IBM Collaborates with National Skill Development Corporation to Offer Free Digital Skills Training

IBM has announced its collaboration with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to offer ‘Open P-TECH’, a free digital education platform, focused on emerging technologies and professional development skills. As a part of the collaboration, IBM will curate online courses from Open P-TECH platform and offer it to users via NSDC’s eSkill India portal  to empower Indian youth on various skills to succeed in future careers.

Under the partnership, IBM  will catalogue its 30 + Open P-TECH courses on eSkill India portal, with 60+ hours of learning, as a knowledge partner. IBM will provide online courses in emerging technologies like Cyber Security, Blockchain, AI and Machine Learning, Cloud, Internet of Things, along with professional skills, like Design Thinking to learners between 18 to 22 years for free.

Dr. Manish Kumar, MD and CEO, National Skill Development Corporation said, "The power of technology should be leveraged for reaching out to the youth with scale and quality. Online trainings through digital platforms like Open P-TECH and eSkill India need to be accelerated to overcome geographical and socio-economic barriers. Digital learning will enable higher participation of women in the labour workforce as the scope for employability will increase.  Overall, digital learning will boost prospects of employment and livelihood for the youth."

eSkill India is  a digital skilling initiative from NSDC that aggregates digital learning resources through various Indian and global knowledge partnerships, to enable access to best-in-class learning resources for the India youth. Currently, over 16 lakh minutes of digital courses and content is available across various sectors in multiple languages, providing learners with the technology and skills needed to prosper in a rapidly transforming digital world. 

Sandip Patel, Managing Director, IBM India/South Asia said, “As the pandemic is driving the digital transition to happen more quickly, there must be new forms of learning if we want to empower young learners with technical and market-related skills. Our collaboration with NSDC is a significant milestone to equip the next generation with digital skills. Open P-TECH will make foundational learning in emerging technology and professional skills for the youth more accessible. Aligned to the country’s SkillIndia mission, we are taking another step in the evolution of our digital education approach to help the next generation of professionals have the exciting future they deserve.”

IBM’s Open P-TECH, a free digital education platform, focused on emerging technologies and professional development skills, was launched in India in March 2020. The platform equips learners and educators with foundational technology competencies, along with workplace learning skills. Under the partnership, Open P-TECH platform will offer courses to  develop soft skills, interpersonal skills, problem solving — a set of 11 key skills which are generally not available in a college curriculum, but are  high in demand and are valued in the job market. Currently available in English, the platform will soon be available in various Indian languages - starting with Hindi, followed by 10 Indian languages including Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, Gujarati, Sindhi, Urdu, Bengali. 

The partnership will offer both learners and educators with direct access to digital learning resources in various trending specializations, thus providing a great way to jump-start career exploration including earning industry supported digital badges. Students can share these digital badges on their online resumes.

In India, previously, IBM has partnered with Directorate General of Training at the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Central Board of Secondary Education, Niti Aayog and State Department of Education, and State Skills Missions to impact more than 4 lakhs learners and students across 22+ states through its education and skilling initiatives.

Open P-TECH is now available to students and teachers worldwide. Register here: https://open.ptech.org

WayCool Foods Receives US$114K from Dutch Development Bank FMO for Kits

FMO, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, has allocated a grant of US$114K to WayCool Foods, for procurement and distribution of dual-purpose PPE kits and enablement of on-site soil testing to farmers. It follows WayCool’s latest Debt Financing round of US$ 5.5 million, that was guaranteed by US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

The distribution is being carried out under the Outgrow Programme, the company’s flagship programme for farmers. Some 15,000 small holding farmers across 5 states in India will benefit through this unique initiative. The dual-purpose PPE kits will help protect farmers during the Covid-19 pandemic, and also shield them during agricultural operations such as pesticide spraying. In-situ soil testing will enable farmers to get their soil health measured without having to travel, thus facilitating effective soil management while maintaining social distancing.

Outgrow is the company’s agricultural extension programme that engages with farmers through their entire cultivation cycle, from planning to inputs to harvesting, substantially increasing profitability of the farmer, reducing their risk, and guaranteeing farmers 270 days of steady income by leveraging a host of emerging technologies.

The company has been leading efforts to help the Indian farmer cope with the current crisis, through various channels. Most recently, the company had run a crowd funding campaign for PPE kits through Milaap. It had also driven an awareness campaign showcasing the efforts of the farmer and trucker (the invisible hands in the agricultural supply chain). The FMO grant helps the company build upon this effort.

Sendhil Kumar Natarajan, head, agri initiatives, WayCool Foods, commenting on the initiative said, “Farmers are essential service providers as they feed the nation. They are also very vulnerable during disruptive events such as the ongoing pandemic. Our measures have focussed on enabling the farmers earn their livelihood while reducing the risks they face. The FMO grant will help us in protecting a significantly larger number of farmers and we thank FMO for their timely support.”

FMO’s grant demonstrates their commitment to supporting communities that require India’s food and agriculture distribution sector.

Speaking about the initiative, Jaap Reinking, director, private equity, FMO, said, “We are proud to offer additional support during this period. India has experienced one of the world’s strictest lockdowns. These measures left little recourse for the country’s millions of farmers, particularly those in the poorest provinces, who were unable to get access to essentials and protective equipment. The initiative’s goal is to find affordable and reliable sources of PPE and ensure these are allocated where they are needed most. Additionally, this grant will be used to procure Soil Testing kits for farmers, which will ultimately improve their income and reduce wastage.”

The company procures, processes, and distributes a range of food products including fresh produce, staples, and dairy products, moving over 250 tonne of food every day to 11,000 clients across South India. The company operates a soil-to-sale model, engaging deeply with a base of 40,000 farmers in more than 50 regions across India, while bringing efficiency through its direct supply chain model. The company plans to accelerate profitability and improve on its capital-efficient model by continuing to invest in technology and automation across the value chain.

The company has previously raised three rounds of funding from Lightbox, LGT Lightstone Aspada, FMO, Caspian Impact Investment, and Northern Arc Capital Limited.

US-India Strategic Partnership Forum to Honor Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra & Adobe Chairman Shantanu Narayen

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) announced their third Annual Leadership Summit, titled “US-India Week: Navigating New Challenges”, which will convene virtually this year from August 31- September 3. The week-long program will include a range of strategic discussions between USISPF’s board members that includes which include 21 Fortune 500 CEOsand senior government officials from both countries.

At the summit, USISPF will honour Chairman of Mahindra group, Anand Mahindra and Shantanu Narayen, Chairman & CEO of Adobewith the 2020 Leadership Awards, awarded each year for exemplary vision towards promoting U.S.-India bilateral ties.

Congratulating the awardees, John Chambers, Chairman of the USISPF Board, said, “We are delighted to confer the 2020 Leadership Awards to two business leaders who have displayed tremendous leadership and ambition in strengthening the U.S.-India bilateral economic partnership, especially at a time when the global economy is faced with uncertainties and businesses are forced to pivot from their core capabilities. As a global centre of manufacturing excellence with presence in the United States, the Mahindra Group is a shining example of a true win-win opportunity for our bilateral ties with positive impact in the lives of the American people and across the American economic engine. Chambers further added, “Shantanu’s pioneering work in digital technologies, leveraging support to communities, and deep impact on start-ups have been of tremendous value to governments, civil society, and the overall bilateral relationship. I cannot think of a more consummate candidate for this award.”

Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group said, “I accept this award on behalf of the entire Mahindra Group. At this challenging & transformational time for the world, such a recognition only reminds us that companies must contribute much more towards building a better world.  Mahindra remains deeply committed to the US market which is integral to its future growth and prosperity. Overall, I expect the relationship between India and the US to get even stronger over time with both countries being natural allies given our shared values and mutual economic interests.”

Mr. Shantanu Narayen, Chairman, President,and CEO of Adobe said, “I am honoured to accept the Leadership Award from the USISPF. USISPF’s mission to accelerate the strategic partnership between the US and India brings together two global leaders with the power to create compounding benefits for the global economy. Now more than ever, uniting the strengths, innovations and talents of the world is critical to building bridges and driving economic prosperity.”

Alongside US Vice President Mike Pence, high-ranking U.S. and Indian government officials participating at the leadership summit include: Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs; Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce & Industry; Kenneth I. Juster, U.S. Ambassador to India to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Ambassador of India to the United States; Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog; Adam Boehler, CEO, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation; Dr. Indu Bhushan, CEO, Ayushman Bharat; Neil Chatterjee, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, Chairman, National Innovation Foundation, and former senior officials from both countries. The summit will highlight areas of bilateral cooperation: trade and investment relations; strategic energy ties; India’s position in global supply chains, collaboration in fintech, healthcare, and technology; building a fair tax regime to attract FDIs, among others.

About the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF):

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) is committed to creating the most powerful partnership between the United States and India. As the only independent not-for-profit institution dedicated to strengthening the U.S.-India partnership in Washington, D.C. and in New Delhi, USISPF is the trusted partner for businesses, non-profit organizations, the diaspora, and the governments of India and the United States.

