the industry to interact with the participants and avail of information about India and the potential of its workforce. In fact, India’s unique demographic dividend stood out in the Minister’s address at a Summit of Government representatives from 40 countries where he made a strong case for the country as a hub for recruiting skilled and talented workforce across industries. Learning-on-the-job, an important pillar of the Skill India Mission that envisages creating a technically equipped workforce ready on take on the challenges of Industry 4.0, was the thrust of Dr. Pandey’s speech in which he highlighted the potential India held in a young and eager population. Dr. Pandey’s appeal drawing attention to this potential was met with a standing ovation by all countries.

Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, who was at Kazan as an official delegate expressed his delight and said, “We are honored to see Team India bring home a Gold Medal, a Silver Medal, two Bronze Medals along with 15 Medallions of Excellence from WorldSkills 2019, Kazan, Russia. The youth of the country should take great inspiration from the commitment and the determination with which Team India defined new limits and proved their mettle against many nations like China, Russia, Japan and the likes. Congratulations to the other participants too for having embodied the true spirit of participation and giving it their best. All of them have shown that India has a young and competent workforce ready to define new limits.  I would also like to thank all the individuals and the corporates who were involved with the participants and made this win possible.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Dr. Manish Kumar, Managing Director and CEO, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), said, “ Congratulations to all the winners, especially to Aswatha Narayana, on winning India’s first gold medal. I thank the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, state governments and industry leaders for their support to Worldskills and providing candidates with the opportunities to excel in this competition. Special thanks to Mr. Sanjib Rout and his team at the CV Raman Institute, Odisha, for the role they played as an institution in bringing home the first gold medal for India. It is my hope that more institutions will come forward to support the next round of Worldskills competitions.”

Experts of the winners and the participants were an integral part of the competition and continued supporting the contenders in their respective skills. They played a critical role in Team India’s win and to achieve this milestone would not have been possible without their devoted involvement. S Aswatha Narayana who won Gold in Water Technology was trained by Rajat Kumar Samantaray, Professor, CV Raman Institute, Bhubaneswar, Pranav Nutalapati who won Silver in Web Technologies was trained by Ruchi Pareek, Technical Director, Smalt & Beryl, Sanjoy Pramanik won Bronze in Jewellery and was trained by Anupam Karmakar, Creative Head, Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers and Shweta Ratanpura who won Bronze in Graphic Designing, was trained by Narayanan Sathish, Founder, Design Media, Pune. 

Russian Helicopters and Gazprombank Leasing Signed a Contract to Supply 10 Mi-8AMT for Norilsk Avia

During the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2019, Russian Helicopters Holding Company (part of RostecState Corporation), Gazprombank Leasing and Norilsk Avia(part of Norilsk Nickel group) signed a contract to supply 10 multipurpose Mi-8AMT helicopters.

The helicopters are to be built at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, which is part of Russian Helicopters Holding Company. The rotorcraft are scheduled for delivery in 2020-2024.

"It's the first time that we signed a lease agreement with Gazprombank Leasing, and we are very excited about it. We look forward to a long and fruitful cooperation," noted Director Generalof Russian Helicopters Holding Company Andrey Boginsky. "The first two Mi-8AMT will be delivered to Norilsk next March and will join the Norilsk Avia fleet. Mi-8AMT are great machines belonging to the famous Mi-8/17 family. They are equipped with modern avionics and are perfectly suited for operating in harsh climatic conditions of the Far North, from Taimyr tundra to the islands of the Arctic Ocean."

"We are pleased to contribute to the development of transport infrastructure of the country and, in particular, the establishment of helicopter service in remote areas, where other forms of transportation proved to be unprofitable. I am sure that the Russian Helicopters' machines, which are well proven in the harsh operating conditions, will significantly improve the quality of passenger service," said Alexey Belous, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprombank Management Board. "To update the fleet, Norilsk Avia has chosen a convenient tool, that is, leasing, the use of which becomes even more profitable in combination with targeted subsidy programs of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. For Gazprombank, this transaction has become the first one at thehelicopters leasing market, and we plan to continue developing this promising direction."

