It’s Time Now to Look Ahead at Life Confidently with Corona Kaavach by HDFC ERGO

HDFC ERGO, the country’s third largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, announced the launch of ‘Corona Kavach’ policy. This new indemnity health policy will offer cover against medical expenses incurred due to hospitalization of individuals seeking treatment for COVID-19, on positive diagnosis for the virus in a government authorized diagnostic centre. In addition, the policy will also cover expenses incurred on treatment of co-morbidity along with the treatment for COVID-19.

The current pandemic is a grave threat to the health of individuals, whilst also affecting their financial well-being due to the high cost of COVID-19 treatment. But, we must slowly gather the pace to ‘Look Ahead’and move towards the new normal, with confidence. The ‘Corona Kavach’policy indemnifies policyholders for medical expenses on hospitalization for the treatment of the virus and includes the expense incurred on treating co-morbidity along with COVID-19. The policy will also cover road ambulance expenses, in case the service is opted for the purpose of hospitalization due to COVID-19. Home Care Expenses benefit (upto a period of 14 days) will also be covered in the policy for those seeking treatment within the comfort of their own homes, on the advice of a medical practitioner. Additionally, expenses incurred for inpatient care treatment taken under Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) systems of medicines will also be covered under the policy. Policyholders will also be liable for Hospital daily cash, which will be 0.5% of sum insured per day for a maximum upto 15 days, during a policy period.

Commenting on the launch of the new product, Mr. Ritesh Kumar, MD & CEO, HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Ltd., “COVID-19 has brought life to a standstill with many feeling the financial pinch. In such unprecedented times, Corona Kavach by HDFC ERGO will provide customers with the much needed financial respite giving them the confidence to ‘Look Ahead’ in life. We are fully committed in this battle against COVID-19 and will provide our customers with the much required ammunition like access to a wide network of over 11,000 cashless hospitals, swift & hassle-free claim settlements, several services available digitally on HDFC ERGO’s my:health App; all of which will be available to them with our policy.”

The Corona Kavach policy by HDFC ERGO will enable customers to experience superior customer service whereby they can reach out to the Company through various digital platforms which are easily accessible. HDFC ERGO has a robust digital service architecture that has enabled the Company to put in place processes, which are largely paperless. Customers can register their request for filing a claim, policy renewals, and changes in the existing policy, among others through various means like the web portal, mobile apps, IVR, chatbotsand email bots from the convenience of their homes. HDFC ERGO’s settlement of pre-authorized cashless claims withinan average of 14 minuteshas further enhanced customer satisfaction and delight.

As an added advantage, existing indemnity health policyholders can avail a 25% discount and our Health Warriors, i.e. the Health care professionals, especially will be offered an additional 5% discount on purchase of this policy. The policy is available for a minimum sum insured of INR 50,000/- up to a maximum of INR 5,00,000/-. Customers may logon to the Company website www.hdfcergo.com or reach out to HDFC ERGO representatives for more details or purchase the Corona Kavach policy.

About HDFC ERGO:

HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Ltd. is a 51:49 joint venture between the Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC); India’s premier Housing Finance Institution and ERGO International AG; the primary insurance entity of the Munich Re Group of Germany. HDFC ERGO, the third largest General Insurance provider in the private sector, offers the complete range of general insurance products including Motor, Health, Home, Agriculture, Travel, Credit, Cyber and Personal Accident in the retail space and Property, Marine, Engineering, Marine Cargo, Group Health and Liability Insurance in the corporate space.

Over the last few years, HDFC ERGO has constantly endeavoured to not just align itself to the evolving market needs, but instead be a pioneer in terms of its offerings. Having its ears to the ground has helped the Company create a stream of highly targeted new products and AI-based tools and technology. Be it unique insurance products, integrated customer service models, top-in-class claim process or a host of technologically innovative solutions.

With a wide distribution network and a 24x7 support team, the Company has been offering seamless customer service and innovative products to its customers.For more information on HDFC ERGO and the products and services offered by the Company.

Emirates Announces Repatriation Flights to Five Indian Cities Between July 12-26, 2020

Emirates will be operating special repatriation flights to five Indian cities between 12 and 26 July to assist stranded Indians get home and for residents of UAE currently in India to return to the UAE.

The flights will be operated to Bengaluru, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram between 12 and 26 July 2020 offering the following flight frequencies

Bengaluru: twice daily flights

Delhi: twice daily flights

Kochi: twice daily flights

Mumbai: thrice daily flights

Thiruvananthapuram: once daily flights

The flights to Bengaluru and Mumbai are subject to state government approval.

Flights can be booked on emirates.com, through travel agents, Emirates’ sales offices and contact centre. Passengers must meet all the entry requirements of the destination to be allowed to board the flights.

Flights from Dubai to India

Only Indian citizens stranded in the UAE will be allowed to fly from Dubai to the five Indian destinations.

Flights from India to Dubai

These flights will be available for UAE nationals and residents with prior entry approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDFRA) for residents of Dubai and ICA approval for residents of other emirates of the UAE.

All passengers travelling from airports in India to Dubai are also required to carry a negative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) certificate issued by a laboratory authorised by the government of India to be accepted on the flight. Certificates must be issued no more than 96 hours before departure.

More information for returning UAE residents can be found at https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/help/flying-to-and-from-dubai/

Health and Safety First

Emirates has implemented a comprehensive set of measures at every step of the customer journey to ensure the safety of its customers and employees on the ground and in the air. Emirates has modified its services onboard these flights in line with requirements from the authorities. Visit www.emirates.com/wherewefly for more information on the products and services onboard each flight.

Premium customers travelling from Dubai can now also enjoy Emirates’ Chauffeur Drive service and relax in its Lounge facility at Dubai International airport, with the restart of these signature services after a full health and safety review.

Emirates continues to offer customers a wide range of travel options. The airline’s network will encompass 58 cities by mid-August covering destinations across six continents.

Pankajakasthuri Announces Promising Interim Results for ZingiVir–H Among COVID-19 Patients

Pankajakasthuri Herbals India Private Limited (PKHIL) today announced promising interim clinical trial results for ZingiVir-H among patients suffering from COVID-19. Developed by Dr. J. Hareendran Nair, Founder of Pankajakasthuri Herbal Research Foundation, ZingiVir-H is a herbo-mineral drug made of a blend of seven ingredients. With the announcement, the company hopes to reiterate the 

tremendous potential of Ayurveda as a cost-effective and scalable solution to critical health conditions such as COVID-19.

Dr. J. Hareendran Nair, Founder and Managing Director, PKHIL, said, “Ayurveda has a long and storied tradition of helping treat a wide range of conditions, from everyday allergies to more complex ones such as autoimmune diseases. During such unprecedented times as now, where our immunity is critical to fighting a disease that has become a global pandemic, we believe that Ayurveda has the power to help develop an effective, cost-efficient and scalable treatment.”

Clinical trials of ZingiVir-H, Pankajakasthuri’s new drug, are underway among 112 patients as an adjunct therapy for the pandemic as well as among 135 additional patients as a stand-alone treatment in a double-blind study. The trials are progressing in 96 of the patients undergoing adjunct therapy. Out of these, the results of 42 patients are being published as an interim report. Among the 42 patients, 22 were treated with ZingiVir-H and 20 were treated with a placebo. It was found that all the 22 patients treated with ZingiVir-H were discharged on the fourth day after real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). The remaining 20 patients in the control group who received placeboes continued to be COVID-19+ve for 5 to 11 days.

