The Best Time to Join Vi is Now in the Indian Market!

* Assured Delights  on every feedback received through ViApp/Web

* Takes customer centricity several notches higher with the launch of GIGAnet

In a demonstrative indication of its commitment to customers, Vi has embarked on a unique customer engagement drive. With the objective of gaining definite feedback from customers on their new network – GIGAnet, Viis encouraging customers to reach out with their feedback through the Vi App. There are exciting and assured delights in the form of great benefits being offered for every feedback received.

Under the new customer engagement drive, new and existing Viusers stand to get huge delights by simply sharing their feedback on their network experience.

Inviting all mobile phone users and aspirants to join Vi, Avneesh Khosla- Marketing Director, Vodafone Idea Limited, said “We understand the importance of a strong and seamless network in today’s context where consumers are spending a lot more time on the Internet than ever before. We launched Viwith the promise of helping customers move ahead in life, for a better today and a brighter tomorrow. Taking another step in that direction, we have announced GIGAnet, the stronger and most modern 4G network in the country that enables a seamless, 24x7 high speed 4G connectivity to our customers and helps them thrive. Today, with the launch of this program, we want to invite one and all to come and experience our network and give us their valuable feedback and also get rewarded with great delights in the process. We encourage all our consumers to take part in this program.”

How to participate and get assured delights

For Existing Users

For New Users

Open the Vi App

Locate the banner& give your feedback

Delight benefit will be confirmed on App post rating

Switch to Vi.

Download Vi App from Play store or iOs

Create and log-in to your account

Locate the banner & give your feedback

Delight benefit will be confirmed on App post rating

Vi is committed to help every Indian move ahead in life, for a better today and a brighter tomorrow. It is for the new age and for the connected ecosystem. Vi is future ready and is committed to dynamically serve and enable a digital society to progress in life. In the months to come Vi will continuously unpack exciting possibilities for its customers.

About Vodafone Idea Limited

Vodafone Idea Limited is an Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group partnership. It is India’s leading telecom service provider. The Company provides pan India Voice and Data services across 2G, 3G and 4G platform. With the large spectrum portfolio to support the growing demand for data and voice, the company is committed to deliver delightful customer experiences and contribute towards creating a truly ‘Digital India’ by enabling millions of citizens to connect and build a better tomorrow. The Company is developing infrastructure to introduce newer and smarter technologies, making both retail and enterprise customers future ready with innovative offerings, conveniently accessible through an ecosystem of digital channels as well as extensive on-ground presence. The Company is listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India.

Tata Motors Delivers 51 Winger Ambulances to Zilla Parishad of Pune

 

* Ambulances to be used for transport of Covid positive patients

* Ceremonial handover to the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Ajit Pawar

* Tata Winger BS6 ambulances are designed for patient transport, as per AIS 125 Part 1

Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, today delivered 51 Tata Winger Ambulances to the Zilla Parishad of Pune. The handover ceremony was graced by the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Ajit Pawar, at Pune. The 51 Tata Winger Ambulances are a part of the larger order placed by the Zilla Parishad and will be deputed to the Gram Panchayats of Pune district to provide aid to COVID-19 patients. Tata Motors won the bid for the order under the Government e-Marketplace, and the vehicles are designed for patient transport as per AIS 125 Part 1. Dignitaries from Zilla Parishad of Pune and Tata Motors were present at the venue during the handover ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vinay Pathak, Vice President, Product Line, SCV, Tata Motors, said, “The Tata Winger platform is a versatile one and is perfectly suited for several applications. It is one of the most successful ambulance platform in the country and has helped save thousands of lifes till date. In the BS6 form, it has enhanced value-adds that make it the ideal vehicle for patient transportation. Tata Motors stands together with the country in its endeavor to fight COVID-19 and we are determined to support the government in providing better and quicker healthcare to all.”

