Hyundai Motor India Partners with Air Liquide Medical Systems to Augment Production and Supply of Ventilators

Highlights

* Hyundai Motor India to collaborate with Air Liquide Medical Systems in identification of Alternate Suppliers for Ventilator Parts
* Hyundai Motor India and Air Liquide Medical Systems aiming at enhancing the production and supply of Ventilators to Tamil Nadu and other states

Hyundai Motor India (HMI), country's first Smart Mobility Solutions Provider and largest exporter since inception, has entered into a partnership with Air Liquide Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd. (ALMS) a Manufacturer of ICU Ventilators, to augment the production and supply of Ventilators in Tamil Nadu and other states. With this partnership HMI and ALMS aim to achieve a target of 1000 ventilators in the Phase 1 of production, and to scale up subsequently.

Ventilators are medical devices used by healthcare professionals that take over the work of breathing from a patient who is unable to breathe on their own by delivering air with high concentration of oxygen to their lungs. For patients severely affected by COVID-19, ventilators are critical to ensure continuous oxygen is supplied to overcome respiratory insufficiency.

Commenting on this arrangement  with Air Liquide Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd. , Mr. SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “Ventilators and other respiratory aids are critical devices in the fight against COVID-19 and to this end, Hyundai & Air Liquide Medical Systems are working together to ensure a steady supply of Ventilators in India. As a Socially Responsible and Caring Brand, Hyundai is committed to serving society in every way and will continue to support the Government in India’s war against         COVID-19.”

Commenting on the Partnership, Mr. Anil Kumar, MD, Air Liquide Medical Systems, India, said, “As a company that engages in supporting the healthcare professionals and systems worldwide, we have initiated a prompt response towards the fight against COVID-19 in support of the Government of India. We are confident that this collaboration with Hyundai Motor India will bring about a positive shift in this battle. We are one of the very few Global companies with a dedicated R&D to manufacture Ventilators in India. Air Liquide Medical Systems is employing all the resources available to manufacture innovative, easy-to use and high-performing ventilators and will hold the reins to deliver quality service across the country during this time of need, and to spearhead the Make in India initiative.”

With a strong focus on Hyundai’s Global Vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’, HMI will continue to support the Government of India with multiple CSR initiatives for the betterment of society and communities.

BMW Group India Pledges its Commitment Towards Fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic

BMW Group India has pledged INR 3 crore in the ongoing battle against COVID-19 pandemic. Associations with government and non-government organisations have been initiated for on-ground implementation in Delhi NCR and Chennai. Employees of BMW Group India, BMW Group Plant Chennai and BMW India Financial Services voluntarily contributed towards the cause

Mr. Rudratej Singh, President and Chief Executive Officer, BMW Group India said, “The coronavirus pandemic presents a mammoth challenge to public health, industry, economy and business. Responsible action and sincere efforts are immensely crucial for minimising impact on human life, providing immediate relief to the underprivileged and reinforcing those engaged at the frontline of this crisis. The most important need of the hour is to flatten the curve and ensure social distancing. It is a top priority and responsibility that we are taking very seriously. At the BMW Group, we have a strong culture and value system which has always stood the test of time. The resolve and commitment of our employees and dealer partners across India to fight this unprecedented threat to mankind is strong and undeterred. We will remain resilient and responsive.”

In Chengalpattu, near Plant Chennai, BMW Group India will participate in creation of an isolation ward for patients at the Government General Hospital. Critical care equipment and services will be provided for medical facilities in Delhi NCR and Chennai.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) will be provided for frontline medical personnel and law enforcement agencies in Delhi NCR and Chennai.Nutrition for the economically marginalised families around Plant Chennai and Delhi NCR will be funded as part of the initiative.

Work from home’ at BMW Group India.

For well-being of employees in midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, work from home has been implemented across BMW Group offices in India. The National Sales Company and BMW India Financial Services are working from home since 23 March 2020 until 3 May 2020. Local production at BMW Group Plant Chennai has accordingly been stopped till 3 May 2020.

Essential services such as security, facility management and health centre continue to operate. Business continuity is being ensured across all functions while adhering to all government directives and necessary safety measures. Across the BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad dealerships in India, staff are working from home to offer services to customers. Aftersales and breakdown services staff are operating as per the local government directives and are functional with limitations. All showrooms are presently closed and will reopen as per government advisory.

Bank of Baroda’s Initiatives Offer Reprieve in Times of COVID-19 Crisis

In the wake of the global pandemic and as the nation is in a lockdown, the onus falls on the various financial and lending institutions to come forward and help people tread these uncharted waters. Financial institutions should continue to play a larger role in creating a cohesive environment in this “New Normal” at a time when partnerships will be steered by new ethics, challenges and responses and in recognition of this responsibility and as a caring institution, Bank of Baroda, which is a very large and leading public sector lender, has made sure that the credit process keeps functioning.

Given the evolving situation and anticipating the customer’s requirement, the Bank has announced series of facilities and initiatives that addresses the needs of every section of society. The Bank’s branches, Business Correspondents and ATMs are working at any given point of time, with constant replenishment of cash to meet requirements for all.

The Bank’s Initiatives

While Bank of Baroda has more than 9,000 branches, it also has 18,000 plus Banking Correspondents (BC) who have extended constant support to customers across the country. The Bank has also announced an extension of financial support to the BCs towards the maintenance of hygiene and safety at BC touch points. A first-time initiative among public sector banks, the effort is meant to ensure protection by the Bank from COVID-19, towards its customers and members of the public and the business correspondents themselves. A financial support of INR 2000 has been given to each active and functional BC agent towards the maintenance of hygiene at their outlets for the purchase of sanitizers, disinfectants, masks, gloves etc. An additional INR 100 per working day is being given to every active BC agents towards transportation.

For the women beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) the Bank has arranged that all account holders receive an amount of INR 500 each for each of the next three months, as an ex gratia payment under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package announced by the government. The money is be credited to the individual bank account holders and an SMS is also sent to the account holders informing them on the date when they should withdraw from the nearby branch or the BC touch points.

The Bank’s Marginal Cost of Funds Based Lending Rate (MCLR) has been reduced by 15 basis points to 8.00% w.e.f. 12th April 2020.  For its retail customers, the Bank has reduced its Baroda Repo Linked Lending Rate (BRLLR) by 75 basis points with effect from March 28, 2020. The BRLLR linked to RBI Repo Rate is revised downwards in line with the reduction on Reserve Bank of India Repo Rate from 5.15% to 4.40% after the central bank slashed it by 75 basis points. The move was aimed encouraging customers to avail the credit lines that have been opened and assure that the Bank is available at all times to meet all the credit requirements most conveniently. The BRLLR for all new floating rate loans for all personal loans and retail loans of all asset classes and floating rate loans to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, is now 7.25%. For existing loans, the interest rate under the external benchmark shall be reset at monthly intervals linked to BRLLR. However, there has been no change in the mark-up /base spread or strategic premium.

In pursuance to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) COVID 19 regulatory package announcement, the Bank has provided a moratorium of three months on payment of all instalments falling due between March 01, 2020 to May 31, 2020 for all term loans including corporate, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Agriculture, Retail such as Housing, Auto, Education and Personal. Interest shall continue to accrue on the outstanding portion of the term loans during the moratorium period. These measures are to help mitigate debt servicing on account of disruption brought about by COVID 19 and ensure continuity of business. For all the customers whose Standing Instructions for deduction of monthly instalments have been implemented, the Bank has texted the customers in case they want a refund of the instalments of March and April as well as deferment for the instalment till up to May.

