Star India Announces ‘Tyohar Ka Upahar’, a Special Festive Offer for its a-La-Carte Channels

In keeping with the festive spirit, Star India announces ‘Tyohar ka Upahar’, a promotional offer for its 16 a-la-carte channels including its popular channels -- Star Plus, Maa TV, Star Jalsha, Vijay, Asianet and Hungama TV. The festive offer prices will be available with immediate effect.

“The Star network is known to offer best-in-class content inspiring a billion imaginations, making us a household name today,” said Sanjay Gupta, Country Manager, Star and Disney India. “With this promotional offer for the festive season, we hope to spread even more cheer and get more families to experience and engage with our varied entertainment offerings,” he added.

Viewers can enjoy an exciting content line-up across the network including ‘Nach Baliye’ finale, ‘Yehh jadu hai jinn ka!’, ‘TED Talks India Nayi Baat’, ‘Dance Plus’ on Star Plus,  ‘Manasi Chi Choodo’ along with the World TV premiere of ‘Vinaya Vidheya Rama’, ‘Bigg Boss Telugu’ finale, ‘Sixth Sense’ on Maa TV, ‘Sreemoyee’, ‘Dance Dance Junior’ and ‘Mohor’ on Star Jalsha, ‘Kaatrin Mozhi’, ‘Thazampoo’ and ‘The Wall’ on Vijay, the World TV premiere of ‘Ambili’ and ‘Vanambaadi’  on Asianet, and ‘Upin & Ipin- new season, ‘Selfie with Bajrangi’- new season, ‘Shinchan’- new season and movie premier ‘Pokemon – Arceus Aur Jeevan ka Jewel’ on Hungama TV to name a few.

BIBA Expands Retail Footprint with 25 Stores in Bengaluru and Another 10 in Karnataka

Highlights

* BIBA spreads across geographies and touches 278 stores in 110 cities across 26 states
* The Brand continues with designer tie ups to offer innovation to its portfolio
* Successfully expands into standalone retail format for BIBA Girls and adds BIBA Jewellery to its portfolio

BIBA, the leading pan-India ethnic label, achieved a landmark in its retail journey as it touched 25 stores in Bengaluru city alone with another 10 in other parts of Karnataka, taking a total retail count to 83 stores in Southern India.

The largest and the newest flagship store of the brand is situated at Jayanagar and is spread across 2300 Sqft in the city. To celebrate the brands retail journey and add festive excitement to its extensive portfolio the brand announced the “BIBA by Anju Modi “collection with the acclaimed designer Ms Anju Modi. 

Ms. Anju Modi is the award winning Bollywood designer who’s known for her rich ethnic designs and  has designed outfits for some of the  biggest movies such as “Bajirao Mastani “ and “Ram Leela”. BIBA By Anju Modi is targeted at those consumers who are looking at designer designs and styles at smart pricing. The range starts from Rs.5995 and goes upto to Rs. 29,950.     

Since inception, BIBA’s journey has been a fascinating one. The brand has managed to evolve and innovate with its offerings, styles and digital communications. In 2011, taking a cue from the highly unorganised kids ethnic segment, BIBA launched a standalone dedicated line‘ BIBA Girls’; a vertical which caters to the ethnic apparel requirements for kids aged 2-15 years.

Today, BIBA Girls is available across 255 stores, along with being available through a shop in shop format in56 stores. The evolution did not stop with apparel as in 2017, BIBA successfully steered itself into launching a fashion jewellery line ‘BIBA Jewellery’ which has been launched in metro cites and so far is doing extremely well.

Commenting on retail growth, Mr. Siddharath Bindra, Managing Director, BIBA said, “BIBA as a brand has grown with its consumers and has kept its consumer’s needs very close to its heart. We are extremely excited to reach a count of 25 stores in Bangalore and would like to thank all our patrons for helping us reach this milestone and giving us such a great response. It’s an honour to be in Bangalore and to launch the Biba by Anju Modi collection which is our new offering for the festive season. Constant innovation and providing the best in style and quality to our customers is our endeavour at Biba.”

Over the last few years, BIBA has been adding layers to its portfolio by tying up with designers such as Rohit Bal, Manish Arora and recently launched an Indie Mickey range.

‘BIBA by Anju Modi’ is a fine amalgamation of Anju Modi’s signature design sensibility married into BIBA’s ethnic brand lineage which is a great combination  for the upcoming festive season. The range comprises of metallic and floral prints, intricate hand embroidery and fine zari work on pure fine fabrics like silk, chanderi, velvet and modal. 

Speaking on the association, Anju Modi said, “Working with BIBA has been great- as this association has allowed me to showcase my designs across the massive retail network of Brand BIBA. BIBA enjoys a great geographical spread and this partnership allows many more people to experience my designs and a good quality product. I am really excited and looking forward to a fruitful and a meaningful association going forward.”   

Tata Motors Announces Countrywide Customer Dialogue Programme and Service Campaigns

Key Highlights:

* Initiated the Grahak Samvaad Campaign to apprise customers about the 30+ initiatives for an enhanced after sales experience from 10th to 21st October.
* Celebrating “National Customer Care Day” on 23rd October where in customers and channel partners are greeted and felicitated for association with company.
* Grahak Seva Mahotsav, a free service check-up campaign will be organized from 4th – 11th November across 1500+ dealer & Tata Authorized Service Stations (TASS) in India.

Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle player, is set to organize Grahak Samvaad campaign, exclusively for Tata Motors’ commercial vehicle customers between 10th to 21st of October. During this period Tata Motors employee will engage with customers and fleet owners to update them on the various initiatives company has taken for enhancement of customer experience. The team will also collect feedback form customers on their experience and expectations.

Grahak Samvaad will be followed by celebrations of “National Customer Care Day” on 23rd October. Tata Motors CVBU division celebrates National Customer Care day on 23rd October every year to commemorate the day the company got its first customer. On this day the 1st truck rolled out from its Jamshedpur plant in 1954. Associated channel partners staff and customers are felicitated by company for their long association and contribution.

Grahak Seva Mahotsav, a countrywide free service camp is also being organized for Tata Motors’ commercial vehicle owners. This unique customer centric initiative will take place across 1500+ Tata Motors authorized workshops between 4th November and 11th November 2019. At this service camp, commercial vehicle owners will be able to avail attractive discounts on spare parts & labour. The Grahak Seva Mahotsav conducted last year received an overwhelming response with over 1.5 lac customers visiting the camp.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Ramki Ramakrishnan, Global Head Customer Care, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors Limited, said, “The trucking industry plays a major role in keeping a country’s economy moving. As the largest commercial vehicle brand, it is our responsibility to make sure our customers are provided with top quality products and hassle-free experience. The Grahak Samvaad initiative coupled with Grahak Seva Mahotsav is a perfect opportunity for CV customers and fleet owners to ensure smooth functioning of their vehicle along with complete peace of mind to the driver. The success of these initiatives over the years have been extremely instrumental for us in developing fine products while providing world-class customer service. Through the unique initiative of Sampoorna Seva, we hope to deploy top quality customer experience and convenience across our network partners.”

The company aims to achieve complete customer satisfaction and sustain it throughout the life cycle of the vehicle. To achieve this, Tata Motors has launched a revamped version of Sampoorna Seva 2.0, a comprehensive and complete solution for the maintenance and smooth functioning of the vehicles. This umbrella of after-sales services include maintenance, all type of repairs along with highway support or any breakdown which is attended to through dealers/ Tata Motors Authorised Service Stations (TASS) network free of cost.

Zendesk Delivers the Future of Conversational Business With Sunshine Conversations on API-based Platform

Zendesk, Inc. has announced Sunshine Conversations, an API-based platform that allows businesses to integrate messaging via today’s most popular social channels and directly interact and transact with customers. Additionally, developers can build messaging into their own apps and services to ensure that customers can engage with companies over websites, social channels and private in-app messaging.