The Tata Winger BS6 Ambulances delivered to the Zilla Parishad of Pune are specially adapted to keep the driver safe, with the addition of driver partition. The Tata Winger, with its flat torque curve that enable fewer gear shifts, gear shift indicator and ECO switch helps in achieving the highest fuel efficiency, and its monocoque chassis aids in smoother patient transportation and makes it easily maneuverable through the narrow streets.

About Tata Motors

Tata Motors Limited (NYSE: TTM; BSE: 500570 and 570001; NSE: TATAMOTORS and TATAMTRDVR), a USD 44 billion organization, is a leading global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks and buses. Part of the USD 110 billion Tata group, Tata Motors is India’s largest and the only OEM offering extensive range of integrated, smart and e-mobility solutions. It has operations in India, the UK, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa, and Indonesia through a strong global network of 134 subsidiaries, associate companies and joint ventures, including Jaguar Land Rover in the UK and Tata Daewoo in South Korea.

With a focus on engineering and tech enabled automotive solutions catering to the future of mobility, Tata Motors is India’s market leader in commercial vehicles and amongst the top four in the passenger vehicles market. With ‘Connecting Aspirations’ at the core of its brand promise, the company’s innovation efforts are focused to develop pioneering technologies that are sustainable as well as suited to evolving aspirations of the market and the customers. Tata Motors strives to bring new products that fire the imagination of GenNext customers, fuelled by state of the art design and R&D centres located in India, UK, US, Italy and South Korea. Internationally, Tata commercial and passenger vehicles are marketed in countries, spread across Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, South America, Australia, CIS, and Russia.

Ather Energy unveils Series1, the collectors’ Edition of the Ather 450X

One of India’s first completely indigenous intelligent electric vehicle manufacturers, Ather Energy, today unveiled the much-awaited collector’s edition of the Ather 450X, called Series1. This limited-edition scooter is available only to those Ather Energy enthusiasts who pre-ordered the scooter before the national launch of the Ather 450X on January 28th, 2020.  Series1 has been conceptualized and designed to celebrate the amplified performance of the Ather 450X - its best-in-class power, torque, acceleration and it's light hybrid aluminum frame chassis by using premium color & finish, and a first for Indian roads, a vehicle with translucent panels.

As a design led manufacturer, building Make in India products, the truly special feature of Series1 are the translucent panels in the rear, that offer a peek inside the scooter. This will be the first for an Indian OEM to offer tinted translucent panels that allow one to see the ‘insides’ of the scooter. Ather’s distinct cast aluminum chassis is visible under the seat and the trellis frame which has been a unique aspect of the Ather scooters. The Series1 edition of the scooter celebrates the engineering, tech prowess, and the performance of the Ather 450 product line.

Starkly different from the existing range of colors (grey, white, mint green), the Series1 comes with a high-gloss metallic black body color combined with accents of red. These signature colors also feature on the 7” touchscreen dashboard of the Series1 scooters, with a special intro screen and subtle hints of red in the UI designed for the scooters.

The Series1 edition will have a 6 kW PMSM electric motor which gets its energy from a 2.9 kWh lithium-ion battery, like the standard Ather 450X. It will also have the same set of riding modes - Eco, Ride, Sport, and a high-performance 'Warp' mode. According to internal tests, the 0-40 kmph acceleration time of just 3.3 seconds, makes the Ather 450X one of the quickest electric scooters in the 125cc performance categories in India.

Deliveries of Series1 will begin by November 2020 in all 11 cities - Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Coimbatore, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kozhikode, and Kolkata. Consumers who pre-ordered the Ather 450X before 28th of January 2020 are eligible to opt for Series1. The initial batches of Series1 scooters will ship out with black panels and will be upgraded to the translucent panels in May 2021.

Quote by Tarun Mehta, CEO, and Co-founder of Ather Energy

“Like all our scooters, the Series1 is built from scratch and we hope our community loves it as much as we loved building it. Building automotive grade translucent panels is tricky and I am super excited that Ather is bringing them out for the first time ever with Series1.The teams have been working on it for months and despite the lockdown have been able to produce something truly fantastic.”