Further, the Bank launched the “Baroda Personal Loan COVID 19” for its existing Retail Loan customers (Home Loan, Auto Loan & Loan against property). The objective was to tide over the liquidity mismatch to existing customers. The customer could approach their existing branches to avail this personal loan up to a maximum limit INR 5 lakhs in a hassle-free manner. This being a special personal loan, the Bank has kept a much lower interest rate linked to the Baroda Repo Linked Lending Rate (BRLLR) than its regular personal loan schemes and the customers may avail the benefits under the scheme till 30th September 2020.

Bank of Baroda announced zero charges on digital transactions for retail customers for three months to ensure the safety of its customers and to provide enhanced and uninterrupted banking experience. The ‘Stay Safe. Bank Safe’ along with the ‘Khushiyon Ka Remote Control’ initiative aimed at encouraging customers to bank digitally and equipping them to avail the Bank’s services from a remote location, without visiting the branch.

For MSME and corporate borrowers, the banking giant has rolled out the ‘Baroda COVID Emergency Credit Line (BCECL)’ to provide Emergency Credit Line like Short- Term Loan/Demand Loans. This means that the Bank has decided to make a maximum of 10% of the existing Fund Based Working Capital Limits (FBWC) subject to a maximum of INR 200 crore. This is in addition to existing Adhoc/excess/SLC/Gold Card Limit. The interest rate for corporate borrowers would be one-year MCLR of 8.00% without the standard premium and for MSMEs, the rate of interest would be at BRLLR of 7.25%.

For the agriculture segment, Bank of Baroda floated various schemes to ensure immediate financial assistance to Women Self Help Groups (SHG), to meet their domestic and agriculture needs and an Emergency Credit Line for Farmer Producer Organization (FPO/ FPC) to meet the temporary liquidity mismatch of FPO / FPCs arising out of COVID-19. Under the Additional Assurance to SHGs-COVID19 scheme, the Bank will provide support to existing SHG facilities in the form of Cash Credit/Overdraft/Term Loan/Demand Loan. The minimum loan amount is INR 30000 per SHG and maximum loan amount granted under the scheme is INR 1 lakh per SHG, repayable in 24 months. The repayment for this scheme would be on a monthly / quarterly basis and the moratorium will be for a period six months from the date of disbursement.

Bank of Baroda has also cut deposit interest rates, on Domestic Term Deposits including NRO, NRE & Non-Callable deposits of below INR 2.00 Crore w.e.f. 9" April 2020. A sum of INR 20 crore has been handed to the government on behalf of the Bank’s employees for the PM-CARES Fund for the fight against coronavirus.

Together, we shall overcome

As the world comes together in its battle against a situation unheard, unseen before, banks are required to take on the responsibility of easing the financial ecosystem and enabling credit assistance to those who need it. As the whole finance sector gears up for the ‘New Normal’, Bank of Baroda is committed to providing comprehensive financial aid through various efforts and initiatives to continue in contributing to the Indian economy.

GRB Dairy Foods Contributes Rs 25 Lakh Towards CM Relief Fund COVID-19

GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd, a well-known FMCG company, has come forward to support the fight against coronavirus by contributing Rs 25 lakh for Karnataka state government’s CM Relief Fund COVID-19. The company which has presence across India and overseas markets, plans to further contribute to the people of Karnataka in many other possible ways.

Food kits with essential groceries worth Rs. 20 lakh is also being distributed in Karnataka by GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd. The contents of food kits consist of essential items that include – rice, dal, sugar, salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder and sambar powder.

Speaking on this humanitarian initiative, Mr. G.R. Balasubramaniam, Founder and Chairman, GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd said, “Presently, we are facing a major health crisis, where the nation is fighting against the deadly coronavirus pandemic and this is our sincere effort in helping overcome the same. As a responsible and committed corporate citizen, we are concerned about the health and wellbeing of the society and the nation that we live in, and we are hopeful that this initiative of ours will aid the government in relief work and the food kits will help the needy people.”

In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the central and state governments of India have appealed to the people to donate money for providing better healthcare and advanced medical support system to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and assist those who need help.

About GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd

GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd was started in the year 1984 by Mr. G.R. Balasubramaniam, a person with exceptional product knowledge and business acumen. It has now evolved from a ghee manufacturing entity to a multi-product, multi-brand company. GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd has become synonymous with ‘Purity’ in the Indian market and over the years it has built a reputation and legacy for authentic traditional taste.

GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd’s commitment to excellence and its vision of providing best quality products is unwavering. The company takes pride in its three decades old conviction to provide Purity, Taste & Quality.

TVS Motor in Bengaluru Offers Free Services of Two-Wheelers to Police Personnel

TVS Motor Company, as a responsible corporate citizen, is committed to stand united with the Government in their sustained efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic across the country.

In line with this philosophy of ensuring the health and prosperity of the local communities, TVS Motor Company dealerships are undertaking several active measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 within their vicinity.

TVS Motor Company’s main dealer Solar TVS, Bangalore offering free service of two-wheelers to police personnel to ensure they can fulfill their duties seamlessly. Saravana Enterprises, Kolar distributed food grains to Private Garage Mechanics in Devanahalli area.

Rooted in our 100-year legacy of Trust, Value, Passion for Customers and Exactness, we take pride in making internationally aspirational products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes.  We endeavor to deliver the most superior customer experience at all our touch points across 60 countries.  We are the only two-wheeler company to have received the prestigious Deming Prize. Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys for the past five years.  We have been ranked No. 1 Company in the J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for consecutive three years.

Top 5 Indian Companies Revisiting Employee-Wellness Strategies Amid Covid-19 Outbreak

Amidst the global pandemic, most companies have been adapting to a lockdown hit India by finding all workable solutions to ensure most of their workforce remains active. This stands true especially for the corporate and IT industry which does not necessitate field work and connectivity becomes the lifeline for such organizations. However, in a space-crunch affected Indian homes and residential spaces, not every employee has the luxury to have a room or home office along with the associated challenges of working when the whole family is together.  In line with the current situation Indian companies are rethinking their employee-wellness strategies and customising programs to accommodate the tectonic change in people’s habits after a prolonged phase of working from home due to the Covid-19 lockdown and are conducting various activities for the employees to adopt simple health measures during this prolonged shutdown to be physically and mentally upbeat.

Here is the list of five top Indian companies revisiting the wellness strategies in the times of coronavirus:

1) The auto major Mahindra has launched a series of activities for the wellbeing of our employees which involves interactive sessions with nutritionists as well as an exercise regime. They are also running a webinar on emotional hygiene as employees work from home. Mahindra is also tying up with external agencies for tips on indoor exercises as they feel despite it being just a few days into the lockdown, it can start taking a toll on employees, sooner than later.

2) Brookfield Properties has launched Positive Pulse, A Wellness Initiative to promote employee health and safety while they work from home during the
lockdown. Under this month-long campaign, Brookfield Properties will be hosting a series of engagement activities, across its Commercial Real Estate portfolios, CandorTechSpace in Gurgaon, Noida and Kolkata; as well as for Powai Business District and Equinox Business Park in Mumbai.  It will be hosting two special webinars - one on Health and another on financial health along with cooking sessions. As well as a virtual skill-based CSR volunteering and rap/jingle contest, thus giving them a reason to stay healthy and entertained, and adding value and balance to the work-life of professionals even when they are away from their workplace. 

3) Johnson & Johnson has rolled out a 'telemedicine program' globally to help the employees and their families with questions about their physical and mental health. They are also encouraged to seek confidential support from counsellors via phone using the J&J employee assistance program (EAP). Maintaining focus on their physical wellbeing is also important and Johnson & Johnson has digital mindfulness tools, virtual fitness sessions, home workout apps, access to health experts and regular knowledge-sharing to ensure their workforce stay motivated, healthy and mindful.

