Hero Motocorp Announces The Winners of ‘Hero Colabs – The Design Challenge’ in India

Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has announced the winners of its latest innovative initiative Hero CoLabs – The Design Challenge.

Reshma KD from Bengaluru emerged victorious in Challenge #1 and Venkatesh R from Nagercoil emerged victorious in Challenge #2. Both winners will receive the grand prize Hero XPulse 200 – the Indian Motorcycle of the Year 2020.

Launched on April 7, 2020, Hero CoLabs provided the ideal platform to enthusiasts, brand fans, students and professionals to showcase their creativity and design skills.

The Challenge received over 10,000 registrations.

Pankaj Jadhav from Mumbai and Ajay Vishnu from Kozhikode were adjudged the second and first runners-up respectively in Challenge #1, while Pallab Raj Chowdhury from Pune and Spandan Bhattacharjee from Navi Mumbai were adjudged the second and first runners-up respectively in Challenge #2. The first runners-up will receive Hero Accessories or Vouchers worth Rs 10,000 and second runners-up will receive Hero Smart Sunglasses.

Additionally, the company announced 15 special mentions in each category, who will receive vouchers worth Rs 500 each.

The contest was hosted in two categories – requiring participants to design their own version of graphics for the iconic Hero Splendor+ (Challenge #1) or design a Hero T-Shirt / Hero Riding Jacket (Challenge #2) inspired by the XPulse 200.

Malo Le Masson, Head of Global Product Planning, Hero MotoCorp said, “The response to Hero CoLabs has been phenomenal. There is immense talent in our country waiting for a platform to showcase their skills and ability. We are excited by this new platform and its potential to collaborate and co-create. Congratulations to all the winners, runners-ups and special mentions.”

The contest was hosted on www.herocolabs.com where interested contestants were required to register and submit their entries before April 21, 2020. However, owing to the overwhelming response the deadline was extended till April 28, 2020.

After submission of entries on the official website, Hero MotoCorp shortlisted and posted the top 100 designs, 50 in each challenge, on the website for voting. Participants also had the opportunity to post their designs on their personal Social Media pages to maximize the support for their entries. The entries jointly received nearly 25,000 votes.

The winners were decided on basis of votes received by the entries and points given by the jury consisting of senior leadership team at Hero MotoCorp.

FIGSI Earmarks Rs.5 Crores Towards COVID 19 Relief in Karnataka

Federation of Indian Granite and Stone Industry is an all India trade body serving the Natural Stone Industry of India from the Last 37 years. The Natural Stone Industry of India provides huge employment in the rural sector for semiskilled and unskilled people throughout the country.

All these years, whenever a national calamity has taken place, the Federation has contributed whatever possible to the Government towards the calamity funds and various state levels.

Now as a responsible organisation and citizen of the country, the Federation has earmarked a sum Rs. Five Crores towards the latest Global Pandemic - COVID 2019, Out of this Fund three and half crores has been earmarked for the PM CARES FUNDS and donations to various state governments towards COVID 19 relief fund where Natural Stone operation is being done.  Balance has been earmarked for other facilities like providing Health care facility like Ambulance, Ventilators, Pure drinking  water facility to the stone clusters etc. across the country which will be done during this financial year.

Contributions will be sent to the respective funds including the PM CARES FUNDS in due course.

It is not out of place to mention that the Federation has already contributed Rs.10,00,000/- towards ambulance to Jigani sector in Bengaluru Urban District and Jalore sector in Rajasthan, Pure drinking RO water plant to Kagalavadi Panchayat at Chamarajanagar towards its social responsibility.

Straight to Digital: Amazon Prime Video to Globally Premiere Seven Highly Anticipated Indian Movies

Slate of movies across 5 Indian languages with titles like Shoojit Sircar’s Gulabo Sitabo starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana, Shakuntala Devi featuring Vidya Balan as lead, R. Jyotika starrer Ponmagal Vandhal among others will premiere between May and August on Amazon Prime Video.

Prime offers incredible value with unlimited streaming of the latest and exclusive movies, TV shows, stand-up comedy, Amazon Original Series, ad free music through Amazon Prime Music, free fast delivery on India’s largest selection of products, early access to top deals, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, all available only for ₹129 a month

Following the announcement of the upcoming premiere of Shoojit Sircar’s Amitabh Bachchan (Black, Piku) and Ayushmann Khurrana (Shubh Mangal Zyaada Saavdhan, Andhadhun) starrer Gulabo Sitabo, Amazon Prime Video today announced an additional six highly-anticipated Indian films will be premiering directly on the streaming service. Spanning five Indian languages, the Direct-to-Service line-up features additional releases such as Anu Menon’s Shakuntala Devi with Vidya Balan (Dirty Picture, Kahaani) in lead, legal drama Ponmagal Vandhal starring Jyotika (Chandramukhi) in addition to Keerthy Suresh (Mahanathie) starrer Penguin (Tamil and Telugu), Sufiyum Sujatayum (Malayalam), Law (Kannada) and French Biryani (Kannada). The movies will premiere exclusively on Prime Video over the next three months and will be available in 200 countries and territories worldwide.

“At Prime Video we believe in listening to what our consumers want and working backwards from there. This belief is the genesis of our latest offering,” said Vijay Subramaniam, Director and Head, Content, Amazon Prime Video, India. “Over the last 2 years, Prime Video has become the destination of choice for our customers to watch new releases, across the languages, within weeks of their theatrical release. Now we’re taking this one step further, with seven of India’s most-anticipated films premiering exclusively on Prime Video, bringing the cinematic experience to their doorstep.”

“Indian audiences have been eagerly awaiting the release of these 7 highly anticipated films and we are delighted that Amazon Prime Video will now be premiering these movies for our customers - who can enjoy watching these from the safety & comfort of their homes and on a screen of their choice. Prime Video with its deep penetration in India, with viewership across over 4000 Towns and Cities, and its world-wide reach in more than 200 countries and territories, will give a large global release footprint to these films. We feel truly excited about this initiative and are confident of delighting our Prime Members with this offering” said Gaurav Gandhi, Director and Country General Manager, Amazon Prime Video India.

Amazon Prime Video’s direct-to-service slate:

Ponmagal Vandhal (Tamil), from 29th May on Amazon Prime Video starring Jyotika, Parthiban, Bhagyaraj, Prathap Pothen and Pandiarajan, Ponmagal Vandhal is a legal drama. The movie is written and directed by J.J. Fredrick and produced by Suriya and Rajsekar Karpoorasundarapandian.

Gulabo Sitabo (Hindi), from 12th June on Amazon Prime Video starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana, Gulabo Sitabo is a quirky family comedy depicting day to day struggles of the common man. The movie is written by Juhi Chaturvedi, directed by Shoojit Sircar and produced by Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar.

Penguin (Tamil and Telugu), from 19th June on Amazon Prime Video starring Keerthy Suresh, Penguin is written and directed by Eshavar Karthic. The film is produced by Stone Bench Films and Karthik Subbaraj.

Law (Kannada), from 26th June on Amazon Prime Video starring Ragini Chandran, Siri Prahlad and veteran actor Mukhyamantri Chandru, Law is written and directed by Raghu Samarth and produced by Ashwini and Puneeth Rajkumar.

French Biryani (Kannada), from 24th July on Amazon Prime Video

French Biryani features actors Danish Sait, Sal Yusuf and Pitobash as leads. The movie is written by Avinash Balekkala, directed by Pannaga Bharana and produced by Ashwini and Puneeth Rajkumar and Gurudutt A Talwar.

Shakuntala Devi (Hindi), release date to be announced featuring Vidya Balan in the lead, Shakuntala Devi is a biographical drama on the extraordinary life of Shakuntala Devi, mathematics genius, writer and astrologer who was popularly known as the human computer. Also featuring Sanya Malhotra and Directed by Anu Menon, the film is produced by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and Vikram Malhotra.

Sufiyum Sujatayum (Malayalam), release date to be announced starring Aditi Rao Hydari and Jayasuruya, Soofiyum Sujatayum is written and directed by Naranipuzha Shanavas and produced by Vijay Babu’s Friday Film House

The new releases will join the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the Prime Video catalogue. These include Indian-produced Amazon Original series like Four More Shots Please!, The Family Man, Mirzapur, Inside Edge and Made In Heaven, and award-winning and critically acclaimed global Amazon Original series, including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys, Hunters, Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, all on Prime Video, which is available at no extra cost for Amazon Prime members. The service includes titles available in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi and Bengali.