With Sunshine Conversations, companies can also unify conversations across every digital channel to ensure that key business functions such as sales, service, and marketing have the context needed to align on and conduct follow-up.

“Messaging is evolving from a simple communication channel into a new interface for businesses to connect, engage, and transact with customers,” said Warren Levitan, Vice President of Conversational Business at Zendesk. “We're excited to power the future of conversational   business in which companies can extend traditional support and sales conversations into rich and interactive messaging experiences.”

Sunshine Conversations is part of Zendesk’s open and flexible CRM platform, Zendesk Sunshine, which helps businesses connect customer data in order  to  deliver  the  best  customer experiences. Launched in November 2018 and native to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Sunshine allows companies to integrate and understand all their customer data, wherever it lives, and gives developers the ability to build and deploy customer apps and services faster.

According to Gartner, "By 2022, 70% of customer interactions will involve emerging technologies such as machine learning applications, chatbots and

mobile messaging, up from 15% in 2018.” Sunshine Conversations allows businesses to maintain one continuous conversation while engaging on every channel, including popular messengers such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, LINE, WeChat, Telegram, Twitter DM, Viber, Kakao   Talk, SMS text, RCS, and through native web, iOS and Android apps. The platform allows businesses to elevate their communication beyond texting to engage with customers, including:

●         Integrating bots and AI services to deliver personalized interactions and seamlessly hand-off conversations between bots and humans.
●         Building rich, interactive conversational experiences like browsing products, booking reservations and making payments directly within the messaging interface.
●         Sharing conversational data across the business so everyone has complete customer context to serve customers better.

“At Four Seasons, our people are the most important element of the guest experience. We therefore look to leverage technology in a way that lets us get more personal,” said Marco

Trecroce, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Four Seasons. “When it came to building a global messaging solution that would connect guests with our colleagues on property, we wanted to ensure that our guests had the ability to message us on their preferred channel   and in their preferred language. Sunshine Conversations was the only platform that met all of our global requirements, and allowed us to provide a truly personalized service that is safe and secure.”

Beyond social channels, Sunshine Conversations’ SDKs make it possible for modern messaging   to be customized and integrated natively into businesses’ websites and mobile apps for a truly tailored brand experience. For example, Sunshine Conversations  allows  businesses  to seamlessly transfer conversations from the web to any mobile messaging channel in order to meet the customer where they are, while retaining all context in one continuous conversation.

Columbia Pacific Communities Wins Gold for Best Website Content in Real Estate at India Content Leadership Awards 2019

Columbia Pacific Communities, India’s largest independent senior living community operators bagged a gold award for the ‘Best website content in the real estate industry' category at the second edition of India Content Leadership (ICL) Awards and Conference 2019.

The ICL 2.0 awards acknowledges efforts by various brands in the content sections across industries. It is designed to promote content developers, trends, and exemplary work in the content field. The award was received by Basav Mukherjee, Chief Revenue Officer, Columbia Pacific Communities and Piali Dasgupta, Vice President Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities on October 4, 2019 in New Delhi.

The award-winning Columbia Pacific Communities’ website - www.columbiacommunities.in brings alive the concept of zest for life and positive ageing keeping true to its brand ethos. The website serves as an engagement platform that shatters various age related stereotypes.

With its recent digital campaign, #Relearn, it has set a benchmark for itself in breaking age related stereotypes. The Blog, which sits within the website, is a platform for and of the its 1600 residents to share their ideas, thoughts and experiences, thereby keeping them mentally agile and engaged.

Commenting on the website content strategy, Piali Dasgupta, Vice President Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, said, “The content on the website is a result of months of hard work, clutter breaking creativity and meticulous execution. The videos and static content on the website seamlessly integrate the brand's philosophy of positive ageing. The hand sketched imagery, our visual leitmotif, lends it an unmistakable charm. The huge number of repeat visitors on the website is an indication of the content appealing to our audience. Being recognised for daring to think out of the box is a special feeling. We are very proud to be receiving this award from industry stalwarts within four months of launching the website.”

On winning the glorious award, Basav Mukherjee, Chief Revenue Officer, Columbia Pacific Communities, said, “We are delighted to be recognised for our attempt at breaking stereotypes and for challenging the status quo. The concept and creative were a collaboration of the marketing team and our digital partner WAT Consult and it resonated with our audience. This recognition is an affirmation of our efforts at breaking age based stereotypes and we thank the jury.”

The engaging posts on the blog, all contributed by the residents, on interesting topics such as Listening versus Reading, Interesting facts on Cricket, and Unsung War Heroes. With time, the blog aims to grow into a platform for the residents to share their thoughts, experiences, stories and ideas with the world.

Columbia Pacific Communities is the largest independent senior living community operators in India and it has close to 1600 residences under management in 5 cities and 9 locations in south India. As a front runner in the senior living space, Columbia Pacific Communities is committed to providing world-class practices that exceed the expectations of its stakeholders.

The website acts as the face of the brand which stands for enthusiastic and active, positive ageing.

Arvind Smartspaces & HDFC Capital Set Up Rs 250 Crore Housing Platform

Arvind SmartSpaces Limited (“ASL”), a part of the Lalbhai group, headquartered in Ahmedabad, one of India's leading Real Estate development Company, announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with HDFC Capital Affordable Real Estate Fund 1    (H-CARE 1) – a fund managed by HDFC Capital Advisors Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of HDFC Ltd. The partnership will focus on the development of affordable and mid-income housing projects in India while ensuring quality and timely delivery of finished units. The proposed developments will be undertaken by a special purpose vehicle “Arvind Homes Private Limited” set up with an initial investment of Rs. 250 crores.

Ms. Renu Sud Karnad, Managing Director, HDFC Ltd, said “Housing remains a crucial need in India and the demand for affordable housing is expected to grow substantially with increased urbanisation. HDFC’s endeavour is to help address the demand-supply gap in affordable housing in India by providing flexible, long-term capital to leading developers across India. We are committed to partnering with developers like Arvind SmartSpaces who are aligned with our vision and values.”

Mr. Vipul Roongta, MD & CEO of HDFC Capital Advisors Limited added “Our partnership with Arvind SmartSpaces will focus on the development of high quality affordable and mid income housing in a cost-effective manner. This in line with HDFC Capital’s strategy of partnering with top rated developers with a good track record of development and delivery and a long-term view of affordable housing.”

Commenting on the strategic alliance, Mr. Sanjay Lalbhai Chairman Arvind SmartSpaces said “We are delighted to have this partnership which will help us boost growth and investments in new projects. We are confident that this joining of hands between the two most trusted names in Indian businesses will create long term value for all the stake holders.  The fresh long term funds being invested by HDFC Capital and Arvind bring in orbital change in the scale of operations and the new project pipe line of the company. It will also help us continue to build and consolidate on the legacy of trust and excellence that we are known for.’’

Mr. Kamal Singal, Managing Director and CEO of Arvind SmartSpaces added ‘’The proposed structure not only de-bottlenecks capitalization at the Company, it also has enough flexibility inbuilt to ensure that long-term patient capital is made available to the business without putting undue pressures on its balance-sheet to take care of short and medium business cycles”.

Trend Micro Announced Launch of Local Managed XDR Datacenter Service at CLOUDSEC India 2019

CLOUDSEC India 2019, hosted by Trend Micro Incorporated), attracted more than 750 business and technology leaders this year, making it the cybersecurity event of the year. With tectonic shifts in the technology landscape, “Hybrid Cloud Security and Evolution” and “Cross Generation Detection and Response” are seen as the key drivers that will define the future of cybersecurity; they are also the themes for this year. Experts opined that soon every company would become a technology company and every technology company would have to become a cybersecurity company, in order to successfully and securely navigate the digital transformation that’s underway.