4) Flipkart is encouraging employees across the organization to take a ‘Digital Chai Break’ and guiding them in scheduling their work day. It is also encouraging parents with older children to get them involved in scheduling their priorities for the day and keep them engaged in this regard and believe that this approach will help them balance priorities while working from home.During video meetings, they also encourage the working parents to bring their young kids to greet colleagues, who are more than happy to see them. This is building a strong sense of togetherness.

5) Vedanta is putting employee well-being ahead of productivity issues and offers psychological counselling helplines to people facing anxiety and stress-related problems along with online meditation and fitness sessions to a series of engagement activities  during work for home to keep their employees motivated and engaged.

Acer Extends Warranty of All Products for a Period of 60 Days Amidst Lockdown

Acer India, the global PC brand today has announced extension of standard warranty for entire range of its products by 60 days from the date of suspension of the lockdown. This is going to be applicable for products whose warranty have been expired in this lockdown period.

So, customers can avail this warranty in case an issue arises with their products. Acer has also come up with ‘Book Now and Pay Later’ option for it’s consumers to line-up their desired products so that it will be instantly delivered to them as soon as the lockdown releases. This includes features like GST ready e-invoices, multiple payment options for ease-in process and transaction.

Commenting on the announcement, Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Consumer Business Head,  Acer India said, “In order to reassure that our customer is at peace during lockdown period, we have decided to provide 60 days extended warranty on all our products whose warranty is expiring during this lockdown phase.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has indeed put the world on hold. Like many other countries, India has been on lockdown since 23rd March. Amongst various other constraints that it brings, the lockdown has also created an issue for electronic users who are looking to get their devices repaired. It's exceptionally difficult for people whose devices are reaching the end of the warranty period. Through this initiative, Acer also wishes to strengthen its connection with its buyers and build greater affinity to the brand by encouraging customers to stay calm and safe during ongoing pandemic.

LEAD School Offers Home Learning to Over 13,800 Students in Karnataka

With the nationwide lockdown extended till May 3, 2020, and schools remaining shut across the country, LEAD School is aiding over 13,800 students in Karnataka and 2.5 lakh school students to continue their learning online and ensuring there is no disruption in their academic year. The move comes amid the coronavirus outbreak and the 15th April directive from the Government of India asking educational institutions to maintain academic schedules through online learning platforms.

Currently, over 13,800 students have benefitted through this program across 38 schools in Karnataka alone.

Even before the government imposed the 21-day national lockdown, LEAD School — one of the fastest-growing technology-enabled academic systems in India — launched its unique School@Home programme on 16th March itself when only a few state governments had started announcing lockdowns. Bringing the school right into living rooms, LEAD School then started the new academic year on 2nd April and, till date, online classes under the programme have generated approximately 30 lakh video views. The initiative has made remote or distance learning accessible to students in over 600 English-medium schools, leading to a paradigm shift in India's school education system.

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the LEAD School@Home programme is based entirely on the core syllabus conceived by central and state education boards, and taught in schools. The students will study the regular curriculum as they would in schools, and not supplementary courses that other education platforms are offering.

There are 250 million students that go to schools in India, and many of them yet do not have access to online school. LEAD School@Home is now open to any child across India. Parents can register their child using https://leadschool.in/lead-school-at-home.html.

LEAD School is a technology-first, multi-modal learning platform which has been continuously innovating. And because of its technology-enabled new ways of learning; today the partner schools, parents as well as students have reaped its benefits as it is a lot easier for them to adapt to this new normal of learning.

LEAD School is collaborating with school owners, administrators and teachers to offer the many benefits under School@Home, which, apart from starting the academic year on time, also includes live online classes from Day 1 and digital content and workbooks for students. Students do not require any extra device to start learning. LEAD School is also helping its partner-schools adopt the right technology to improve their processes, make education more student-centric, empower teachers, and ensure quality performance among both students and teachers.

LEAD School Co-founder and CEO Sumeet Mehta said, “The disruption of education in pre-schools and K-12 schools due to the pandemic and the lockdown has created uncertainty in the minds of school owners, teachers, students and parents. There is apprehension among students that they may lose a year if schools do not reopen on time. To assuage their concerns, we lost no time in making the LEAD School@Home programme accessible to all English-medium schools across the country. This is in keeping with our mission to impart education in both good and bad times, and our firm belief that learning is a continuous and a lifelong process. School@Home has been designed in a way that students in both ‘urban India’ and ‘rural Bharat’ find easy to comprehend and learn in the comfort of their homes. I am confident that this integrated learning system will benefit all stakeholders — and none more than the students who need it right now."

Till date, LEAD School has catered to over 3 lakh students in 800+ affordable private schools across cities and Tier 2, 3 and 4 towns. The LEAD School@Home programme is already available to students affiliated to all CBSE and State boards in the country. The LEAD School Parent App provides students with homework and assessments, while keeping parents informed of their children's academic progress.

Takeda India Stands United for Hemophilia on World Hemophilia Day

Key Points

• Approximately 21,000 hemophilic patients registered in India
• With the ongoing government support, standards of care have improved in the country

On World Hemophilia Day, Takeda India, part of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, a global biopharmaceutical company, pledges to stand united to support patients for a better life and brighter future. Takeda is committed to driving awareness and conversations around Hemophilia to ensure an increased number of diagnoses and, thus, timely treatment with quality replacement therapy. 

Koki Sato, General Manager, Takeda India, commented, "As a company, we are committed to serving patients suffering from Hemophilia and support them in their journey to ensure an improved quality of life. Together with the hematology community, we are raising expectations for the future, including earlier diagnosis, earlier and full protection against bleeds, and more personalized patient care. With our innovative therapies, awareness drives, and initiatives, we aim to contribute towards building a bleed free India by 2030."

Through Access to Medicine (AtM) strategy, Takeda aims to address the broader structural barriers that prevent patients in underserved communities from receiving the care and treatment they deserve. In addition to AtM, Takeda India in 2017, launched Purna Samparq, a patient support program to address the critical unmet needs of Hemophilic patients by offering them Counselling, Diagnostic, Physiotherapy, Nursing and Education Support under the guidance of the Consulting Physician to improve the quality of life.

Gopal Agrawal, Head Market Access, Patient Advocacy, and Patient Services, Takeda India, said “We are committed to addressing the unmet needs of patients wherever they may be, andsustainably strengthening local health systems at every stage of the patient journey. We complement this approach with a commitment towards developing an end-to-end access approach to make our highly-innovative medicines available as soon as practically possible”.

Hemophilia is an inherited single gene disorder that is usually inherited, and about one in every 5,000 males is born with the disorder[2]. As per a reputed patient body in the country, there are approximately 21,000 registered hemophilia patients in India (footnote source). This rare disease mostly impacts pediatric males. While most of the patients opt for on-demand treatment when an episode of bleed occurs, there is prophylaxis treatment that can reduce the annual bleed rate, therefore leading to a reduced lifetime risk of future bleeds and helping the patients to live a better-quality life.

ITC Savlon Launches the Zero Contact ‘Savlon Surface Disinfectant Spray’ to Help Fight Against Covid-19

In the ongoing fight against Covid-19, health stipulations have mandated two important facets to help protect against the deadly virus – hand hygiene and the hygiene of frequently touched surfaces. Hand hygiene is critical and continues to be in conversation with educative programmes to enhance awareness and the introduction of handwashes and hand sanitisers like Savlon Hexa. The relevance and the importance of surface disinfection is increasingly being accepted now.  Frequently touched surfaces are high contact areas through which germs are transmitted and can increase chances of infection. Many have adopted home made, often cumbersome, ways to clean such surfaces. At times, the disinfection is not very effective due to the design of the surface, making nooks difficult to reach.