Prime members will be able to watch all titles anywhere and anytime on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV, etc. In the Prime Video app, Prime members can download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch anywhere offline at no additional cost. Prime Video is available in India at no extra cost with Prime membership for just ₹999 annually or ₹129 monthly, new customers can find out more at www.amazon.in/prime and subscribe to a free 30-day trial.

ABOUT AMAZON PRIME VIDEO

Prime Video is a premium streaming service that offers Prime members a collection of award winning Amazon Original series, thousands of movies and TV shows—all with the ease of finding what they love to watch in one place.  Find out more at PrimeVideo.com.

●        Included with Prime Video: These titles join thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood, including Indian produced Amazon Original series such as Four More Shots Please!, The Family Man, Mirzapur, Inside Edge and Made In Heaven, and award-winning and critically acclaimed global Amazon Original series including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys, Hunters, Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel available for unlimited streaming as part of a Prime membership. Prime Video includes titles available in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi and Bengali.

●        Instant Access: Members can watch anywhere, anytime on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV and multiple gaming devices. Prime Video is also available to consumers through Airtel and Vodafone pre-paid and post-paid subscription plans. In the Prime Video app, Prime members can download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch anywhere offline at no additional cost.

●        Enhanced experiences: Make the most of every viewing with 4K Ultra HD- and High Dynamic Range (HDR)-compatible content. Go behind the scenes of your favorite movies and TV shows with exclusive X-Ray access, powered by IMDb. Save it for later with select mobile downloads for offline viewing.

●        Included with Prime: Prime Video is available in India at no extra cost with Prime membership for just ₹999 annually or ₹129 monthly, new customers can find out more at www.amazon.in/prime and subscribe to a free 30-day trial.

Industry Leaders Discuss Rebuilding Business At Virtual Conference from Across BFSI, Retail, and Manufacturing Sectors

Industry leaders from BFSI, manufacturing and retail sectors deliberated on the need for innovation and real-world digital transformation to reimagine businesses in the new reality at the Microsoft Envision Forum today. Senior executives and experts discussed the current challenges facing different industry verticals and also shared best practices they have adopted for employee safety and business continuity. Anchoring the dialogue at the first ever virtual edition of Envision, Microsoft reiterated its commitment to enable every organization to sustain, innovate and grow its business.

In the keynote session Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India and Aarthi Subramanian, Group Chief Digital Officer, Tata Sons analyzed how the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered digital acceleration and the role that it  will play in rebounding and building resilience in a fluid and evolving environment. Calling for a collaborative effort, Maheshwari said, “COVID-19 has changed our businesses, communities, industries and world forever. No one company is going to solve a challenge like this alone, and it is going to take the private and public sectors working together to turn the tide on COVID-19. Our priority has been to keep our employees and communities safe; support frontline workers as well as help our partners and customers keep their businesses running. As we continue to work through the current situation and plan for the future, it’s clear that the change required is significant – as is the potential opportunity across industries. Technology will play a stronger role than ever before - enabling economic recovery and helping each one of us achieve more.”

According to Ms. Subramanian, COVID-19 will accelerate the scaling of digital across industries and investments in Cloud, AI and cybersecurity. “Digital transformation in companies will focus on new end-to-end customer journeys and we will see an increase in adoption of automation in manufacturing industries. They will also invest in enhancing employee engagement given the remote working model.  Enterprises will build world-class digital infrastructure as a horizontal capability," she said.

Maheshwari added that technology will play a major role in management of social sector programs across education, health, and public distribution, helping to strengthen the economy. He also called out the need for robust security solutions and trust as organizations build tech intensity for a new future.

Intelligent manufacturing for a better future: As manufacturers cope with fluctuating supply and demand and disruption in production, they are reconfiguring their production, supply chains, and services to stay operational and sustain deliveries in these unprecedented times. Mayur Danait, CIO, Pidilite, said, “Manufacturing has always been a traditional business but post COVID, the sector will have to reinvent to enable a seamless partner ecosystem. Use of IoT to drive shop floor efficiencies and the use of digital collaboration, predictive analytics, bots and gamification of experience to drive engagement with end-users and channel partners are likely to be the norm going forward”.”

Reimagining the retail industry after the lockdown: Over the last couple of years, technology has enabled retailers to transform every aspect of the value chain. With the novel Corona virus crisis, the sector is trying to steer through major health and safety concerns for their employees, mandated store closures, drastic shifts in demand and evolving customer needs. Sanjay Bhattacharjee, Head – CRM, Titan Company Limited, said, “There has been a paradigm shift in consumer mindset - from retail therapy to the inability to step out from home to physical distancing. The way customers shop has and will change dramatically, and this is the new reality in which we all have to function now.  How brands are interacting and engaging with their customers makes a lot of difference.  Going digital is the key to enable a virtual experience for customers - right from viewing products on the app to booking a product to its delivery. Through remote communication platforms, retail brands have the opportunity to establish a deeper connect with the buyer community than before.”

Rebuilding the financial services sector post-COVID: Banking and financial services providers have adjusted operating models and services to support customers and help those who need the most assistance, while meeting regulatory and compliance obligations. According to Anoop Mahapatra, Deputy Managing Director, State Bank of India, “SBI has been playing a pivotal role in the country and over the past decade the bank has been investing heavily in building an robust IT ecosystem to digitally transform the banking experience at SBI. It facilitated running the entire ecosystem seamlessly even during a difficult time such as now. Our 22000 branches and network of 58000+ ATMs are working seamlessly on a robust IT platform. Around 90% of the total transactions go through anytime channels i.e. other than branch channel and as such the post COVID impact on customer service is insignificant. Although there has been some drop in loan requirements, to overcome this SBI has a strong end-to-end AI/ML platform with number of AI based pre-approved loan products, to provide loans with ease and we hope the traction for the same will be built up in the coming days.” The State Bank of India has also leveraged Microsoft Teams for its large workforce to stay productive and collaborate while working from home.

A key focus of the conference was the importance of reskilling the workforce as employees and organizations shift gears for the road ahead.

Responding to Covid-19 in India together

As India and the rest of the world respond to the Covid-19 outbreak, Microsoft has been working to do its part by ensuring the safety of its employees. The organization is striving to protect the health and well-being of the communities in which it operates, in addition to providing technology, solutions, tips and resources to businesses of all sizes and complexities to stay productive and help people to work and learn remotely, while they stay safe and connected.

L&T Technology Services Reports 11% Revenue Growth in FY20; Net Profit of ₹819 Crore, Up 7%

L&T Technology Services Limited (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS), India’s leading pure-play engineering services company, announced its results for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2020.

Highlights for FY20 include:

Revenue at ₹56,191 million; growth of 11%
USD Revenue at $786 million; constant currency growth of 9.3%
EBIT margin at 16.5%; up 50bps
Net profit at ₹8,186 million; growth of 7%
Board has recommended a final dividend of ₹13.50 per share

Highlights for Q4FY20 include:

Revenue at ₹14,466 million; growth of 8% YoY
USD Revenue at $195.4 million; growth of 3.4% YoY in constant currency
Net profit at ₹2,048 million; growth of 7% YoY

During the quarter, LTTS won 9 multi-million dollar deals across all major industry segments which includes one deal with TCV of USD30mn plus. On a YoY basis, LTTS has increased its USD20mn+ clients by 3 and its USD10mn+ clients by 5.

“We closed FY20 with 11% revenue growth accompanied by an improvement in operating margin despite multiple headwinds through the year – starting with Telecom & Hitech segment in Q1FY20 and ending with Covid-19 in Q4FY20.  While Covid-19 is an ongoing challenge, we have continued to be the reliable and preferred partner to our customers while at the same time taking care of the health and safety of our employees. In response to the pandemic, LTTS has rolled out a suite of digital offerings, including i-BEMS Shield for safe workplaces and Frugal Manufacturing to help enterprises transfer or prioritize their manufacturing & production lines.

The near-term outlook for the world economy appears uncertain as a result of the fallout from the global pandemic, however we see this crisis accelerating the trend of customers seeking credible partners who bring capability and speed-to-market. We believe this will lead to greater consolidation and enable us to expand engagement scopes once customers adjust and re-draw their business plans under a new normal.