Godrej Appliances Forays into Health and Hygiene Space with Godrej VIROSHIELD 4.0

The COVID 19 pandemic has made a significant change in Indian consumer behavior when it comes to the priority accorded to safety and hygiene. Consumers are doing their best to protect themselves from the COVID 19 virus, investing time and effort in washing or sanitizing or quarantining things for daily use and consumption that come into the house – without any certainty of the effectiveness of the methods deployed. A consumer dipstick conducted by the company revealed that more than 60% consumers are isolating all parcels and packets for more than a day, washing vegetables and leaving them aside for more than a day and in some cases even washing them in soap water!

Godrej Appliances, a leading Indian consumer durables manufacturer for 62 years, has always endeavored to offer relevant technology suited to Indian consumer needs. During this pandemic, the brand again rises to the occasion to offer another relevant India made product for the Indian consumer to help them tide over these testing times – Godrej VIROSHIELD 4.0, a UV-C technology-based device which disinfects against more than 99% COVID 19 Virus in 2-6 minutes. It operates at ~254nm UV wavelength which is optimal for neutralising COVID – 19, other viruses and bacteria. The brand which is known for its trusted offerings has ensured that VIROSHIELD is tested and certified by ICMR empanelled lab for its UVC Irradiance. 

Godrej VIROSHIELD 4.0 is designed to ensure that both safety and hygiene are addressed. With UV surround technology, Godrej VIROSHIELD 4.0 uses 4 UV-C tubes & 6 Side Reflective Interiors, which is the highest in the market in its capacity segment, ensuring 360° UVC coverage. Moreover, the cubic design of VIROSHIELD helps in uniform dissemination of the UV-C rays. It is well placed to disinfect anything - from grocery packs to vegetables, mobile phones and masks to gold ornaments, headphones to car keys, toys to currency notes, wallets to spectacles, etc.

Its larger volume of 30 L helps you disinfect more Items together at one go or larger item and saves time & energy. No more spending time washing, soaking, isolating things without knowing if it is helping enough. 

The brand is very particular about consumer safety. Prolonged direct exposure to UVC is harmful to human health. And hence, VIROSHIELD is designed with no see-through surfaces, thick side & door walls, and a gasket-based magnetic sealing system and Auto Cut-off facility as soon as the door is opened, Godrej VIROSHIELD 4.0 is thus 100% UV leak-proof for human safety. Its leak-proof effectiveness has also been tested and certified. 

The Godrej VIROSHIELD comes with a 1-year comprehensive warranty including on the UVC Lamps and is backed by the highest-ranked Godrej after-sales service assurance. 

Available in pure white, the feature-rich, 30 L, Godrej VIROSHIELD 4.0 is attractively priced at Rs. 9490, inclusive of taxes. 

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Kamal Nandi, Business Head and EVP – Godrej Appliances said, “The pandemic has clearly impacted consumer behaviour. Health and hygiene are paramount concerns of our consumers currently. We have always endeavoured to put forth offerings based on consumer insights and current needs, staying true to the brand philosophy of ’Things made thoughtfully’. We are working on various technologies and innovations, around the themes of health, hygiene, and effort minimisation. In line with the same, we bring to our consumers – Godrej VIROSHIELD 4.0, a UV-C technology-based disinfecting device that can protect our consumers and their loved ones from COVID-19, other viruses and bacteria. We want our consumers to not take any chances and be worry-free as they embrace the new normal.” 

Mr. Anup Bhargava, Product Group Head – Refrigerators, Godrej Appliances, further added, “Happy to share that we are launching the brand-new Godrej VIROSHIELD 4.0 to safeguard our consumers from COVID – 19, other viruses and bacteria, as they deal with the fear of pandemic every day. Certified by ICMR empaneled lab for UVC irradiance, it delivers 99%+ disinfection against COVID-19 in just 2 to 6 minutes. With 360° UV Surround Technology, the 100% UV leak proof Godrej VIROSHIELD 4.0 is feature-rich and very competitively priced for a 30 L offering. With this unique offering, we are targeting a revenue of INR 40 Crore in the year of launch. It has been made available on Amazon already, during its annual event. We are working closely with our e-com partners for online promotions as well. We will be making it available pan India across our network this month itself. Its superior value proposition and positive trade feedback give us the confidence to target a 20% share in this financial year. 

MyGate Receives Accolades from the Karnataka State Police for the KSP Clear e-Pass System

Karnataka State Police today honoured MyGate, the country's leading player in the community management space, for their contribution towards the efforts of the state police department during the lockdown. MyGate had, on a pro-bono basis, provided their technical expertise to build and manage the KSP Clear Pass, which issued over 2 lakh e-passes to Bengaluru citizens during Phase 1 & 2 of the lockdown.

Shri. Praveen Sood, Director General of Police, Karnataka, along with Shri. Pratap Reddy, Additional Director General of Police, Karnataka,  acknowledged MyGate's efforts by handing over a certificate of appreciation to Mr. Vijay Arisetty, Co-founder & CEO, MyGate and Mr. Shreyans Daga, Co-founder & CTO, MyGate.

“Our gratitude to Team MyGate for providing citizens (through Karnataka State Police), a user-friendly epass system during COVID-19 lockdown. An exemplary Public Private Partnership,”  said  Shri. Praveen Sood, Director General of Police, Karnataka.

About MyGate- Founded in 2016, MyGate is the largest security and community management app in the country, simplifying urban living of over two million homes in 10,000+ housing societies. It was ranked #4 on YourStory’s list of India’s Most Disruptive Start-ups in December 2019 and one of India’s coolest start-ups by Business Today in 2019. MyGate was founded by Vijay Arisetty, an ex- IAF pilot (Shaurya Chakra awardee), Abhishek K, former VP at Goldman Sachs, and Shreyans Daga, former project head at Oracle and Digit.

From left to Right - Mr. Shreyans Daga, Co-founder & CTO, MyGate, Mr. Vijay Arisetty, Co-founder & CEO, MyGate, Shri. Praveen Sood, Director General of Police, Karnataka and Shri. Pratap Reddy, Additional Director General of Police, Karnataka.

#ChooseYourFeed on Twitter with Lists Curated by your Favourite Food Influencers

While Twitter serves up a buffet of conversations, product features like Twitter Lists and Topics empower people to customise their ‘feed’ and follow discussions that appeal to their palate and resonate with their interests. Through these features, you can choose the content you see on the service and organise your timeline as per your preference. 

Twitter Lists are a compilation of various Twitter accounts, and you can create your own Lists or follow Lists created by others. With Lists, you can put together your favourite accounts that Tweet on a particular subject such as food, parenting or any other, and populate a List timeline. Viewing a List timeline will show you a stream of Tweets from only the accounts on that List. 

Topics, on the other hand, use machine learning to find related Tweets on a subject. Twitter has Topics across numerous interest categories that you can follow to see the best Tweets about what’s happening on the things that matter to you. When you choose to follow a Topic – whether it’s your favorite band, sports team or celebrity – you’ll see Tweets from a whole host of accounts that are experts, fans or just tend to talk about that thing a lot on Twitter. 

Feast your eyes and feed your soul - these Twitter features let you follow food conversations

Expand your culinary horizons and #ChooseYourFeed with Twitter Lists curated by some of India’s most well-known food influencers and celebrity chefs. Through these Lists, you can personalise your Twitter timeline and inject food conversations into it. Moreover, viewing a List timeline shows a stream of Tweets from only the accounts on that List, making it easier for people to find what interests them, in this case, all things food. Some of India’s most celebrated chefs including Thomas Zac (@ChefTZac), Maria Goretti (@mariagorettiz), Prateek Sadhu (@PrateekSadhu), Kelvin Cheung (@chefkelvincheung) and Ranveer Brar (@ranveerbrar) have put together Lists of their favourite food accounts on Twitter. 

Here’s a look at these lip-smacking Twitter Lists curated by culinary influencers and celebrity chefs on Twitter: 

Maria Goretti (@mariagorettiz), who was a VJ with MTV in the ‘90s, is now a Cordon Bleu certified chef and baker. Here’s the List of food accounts that Maria follows on the daily.

Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/mariagorettiz/status/1296082272014270465

7.4% Reduction in Severely Acute Malnourished Children after Successful Year of BSI’s Nutrition India Programme

 * BSI NIP saved 6,500 children between 0-5 years across districts of Amravati and Nandurbar in Maharashtra from malnutrition

* An independent evaluation by sustainable Square found every INR 1 invested in the BSI Nutrition India Programme delivers INR 36.90 of social value 

* The ongoing programme additionally aims to engage with 1,77,000 mothers and children with the goal to eradicate malnourishment in Amravati & Nandurbar in the next four years

After the first successful year of Dettol BSI - Nutrition India Programme, the community witnessed a 7.4% reduction in the proportion of severely acute malnourished children across the districts of Amravati & Nandurbar in Maharashtra. Within the first 10 months, the programme was able to save the lives of 6,500 children between the years of 1-5 with the help of 41 community nutrition workers. An independent evaluation by sustainable Square also found that every INR 1 invested in the BSI Nutrition India Programme delivers a social value of INR 36.90.