At the event, Trend Micro also announced the launch of its local managed XDR datacenter service in India. While many customers are considering outsourcing complex security tasks to cybersecurity professionals, many are concerned about their sensitive data leaving the country. The local managed XDR datacenter service solves this data sovereignty issue.

Addressing the audience, Nilesh Jain, Vice President, Southeast Asia and India, Trend Micro said, “Today, data is collected and analyzed in silos, however what enterprises need is to collect and analyze data as a whole and be able to generate high-priority, actionable intelligence with context. To address this challenge, we recently launched our XDR solution that will be a gamechanger for the industry. Managed XDR is a great service for customers who have detection and response tools, but don’t have the required resources or skillsets to maximize them.”

Managed XDR is a 24/7 service for organizations that want to leverage the benefits of XDR and for organizations with security operations centers (SOCs) that may want additional detection and response support. Managed XDR seamlessly dovetails with Trend Micro’s overarching XDR strategy in FY2020.

He further added, “The engagement around cybersecurity is no longer limited to CISOs and CIOs. At Trend Micro, we have taken the engagement to the next level by speaking to the application team and the operations team. We are also looking at initiatives like community day to deepen our interactions with the DevOps professionals. Our top three priorities for India this year are to – first, focus on hybrid cloud customers who are looking to grow aggressively; second, build on existing customers including those who are sitting on the fence evaluating prospective options; and, finally, to recruit and grow our partner ecosystem.”

In India, Trend Micro has over 1,000 large enterprise customers deploying its enterprise security solution suite, which provides security across hybrid cloud, network, and endpoints. Currently, the company has a dominant presence across the government, BFSI, IT/ITeS, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and telecom verticals. Also, over 70% of nationalized banks in India use Trend Micro’s enterprise products. Earlier this year, they launched an industry-ready certification program in IT security (CPITS) initiative in India, which aims to groom the next generation of cybersecurity professionals within the industry.

Cine Actress Ragini Dwivedi Inaugurates ‘Asia Wedding Fair 2019’ From Oct 11-13 at JW Marriott Hotel

This October , experience the wedding & jewellery extravaganza in Bengaluru city from October 11-13th, 2019, 10.30 a.m to 8 p.m at JW Marriott Hotel,Bengaluru , near UB City.

The Grand Inauguration of Asia Wedding Fair 2019 was done by Ragini Dwivedi the Renowned Film Actress on 11th Oct 2019 at JW Marriott Hotel. Come and witness South India’s most opulent Wedding Expo- ‘Asia Wedding Fair 2019.’ From the best of Bridal jewellery, apparel ,Asia Wedding Fair ’19 offers the best of everything under one roof.

This Edition is a very Special one with Focus on Wedding Jewellery. The product profile consists of Bridal Jewellery,Couture,Ethnic, Bridal Trousseau, ,Traditional Jewellery, Precious  Stone & Pearl Jewellery, Wedding Accessories, Wedding Planners, Lifestyle refinements ,Bridal makeup, Wedding Gifts to name a few.

The Asia Wedding Fair is one of the biggest assortments of some of the top leading wedding essential brands under one roof.  The fair will also house some of the leading jewellery brands from across the country, that will include a dazzling array of International jewellery designs from top brands in the country.

On display are luxury brands from the apparel, Jewellery and wedding planning industry from Bangalore, New Delhi, Surat to name a few. Some of the popular names include:

Sri Ganesh Diamonds & Jewellery,Nikhaar Jewels,Ananya Jewels,Amrapali Jewels. Golden Jewells By Anand Shah,Samyakk ,Riya Kodali - Award Winning Celebrity Designer,Dagina Jewellers –Surat,Panchkesari Badera Jewellers,Kimaya’s Jewels –Delhi,Vitrag Jewels,Apranje Jewellers,Classy Captures.Prade Jewellery.

Jawa Motorcycles Announce “90th Anniversary Edition” Motorcycle

It was in 1929 when František Janeček laid the foundation of Jawa Motorcycles in the erstwhile Czechoslovakia and conceived the Jawa 500 OHV, the brand’s first motorcycle. To mark the 90th anniversary of this occasion, Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd. has introduced the Jawa ‘90th Anniversary Edition’ in India.

Based on the Jawa dual channel ABS variant, this motorcycle is a homage to the glorious beginnings of the brand in 1929. This edition will be limited to just 90 units and will feature a special 90th anniversary colour scheme inspired by the Jawa 500 OHV. Every motorcycle will also feature a 90th Anniversary commemorative emblem on the fuel tank along with its individual serial number.

Although there is no change in price over the regular Jawa dual channel ABS motorcycle, this limited edition that comes in a new shade of red and ivory, will be available for immediate delivery.

This limited-edition motorcycle will be available on display at Jawa dealerships from October 15th, 2019 for people to come and witness this piece of history. Customers who hold an active booking for the Jawa models and those who will make one before the midnight of October 22nd, 2019 will stand a chance to own this motorcycle. All they must do is specify their intent towards opting for a draw of lots for the allotment of this motorcycle at their nearest dealership. The customers will automatically go back to their original booking sequence and model if they are not selected in the draw. Once allotted, the motorcycles will be immediately dispatched to the customers at their respective locations.

The technical specifications of the motorcycle remain unchanged; it is powered by a 293cc, liquid cooled, single cylinder, DOHC engine nestled within a double cradle chassis that is tuned to bring out the superlative handling and class leading stability, making the new Jawa a true modern classic. The Jawa and Jawa forty two are priced at INR 1,64,000/- and INR 1,55,000/- respectively (ex-showroom, Delhi) and the Dual Channel ABS variants are available at INR 1,72,942/- & INR 1,63,942/- respectively. The motorcycles are manufactured at the company's Pithampur plant in Madhya Pradesh.

STL Signs MoU with CSC Academy to Skill Village-Level Entrepreneurs

Highlights

* STL to train 1,00,000 village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs) across 1,00,000 gram panchayats
* CSC to mobilize pool of VLEs and post training provide employment support at panchayat level

STL, a global data network solutions company, announced signing of a MoU with Common Services Centres (CSC) Academy to skill VLEs across the country in Optical Fibre Network. With India’s upcoming 5G roll out, need for a robust optical fibre network is critical than ever. To meet this need, the telecom industry requires highly- skilled fiber deployment specialists. STL and CSC aim to address this industry demand with their joint initiative.

STL formed STL Academy to create an ecosystem of highly skilled professionals for deploying and maintaining complex optical fibre networks. Under the MoU, STL Academy will conduct certified training program for VLEs registered with CSC. The program will train and skill 1,00,000 VLEs across 1,00,000 gram panchayats thereby making it the world’s largest training on Optical Fibre Network.

STL will conduct 2 pilot trainings at designated blocks in UP. The first training program launches this month and key highlights include:

o  Training will cover Optical Fibre cable joining and maintenance across underground and aerial, Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) hardware maintenance, and Wi-Fi access point’s maintenance

o  Training manuals in English and Hindi for easy understanding

o  Practical knowledge with site visits and workshops at block level on fibre optics and wireless network maintenance

The training program will happen in over 40 cities across the country and the target is to complete it in 180 days. Post training, CSC will provide employment or self-employed support to all VLEs at panchayat level.

“The current requirement of Indian telecom sector is to have a strong optical fibre backbone to carry large amount of data. To meet these needs we need skilled workforce that can manage end-to-end optical fibre network.” mentioned Anjali Byce, CHRO, STL. Remarking on the MoU, she added, “We are delighted to partner with CSC Academy to train and skill VLEs, and provide them with an opportunity for growth. This will further support the telecom industry in getting right talent and will boost the economy.”