To make this new routine more convenient and very effective, ITC’s leading hygiene brand Savlon announces the launch of Savlon Surface Disinfectant Spray. The easy to use spray kills 99.99% germs around home including virus, bacteria, molds & fungi*. It also kills commonly contagious viruses like H1N1, Rotavirus & Norovirus.

Tables, door knobs, chairs, sofas, etc. are spaces in homes and commercial areas that are touched often by several people. Cleaning these areas properly is critical to maintain the health and hygiene of the people who come in contact with these surfaces and their families. The zero contact Savlon Surface Disinfectant Spray disinfects and deodorizes in one easy step.  Its unique spray formula can be used on various hard and soft surfaces alike, leaving behind a fresh and pleasant smell while killing 99.99% germs*. The active ingredients in this formulation also kills certain antibiotic resistant germs. Spray once on these high contact areas through which germs are transmitted, and allow it to air dry. There is no need to wipe it down.

Speaking on augmentation of Savlon’s portfolio, Sameer Satpathy, Divisional Chief Executive, Personal Care, ITC Limited said, “Savlon has accelerated the launch of effective products in this unprecedented battle against COVID-19. We picked up this need to disinfect surfaces in our consumer work and decided to quickly introduce it into the market.  This has been possible only due to ITC’s research and development capabilities and strengths in innovation & distribution. The innovative Savlon Surface Disinfectant spray introduces a hassle-free and convenient way to effectively clean hard and soft frequently touched surfaces.  Disinfecting homes and surfaces will continue to be a critical need hereon and a zero-contact disinfectant like Savlon Surface Disinfectant Spray, which does not need a subsequent wipe down, will definitely help prevent transfer of disease-causing germs*. The development and the subsequent launch across India in a short period of time, is a testament to innovative and passionate teams of ITC, working round the clock in this fight against the virus.”

The Savlon Surface Disinfectant Spray is the second consecutive launch by Savlon during the lockdown period, the first being Savlon’s advanced hand sanitizer Savlon Hexa for quick and persistent action.

Savlon Surface Disinfectant Spray is available in a spray pack of 170 g priced at INR 159. It is being rolled out across retail channels and online platforms throughout the country.

*Basis in vitro studies  

AESL Revolutionises Digital Learning; Launches One-of-its Kind “Live Streaming Courses” at the Aakash Prime Class

Highlights

* The extended course aims to “Bridge the Gap” and provide the best test preparation for students irrespective of their geographical location
* Live streamed through the Internet to a classroom equipped with audio-visual equipment, Aakash Prime Class is a two-way interactive medium
* Aakash Prime Class will have medical and engineering courses for students from Class XI-XII and those who have passed Class XII.

Heralding a revolution in the digital learning sector, Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL), the national leader in test preparation services, has launched a one-of-its kind Extended Classroom Course called the Aakash Prime Class, that will be delivered through New Age Satellite Technology to students who wish to become Doctors and IITians across the country.

Live streamed through the Internet to a classroom equipped with audio-visual equipment, this is a two-way interactive medium that will enable students preparing for JEE and NEET to study in a classroom sitting in their respective town/city interacting with the Faculty@Aakash based in Delhi live on screen.

Today, the knowledge domain of students is restricted to bare school curriculum. They are unable to and at times disinterested in higher-order insights and exposure. Aakash Prime Class Courses are designed to fill this void by providing higher-order subject-matter exposure to students; delivered by National-level faculty over New Age Satellite Mode.

The program aims to impart an integrated learning, spanning “Boards” & “Competition” preparation. A better learning experience coupled with continuous testing & analysis will help and nudge the students achieve visible improvement in academics and co-curricular performance.

Mr. Aakash Chaudhry, Director and CEO of AESL, “AESL is known for innovative applications and products that have revolutionized the way information technology is used to deliver new age learning to next generation learners. The Indian education system suffers from a three-pronged problem of Quality, Access and Cost. The challenge is to provide the best possible quality of teaching centred on the best faculty to students across the country at very low costs. Aakash Prime Class is a solution to all this and will enable students to continue with their education from home regardless of their geographical location. Our sessions will be interactive, allowing students to clear doubts, ask questions and be able to address their queries and concerns. We hope that students and educators will take advantage of this unique initiative.”

The Aakash Prime Class courses will be delivered through the national network of AESL. The centres are VSAT-enabled and with the heldp of state-of-the-art studios & telecommunication facilities, they will channelize audio, video and data-enabled high-quality, faculty lectures to students.

Advantages of Aakash Prime Class

Best National Level Faculty Set: Our Faculty is among the best in the country and have produced stellar results year-after-year
Best Study Material: AESL’s study material is acknowledged as the best among peers & is highly sought-after by discerning aspirants
Pre Learning Module: Web Based Text and Multimedia lessons to set the pace for upcoming topics along with PLA (Pre learning assessment)
Review and Recall Quiz: In-Class exercises to assess your learning of in-class teaching. Enables Learning-Gap Analysis and Corrective action by student & Faculty
Assignments: Post Class Assignments for recall, revision as well as higher order preparation
Doubt cell: A dedicated team to resolve the doubts of students will be provided
Planner: To inform and make visible class schedule, tests, and assignments
Video Archives: All sessions conducted are recorded and are available in the students’ id which can be used for later review. Parents can also have a look at all the sessions
Regular PTMs: Online review sessions to jointly review the wards performance and plan accelerative or corrective steps
Academic Help Desk: Automatic Intelligent call routing to available faculty or voice mailbox. Query record and query tracking
E-Mail/SMS Alerts: E-mail/SMS alerts on events, changes, scores, assignment completion/
Incompletion, to parents and faculty

ACT Fibernet Globally Recognized as Gallup Exceptional Workplace for the Third Consecutive Year

ACT Fibernet, one of India’s largest wired ISPs (Internet Service Provider), has been awarded with the prestigious ‘Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award’ for the third consecutive year. The company has been recognised as one of the top firms amongst 38 exceptional workplaces by Gallup globally.

ACT Fibernet was recognised as a company with an extraordinary ability to create an engaging and vibrant workplace culture that encourages employees to excel while driving successful business outcomes. The company’s key integrated employee engagement across accountability and performance, development and ongoing learning as well as communication and knowledge management have been greatly lauded.

Gallup workplace experts identify leading organizations having the most engaged workplace culture worldwide. The panel assesses the applicants based on a set of rigorous, established eligibility criteria and evaluates their notable contribution towards integrated employee engagement performance. ACT Fibernet’s employee culture and ecosystem is a testament to their outstanding efforts in connecting passionate employees while fostering and nurturing them in a fast-paced environment.

Speaking on the win, Shefali Mohapatra, Chief People Officer, ACT Fibernet said “We are honoured to be recognized by Gallup Exceptional Workplace globally for the third time in a row. This win is yet another testimony to our philosophy of ‘happy employees deliver exceptional delight to our customers’. Our developmental, caring and compassionate approach towards building a vibrant workplace, helps us deliver our promise to our customers”

“In the last decade we have grown to be one of the most preferred and high-performing workplaces where we engage and motivate employees to deliver their best and outshine in their field of work”. She further added.

Vikas Chaturvedi of Gallup India said “At Gallup, we endeavour to recognise brands that have consistently delivered over and beyond for their employees. ACT Fibernet has for the last three years reflected this with their determination and the efforts undertaken by the company to make it a people first workplace. We congratulate them on this win and wish them many more in the years to come.”