About Ather Energy

Ather Energy, one of India’s first intelligent electric vehicle manufacturers was founded in 2013 by IIT Madras alumni, Tarun Mehta, and Swapnil Jain. It is backed by the founders of Flipkart -Sachin Bansal & Binny Bansal- Hero Motocorp and Tiger Global. Ather Energy launched India’s first truly intelligent, electric scooter - Ather 450 in 2018, followed by their new flagship offering Ather 450X in 2020. Ather has also installed a comprehensive public charging network, Ather Grid, designed and built in India. With 38 charging points in Bengaluru and 14 charging points in Chennai, Ather Grid is one of the largest fast-charging networks for electric vehicles in the country. The company’s product line has won 30 awards in design, automotive and technology categories. With over 60 Indian and international patent applications, 109 trademarks and 118 Indian and International design registrations to its name, Ather Energy aims to provide consumers with the best possible ownership experience. Ather Energy currently operates in Bengaluru and Chennai and in 2020 will expand to 9 more cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune & Hyderabad.

10 Winners, 10 Lacs, Everyday Through The Season On SonyLIV’s KBC Play Along Heightens Consumer Delight with KBC 12

SonyLIV makes staying-at-home rewarding with an unprecedented offering of ‘Har Din 10 Lakhpati’ under ‘KBC Play Along’. As the most awaited reality show makes a grand comeback, SonyLIV takes audience engagement notches higher with this innovative extension. This season KBC Play Along’ is aimed at rewarding the Aam aadmi like never before.

A crowd puller since its inception in 2018, ‘KBC Play Along’ registered more than 8 million users (1 billion interactions) on the platform last year. This season, SonyLIV takes the excitement notches higher by upgrading it to ‘Har Din 10 Lakhpati’, where 10 winners across India will stand a chance to win 1 lac each every day through the season. SonyLIV also adds on the feature of playing in teams this year. With this, users can invite their friends and family and form their own teams. The team score will be the total sum of the Individual players’ scores and the top-scoring team will win 1 lakh prize money every day. There is also the chance for referrals. A user can invite/refer friends and family to win additional points and earn a free subscription to SonyLIV for themselves.

Adding further excitement to the competition are the numerous prizes like a Car, Television set, Mobile phones, Bluetooth speakers amongst various electronics and gift cards that the users stand to win through the season.KBC has always been a beacon of encouragement. In times like these, KBC Play Along is excited to offer moments of happiness to its users by winning big from the comfort of their homes. 

Time to brush up your knowledge and log in to SonyLIV starting 28th September at 9PM for KBC Play Along.

Comments:

Aman Srivastava, Head – Marketing, Digital Business

“From the first ever digital auditions on SonyLIV to a resounding response online, this has been a year of innovations for Kaun Banega Crorepati. Our new feature ‘Har Din 10 Lakhpati’ is an extension in that direction to build the momentum around KBC Play Along and make winners out of our viewers. By gratifying 10 lakhpatis everyday, we not only intend to reward viewers sitting at home and expand winners’ numbers but also cater to aspirations of countless Indians for participating in India’s biggest reality game show.”

Amogh Dusad, Programming and New Initiatives, Digital Business

“KBC Play Along this year brings together an interesting blend of the existing and the new. While we retain the magic of the game, we are also bringing alive new features like Teams to add another dimension to user experience and take second screen engagement to a new level. Therefore, to innovate further, this season with ‘Har Din 10 Lakhpati’ we are aiming to gratify the fans of KBC and turn home seats into hot seats.”