The programme was developed to support in the first 1000 days of a child’s life, utilizing digital and artificial intelligence-based innovative modules, to strengthen the health, hygiene and nutrition status of pregnant women and children in Maharashtra’s Amravati and Nandurbar.

Commenting on the partnership initiative, Gaurav Jain, Senior Vice President, South Asia, Reckitt Benckiser Health, “Proper nutrition & sanitation are the catalyst to social change and one of the most critical aspect to empower young children and mothers. Given the alarming number of malnourishment cases witnessed in states like Maharashtra, districts of Amravati and Nandurbar became the starting ground for the Nutrition India Programme in partnership with Plan India. The five-year programme is aimed at strengthening the health, hygiene, and nutrition status of pregnant women and children across impacted communities.”

Acknowledging this support Mohammed Asif, Executive Director, Plan India, said, “Nutrition India program has shown the light on the imperative of collaborative actions by governments, corporates and civil society to successfully tackle the challenge of malnutrition and undernourishment in rural communities. The learnings and outcomes from this program should be widely disseminated so that other development actors are able to replicate. Also this initiative by Reckitt Benckiser and its partners is contributing to the larger national efforts to mitigate the public health challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“We are thankful to RB for the partnership and for ensuring timely access to life-saving and preventive measures to ramp up nutrition and public health outcomes in underserved communities.” He added.

In the past one year, Nutrition India Programme has worked with local communities and developed a workforce of travelling nutrition champions who are known as ‘Community Nutrition Workers (CNWs)’. These workers are given rigorous training by public health experts, pediatricians, gynecologists, and community development specialists, and are educated about the golden rules of good nutrition. 

The ongoing programme is focusing on maternal and child health. Everything related to it is being taught to these community nutrition workers, such as–what precautions are to be taken by expecting mothers, what should be their diet, lessons on breastfeeding, the importance of breastfeeding within the initial hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the newborn, and the diet which should be given to a child so that he/she is saved from the ill effects of malnutrition.

Over the next four years, the programme aims to reach 1,77,000 mothers of undernourished children across 1,000 villages with a target of 40% reduction in the number of children under five who are stunted, and to reduce and maintain childhood wasting to less than 5%.

Plan India’s on-ground expertise is helping reach communities properly through a systematized process. The partner organization is also supporting by providing nutrition workers with simple interactive tools that deliver clear and effective messaging around nutrition and hygiene to create behavioral changes in the society. For more information on Plan India, login to www.planindia.org

Social Return on Investment measures the value of the benefits relative to the costs of achieving those benefits. It is a ratio of the net present value of benefits to the net present value of the investment. The total public health impact could be measured for a population of 5 lakhs

About RB:

RB* is driven by its purpose to protect, heal and nurture in a relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. We fight to make access to the highest-quality hygiene, wellness and nourishment a right, not a privilege, for everyone.

RB is proud to have a stable of trusted household brands found in households in more than 190 countries. These include Enfamil, Nutramigen, Nurofen, Strepsils, Gaviscon, Mucinex, Durex, Scholl, Clearasil, Lysol, Dettol, Veet, Harpic, Cillit Bang, Mortein, Finish, Vanish, Calgon, Woolite, Air Wick and more. 20 million RB products a day are bought by consumers globally.

RB's passion to put consumers and people first, to seek out new opportunities, to strive for excellence in all that we do, and to build shared success with all our partners, while doing the right thing, always is what guides the work of our 40,000+ diverse and talented colleagues worldwide. For more information visit https://www.rb.com/

*RB is the trading name of Reckitt Benckiser group of companies.

PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT CREATED BY NUTRITION INDIA PROGRAMME IN ONE YEAR

* 71% increase in proportion of child with timely initiation of complementary feeding

* 7.4% reduction in proportion of severely acute malnourished children

* 7% increase in proportion of pregnant women with Complete Ante Natal Care Coverage

* 23% reduction in pregnant women with anemia

* 59% increase in institutional birth at a public facility

* 56% reduction in proportion of low birth weight babies

* 37% increase in proportion of children with breastfeeding initiated within 1 hour of birth

* 11.6% increase in proportion of lactating women whose diet diversity is ensured

Acronis True Image 2021 Unites Award-Winning Backup With Advanced Antimalware, Creates Personal Cyber Protection Solution

Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, has today announced the release of Acronis True Image 2021. The new release integrates advanced cybersecurity capabilities with unmatched personal backup to create the first complete personal cyber protection solution for home users, prosumers, and small businesses around the world.

Delivery comes as the COVID-19 pandemic exposes gaps in traditional solutions and strategies. Securing home machines has never been more important, yet a recent Acronis survey found nearly half (47%) of remote workers never received clear guidance on working from home.

Incorporating cybersecurity capabilities such as real-time antimalware protection, on-demand antivirus scans, web filtering, and videoconference protection into Acronis True Image ensures users have complete cyber protection. For individuals and small business users, unifying these vital capabilities in one solution makes their protection easier to manage and more affordable, while greatly improving the security.

“As more people work or attend classes from home, the FBI documents a 400% increase in cyberattacks because hackers know home systems are not usually as well-defended as an office,” said Serguei “SB” Beloussov, founder and CEO of Acronis. “Backup without cybersecurity is an incomplete option in that situation, as is cybersecurity without backup. Acronis True Image 2021 delivers the easy, efficient, and secure cyber protection needed today.”

Standalone backup and cybersecurity are obsolete

With the modern reliance on everyday devices like computers, smartphones, and tablets, the data they contain has an inherent value. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their attacks to reach that data, which is why security research firms such as AV-Test report more than 350,000 new malware threats every day.

Since backup software and files are often the targets of these new attacks to prevent recovery, backup alone no longer provides suitable protection for users. Similarly, conventional cybersecurity solutions do not provide the data protection and recovery capabilities users need.

Relying on multiple products that were not designed to work together creates security gaps, is more complex to manage, and is more costly. With a single, integrated solution, Acronis True Image 2021 users can proactively stop any malware attack and then quickly restore affected files. The single, intuitive interface reduces the complexity of managing their security and backups.

Integration delivers superior cyber protection

For the last few years, Acronis True Image has been the only personal backup solution with a built-in antiransomware that stops attacks in real-time, while automatically restoring any affected files.

With the launch of Acronis True Image 2021, those capabilities are expanded with the addition of the company’s advanced antimalware technology, which is currently deployed in Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. This next-gen, full-stack antimalware has been shown by independent security labs such as Virus Bulletin and AV-Test to return a 100% detection rate with zero false-positives.

As a result, home users gain advanced capabilities with Acronis True Image 2021, including:

* Real-time protection, driven by AI-enhanced behavioral heuristics, which stops all malware – including zero-day attacks by never-before-seen threats

* On-demand antivirus scans of the full system or quick scans of at-risk files, either of which can be scheduled in advance or run instantly

* Web filtering that automatically blocks Windows users from accessing malicious websites that harbor malware, disinformation, scams, and phishing attacks

* Videoconference protection prevent hackers and malware injection attacks from exploiting popular apps like Zoom, Cisco Webex, and Microsoft Teams

* Comprehensive detection, with both behavioral analysis and signature-based analysis engines

These advanced antimalware capabilities are included with Advanced and Premium licenses, and offered as a three-month trial with Standard and Essential licenses.

Acronis True Image 2021 gives individuals and small businesses access to the same protection technologies relied on by global companies and top teams in the world’s most high-pressure professional sports.

“Cyber protection is a top priority for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing,” explains Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “When our races were on pause, Acronis continued to provide protection for our team working remotely. Now, with Acronis True Image, everyone can safeguard their personal data against the worst-case scenario.”

Pricing and availability

Four versions of Acronis True Image are available: Standard, Essential, Advanced and Premium. One-computer licenses starting at $59.99 for Standard and $49.99 for Essential. Special launch prices for Advanced and Premium licenses (starting at $69.99 and $99.99, respectively) are available until November 2020, at which time the full MSRP will be in effect (starting at $89.99 and $124.99, respectively).

Clearwater Analytics Marks First Year of Business Operations in India, Continues to Ramp Hiring for Development Talent

Clearwater Analytics, a global SaaS provider of investment accounting and reporting, is celebrating one year of business operations at the Delhi-NCR office. The company has continued to grow globally during these challenging times and plans to add to its product development talent for its India-based teams.  

Established in August 2019, the Delhi-NCR site is part of Clearwater’s operations and development centre network, with offices also in Boise Idaho, USA; Edinburgh, Scotland; and Seattle, Washington, USA. The centre plays a strategic role for Clearwater from the Asia Pacific region with access to a strong talent market and the ability to provide follow-the-sun servicing capabilities.