The scale, track record and recognition that we have built over the past decade has been on the back of our investments in people, competency building and technology design labs which we are determined to continue so that we reach the milestones we have set for ourselves”, said Dr. Keshab Panda, CEO & Managing Director, L&T Technology Services Limited.

Industry Recognitions:

* IDC rated LTTS as ‘Leader’ in Worldwide Business and Industrial IoT Engineering and Managed Services 2020
* LTTS was rated as an overall leader by NelsonHall in Digital Manufacturing Services
* Conferred with the U.S. based Brandon Hall Award for Best Advance in Employee Rewards and Recognitions

Patents

At the end of the fourth quarter, the patents portfolio of L&T Technology Services stood at 502, out of which 365 are co-authored with its customers and the rest are filed by LTTS.

Human Resources

At the end of Q4FY20, LTTS’ employee strength stood at 16,883, a net addition of 96 during the quarter.

About L&T Technology Services Ltd

L&T Technology Services Limited (LTTS) is a listed subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Limited focused on Engineering and R&D (ER&D) services. We offer consultancy, design, development and testing services across the product and process development life cycle. Our customer base includes 69 Fortune 500 companies and 53 of the world’s top ER&D companies, across industrial products, medical devices, transportation, telecom & hi-tech, and the process industries. Headquartered in India, we have over 16,800 employees spread across 17 global design centers, 28 global sales offices and 51 innovation labs as of March 31, 2020.

Private Industry is Quietly Laying the Foundation for India’s Future Amidst the COVID-19 Storm

“When India speaks of self-reliance, it does not advocate a self-centered system. In India’s self-reliance there is a concern for the whole world’s happiness, cooperation and peace,” – inspiring words by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the nation this Tuesday.

He announced a 20 lakh crore economic package as India’s response towards battling the pandemic of COVID-19 and also as a cornerstone towards his aspirations of an ‘Atma-nirbhar Bharat’.

The Indian private sector seems to be inline with the Government’s ideologies and they are coming up with innovative solutions to not only curtail the effect of the Coronavirus but to also to lay a solid ground for India’s future in the times to come.

1. Education

Education is the backbone of any civilization, community or a country. At a time when schools and colleges are forced to shut down, these edtech apps are not only enabling them to function from the comfort of their homes but are also upskilling the work-force so that they can stay relevant to the demands of the current situation.

EduBrisk
EduBrisk, a brain-friendly educational solutions platform for schools and students has started a ‘Classroom to Virtual Classroom’ program that enables schools and freelance teachers to go live within 24 hours. They have invested in high-quality human resources to start this education program in India and have on-boarded 30 schools since the lockdown period. They are also planning to on-board 150 more schools within the span of next 2 months. GD Goenka Public School-Siliguri, QMS Schools-Kolkata, St Peters- Ernakulam, Al Ameen Public School-Kochi etc are a few examples of the schools taking virtual classes using EduBrisk’s platform.

IntelliPaat
IntelliPaat, an online professional training courses & certification platform is providing 12 free IT courses on their platform. The courses appeal to the youngsters looking for a bright career in the IT field and the ones who cannot afford expensive professional courses. They provide various learning/skill-building courses in Data Science, AI, Web Technologies, Cloud computing etc at a very nominal rate and also provide a certification that is valid across the globe.

2. Logistics

Logistics is the lifeline of any economy. It is responsible for the movement of raw materials, goods, agricultural products or even normal food deliveries. So, when the entire country is facing the lockdown these logistic players have stepped up the occasion in order to meet the daily requirements of the country, some have even altered their business models for doing so.

Lalamove
Lalamove, an on-demand logistics company is offering an uninterrupted service to the FMCG Companies where they are free to choose multiple locations and vendors at one go. The merchant or user of the Lalamove platform can add up to 20 drop-off points in a delivery order. They have tied up with FMCG brands like Marico Ltd, Amazon, Coca Cola, Tata Consumer Services, Himalaya, Godrej Consumer Products, UdaanFresh, UdaanMeat and Licious for meeting their delivery requirements.

72 Networks
72 Networks; a PAN India distribution house specializing in last-mile delivery is reaching out to rural areas for deliveries of COVID-19 protection kits & other essential items. They are delivering items like PPE Coverall, PPE – Gloves, Googles & Masks, PPE Kit, IR Thermometer, Sanitizer Spray, Anti-fog Face Shield, Biofresh Hand Sanitizer and Microtouch Nitrile Gloves across states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal,  Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.

3. Technology/Solution Providers

Desperate situations call for desperate measures and Indian IT & Tech industry has always been known for their product deliveries and innovative solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has enabled them to create out of the box solutions that can revolutionise the future.

Ameyo
Ameyo, an Omnichannel Customer Engagement Technology provider has launched a video-based KYC for businesses to eliminate the need for physical KYC. The product is based on the latest RBI guidelines issued in Jan 2020. Their video KYC is an end-to-end solution with omnichannel capabilities of scheduling and reminding customers to complete the KYC process thus enabling brands to reduce the drop-offs by 20%.

OxyGarden
OxyGarden has introduced India's first Air Sanitizer that purifies and humidifies air naturally. Their patent-pending technology helps maintain the recommended ideal relative humidity levels for building an environment with the help of controlled transpiration in plants, innovative aerated growing medium and controlled photosynthesis with the help of automated airflow and growing lights.

4. Events/Awards

The sheer presence of crowd and energy is the soul of any event or award function. Though the original structure is not dying anytime soon but the COVID-19 has certainly forced the organisers to look for an alternate option.

Digital Jalebi
Digital Jalebi, an experiential design studio, has added a new dimension to their business model of creating virtual events in order to help the events/marketing companies to survive the pandemic. They have built an experiential platform to recreate how experience happens in the real world without the need for users to get out of the comfort of their homes. The platform is web based and runs on any browser of laptop and mobile phones.    

Onelife Nutriscience Expands Executive Team, Appoints Vinay Jain as Chief Operating Officer

Onelife Nutriscience, the leading Nutraceuticals Company, today announced the appointment of Vinay Jain to the role of Chief Operating Officer.

Vinay is a result oriented professional with over 18 years of versatile experience in sales, marketing and P&L management in both B2B & B2C (Consumer goods, Dairy, Wellness, Insurance & Industrial goods). Vinay has significant experience & track record of scaling up new ventures & managing large operations. With a unique blend of having worked in MNC, Indian FMCG & start-up, Vinay has thorough understanding of sales, marketing & commercial aspects of BU management and proven ability to drive results through a collaborative team work & cross functional engagements.

Vinay has successfully led high performing diverse teams and directed operations to maximize growth and profitability. Prior to joining Onelife, Vinay has been associated with reputed Companies like Parag Milk Foods Ltd., Amway India Enterprises Pvt Ltd and Foseco India Ltd

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Gaurav Aggarwal, Founder of Onelife Nutriscience said "We are quite excited to have Vinay at the operational helm as we continue to expand aggressively and broaden our customer base.  Vinay joins at a time when the ongoing pandemic has resulted in sharp demand for preventative healthcare products and in line with the same trend, Onelife has also seen significant traction post relaxations on the business restrictions. We are confident that Vinay will add tremendous value to the company going ahead leveraging his strong experience in the FMCG / Wellness Industry”.

About Onelife:
Onelife Nutriscience Pvt. Ltd. (”Onelife”) owns the consumer healthcare brand “Onelife – Live it right”. Onelife has over 100 products in the nutrition, wellness and beauty space with presence in more than 15 cities across West and North India. Onelife has recently raised Pre-Series A funding of INR 50 Mn from a group of HNIs from Pharma / Healthcare & Chemicals Industry.

COVID 19 Effect: Suspension of IPL 2020 is Big Setback to Athletes and Supporting staff, As it's Important Source of Livelihood for Many

By : Mr. Yeragaselvan Kumarasamy, Founder & CEO, Run Adam (an omni-channel sports-aggregation platform) https://runadam.com/

Change is an incessant constant and the Covid-19 pandemic is undoubtedly a marker for a major change in all aspects of life, of methods of living and working and of lifestyles. Hit hard by the lockdown imposed across India due to the pandemic  the sporting fraternity too will need to incorporate many changes that will have long term implications on the way games are played.