OYO Launches One-Stop Travel Assistance; Ties Up With SRL Diagnostics, Indus Health Plus and 1mg for Stress-Free Travel

* The OYO app will feature a dedicated section on state-wise travel guidelines and provide access to COVID-19 testing

As the country opens up slowly, Indians are increasingly aspiring to step out and explore new destinations that are closer to home or a short drive away. With the country’s intent to travel strengthening, OYO’s consumer use cases showcase that approximately 80% of consumers planning to travel are searching for sanitised stays, while 46% seek regulation-related information during their decision-making process.

Understanding this specific consumer concern, to make the decision-making process informative and seamless, OYO Hotels & Homes, the world’s leading hospitality chain has launched a one-stop solution for all travel-related assistance on the OYO app in India. This dedicated section gives users access to comprehensive state-wise travel guidelines including E- Pass/Entry registration requirement, visibility to restrictions while booking a hotel, and quarantine requirements.

Taking this a step further, OYO will also provide COVID-19 testing assistance to consumers on its app, in partnership with SRL Diagnostics, 1mg, and Indus Health Plus who will enable tests through ICMR approved pathology labs. This will ensure complete ease of mind to consumers while planning their future travels.

Once the consumer books an OYO hotel or home for a destination that mandates the traveller to carry a COVID-19 Negative Certificate, they will receive an auto-call back option from a trusted pathology lab for the COVID-19 test.

Commenting on the developments, Rohit Kapoor, CEO, India & South Asia, OYO said, “As they say, there’s no rainbow without a little rain. We at OYO, truly believe in this philosophy, and tough days do help us emerge stronger. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve worked round the clock to lay the groundwork to make OYO the consumer’s first choice when they think about travelling again, safely. Our senior leaders have personally spoken with nearly 2000+ consumers to understand their aspirations and worries, their concerns, and their requirements. We take feedback from our consumers very seriously and build solutions to ensure their experience is nothing short of pleasant. We hope with our efforts to ensure a seamless and informative planning process for consumers looking to travel safely, we can contribute to their journeys from the very beginning, and in turn, contribute to the robust return of India’s tourism ecosystem.”

He added, “02nd October long weekend is just around the corner and we believe our partnership with trusted pathology labs like SRL Diagnostics, Indus Health Plus and 1mg will bring a sense of ease to our customers who are planning their travels. On that note, safe travels everyone!”

Commenting on the association with OYO, Mr. Anand K, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), SRL Diagnostics said, “We are delighted to partner with OYO to enable people to travel safely and with peace of mind. With the country gradually opening up and the government allowing further relaxation in interstate travel, we advise the people of our country to follow preventive measures and plan their trip in a manner that reduces the risk of exposure to Covid-19. Following COVID-19 testing protocols remains an imperative step in this direction and we aim to contribute and make the journey safer for the people.”

Commenting on the partnership with OYO, Mr. Amol Naikawadi, Joint Managing Director, Indus Health Plus said, “Our organization has always put its best foot forward when it comes to prevention. With this partnership, we are creating a convenient platform for people to plan their travel in a safe and healthy manner. As the rules for interstate travel become more relaxed, the travel will become more frequent. Therefore, we advise travellers to follow proper preventive measures related to COVID-19 testing while planning their trip.” 

Mr. Ankur Gigras, Vice President Diagnostics at 1mg shares, “1mg’s vision has always been to make affordable healthcare available at a customer’s doorstep. We are excited to partner with OYO and bring our superlative technology-led diagnostics service to customers looking to travel. Using 1mg’s services customers can connect with doctors easily, get tested at home and receive their reports online thus being able to plan their travel while staying informed and safe at all times.

Given the reality around COVID-19, leisure travel took a backseat to business or essential travel in the past couple of months, leaving little room for recovery of predominantly tourist destinations. However, on the brighter side, with each unlocking phase and the reopening of states, there’s a positive upswing for consumers aspiring to travel in the next three months. As per OYO’s consumer use cases, 56% of consumers will be travelling for leisure while 43% would travel for business. When asked about their next travel destination, most respondents opted for Kerala, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan. Amongst these, 45% of leisure travelers would prefer hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie while the remaining 55% of leisure travelers would prefer non-hill station destinations like Goa, Agra, and Jaipur.