“The results so far have been very positive and the trial is continuing,” said Dr. Nair. “We are equipped to provide the tablet as a treatment for COVID-19 across India and will collaborate with government bodies to ensure effective and quick distribution once the drug is approved. After this, we would also like to extend the treatment to regulators around the world for their respective countries. It is especially important to know that the use of the drug as a prophylactic treatment means that ZingiVir-H can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and thereby prevent community transmission.”

ZingiVir-H tablets had obtained the Drugs License of the Government of Kerala and underwent cytotoxicity tests on human cells at the Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology and CSIR-NIIST at Thiruvananthapuram. After the animal studies were proved to be harmless, the clinical trial registration was obtained from the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI). Thereafter, the drug was placed in Randomized Single Blind Placebo Controlled Multi-Center Clinical Trial as per World Health Organization (WHO)'s ICH-GCP standards at various medical colleges with approvals from respective ethical committees.

ZingiVir-H's clinical trial is being conducted similar to the testing protocols in modern medicine. The results will be published after completion of the clinical trials and blood tests, including CRP, ESR, Interleukin, IgG and IgM, have proven the defensive functionality/efficacy of ZingiVir-H.

The interim clinical test results have been evaluated by a 5-member independent peer data monitoring committee (DMC). These included:

* The Chairman of the committee, Dr. V. Raman Kutty, Eminent Epidemiologist and data science expert, Research Director, Amala Cancer Research Centre, Thrissur. He is also a Former Emeritus Professor of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology and Honorary Chairman, Health Action by People.

* Dr. K. P. Poulose, Former Professor, Kottayam Medical College & George Washington University, USA and Chief Physician, SUT Hospitals, Thiruvananthapuram;

* Dr. K. G. Raveendran, Retd. Medical Director, The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore;

* Dr. V. S. SUGUNAN, Former Scientist C and Group Leader, Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram; and

* Dr. Asha Kamath, Associate Director, PSPH, Professor & Head, Department of Data Science, Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

Dr. Hareendran Nair also thanked the R&D head of Pankajakasthuri Dr. Shan Sashidharan and the Clinical Trial Coordinator Dr. K. P. Srinivasakumar, Head, Clinical Operations, Institute of Biology and Clinical Research, India, and others associated with it.

After the peer review from the DMC, the test results have been submitted for the approval by the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).

St. John’s Health Centre Opens New Centre at Brigade Meadows on Kanakapura Road

St. John's Health Centre is pleased to announce the commencement of a public health centre at  60-acre integrated development, Brigade Meadows on Kanakapura Road, adjacent to the Art of Living in South Bengaluru.

This not for profit initiative is a joint effort of Brigade Foundation and the highly reputed St. John’s Medical College and Hospital. The St. John’s Health Centre would cater to the neighbourhood and will eventually become a full-fledged hospital. The Health Center was inaugurated by His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Machado, the Archbishop of Bangalore in the presence of Rev. Dr. Paul Parathazham, Director, St. John’s Medical College and Hospital, Mr. M R Jaishankar, CMD, Brigade Group and a limited audience, due to the current regulations.

The St. John’s Health Centre has commenced its services from June 25, 2020 and will cater to all the primary health care needs of a family and provide referral services where needed. The Centre will provide outpatient services, basic laboratory facility, radiology, ultrasound and a pharmacy. This will include general medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology and family medicine. There will also be skin, eye, dental, general surgery and ENT services. A basic first aid/casualty service will be available around the clock

According to His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Machado, the Archbishop of Bangalore, “ This not-for-profit initiative is a collaborative effort of two Charitable Societies, the CBCI Society for Medical Education, which owns the St. John’s Medical College and Hospital, and Brigade Foundation. The health centre is well aligned with the original mission of St. John’s to make quality healthcare accessible and affordable especially to the underprivileged and the underserved.”

Skill India Launches AI-Based ASEEM Digital Platform to Bridge Demand-Supply Gap of Skilled Workforce

Digital Platform 

* The portal will map details of workers based on regions and local industry demands

* Database of labour migrants in Indian states and overseas citizens who returned to India under the Vande Bharat Mission and filled SWADES Skill Card has been integrated with the ASEEM portal

* Candidate data coming to Skill India Portal from various state and central skilling schemes will be integrated including PMKVY, Fee-based Programs, National Urban Livelihoods Mission, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana and Seekho aur Kamao

In an endeavour to improve the information flow and bridge the demand-supply gap in the skilled workforce market, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) today launched ‘Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping (ASEEM)’ portal to help skilled people find sustainable livelihood opportunities. Apart from recruiting a skilled workforce that spurs business competitiveness and economic growth, the Artificial Intelligence- based platform has been envisioned to strengthen their career pathways by handholding them through their journeys to attain industry-relevant skills and explore emerging job opportunities especially in the post COVID era.

Envisaging the rapidly changing nature of work and how it impacts the workforce is crucial in restructuring the skilling ecosystem with the new normal settling post-pandemic. Besides identifying major skills gap in the sectors and providing review of global best practices, ASEEM will provide employers a platform to assess the availability of skilled workforce and formulate their hiring plans. Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping (ASEEM) refers to all the data, trends and analytics which describe the workforce market and map demand of skilled workforce to supply. It will provide real-time granular information by identifying relevant skilling requirements and employment prospects.

Announcing the launch of the ASEEM portal, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Minister of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said “Driven by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and his assertion of ‘India as a talent powerhouse’ at the India Global Week 2020 Summit,, the ASEEM portal has been envisioned to give a huge impetus to our persistent efforts to bridge the demand-supply gap for skilled workforce across sectors, bringing limitless and infinite opportunities for the nation’s youth. The initiative aims to accelerate India’s journey towards recovery by mapping skilled workforce and connecting them with relevant livelihood opportunities in their local communities especially in the post COVID era. With the increasing use of technology and e-management systems which assist in bringing in processes and intelligent tools to drive demand driven and outcome-based skill development programs, this platform will ensure we bring in close convergence and coordination across various schemes and programs operating in the skill ecosystem. This will also ensure that we monitor any sort of duplication of data and further re-engineer the vocational training landscape in the country ensuring a skilling, up-skilling and re-skilling in a more organised set up.”

Highlighting how ASEEM will bridge the demand supply gap in the skilled workforce market, Shri AM Naik, Chairman, NSDC and Group Chairman, Larsen & Toubro Limited said, “Migrant labour has been severely impacted by the socio-economic fallout of the COVID pandemic. In the current context, NSDC has taken up the responsibility of mapping the dispersed migrant population around the country and providing them the means to re-build their livelihood by matching their skill-sets to available employment opportunities. The launch of ASEEM is the first step on that journey. I am confident that the real-time information ASEEM provides to both employer and employee will add value to the labour ecosystem and contribute to building the trust among the workforce, which is essential for the recovery of the economy.”

ASEEM https://smis.nsdcindia.org/, also available as an APP, is developed and managed by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in collaboration with Bengaluru-based company Betterplace specialising in blue collar employee management.. ASEEM portal aims at supporting decision and policymaking via trends and analytics generated by the system for programmatic purposes. ASEEM is shall help in providing real-time data analytics to NSDC and its Sector Skill Councils about the demand and supply patterns including - industry requirements, skill gap analysis, demand per district/ state/cluster​​, key workforce suppliers, key consumers​, migration patterns​ and multiple potential career prospects for candidates.​ The portal consists of three IT based interfaces -

●        Employer Portal – Employer onboarding, Demand Aggregation, candidate selection ​

●        Dashboard – Reports, Trends, analytics, and highlight gaps ​

●        Candidate Application – Create & Track candidate profile, share job suggestion ​

ASEEM will be used as a match-making engine to map skilled workers with the jobs available. The portal and App will have provision for registration and data upload for workers across job roles, sectors and geographies. The skilled workforce can register their profiles on the app and can search for employment opportunities in their neighbourhood. Through ASEEM, employers, agencies and job aggregators looking for skilled workforce in specific sectors will also have the required details at their fingertips. It will also enable policymakers take more objective view of various sectors.