CSC has been highly invested in making this a success. Emphasizing this, CSC spokesperson Sri Dinesh Tyagi CEO CSC e governance Services Ltd said, “CSC Academy aims at providing professional training to learners from diverse backgrounds and with educational needs. We are delighted to partner with STL to skill rural masses in India. Together, we are promoting entrepreneurship by fostering the capability and development of the VLEs under the Common Services Centre scheme.”

Early this year, STL academy also partnered with FTTH Council APAC to create an ecosystem of highly skilled professionals in deploying and maintaining complex optical-fibre networks. This MoU with CSC is a further testament to STL’s commitment to transforming lives by creating skill based employment while improving the quality and reach of data networks.

Bollywood Playback Singer Mohith Chauhan Kicks Off Phoenix Festival Season 3 at Phoenix Marketcity Bengaluru

With the festive season just around the corner, Phoenix Marketcity is all geared up to offer visitors an experience of a lifetime with the third season of Phoenix Festival. Just like the previous two seasons, this year’s edition spans over 90 days from October to December and is filled with non-stop entertainment, amazing food, a host of games, events, shopping surprises and lots more.

The festival kicks off with glitz and glamour on 5th October with the Grand Finale of the Phoenix Mega Model Hunt presided by the fashion and style Guru Prasad Bidapa and featuring show stealer Dino Morea, followed by the Shop & Win announcements. October will also sway to the mellifluous chartbusters of Mohit Chauhan, as he will be performing live as part of the Alive India Concert Season 7 on the 12th October. Ananya Birla will perform live on the 19th of October. In November, there are dazzling performances by none other than Vidya Vox on the 8th   November. A stand-up act by Jeeveshu Ahluwalia on 15th November is bound to leave the audience in splits.

Commenting on Phoenix Festival Season 3, Mr. Gajendra Singh Rathore, Sr. Centre Director South said, “This Year Phoenix Festival comes in a bigger avatar with many live-in concerts by renowned artist and singers, mesmerising décor and One Crore worth prizes will be given in the Phoenix Shopping Festival Season.”

The celebrations are not limited to music and fashion. The SteppinOut food festival is happening on 20th October, and will bring flavours from across the world straight to your platter along with lots of beer. There will also be the Denim Festival too, which mixes fashion with fun November.

Diwali, in all its amazing splendor, is the festival of bling. The mall will be sparkling with Diwali décor inspired by Goddess Laxmi. The spectacular experience begins at the stunning entrance comprising of an enormous lotus and an alluring peacock figurine crafted from crystals and mirrors, extending a grand welcome. The major materials used to create the sparkling diamond effects in the installations are crystals, mirror facets and reflective mirrors making it look grand just like our festival of Diwali. Besides, there are chic chandeliers installed across the mall, which adds to the glamour of the festive season at its best!

Adding to the glitz of Diwali will be the Jewellery Fest -19 as all brands will showcase exclusive collections of the season, making the mall a one stop space for all your fashion needs. Brands like Tanishq, Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Joyallukas, Bhima Jewellers, Senco Gold and Diamonds, C. Krishaiah Chetty Jewellers, Caratlane, Mia by Tanishq, Orra Diamond are running exciting offers.

As is tradition, Christmas is the time of the year, when Phoenix Marketcity Bangalore creates magic. The destination will transform into the enchanting ‘World of Christmas’ from 29th November right up to Christmas Day on 25th December and will be adorned in Christmas décor and cheer. Modelled along the lines of a European Christmas Market, ‘World of Christmas’ redefines the festive Christmas experience in India by giving consumers a feel of European celebrations through a magnificent display of Christmas decor, international cuisines, live performances and a mesmerising Christmas market full of festive products from different parts of the world.

The event will witness India’s largest curated Christmas market with 25 days of exclusive shopping options, scrumptious food, great music, stage performances, talent shows and a whole lot of festive excitement. There will be a marvellous Christmas tree designed by a Spanish artist that will be elegantly lit up in warm white hues of the festive season. As one steps in, the exquisite Christmas décor along with chic chandeliers spread across the mall will capture the spirit of the season.

There’s also a ton of fun in store for youngsters who are comic fans at the Avengers Station.

AGS Transact Techs Launches HP Fastlane in Association with HPCL

Key Features:

* Leverages Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to deliver paperless, cashless and contactless payment solutions through HP Fastlane mobile wallet
* Digital & Transparent payment process reduces the risk of pilferage
* Enables user to preset the fueling amount on the app
* Ensures meter reading is auto-set to Zero so the user pays only for the fuel dispensed
* Completely wireless technology
* 1.25% instant cashback on every fuelling transaction done via HP Fastlane app

HP Fastlane, India’s first RFID fuel payment solution and an initiative of AGS Transact Technologies Limited (AGSTTL), one of India’s leading providers of end-to-end cash and digital payments solutions and automation technology is now available in Pune after its successful launch in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. The app based solution has been launched in partnership with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) with the aim to provide a convenient and a more transparent fueling experience to consumers. More than 120 HPCL outlets in Mumbai & Pune have been enabled with HP Fastlane.

HP Fastlane leverages RFID technology to deliver cashless payment solutions and brings efficacy in fuel management. The HP Fastlane app which has more than 60,000 downloads since June 2019 is available for free on Android and iOS platforms.

Ravi B. Goyal, Chairman and Managing Director, AGS Transact Technologies Limited said, “Our understanding of the payment solutions combined with our experience and knowledge of automated fuel management system enables us to introduce a convenient method of fueling. We are delighted to collaborate with Hindustan Petroleum, a leading state-owned oil company to introduce the first ever RFID based fuel payment solution. With their extensive network, we will be able to provide Fastlane supported HPCL fuel stations that will deliver an enhanced customer experience to Punekars while optimising the business operations across fuel retail outlets. We are certain that our systematic and standardised end-to-end performance capabilities would be welcomed by all the stakeholders across the fuel industry.”

“We received an immensely positive response for HP Fastlane at our HPCL petrol pumps in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai & Thane and we are elated to now extend this partnership to our customers in Pune. HP-Fastlane allows convenient fuelling of designated vehicles & prevents fuel pilferage by bringing transparency in transactions. At HPCL, we are committed to providing better and efficient services and this solution will help us service our customers in Pune in a quicker, transparent and more secure way. We further aim to take HP Fastlane to all our pumps across India.” said Mr. DN Krishnamurthy, Chief General Manager West Zone, HPCL

“HP Fastlane has not only helped us on a micro level, but has also eased the task of managing transactions on a daily basis. With their technology we have been able to easily collect data, track the running average of our vehicles and also optimize the overall operational costs. After the positive results in Mumbai, we have implemented the HP Fastlane solution on our vehicles in Pune as well. Currently, we have enrolled more than 100 vehicles on HP Fastlane.” said Mohit Mangal, Director and CEO, Euro Cars India Private Limited

HP-Fastlane fuel management solution can be accessed over web or through the HP Fastlane mobile app. It enables the customer to enroll their vehicle details and load money in the HP-Fastlane wallet as and when required. The HP Fastlane user can pre-set the desired fueling amount before visiting a nearby HPCL pump. When the registered vehicle reaches an HP Fastlane enabled petrol pump, the attendant will scan the RFID tag pasted on the windshield of the vehicle. The user is notified on a real-time basis once the fueling is completed. HP Fastlane assures that just the right amount of fuel is dispensed and he/she is billed for the same.

How does it work?

Customer downloads the Fastlane Fuel app from Playstore & Appstore and enters the relevant details to enroll. He/she can also request the AGSTTL sales representative to complete the enrollment formalities in person at any participating HPCL Fuel Station.

*  The customer can load money into the HP Fastlane wallet through credit card/ debit card/ net banking and preset the amount of fuel he/she intends to buy.