"Norilsk Avia is the only helicopter company on the Taimyr Peninsula that is able to meet the region's needs in aviation services. Today the carrier operates helicopters of the Mi-8 type, which not only provide transportation for production needs of the company, but are used for rapid response to emergencies, and perform an important social function providing sanitary flights and passenger transportation of the Far North natives to remote settlements," said Norilsk Nickel State Secretary and Vice-President Dmitry Pristanskov. "New helicopters will allow Norilsk Avia to upgrade the existing aircraft fleet, average age of the machines in which is 32 years. For Norilsk Nickel, it is a contribution to improving transportation safety in the Far North conditions and a more robust sustainable production of all group's enterprises".

Mi-8AMT is a modern middle-class helicopter with improved performance, created on the basis of Mi-8T. Its design falls back on a vast experience of operating Mi-8 helicopters in Russia and abroad. Mi-8AMT has a more powerful power unit, modified avionics and a number of design changes.

Mi-8AMT is fitted with TV3-117VM engines and enhanced transmission. AMS-Indicator, working with GPS and GLONASSpositioning systems, provides for the helicopter's reliable navigation. The helicopter can transport up to 23 passengers and cargo weighing up to 4 tonnes inside the cargo cabin or on external sling. The capabilities of Mi-8AMT are constantly expanding due to ongoing modernization. It allows the helicopter to effectively address increasingly complex and diverse challenges in the most demanding climate and weather conditions.

JSC “Russian Helicopters”, a part of Rostec State Corporation, is a leading player in the global helicopter industry, the sole Russian designer and manufacturer of helicopters. The Holding Company was established in 2007 and is headquartered in Moscow. We operate five helicopter assembly plants, two design bureaus, component production and maintenance enterprises, aircraft repair plants and one helicopter service company providing after-sales support in Russia and abroad. The customers of the Holding Company are the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Home Affairs, EMERCOM of Russia, and other state customers, Gazpromavia, UTair Aviation company, large Russian and foreign companies.

State Corporation Rostec is one of the largest industrial companies in Russia. It unites more than 800 scientific and industrial organizations in 60 regions of the country. Its key areas of activity are transport engineering, electronics, medical technology, chemistry and innovative materials. Rostec holdings form three clusters: electronics, weapons and aviation. The corporation’s portfolio includes such well-known brands as AvtoVAZ, KAMAZ, Kalashnikov, Russian Helicopters, Uralvagonzavod and others. Rostec is active in the implementation of all 12 national projects. The company is a key provider of Smart City technology, it is engaged in the digitalization of public administration, industry and social sectors, and it is developing plans for the development of 5G wireless technologies, an Industrial Internet of Things, big data and blockchain systems. Rostec partners with leading world manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, Daimler, Pirelli and Renault. The corporation’s products are delivered to more than 100 countries worldwide. Almost a third of the company's revenue comes from the export of high-tech products.

Karnataka International Travel Expo 2019 Concludes on a High Note

Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, and Karnataka Tourism Society jointly hosted the inaugural edition of ‘Karnataka International Travel Expo’. The event was held from 25 – 27 August 2019 and had participation from over 400 registered buyers and media personnel from 30 countries.

The KITE event was inaugurated by Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri B.S. Yediyurappa on 26th August 2019 at The LaLiT Ashok Bengaluru. Inaugurating the event, Sri.B.S. Yediyurappa said “Karnataka has immense potential to become a world-class, destination, and we in Karnataka are supporting the efforts of the tourism department to market the State globally. The vision for Karnataka Tourism is to increase the sector’s GSDP Contribution to 20% by 2025 and provide direct and indirect employment to 65 lakh people through tourism”.

The chief goal of the KITE expo was to showcase Karnataka Tourism to the world and increase the overall size of the State’s tourism sector. The event has facilitated approximately 10,000 B2B Meetings to bring together International and Indian buyers and sellers, showcasing the best of Karnataka and creating an opportunity for visitors to get first-hand exposure to the various tourism products of Karnataka. The B2B Meetings have the potential to offer immense business opportunities for the tourism industry in Karnataka. Many tourism industry players of Karnataka who participated in the event have expressed their satisfaction with the overwhelming response.