Zendesk Releases CX Benchmark Report for Startups Showing the Path to Success is in CX

Zendesk, Inc. has released the Zendesk Startups CX Benchmark Report, documenting how early-stage startups that invest in customer experience (CX) outperform their peers. The data shows that while there is no one-size-fits-all approach, startup success stories have one thing in common: the ability to provide more holistic support to customers from the beginning.

The findings feature Zendesk Benchmark data from more than 4,400 early-stage startups from around the world, giving founders and CX leaders direct insights into this crucial part of their businesses for the first time.

Most surprisingly, more than 70 percent of startup founders and decision-makers reported they do not have a formal customer support strategy in place. This shines a spotlight on how many companies are missing out on the opportunity to deliver on the customer experiences that will set them apart from their peers and foster long-term business success. 

"India is a thriving startup hub and home to several Unicorns - many of whom have embedded customer experience as part of their growth strategy. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly hit many Indian startups hard, highlighting the importance of having robust customer support from the get go. The Indian startup community has shown their tenacity and adaptability in the past and will do so again. And we hope the learnings from our latest Zendesk Startups CX Benchmark Report can help shed light on the path forward in these unique times.”, said KT Prasad, MD and RVP Sales, India & SAARC at Zendesk.

According to the report, fast-growing startups—those that have doubled their customer support agent count (a proxy for employee growth) in the first two years of using Zendesk and have 18 months or fewer between publicly disclosed funding rounds—make greater investments in their CX strategies, and do so more quickly. 

In fact, 33 percent of these companies are more likely to add omnichannel or multi-channel support in their first two years. The result is shorter resolutions (roughly half the wait time for customers), better team efficiency and more options for customers to find the support they are looking for, which all lead to an overall improved CX. 

The report identified six actions companies should focus on to operate like a fast-growing startup within their first two years, in order of priority: 

Set up a customer support function that prioritizes speed and convenience for both your customers and service team

Add live channels, such as phone and chat, which are faster alternatives to email and web ticketing

Launch messaging channels, like social media and WhatsApp, to reach customers on the channels they use in their day-to-day lives

Establish an FAQ or help center, and include at least 30 articles that answer frequently asked questions

Introduce at least one new app or integration to your customer support platform every six months to increase support agent productivity and streamline workflows

Keep first reply times and resolution times down to three to eight hours 

“It’s natural to prioritize your product at the beginning of your startup journey, but not to think about how you sell to or support your customers,” said Kristen Durham, vice president, startups, Zendesk. “We know CX directly impacts customer loyalty and retention, and whether you are a first-time founder, serial entrepreneur, or customer support leader looking to improve business performance, our data shows that the sooner you put customers at the center of your plans, the faster you’ll be setting yourself up for long-term success.” 

The report also indicated that faster-growth startups direct more resources toward self-service and live channels, like phone and chat, with unicorns—privately held startups valued at over $1 billion—adopting live channels even faster. Unicorns also prioritize adding self-service features like online help centers 61 percent faster than other startups in their first year. 

“Startups that want to rise above the noise should invest in building a strong foundation in great customer experience right from the start,” said Jeff Titterton, chief marketing officer, Zendesk. “Customers have come to expect more out of companies, regardless of their size, age, or industry. Having differentiated customer support can be the difference between failing to scale and becoming a successful, fast-growth startup.”

Additional Resources

For more information, download the Startups CX Benchmark Report. 

Check out Sit Down Startup, our new podcast featuring Zendesk leaders with founders, CEOs, and makers, sharing their journey and talking about why customer experience is the secret sauce to long-term success. Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Google Play, or Apple Podcasts. 

Unicorns and fast-growth startups Loggi and Freshly are using Zendesk to reach customers on their preferred channels, and getting out ahead of the competition by infusing the customer perspective directly into the business which in turn helps fuel product and service innovation. Check out their stories, and others, on the Zendesk Library.

Methodology 

The Zendesk Benchmark helps companies compare their customer service performance against their competitors. To better understand how startups leverage support, we analyzed key metrics around timing, tools, and results for 4,414 startups that use Zendesk Support from January 1, 2014 to March 14, 2020. Startups included in this report have used Zendesk for more than six months and have raised funding.

About Zendesk

Zendesk is a service-first CRM company that builds support, sales, and customer engagement software designed to foster better customer relationships. From large enterprises to startups, we believe that powerful, innovative customer experiences should be within reach for every company, no matter the size, industry or ambition. Zendesk serves more than 160,000 customers across a multitude of industries in over 30 languages. Zendesk is headquartered in San Francisco, and operates offices worldwide. 

Vedantu Launches Target JEE/NEET- Early Preparation Camp in India

Coaching camp

* Aimed to benefit aspirants speed up their academic preparation

* LIVE Non-stop FREE revision covering the entire syllabus

* Students will benefit from motivational classes and 400+ hours of LIVE sessions

A pioneer in LIVE online learning, Vedantu has launched a special initiative - Target JEE/NEET, designed by India’s top teachers and coaching experts for all JEE and NEET aspirants appearing in 2020-2022. The 4 Day LIVE online camp will help students get ahead in their academic preparations with specialized LIVE classes and unlimited in class doubt solving, motivational talks with various achievers and JEE & NEET toppers, complete plans with test and other study materials. The LIVE online camp will be conducted from July 13th- 16th, 2020 and registrations are now open for students to participate. Over 80,000 students have already registered for the camp.

The initiative is designed by India’s best teachers & Co-founders of Vedantu to provide access to a plethora of study material and tests along with revision videos from the best teachers, LIVE teaching from experts across India, and 100% guaranteed scholarship.

The program will cater to students from grade 11-12 and droppers covering Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics & Biology. All the learning resources are personalised keeping in mind the student’s curriculum are of premium quality. Parents & students can be rest assured as they can have uninterrupted learning from safety of their homes. Some of the key highlights of the camp include:

400+ hours of classes, by India's best teachers LIVE

Career and Parent counselling sessions

MasterTalk with Toppers & celebrities

Assured Scholarship for everyone who takes the test, from 10cr+ pool

Cash prizes to the highest scorer in the diagnostic test

Most students preparing for competitive examinations have doubts but don’t find a quick solution or the right answer to the same. To address this common problem the 96-hour nonstop doubt solving feature will be a great value add for students. The highest scoring student for Target JEE/NEET will win an Alienware laptop.

Boeing Completes 22 Apache Attack Helicopters Deliveries to IAF Air Force Station at Hindan

Apache Attack and CH-47F Chinook Helicopters

* Last of 22 Apache attack helicopters delivered in June

* Chinook helicopter deliveries completed in March

* Boeing focused on training and sustainment in support of India’s new rotorcraft fleet

Boeing has completed delivery of all new AH-64E Apache and CH-47F(I) Chinook military helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The final five of the 22 Apache attack helicopters were handed over to the IAF at Air Force Station, Hindan. Earlier in March, Boeing handed over the last five of 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to the IAF.

“Customer centricity, commitment to the modernization and mission-readiness of India’s defence forces are key values to our partnership with India,” said Surendra Ahuja, Managing Director, Boeing Defence India. “With this delivery of military helicopters, we continue to nurture this partnership and are fully committed to working closely with India’s defence forces to deliver the right value and capabilities to meet their operational needs,” Ahuja added.