About Gallup Great Workplace Award

Gallup Great Workplace Award is a globally recognized award that honours the most elite organizations with excellent workplace culture and produces excellent business results. It is backed by world-class analytics and in-depth research to acknowledge the ability of organizations to maintain high levels of workplace engagement.

Microsoft Adds Five Indian Languages to Microsoft Translator to Help Break Communication Barriers

Highlights

* Brings in the power of Artificial Intelligence and Deep Neural Networks for real-time translation across 10 Indian languages in all
* Enables organizations to conduct business across the country and globally in their native languages with Microsoft Translator text API

Microsoft India has announced that Microsoft Translator will now offer real time translation in five additional languages viz., Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam and Punjabi.

This takes the total number of Indian languages supported to 10, including Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.  With this, the service will now allow over 90% of Indians to access information and work in their native/preferred languages, making computing language-agnostic and more inclusive in the country.

Language translation is a core part of Microsoft products and services. Users can avail the benefits of AI and Deep Neural Networks-enhanced, real time translation in all these languages while using Bing and the Microsoft Translator website, as well as the Microsoft Translator App for Android, IOS and Windows. The Microsoft Translator app can recognize and translate languages from text, speech and even photos. Microsoft is also rolling out support for these languages in the Microsoft Office 365 and the Swiftkey keyboard.

For organizations of all sizes, Microsoft provides APIs on Azure that they can use in their products to conduct their business across the country and globally in different languages. Businesses can easily integrate the Microsoft Translator text translation API into their applications websites, tools, or any solution requiring multi-language support, including e-content translation, e-commerce product catalogues, product documentation and internal communication among others. The Microsoft Translator service  is part of the Azure Cognitive Services API collection of machine learning and AI algorithms.

Sundar Srinivasan, General Manager, Microsoft India(R&D) Pvt. Ltd.,  said, “We’re committed to empower every Indian and every business in India by bringing the power of AI into their daily life. Microsoft celebrates the diversity of languages in India and wants to make the vast internet even more accessible. We have supported Indian languages in computing for over two decades, and more recently have made significant strides on machine translation across languages. With this release, we are bringing in cutting edge machine learning tech to democratize access to information for everyone in India,”

Bringing Deep Neural Networks to language translation

Since early 2000s, Microsoft has been pioneering the traditional Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) paradigm to translate global as well as Indian languages. The incorporation of Deep Neural Networks into translating complex Indian languages brings more accuracy and fluency to translation. While SMT is limited to translating a word within the local context of a few surrounding words, Deep Neural Networks has the capability of encoding more granular concepts like gender (feminine, masculine, neutral), politeness level (slang, casual, written, formal), and type of word (verb, noun, adjective). Microsoft continuously iterates the translation models keeping in mind tech advancement and usage, and releases newer and improved versions to all its users in a transparent manner.  You can learn more about Microsoft Translator here.

Microsoft and Local Language computing: Microsoft has been consistently working to provide local language computing in Indian languages for over two decades since the launch of Project Bhasha in 1998, allowing users to input localized text easily and quickly using the Indian Language Input tool. Microsoft also announced support for email addresses in multiple Indian languages across most of its email apps and services. Through its global Local Language Program (LLP), Microsoft provides people access to technology in their native.

Withdraw DBT Funds and Cash from Thousands of PayNearby Outlets

The nation-wide lockdown in the wake of Covid-19, predictably, has hit the poorest sections of society the hardest, especially migrant workers and the rural population. However, now, through the help of bank mitras and Aadhaar enabled payments, customers can withdraw upto Rs. 10,000 daily simply through the use of their thumb, which is a blessing in rural areas where there is a lack of adequate financial infrastructure. PayNearby, through its 8 lakh network of banking correspondents has been seamlessly facilitating cash withdrawal and transfer in this period - conducting over 8.5 lakh transactions per day.

The ground reality is that rural regions face a severe scarcity of ATMs and POS machines, expired or non-operational debit cards and the population in these areas are less digitally savvy regarding online payments. Only 5% of rural India which is 30k of the 6.5 lakh villages have access to ATMs. Last year, the government declared over 115 million debit cards invalid since they lacked the appropriate chip and PIN mandate. In the wake of this the pandemic lockdown, the owners of these invalid cards are now left in the lurch as they are non-functional. In this case, it was PayNearby that gave people access to financial services through their BC network.

Even as the finance ministry announced ₹1.75 lakh crore will be given to “80 crore poorest Indians” under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) over three months starting April 1, there are several logistical challenges that impede their access to this relief package. Furthermore, there is a lack of awareness by the rural population themselves - 1.25 lakh crore DBT remains unwithdrawn in bank accounts. In such circumstances, it is banking correspondents who are doing the national duty of serving as disbursal points for cash withdrawal - doing over 125 crore worth transactions per day.

PayNearby has been integral in promoting AePS (Aadhar enabled Payment System) in the country. It currently has over 33% market share in AePS, with transactions more than doubling in the last month to almost 6 lakh daily. India’s unique demography is such that even as 1.1 billion people have bank accounts, a large chunk is unable to fill out official documents. Thus, India has greatly benefited from AePS for direct benefit transfer, which aids in seamless DBT deployment.

“We are extremely grateful to the government for establishing the Aadhaar system so successfully within the country. In times like these, the use of biometrics is a great equaliser in terms of financial access, as AePS resolves many operational hurdles, especially in rural areas. Currently, 93% of our retailers are dedicatedly serving in rural regions, with 1 lakh Digital Pradhans doing transactions daily, mindful of careful sanitation and social distancing. We are extremely privileged thatwe could answer to this call of National duty”, remarked Anand Kumar Bajaj, MD & CEO, PayNearby.

During these challenging times too, PayNearby’s platform and their Digital Pradhan retailers have been summoned to serve people at the last mile. Along with their banking partners and NPCI, they have been working tirelessly in severely affected areas where ATMs are non-operational or non-accessible, and even hospitals, police stations and NGOs are availing their services.

About Nearby Technologies Pvt. Ltd.:

Incepted in April 2016, Nearby Technologies is a fintech company offering financial/non-financial services to the underbanked and unbanked segment. Nearby Technologies works on a B2B2C model through its various brands – PayNearby, Insure Nearby, BuyNearby and few more. PayNearby empowers retailers at the first mile to offer digital services to local communities, thereby boosting financial inclusion in India. Retailer services are focused on Aadhaar based banking services, Domestic Remittances, Bill Payments, Card Payments, and insurance services among others.

It was founded by Anand Kumar Bajaj, Subhash Kumar, Yashwant Lodha & Rajesh Jha who bring with them rich experience in the field of banking, payments and other financial sectors. PayNearby is a DIPP-certified FinTech startup, partnering with various financial institutions including YES Bank, RBL Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Axis Bank, CC Avenue, Bill Desk, NPCI, FASTag, NBFC and FMCG companies. It is the sole technology provider using Aadhaar Enabled Payment Services (AEPS) and IMPS to YES Bank, making them one of the only two fintech companies hosted by the National Payments Corporation of India (NCPI).

Emirates Becomes First Airline to Conduct On-Site Rapid COVID-19 Tests for Passengers

Emirates in coordination with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) will be introducing additional precautions. Passengers on today’s flight to Tunisia were all tested for COVID-19 before departing from Dubai. Emirates is the first airline to conduct on-site rapid COVID-19 tests for passengers.