Clearwater has continued to add clients and hire employees worldwide during a year marked by a public health crisis and a sudden shift to a work-from-home model. The Delhi-NCR office met its original growth target and plans to double that headcount by year-end 2020.

“As we mark our first year operating in India, we are thrilled about the advances made by our talented team of professionals in Delhi-NCR and the significant contributions they have already made to Clearwater’s technology, servicing expertise, and culture in general,” said Sandeep Sahai, Chief Executive Officer of Clearwater Analytics. “While expanding globally this year, the company responded to the pandemic by implementing initiatives to drive an integrated focus from all our centres in support of our clients. The Clearwater team’s focus on operational excellence and metrics is a model for success. We are all excited to see what the next year brings for our employees; their contributions to our key initiatives and overall roadmap continue to make us better, and to delight our clientele.” 

Clearwater’s cloud-based solution is more vital than ever as the global business community has adapted to evolving remote office work models. Technologies like machine learning, cloud, and hyper-automation are key elements to fortifying the company’s technology and services offering as it serves some of the world’s largest and most complex institutional investors.

“Staying ahead with technological advancements is so important to our company’s mission to be the world’s most trusted and comprehensive software platform for investment accounting and analytics,” said Warren Barkley, Chief Technology Officer of Clearwater Analytics. “New and advancing technologies are the future and, in some ways, the now. They continue to affect how we build a world-class product and the new products we are eager to build at our Delhi-NCR development centre.”

Job roles at the company include skilled positions for software developers, data operations specialists, reconciliation analysts, and investment accounting and reporting experts.

“Over the past year we have built an excellent product development team in India. Given that we have so much more to do, we are looking to further scale our software development effort from India,” said Anurag Singh, Managing Director, India for Clearwater Analytics. “The strength of the talent market in India strongly aligns with Clearwater’s companywide initiatives.”

About Clearwater Analytics

Clearwater Analytics is a global SaaS solution for automated investment data aggregation, reconciliation, accounting, and reporting. Clearwater helps thousands of organisations make the most of their investment portfolio data with a world-class product and client-centric servicing. Clearwater offers a full complement of middle- and back-office solutions like trade confirm/affirm, client billing, composite management, client statements, and more.

Each day, the Clearwater solution reports on more than $4 trillion in assets for clients that include Arch Capital, AXA Art Insurance, Catalina Holdings, Cisco, Convex Group, Facebook, FBD Insurance, Garmin, J.P. Morgan, London & Capital, Oracle, Spotify, Starbucks, Unum Group, and many others.

Since its founding in 2004, Clearwater has provided a cloud-native solution that helps investors make the most of their data. Investment professionals in more than 49 countries trust Clearwater to deliver timely, validated investment data and in-depth reporting.

SmarterBiz Raises INR 8 Crores Pre-Series from StartupXseed and Prominent Angels

 • A post-COVID new norm start-up working on Customer Experience delivery with the most secure technology stack

• Aims to grow at 8X doing about 72 Crores in ARR by Mar 2021 

• Remote WFH solution to enable companies to traverse towards OPEX model 

• Solving Customer Experience (CX) for enterprises 

SmarterBiz, India's first end-to-end CX platform enabled with the gig workforce has raised INR 8 crore as a part of their Pre-Series A round. 

The contributors for this funding round were StartupXseed Ventures (Deep Technology – B2B – Early-stage fund); Mr. Bhaskar Pramanik, Former Chairman of Microsoft India; Mr. MJ Aravind, Former co-founder Daksh, Former Partner Artiman; Mr. Ravi Viswanath; Mr. Ramesh Radhakrishnan; Mr. Ranjan Biswas; and Mr. MJ Aniketh. 

Founded in 2014 by Rajesh Bernard, Vijay Krishna, and Prateek Mehta, the company was funded initially by Utthsihta Yekum Fund.

SmarterBiz is an AI-powered customer experience platform that enables remote management of customer journeys and agent life cycles. SmarterBiz has helped several enterprises, including unicorns build scalable, flexible, and hyper-local customer experience, cost-effectively. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged businesses to ensure business continuity and manage increased customer interactions through remote workforce and reduced costs. With the SmarterBiz CX platform, customers can now remotely enable and manage the complete life cycle of the CX process across both digital and human touchpoints. With a single integrated approach, SmarterBiz takes away the pain of running customer experience on multiple siloed systems and processes that do not talk to each other. SmarterBiz provides an end-to-end platform to CX teams to manage the entire lifecycle of their customer, technology backbone, process, and customer support agents on the cloud. 

SmarterBiz serves several enterprises, including five segment leaders in E-commerce, BFSI, Hospitality, and Telecom sectors. It manages more than 5000 agents as part of its gig workforce. 

Rajesh Bernard, CEO & Co-founder of SmarterBiz said, "SmarterBiz has built a CX platform for a gig-workforce ideally suited under these COVID 19 conditions. SmarterBiz is committed to offering an omnichannel experience that elevates the experience across all customer touchpoints. We provide a competitive advantage to our customers by offering a choice between automation and manual intervention at all these touchpoints. With the investment, we plan to grow by 8X ARR this year and create more gig opportunities in the market." 

"Companies like SmarterBiz can foresee the benefits technology can bring, to reinvent the businesses and add value to the system. It will surely be a game-changing category disruptor during and post-COVID 19. There will be an increasing need for companies to integrate customer journeys, tech, remote work, and Gig models into their business process. We believe that SmarterBiz will be one of the most sustainable global companies of the future, for the solution it brings in and the execution capabilities of the team," said Mr. BV Naidu, Managing Partner, StartupXseed Ventures.

"At last, a seasoned leadership team, a novel premise, immaculate conceptual skills, and meticulous execution. SmarterBiz is indeed a company to watch out for." Mr. M J Aravind, Ex co-founder Daksh. 

The key benefits of the solution for customer experiences are that it facilitates remote work opportunities across India, flexible working hours, earning potential in a WFH set up, and is a mobile light, simple, and efficient application. 

The unique CX platform—Uearn.ai— streamlines the customer journey across multiple touchpoints with an omnichannel CX tech platform, fluid workflow management, and gig workforce, replacing the CapEx model to an OpEx model. The competitive advantage of SmarterBiz is the scalability (4X) it offers at lower costs and faster time to serve as compared to traditional models. 

About SmarterBiz: SmarterBiz, founded in 2014, is India's first end to end CX platform enabled with gig-workforce. It allows companies to shift their CX centres to 100% OpEx model. SmarterBiz streamlines customer journeys across multiple touchpoints with its CX platform—Uearn.ai—lowering the cost to serve, time to serve, for CX centre. It delivers the customer experience through its platform and gig-workforce, bringing convergence of tech and people to run multi-layered operations for its clients. Its fluidity allows clients to scale 4X times faster than the traditional model supported by a talented workforce that can work from remote distributed locations. Uearn.ai facilitates remote work opportunities and has 5,000 trained gig workforces with customer experience profiles. Uearn is available as a remote gig workforce app in Google Play Store. 

SmarterBiz is transforming the CX delivery for some of the leading banks to tech unicorns. To know more, visit www.smarterbiz.ai

Religare Health Insurance Advocates Comprehensive Health Coverage as COVID-19 Drives Greater Consumer Awareness

Covid 19 Coverage 

* Standalone Health Insurance sector in India registers 40% YoY hike

* Comprehensive health cover is imperative in India since retail health insurance penetration is only 3% and out-of-pocket healthcare spending stands at ~65%

With COVID-19 acting as a catalyst of change and increasingly nudging people to explore diverse health coverage options, Religare Health Insurance (RHI) is endorsing the need for comprehensive health insurance policies. Emphasizing the soaring significance of health insurance amid an unprecedented global health crisis, the Standalone Health Insurance sector registered a 40% YoY rise. This growth will ensure further impetus for health insurance penetration, where India records one of the world’s highest out-of-pocket spending rates in healthcare.      

Highlighting the rising numbers of other potentially-fatal lifestyle ailments such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, among others, RHI endorses comprehensive health insurance coverage. Furthermore, the increasing cost of quality healthcare services even for infectious diseases underscores the need for comprehensive health insurance.

Accordingly, Religare Health Insurance offers a comprehensive bouquet of services ranging from basic hospitalization (Care); high sum insured options (Care Advantage); insurance for PED, including insulin-dependent diabetics (Care Freedom); post-cardiac event/intervention insurance (Care Heart) and many others, backed by all-encompassing wellness and insurance benefits.