India is one of 17 nations to select the Apache and has the most advanced variant, the AH-64E Apache that is also flown by the U.S. and many other countries. The AH-64E Apache is designed and equipped with an open systems architecture including the latest communications, navigation, sensor and weapon systems. It has an improved Modernized Target Acquisition Designation System that provides day, night and all-weather target information, as well as night vision navigation capability. In addition to classifying air and ground targets, the Fire Control Radar has been updated to operate in the maritime environment. It is uniquely suited to meet a commander's needs, including reconnaissance, security, peacekeeping operations, and lethal attack, across myriad environments - without reconfiguration.

Twenty defence forces around the world either have Chinooks in service, or are on contract to receive them. The iconic tandem-rotor helicopter has been the world’s most reliable and efficient heavy-lift helicopter for more than 50 years, allowing customers to operate in climatic (hot), altitude (high), and crosswind conditions that typically keep other helicopters from flying. The CH-47F(I) Chinook contains a modern machined airframe, a common avionics architecture system (CAAS) cockpit, and a digital automatic flight control system (DAFCS). Those innovations and technologies will help the Indian Air Force meet evolving mission demands, maximize interoperability, and reduce lifecycle costs. 

The Indian Ministry of Defence finalized its order with Boeing for the production, training and support of 22 AH-64E Apache and 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook helicopters in September 2015. Earlier this year, India and the U.S. signed a contract for the acquisition of six Apaches for the Indian Army during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to New Delhi.

Boeing’s joint venture in Hyderabad, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) has been producing aero-structures for the AH-64 Apache helicopter for both US Army and international customers. TBAL marks a major step towards the co-development of integrated systems in aerospace and defense in India. Boeing’s suppliers in India are manufacturing critical systems and components for the Chinooks, including the crown and tailcone assembly by Tata Advanced Systems and the ramp and aft pylon by Dynamatic Technologies. Boeing today works with over 200 suppliers and partners in the country in support of “Make in India” and “Skill India.”

Boeing Defence India provides holistic lifecycle solutions for government and defence customers in the country. Boeing delivers services that ensure high availability and mission-readiness of platforms to its defence customers at competitive costs through its investments in services infrastructure and building local capabilities and partnerships. With the induction of the Apaches and Chinooks, Boeing anticipates additional opportunities in rotorcraft training and sustainment.

About Boeing

Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. Boeing’s advanced aircraft and services focus play an important role in mission-readiness for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. Boeing is focused on delivering value to Indian customers with advanced technologies and is committed to creating sustainable value in the Indian aerospace sector – developing local suppliers, and shaping academic and research collaborations with Indian institutions. Boeing has strengthened its supply chain with 200 partners in India, and a JV to manufacture fuselages for Apache helicopters. Annual sourcing from India stands at $1 billion. Boeing currently employs 3,500 people in India, and more than 7,000 people work with its supply chain partners. Boeing’s employee efforts and India country-wide engagement serves communities and citizenship programs to inspire change and make an impact on more than 150,000 lives.

Kazan Helicopters has Certified the Ansat simulator According to International Standards

Kazan Helicopters of the Russian Helicopters holding company (part of Rostec State Corporation) has received positive qualification of Ansat helicopter training simulator's compatibility to international standards. The evaluation was carried out by the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after N.E. Zhukovsky (TsAGI). 

The comprehensive Ansat simulator was tested for its compliancewith the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Evaluated characteristics included the layout and design of the cockpit, simulation of flight and engine dynamics, controlling on ground, helicopter systems, acoustic, visual and vibration effects and navigation. The assessment result was positive. 

"We consider the certification of the Ansat helicopter simulator according to ICAO standards as one of the important achievements of our company. Our Aviation Training Center is now waiting for the first intake of students to pass the simulator training in August 2020. The training will be organized to foreign customers: pilot training is included in the price of the helicopter in all export orders", pointed out Managing Director of Kazan Helicopters, Yuri Pustovgarov. 

The simulator model was developed on the basis of helicopter flight test data provided by the design bureau of the Kazan Helicopters. The cockpit and interior of the simulator are completely authentic. Instrumentation is replaced with simulator devices, but their appearance and functionality fully correspond to the originals.

The Ansat simulator is equipped with a visualization system that provides full visibility from the pilot's seat. It can be used to reproduce two distinct areas: the city of Kazan along with the Kazan Helicopters flight test center, as well as the city of Sochi. A vibrating platform and audio system help to simulate the vibrational and acoustic effects of flight. Using the simulator,trained pilots will be able to maneuver the helicopter model in various conditions, including in dangerous and emergency situations.

The comprehensive Ansat simulator was designed and produced as part of the investment project "Development Concept for for the Aviation Training Center of the Kazan Helicopter Plant of Russian Helicopters Holding Company".

The KHP Aviation Training Center also has a comprehensive simulator for Mi-8MTV helicopter. The cabin of the simulator has been adapted to simulate training of pilots at night with night vision goggles. Besides, the simulator has a vibroacoustic unit whichimitates vibration and sounds of a helicopter depending on the flight mode and conditions. 

The Aviation Training Center of Kazan Helicopters was established in 1995. In more than 20 years it has trained almost 9,000 specialists. The center provides courses on retraining andprofessional development for pilots, engineers and technical specialists. Teachers constantly improve their skills and undergo practical training in the leading training centers in Russia and abroad, and have registered certificates of aircraft manufacturers. The KHP Aviation Training Center provides training for helicopters of Mi-8/17 and Ansat types. In the future it is planned to create a similar training program for Mi-38 helicopter.

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

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

Hyundai Salutes India’s Strong Spirit - Releases ‘Haq Hai Humara’ Corporate Brand Anthem

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), country’s first smart mobility solutions provider and largest exporter since inception, today released an anthem as a tribute to the ‘Indomitable Spirit of India’. The corporate brand anthem ‘Haq Hai Humara’ aims to bring together the people of India and salute their resolve to stand united and stay strong in this unprecedented adverse situation.

‘Haq Hai Humara’ features Hyundai Corporate Brand Ambassador Mr. Shah Rukh Khan and depicts gratitude to all frontline workers and the citizens of the country who have risen up to this challenge with their steadfast spirit and for their invaluable contribution in the fight against the COVID -19 pandemic. The anthem in association with Universal Music Group & Brands (UMGB) has been composed and sung by prolific music composer and singer Mr Vishal Mishra and written by acclaimed lyricist Mr. Manoj Muntashir.

Speaking at the release of the Anthem, Mr. SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “Hyundai has become an integral part of India over the last two decades, our success is intertwined with that of our valued customers who strongly believe in the Spirit of Hyundai. Through these challenging times, we have stood by the citizens of this great nation and looking back, we must salute the standing strong spirit of India that is witnessed in the people’s fight to bring back Normalcy. Haq Hai Humara is our humble tribute to the country’s solidarity, relentless spirit and never give up attitude in these testing times. We truly believe Together We Can and Together We Will build a ‘New India’.

He further added, “As a responsible and caring brand and in-line with our Global Brand Vision ‘Progress for Humanity’, Hyundai has been at the forefront of providing relentless support to the Government of India in its fight against the pandemic. We will continue to play an active role in economic recovery and chart a path for growth.”

Despite all challenges, the team put this song together shooting from distant locations over virtual platforms. The anthem encourages and motivates each and every Individual to keep their spirit high, hoping for better times ahead.

Commenting on the spirit of this song, Mr. Shah Rukh Khan, Corporate Brand Ambassador, HMIL said, “I am proud to be a part of Hyundai’s ‘Haq Hai Humara’ anthem which is a salute to the spirit of humanity, the ceaseless commitment from the frontline heroes and the small acts of kindness all around us which are the pivots for rebuilding the nation. As we all look forward to the future, I’m sure this anthem will bring positivity and hope for a better tomorrow!”