Key Features of KITE 2019:

* One of India’s biggest Hosted Buyer Travel Event
* The first time such an event has been held in Karnataka, making it the sixth state of India
to successfully host such an event
* More than 10,000 B2B meetings between tourism stakeholders for Karnataka over 2 days
* Participation of over 300 Buyers from 30 countries
* Over 100 Exhibitors representing various destinations and marquee products of Karnataka
Coverage from over 40 media representatives and bloggers, including 17 representatives from international markets
* Over 15 different tourism segments of Karnataka including Heritage, Wildlife, Adventure, Coastal, Spiritual, Ecotourism, Wellness, and Meetings & Conferences were showcased
* Familiarisation Tours showcasing major destinations of Karnataka will be conducted before and after the KITE event. * Prominent destinations covered include Hampi, Coorg, Kabini, Mysore, Chikmagalur, Vijayapura, Badami and Pattadakal among several others
* Karnataka Tourism Society comprising stakeholders from various industry associations provided complimentary hotel stay of over 700 room nights to support the pre-event and post-event Familiarisation Tours to showcase the state.

Godrej Security Solutions Launches a Pan India Break-in Challenge

A recent study commissioned by Godrej Security Solutions revealed that 46% of residents of Bengaluru admit that their valuables have been stolen/misplaced from their homes in the past 12 months. In a pursuit to create a more secure environment at home, India’s leading security solutions brand, Godrej Security Solutions has launched a home security awareness campaign across 350 residential societies and corporates across India. The activation aims to educate over 10 lakh Indians across 15 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Bengaluru and Pune in the next two months.

The education program is a unique Break-in-challenge that encourages residents and professionals to attempt breaking open a home locker as against a locked wooden cupboard drawer. The break-in challenge was conceptualised basis the research insights that over 55% of Indians continue to store their valuables in cupboards or wardrobes despite the availability of more economical and safe options like home lockers. The residents were challenged to break open the unbreakable Godrej Home Locker for a reward prize of INR 1 Lakh.

Commenting on this initiative, Mehernosh Pithawalla, Group Head, Vice President and Global Head - Marketing, Sales & Innovation said, “Based on our recent study, India’s Security Solutions Quotient, we observed that one in every two residents in India continue to store their valuables in cupboards and wardrobes which are easily breakable. Thus, we wanted to inculcate the idea of adopting new-age home security solutions that can empower consumers and make them responsible towards their families and valuables. We are delighted with the participation shown by residents across the nation and believe that this initiative will drive the change towards security consciousness.”

As part of this activity, Godrej Security Solutions has also been educating residents about home security solutions like the usage of home cameras, video door phones, home lockers and home security alarm systems.  Godrej homes safe is 10X stronger than a wooden cupboard and designed for the new age millennials with latest security features such as biometric access and digital locks.

HealthHR 2019 - India’s First HealthHR Conference Explores Evolving Role of HR

CreativeSprout through Assimilate, in partnership with Medvarsity has organized India’s first Health HR conference in Hyderabad today which discussed, showcased, and acknowledged the power of HR in transforming India’s business market, especially Healthcare. The conference addressed some of the critical points on the roles of HR beyond hiring and managing employees. It acknowledged that HR roles also include administering and promoting the value of the company by improving the internal workplace environment, promoting the organisation’s value for stakeholders, and to be able to equip HR with the essential skills to manage and improve the modern workforce.

Eminent panelists at the event spoke on how to manage HR for the company’s growth, upskilling the workforce to compete with the dynamic market, the importance of continued learning for delivering excellence in the workplace, redefining the talent through engagement, and preparing millennials for tomorrow’s success. The engaging presentations and conversations included various topics such as driving Human capital valuation in mergers & acquisitions, reskilling for peak performance innovations in HR, leveraging technologies, and transforming industries by empowering the HR fraternity. While the primary focus was on the roles of HR in healthcare, the event also gave out some of the valuable insights into other business markets.