* As the vehicle enters the station, the attendant scans the RFID instated HP Fastlane sticker which is pasted on the vehicle’s windshield.

* Once the HP Fastlane sticker is scanned and if the system is satisfied that this is an authorized vehicle, the pump receives reset authorization from cloud and fueling will commence.

* After fuelling, the driver or the user can simply drive away without having to wait for making payment at the outlet, as the preset amount is deducted directly from the HP Fastlane wallet.

TAC Security Named Company of the Year by Golden Bridge Awards

In a development that underlines its position as a domain leader in the information and cyber security space, TAC Security has won three silvers and one bronze awards at the Golden Bridge Awards 2019. The company bagged each in the following categories: “Company of the Year” in Security Cloud/SaaS (11 – 2,499 Employees), “Company of the Year” in Security Services (11 – 2,499 Employees), and a silver for “Startup of the Year” in Cyber Security Products. It was also named as for “Startup of the Year” in the Cyber Security Services category.

TAC Security won the recognition for its path breaking work in securing organizations and governments from an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape. What makes its victory even more remarkable is the fact that it is the only Indian cybersecurity company to have featured at the world’s premier “Business Awards”.

Golden Bridge Awards are an annual industry and peers recognition program honoring the best companies in every major industry, from large to small and new start-ups in North America, Europe, Middle-East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin-America, and best new products and services, best innovations, management and teams and women in business from all over the world.

Trishneet Arora, Founder and CEO of TAC Security said, “Earning recognition at Golden Bridge Awards 2019 is a moment of great pride for us. It is a testament to TAC Security’s commitment to providing best-in-class vulnerability management and application security services to corporate and government organizations across the world. We hope to continue augmenting our offerings to better prepare organizations for future disruptions in the space.”

The latest win further highlights the differentiation that TAC Security is delivering through innovative offerings such as ESOF (Enterprise Security in One Framework), an AI-based vulnerability management platform. This unique approach is why, in addition to servicing several corporate giants in India and the US, it is also the first Indian cybersecurity company to be involved in policymaking and strategizing of the cybersecurity policies for a sensitive law enforcement agency in the United States of America.

METZ TV Launched in India - OLED Premier - Priced at Rs. 99,999

Premium German television brand METZ launched its first OLED TV in India. The brand is all set to give its Indian customers an excellent viewing experience with this new range.

The latest Metz M55S9A OLED TV comes in screen size of 55 inches with introductory price of  Rs. 99,999, only. Its 3.6 mm ultra-thin body and ingenious design allows the frame to disappear in sight, giving the viewer a much wider, interference-free view. Additionally, with its high-performance configuration with good picture and sound quality, the TV can easily run 4K games, besides supporting multiplayer mode.

With so many outstanding features the TV has also DTS-X Pro sound digital audio which offers a vibrantly distinct and flawless quality to the ears.

Furthermore, there are other features that make the brand stand out, viz., the M55S9A has Cutting-Edge Self-Luminous Display Technology, True HDR Technology and HDMI ARC. Run on Android 8.0 operating system, this stunning invention by METZ has Pre loaded Netflix & Youtube and has voice search smart function.

Mr. Criver Liu, Vice - MD, METZ India said, “After the great success of our LED TVs in India, METZ has come up with yet something new in the market. Our newly launched OLED TV is not just a quality brand, but is also available at a reasonable price. Metz M55S9A has millions of pixels with precise point-to-point control, and gives the viewer an amazing viewing experience. It minimizes the harm of blue-light hazard, which is the best choice to protect eyes.”

Institutional Investments to Touch US$50 Billion Mark in 2019: JLL Study

Foreign institutional investors account for a major share of investments in Indian real estate since the opening of FDI in 2005

●        Rising transparency in the market has attracted investors, including both domestic and overseas ones

●        REIT-able office stock in the country to garner USD 35 bn of investments in near term

●        Other than traditional real estate, Country offers investment opportunity across other alternative asset class such as student housing, flex spaces etc.

Path breaking policies, relaxation in investment norms relating to foreign direct investments (FDIs) and institutionalisation of investments in completed properties in the form of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) has opened doors for investors, both domestic and foreign over the last decade, said JLL, the largest professional services firm specialising in real estate, in a statement released today. As a result, the sec tor will see a cumulative institutional investment of USD 50 billion in 2019, which includes both foreign and domestic investments, the study added.

“India real estate has gradually transformed into a global investment destination over the past decade. Since the time the government opened the FDI in March 2005, the country has been able to provide a conducive environment for investors. As a result, we have witnessed reforms relating to ease investment regulations in affordable housing, infrastructure and construction sectors. Above all, like other developed countries, India not just regularised the real estate sector but also brought in a law to institutionalise investments in ready commercial assets through REIT rules,” said Ramesh Nair, CEO & Country Head -- India, JLL.

India’s commercial office segment has been the favourite asset class of institutional investors over the years. They have allocated USD 17.6 bn in the form of direct investments during 2005-2019. JLL research indicates that 294 mn sq. ft. of office stock would be eligible for REIT. This would translate to an additional investment opportunity of USD 35 bn in near term.

“Alternatives segments including student housing, co-living and education real estate are growing and have got the investors’ attention. Additionally, investors and occupiers are lookin g at fast growing flex spaces segment in the country. With rising demand, all these new segments of development have added value to the overall investment potential,” added Nair.

“Operators within these segments now offer multiple formats to occupiers. These range from entire buildings dedicated to co-working spaces to built-to-suit co-working offices within the conventional workplaces. With the benefits of cost reduction and shared amenities, the segment provides a tremendous business potential to all – developers and occupiers,” he added.

As per JLL estimates, currently, there are approximately 325 to 330 co-working operators in the top seven cities in India. The study finds that the average size of transactions in the co-working segment increased from 37,000 square ft in 2017 to 52,000 sq ft in 2018 and further to 97,000 sq ft in the first half of 2019.

Globally, the evolving nature of workplaces and human experience have become core to the office sector. The shift in perception amongst millennials to ‘sharing’ instead of ‘owning’ has made the co-living concept popular.

Mobil India Announces ‘Mobil Dangal Offer’ Campaign Till Dec 31, 2019

Mobil India has launched the ‘Mobil Dangal Offer’ under its commercial vehicles lubricants’ vertical with recently signed brand ambassador Bajrang Punia, as the face of the campaign.

The offer is live across the country, and will continue till December 31, 2019. Under this offer, customers purchasing two pails of 15L Mobil Delvac MX Plus 15W-40, API CI-4 Plus or Mobil Delvac Super 1400 15W-40, API CH-4 will get a free mobile phone packed with pre-loaded apps and free six-month subscription for calls and data.

Speaking about the offer, Imtiaz Ahmed, General Manager – Marketing Deployment for ExxonMobil Lubricants Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are excited to bring the ‘Mobil Dangal Offer’ to our customers with our newly appointed brand ambassador for commercial vehicles lubricants’ segment – Bajrang Punia. With this offer, we aim to help our customers stay connected with their loved ones as they tend to be on the move most of the time.”

C Krishniah Chetty Unveils Limited Edition of Gauhar Collection of Emeralds and Sapphires

Today, Priyanka Abhishek, Mrs India 2019 and a Role Model, unveiled the Limited Edition Gauhar Collection at C. Krishniah Chetty Group of Jewellers flagship showroom next to Safina Plaza. The Collection featuring Gigantic Emeralds, Pink Sapphires is inspired from the ancient architecture marvel of the Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. Continuing their tryst with rich heritage C. Krishniah Chetty has created the Gauhar Collection which encapsulates the charm and beauty of the Nizam era & the Falaknuma Palace in its breath-taking designs.