There is a lot talked about how many sections have been affected by the pandemic. However, not much attention has been paid towards sportspersons, athletes, coaches and their supporting staff including nutritionists, physiotherapists, sports psychologists right down to groundsmen who have not only hit hard by the lockdown imposed across India due the pandemic but the effects of it are very damaging for them in many ways.

The huge fear that they face is not being able to do what they love to do and that is playing the sport. The situation is quite challenging especially for competitive athletes who have been training hard for years to participate in global events like Olympics etc. For these people lack of activity is a major challenge as their entire day is mapped out for every minute right from when they wake up to the minute they go to sleep.

Thousands of athletes have had to put their dreams on hold following the lockdown the stress of the delay could take a toll on the mental health of athletes. Health experts warn that prolonged isolation could take a big mental toll on people whose livelihoods and self-esteem are intrinsically linked to the competition.

Along with these athletes, a lot of other people too are equally involved and are in a shock phase, probably confused due to all the chaos that the situation has caused. They see themselves as athletes and are very tied up in their involvement with the sport and their inability to participate in training activities they find themselves in a hopeless position.
Coaches and psychologist who work with professional athletes are worried about their coping strategies one is the competitive edge that they have and the other being able to really push themselves physically for six-seven hours a day. They don't that anymore, which is making it very difficult for all concerned.

Many sports bodies have reacted by offering support to these athletes and their supporting co-workers. However, for some sporting associations due to other priorities, these sports bodies also have to make spending cuts reducing their ability to help.

The big setback came with the BCCI announcement to suspend IPL 2020 until further notice in the wake of COVID 19 outbreak and subsequent extension of lockdown till May 3rd by Indian Government.  It has had a major impact on players & fans.
Being deeply connected with athletes, the IPL is not only an important source of livelihood for many thousands and the potential loss is having a huge impact on those associated with it.

The high-level, high-profile professional athletes can handle this loss of income but there are a lot of athletes on the fringe. For the supporting staff, a few months of loss of activity will have a significant loss of income as well as their well-being.

The government must extend support to all those supporting the athletes in this critical time or increasing private sector participation by allowing incentives under CSR scheme to those supporting sporting activities or making it attractive for them to contribute to a sports body through tax breaks.

Currently, the supporting staff is faced with a daunting challenge of staying relevant in their respective sport even as they stare at a bleak future.

A certain economic downturn and its potential fallout is looming as many are facing uncertainty about the year ahead. The only positive is that there is some predictability that big events like IPL and T20 World Cup might actually take place after some rescheduling.

The government should consider permitting training and allied sporting activities with strict implementation of the social distancing and hygiene norms. Many associations are requesting the government to allow these in low-exposure-risk areas, even if the lockdown has been extended with a plan to gradually exit in phases.

The short and medium-term changes have affected everyone across the sporting world. Adopting the right attitude is a key underlining factor that will determine the ease of change and its effectiveness. It is critical that we have confidence in the future. Half the battle needs to be won in the mind. Positivity will beget the right decisions and hopefully, everything will return to what it was before the global coronavirus pandemic hit the sporting world.

Columbia Pacific Communities Unveils its Second TV Commercial on Community Living for Senior Citizens

To promote community living as a concept for senior citizens, Columbia Pacific Communities, India's largest senior living community operators unveiled a new promotional campaign for Tata Sky viewers. The new TVC highlights why community living is the future for seniors in India. It aligns with the brand purpose of positive ageing and clearly positions the offering as “serviced residences for seniors” differentiating it from old age homes.

The 40-second film is targeted towards the viewers of ‘TATA Sky Seniors’ a channel that caters to an older audience  who are progressive and positive in their thoughts and actions. The TVC has been designed and conceptualised to bring out the small and big things that make community living a truly wholesome, fulfilling, safe and positive experience. In times of crisis, seniors living in a community are much better looked after and protected than those living independently.  The campaign urges senior citizens to enjoy their golden years being independent and worry-free.

Highlighting the concept of the TV campaign, Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, says, "Our month-long campaign on Tata Sky Seniors is an ode to the idea of community living, and what it truly means to live in a happy and energising community in your golden years. It’s no secret that loneliness is the biggest killer amongst seniors; a self- sufficient community and with like-minded people is the biggest antidote to isolation and loneliness in one’s advanced years and the secret to ageing positively. Besides, in extraordinary times like this, a community stands for you.

This TVC will always be special because it was conceptualised and scripted by our creative agency Famous Innovations and produced in house using stock images while adhering to social distancing and quarantine norms.” 

In a span of 40 seconds, the TVC showcases the brand ethos of positive ageing. The film celebrates the idea of a healthier, happier, worry-free, independent and more purposeful future for seniors who choose to live in a community of like-minded people. Thereby encouraging them to opt for India’s first senior living community designed to international standards, The Virtuoso Club and Serviced Residences, Bangalore.

The TVC will go live on TATA Sky Seniors channel from May 15, 2020.

Industry leaders Discuss Rebuilding Business in the New Reality at Microsoft Envision Forum

Industry leaders from BFSI, manufacturing and retail sectors deliberated on the need for innovation and real-world digital transformation to reimagine businesses in the new reality at the Microsoft Envision Forum today. Senior executives and experts discussed the current challenges facing different industry verticals and also shared best practices they have adopted for employee safety and business continuity. Anchoring the dialogue at the first ever virtual edition of Envision, Microsoft reiterated its commitment to enable every organization to sustain, innovate and grow its business.

In the keynote session Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India and Aarthi Subramanian, Group Chief Digital Officer, Tata Sons analyzed how the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered digital acceleration and the role that it  will play in rebounding and building resilience in a fluid and evolving environment. Calling for a collaborative effort, Maheshwari said, “COVID-19 has changed our businesses, communities, industries and world forever. No one company is going to solve a challenge like this alone, and it is going to take the private and public sectors working together to turn the tide on COVID-19. Our priority has been to keep our employees and communities safe; support frontline workers as well as help our partners and customers keep their businesses running. As we continue to work through the current situation and plan for the future, it’s clear that the change required is enormous – as is the potential opportunity across industries. Technology will play a stronger role than ever before - enabling economic recovery and helping each one of us achieve more.”

According to Ms. Subramanian, COVID-19 will accelerate the scaling of digital across industries and investments in Cloud, AI and cybersecurity. “Digital transformation in companies will focus on new end-to-end customer journeys and we will see an increase in adoption of automation in manufacturing industries. They will also invest in enhancing employee engagement given the remote working model.  Enterprises will build world-class digital infrastructure as a horizontal capability," she said.

Maheshwari added that technology will play a major role in management of social sector programs across education, health, and public distribution, helping to strengthen the economy. He also called out the need for robust security solutions and trust as organizations build tech intensity for a new future. 

Intelligent manufacturing for a better future: As manufacturers cope with fluctuating supply and demand and disruption in production, they are reconfiguring their production, supply chains, and services to stay operational and sustain deliveries in these unprecedented times. Mayur Danait, CIO, Pidilite, said, “Manufacturing has always been a traditional business but post COVID, the sector will have to reinvent to enable a seamless partner ecosystem. Use of IoT to drive shop floor efficiencies and the use of digital collaboration, predictive analytics, bots and gamification of experience to drive engagement with end-users and channel partners are likely to be the norm going forward”.”

Reimagining the retail industry after the lockdown: Over the last couple of years, technology has enabled retailers to transform every aspect of the value chain. With the novel Corona virus crisis, the sector is trying to steer through major health and safety concerns for their employees, mandated store closures, drastic shifts in demand and evolving customer needs. Sanjay Bhattacharjee, Head – CRM, Titan Company Limited, said, “There has been a paradigm shift in consumer mindset - from retail therapy to the inability to step out from home to physical distancing. The way customers shop has and will change dramatically, and this is the new reality in which we all have to function now.  How brands are interacting and engaging with their customers makes a lot of difference.  Going digital is the key to enable a virtual experience for customers - right from viewing products on the app to booking a product to its delivery. Through remote communication platforms, retail brands have the opportunity to establish a deeper connect with the buyer community than before.”