Some of the eminent speakers included Dr. Sangita Reddy: Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospital Group, Dr. Sriharsha Achar: CHRO - AHEL, (Col) Kannan Venkatnarayan: Member - Niti Aayog, Suresh Anubolu CHRO GVK Biosciences, Satish Rajarathnam: Sr VP HR Mphasis, Dr. Shailaja: Officer on Special Duty - Department of ITE&C, Government of Telangana and others.

Gerald Jaideep, Founder - CreativeSprout Media Pvt. Ltd. & CEO Medvarsity Online Ltd. added: “The grand success of the HealthHR Conference portrays the true potential of HR, the power of millennial workforce, and advancing technologies in driving the growth of healthcare and other industries in India. We were able to bring together some of the leading minds in Healthcare and HR and get them to share their insights, experiences and challenges with other HR professionals. The event also encouraged and rewarded the HR who are promoting next-gen solutions and startups who have come up with some of the excellent innovations to drive the growth of HR and other domains. With the healthcare industry growing to Rs. 8.6 trillion business over the next few years, strong HR leadership and practices will be fundamental to this.”

The event further felicitated the visionaries and innovators with awards and recognitions for their contribution to the HR industry other Visionary HR of the Year, Visionary Woman in HR of the Year, Best CHRO of the Year Award, Impact Award, Jury’s Favourite, and Top Innovator categories were the awards given out in different categories by recognising the visionaries of HR and startups.

The recent expansion of organisations into new domains and growing acquisitions have challenged the HR in hiring and managing the people for diverse organisational requirements. The event has addressed some of the critical issues faced by HR, ways to effectively handle the modern-day challenges, and also equipped the HR professionals with the optimal ways to enrich their knowledge to grow their careers and seize new opportunities. With many such activities, the HR professionals are about to bring a massive change and contribute to the success of Indian healthcare. 

Early Involvement of HR During M&A is Vital to its Success in India

By CM Appaya

The surge of mergers and acquisitions in India has helped propel organisations to achieve significant competitive advantage in the industry, whether it is across IT, telecom, BFSI or healthcare. Organisations world over concur that M&A is the fastest tactical preference for global players as well as for start-ups to rapidly scale up. A recent report by Thomson Reuters states that Indian M&A’s peaked at an all-time high in 2018 with deals worth $125 billion, which presents a positive narrative. However, it’s believed that nearly 75-80% of these mergers are unsuccessful, and one of the major reasons for it is the lacuna in the area of human resource management.

HR integration forms the greatest challenge in any M&A transaction. At the core of any merger and acquisition, a major contributor to its long-term success is the ‘People dynamics’. It’s important for organisations to take cognizance of the fact that not all employees would be open and favourable to the transition initially. This is where the human resources department can play a pivotal role, by ensuring seamless integration of employees of the merging organisations.

Some of the key areas where HR can play an important role during a merger and acquisition (M&A) include:

Cultural integration: Cultural integration is not just a leading cause of an M&A failure, but it’s also an indirect driver for a significant number of other causes, such as stalled integration, retention of key employees, productivity or talent attraction. Failure to do so may even adversely affect the primary objectives behind the merger or acquisition in the first place.

Leadership management: While it isn’t plausible in an M&A deal to ensure that the demands of each and every member of top management of the merged organisations are met; adequate care must be taken in order to ensure the key talent is retained and other aspects including changing roles and downsizing must be handled promptly, efficiently but with caution.

Handling redundancies: Mergers and acquisitions might result in employee dissatisfaction is some cases, as organisations that come together often have very different working roles, compensation packages etc. The onus lies with the HR to handle redundancies due to similar work profiles and successfully retain talented employees who would be an asset to the organisation.

Compensation and benefit programs: The HR should evaluate the compensation and benefit mechanisms that’s currently in place, in order to explore the possibility of a strain on the financial resources of the organisation due to pre-existing pension or medical insurance plans. They should also study the long-term consequences of continuing these policies for the organisation. It is suggested that a new employee benefits scheme be created and details of the same be shared with employees in order to dispel fears and doubts in their minds.