Elaborating on the latest institutional developments, an RHI spokesperson said, “The coronavirus pandemic has come as a thought-provoking black swan event for people disdainful of health insurance. As morbidity and mortality rates rise directly due to COVID-19 and indirectly from the neglect of other equally life-threatening conditions, there is a pronounced and inescapable realization about the need for health insurance. Besides managing COVID-19-related treatments, health cover is indispensable in safeguarding individuals and their families from other chronic conditions that lead to unexpected and unaffordable medical expenses, driving millions of uninsured people into debt, devastating lives permanently. Fortunately, a broad bouquet of health insurance solutions happens to be available today, customized for almost every consumer segment. Therefore, we urge consumers to opt for a suitable coverage plan as per their specific healthcare requirements. This is vital in our country, where retail health insurance penetration is only 3% and out-of-pocket healthcare spending stands at around 65%.”

RHI’s endorsement of comprehensive insurance coverage comes in the wake of increased awareness about health insurance products after the COVID-19 outbreak. Given the importance of health insurance in promoting better healthcare outcomes across India, the Company believes it is important to leverage this trend by apprising people about the far-reaching benefits of comprehensive health policies. Moreover, against the backdrop of pandemic-induced income losses for a significant employed segment, the role of health insurance can be paramount in saving lives in the event of any healthcare crisis.

About Religare Health Insurance (RHI)

Religare Health Insurance (RHI) is a specialized health insurer offering health insurance services to employees of corporates, individual customers and for financial inclusion as well. With its operating philosophy being based on the principal tenet of ‘consumer-centricity’, the company has consistently invested in the effective application of technology to deliver excellence in customer servicing, product innovation and value-for-money services.

RHI currently offers products in the retail segment for Health Insurance, Critical Illness, Personal Accident, Top-up Coverage, International Travel Insurance and Maternity along with Group Health Insurance and Group Personal Accident Insurance for corporates.

Religare Health Insurance has been adjudged the ‘Best Health Insurance Company’ once at the ABP News-BFSI Awards 2015 and again at the Emerging Asia Insurance Awards, 2019 & ‘Best Claims Service Provider of the Year’ – Insurance India Summit & Awards 2018. RHI has also received the ‘Editor’s Choice Award for Best Product Innovation’ at Finnoviti in 2013 and was conferred the ‘Best Medical/Health Insurance Product Award’ at the FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards in 2015, 2018 and 2019.

QuEST Global Enhances Deep Learning Solutions with Intel’s Industrial Edge Insights Software

QuEST Global, a global product engineering and lifecycle services company, announced today that it has enhanced its vision analytics and predictive maintenance solutions with Intel® Edge Insights for Industrial. QuEST developed these deep learning solutions to help OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in the industrial and semiconductor sectors to automate security and monitoring systems and manufacturing tools used for making semiconductor chips.

The vision analytics solution developed by QuEST uses the Intel distribution of the OpenVINO toolkit to provide manufacturers with actionable insights based on specific patterns captured by machine vision systems. The solution uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop insights based on video feeds. In addition to OpenVINO toolkit, the solution incorporates Intel Edge Insights for Industrial framework to facilitate deployment by end-users.

The predictive maintenance solution developed by QuEST is designed to help semiconductor OEMs maintain manufacturing tools. In this application, Intel Edge Insights for Industrial framework provides times series analytic capability as part of a predictive maintenance solution. This analysis help OEMs determine the remaining useful life of an asset and help to optimize maintenance time.

Commenting on the two solutions Krish Kupathil, Head – Hi-Tech and Digital, QuEST Global said, “As a trusted thinking partner to our customers, we aim to develop and implement innovative solutions in the areas of manufacturing, security and monitoring, and automotive. Intel’s Edge Insights for Industrial framework and related technologies have been enhancing our vision analytics and predictive maintenance solutions and AI capabilities, helping us create the frontier for our customers. We look forward to continued collaboration with Intel to drive tech-driven business growth for customers across industries.”

Intel Edge Insights for Industrial enables near real-time analysis at the edge by making it easy to integrate data, devices, and processes in manufacturing applications and easy to utilize Intel processors and accelerators. “The industrial sector is using Intel Edge Insights for Industrial-based solutions and tools to help improve operational efficiency and to help tighten factory security and monitoring. This enabling software makes it easy to deploy AI solution and optimizes the hardware performance across Intel-based platforms,” said Jonathan Luse, General Manager, Intel Industrial Solutions.

QuEST Global works with leading global companies across diverse verticals, helping them to address the growing demand for providing connected engineering experience to the end customers. Over the past two decades, the company has been helping its customers take the next step in their digital transformation journey by automating the process of identifying production problems, proactively implementing innovative solutions, and making products safer and more reliable.

Jaguar Land Rover Inaugurates New 3S Retailer Facility in Bengaluru

 New 3S in the city

* Jaguar Land Rover unveils new state-of-the-art 3S (Sales, Service and Spare parts) Retailer Facility on New Airport Road

* Spread over a total area of over 4 160 m2, the facility offers a showroom display of a wide range of products from Jaguar and Land Rover’s portfolio, and a fully equipped service workshop with 19 service bays. 

* Jaguar Land Rover India distribution network is spread across 27 outlets in 24 major cities across India.

Jaguar Land Rover India today announced the opening of a new 3S Retailer facility in Bengaluru by Marqland in a fast developing area on New Airport Road.

This new 3S Retailer facility in the prominent location of New Airport Road complements the Boutique showroom in City Centre on Cunningham Road to offer exceptional Customer Experience and Convenience. Marqland previously operated its 3S facility on Hosur Road.

This Retailer facility is spread over 4 160 m2 and is designed to provide the highest quality of sales and after-sales service. It provides an enhanced premium customer experience, displaying a wide range of products from the Jaguar and Land Rover portfolio, and has an impressive handover bay for delivering vehicles to customers. 

This facility also has a Jaguar Land Rover approved pre-owned car section and showcases a wide range of Jaguar Land Rover branded accessories and merchandise for its discerning customers. It also has a fully equipped workshop, with state-of-the-art tools and equipment and highly trained technicians and staff to provide the highest quality after-sales experience. 

Rohit Suri, President & Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd (JLRIL), said, “Post the opening of the Boutique Showroom in City Centre in  2019, this new, ultra-modern integrated 3S facility on New Airport Road will further strengthen JLR’s presence in the Bengaluru area. It will ensure that our customers are able to enjoy world-class sales, service, and spares under-one-roof from a location that is convenient and easily accessible.”

Customers can even book their cars by visiting the online booking platform at www.findmeacar.in for Jaguar and www.findmeasuv.in for Land Rover..

Aakash Emerges as Leading Offline to Online Players, Registering Tremendous Online Engagement Post Lockdown

 According to a recent study conducted by SimilarWeb, a global web analytics market intelligence firm, Aakash Educational Services Ltd. (AESL), the national leader in test preparation services, has emerged as one of the leading O2O (Offline to Online) players to chronicle remarkable online engagement as a major offline service provider. 

The report titled “Understanding the Impact of Coronavirus on E-learning”, released recently, took into consideration 35 top e-learning Indian websites to gauge the growth of ed-tech space over a period of one year. AESL website aakash.ac.in has featured in the Top Ten post lockdown performers in the last 28 days by registering a 2.96% share of online website traffic.  

Commenting on the findings of the report, Mr. Aakash Chaudhry, Director and CEO of Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL), said: “We are proud to be recognized as one of the foremost O2O players to register a tremendous and significant online engagement post lockdown. We are the pioneers who predicted the need for digital learning and started tailoring courses according to the requirement of the students. Without ever compromising on the pedigree of learning while upholding the position of providing best educational services on both the offline and online platforms.” 

The SimilarWeb report finds that during the lockdown period, India has seen the maximum searches for online courses post lockdown, showing a realisation of upskill among others.  

Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) 

Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) provides comprehensive test preparatory services for students preparing for Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, School/Board Exams and Competitive Exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads. AESL believes that the “Aakash” brand is associated with quality coaching and a proven student selection track record in various Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, Scholarship exams & Olympiads. 

With over 32 years of operational experience in the test preparatory industry, the company has a large number of selections in Medical & Engineering Entrance Exams and several Foundation level Scholarship exams/Olympiads, a pan India network of 200+ Aakash Centers (including franchisee), and a student count of more than 250,000. 

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Opens Bookings for the All-New Toyota Urban Cruiser Beginning August 22, 2020

 Highlights

* New compact SUV from Toyota to feature new powerful K-Series 1.5 litre four-cylinder Petrol Engine

* Available in both Manual & Automatic Transmission

* All Automatic Transmission  variants will be equipped with Advanced Li-ion Battery with ISG for enhanced fuel efficiency

* Distinct & dynamic bold grille, lending the compact SUV a very confident & energetic presence on the road

* Bold trapezoidal fog lamp design for a wide stance

* Spacious and alluring Dual-Tone dark brown premium interiors

* Dual Chamber LED Projector Headlamps with dual function LED DRL-cum-indicators and Electrochromic IRVM for a safer drive

* Rain Sensing Wipers and Cruise Control to add to amazing customer comfort and convenience

* Assurance of a delightful ownership experience through Toyota’s legendary sales and service propositions

* Booking amount announced at Rs. 11,000/-

* Aiding customer convenience, bookings can be placed both online (@ www.toyotabharat.com) as well as at the nearest Toyota dealership 

To aid customers plan their festive season car purchase, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced ‘bookings open’ for its much-awaited compact SUV, the all-new Toyota Urban Cruiser, beginning 22nd August 2020. The Urban Cruiser which is the youngest urban SUV from Toyota in India, is built for today’s young achievers who have earned respect for their achievements & bold choices in life & who aspire to own a Toyota SUV at a young age.