Also commenting on the thought behind the lyrics of the Anthem, Mr Vishal Mishra, Music Composer & Singer and Mr Manoj Muntashir, Lyricist & Writer said, “Firstly we would like to congratulate Hyundai for conceptualising this song that will help bring about positivity and cheer amid this crisis. Haq Hai Humara is an expression of infinite gratitude that we all feel towards the COVID warriors. Through this song we wanted to convey that ‘Aazadiyaan, Manmarziyaan, Oonchaaiyaan,’ (freedom, free-will and the spirit to soar higher) is our right and no matter what the circumstances may be, it is our tough resolute that will get us back on our feet and help us to keep moving forward. The song is an articulation of the New India.”

Amazon Prime Video Launches the Trailer of Upcoming Kannada Legal Drama Law on July 17

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

Amazon Prime Video today launched the trailer of their first Kannada direct-to-service film, Law, a criminal suspense drama that follows the life of Nandhini, a law student who demands justice for a gruesome crime. Law is produced by Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar, M Govinda and directed by Raghu Samarth. The legal Kannada drama is led by Ragini Prajwal who makes her debut as a lead actress and Mukhyamantri Chandru, Achyuth Kumar, Sudharani among others. Law is the fourth direct-to-service movie to premiere on Amazon Prime Video after the successful release of Ponmagal Vandhal (Tamil), Gulabo Sitabo (Hindi) and Penguin (Telugu and Tamil with Malayalam dubs). Prime members in India and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide can watch the much-awaited movie in Kannada starting 17th July, 2020.

“Law is close to my heart, because not only does it mark my debut, but the movie also sheds light on an important message that often gets sidelined.” said Law Actress Ragini Prajwal, “Nandhini, is a strong and determined women who overcomes a difficult situation through sheer determination and perseverance. Law is sure to set a new bar in this genre and I am hoping it will be appreciated by critics and audiences alike. I have had the privilege of working with a dream team on Law and I am thrilled our film will be accessible to audiences not only from India but across 200 countries and territories, making the release even more impactful.”

Producer Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar said, “Amazon Prime Video is one of our most valued partners. After the phenomenal success of our films Kavaludaari and Maya Bazaar 2016 which released on the service shortly after its theatrical release, Law is our third collaboration and one of the two titles we would be premiering on Amazon Prime Video worldwide. With Law we not only want to entertain our audience, but also bring to light an issue of great importance. We look forward to customers across 200 countries and territories being able to enjoy the movie from the safety of their own homes.”

Watch the trailer here: https://amzn.to/LawTrailer

Synopsis:

There are umpteen stories that involve crime and investigations. Sometimes, the case even gets dismissed due to lack of evidence and the accused are set free. However, ‘Law’ is a paradigm shift from the rest in this genre. Nandhini, a law student who is caught in a precarious situation fights for justice for a gruesome crime that took place.

Law 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 Paatal Lok, The Family Man, Mirzapur, Inside Edge and Made In Heaven, Four More Shots Please! S1 and S2 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 Law 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.

Covestro and Google Cooperate on Research for Novel Computer Technology

Benefits

* How Quantum Computing Can Benefit Chemistry

* Milestone in digital research and development

* Expand innovation leadership with quantum computing

Significantly less time, less use of resources, more efficient and environmentally friendly processes, completely new materials – this is the future potential of the novel technology Quantum Computing in research and development for the chemical industry. In order to achieve long-term innovation leadership in this still developing field of digital chemistry, Covestro builds up resources and expands partnerships. With so-called quantum computing, the materials manufacturer is going one step further to investigate new possibilities in the field of chemical simulations. Therefore, Covestro and Google have signed a research partnership agreement. The current research focuses on the development of fundamental algorithms, while the future vision is to solve certain complex simulations in a fraction of the time compared to classical computers.

“Quantum computing opens up groundbreaking new perspectives for our industry. We therefore want to invest specifically in the further development of this technology and build up expertise”, said Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of Covestro. “The partnership with Google gives us the opportunity to do so and is so far unique in the chemical industry.”

Quantum Computing opens up new dimensions

Covestro has already been investing extensively in digital research and development for around three years. The novel quantum computing is another important milestone in the search for new, digitized research processes. This forward-looking computer technology is the key to knowledge that is needed, for example, to successfully advance the circular economy. With the help of quantum computing, details of highly complex chemical reaction processes can be digitally simulated and evaluated in a very short time.

Hartmut Neven, head of the Google AI Quantum group states: “We are advancing quantum computing by developing quantum processors and novel quantum algorithms to help industry researcher partners solve problems. We are looking forward to the collaboration with the very strong team of scientists at Covestro.”

Quantum computing will help Google to develop the innovations of tomorrow, including AI. That’s why the company is committed to building dedicated quantum hardware and software today.

Quantum computing is a new paradigm that will play a big role in accelerating tasks for new computing capabilities. Google wants to offer researchers and developers access to open source frameworks and computing power that can operate beyond classical capabilities.

With quantum computing, Covestro intends to build on the success of previous investments and further deepen its global competencies in computational chemistry. In the long term, the technology can go far beyond the possibilities of high-performance computing. With the expansion of a classic high-performance computer at the Leverkusen site for computer simulations and a new, global platform for research data for more than a year, Covestro has been tapping into the value-added potential that the digital transformation of the chemical industry is opening up.

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Covestro and Google cooperate on research how quantum computing can benefit chemistry

Access to technology and know-how

The partnership on quantum computing between Google and Covestro forms the basis for joint scientific cooperation. The main goal is the further development of quantum computing technology and how it can be used to solve chemical problems in the future. Google provides the hardware and access to its technology experts. Thus, Covestro takes a pioneering role in digital research and development to test and further develop the new methods of quantum computing for the chemical industry.

About Covestro:

With 2019 sales of EUR 12.4 billion, Covestro is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. Covestro has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 17,200 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2019.

Nestlé India Introduces MILO HOMEGROUND Videos for Indian Kids

MILO HOMEGROUND brings forth a path-breaking extension of its worldwide legacy of over 86 years of nourishing young champions by providing nutritious energy and the inspiration to grow with sports.  MILO HOMEGROUND will roll out workout videos inspiring kids to enjoy effective and easy exercises demonstrated by leading AFI sporting heroes like Hima Das, Neeraj Chopra, KT Irfan, Md. Anas Yahiya, MR Poovama and many more. These videos will be available for free on the social media handles of MILO (@MiloIndia) and MILO NIDJAM (@MiloNidjam).

And MILO HOMEGROUND won’t leave parents behind! Sports and fitness role-models like Shikhar Dhawan, Mandira Bedi and other celebrities are stepping-up to share their own experiences of MILO® HOMEGROUND with their kids. They want to encourage their followers and the community at large to start inculcating physical exercise into the child’s routine with MILO® HOMEGROUND – and share their experiences online. For every exercise video that is posted on the MILO® Facebook and Instagram handle (@MiloIndia), the parent will be given a MILO GREEN CARD to reward their child as appreciation and encouragement for having completed the exercise.

Each MILO GREEN CARD is a fascinating collectible autographed by a famous athlete. Parents can motivate their kids to collect all 6 MILO GREEN CARDS:  some exciting surprises await those who earn the entire collection.