Active communication: Human resources department of the organisation must attempt to raise the morale of employees, as adapting to a new work environment is generally stressful and may even lead to a reduction in productivity levels. The concerns that the employees have must be promptly addressed by the HR in order to provide reassurance and maximum clarity. Poor communication can lead to a lack of trust and uncertainty regarding their job security, resulting in higher attrition rates and lowering the overall productivity levels within the organisation. Transparency in the decision-making process and regular communication during the ambiguous period is integral to maintaining employee confidence and satisfaction.

Monitor progress post-merger: The progress made by the company, post the merger must be routinely evaluated. This may include factors such as revenue, productivity levels, employee performance etc. Seeking third party assistance to handle M&A deals is often advisable as it saves crucial business time and resources and eases the transition process for all parties involved.

In summary, while M&A deals are integral to the long-term growth of an organisation, failure to involve the HR early on could be detrimental. Hence, early involvement would enable the HR team to strategize better and plan out specific objectives and decisions regarding merging companies.

The writer is Head – HR, Synergy Property Development Services, a leading Project Management Consultancy firm.

Tata Trusts and Titan Company Limited Join Hands to Support Flood Affected Victims in North Karnataka

A team from Tata Trusts in association with Kalike, Titan Company Limited and other Tata companies in Karnataka joined hands to extend immediate relief to the flood affected victims in Belagavi and nearby affected areas. Over the past fortnight, the team interacted and worked closely with the Government to ensure immediate relief in the form of portable drinking water (over 3 L litres)  ,counselling support and also a full-fledged family relief kits to the tune of Rs 6000 per kit which would help restoring  their rehabilitation. The kits are being extended to over 800 families covering Shinglapur, Lolasur, Adibatti  (Gokak Taluk) and Musuguppi ( Mudalagi Taluk) of Belagavi District

During this period, besides Tata Trusts, Titan Company and fellow volunteers from Tata Companies,  Kalike ( an associate organisation of Tata Trusts) participated in interacting with the villagers providing them both moral support and counselling to restore their livelihood.  The Deputy Commissioner, local panchayat and the villagers provided excellent ground support in terms of distribution of the relief material.

Mr. D. Shivakumar, Executive Director Kalike says, “We were able to put in our efforts along with Tata Trusts, Titan and other Tata companies over the past few days to do our bit for the relief work along with the Government”.

Mr. N E Sridhar, AVP & Head - CSR, Titan Company Ltd, said that “In this “one Tata” effort towards the relief materials cost to the tune of over Rs 60 L, we are sure we will be able to address the need of the affected community.

Hyperlocal Job Search App, EZJobs Launches Unique Guerilla Marketing Challenge with Price Money of Rs 1 Lakh

EZJobs, a mobile-first platform connecting employees and candidates for local, part-time and seasonal jobs has taken an innovative approach to arrive at an impactful marketing plan. The company is conducting a nationwide contest among management students from top B-Schools. Students participating in the EZJobs Guerilla Marketing Challenge (EGMC) make teams of 3 to 5 and prepare a guerilla marketing plan for EZJobs.

Commenting on the necessity for unconventional marketing for startups, the Prime Minister (#primeminister) of EZJobs, Krishna Vemuri, recently stated, “The conventional marketing plans won’t work in the jungle of Appstores and Playstore, where there are millions of APPs. Startups need Guerilla Marketing techniques to win in the jungle! This unique contest brings about the enthusiasm in the students to think differently through various aspects of marketing.”

The #PrimeMinister also added, “The winners and runners-up take away combined prizes of Rupees Hundred & Fifty Thousand. Apart from this, all the participants can launch themselves into high-flying careers in marketing and advertising. EZJobs may fund the best teams to execute the marketing plan, apart from offering them jobs with stock options.”

Deputy Prime Minister, #DeputyPrimeMinister Jyoti Vazirani issued the following, “We select 20 finalists from the contestants and they will present their Guerilla Marketing Challenge Pitches to the audiences and eminent judges in a day long event dedicated to #startups #marketing to be held at T-HUB, Gachibowli, Hyderabad on 29th September 2019”.

Information Technology Minister, Priyadarshan Patil spoke about the key features of the EZJobs app, “We have designed the app for individuals job finders, as well as the SMEs to recruit easily through chats. We will be adding features to help big enterprises to recruit for small jobs easily”.