The quick blood test was conducted by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and results were available within 10 minutes. This test was conveniently done at the Group Check-in area of Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates Chief Operating Officer said: “The testing process has gone smoothly and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Dubai Health Authority for their initiatives and innovative solutions. This would have not been possible without the support of Dubai Airport and other government authorities. We are working on plans to scale up testing capabilities in the future and extend it to other flights, this will enable us to conduct on-site tests and provide immediate confirmation for Emirates passengers travelling to countries that require COVID-19 test certificates. The health and safety of staff and passengers at the airport remain of paramount importance.”

HE Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), said: “We are glad to work with Emirates on the successful implementation of rapid COVID-19 testing at the airport for departing travellers. To tackle COVID-19, we have been proactively working with various governmental organisations and the private health sector and we have implemented all necessary measures from public health protection to provision of high-quality health services in line with the latest international guidelines. We believe strongly that the most effective solutions require close partnerships with other public and private sector organisations.”

The airline’s check-in and boarding formalities have also been adapted with social distancing in mind. Protective barriers have been installed at each check-in desk to provide additional safety measures to our passengers and employees during any interaction. Gloves, masks and hand sanitisers have been made mandatory for all employees at the airport.

Passengers are also required to wear their own masks when at the airport and on board the aircraft, and follow social distancing guidelines.Emirates has modified its inflight services for health and safety reasons.

Magazines and other print reading material will not be available, and while food and beverages will continue to be offered on board, packaging and presentation will be modified to reduce contact during meal service and minimize risk of interaction. Cabin baggage are currently not accepted on flights. Carry-on items allowed in the cabin are limited to laptop, handbag, briefcase or baby items. All other items have to be checked in, and Emirates will add the cabin baggage allowance to customers’ check-in baggage allowance.

All Emirates aircraft will go through enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes in Dubai, after each journey.

Microsoft Adds Five Indian Languages to Microsoft Translator to Help Break Communication Barriers

Highlights

* Brings in the power of Artificial Intelligence and Deep Neural Networks for real-time translation across 10 Indian languages in all
* Enables organizations to conduct business across the country and globally in their native languages with Microsoft Translator text API

Microsoft India has announced that Microsoft Translator will now offer real time translation in five additional languages viz., Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam and Punjabi.

This takes the total number of Indian languages supported to 10, including Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.  With this, the service will now allow over 90% of Indians to access information and work in their native/preferred languages, making computing language-agnostic and more inclusive in the country.

Language translation is a core part of Microsoft products and services. Users can avail the benefits of AI and Deep Neural Networks-enhanced, real time translation in all these languages while using Bing and the Microsoft Translator website, as well as the Microsoft Translator App for Android, IOS and Windows. The Microsoft Translator app can recognize and translate languages from text, speech and even photos. Microsoft is also rolling out support for these languages in the Microsoft Office 365 and the Swiftkey keyboard.

For organizations of all sizes, Microsoft provides APIs on Azure that they can use in their products to conduct their business across the country and globally in different languages. Businesses can easily integrate the Microsoft Translator text translation API into their applications websites, tools, or any solution requiring multi-language support, including e-content translation, e-commerce product catalogues, product documentation and internal communication among others. The Microsoft Translator service  is part of the Azure Cognitive Services API collection of machine learning and AI algorithms.

Sundar Srinivasan, General Manager, Microsoft India(R&D) Pvt. Ltd.,  said, “We’re committed to empower every Indian and every business in India by bringing the power of AI into their daily life. Microsoft celebrates the diversity of languages in India and wants to make the vast internet even more accessible. We have supported Indian languages in computing for over two decades, and more recently have made significant strides on machine translation across languages. With this release, we are bringing in cutting edge machine learning tech to democratize access to information for everyone in India,”

Bringing Deep Neural Networks to language translation

Since early 2000s, Microsoft has been pioneering the traditional Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) paradigm to translate global as well as Indian languages. The incorporation of Deep Neural Networks into translating complex Indian languages brings more accuracy and fluency to translation. While SMT is limited to translating a word within the local context of a few surrounding words, Deep Neural Networks has the capability of encoding more granular concepts like gender (feminine, masculine, neutral), politeness level (slang, casual, written, formal), and type of word (verb, noun, adjective). Microsoft continuously iterates the translation models keeping in mind tech advancement and usage, and releases newer and improved versions to all its users in a transparent manner.  You can learn more about Microsoft Translator here.

Microsoft and Local Language computing: Microsoft has been consistently working to provide local language computing in Indian languages for over two decades since the launch of Project Bhasha in 1998, allowing users to input localized text easily and quickly using the Indian Language Input tool. Microsoft also announced support for email addresses in multiple Indian languages across most of its email apps and services. Through its global Local Language Program (LLP), Microsoft provides people access to technology in their native language.

3400 Ration Kits Handed Over to the Chitradurga District Administration By Vedanta - Iron Ore Karnataka Business

In line with Vedanta philosophy of care and community welfare, Vedanta Ltd - Iron Ore Karnataka Business today handed over 3,400 ration kits to the District Administration for better preparedness during the pandemic. These ration kits were hand delivered to the District Administration Committee by Vedanta-Iron Ore Karnataka Business CSR team.

The company has set up a team to provide relief to the vulnerable and most needy sections of society, who have been harshly impacted by the pandemic and have faced significant disruption in their livelihoods.

Today, Mr. Krishna Reddy, Director- Vedanta Iron Ore Karnataka Business said, “In the current situation where Chitradurga is going through a tough phase in view of the pandemic, these 3400 ration kits are contribution by Iron Ore Karnataka Business to the District Administration to be well prepared  to combat the deadly Coronavirus. Our company has always had a symbolic relationship with the community of Chitradurga and today in this critical situation, we are working towards the same line of community welfare. I would request every citizen in Chitradurga to stay safe and act responsibly.”

BasicFirst Announces its ‘Doubt Clearing App’ for Students in India

With an aim to support the students in their academic pursuits amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, BasicFirst Learning OPC Pvt. Ltd. has come up with a new version of the BasicFirst Doubt Clearing App for students where the average response time for all queries is just 32 minutes via in-app chats. Teachers are available from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM, ensuring students can clear doubts whenever any query arises.

The Doubt Clearing App is India’s first platform to resolve doubts through live sessions with experienced teachers via in-app chatting. BasicFirst caters to students from classes 6th to 12th belonging to all Boards (including CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE and other State Boards such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Bihar) and major competitive examinations – IIT Main, JEE Advance, NEET, AIIMS, NTSE, Olympiads and more.

The BasicFirst Doubt Clearing App offers tailored packages to meet unique needs at a cost-effective monthly subscription. BasicFirst is also offering a 14-days free trial on all packages, post completion of which students can have their doubts cleared for as low as 0.75 Rupees to 3 Rupees depending upon the complexity of the question.

On the release of the app, Randhir Kumar, Founder, CEO & Chief Mentor – BasicFirst Learning OPC Pvt. Ltd said: “Due to Coronavirus, all educational institutions have shut down and exams have been suspended without a date in sight, the education system is in a limbo, where does this leave the students? Our duty is to provide the students with an interactive platform that helps them promote their academic goals efficiently by drastically reducing the time required in resolving doubts. We always put students first. Therefore, we want to ensure an entirely stress-free learning process.”

BasicFirst has also introduced a “Refer & Earn” system wherein students can earn referral points by inviting their friends to try the BasicFirst App. These points can be redeemed for various options. Furthermore, there is an option for students to donate these earned points to noble causes through the App itself. BasicFirst will donate the respective amount to NGOs, which can be viewed from the donation activities in the application.

Hyundai Motor India Hands Over Globally Proven - COVID-19 Advanced Diagnostic Testing Kits to ICMR

Hyundai Motor India (HMI), country’s first Smart Mobility Solutions Provider and largest exporter since inception, today handed over COVID-19 Advanced Diagnostic Testing Kits to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The globally proven Diagnostic Kits worth Rs 4 Crore have been imported from South Korea and offer high levels of accuracy, catering to the testing requirements of over 25000 individuals. These Diagnostic Kits are also being exported to USA, Europe and other countries.