Commenting on the launch of the campaign, Mr. Vineet Singh, Director – Dairy, Nestlé India said, “In more than 50 countries, MILO® inspires parents on the importance of sports in helping their kids achieve everyday victories that instil values to help them succeed in life. MILO® HOMEGROUND aims to create opportunities for these everyday victories and get kids to stay active even while staying home. In collaboration with the Athletics Federation of India and the AFI athletes as part of MILO® NIDJAM, we are excited to offer fun exercise routines that children can do at home – by themselves or with parents. When a child successfully completes an exercise, they can win the MILO® Green Card, which rewards positive behaviour”

The President of Athletics Federation of India, Mr. Adille Sumariwalla said, “Sports in the life of a growing child is most fundamental. An active lifestyle leads to healthier families and this kind of lifestyle begins at home. The partnership with MILO®, a brand who stands for giving nourishing energy to kids for an active and healthy lifestyle, is going to help us to spread this message to the country at large. What started as a partnership at back of the National Inter District Junior Athletics Meet last year, has grown to a digital playground led by AFI’s top athletes and India’s loved celebrities. We are proud to associate with MILO HOMEGROUND and will encourage people to spread the message of active energy far and wide.”

Experience ‘The Next Dimension’ Virtual World of Hyundai on July 14

Virtual Tour

* The Industry First Showcase of Innovative Human-Centric Design

* 3 Unique and Industry First Experiences on One Virtual Platform through ‘‘The Next Dimension’’ for Hyundai customers, Prospects & Media

* Virtual World of 3 Iconic brands ALL New CRETA, Spirited New Verna and the launch of New TUCSON in a Larger Than Life POD Lab Space

* Hyundai customers, Prospects and Media can witness and experience The Next Dimension on 5 different platforms such as HMIL Official Website including official social handles of Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

July 9, 2020: Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), country’s first smart mobility solutions provider and largest exporter since inception, is introducing the Industry First, most advanced virtual-reality experience - ‘The Next Dimension’ on 14.07.2020 at 12:00 noon. ‘The Next Dimension’ is an immersive expression of different culture with Human Centric Design. Using the most advanced Futuristic Human-Centric Design, HMIL is set to bring alive the larger than life experience in the perfect harmony of dynamic physical and digital worlds for our customers, prospects and media on 5 official digital platforms such as HMIL Official Website including official social handles of Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook.

The unique and Industry First - ‘The Next Dimension’ would be presenting Hyundai’s three ICONIC brands - The Ultimate SUV of 2020 - All New CRETA, Spirited New VERNA and Virtual Launch of New TUCSON, in a unique digital format.

Commenting on the forthcoming Industry First ‘The Next Dimension’ experience, Mr. S S Kim, MD & CEO, HMIL said, “The core of Hyundai is innovation and we are committed to offer unique experiences through Most Advanced Technological and Futuristic Endeavors. With ‘The Next Dimension’, we intend to curate Multi-Cultural, Human Centric and Invigorated experiences in digital space for all the stakeholders. I am confident that ‘The Next Dimension’ will spearhead digitalization and virtual experience world in Indian Automobile Industry and create a new benchmark.”

The space design of ‘The Next Dimension’ is based on the ‘Brutalist Architectural Philosophy’, creating simple and functional spaces and accommodating their purpose uniquely and innovatively. The Digital Architecture of ‘The Next Dimension’ is inspired by the Brutalist Architectural Philosophy with vibrant colors & different pod screens attached to the core architecture design. Each pod screens will have relevant product content in a 3D and animation format showcasing the depth on the design.

Mai Phir Aunga Sparks Our Desire to Rediscover Travel with Club Mahindra

Club Mahindra, India’s leading vacation ownership brand, is inspiring people to reignite their passion and zest for travelling, with their digital campaign, #LoveIndiaSeeIndia. Through their ‘India Dekho’ initiative, they’re calling upon people to share their favourite holiday destinations in India and relive those magical memories once again, while staying indoors. As part of the #LoveIndiaSeeIndia campaign, the brand will now engage with audiences through the eyes and voice of Ayushmann Khurrana, one of Bollywood’s most popular and loved artistes.

The actor, who has won over social media with his poignant verses and couplets, will be sharing an evocative message online, through the digital film ‘Mai Phir Aunga’. In this video, the actor professes his love for India and its multi-dimensional attractions – the beautiful terrains, mesmerising experiences, mouth-watering cuisines – and his deep desire to be back and enjoy all of these.

Talking about the campaign, Ramin Saherwala, Chief Marketing Officer, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Limited, says, “All of us have fond memories of our favourite travel destinations and experiences, and it is during these times that there is a sense of nostalgia about them. This film builds a resonance with the audience and evokes a strong desire to relive their travel memories and recreate magical moments with their loved ones.”

Though the lockdown has forced people to stay indoors, their love for travel has not diminished. They are yearning to reconnect with engaging and exquisite experiences that only travel can offer.

Club Mahindra offers access to over 100 resorts in India and abroad, with over 200 immersive experiences. As the country steadily emerges from the lockdown, the brand is evolving their resort experience to prioritise the safety and well-being of their members and staff, ensuring that they exude the same warmth and service while delivering the signature ‘Club Mahindra’ experiences.

About Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Limited

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited (MHRIL), India’s leading company in the leisure hospitality industry, offers quality family holidays primarily through vacation ownership memberships. While Club Mahindra is the flagship brand, the other brands offered by the company are – Club Mahindra Fundays and Svaastha Spa. As on March 31, 2020, MHRIL has 70 resorts across India and abroad and its subsidiary, Holiday Club Resorts Oy, Finland, a leading vacation ownership company in Europe has 33 resorts across Finland, Sweden and Spain.

Airtel Unveils New Prepaid Packs with Premium Content from ZEE5

As part of its strategic alliance with ZEE5, India’s Entertainment Super-app, Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) today launched new propositions for its mobile customers in India.

These prepaid propositions are designed to deliver an exciting digital entertainment experience to Airtel smartphone customers by unlocking the full ZEE5 premium content catalogue to go with generous high speed data allowance and unlimited calling benefit.  

1.      The New Rs 289 prepaid bundle offers Unlimited Calling, 1.5 GB/day, 100 SMS/day plus full access to the entire ZEE5 catalogue, which includes hits such as Ghoomketu, Chintu Ka Birthday, Rangbaaz Phirse, Lalbazaar to name a few. The bundle comes with a validity of 28 days. In addition, as part of Airtel Thanks benefits the customer also gets access to Airtel Xstream content and Wynk Music subscription [check].  

2.      The Rs 79 top-up offers subscription to the entire ZEE5 catalogue for 30 days. The convenient top up will be available to all Airtel customers through the Digital Store Section on Airtel Thanks App. 

Customers can purchase the new prepaid pack on Airtel Thanks app, www.airtel.in and at all Airtel retail stores across India.

Shashwat Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Bharti Airtel said: “With massive surge in consumption of digital content on smartphones, Airtel’s new prepaid packs make it simpler for millions of customers to access rich content from ZEE5 without having to worry about managing separate subscription charges. Our users can enjoy this exclusive content offering on Airtel 4G, which has been consistently rated as India’s top mobile network for video by global experts.”

Manpreet Bumrah, Vice President – Business Development & Commercial Head, ZEE5 India said, “During such unprecedented times, we urge all the citizens to stay home and stay calm, while we continue to serve the best of entertainment content across languages, genres, and a spectrum of devices. Our partnership with Airtel enables us to maximise reach by appealing to a large base of Airtel consumers present across the country. With this proposition, we are enhancing our existing relationship and reach through prepaid bundle & top-up plans further democratising access to world class entertainment at consumer’s fingertip.”

About Bharti Airtel Limited

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 18 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed home broadband, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 423 million customers across its operations at the end of March 2020. 

Loyal Textile Mills Launches First Reusable PPE with Triple Viral Shield Technology in India

Loyal Textile Mills Limited today launched VIRAL SHIELD a Line of Covid-19 Anti-Viral, Reusable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Masks and Protective Fashion Wear Range. The series has been launched in collaboration with Reliance Industries India and HeiQ from Switzerland. This PPE emerges as the World’s first Reusable PPE that has passed the Viral Penetration Test, Synthetic Blood penetration test and the SBPR test.