Digital Marketing Minister Dev Gupta, added, “We have been successfully getting good traction for the app. We have reached 25K downloads in 4 weeks time and topped out at 30K in 5 weeks. We are planning to cross the 1 Million mark by the end of the financial year, and be up and running on our way to generating revenue.”

Home Minister, Goutam Auknoor confirmed that the pitch event is on 29th September and is being attended by eminent judges/speakers, such as Naresh Kheterpal, CEO, Span Communications, Shalem Raju, Public-Private Partnership Expert at Government of Andhra Pradesh and Pradeep Dhobale, Director and Operating Partner, Springforth Investment Managers and Dr. Sriram Birudavolu, CEO - Cyber Security Centre of Excellence DSCI. 

upGrad & Sourcing Adda Come Together to Host 300+ HR & Talent Acquisition Professionals at #TASCON19 in Bengaluru

upGrad and Sourcing Adda joined hands for the very first time to facilitate a unique gathering of three hundred plus HR and Talent acquisition professionals along with 120 -140 unique companies in Bengaluru today. Aimed at highlighting the latest trends, best practices and strategies in Talent Sourcing & Recruitment, it was a curated platform for industry professionals to network with thought leaders and like-minded individuals.

Like in 2018, talent acquisition remains a critical issue in 2019 too. For the second year in a row, employers responding to a Mettl survey have indicated that ‘finding quality talent’ is one problem they are most struggling with. The bid for competent and experienced employees has become a serious challenge for Indian organizations. Where 100% of small organizations are facing difficulty in getting top talent, mid-size or large-size companies are not left behind. Adapting technology to meet the growing changes in the workforce can assist businesses better recruit, retain and manage their human capital well.

While Ronnie Screwvala, co-founder & chairman at upGrad was the keynote speaker at the event, many noteworthy HR industry leaders like Aalok Purohit, Director - University Relations and Campus Branding – APAC, Optum; Aadil Bandukwala, Belong’s Outbound Hiring Evangelist; Taruna Reddy, Director Talent Acquisition, Publicis Sapient; Anuradha Vellal, National Head, Talent Attraction & Employer Branding, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages; Padma Bhamidipati, Head - Education Branding and Learner Engagement, Infosys and others participated in discussions and shared their views as well.

During his keynote address Mr. Screwvala said, “Given the paradigm shift in the talent landscape today, the past has become irrelevant when it comes to the future of talent recruitment. There were and will always be inherent risk associated with recruitment, but one must understand that the rewards of right recruitment are monumental – the right people, leveraging the right technology can bring in scale. ”

‘Pros and cons of leveraging AI / ML in recruitment’, ‘The New Wave of Talent Engagement and Attraction’, were some of the topics that were touched upon through the course of the event. The event also witnessed international speaker Chris Murdock, Chief Sourcing Officer and Co-Founder, IQTalent Partners, Inc.  shared his thoughts on ‘Remaining Human in a World Powered by AI-Enabled Technology’. Yusuf Pathan, Founder, Key Resourcing, SourcePRO & Sourcing Adda closing the event said, “It may sound like a massive cliché, but it’s a fact that digital is disrupting recruitment. Technologies like AI and ML will bring efficiencies but cannot not take away a recruiter’s job because the human judgement will be the final decisive factor.”

With over 4K mentions, the event was seen trending on Twitter all day long.

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance and Syndicate Bank Enter Strategic Partnership for Comprehensive Life Insurance Solutions

Bajaj Allianz Life, one of the country’s leading life insurance companies, entered into a corporate agency partnership with Syndicate Bank, one of the leading public sector banks of India, to offer life insurance solutions to the Bank’s customers. With this partnership, Bajaj Allianz Life becomes the first non-bank promoted insurer to partner with Syndicate Bank.

The strategic partnership (corporate agency) agreement was signed between Bajaj Allianz Life and Syndicate Bank in Bengaluru, today.

Through this partnership, Syndicate Bank will provide Bajaj Allianz Life’s value-packed life insurance solutions to its customer and enable them to achieve their life goals in a planned manner. Bajaj Allianz Life through its affordable and new-age life insurance solutions will empower the Bank’s new and existing customers to avail the living benefits of life insurance. The insurer’s products will be available at the Bank’s 4,100+ branch offices spread across 28 states and 9 union territories of India.