Recently, OYO crossed the 50 million app downloads mark, with India leading with the most downloads followed by Indonesia, Malaysia, the USA, and Brazil. Across India, the top five cities with the most downloads include New Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Lucknow and Hyderabad. Interestingly, in 2020, on average, the company witnessed 32 app installs per minute.

Garmin’s New Solar-Powered Smartwatches Are Equipped with Unprecedented Battery Life and Specialized Activities

 

Now push your limits with:

* New Instinct® and fēnix® series 

* Revolutionary solar charging technology which enhance battery optimization

* New Added sports activities like: Indoor Climbing, Fishing, MTB Dynamics to break convention

* Solar conversion rate up to five times higher than the industry standard

* Supports various features such as heart rate, GPS, multiple sensors, body battery and much more

Clocking on the success of the patented solar charging technology in fēnix 6X Pro Solar last year, Garmin India, a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today expanded its portfolio of solar-powered smartwatches with the launch of all-new  Instinct Solar, fēnix 6 Pro Solar.

Designed and built to accompany the enthusiasts to ‘Do What They Love Longer’, the new solar-powered smartwatches utilizes solar energy output to support various smartwatch functions like wrist-based heart rate, Pulse Ox, Body Battery, advanced sleep monitoring, stress tracking, giving health insights to users. 

With these smartwatches, fitness enthusiasts can continue their fitness regimes with the new pre-loaded sports activities like  indoor climbing, fishing, mountain biking along with other activities including as running, swimming, yoga, golf, Pilates, etc, pushing them to explore new challenges.

Garmin’s multisport GPS smartwatches have been the leading choice for fitness enthusiasts and adventurers. Now with the proprietary breakthrough solar charging technology, allowing users to “Do What They Love Longer” through significantly increased battery life and new purpose-built functionality including surf, mountain biking and climbing activities.

Introducing the new solar-powered, feature-loaded smartwatch series, Mr. Ali Rizvi, Director, Garmin India said, “Garmin’s multisport GPS watches are the choice for athletes and adventurers willing to push themselves through the next mile or over the next mountain. Using our solar capabilities, the new Instinct and fēnix 6 solar watches provide extraordinary battery life and give customers the ability to follow their passion to the sunset and further. The Instinct solar and fēnix 6 Solar Series will help users to push their limits with enhanced features and exceptional battery life.”

Garmin has invested in over 30 patents that utilizes sophisticated technology to design a one-of-a-kind solar panel - Power GlassTM , made up of an ultra-thin multilayer structure which allows for continuous solar charging even when the panel is partially covered, extending the battery life of the smartwatch in all modes in the Power Manager feature. The improved power capacity allows users to enjoy their outdoor activities for longer periods of time.

Instinct Solar for the rugged, outdoor enthusiast

Garmin has incorporated the solar lens technology into its Instinct range of outdoor multisport watches to cater to the outdoor enthusiast. With the Power Manager feature, users can toggle to the Battery Saver mode to enjoy unlimited battery life on the Instinct Solar and Instinct Solar – Camo Edition.

In addition to Instinct’s list of outdoor activity and health tracking features, Instinct Solar series now also includes the Body Battery feature which analyzes heart rate variability, stress level, sleep quality and activity data to determine overall energy levels. Another newly added feature is the Pulse Ox (SpO2)2, a technology which measures blood oxygen saturation – a useful health indicator to monitor during this time of pandemic as the COVID-19 virus can lead to pneumonia infection in which the lung's air sacs are filled with fluid, leading to a drop in blood oxygen level. A sudden drop in SpO2 levels may indicate an early onset of symptoms.