According toDr. C. Vinod Hayagriv, Managing Director & Director - C. Krishniah Chetty Group of Jewellers said, “We have an 150 year-old association with royalty, hence our endeavour to launch the Gauhar Collection inspired by the Nizam era. As a leading luxury brand,we seek to bring in innovation in design by using 3 D printing, in a multi- dimensional construction in auctionable pieces that qualify as real art. our craftsmanship has been enhanced to levels not seen previously reflecting the Falaknuma Palace architecture.We are happy to have Priyanka Abhishek, Mrs India 2019 amongst us. She is a symbol of modern responsible elegance, style and grace which resonates with our brand values.”

The Gauhar Collection is an avant-grade jewellery that is accentuated with glossy pearls, blush pink tourmalines and colossal fluted emeralds, encapsulated in lively gold forms. The Gauhar Collection is a royal visual treat that instils an impression of contemporary heritage and speaks volumes of richness in its aesthetic appeal.

Speaking about the Gauhar Collection, Priyanka Abhishek said,“I am delighted to be part of C Krishniah Chetty’s sesquicentennial journey and the launch ofGauhar Collection. I’m deeply impressed with the design and texture of the precious metal and gems in the Collection whichis a true piece of timeless art.”

India’s Top Women Coders are Ready to Battle it Out at TechGig Geek Goddess 2019

She came. She coded. She conquered. Hailing from a remote village in Bihar, the story of Snehlata Mishra from being an unspotted talent in the world of technology to conquering a 95-day long coding battle and becoming the Champion of TechGig Geek Goddess 2018, is nothing short of inspirational.

Giving wings to the dreams of many such talented women technologists, India’s biggest online technology community, TechGig recently announced the new edition of the popular coding contest, Geek Goddess 2019. This women-only coding competition was declared open for registrations on August 19 and will be accepting code submissions till October 14, 2019. So far, the edition has garnered 37,705 registrations.

For decades, there has been a lot of talk on improving the representation of women in technology, but little improvement on the ground. Several underlying biases have worked against women in the field of technology. A TechGig survey conducted among women IT professionals revealed that as many as 74% of women in technology believe that a definite bias exists against them and, hence their suggestions are often dismissed by their male colleagues.

"TechGig Geek Goddess 2019 promises to be bigger and better than all of its previous editions. The kind of enthusiastic queries that we have already received from our community makes me believe that this year’s edition of Geek Goddess will do justice to the expectations and help corporate India spot the brightest and most talented women IT professionals in the country. My best wishes to all the participants", said Sanjay Goyal, Business Head, TimesJobs and TechGig.
Similar to last year, American Express, a globally integrated payments company, has joined hands with TechGig in its journey to find the best women technologists in India.

“We’re delighted to once again partner with TechGig Geek Goddess on this ground-breaking competition,” said Ruchika Panesar, vice president of technology at American Express.

“We believe that an inclusive and diverse workforce provides a competitive advantage in the marketplace. American Express is committed to developing a talent pool that brings together unique perspectives, backgrounds and experiences, and we’re proud to stand by side with TechGig to back women in technology.”

The fifth edition of this popular coding contest for women technologists will witness intense competition in themes like Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Cloudify Everything, Solution Hunters Hackathon among others.

Over the years, TechGig Geek Goddess code competition has witnessed enthusiastic participation from women coders from across India. In fact, in the previous year, the competition saw participation from 68,791 women technologists and helped several women techies realise their dreams.

“I enjoyed every minute of the event. Everything was executed so perfectly! After meeting and listening to all women leaders, I am more motivated and rebel. In today’s world where we are constantly talking about gender diversity, TechGig is one platform which is doing something about it. I would highly recommend this great platform for all women coders to showcase their skills,” said Snehlata Mishra, TechGig Geek Goddess 2018 champion.

Another promising technology talent from the 2018 competition, Nithya Vasudevan, the Machine Learning theme winner said, “TechGig Geek Goddess was a good opportunity for many of us to showcase our talent and motivate us by introducing us to women leaders from top IT/Tech companies. TechGig is a great platform to create transparency between coders, technology enthusiasts and top companies.”

Jasprit Bumrah is the New Brand Ambassador of Premium Sportswear Brand - cultsport

Leading integrated health and wellness start-up, cure.fit, announced its association with Jasprit Bumrah as the brand ambassador for its premium sportswear brand, cultsport.

“We are happy to embark on this collaborative journey with Jasprit Bumrah. Together, we are confident of not only enhancing our brand presence across the country, but also creating high quality products that help the everyday athlete look good and perform better every day. Bumrah was a natural choice for us as he is an epitome of our brand traits of precision, performance and perfection.” Said Gautam Kotamraju- Head cultsport.

At cultsport, we aim to empower the Indian fitness enthusiast with products that come with latest performance technology, functionality, longevity and a fashion forward approach. Coming from the house of cult.fit, we believe in the celebration of fitness and the importance of process that will make our consumers “be better every day”

Commenting on his association with cultsport, Jasprit Bumrah, said, “I’m excited to be associated with a brand like cultsport, personally I really like the material and fit of the apparel.  Their latest footgear collection also looks promising and I am looking forward to trying the same for my workout and running sessions. “

As a health and fitness aficionado I am always striving to be at the peak of my fitness. I am excited to associate with a brand like cultsport that is innovating in quality sportswear and footgear made for everyday active athletes like you and me.

Nikhil Bardia, Head of Sales, IMG Reliance said, “We are delighted to have brought about the association of Jasprit Bumrah with sportswear brand cultsport. I believe this is an ideal partnership which brings about the right connect for cultsport’s audience as Jasprit Bumrah is a leading voice of the sports and fitness industry.”

Designed to perform, the brand offers apparel made with high quality fabric blended with the latest technology to enable an athletic lifestyle. Featuring custom designed collections like Vitals, Code, Signature and more, the t-shirts have an easy, relaxed fit that gives plenty of room to move and reflective print for high visibility in low light. All apparels are treated with Flydry, a sweat-wicking tech that keeps your workouts dry and light. Starting from Rs. 800 onwards, cultsport premium sportswear is available on cure.fit app, Myntra and, Flipkart. Apart from adding new collections under apparel every month, cultsport also recently launched its first range of footgear and soon also plans to expand to include products for wider variety of sports and activities. Check out latest collection and products of cultsport premium sportswear - https://www.cure.fit/cult/gear.

MSDE, IIM Bangalore Sigh MoU for Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship Programme

Highlights

* Fellows in the two-year blended programme with academic module at IIM-B & district emersion program will train with district administration officials
* Programme aims to provide academic inputs and field experience to understand and contribute to the creation of a district level skill development ecosystem
* Programme launched in 75 districts across Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

To boost skill development at the district level, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)  signed a contract with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore for introducing a two-year fellowship programme Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme.

The contract was signed in the presence of Shri R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary, Dept. of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, GoI, Dr. K P Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri G Raghuram, Director, IIM, Bangalore, Mr. Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank, and officials from the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, GoI. The program has been developed under the able guidance and leadership of Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; who has given a renewed focus to skill development at the district level, since his joining at the Ministry.

Designed under Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) the fellowship aims to address the challenge of non-availability of personnel for implementation of various programmes at national, state and district levels.

The MGNF programme has an in-built component of on-ground practical experience with the district administration. Launched on a pilot basis in 75 districts across Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, eligible fellows for the programme have to be in 21-30 years age-group, have a graduation degree from a recognized university and be citizens of India. Proficiency in official language of state of fieldwork will be mandatory.

Commenting on the partnership, Dr. KP Krishnan, Secretary, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “A dearth of individuals who can implement and manage skill development programmes at the grass roots level is a deficit we seek to address with this fellowship programme with IIM Bangalore. MGNF seeks to create a cadre of young individuals and train them in a blended academic programme that provides both academic inputs and a component of field immersion at the district level. Besides allowing for an immersive experience to fellows under the programme, MGNF will also be an attractive proposition for those who wish to eke a career in public policy. It is only fitting that we have launched this programme on the 150th birth centenary of Gandhi ji who was strong believer in decentralized planning.”