Triple shield protection

i) R|Elan™ FeelFresh fabric which is inherently anti-microbial inhibiting bacterial and viral* growth

ii) HeiQ Viroblock anti-viral treatment on the fabric

iii) Viral barrier PU film lamination for the first time in the world.

Loyal has strived hard to innovate a range of products that would meet the current demand for reliable and reusable protective gears during this Covid-19 pandemic. Loyal Textile Mills Limited collaborated with Reliance Industries India and HeiQ from Switzerland to innovate this reusable protective PPE, mask and fashion wear.

R|ElanTM FeelFresh (from Reliance Industries India) fibre used in manufacturing this fabric is inherently anti-microbial that inhibits any viral* or bacterial growth. The fabric is then specially treated with “HeiQ Viroblock” a latest technology innovation from Switzerland, proven to have astounding Anti-Viral efficacy of 99.99% against Coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19).

Loyal Textile Mills limited has engineered the fabric with a Viral Barrier PU film lamination from Taiwan that adds up as another powerful protective later.

Launching the triple viral shield products from Loyal’s signature brand SUPERA SHIELDTM, Mrs. Valli M Ramaswami, Chairperson of Loyal Textile Mills Ltd., said “Loyal Textile Mills Ltd has a heritage of 125 years of continuous existence in Indian Textile Industry. Our R&D Centre recognised by the Government of India and Technical teams have 27 years of experience in Technical Textiles. During Feb/ March 2020, Loyal Management team felt the need to join the war against COVID-19 Pandemic and designed Reusable Masks and PPE Kits and today has reached a stage of offering a range of PPE clothing, masks and a range of fashion wear and casual wear, which have a triple protection technology from viruses and bacteria”.   “This is first of its kind in the world. Guided by the philosophy of our late Chairman Sri Manikam Ramaswami, we will continue to keep abreast of the technology and add several more firsts to our credit, as in the past”, she added.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Dhamodaraswamy Devadas, Chief Technology and Business Development Officer of Loyal Textiles Mills Limited said, “This reusable PPE products can be washed ten times and sterilized 10 times for reuse. Heat Sealing PU tapes have been used to seal the seams. All the three  components of the PPE have been tested and passed for Viral Penetration test ASTM F 1671 – 2013, Synthetic Blood penetration test ASTM F 1670/F and the seams have passed SBPR test ASTM 1670-08 (2014). This is the World’s first Reusable PPE that has passed the Viral Penetration Test. ” 

Mr. Dhamodaraswamy Devadas, also added, “SS 95 medical respiratory type Mask launched today is a Reusable N95 type of mask with the same level of protection of 95% Particulate Filtration Efficiency and 99.9% Bacterial Filtration Efficiency. These masks are treated with HeiQ Viroblock and have the inner layers powered by R|Elan™ FeelFresh woven fabric that are inherently antimicrobial. Loyal is also launching an antiviral fashion wear range with an emphasis on safety and style for domestic and export markets.”

Talking about the collaboration to reach out to the Indian consumers, Mr Gunjan Sharma, CMO, Reliance Polyester said, “We are pleased to join hands with Loyal Textile Mills Ltd, a pioneering player in Indian Technical Textile industry to support them launch Masks and PPE kits powered by R|Elan™ FeelFresh fabric. This collaboration underlines the performance that R|Elan™ FeelFresh fabric provides to the consumer in improving wellness and hygiene through its inherent antimicrobial attribute.”

Mr. Carlo Centonze, CEO and co-founder of HeiQ Viroblock, highlighted the special features of HeiQ Viroblock “HeiQ Viroblock was recently tested at one of the world’s leading virology institutes and showed  99.99% reduction of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in 30 minutes. Its synergistic dual mode of action leaves viruses no chance and can enhance the protection factor of a mask by a factor 100. Tested repeatedly by industry standards such as the ISO 18184 and ISO 20743, it is effective against all enveloped viruses, bacteria and fungi. This novel Swiss technology uses 100% skin proved hypoallergenic cosmetic ingredients and features a 72% bio-based renewable content. HeiQ Viroblock respirator masks have recently been approved by the US FDA under EUA. The technology is registered by the US EPA (FIFRA), EU BPR (REACH) and JP MITI and is homologized with ZDHC, Oekotex and Bluesign.”

Explaining the salient features of the Reusable PPE Gown set Prof. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Vice Chancellor of World University of Design said, “The design features include - Easy donning and quick doffing without any assistance and without any danger of touching the inner garments or skin; a full head cover offering full protection for head, face and neck region; and Shoe covers up to the knee. Special

ergonomic features have been incorporated to assist operations like Thumb loops, Side knots and longer length of the gown. A unique aspect of the design is that they have been sized as per Indian body shapes and so do not face any problem of bulk & overflowing as is faced in imported PPEs.”

Mr. Valerio Cagnoli, Director of Gruppo P&P Loyal S.p.A., Italy, a joint venture company of Loyal Textile said, “We operate mainly in Italy with a focus to European markets. With the help of Loyal Textile we developed many technical fabrics which allowed us to get very important clients. Some of our fabrics are cutting-edge innovations in the fire protection field. We succeed in this field mostly thanks to the wish and will of the former chairman of Loyal Textile Mr. Manikam Ramaswami. Still today I personally follow his philosophy not to be second to anyone in the safety of human workers. We need to highlight the HeiQViroblock and the R|Elan FeelFresh performance along with the opportunity of 10 times washes of the products. We congratulate Loyal’s R&D team for their success in coming out with the Virus penetration Resistant PPE by using a Special Virus PU Barrier film.”

A ramp walk by the staff and workers of Loyal showcasing the antiviral products made by them & a Dance titled ‘Kirumi Nashini’ were the other highlights of the launch event.

JFrog Launches First Security-Focused, Immutable Chart Repository for Helm, the Package Manager for Kubernetes

JFrog, the Universal DevOps technology leader known for enabling liquid software via continuous update flows, announced the launch of ChartCenter, the first free, security-focused central repository of Helm charts for the community. The ChartCenter repository ensures that developers can easily access consistent versions of any publicly available Helm charts, which are currently stored in various locations across the web and can be changed or removed at any time.

“Helm plays a critical role in the fast-growing Kubernetes ecosystem, and it’s important for developers to be able to access and share consistent and secure versions of Helm charts for their applications,” said JFrog CTO and co-founder Yoav Landman. “We are creating a true unified and open repository that allows developers to set up a single, trusted location to consume immutable charts from every chart creator, together with important security information and metadata attached to these charts.”

Helm is an application package manager running atop Kubernetes that simplifies the process of defining, storing, and managing applications through convenient Helm charts. With different Helm charts and versions traditionally stored on various sites across the internet, it has been hard for developers to trust, locate, and learn about them all. Developers also risk losing access to a specific chart if the host removes it. ChartCenter joins the JFrog “centers” family, already encompassing GoCenter, ConanCenter and JCenter as hubs for immutable artifacts. JFrog’s centers are provided as free services, which already support millions of developers globally.

“While security and immutability are very important, another critical concern is observability of transitive dependencies,” said JFrog VP of Community Engineering, Jagan Subramanian. “Installing Helm charts results in pulling in container images and other sub charts that may contain security and license issues, deprecated artifacts, or outdated library dependencies. Making this information readily available promotes higher quality in managing open source dependencies by making the community aware and enables consumers to take proactive measures to safeguard their production deployments”.