Speaking about the partnership, Mr. Tarun Chugh, MD and CEO, Bajaj Allianz Life said, “We are pleased to partner with Syndicate Bank, one of the oldest banks of the country. I am confident that our new age products and services will enable many customers of the bank meet their life insurance needs in an effective manner. Our tech-enabled servicing solutions will empower Bank employees to engage with their customers on need analysis basis and thereby provide the right life insurance product to meet customers’ life goals. This collaboration is noteworthy for us, as Syndicate Bank will help our value packed life insurance solutions reach many more people in the country and play a key role in helping them achieve their life goals. Bajaj Allianz Life and I look forward to a long-term and meaningful partnership with the Bank.”

Mr. Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, MD and CEO, Syndicate Bank said “This partnership is in line with our endeavour to expand our financial services portfolio and provide our customers with all the required investment and protection products and services across their life cycle. This, in addition to our technology driven banking solutions, will ensure customer delight on one hand and shore up our fee income on the other. We welcome Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance as our strategic partners and look forward to a long-term association.” 

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Under this partnership, Bajaj Allianz Life will make available all its retail and group products to the Bank’s customers, including Savings, Retirement, Investment, Protection, Critical Illness and Group Credit Protection life insurance products to enable the Bank’s customers achieve their life goals. These life goals may range from financially securing the future of their family, or investing towards a long term financial goal or enabling them to better manage expenses related to critical illnesses.

As Syndicate Bank customers, one can invest towards their life goals through Bajaj Allianz Life by simply walking into their nearest Syndicate Bank branch or calling their relationship manager of the Bank or by logging through Online mode.

Now, Book an Ola Directly from the Kotak Mobile Banking App

Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) and Ola - one of the world’s largest ride-hailing platforms, today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership that will enable Kotak customers to directly book Ola cabs and autos across 150 cities in India from within the Kotak mobile banking app.

The API integration - the first such implementation in the Indian banking industry - provides a faster, more secure and one-click check-out experience seamlessly to its customers. Customers can directly book, track and pay for Ola rides through their Kotak mobile banking app, without having to shuffle between apps. The integration enables customers to book an Ola ride under the ‘KayMall’ tab in the Kotak app, using their Kotak customer credentials.

Deepak Sharma, Chief Digital Officer, Kotak Mahindra Bank said, “The Kotak mobile banking app is one of the highest rated banking apps in the country. It is a super app that combines the best of banking and lifestyle use cases such as travel, hotel bookings and shopping. Urban mobility is an important part of our full suite of travel offerings and with this partnership with Ola, our customers can now book a ride with a secure and seamless one-click payment experience. The Kotak super app eliminates the need to download multiple apps and provides a wider choice of products and services, helping us deepen engagement with our customers.”

Rahul Maroli, Vice President - Enterprise Business & Strategic Alliances, Ola said, “Improving the customer’s experience is a constant focus at Ola and strategic partnerships play a significant role in accelerating such efforts. Integration of services empowers the customer, making their lives convenient. Through our partnership with Kotak, the two brands will capitalise on each other’s technological strengths to offer a wonderful experience to our consumers.”

With this partnership, Kotak users will have access to Ola’s multi-modal commuting offerings, from pocket-friendly options such as Ola Auto, Micro and Mini to premium and distinct categories such as Ola Prime, Ola Prime Play, Ola Prime SUV, Ola Rentals and Ola Outstation.

The Ola in-app integration is currently available to Android users and will shortly be available on the iOS operating system as well. Booking an Ola ride on Kotak’s mobile banking app will not attract any additional charges and Kotak customers will also be able to avail special offers.

This initiative is part of Kotak’s digital-first organic growth strategy that is driven by its ABCD charter that focuses on -- AI enriched App, Biometric enabled Branch, Context enhanced Customer Experience and Data empowered Design.