“Through this endeavour we are ensuring participation of a larger community for local merit good and we are certain that this program will attract great talent which will further strengthen the skill component at the district administration level,” he further added.

Shri R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, said, “Today, our nation's youth is willing and is anxious to contribute to our nation building exercise and to the society at large. It has to be our effort to ensure that they are given the right opportunities to extend their support. This is a great initiative by MSDE and I am sure that it will see through all the challenges at the district level and come out to be a great outcome based program.”

In the course of their training, fellows will work under the close supervision of state skill development missions (SSDM) and will spend time and effort in understanding skilling challenges and gaps in the district. They are expected to enrich skilling programmes by bringing in fresh thinking to local planning, execution, community interaction and outcome management. Fellows will receive a stipend of Rs. 50,000 in the first year and Rs. 60,000 in the second year. On completion of their engagement, they will be awarded a Certificate in Public Policy and Management from IIM Bangalore.

Shri G Raghuram, Director, IIM, Bangalore, said, ““The Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship programme is aimed to identify and train a group of young, committed and dynamic individuals, who will leverage the IIMB ecosystem in management, entrepreneurship and public policy and work with the district administration in strengthening the process of skilling to create a vibrant local district economy. Its unique design will allow the Fellows to take academic learning at IIM Bangalore and use it in the field under faculty mentorship with the goal of understanding challenges and barriers that the district ecosystem faces in fostering growth and development.”

Launched by the Government in January 2018, SANKALP is a World Bank loan assisted project that aims to strengthen institutional mechanisms for skill development and increase access to quality and market-relevant training for youth across the country. Four key result areas have been identified under SANKALP viz: (i) Institutional Strengthening; (ii) Quality Assurance; (iii) Inclusion; and (iv) Expanding Skills through PPPs.

Neighbourhood Shopping Bonanza @ Orion Avenue Mall from Oct 6 to Nov 3, 2019

Orion Avenue Mall (Formerly known as Orion East Mall) has brought the festivities to the suburbs around east Bangalore with the hugely popular Neighbourhood Shopping Bonanza. This year's edition promises to spread cheer and excitement with the mall pulling out all stops to attract customers with a bevy of high value offers and prizes from 6th October to 3rd November 2019. There’s nothing like the feeling of being rewarded to shop around the festive times; and shoppers can expect to win a BMW G 310 R as the grand bumper prize and the latest smartphones as weekly prizes. Adding to the festive allure is the gorgeous season specific décor that truly lights up the faces of visitors. Shoppers can enjoy the festive spirit with their favourite brands wooing them with great offers. It’s also a great family festive outing with its wholesome mix of entertainment, food and shopping options.

Vijay Kumar Bhatia, Sr. GM- Orion Malls says, “We have gone all out to spread cheer among our patrons; whether it is the resplendent mall décor or the exciting line up of prizes to be won.  We expect it to be a great season for shopping and leisure for our customers. There’s nothing quite like getting our neighbourhood community excited about visiting the mall during this special time of the year”

Tata Motors Launches the Extended Range Tigor EV in 3 Variants

Following the introduction of Tigor EV for Government and fleet consumers, Tata Motors today announced the launch of its extended range Tigor EV Electric Sedan, with a range of 213 km, certified by ARAI. It will be available in 3 variants – XE+, XM+ and XT+ – for both fleet and personal segment customers. The new Tigor EV will be available across 30 cities, at a starting price of Rs. 9.44 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi (after deducting Govt. subsidies). This vehicle qualifies for a FAME II incentive for eligible commercial customers. The new extended version offers an enhanced driving range, low cost of ownership, connectivity, comfort of a sedan and zero emissions.

Speaking on the launch of this new variant, Mr. Ashesh Dhar, Head – Sales, Marketing and Customer Service, Electric Vehicle Business, Tata Motors Ltd. said, “Tigor EV Extended Range model aptly addresses the requirements of longer range applications and also provides higher revenue earning potential for our commercial customers. This new version builds on the success of the award winning Tigor EV, which is already deployed with several fleets and Government customers. This launch reinforces our commitment towards sustainable mobility solutions in India.”

Battery

* With a 21.5 kWh battery pack, the new model offers a significantly longer range
* Battery cooling system is designed to ensure consistent performance even in extreme ambient temperature conditions
* The car has 2 charging ports - fast charging as well as slow AC charging

Additionally, the vehicle will be equipped with dual airbags (XE+ variant with Driver Airbag only) and an anti-lock braking system as standard safety features. The vehicle also comes with an inbuilt warranty of 3 years or 1.25 lakh kms, whichever is earlier. 

Cybersecurity Leaders Launch Initiative for Interoperability and Data Sharing to Thwart Attacks

IBM Security and McAfee join with Advanced Cyber Security Corp, Corsa, CyberArk, Cybereason, DFLabs, EclecticIQ, Fortinet, Indegy, New Context, ReversingLabs, SafeBreach, Syncurity, Threat Quotient, and Tufin to collaborate on new initiative at OASIS

The OASIS international consortium announced an industry initiative to bring interoperability and data sharing across cybersecurity products. With initial open source content and code contributed by IBM Security and McAfee, and formed under the auspices of OASIS, the Open Cybersecurity Alliance (OCA) brings together organizations and individuals from around the world to develop open source security technologies which can freely exchange information, insights, analytics, and orchestrated responses.

According to industry analyst firm, Enterprise Strategy Group, organizations use 25 to 49 different security tools from up to 10 vendors on average, each of which generates siloed data.  (Cybersecurity Landscape: The Evolution of Enterprise-class Vendors).

Connecting these tools and data requires complex integrations, taking away from time that could be spent hunting and responding to threats. To accelerate and optimize security for enterprise users, the OCA will develop protocols and standards which enable tools to work together and share information across vendors. The aim is to simplify the integration of security technologies across the threat lifecycle – from threat hunting and detection, to analytics, operations and response -- so that products can work together out of the box.

The purpose of the OCA is to develop and promote sets of open source common content, code, tooling, patterns, and practices for interoperability and sharing data among cybersecurity tools. For enterprise users, this means:

Improving security visibility and ability to discover new insights and findings that might otherwise have been missed;
Extracting more value from existing products and reducing vendor lock-in;
Connecting data and sharing insights across products.

Founders of the Alliance, IBM Security and McAfee, are joined in the initiative by Advanced Cyber Security Corp, Corsa, CrowdStrike, CyberArk, Cybereason, DFLabs, EclecticIQ, Electric Power Research Institute, Fortinet, Indegy, New Context, ReversingLabs, SafeBreach, Syncurity, ThreatQuotient, and Tufin. The OCA welcomes participation from additional organizations and individual contributors.

“Today, organizations struggle without a standard language when sharing data between products and tools,” said Carol Geyer, chief development officer of OASIS. “We have seen efforts emerge to foster data exchange, but what has been missing is the ability for each tool to transmit and receive these messages in a standardized format, resulting in more expensive and time-consuming integration costs. The aim of the OCA is to accelerate the open sharing concept making it easier for enterprises to manage and operate.”

“When security teams are constantly spending their time manually integrating tools and maintaining those integrations, it’s not helping anyone other than the attackers,” said Jason Keirstead, chief architect, IBM Security Threat Management. “The mission of the OCA is to create a unified security ecosystem, where businesses no longer have to build one-off manual integrations between every product, but instead can build one integration to work across all, based on a commonly accepted set of standards and code.”