The latest offering from Toyota is equipped with a new & powerful, yet fuel efficient ‘K-Series 1.5 litre four-cylinder Petrol Engine’, to deliver superior driving experience. The Urban Cruiser will be available in both Manual & Automatic Transmissions (AT) and all AT variants will be equipped with an advanced Li-Ion battery with an ISG- Integrated Starter Generator (Torque assist, regenerative braking & idle start stop).  

The exteriors of the car will deliver a very confident & energetic on-road presence with a Two Slat Wedge Cut Dynamic Grille with Chrome & a Trapezoidal Bold Fog Area. It will be further accompanied with Dual Chamber LED Projector Headlamps, with dual function LED DRL-cum–indicators and LED fog lamps. Customers will also have the option of 16-inch Diamond Cut Alloy Wheels and an exciting choice of vibrant colours in dual-tone, including a unique brown colour.

In order to further enhance customer delight, the all-new Toyota Urban Cruiser is bundled with the renowned Toyota experience through superior warranty of 3year/100K Kms & extended benefits like express service of EM60, warranty extension and other convenience services like WhatsApp communication.

Sharing his thoughts on the opening of bookings, Mr. Naveen Soni, Senior Vice President, Sales and Services, TKM, said, “We are very excited about our latest offering- the Urban Cruiser, as it has already started receiving a lot of attention & enquiries from interested customers. We understand that our customers would like to know more about the new vehicle from Toyota, so that they can make an informed decision about the vehicle of their choice, this festive season. Hence, we wanted to further aid our customers with more information about the car before opening our bookings.

Today, we have revealed few of the features which are bound to appeal the aspirations and expectations that the young & millennial aspire from a compact SUV in India. The Toyota Urban Cruiser will offer everything that the young customers look for and also extend to them the joy of owning a Toyota brand with a host of value added services with superior sales & service experience. We are confident that the Toyota Urban Cruiser will create a niche for itself with an ‘Urban Standout Appeal’ for those who love to ‘Travel in Style’. We are eagerly awaiting to welcome a new set of customers who dream to own a Toyota SUV early in life and experience our sales and after-sales services of global standards,” he concluded.

Customers can also look forward to alluring Dual-Tone Dark Brown premium interiors, ergonomically laid out wide and spacious cabin, Smart Entry with Engine Push Start/Stop Button and Auto AC. The Toyota Urban Cruiser will be loaded with high-end features such as Smart Playcast touchscreen audio with Android Auto/Apple Carplay and Smartphone-based Navigation, Rain Sensing Wipers, Cruise Control and Electrochromic Inside Rear View Mirror (IRVM), all combining to provide an exhilarating ride and great comfort.

Bookings for the Toyota Urban Cruiser are open from 22nd August, 2020 at a nominal amount of Rs. 11,000. Customers can make their bookings online on www.toyotabharat.com or also visit their nearest Toyota dealership. 

Axis Bank Redefines Conventional Employment, Launches GIG-A-Opportunities

 Summary 

* GIG-A-Opportunities – a new platform for alternate work models to attract the finest talent, with a promise of growth with flexibility, diversity and inclusivity.

* Embraces the ‘work from anywhere’ model, in line with the Bank’s Open philosophy and ‘New Ways to Work’ initiative earlier this year

* Platform expected to boost employment opportunities for talent in smaller towns

* The Bank targets up to 15% of incremental hiring in alternate work models over the next three years

Axis Bank, India’s third largest Bank today announced the launch of GIG-A Opportunities, a platform for alternate work models that encourage greater flexibility, diversity and inclusivity.

With technology breaking down physical boundaries, the ongoing pandemic has only accelerated people’s inclination to create their own work environment outside all physical constraints. Both, work and the workplace have been compelled to undergo rapid transformation over the past few months. Axis Bank’s ‘GIG-A-Opportunities’ is the answer to the challenge of having an integrated work model & solution that addresses the varied skill requirements of a large corporate, while meeting the need of flexibility and ease for a growing pool of untapped talent.

‘GIG-A-Opportunities, as the name suggests, is pegged for large opportunities in the job market. It will open up large prospects in digital banking, technology, risk modeling, virtual sales, audit and credit policy, which are the first set of pilot offers for the model. It will attract talent through two work models – 1) 100% virtual roles and 2) flexible, project based short term contracts. These jobs offered go beyond the traditional association of freelance or work from home.

Commenting on the initiative, S.Ramodarai Chairman, TISS and Chairman, Axis Bank Foundation, said ‘GIG-A-Opportunities is a great platform which clearly is the direction of Future of Work. Axis Bank taking the lead is very welcome. The option to work from home and flexibility to define ones capabilities will unearth a lot of hidden talent for the future including gender balance and inclusivity’

This innovative platform would make it possible to ‘work from anywhere’, while ensuring flexibility and ease of operations for skilled specialists. Therefore, it will invariably access a much larger talent pool that is spread across the country, including smaller cities and towns, and also open up the possibility of cross border associations. This presents a great opportunity to ensure no talent in India is left behind and the educated, skilled young population can prosper from any geography. Diversity & inclusion will get a huge boost as access to different talent pools open up, with the benefit of welcoming traditionally overlooked candidates such as women with home obligations, differently-abled, alternate age profiles etc.

Rajkamal Vempati, EVP& Head – HR, Axis Bank, said, “As a culture, Axis Bank has always believed in remaining agile and our hiring approach over the years has reflected the change in times. Embracing GIG-A is yet another way to showcase our bank’s adaptability to modern times - we recognize that static criteria like qualifications or degrees can no longer be the calling card for hiring and that the pivot will be on creating associations based on skills. We are quietly confident that this will be a path-breaking initiative in the industry whereby skilled workforce, across geographies, will find employment opportunities.”

Axis Bank hopes to have up to 15% of incremental hiring in alternate work models over the next three years, and leverage this to drive increased diversity in the talent pool. 

Kastle Universal Banking Included in Global Banking Platform Deals Survey by Independent Research Firm

3i Infotech Limited (BSE: 532628, NSE: 3IINFOTECH), a global Information Technology company, committed to accelerating business transformation, has been recognized as a Solid Player and a Base and Regional Player in the combined and new deals categories respectively, for its banking product – Kastle, in the Forrester’s Global Banking Platform Deals Survey 2020. 

Speaking on the recognition, Mr. Padmanabhan Iyer, Managing Director and Global CEO, 3i Infotech said, “3i Infotech is honoured to have Kastle Universal Banking included by a prestigious institution like Forrester. We believe that this recognition reinforces our commitment of delivering next-gen products to our customers across the globe. By constantly upgrading our comprehensive set of IP based software solutions & IT services solutions, we have re-invented ourselves to address the dynamic requirements of BFSI industry.” 

“Kastle Universal Banking Solution is an end-to-end banking solution catering to the entire spectrum of banking across Lending, Islamic Finance, Core Banking, Treasury, Trade Finance, Integrated Risk Management, Digital Banking and Analytics. AMLOCK (Financial Crime Detection and Management Solution) coupled with Kastle Universal Banking Solution is a force multiplier for banks and financial institutions to be digitally equipped and be future-ready to meet their business goals. Multiple combined deals is a testimony to Kastle Innovative Banking Solution by banks and financial institutions across the globe. We are honoured by this recognition by Forrester,” said Krish Narayanaswami, President and Global Banking Head, 3i Infotech. 

Forrester’s Global Banking Platform Deals Survey 2020 is an independent survey conducted annually by Forrester. The research is published to guide decision-makers at financial institutions around the world. Forrester surveyed 35 key banking platform vendors about their 2019 deals and published the results from the survey in their report, The Banking Platform Market Remains Stagnant, Though Smaller Banks Are Turning To Fintechs - Forrester Report Link.

About 3i Infotech 

Headquartered in Mumbai, India, since inception in 1993, the Company has been committed to driving business value across multiple industry verticals and has a strong BFSI presence. The company has over 5500 employees in 31 offices across 12 countries and over 1200+ customers in more than 50 countries across 4 continents. With a comprehensive set of IP based software solutions and a wide range of IT services, 3i Infotech has successfully transformed business operations of customers globally. The Company has a very strong foothold and customer base in geographies like North America, India, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and South Asia.  

Its flagship products include Kastle™ (Universal Banking Solution), AMLOCK™ (Financial Crime Detection and Management Solution), MFund™ Plus (Asset Management Solution), Premia™ Astra (Core Insurance Solution) and Orion™ (Enterprise Resource Planning Solution). 3i Infotech provides IT Services across Mobility, Data Analytics, Block Chain, Cloud Life Cycle Management, Testing Services, Infrastructure Management, Application Development & Maintenance, Professional Services, IT Consulting and BPO. 