Rebuilding the financial services sector post-COVID: Banking and financial services providers have adjusted operating models and services to support customers and help those who need the most assistance, while meeting regulatory and compliance obligations. According to Anoop Mahapatra, Deputy Managing Director, State Bank of India, “SBI has been playing a pivotal role in the country and over the past decade the bank has been investing heavily in building an robust IT ecosystem to digitally transform the banking experience at SBI. It facilitated running the entire ecosystem seamlessly even during a difficult time such as now. Our 22000 branches and network of 58000+ ATMs are working seamlessly on a robust IT platform. Around 90% of the total transactions go through anytime channels i.e. other than branch channel and as such the post COVID impact on customer service is insignificant. Although there has been some drop in loan requirements, to overcome this SBI has a strong end-to-end AI/ML platform with number of AI based pre-approved loan products, to provide loans with ease and we hope the traction for the same will be built up in the coming days.” The State Bank of India has also leveraged Microsoft Teams for its large workforce to stay productive and collaborate while working from home. 

A key focus of the conference was the importance of reskilling the workforce as employees and organizations shift gears for the road ahead.

Responding to Covid-19 in India together

As India and the rest of the world respond to the Covid-19 outbreak, Microsoft has been working to do its part by ensuring the safety of its employees. The organization is striving to protect the health and well-being of the communities in which it operates, in addition to providing technology, solutions, tips and resources to businesses of all sizes and complexities to stay productive and help people to work and learn remotely, while they stay safe and connected. 

Legrand India to Facilitate “Quarantine Centres to Support Healthcare” Infrastructure

Details

* Legrand India to support initiatives across India to aid the country’s fight against COVID-19
* Legrand India to provide over 2000 beds for hospitals & healthcare facilities and 2.6 lakh PPE kits to electricians, journalists (Chennai Press club), NGO health workers, drivers community & police officials

Legrand India, a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructure has initiated supporting the local Govt. in the creation of quarantine centres and isolation wards in Kolkata, Odisha and Chattisgarh.  They are working with various government stakeholders across the nation with electrical products to be used for creating isolation wards and quarantine centres.

One of the key focus areas of Legrand India is healthcare when it comes to giving back to the society. Legrand is also supporting govt. hospitals & quarantine centres with disposable isolation beds as a proactive step to facilitate to accommodate the migrant returns in the respective districts’ quarantine facility. The team has enabled support through its electrical products such as protection devices, wiring devices and UPS for hospitals and healthcare facilities countrywide which will house over 2000 beds and intensive care facilities for COVID-19 patients.

With Healthcare as focus, the company is providing PPE to doctors and medical staff in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi and Kerala to support the frontline workers in their fight against COVID-19. 

Legrand has been conducting various activities across the nation to support several communities in the battle against Covid-19. To fight against the pandemic, apart from healthcare, Legrand India has provided 2.6 lakh personal protective equipment to electricians, journalists (Chennai Press club), NGO health workers, drivers community & police officials.

Speaking on the Covid-19 support, Mr. Tony Berland, Managing Director and CEO, Group Legrand India said, “As a socially responsible organisation, we at Legrand have always put health and safety at the forefront, be it for our employees or the society at large. We saw the arising need for infrastructural support for isolation wards & quarantine centres across the country and as a specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructure, we are working with government stakeholders  to bridge the gap and fulfil the need to the maximum possible extent.” He further added, “I feel proud to be a part of an organization where PEOPLE and COMMUNITY are the key focus area”.

About Legrand Group in India:

A global specialist in the electrical & digital building infrastructure, Legrand is a Euro 6.0* billion group based in   Limoges, France.   The group has manufacturing facilities in 90 countries and   its products   are   sold   in   over   180   countries.   Globally, Legrand is a leader   in wiring    devices    and    cable management with a global market share of over 20% and 14% respectively. Legrand also enjoys leadership positions in at least one of its major business areas in a number of countries including France, Italy, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, China, and of course India.

Legrand India offers a wide range of products in the categories of Energy distribution, Wiring devices, Home    Automation, Structured    Cabling, Lighting Management    Solutions, Cable Management    and Industrial application products. It is an undisputed leader in MCBs, RCDs and DBs and a strong No. 2 in wiring devices Apart from this, the company also holds a leading position in Home Automation, MCCBs and Cable management systems.

The company’s geographical reach, across market segments, caters to  new  requirements  of customers with smart  solutions  that  make  Legrand  a  multipolar  group.  And this multipolar nature, and the global philosophy of Listen, Design, Make and Support has enabled it to provide innovative and smart solutions. Legrand’s products are amongst the top in the market and have undisputable brand equity.

Legrand products and services comply with the three criteria of  simplicity  –  simplicity  of  use, simplicity  of  installation  and  simplicity  of  distribution  -  which  enable  the  company  to  quickly penetrate new markets. With an employee base of over 1000 in India, the company is  fast emerging   as   a   leader   in   its   core business by extending products and services that suit every segment in the local market.

Headquartered in Mumbai, Legrand operates across India through 26 offices, 600 stockiest, 11500 retail outlets with three state-of-the-art manufacturing units, seven training centers and two R&D   centers.   Technological   innovations, simple   and   rapid   product   combinations   to   form communicating systems, clever installation ideas etc. are the focus of the R&D team at Legrand.

Tendercuts Registers 300% Growth During the COVID-19 Lockdown

TenderCuts, a tech driven omni-channel Meat & Seafood Company; shared that it has registered almost 300% growth during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The company currently serves around 5,00,000 customers across Chennai and Hyderabad. 15% of these customers are super-customers (people who order every day) and around 3,00,000 customers order once every week.

The company witnessed a big spike in demand as many customers started switching to meat and seafood brands which was perceived hygienic. The company has also introduced Contactless Retail- a one of its kind service amongst meat & seafood retail at its stores recently. The service is part of the company’s initiative to mitigate the ongoing COVID-19 crisis across the country with focus on ensuring health and safety of its employees and customers. It ensures stringent quality right from its procurement to the sales. The company encourages ethical farming practices that brings the customers chemical-free and preservative free produce.

Talking about the same, Mr. Nishanth Chandran, Founder and CEO, Tendercuts said,” COVID-19 has created a positive movement for the company. The customers who would have taken several years to switch to hygienic chicken, mutton and seafood brands, post-pandemic we feel that the change in consumer behaviour is happening at a much rapid pace. We generally used to see more sales during weekends especially on Sunday before the lockdown, but post the lockdown came into effect, the sales have been spread evenly across weekdays which is a new trend observed by us.

He further added, safety of our customers, employees and delivery partners has been our utmost priority and during this lockdown period we have strengthened it by implementing new SOPs to keep them safe.”   

Intel Launches First Global Challenges, Marks a New Era of Shared Corporate Responsibility

Today, Intel released its annual Corporate Responsibility Report. The report builds on Intel’s decades of transparency in corporate responsibility and details progress Intel has made in the past decade to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, restore billions of gallons of water to local communities and achieve gender pay equity across its global workforce, among other milestones. The report also establishes a new 2030 strategy and goals for continued progress for the next decade – from achieving net positive water use, 100% green power and zero waste to landfills across Intel’s global manufacturing operations to doubling the number of women and underrepresented minorities in senior leadership roles and scaling the impact of its supply chain human rights programs.

For the first time, Intel has defined global challenges that expand its commitment in resources, expertise, global reach and influence beyond its own operations to address challenges that can only be solved by collaborating across major organizations, industries and countries.

“The world is facing challenges that we understand better each day as we collect and analyze more data, but they go unchecked without a collective response – from climate change to deep digital divides around the world to the current pandemic that has fundamentally changed all our lives,” said Intel CEO Bob Swan. “We can solve them, but only by working together.”

Intel committed to engage industries, governments and communities to tackle three specific global challenges over the next decade:

Revolutionize health and safety with technology

* Intel will work with partners in healthcare, life sciences and government to apply technology in strategic manufacturing, transportation and healthcare initiatives, including accelerating cures for diseases and improving health. Its efforts will include the company’s recently announced Pandemic Response Technology Initiative, which applies cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance technology solutions to better diagnose, treat and cure COVID-19 and to help prepare for future pandemics.

* Intel will lead a global coalition of industry leaders toward a common objective: The safety of autonomous vehicles should not be a point of differentiation but a shared goal. Through collaboration with industry and governments and development of new safety technologies and standards – such as Responsibility-Sensitive Safety (RSS) and the forthcoming IEEE 2846 – that will provide clear guidance on what it means for an autonomous vehicle to drive safely, we have the potential to save more lives with autonomous vehicles when compared to human drivers.