As a part of Kotak’s digital banking strategy and in its journey towards becoming a one-stop super app, Kotak has been expanding the scope of offerings on its mobile banking app. ‘KayMall’ on the mobile banking app offers customers a secure and convenient in-app shopping environment across a range of categories such as travel (flight, train, bus and cab bookings), hotel bookings, shopping on e-commerce websites and magazine subscriptions.

Honda 2Wheelers India Donates Rs 1 Crore for Flood Relief in Karnataka

Strengthening its commitment to strive to be a company the society wants to exist, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd., today donated Rs 1 crore towards the relief & recovery efforts for Karnataka post the devastation caused by torrential rains and the flood crisis in the state.

The contribution is aimed at providing relief and rehabilitation for affected people and reconstruction of areas devastated by the floods that hit the state in August.

Cheque amounting to Rs 1 crore was handed over to Sh. B. S. Yediyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka towards the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority for Rehabilitation & Reconstruction in Bengaluru.

Official statement of Honda 2Wheelers India: “Honda family expresses our deepest empathy to all the affected people of Karnataka who lost their dear ones, their homes and their livelihoods in this colossal calamity. As a socially responsible corporate, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. is committed to contribute in restoration of the devastated infrastructure and helping rebuild lives of the affected people. Honda is at the forefront to provide all kind of possible support to Karnataka dealers and customers.”

Dr. Pandey Makes a Strong Case for India as the Next Skilling Hub

Urging ministers and representatives from 40 nations to make the most of a global platform aimed of youth displaying their skills across trades, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), said it is critical for governments and industry to come together to turn skilling into a ladder for economic growth for all countries. He said that nations can leverage from India’s demographic dividend and India’s youth can contribute to their growth and development. Dr. Pandey was addressing a summit of ministers from different countries at Kazan, Russia, where the WorldSkills International Competitions, a biennial event, is underway. A 48-member Indian team is participating in the competition played out over six days across trades like namely mobile robotics, prototype modelling, hairdressing, baking, confectionary & patisserie, welding, brick laying, car painting, floristry, etc.

Addressing an audience comprising government representatives of 40 other countries at a Ministers’ Summit organised along the side lines of the competition, Dr. Pandey said India is making all efforts necessary to utilise the potential of its unique demographic dividend. “India is a young nation with the median age of 27.6 years. We will have the largest working population during 2022-2034. We have adapted global standards of skilling to strengthen the young workforce with competent skills,” he said. “We have undertaken several initiatives to provide opportunities for the workforce, including prominent international recruitments to enhance their skill level.”

Participants at the Ministers’ Summit included Ms. Tatyana Golikova, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation; Ms. Olga Vasilyeva, Minister of Education of the Russian Federation; Mr. Jos de Goey, Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Chair of the Strategic Development Committee at WorldSkills International; Mr. Tang Tao, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, People’s Republic of China, among others.

Making a strong case for India as the next skilling hub, Dr. Pandey said, “Currently, 10 million Indian youth enter the workforce every year. Upskilling and increasing industry interface to provide access to multiple skilling opportunities in a short time frame is critical. India has adopted accelerated modular competency-based programs of 200-600 hours duration aimed at enhancing the employability of youth coming out of these programs. We are also laying emphasis on industry-led apprenticeship programs so youth directly entering the labour market are trained on in-house bridge courses by industry.”

Dr. Pandey stressed that a fruitful partnership between Government, industry and academia is essential to synergize the skills and zeal of the youth.

India has collaborated with several countries to ensure a young workforce is exposed to international best practices and different working environments. In October 2017, MSDE signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Japan to initiate the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) facilitating Indian workers to gain experience and learn from their peers in the country. TITP promotes international collaboration through transfer of skills, technology and knowledge among countries, contributing towards human resource development. NSDC has also collaborated with the Emirates Driving Institute (EDI) in the UAE. Besides setting up driver training institutes in India, the partnership also aims to address the need for quality drivers in the UAE and other countries in the Middle East.

Dr Pandey also inaugurated Skill India Pavilion at WorldSkills, Kazan in Russia, showcasing the multicultural experiences of India and unity in diversity which is the beauty of our nation. Skill development will further strengthen the bilateral relations between India and Russia.