Commenting on the Hand over, Mr. SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “As a socially responsible and caring brand, Hyundai is committed to the fight against COVID-19. To provide further assistance to the Government’s efforts, we have handed over Globally Proven – COVID-19 Advanced Diagnostic Testing Kits imported from South Korea. These highly accurate diagnostic kits can help the Government scale up the testing efforts in affected regions and arrest the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in India."

As part of Hyundai’s road map of giving back to the society, series of initiatives have been developed to assist the Government in the battle against COVID-19. The range of initiatives include:

Donation of Rs 5 Crore to Tamil Nadu Chief Minster Relief Fund
Augment the supply of ventilators and other respiratory aids such as the in-house developed Ambu Bag Actuator
Distribution of PPEs, masks and other safety kits
Distribution of dry rations to adversely impacted sections of society

Hyundai has also announced initiatives to support customers in these challenging times. Customers who were unable to avail vehicle’s Warranty/Extended Warranty/Free Service due to Health Emergency or Dealership shutdown in affected cities, HMI will offer extended support of 2 months. Customers (Doctors/Police/Bankers etc) who are in essential services are already being given Road Side Assistance by Allianz Partner/Dealers, in case of any emergency.

TKM Introduces Unique & Comprehensive ‘Restart Manual’ to Resume Business Operations Post Lockdown

Taking into account the complete shut-down of operations due to the COVID 19 pandemic and the possibility of restart of manufacturing post 20th April in light of Government directives, during the intervening period Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has used its years of rich knowledge, expertise and access to global best practices to devise a comprehensive ‘Restart Manual’ as a guide for industries to follow post the lockdown withdrawal. As a proactive measure, with an intent to support the manufacturing sector, TKM management had put together a team of cross functional experts to go into minutest details of various operations and create a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) that would ensure the safest possible restart to manufacturing by securing the workers from any health hazards. This manual is in consonance with the broad Government guidelines that have been issued and will be used by TKM, its suppliers and has also been shared as a reference document with all Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) members. TKM also intends to share it with wider segment of Industry through industry association platforms like CII.

TKM’s Restart Manual is an all-inclusive guide for reorganizing and safely resuming business operations to near normalcy after the lockdown is lifted. This initiative will aid the Government, stakeholders and the community at large by creating detailed reference document for the industries to safeguard and ensure the health, well-being and safety of all their employees thereby also enriching the lives of the communities. TKM has already shared the Restart Manual with not just Toyota suppliers but also with ACMA, other suppliers in the industry and is planning to share this manual with other industry players as well.

Sharing his thoughts on this one-of-a-kind initiative, Mr. Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “Today, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and safety of people across the globe. We are witnessing demand, supply, market and liquidity shocks, decline in real GDP growth rates, and so many setbacks. It’s our prime responsibility to ensure health and safety of employees, families and all our stakeholders. We need to safeguard business continuity and economic recovery as well by ensuring ‘Safety & health First’ approach. In this perspective, this ‘Restart Manual’ is prepared not only for our use but also for the benefit of government, industries and stakeholders. I would like to congratulate our TPS (Toyota Production System) experts who have worked hard to create this manual.

Post Covid-19, we will witness a new normal and change will be inevitable. We must adapt and remember that change is always for the better and can herald tremendous progress. We need to stop jobs that do not fit the needs, change procedures or the way we work and continue to navigate in these turbulent times. Let us work together as “One Team, One Goal” with greater speed and intensity.”

Appreciating the Restart Manual, Mr. Deepak Jain, President, Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) said, “At the outset of this initiative, we would like to thank the TKM management for bringing out a very valuable and pertinent ‘Restart Manual'. Needless to say that this manual is reflective of the very humane and caring culture at Toyota. The safety measures to be adopted at each function are indeed very well described and explained through appropriate graphics. We are confident that this manual would be of immense value to all ACMA members in ensuring that we have a safe, secure and sustainable restart post the lockdown. Further, we are also very grateful to Toyota for allowing us to use this manual as a reference guide for all ACMA members.”

As a committed corporate, TKM has been studying and observing the evolving situation in the country and is determined to devise simple and practical solutions to arising problems in hopes to help the country and the industry recover from the inflictions of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Australian e-Learning Platform Matific Forays Across Indian Market

Highlights

* Aligned with school curriculums of ICSE, CBSE boards with the most updated content
* Award-winning e-learning platform offering annual plans for just INR 210 per month, with a 7 day free trial for students
* Matific solutions are proven to help improve student’s math test scores by 34%
* Matific Galaxy has hundreds of adaptive and intuitive maths activities that focus on core maths skills

Matific, an online Maths resource for kids from primary to Grade 6, has ventured into the burgeoning ed-tech market in India, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. To address the gap in teaching Maths, Matific has launched its award-winning solution Matific Galaxy, for the India home market at an affordable price.  The solution has been designed by mathematics professors and curriculum experts for parents looking for the most updated and engaging solutions that are aligned to their child’s school curriculums. 

Matific Galaxy features hundreds of engaging maths activities aligned with school curriculums of ICSE, CBSE boards. Matific’s home product aims to provide a solution to conventional home-schooling and ensure that kids are well prepared for the future and up to pace until the lockdown period ends. This top-rated app features hundreds of fun maths games covering maths skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. Matific’s evidence-based content has been proven to help improve students' math results by 34%. The program provides parents with access to a dashboard where they can keep track of their child’s mathematics achievements and progress.

“Given the current environment, schools institutions are going online around the world as they send students home with no timeline for return. Matific’s solutions enable students to continue their learning process. Matific Galaxy is an award-winning unique platform offering online gamified Maths resources and engaging activities that promote conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills for kids from Nursery to Grade 6.”

“Matific Galaxy is backed by extensive research and designed by senior mathematics professors and curriculum experts, making it the most comprehensive online mathematics resource.

We want to ensure that all students in all areas of India have the opportunity to continue learning during this time. This means ensuring that the price is not an issue.” said Vibha Mahajan, VP, Matific India.

Matific Galaxy is offering an annual plan for just INR 210 per month, which is a practical choice considering its high-quality content and costly solutions in the education space. Matific also offers a 7-day free trial for students. Apart from offering the most advanced and relevant content at the most affordable price, Matific Galaxy works in offline mode as well, taking out the significant overheads of data consumption. 

Matific has several games and stimulating maths activities, each of which is equally gripping so that kids end up playing for hours, and learning maths in a process of self-guided discovery. Playful interactions, colourful characters, and gamification help ease math anxiety and boost math confidence amongst students.

Matific is present in over 45 countries with adaptability in 26 languages across the world and has proven to help improve student’s math test scores by 34%. Used by thousands of teachers worldwide, Matific provides relief to parents and enjoyable experience to children during a time of uncertainty. Every day over thousands of teachers and students log in for online teaching and learning.

Available both on Google Play and App Store, Matific Galaxy program can be accessed on desktop, tablets and mobile devices.

Tecno Joins Force with Channel Partners & Zomato To Help India's Low-Income Sections Amid COVID-19

Key Points

* Through its alliance with Zomato Feeding India & 100+ channel partners, TECNO is committed to reach out to 60,000+ people across 140 cities with ration kits till 3rd May

TECNO, the global premium smartphone brand takes necessary and relevant steps to support India’s fight against COVID-19. The brand has initiated multiple partnerships to provide meals to people of the low-income communities affected by the outbreak of coronavirus. Through its alliance with Zomato Feeding India and 100+ channel partners, TECNO will distribute ration kits to support more than 60,000 people across India.