Make technology fully inclusive and expand digital readiness

* Intel will work with other companies to accelerate adoption of inclusive business practices across industries by creating and implementing a Global Inclusion Index open standard. Using common metrics, it will allow the industry to track progress in area such as achieving greater levels of women and minorities in senior and technical positions, accessible technology and equal pay. Intel has already been collaborating with Lenovo to convene CDIOs and HR professionals to drive industry transformation and stay at the forefront of this work.

* Intel will partner with governments and communities to address the digital divide and expand access to technology skills needed for current and future jobs. An example is the Intel® AI For Youth program, which provides AI curriculum and resources to over 100,000 high school and vocational students in 10 countries and will continue to scale globally. By 2030, Intel plans to partner with governments in 30 countries and 30,000 institutions worldwide and is committed to empower more than 30 million people with AI skills training.

Achieve carbon-neutral computing to address climate change

* Intel will work with PC manufacturers to create the most sustainable and energy-efficient PC in the world – one that eliminates carbon, water and waste in its design and use. Specifically, the company is exploring a sustainability roadmap that would include enabling sensor technology to reduce power usage, partnering with material vendors on recyclable packaging and developing longer-term, energy-efficient architectures.

* Intel will collaborate with industry and policymakers to apply technology to reduce emissions across high-impact industries.

Technology is not just at the heart of breakthroughs. It plays a vital role in the global communities, governments and services that people depend on every day to solve current crises while proactively tackling future ones.

“Intel and many others in technology-driven industries see the opportunity to leverage our R&D, creativity, expertise and influence to collaborate on these critical issues and will become even stronger and more relevant as a result,” Swan said. “For Intel, it’s embedded in our purpose to create world-changing technology that enriches the lives of every person on Earth.”

With an expansive global reach, robust supply chain and strategic partnerships throughout the industry, Intel will leverage this unique mix of capabilities to tackle many of today’s problems and create the technology and partnerships that will be fundamental in rising to the challenges of tomorrow.

Intel’s latest Corporate Responsibility Report includes details of the new 2030 strategy and goals that will accelerate the adoption of responsible, inclusive and sustainable practices, enabled by Intel’s technology and the expertise and passion of its employees around the world.

Amazon Prime Video to Globally Premiere Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana Starrer Gulabo Sitabo on June 12, 2020

Prime offers incredible value with unlimited streaming of the latest and exclusive movies, TV shows, stand-up comedy, Amazon Original Series, ad free music through Amazon Prime Music, free fast delivery on India’s largest selection of products, early access to top deals, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, all available only for ₹129 a month

Amazon Prime Video today announced the global premiere of the highly anticipated Hindi film Gulabo Sitabo exclusively on the streaming service. Directed by Shoojit Sircar, the film stars Amitabh Bachchan (Black, Piku) and Ayushmann Khurrana (Shubh Mangal Zyaada Saavdhan, Andhadhun) in the lead. The movie will premiere exclusively on the 12th of June, 2020 on Amazon Prime Video and will be available in 200 countries and territories worldwide.

“At Amazon we’re listening to our customers, and working backwards from there.” said Vijay Subramaniam, Director and Head, Content, Amazon Prime Video, India. “Gulabo Sitabo is one of the most anticipated films of the year. We are happy to exclusively premiere Gulabo Sitabo on Prime Video. It is the first step in our endeavour to bring superior cinematic experiences to our customer’s doorstep.”

“This is the dawn of a new era for Indian entertainment,” said director, Shoojit Sircar. “I am happy that a global audience will be able to watch our gritty dramedy, and enjoy what the film has in store for them. Gulabo Sitabo is a quirky, light-hearted movie that the audience can enjoy with their families. It has been a wonderful experience working with Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana on the film.”

“Indian audiences have been eagerly awaiting the release of Gulabo Sitabo and we are delighted that Amazon Prime Video will now be premiering the movie for our customers. The global release of Gulabo Sitabo on Prime Video, in over 200 countries and territories, will ensure maximum reach and visibility for the film not just in India but around the world. We are excited about the new offering and are happy to, once again, bring to our customers the best of entertainment through this release,” said Gaurav Gandhi, Director and Country General Manager, Amazon Prime Video India.

“Gulabo Sitabo is a slice of life, dramedy that is a must watch for families at home,” said actor Amitabh Bachchan, “I was excited about my role since the first time Shoojit showed me the character’s look. It took me almost 3 hours each day to get into character with its different look. I had a wonderful time working with my very talented co-star Ayushmann Khurrana. Even though we are constantly bantering in the film, it has been a pleasure working with him for the first time. This family entertainer has the power to cut across geographic boundaries and we are pleased to bring Gulabo Sitabo to audiences across the globe.”

Actor Ayushmann Kurrana said, “Gulabo Sitabo is a special film for me. It made me reunite with my mentor Shoojit da after Vicky Donor. Whatever I’m today is because of him and I’m happy that he made me a part of his vision again. Gulabo Sitabo also sees me share the screen space with Mr. Amitabh Bachchan for the first time and it’s a huge moment, it’s a dream come true for me. I have secretly wished to work with him for many, many years and Shoojit da made this happen and I will be indebted to him forever. It has truly been an honour for me to work with a legend and I feel enriched as an actor after the experience. What I love about the film is its sheer simplicity - the fleeting moments of simple humour in the banter between a landlord and tenant makes this film really special. I hope audiences love the film and our chemistry when it premieres.”

Starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana, Gulabo Sitabo is the quirky tale of two slimy scheming foxes in a game of one upmanship, each one attracting other members to their clan and each one with an agenda of his own. A Rising Sun Films production, Gulabo Sitabo is directed by Shoojit Sircar, written by Juhi Chaturvedi and produced by Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar.

Gulabo Sitabo will join the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the Prime Video catalogue. These include Indian-produced Amazon Original series like Four More Shots Please!, The Family Man, Mirzapur, Inside Edge and Made In Heaven, and award-winning and critically acclaimed global Amazon Original series, including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys, Hunters, Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, all on Prime Video, which is available at no extra cost for Amazon Prime members. The service includes titles available in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi and Bengali.

Prime members will be able to watch Gulabo Sitabo anywhere and anytime on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV, etc. In the Prime Video app, Prime members can download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch anywhere offline at no additional cost. Prime Video is available in India at no extra cost with Prime membership for just ₹999 annually or ₹129 monthly. 

Karnataka Governments Thanks Paytm for Contributing Face Masks for its Workforce

Government of Karnataka's Rural Development And Panchayat Raj Department (RDPR) has thanked Paytm for sending across masks for its workforce and has specially tweeted to appreciate this gesture. Paytm, India’s leading digital payments and financial services company has sent over 10,000 face masks to supports the frontline workers fighting COVID-19 in the state.

Paytm is in the process of sending out 4 lakh masks and 10 lakh hygiene products to the offices of the Government of India, Army, CRPF, Police, Hospitals, Municipal bodies, and District Magistrates. These authorities would distribute them to the personnel working in the frontline to help control the outspread.  Apart from Karnataka Government, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, CRPF Jammu, National Human Commission Assam, and Hyderabad Police have also tweeted from their official handles to thank Paytm for its efforts.

The company is aiming to deliver supplies to many other states including UP, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Goa, and Madhya Pradesh in the coming days.

Paytm has launched a host of initiatives to join the fight against novel coronavirus. It has revamped its app's UI with ‘Stay at Home Essential Payments’. The new design has streamlined payments such as mobile & DTH recharge, electricity, water, gas, credit card, insurance premium among others which millions of Indians are now conveniently paying from their home.

When the government launched the PM-CARES fund, the company joined the noble cause by aiming to raise Rs. 500 crore with the support of its users. Also under ‘Feed My City’ initiative, Paytm is providing meals to daily wage earners in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad & Noida in association with KVN Foundation. The company is requesting fellow citizens to support these initiatives by donating through their Paytm app.

Vodafone Idea Introduces Voice Based Contactless Recharge at Retail Outlets in Indian Market

Information

* Industry first initiative will help facilitate recharge while maintaining social distancing
* Ensures safety of Customers and Retailers

Vodafone Idea has introduced an industry first initiative to facilitate contactless recharges at retail outlets, while maintaining social distancing between the Customer and the Retailer. This has been made possible through Vodafone Idea’s Smart Connect retailer app which allows retailers to recharge without having to hand over the phone to the customer to enter their mobile number. The customer or retailer can simply speak out the ten digit mobile number on the device and the Google voice enabled feature will capture the command from a distance of up to ten feet.