The Instinct Solar series boasts up to 24 days in smartwatch mode indoors and more than 50 days with sufficient solar exposure. Users can make these battery-extending changes on the fly through Instinct Solar’s incorporation of Power Manager.

Immersive Technology to Reimagine Online Shopping Experience and Increase Consumer Purchasing Confidence

Consumers are at a tipping point for immersive experiences in digital commerce found new global research released today from Accenture (NYSE: ACN). The report reveals immersive technologies such as augmented and virtual reality and 3D content can enhance consumer purchasing confidence and increase online sales.

Produced by Accenture Interactive and based on a survey of more than 3,000 consumers across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, the report — “Try It. Trust It. Buy It.” — notes that the recent impact of COVID-19 has drastically shifted consumer behavior, with shoppers now embracing new immersive technologies related to online shopping. In fact, 47% of consumers said these technologies make them feel connected with products.

The report suggests that as companies increase their focus on these technologies — 64% of leading consumer brands are starting to invest in augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D content and 360-degree video — they should shift their thinking from investing in one-off experiences to driving scale and efficiency to these experiences. In fact, the research found that immersive experiences can boost consumer confidence in an online purchase by 4% globally.

Anurag Gupta, Managing Director and Lead - Strategy & Consulting, Accenture in India said, “The uptake of digital commerce in India has been accelerated by the pandemic and Indian consumers are now buying products across more categories online, providing brands a unique opportunity. Digital technologies such as conversational artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), 3D content and virtual reality (VR) can help brands create immersive experiences throughout the customer’s digital journey from awareness to engagement and finally commerce, driving online sales in innovative and affordable ways.”

The research found that consumers are ready for a revamped online shopping experience, with nearly half (47%) saying they would pay extra for a product if they could customize it or personalize it using immersive technologies. The study also found that consumers are open to purchasing more big-ticket items, such as cars and luxury goods, online.

Consumers also see immersive technologies as foundational for online shopping experiences in the future. For instance, three in five consumers (61%) said they would be more likely to buy from a brand that uses immersive technologies.

Among some of the report’s other findings:

More than half (48%) of consumers would better remember brands that regularly engage them with immersive technologies.

More than half (47%) of consumers said they are likely to engage with a product using immersive technologies if it provides personalized recommendations to suit their needs.​

Methodology

Accenture Interactive surveyed 3,087 consumers across North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region who relied on immersive technologies to evaluate and/or purchase a product and/or service online over the previous six months.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. We combine unmatched experience and specialized capabilities across more than 40 industries — powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. With 506,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture brings continuous innovation to help clients improve their performance and create lasting value across their enterprises. 

Accenture Interactive is reimagining business through experience. We drive sustainable growth by creating meaningful experiences that live at the intersection of purpose and innovation. By connecting deep human and business insights with the possibilities of technology, we design, build, communicate and run experiences that make lives easier, more productive and rewarding. Accenture Interactive is ranked the world’s largest digital agency by Ad Age and has been named a Most Innovative Company by Fast Company. 

Axis Bank Partners with Bayer’s Better Life Farming Initiative in India

* ‘Better Life Farming’ is a global multi-stakeholder partnership to support smallholder farmers in developing economies to earn sustainable farm incomes

* In India, the partnership includes Bayer, IFC, Netafim, Yara Fertilisers, DeHaat, AgriBazaar, BigBasket, Tata Trusts and now Axis Bank 

* Axis Bank will offer holistic and cost-effective financial solutions to smallholder farmers and rural farming communities

Axis Bank, India’s third largest private sector bank has joined Bayer’s Better Life Farming initiative in India to provide enhanced and holistic financial solutions to smallholder farmers and rural farming communities. Through the partnership, Axis Bank will offer a wide range of end-to-end financial solutions and services like affordably priced loans, deposits, withdrawals, payments etc. Digital financial solutions and doorstep delivery of these services will be an integral part of the Bank’s offering to ensure convenient and hassle-free transactions. These solutions will be offered through Bayer’s Better Life Farming centers which are owned and operated either by a Farmer Producer Organization (FPO), Federation, agri-graduate or a local farmer/entrepreneur.