Commenting on this noble initiative and unique on-ground collaborations with channel partners, Mr. Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, TRANSSION India said, “These are unprecedented and difficult times. Our Honourable Prime Minister, his leadership team, our doctors and health members work continuously to ensure our safety and well-being. The social distancing has been hard on everyone, and especially those who lack access to basic and essential provisions like food. We, at TECNO, are doing everything we can to support as many of them as possible; to ensure they have food on their plates and enough ration to sustain themselves and their loved ones.”

Through Zomato Feeding India’s ‘Feed the Daily Wager’ project, TECNO will distribute ration  kits to support 20,000 people from local communities in Delhi, Noida and Gurugram. Talking about the collaborative effort, Chandan Mendiratta, Head, Zomato Feeding India said, “These are trying times, and it's absolutely necessary for us to lend a helping hand to take care of the worst hit strata of our population. Zomato Feeding India's 'Feed the Daily Wager' initiative has been able to help 2.5 lakh households so far, and with support from Techno we are looking to enable another 20,000 in the National Capital Region. If you have not donated as yet or want to top up, go ahead and visit https://www.feedingindia.org/donate to make a difference."

Parallelly, TECNO in a unique on-ground combined initiative with its 100+channel partners’ will see both parties contributing equally to supply ration and food to about 40000 needy people affected across 140 cities during the lockdown period.

To begin with, TECNO alongwith its channel partners will inject Rs 60 lakhs in these efforts. The idea is to have all parties contribute to create a sizable pool of funds that can be used to put together an adequate stock of necessary food items required for supply.

Earlier, the company has also collaborated with key government institutions in the National Capital Region like Yatharth Hospital &  Noida police to supply masks and thermometers to healthcare and administrative workers who are at the frontline, helping India combat the pandemic.

Author Chaitanya Upadhyay Launches Maiden Novel ‘The Devil Don’

Author Chaitanya Upadhyay recently launched his maiden novel titled ‘The Devil Don’. Published by Blue Rose Publishers,one of India’s leading publishing houses, the book is a fast paced thriller and is priced at Rs.111/-

‘The Devil Don’ is a suspense filled thrilling love story that documents the struggles of the protagonist and the role destiny plays in his life. The book is filled with twists and turns, making it a very interesting and upbeat plot.

Speaking on the launch of the book, Chaitanya Upadhyay, author of ‘The Devil Don’ said “I’ve always been a fan of this genre. It could be books, movies, TV series etc. If it has anything to do with mystery, thrill, suspense, you already have me hooked on. For me, personally, this book was a lot of fun to write. I absolutely love getting lost with these ideas and just writing myself into a corner. It’s a book I’ve put a lot of thought into, and if you’re into this genre, it's a book you wouldn’t wanna miss out on.”

‘The Devil Don’ is a story of a street fighter, scarred with a burned face for life, and how he undergoes tough situations that come his way. The book is an easy-read, taking your mind on a roller-coaster of emotions, plots and scenarios, keeping the reader hooked till the end.

Grab your copy of 'The Devil Don' at : https://tinyurl.com/ChaitanyaUpadhyaya

Syed Asad Hassan, Managing Director of Blue Rose Publishers, said “It was a pleasure working with Chaitanya on this book. As there are many hardcore thriller and suspense fans, we were confident that the book would be well received by readers interested in the genre. ‘The Devil Don’ is a must read and we are sure that it will enthrall all those who read it."

Chaitanya is currently a part-time teacher who has always had the burning desire to be an author. He says “I’ve always loved to write, ever since I was a little boy. I still remember the first line I’d ever written "Mere ye pal ki Zindagi" in class 5 in the back of my social science notebook. Ever since, it’s always been a dream of mine, to author my own book” ‘The Devil Don’ is Chaitanya’s first venture as an author.

200K People Across 50 Countries Attend Online Sahaja Yoga Meditation During Lockdown

As many as 200,000 people across 50 countries have attended online meditation sessions during last 20 days of lockdown, according to information from H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Sahaja Yoga Trust (National Trust).

The Youtube channel - Pratisthan, Pune of the Trust has seen around 2 million views with 7.31 lakh watch hours and over 13.2 million impressions in the lockdown period. Each viewer attended an average of 8.6 session and spent average of 23 minutes per visit, which is substantial as people look towards meditation to overcome anxiety during COVID19 lockdown.

On the Facebook Page - India SahajaYoga, 61,000 people watched over 16 thousand hours of meditation video. Additionally, everyday 1200 new people are joining new seekers sessions, run only for new seekers by Sahaja Yoga National Trust.

“Technology has enabled this unique way of collective meditation across countries. This will ensure sound physical and mental health of people. It will also help people in overcoming stress and anxiety, while attaining the wider objective of awakening the divine power within.” Dinesh Rai - Vice Chairman, HH Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Sahaja Yoga Trust (National Trust) said.

Interestingly, the visitors who attended Sahaja Yoga meditation collective sessions on their Youtube channel spread over 50 countries converted the sessions in their local languages for ensuring the benefits reach all people across the globe.

The free of cost meditation initiative has been taken up by volunteers through Kundalini Awakening and Self Realisation and is being conducted daily twice through various social media platforms like YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Mixlr and National TV which overcome geographic boundaries.

“We will continue to meditate collectively twice a day for forthcoming weeks for the protection and spiritual ascent,” he said.

The world is highly connected at the physical level as the spread of COVID19 has demonstrated. However, we as a human race are also connected at metaphysical level through our collective consciousness and this has been felt virtually by the followers of Sahaja Yoga.

Daily meditation sessions are conducted live at 5.30 AM and 7.00 PM (Indian Time) for Sahaja Yoga practitioners and at 5.30 PM for new seekers through Youtube, Facebook and Mixlr. The new Seeker session is joined daily by around 1200 new people. The queries are answered by the India tollfree helpline 1800 30 700 800 by volunteers across the country. Sahaja Yoga volunteers from across India manned 24*7 phone lines to provide adequate meditation related guidance to the new seekers for stay at home and meditate which saw number of contacts growing to over 500 calls per day by new unique contacts.

Emirates Updates Covid-19 Travel Waiver Policies Globally

Emirates puts customers first with flexible COVID-19 waiver policies. Keep your tickets for 760 days, get travel vouchers valid for 2 years or get full refunds. We’re with you every step of the way.

As a part of this revamped travel system, the Dubai-based carrier is offering three options:

Keep the ticket: All Emirates tickets booked before May 31 for travel up to August 31 will be automatically extended for 760 days. Customers holding such tickets can rebook when they decide to travel again. Their ticket will be accepted for any flight to the same Emirates destination or to another city within the same Emirates region with no fees for changes.

Get a travel voucher: Travel vouchers are valid for one year from date of issue and can be extended for a second year. Customers can use for any Emirates product or service, thereby availing it to offset charges for flights to any destination in any cabin class, or other services.

Refund: Those who have decided to keep their ticket or the travel voucher can also apply for a refund, if they are unable to travel.

Get access to the above-given options by filling this form or visit emirates.com

Adnan Kazim, chief commercial officer, Emirates said, “We sincerely hope that our customers will choose to rebook and fly with us again at a later time, and that is why we’re offering up to two years validity on their current tickets, or travel vouchers which can be redeemed for any Emirates product or service.

“Any fees for making a change to the tickets will be waived for tickets issued until May 31, 2020, for travel up to August 31 2020. However, if they would still like to opt for a refund, we will process that. We would just like to seek our customers’ understanding that refunds will take time as we have a significant backlog to manage.”