When a customer comes to a retailer for recharge, the retailer often hands over the phone (with the Smart Connect Retailer App opened) to the customer to type in their mobile number, to ensure accuracy in entering the number. However, it is not a practical option now in the current times of social distancing.

As retail outlets in various Orange and Green zones across the country start to open, Vodafone Idea is ensuring complete implementation of social distancing protocol at its stores. In order to facilitate contactless recharges, Smart Connect is now enabled with voice based recharge feature and is available at all Vodafone Idea own stores and multi-branded stores. The customer can speak out the mobile number that will get captured and reflect in the Recharge tab. The subsequent recharge journey will continue as per existing process.

Speaking about the new Voice based Contactless Recharge program, Ambrish Jain, Chief Operating Officer, Vodafone Idea said, “As a customer oriented telecom operator, it is our constant endeavor to come up with products and services relevant to the times and keep our customers connected at all times. In line with our Digital first approach, we are digitizing our processes to offer convenient and efficient services to our nearly 300 million customers. The industry-first, Voice based Contactless Recharge enables recharges without touch and is extremely relevant in these times when maintaining social distancing is the need of the hour to stay safe.”

Currently the voice based feature supports Hindi and English language and can take commands of mobile number in different variations as well. More languages will be rolled out in a phased manner.

This comes close on the heels of the launch of AI powered customer service BoT on Website and WhatsApp. Vodafone Idea has also undertaken a slew of initiatives to enable digital recharges for its customers from the comfort and safety of their homes.

Emirates Resumes Passenger Flights to 9 Destinations, Including Connections Between UK and Australia

Emirates has announced its plan to operate scheduled flight services from 21 May to nine destinations: London Heathrow Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne.* The airline will also offer connections in Dubai for customers travelling between the UK and Australia.

These flights will be available for booking on emirates.com.

Travellers will only be accepted on these flights if they comply with the eligibility and entry criteria requirements of their destination countries. This includes an approval from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) for UAE residents who wish to return to Dubai.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer said: “We are pleased to resume scheduled passenger services to these destinations, providing more options for customers to travel from the UAE to these cities, and also between the UK and Australia. We are working closely with the authorities to plan the resumption of operations to additional destinations. We have implemented additional measures at the airport in coordination with the relevant authorities in respect to social distancing and sanitization. The safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers and communities, remain our top priority.”

Repatriation flights

In addition to the scheduled services, Emirates will also continue to work closely with embassies and consulates to facilitate repatriation flights for visitors and residents wishing to return home. This week, the airline plans to operate flights from Dubai to Tokyo Narita (15 May), Conakry (16 May), and Dakar (16 May).*

Health and safety on Emirates

The safety and wellbeing of passengers and employees is Emirates’ top priority. In preparation for the resumption of flight services, the airline has already enhanced various precautionary measures throughout the customer journey.

At Dubai International airport, customers and employees will have their temperatures checked via thermal scanners. Protective barriers have been installed at check-in counters to provide additional safety during interaction. Gloves and masks are mandatory for all customers and employees at the airport. In addition, Emirates’ cabin crew, boarding agents and ground staff who interact directly with travellers will don personal protective equipment (PPE) including a protective disposable gown and safety visor.

Social distancing protocols will also be implemented. At this airport, this includes physical indicators being placed on the ground and at waiting areas in the airport to ensure travellers maintain a safe distance.

For health and safety reasons and to minimise interaction on-board, Emirates will offer a modified in-flight service that focuses on reducing contact and infection risk. Magazines and print reading material will not be available during this time. Cabin baggage have to be checked-in, and customers can only bring essential items such as a laptop, handbag, briefcase or baby items on board.

Emirates has initiated a stringent safety programme to ensure aircraft cabins remain clean and sanitary. The airline’s modern aircraft cabins have been fitted with advanced HEPA air filters which remove 99.97% of viruses and eliminate dust, allergens and germs from cabin air for a healthier and safer on-board environment. After its journey and on landing in Dubai, each aircraft will go through enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes to ensure safety and proper sanitation.

Nutanix Announces Promotion of Christian Alvarez to Head of Worldwide Channels Organization

Nutanix, a leader in enterprise cloud computing, today announced that it has promoted Christian Alvarez to Senior Vice President of Worldwide Channels effective immediately. As the worldwide channel and partner sales leader, Alvarez will have oversight of the strategic direction of Nutanix’s channel partner ecosystem, fostering strategic relationships and developing global sales and distribution programs for value-added resellers (VARs), distributors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), global system integrators (GSIs), and Telco/XSP partners.

“Nutanix has aligned the right resources, investments and expertise behind its award-winning product portfolio, enabling our partners to add new services and expand their market share to drive accretive revenue streams,” said Alvarez. “I am honoured to lead Nutanix’s worldwide partner organization through our next phase of growth while helping our partners improve profitability with professional, managed and cloud services. The opportunity ahead of us continues to be vast as we carefully adapt to today’s unprecedented market dynamics.”

Alvarez is an effective and accomplished channel leader with extensive experience developing impactful multinational strategies that directly support business objectives. He brings over two decades of experience to his role. He joined Nutanix in September 2019 as Vice President of Channel Sales in the Americas to lead the team in that region. He was appointed interim Head of Worldwide Partner Sales in February 2020. Since then, Alvarez has elevated Nutanix’s overall partner sales and go-to-market programs to deliver greater business outcomes for customers and partners. As the COVID-19 pandemic struck global teams and the enterprise moved to the home, Nutanix VDI became paramount across the globe. Alvarez helped lead the roll-out for partners of new solutions and offerings to help partners in the trenches deploy technology for end-users faster and more simply, including FastTrack for VDI and Xi Frame Test Drive. He also led the development of the Nutanix Special Financial Assistance Program to offer immediate financial support to partners by helping to alleviate cash flow concerns and increasing financing flexibility.

“Christian is an innovator, strategic thinker spearheading new offerings and contributing to collaboration across the organization,” said Chris Kaddaras, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Nutanix. “As the channel is going through digital transformation for cloud, Nutanix is one of the only multi-cloud, multi-product companies carrying the torch. Christian is ideally suited to execute on our global mission to help both our partners and customers adapt to and enable virtual work.”

Alvarez will continue to lead Channel Sales for the Americas region until a new leader is appointed.

Vestige Expands Health and Wellness Portfolio, Launches ‘Vestige Prime Metamind’ Chewable Tablets

Vestige Marketing Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s leading direct selling companies that provides health, wellness, and hygiene products has launched Vestige Prime Metamind chewable tablets. It contains FDA GRAS recognised vegetarian ingredients Phosphatidylserine and Ferric Saccharate that improves cognitive health.

According to a recent study conducted by Vestige, 70% respondents also said that modern diet was not enough and additional supplements were necessary to boost brain health.

The decline in the attention span of human being is a matter of great concern as expectations are at an all time high from children above 12 years and working professionals in the 21st century. They need smart learning abilities, ability to concentrate for long hours, improve cognitive skills and prompt brain processing to perform and thrive in today’s competitive world.

Vestige Prime Metamind with Phosphatidylserine (PS) as a key ingredient acts as the right food for the brain that makes crucial contribution to the structure and functioning of the nerve cells. It plays a key role in improving 'cell to cell' communication, information transfer, signalling, etc.

The phosphatidylserine in Metamind helps to reduce the risk of dementia and improves memory recognition and recall in the elderly. For Students it improves concentration, enhances memory, increases attention, improves learning and helps in stress management. This is besides improving executive functions, focus, alertness and recall among working professionals.

Phosphatidylserine authorized as a novel food in Europe, and approved in Australia, Canada, and China, is a natural nutrient that can be found in our food chain and exists in mother’s milk. However, modern diet contains low levels of Phosphatidylserine making it important to get daily dose of the same to make up for its deficiency in our diet. Ferric Saccharate carries oxygen to the brain and provides synergistic effect along with Phoshatidylserine.

Commenting on the launch Mr Gautam Bali, MD, Vestige Marketing Pvt. Ltd.said, “It is an exciting time for the healthcare and dietary supplement market in India which according to TechSciResearch study is expected to reach US$ 308 Billion by 2022. The segment is witnessing strong demand backed by growing acceptance for health supplements among consumers who now has understood the fact that physical and mental health are both co-existent.”