“Attackers maximize damage by sharing data with one another. Our best defense strategy is to share data too," said D.J. Long, vice president business development, McAfee. "The OCA creed is 'Integrate once, reuse everywhere' which builds upon McAfee’s open philosophy that led to the OpenDXL project in 2016. Organizations will be able to seamlessly exchange data between products and tools from any provider that adopts the OCA project deliverables. We're looking at the potential for unprecedented real-time security intelligence.” 

Emirates Celebrates Diwali with Discounted Fares to Popular Destinations from Indian Cities

Emirates is offering a special Diwali treat with a 10% discount across all its cabin classes on select flights to the US, Europe, and Africa. This can be the perfect break for the travel-hungry, who want to journey to popular and exotic destinations during the upcoming holidays. The offer is valid for flights booked between 9 and 14 October 2019 for travel between 14 October 2019 and 31 August 2020.

Customers booking Economy Class can enjoy discounts to Paris, Chicago, Porto, and Cape Town; Business Class to Los Angeles and Frankfurt; and First Class for flights to London and New York.

Porto is Emirates’ newest global destination and customers can look forward to enjoying the UNESCO World Heritage site and Portugal’s second-largest city, which is renowned for its impressive, centuries-old architecture and its serene vineyards; the produce of which is used in the city’s distinguishable port wine. Emirates is also offering a range of special tour packages for those traveling to the US and planning to explore the charms of Americana along the east and west coasts.

Emirates operates from nine Indian cities – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram – to 150 global destinations spread across 85 countries and six continents.

Renowned for providing an exceptional flying experience, Emirates customers traveling in all classes can enjoy regionally inspired cuisine, 4,000 entertainment channels on ice – the airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment system - and up to 20MB complimentary Wi-Fi to stay connected with friends and family during the flight.

For more information on Emirates, including how to book flights and a complete list of terms and conditions, visit www.emirates.com, a travel agent or the local Emirates Sales Office.

Fusion VR Unveils Industry 4.0 Solutions Suite To Support The Digital Transformation Journey Of Businesses

Fusion VR, the industry leader in emerging technologies including VR, AR, MR, IoT, and AI has announced the launch of cutting edge portfolio of industry 4.0 solutions for next-generation enterprises.

The unveiled suite of industry-leading solutions and services include-: Interactive Simulations, which leverage the power of virtual reality, Gamified Learning for motivated employees and 3D-360 VR Video services.

●      Interactive Simulations: The host of interactive solutions enables businesses to conveniently realize their business objectives leveraging a highly efficient and motivated workforce. The solutions will enable businesses to design better workflows, product launches, prototypes, testing as well as impart better skill training to their workforce.

●      Gamified Learning: The launched range of well-designed gamified VR experiences infuse a sense of goal achievement, reward, and fulfillment among employees. This encourages them to strive in achieving their set Key Result Areas and contribute to the growth of the organisation.

●      3D-360 VR Video Services: The 360 video solution empowers you to showcase your business offerings in a compelling style. This results in a personalized and truly immersive experience for the consumer as they can view multiple points of interest in Stereoscopic-3D with spatial audio.

Detailing more about the strategic business benefits of the suite, Dr. C. SS Bharathy, Certified Industry 4.0 Professional,  founder, Fusion VR said, ‘’Emerging technologies are reshaping the world and will continue to do so well into the future. Our unveiled suite of industry 4.0 solutions and services will empower businesses to exploit the maximum potential of their digital transformation journey and drive innovation to garner a competitive edge.’’

Furthermore, the highly proficient workforce of Fusion VR will also offer end to end support for enterprises with customized industry 4.0 immersive-solutions and strategies encompassing extended reality technologies along with IoT and AI. Our goal is to turn every idea into an exciting XR Product which ultimately delivers a great Experiential-Learning and unbelievable Return-On-Investment (ROI) benefits to our clients.

Reverse-Engineers Computer Method Detects Defective Computer Chips Using X-Rays

Guaranteeing that computer chips, that can consist of billions of interconnected transistors, are manufactured without defects is a challenge. But how to determine if a chip is compromised? Now a technique co-developed by researchers at the Paul Scherer Institut in Switzerland and researchers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering would allow companies and other organizations to non-destructively scan chips to ensure that they haven’t been altered and that they are manufactured to design specifications without error.

Hardware security is a critical issue. Anthony F. J. Levi, Department Chair of the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering-Electrophysics, co- author of the study, Three-dimensional imaging of integrated circuits with macro- to nanoscale zoom” published in Nature Electronics, says that “the supply chain for advanced electronics is susceptible.”

With this new method, it is possible to validate the integrity of computer chips using x-rays.

Called ptychographic x-ray laminography, the technique utilizes x-rays from a synchrotron to illuminate a small region of a rotating chip at an angle of 61 degrees (with respect to the normal of the chip plane). The resulting diffraction patterns are measured with a photon-counting detector array. The data are then used to generate high-resolution slice images of the chip, from which 3-D renderings are created.

Once the3-D image is generated, it can be compared with the original design as a type of forensics to help companies or organizations that are looking to ensure chips are manufactured correctly and meet design specifications.

The researchers indicate that chips have signature features, so it is possible to tell how and where they were manufactured.

In addition, this process allows for reverse engineering of circuit designs without destroying the chip.

Levi says, “The majority of a chip’s intelligence is how it is wired. It is like the connectome of a brain.

By viewing a chip in detail, you can non-destructively figure out what it does. With this technology, hiding intellectual property in a chip is over.”

Levi imagines that the technology could one day contribute to a certification process to ensure the integrity of chips that are inserted into a computer or in communication hardware used by global businesses and governments.

The next step is to continue to improve imaging speed and resolution and to further improve x-ray microscope performance.

Most Blockchain Technologies are Still Five to 10 Years Away From Transformational Impact

The Gartner Inc. 2019 Hype Cycle for Blockchain Technologies shows that blockchain is sliding into the Trough of Disillusionment. The market will begin to climb out of this Trough by 2021, as technology advances and pragmatic use cases uniquely supported by blockchain continue to roll out.

The Trough of Disillusionment highlights technologies and markets where interest has waned as experiments and implementations fail to deliver (see Figure 1).

“Blockchain technologies have not yet lived up to the hype and most enterprise blockchain projects are stuck in experimentation mode,” said Avivah Litan, distinguished analyst and research vice president at Gartner. “Blockchain is not yet enabling a digital business revolution across business ecosystems and may not until at least 2028, when Gartner expects blockchain to become fully scalable technically and operationally.”

For blockchain to become mainstream, Gartner said users shouldn’t have to worry about picking the right platform, the right smart contract language, the right system interfaces, and the right consensus algorithms. Additionally, concerns about how users will interoperate with partners that use different blockchain platforms for their projects must be rectified.

“We are witnessing many developments in blockchain technology that will change the current pattern. By 2023, blockchain platforms will be scalable, interoperable, and will support smart contract portability and cross chain functionality. They will also support trusted private transactions with the data confidentiality required. All together, these technology advances will take us much closer to mainstream blockchain and the decentralized web, also known as Web 3.0,” said Ms. Litan.

“Over time, permissioned blockchains will integrate with public blockchains, and will take advantage of shared services while supporting the membership, governance and operating model requirements of permissioned blockchains,” said Ms. Litan.

Gartner clients can read more in the report “Hype Cycle for Blockchain Technologies, 2019.” More information on the technologies driving digital innovation can be found in the Gartner Special Report “Hype Cycles: Five Priorities Shape the Further Evolution of Digital Innovation.” This research collection helps organizations identify opportunities that enable the creation of new business and operating models.

More information on blockchain strategy can be found on the Gartner Blockchain Insight Hub and in “The Real Business of Blockchain: How Leaders Can Create Value in a New Digital Age,”  a book on creating blockchain value by Gartner analysts David Furlonger and Christophe Uzureau. The Real Business of Blockchain launches on October 15 and is available for preorder now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Indiebound.