Better Life Farming (BLF) is a global, multi-stakeholder alliance, which works with partners across the agri-value chain to support smallholder farmers in developing economies to increase crop yields and farm incomes. Launched globally in April 2018, the BLF alliance has global partners that include – Bayer with its expertise in seeds, crop protection and agronomy; IFC, the development finance institution for impact assessment; and Netafim for drip irrigation technologies. In India, the BLF alliance works with additional local partners including Yara Fertilisers for soil and nutrient management; DeHaat, AgriBazaar and Big Basket as off-takers;[1] and Tata Trusts for improving rural livelihoods and promoting self-reliant agri-entrepreneurship.

BLF has set up small centers across villages to offer farming advisory to the communities. Each BLF center consists of a group of 500 farmers from five to six nearby villages where an agri-entrepreneur provides smallholder farmers with access to agri-inputs, crop advisory, irrigation best practices and new technologies. The centers also support aggregation and sale of farm produce and operate model farms to share good agricultural practices around crop nutrition, micro-irrigation technologies, mulching etc., and demonstrate safe handling of seed & crop protection products. Additionally, BLF has also helped create local employment opportunities, supported doubling of farmers’ incomes and empowered rural youth to be a part of the agri value chain.

“Since the launch of Better Life Farming in 2018, we have continuously identified various need-gaps faced by smallholder farmers and roped in partners who can strengthen our offerings to them. Affordable farm credit, farmer financing and digital banking solutions rank as high priorities for rural farming communities. Bayer’s partnership with Axis Bank will help deliver last mile connectivity and create a more inclusive agri eco-system where all smallholder farming needs ranging from agri-inputs, agri-advisory, knowledge & capacity building, market linkages and financial solutions are taken care of under one roof,” said D Narain, MD & CEO, Bayer CropScience Limited and Global Lead for Bayer’s Smallholder Farming initiatives. 

Speaking about the partnership, Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, Axis Bank, said, “Axis Bank has made significant investments and commitments to empower rural communities and smallholder farmers. To strengthen these objectives further, Axis Bank has partnered with Bayer to combine forces and work together in addressing the diverse challenges faced by these communities. We have invested in providing end-to-end financial solutions for the agrarian and rural population, which have been built on the backbone of sound digital and technology capabilities to deliver secure financial products and seamless services. This partnership achieves multiple goals including promoting rural entrepreneurship and delivering holistic financial solutions under one roof, at the doorstep of the rural community.''

The BLF initiative has led to a doubling of crop yields and tripling of farm incomes among participant farmers in India. It has also created price transparency in the marketplace, increased the bargaining power of smallholders and promoted clusters of rural agri-entrepreneurs running their own Better Life Farming centers. The BLF initiative is supporting these agri-entrepreneurs to operate like business owners, thereby increasing their sales, revenues and profitability. Through its gender-smart approach, the BLF initiative has integrated women smallholders into mainstream farming operations by economically and socially empowering them as producers and entrepreneurs.

Currently 150+ Better Life Farming centers are operational in India in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar with plans to expand to West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. By 2025, the BLF initiative aims to empower 2.5 million smallholder farmers in India by providing them access to modern agri-inputs and improving their standard of living. These smallholder farming communities will be served by 5,000 agri-entrepreneurs across horticulture, corn and rice.

Turbostart Founders Discuss How Their Start-Ups Thrived During Economy Slowdown

Turbostart, a sector agnostic, pan-India programme which felicitates the top 25 start-ups in the country announced the launch of their second Cohort. The winners of its first Cohort not only secured funding but also had tailored growth programmes in place which included product and market validation, business model strategies with mentorship from industry stalwarts and customer/industry connects. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Turbostart has helped these diversified start-ups to accelerate their businesses into strong ventures along with adding value in terms of growth through continuous support and mentorship provided by the Turbostart’s Board of renowned specialists. 