He further added, “We identified this need to boost cognitive health of customers across age groups and decided to introduce it into the market. This has been possible due to Vestige’s single-minded focus on bringing health and wellness products for customers backed by strong research and development capabilities.  The development and the subsequent launch across India in record time is a testament to innovative and passionate teams of Vestige who are committed to bring best in class products to boost health and wellbeing of customers.”

Nutrition plays an important role in strengthening and maintaining a proper immune function. A strong immune system helps the body battle the viruses and bacteria that cause infection or disease, including COVID-19.

Vestige is also witnessing exemplary demand for its nutrition products spurred by growing inclination for nutritional supplement among consumers amidst COVID-19 outbreak. Company’s strong product portfolio in the health supplement segment consists primarily of Vestige Prime Krill Oil, Vestige Prime Combiotics and Vestige Prime Seabuckthorn.

Vestige distributors can place order for the Vestige Prime Metamind through Vestige mobile app and e-commerce site - shop.myvestige.com. 

ICICI Bank Stands in Solidarity with Karnataka Government to Fight COVID-19 Pandemic

Details

* Provides protective equipment to district administrations, municipal corporations and police forces
* The list includes 66,000 surgical masks, 2,300 litres of sanitisers and 52,500 gloves

ICICI Bank stands in solidarity with the Government of Karnataka by providing protective equipment to the state government, hospitals and police forces for their tireless efforts to safeguard citizens of the state in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

ICICI Bank is working actively with the authorities on this front. The Bank has donated protective equipment like 66,000 of three-ply surgical masks, 2,300 litres sanitisers, 52,500 gloves and 15,000 kg of bleaching powder to the Deputy Commissioners of Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru, Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Chitradurga and Udupi among others. This initiative is part of the Bank’s nation-wide drive of contributing various protective gears to aid the front-liners to combat the pandemic.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Saurabh Singh, Head- Government Banking, ICICI Bank said, “ICICI Group has a legacy of supporting the development of the nation as well as providing support in times of natural calamities and disasters. Taking this legacy forward, we are standing in solidarity with various state governments, police departments and health professionals in their tireless efforts to treat and safeguard citizens of the country in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Our support to the various authorities in Karnataka is part of these activities.

The doctors treating the COVID-19 suspects / patients and the police and paramilitary forces managing orderly implementation of the lockdown are at the frontline of this combat. We have focussed our efforts to reach out to the government hospitals and the forces in the state. Despite supply chain challenges, we are providing them supplies in the form of sanitisers, surgical masks, N95 masks, gloves, personal protection equipment, etc. We are also providing equipment like thermal scanners and non-invasive category ventilators.“

Havmor Ice Cream Partners with Dunzo for Delivery Services in 8 Cities

Havmor, one of India’s leading ice-cream brands has partnered with on-demand e-commerce platform, Dunzo, to deliver its range of ice cream products to the consumers. It has been launched as “Havmor Ice-Cream Xpress” store on the Dunzo delivery app. The delivery service is being operationalised in 8 cities including Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mumbai and Pune in the next few days.

Keeping in mind the current shift of consumers’ preference towards home consumption, the brand has associated with the online delivery platform, Dunzo, to ensure smooth delivery of the products. Havmor being a consumer-driven brand wants to deliver a lot of happiness and joy to its consumers through its products.

Consumers will have the option of over 35 of Havmor’s award-winning products to choose from and order. The list includes bestselling products such as Cookie and Cream, Mango Magic, Zulubar, Matka Kulfi, Nutty Belgian Dark Chocolate, Sandwich Ice Cream, American Nuts, Black Forest Ice cream cake, Alphonso Mango, Cookie Cream, Butter Scotch to name a few. Other than this, products from Havmor parlours will also be available. The brand is also working towards creating an exclusive range for the consumers of Havmor’s online channel which will be specifically available on Dunzo. The ordered products will be collected by a Dunzo delivery partner from Havmor’s delivery locations in each city and will be delivered to the consumers taking all precautionary safety and hygiene measures as advised by the Government of India.

Commenting on this initiative, Mr. Anindya Dutta, MD, Havmor Ice-cream said, “In this current scenario, it is imperative that we reach out to the consumers directly to their homes and Dunzo is a great platform to be associated with. It allows us to ensure that consumers can order their favourite ice creams from home and Dunzo delivers it and hands it safely right to their doorsteps.”

Kabeer Biswas, CEO & Co-Founder, Dunzo said, “These are extraordinary times and delivery partners like Dunzo partners are braving the streets to ensure the city’s essential needs are met. During this time, we are taking extra measures to ensure the safety of our users, partners, and merchants with safety checks across every touchpoint. As summer approaches, we believe this partnership with Havmor will add another dimension of delight for users as they enjoy Havmor Ice Cream while staying safely home.”

India Takes a Giant Leap Towards the Future on National Tech Day

On National Technology Day, that marks India’s progress in the field of science and technology,  AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems Pvt Ltd, introduced the home model of their Atmospheric Water Generator, AKVO Pod.

At one hand, when the world is in the grasp of a vicious disease and is grappling for its survival, it is also peak summertime in the country which means acute water scarcity. To help ease the struggle, AKVO has come up with a remarkable solution through AKVO Pod. It is ideal for homes, offices and small businesses. This unit can make up to 50 litres of pure drinking water per day. The AKVO Pod features a superior filter system that delivers clear and healthy drinking water.

AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems is a pioneer in producing India’s first indigenously manufactured atmospheric water generator. AKVO provides safe and pure drinking water using the AWG (Atmospheric Water Generator) technology which replicates the natural process of condensation by simulating a dew point, which allows it to make water continuously, even in low humidity conditions. AKVO works on a simple plug and play method and consumes one unit of electricity to run for an hour. AKVO has now become India’s largest AWG manufacturer with over 200 machines sold in India and Gulf countries. Moreover, this water is cheaper than any RO/UV or bottled market water. While the RO/UV filtrated water wastes 4 litres of water for just 1 litre of drinking water, AKVO has zero water wastage. The bottled mineral water which is marketed is available anywhere between INR 4.50 to INR 5.00 per litre and always has the cleanliness suspicion tag attached with it, while ours costs only INR 1.75 to INR 2.00 per litre.

The AKVO Pod has been priced at INR 99, 000 plus GST as applicable and the pre-booking starts from 11th May 2020.
Customers can pre-book an AKVO Pod for an initial sum of Rs. 5,000 during the inaugural launch period which will last till Customers pre-booking an AKVO Pod, have an added advantage of availing a discount of Rs.15,000 on the machine will also be applicable. AKVO Pod will be delivered within 45 days of the booking and comes with a 1-year warranty.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Navkaran Singh Bagga, Founder and CEO AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems Pvt Ltd stated, “Although being home to nearly a sixth of the world’s population, India only gets 4% of the Earth’s fresh water. It has been our endeavour to change the dynamics by bringing water supply to the Indian masses at a very cost efficient and sustained manner. 70% of Indians have poor or no access to safe drinking water and 22% of Indians do not have water reaching their homes. With only 60% of water available for consumption by 2030 we are alarmingly marching towards a crisis that will require human intervention right away otherwise we will stare at a third world war and this time over water. We had always received a demand from our patrons for a unit that was suitable for their homes and offices. AKVO Pod is an answer to that requirement. We hope, with this, we can reduce some of our dependency on groundwater and make ourselves future ready.”

Water scarcity reports have become the norm across the globe. Our country is not far behind on the trend. 12 per cent of India’s population is already living the 'Day Zero' scenario, thanks to excessive groundwater pumping, an inefficient and wasteful water management system and years of deficient rains. According to the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) report released by the Niti Aayog in 2018, 21 major cities (Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and others) are racing to reach zero groundwater levels by 2020, affecting access for 100 million people. The Chennai water crisis of last year gave an experience of the seriousness of the issue. The CWMI report also states that by 2030, the country's water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of millions of people and an eventual six per cent loss in the country's GDP. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that an individual requires around 25 litres of water daily for meeting his/her basic hygiene and food needs. The world and our country need an immediate and long-term solution to the water issues.

While the entire country is under lockdown and manufacturing processes have halted all across, AKVO is ready to bring AKVO Pod in the market. They had been working on building this machine for a year, especially, keeping in the mind the Chennai Water Crisis of 2019 that made global headlines. Chennai has been one of the biggest markets for AKVO in the country with over 50 machines sold.