JFrog’s ChartCenter addresses this issue by offering a one-stop shop that includes all major Helm charts currently available across the web today, along with important security information and metadata around dependencies and application versions. Organizations can use ChartCenter to find immutable and highly available versions of Helm charts and can even add their own.

ChartCenter was built with the help of Rimas Mocevicius, the co-creator of Helm, to address the needs of the Kubernetes developer community. Along with serving as the first immutable repository for Helm charts, ChartCenter offers super search and other important features and functionality, including:

* Robust metadata about each chart version including downloads, license information, apiVersion, application version, and more!

* Superior search by name, description, and keyword

* Free security scanning that shows vulnerabilities in dependencies

* Ability for developers to add their own charts to the UI

* Dependency tree showing all dependencies of each chart and version

 * ChartCenter is available to the general public immediately.

Kitaab’s Latest Launch Centres Around Building Immunity the Need of the Hour

Prabha Khaitan Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to the socio-cultural welfare and humanitarian cause, through its platform Kitaab, organized a virtual book launch of the digital book, The Magic Immunity Pill: Lifestyle co-authored by celebrated holistic lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho. The session witnessed Luke Coutinho in conversation with Ms Apra Kuchal , Honorary Convenor, Rajasthan and Central India Affairs, Prabha Khaitan Foundation where he talked about his latest venture which has been co-authored by Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and stress upon how lifestyle can be a key to achieving a healthy immune system. Prabha Khaitan Foundation is devoted towards the promotion of literature culture and performing arts and collaborates with caregivers, committed individuals and like-minded institutions to implement cultural, educational, literary and social welfare projects in India.  Kitaab is an initiative of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation which is dedicated towards book launches.

Speaking on the virtual session, Ms Manisha Jain, Communications & Branding Chief, Prabha Khaitan Foundation, added, “Immunity and wellness have been the most talked about topic in the past few months. Mr Coutinho’s book is just the answer we needed during these trying times. We, at Prabha Khaitan Foundation, hope that this session will be fruitful for our audience and they can take away tips and information on how they can build their and their loved ones' health in the middle of this pandemic. Be it physically or virtually, we are committed to engage communities in promoting knowledge, art and culture. These sessions are an endeavour on our part to help the society in whatever way possible for its greater good.”

Luke Coutinho is an author, a holistic lifestyle coach, health expert, wellness entrepreneur, and more. He is the author of “Eat Smart, Move More, Sleep right “ , the national bestseller with super star Shilpa Shetty called “The Great Indian Diet “, the internationally acclaimed “The Dry Fasting Miracle - from Deprive to Thrive“, the sold out lifestyle journal “Reset your Life and Health in 6 minutes“ and national bestseller “The Magic Weight Loss Pill - Lifestyle“ with another super star Anushka Shetty. His simplistic and back-to-nature approach sets him apart in the crowd.

Speaking during the session, Luke Coutinho, “Health is the biggest treasure we have and it is non-negotiable. We must invest in it every day. Immunity is  fundamental to the human body but most people do not understand the basics of it. This made us write this book and it is a gift to the country from my co-author Shilpa Shetty and me so that they can find some solace amidst these uncertain times. The right kind of nutrition, physical activity, sleep and emotional wellness are key to having a strong immunity. We must have the discipline to do this in the right way. Stress and fear are wasted emotions and it should be a personal decision to overcome it. Instead of wallowing in it, we must choose to overcome stress. Our book comprises of powerful lifestyle changes, hints, recipes, tips by the world's most renowned doctors, dietitians, nutritionists, lifestyle experts and lot more.”

With the current pandemic situation wreaking a havoc and taking a toll on our lives, building a robust immune system has become a priority. The book focusses on emotional wellness, quality sleep, balanced nutrition and adequate exercise to build a strong immune system and is available free for all. The book contains effective and inexpensive lifestyle changes right from nutrition, to exercise, sleep and emotional wellness, along with tips, views and opinions from leading health professionals in the field of medicine and health. During the hour-long session, Mr. Coutinho highlighted the importance of health and being healthy. He shared instances from his personal experiences. He enunciated how simple changes in our lifestyle can make a big difference to our wellbeing and fitness.

Prabha Khaitan Foundation’s vision to promote and recognise talent from different walks of life has led them to arrange immaculately curated literary sessions in about 30 cities across the country. Encouraged by the response in India, the Foundation has also forayed into the global arena with a bouquet of sessions. They have hosted some of the greatest stalwarts from the world of words, even as they are focused on creating a platform for aspiring talent.  Kitaab provides a platform for authors to display and showcase their literary works. Through Kitaab, Prabha Khaitan Foundation has launched books by renowned writers like Dr Shashi Tharoor, Vir Sanghvi, Pavan Verma, Salman Khurshid, Sunita Kohli to name a few. 

About Prabha Khaitan Foundation:

Prabha Khaitan Foundation is dedicated to the socio-cultural welfare and humanitarian cause. It is a non-profit trust founded by Late Dr. Prabha Khaitan. Based in Kolkata, the Foundation promotes performing arts, culture and literature, and collaborates with caregivers, committed individuals and like-minded institutions to implement cultural, educational, literary and social welfare projects in India. The Foundation supports the UNESCO view that cultural development has the potential to be an alternative way of promoting sustainable development in poor rural communities, especially in the third-world countries. Based in Kolkata, for them culture stands for language, music, literature, visual arts, dance, drama, oral traditions, and traditional practices. The objective of the foundation is to create an enabling structure and promote networking so that communities engage with each other to work towards building positive self-esteem, inspire creativity and pro- mote culture and knowledge.

Home Credit Expands India Footprint, Offers Loans on Purchases of Home Appliances

Loans

* Customer-friendly EMI schemes from leading Home Appliances brands: LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony, Voltas, Voltas–Beko, Blue-Star & Whirlpool

Home Credit India, a local arm of the international consumer finance provider with operations spanning over Europe and Asia and committed to drive financial inclusion in India, has ventured into the home appliances category. The company has partnered with leading consumer durable brands to offer attractive customer-friendly finance schemes. Offers are available across popular Home Appliances brands like LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony, Voltas, Whirlpool, Blue Star, Aisen and Voltas-Beko.

The offers are aimed at providing freedom to customers who wish to purchase a new appliance for their homes, from attractive EMI schemes. The company also offers finance schemes to enable customers to avail affordable EMI benefits on ACs, Refrigerators, Washing Machines, Microwave Ovens, Home Theaters, LED TVs etc.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Ankush Khosla, Chief Sales Officer, Home Credit India said; “As a Responsible corporate, we aim to meet aspirational needs of customers for a better life by offering financial solutions that are simple, transparent and accessible to all. During these unprecedented times, we need to understand our customers and their needs very closely as we are witnessing a new normal in customer behavior with their spending habits restricting to essential purchases. For us, customer is key, and we constantly aim to offer them a positive, seamless, and safe borrowing experience, helping them to realize their dreams in a financially secure way. Catering to these changing user preferences, it is Home Credit’s endeavor to provide top-of-class products, unique service experience and value for money to our customers. We’ll continue our efforts to serve the society and be able to overcome this unprecedented period.”

Customers can choose Home Credit to upgrade to a better lifestyle from a wide array of products available across popular brands like, Reliance Digital, Value Plus, Devi International, Sathya Agencies, Sales India, Lotus Electronics, Hariom Electronics, Sargam Electronics, Pai International .

The company has served over 11.3 million customers with various flexible loan options. Being a leader in the financing business of sub Rs 10,000 category, Home Credit provides a plethora of hassle-free financing options from a strong network of around 31,500 points-of-sale (PoS) present over 350 cities. The company is committed to drive credit penetration and broaden financial inclusion through responsible lending in the country.