Vestige Launches Innovative Consumer Products to Promote Hygiene and Combat the Pandemic

As the world is undergoing an unprecedented health crisis, the need of the hour is to enhance personal hygiene with a special emphasis on hand hygiene as well as to disinfect various surfaces. To address both these needs, Vestige Marketing, a leading Indian-origin direct selling company has launched two innovative products in its homecare and personal care range, Hyvest and Assure, respectively. The two new products are Hyvest Ultra Protek Disinfectant Spray and Assure Hand Cleansing Gel. These two products are in addition to the company’s Assure Germ Protection Soap, which was recently launched. 

The current situation warrants a proactive and empathetic attitude towards people’s health and hygiene practices where people must practice social distancing, wear masks, wash their hands frequently and disinfect various surfaces to protect against this contagious virus. Vestige has an ever-growing global presence across continents and these new product launches are an integral part of its long-term approach towards establishing leadership in the health and hygiene category in India as well as globally.  

Commenting on the launch, Mr Gautam Bali, MD, Vestige Marketing Pvt Ltd said, “Good hygiene is now more important than ever and extends beyond personal care. Disinfecting surfaces that are commonly touched is absolutely critical to protect our overall health and wellness. Zero-contact surface disinfectant spray, Hyvest Ultra Protek is a hassle-free and convenient way to disinfect, sanitise and clean the surrounding surfaces. Apart from the surfaces, it is also important that our hands remain germ-free and sanitised. Assure Hand Cleansing Gel, an alcohol-based gel, is for the complete care of our hands.”

Hyvest Ultra Protek Disinfectant Spray

The Hyvest Ultra Protek is a 73.6% w/w alcohol based disinfectant spray that protects you and your family from illness-causing bacteria and viruses. This is effective on a wide variety of hard and soft surfaces.

The zero-contact spray can easily and effectively disinfect high-contact surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, chairs, keys and packages, etc. It can also be used on other surfaces such as:

Kitchen sinks

Dustbins

Table tops and desks

Chairs and sofas

Doorknobs

Shower taps

Mattresses

Car seats

Curtains

Carpets

Toilet areas (including toilet bowl)

Assure Hand Cleansing Gel

The ASSURE Hand Cleansing Gel is a solution that helps to disinfect the hands without soap and water, anywhere and anytime. It supresses odour and leaves your hands soft and clean even without washing. It dries fast and does not leave a sticky layer on the skin.

The 70% v/v alcohol-based gel is enriched with a unique blend of seven plants. It acts fast and helps to prevent infections. It is an on-the-go, rinse-free and non-sticky instant hand protection solution.

The seven herbs include:

Lime juice: It has curative properties and acts as a natural antibiotic

Rosemary leaf oil: It is used as a disinfectant

Neem leaf extract: It is one of the best healing and disinfectant agents

Sage oil: It has antiseptic and antibacterial properties

Aloe leaf juice powder: It helps to relieve pain, reduce swelling and quell itching

Thyme oil: It is used for its antiseptic properties

Vetiver root oil: It mostly has protective activity as well as soothing benefits

Vestige recently launched the ASSURE Germ Protection Soap, a perfect solution for a family’s everyday hygiene needs. It ensures two-fold care for you and your loved ones. Assure Germ Protection Soap not only removes germs to protect you from common communicable diseases, it also ensures that the repeated use of the soap does not have any adverse impact on your skin.

* HYVEST Ultra Protek comes in a 170 gram pack and is priced at MRP ₹325.00, inclusive of all taxes.

* ASSURE Hand Cleansing Gel comes in a 500 gram pack and is priced at MRP ₹340.00, inclusive of all taxes.

* ASSURE Germ Protection Soap comes in a 75 gram pack and is priced at MRP ₹55.00, inclusive of all taxes.

Ness Digital Engineering Expands Partnership with Snowflake in India

Ness Digital Engineering has announced it is expanding its partnership with Snowflake, the cloud data platform. Ness earned “Select” partner status and this enhanced strategic alliance expands Ness’s robust suite of data analytics and artificial intelligence solutions at a time when customers of all sizes and industries are demanding more business value from their data.

Snowflake’s support for data warehousing workloads provides a low maintenance, cost effective way for organizations to consolidate all their data silos into a single source of truth, allowing Ness to deliver near real time, data-driven insights to help clients achieve desired business outcomes.

Scott Schlesinger, Senior Vice President and Global Head of the Data and Analytics Practice at Ness Digital Engineering, says, “Snowflake’s dedicated storage and computing engines enable advanced data analytics capabilities that we use to help customers realize the power of their data and improve productivity and increase revenue. Combining the power of Snowflake with Ness’s deep modernization capabilities and AI accelerator presents a formidable offering to our customers looking to expedite time to market for data and analytics solutions and seamlessly execute transformative projects.”

Ness’s status as an Amazon Web Services Advanced partner, Microsoft Azure Gold partner and Google Cloud partner allows the company to bring Snowflake’s instant, frictionless, secure sharing of live data – within and between organizations – to all its clients embarking on their data warehouse modernization journey. Snowflake’s cloud data platform requires zero management for all the customer’s data and users in a cost-effective and scalable “pay only for what you use” structure.

Katie Ecklund, Director of NoAm Partners, Snowflake, comments, “Ness’s expertise in data and analytics plays a critical role in helping organizations engage customers and differentiate their brands,’ positioning them as an important member of Snowflake’s partner community. Ness has innovation hubs and delivery teams around the world, providing a global footprint that can work with Snowflake’s enterprise customers across geographic boundaries to increase the value of their digital solutions.”

It’s Time to Play the Game with VOOT Select’s All New Original – The Gone Game

 

Voot Select, India’s fastest growing premium video-on-demand service, is all set to launch its next big original The Gone Game. Coming on the back of critically acclaimed and popular shows like Asur, Marzi, The Raikar Case and Illegal, the next from  VOOT Select - made for stories is The Gone Game – A show that breaks the barriers of space and location to deliver on a gripping and compelling story. Punctuated with moments of deception, suspicion, and unexpected twists, the show will provide an edge of the seat experience and take the viewers on a thrilling ride.

Set in a global pandemic, with a nation in lockdown, the story starts amidst a mysterious disappearance.  Sahil Gujral is gone. Did he fall prey to the virus? Or is something more sinister at play? 2020 has changed the world forever, but for the Gujral family, the nightmare has just begun.Backed with a power-packed cast including Sanjay Kapoor, Arjun Mathur, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rukhsar Rehman, Lubna Salim, Indraneil Sengupta, Dibyendu Bhattacharya and produced by Bodhi Tree Multimedia, The Gone Game will stream on Voot Select 20th August, 2020 onwards. 

Shot entirely in isolation during the lockdown, The Gone Game has been executed through remote direction, ingenious cinematography and limited equipment. Marked by nuanced performances and inimitable viewing experience, the show will build intrigue and unravel a mystery at every step of the way. Directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, The Gone Game is a one of a kind and a never-seen-before concept that put creative freedom in the hands of the cast of the series to innovate while shooting from their homes.  

Commenting on the launch of The Gone Game, Ferzad Palia, Head – Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18 said, “Voot Select has had a tremendous first 150 days. Subscriber growth has surpassed all estimates by a long, long way. This spectacular success of the platform comes on the back of Originals, Before TV Content & our International offering. The lockdown has provided a further boost to the rapid rise in subscriber growth. We have innovatively navigated through the challenges of the lockdown and continued to create the best in content and viewing experience for our audience. The Gone Game has a gripping storyline, top drawer cast, and has been shot entirely from home with utmost precision and skill. The thrill and excitement of the show will deliver top-notch entertainment.”

Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat said, “The Gone Game is an original series in every sense. Be it the storyline, the characters, or the overall visual appeal, we have tried to make it authentic while keeping the current lockdown scenario as the backdrop of the show.  We also had to use some innovative techniques to ensure that the performances do not suffer because of the constraint of physical proximity. We learned and unlearned many aspects from our test shoots as due to the conditions, the process was limited, but it also gave the actors and the technicians a lot of freedom to innovate. It has been an unconventional journey and we hope that the audience will appreciate our vision.”

Sukesh Motwani of Bodhi Tree Multimedia said, “It will not be wrong to say that we made it from scratch as we were working with very limited resources and shooting entirely from home. It was challenging but our entire team in association with Voot Select and Nikhil Nagesh Bhat built the concept and storyline of the show creatively without compromising on the output. We were lucky to have a fantastic cast and crew that collectively helped us put a great show together. We are certain that the audience are in for a thrilling ride.”

Veteran actor, Sanjay Kapoor said, “Creating a show from home has been an incredible experience. We had to take care of everything from makeup to costumes, on our own. The family members became our crew companions and tirelessly helped us put a great show together. Our director Nikhil has done a phenomenal job in managing all of us virtually and the outcome is fantastic. Shooting for The Gone Game has been one of the best experiences and I hope the audience enjoys watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

Arjun Mathur said, “I never thought of shooting for a show remotely, but I am so glad that I was a part of the crew that made it happen. The Gone Game has a mix of everything - creativity, a gripping plot, fantastic crew, and of course a multi-talented director. It was not an easy task coordinating with so many people virtually but we made it happen. While I cannot wait to go back on sets, no taking away from the fact that this was indeed a fantastic experience. Kudos to Voot Select for introducing the audience to a concept like that. I am sure, they are going to enjoy it.”

Digital star Shriya Pilgaonkar said, “ Working on The Gone Game was so exciting and a wonderful learning experience . Everyone from the cast and crew was extremely patient and amazing to work with. It is great that platforms like Voot Select are introducing such concepts to their viewers and making sure that they always have some good  content to consume no matter what the circumstance . This experience will always be memorable and I am so glad that Voot Select has given all of us this unique concept to work with.”

Shweta Tripathi Sharma said, “  As an actor, I am always looking to do some creatively challenging work. The Gone Game is something I was always confident of only because of the makers of the show . I just loved the concept when I heard it and I instantly decided to take it up. The entire experience has been one of a kind. It is not easy to bring out emotions when you are shooting remotely but the creators of the show impeccably brought alive every emotion on screen. I loved the experience and I hope the audience loves it too.”

“The Gone Game – Streaming from August 20, 2020 on Voot Select”

Renault Duster Becomes Powerful SUV in the Segment with Launch of All-New "1.3L Turbo Petrol Engine"

 Highlights 

* The all-new BSVI compliant 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine delivers maximum power and torque of 156PS @ 5500 rpm and 254 Nm @1600 rpm respectively, which is best-in-segment 

* Comes with 6-speed Manual Transmission and X-Tronic CVT gearshift with a 7 speed Manual mode 

* The 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine is available in 3 trims in MT - RXE, RXS and RXZ and 2 trims in CVT - RXS and RXZ  

* Renault will also offer the option of the existing 1.5L Petrol engine; DUSTER range starts at an attractive price of INR 8.59 lakhs 

* Builds on the DUSTER legacy of being a Bold, Versatile, Reliable offering and a ‘True SUV’ with all-round capability 

Renault India announced the launch of the 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine that will power one of the most successful SUVs in India, Renault DUSTER. With this, DUSTER becomes the most powerful SUV in its segment in India. The all new DUSTER with the 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine will be available in three variants with a 6-speed manual option at a starting price of INR 10.49 lakhs, while the X-Tronic CVT will be available in two variants with a starting price of INR 12.99 lakhs. Renault will also offer the option of the existing 1.5L Petrol engine and the Renault DUSTER range starts at INR 8.59 lakhs.  

The 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine is an advanced, high-power, turbo charged, BSVI compliant engine that offers best-in-class power and torque of 156PS @ 5500 rpm and 254 Nm @1600 rpm respectively. The modern engine comes with advanced technologies like Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) which provides high performance and efficiency, Dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) for higher torque at lower rpm and reduced emissions. Together with enabling maximum power in the segment, DUSTER offers superior fuel efficiency of 16.5 kmpl in manual transmission and 16.42 kmpl in the CVT version.  

“The launch of Renault DUSTER equipped with the 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine marks a new chapter in the DUSTER journey in India. This is a world-class engine and powers our successful global SUVs and Crossovers like Kadjar and Arkana. DUSTER has achieved an iconic status in one of the most dynamic automotive markets. Over the years, adventure enthusiasts and numerous Indian families have established a strong bond with this True SUV. The bold and more powerful DUSTER will surely inspire more people to join the growing family of adventure seekers and explore new terrains and horizons, as well as enjoy the effortless driving experience,” said Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO & Managing Director, Renault India Operations.  

DUSTER plays a pivotal role in Renault India’s product portfolio and has seen regular enhancements and progressions, catering to evolving customer needs. DUSTER won the ICOTY award in its year of launch, along with numerous other industry recognitions. DUSTER’s aggressive exteriors, elegant interiors and advanced equipment have proven its deftness at handling any challenge on Indian roads. There are also numerous DUSTER fan clubs across the country. The epic ‘Gang of DUSTERS’, which is an exclusive community of DUSTER owners with more than 1 lakh registered members, traverse across breath-taking landscapes in the Renault DUSTER and share unforgettable experiences together. To further ensure a continued customer association, Renault has announced a loyalty benefit scheme including an AMC package exclusively for existing Duster owners upgrading to the new 1.3L Duster. 

ALL NEW 1.3L TURBO PETROL ENGINE: THE MOST POWERFUL ENGINE IN THE SEGMENT  

The all-new 1.3L Turbo Petrol engine is a globally proven engine which comes with high levels of performance and efficiency enabled by its advanced technology. The Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) system mated with a Turbocharger, helps to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, while enhancing engine performance with low end torque. Dual Variable Valve Timing (VVT) is another function that enhances performance with higher low-end torque and positively impacts the fuel efficiency and exhaust emissions. 

The turbo petrol engine will be offered with options of either a 6-speed Manual Transmission, or a X-Tronic CVT gearshift with a 7 speed Manual mode.  

The Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) is an automatic transmission that offers a real time, accurate and continuous control of gear ratio in acceleration and deceleration. It aids pick up, smoothens change in gear ratio and helps in ensuring low cabin noise while cruising. Apart from the CVT option, customers can also select the 6- Speed Manual Transmission, which will appeal particularly to drive enthusiasts who prefer to enjoy a more immersive driving experience. The 6-Speed manual gearbox comes with high level of shift quality and good level of efficiency. The new powertrains are not only suited for city drive, but capable of safe and confident drives on highways and hilly roads with the help of the Electronic Stability Program and Hill start Assist features. 

RENAULT DUSTER: ICONIC AND BOLD 

Together with its global styling cues, the designing of the Renault DUSTER accounts for Indian conditions and consumers’ preferences. The iconic Renault DUSTER looks bolder with the Crimson Red Accents on the Front Grille, Tail Gate, Roof Rails & Fog lamp cover which complements the Turbo petrol engine inside. The bold look is further accentuated with the tri-winged full chrome grille, dual tone body colour front bumper which features muscular skid plates, signature projector headlamps with LED DRLs that sync perfectly with the dominating and broad hood.  The all new R17 Forza Diamond Cut alloy wheels enhance the commanding look of the iconic DUSTER.  

DUSTER offers a high ground clearance of 205 mm, along with high approach and departure angles to accommodate Indian road conditions and consumer preferences. The Kayak roof rails, body coloured ORVM, matt­e black tailgate embellisher, and Waterfall LED tail lamps further accentuate its dynamic stance.  

RENAULT DUSTER: SOPHISTICATION AND COMFORT ON THE INSIDE  

The unmatched driving experience of the DUSTER is enhanced by the sophisticated and comfortable interiors. The new Duster now comes with remote Pre-Cooling function which allows the customers to switch on the engine and start the air conditioning even before entering the car with the key fob. The Midnight black interiors give the cabin of the DUSTER a refreshed new look and feel. The premium blue glazed seats lend a classy touch while the contemporary styled Renault steering wheel with soft touch butt­ons along with comfort features like Cruise Control with speed limiter help make any adventure effortless. The dual tone centre fascia with soft touch dashboard and door trims further accentuate the stylish interiors. Additionally, the aesthetics are enhanced by the ice blue graphic instrument cluster with multi-information display, which always keeps the driver updated on critical driving parameters. 

The Renault DUSTER’s interiors merge imagination with practicality. The interiors deliver an engaging experience with the fully integrated 17.64 cm touchscreen MediaNAV Evolution that comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice recognition and EcoGuide – a system that monitors driving patterns and provides guidelines to improve efficiency. The DUSTER offers ARKAMYS tuned audio experience with 4 speakers and 2 front tweeters for enhanced sound output. The Renault DUSTER comes equipped with a fully automatic climate control which adjusts the air flow inside the cabin and ensures the most comfortable temperature. To further enhance the fuel efficiency and lower emissions and cost of ownership, Renault DUSTER comes with the Smart Start/Stop function which automatically switches off the engine when the car is stopped and re-starts on driver demand detection.  

RENAULT DUSTER: ENHANCED SAFETY FEATURES 

The Renault DUSTER is compliant with front, side & pedestrian crash norms, stipulated by the Indian authorities. It is equipped with a host of active and passive safety features like Antilock-Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), driver and passenger airbags, rear parking sensors, seat belt reminder & speed alert. All these safety features are standard across all versions of the Renault DUSTER. Features such as Reverse Parking Camera, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Hill-Start Assist enhance the SUV capability of Duster. 

Renault DUSTER offers a range of 38 different categories of innovative accessories which enhances its SUV appeal and make the drive more comfortable and convenient for the passengers.