Doqfy, a legaltech startup and Pichain Innovations, a Regtech startup bring cutting edge solutions to enterprises, financial institutes and are ready to deep dive into the market and conquer their market positioning. Doqfy is an online platform that provides legal ancillary services, and empowers users to create and customize their crucial legal documents saving more than 200 person days of manpower per customer per month with 80% improved turnaround time. Customers can use Doqfy’s platform to create automated contracts and agreements integrated with eStamping, eSigning, Franking and Notarial services.  The platform offers easy accessibility to more than 1200 customisable templates that clients choose from at affordable prices. Turbostart’s Advisory Board has supported and assisted Doqfy in building strategy, analysing and targeting the go-to-market, helped in building the organisational and advisory board structural framework, digital marketing, tech roadmap validation, brand positioning, and UI/UX.

Pichain Innovations is an ISO-certified Regtech platform providing automated AML (Anti-money Laundering) compliance solutions, KYB (Know Your Business) solutions and FATCA/CRS (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act/Common Reporting Standard) solutions for banks, financial institutes and fintechs by leveraging the combined strengths of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Blockchain technology. They research and develop deeptech systems that can proactively work with compliance and regulatory professionals to make better decisions along with assurance of 93% reduction in false positives. Pichain has witnessed growth in revenue since Turbostart started supporting them with business strategy and modeling. 

Talking about the startup success journey, Ganesh Raju, Founder & CEO, Turbostart said, ”Post the success of Cohort I, we are overwhelmed to share the entrepreneurial journey of the early startups amid the slowdown caused by the pandemic and celebrate their success. We also encourage start-ups to participate in the upcoming edition and upscale their business with Turbostart’s guidance. We are here to help start-ups that aim to grow their business and gain market visibility with capital facilitation; and offer 360 degree guidance to achieve the milestones in their business. We have decided to launch Cohort II amid the pandemic and shall continue to support Cohort I founders with scalability and industry support.”

Turbostart continues to provide solutions to the new age business start-ups and help them achieve their organisational goals efficiently.

Cohort I portfolio start-ups span multiple sectors - EdTech, Fintech, Regtech, Health/BioTech, MediaTech and a host of other sectors including social impact.   

For those interested, apply at www.turbostart.co to be a part of one of the largest business acceleration programmes and work with some of the sharpest minds guiding start-ups today. Last day to receive applications is 30 September 2020.

About Turbostart: 

Turbostart is a sector agnostic, pan-India business acceleration platform that will unearth the 25 most promising start-ups, twice a year. Run in a competition format, it enables pre-Series A start-up founders to rapidly validate, scale and amplify their businesses. The vision of the programme is to build a strong start-up ecosystem by creating a clear path of success for entrepreneurs and eliminating the tedious task of dealing with market hurdles and non-core activities. 

Applications to the second edition of the Founders’ Fellowship close on September 30, 2020.  

Laxmi Remote India Celebrates 25 Years of Manufacturing Excellence

* Started operations in 1995, Laxmi Remote (India) Private Limited (LRIPL) is a leading Indian OEM, ODM & EMS company

* The company is India’s largest remote control manufacturing company and has increased manufacturing capacity of remote controls to more than three million per month

* Laxmi Remote India is expanding its product line with internet-based category products for the Broadcast & Cable Industry

Laxmi Remote (India) Private Limited (LRIPL), one of the largest remote control manufacturers in India, celebrated its 25th year of operations today. Started manufacturing in 1995 with humble origins, LRIPL has emerged as a leading OEM, ODM and EMS company, establishing itself amongst the major Indian electronics manufacturers.

The company enjoys about one-fourth of the Indian market share in the overall remote control manufacturing space, catering to 25% of demand in the industry. With its rapid progress, LRIPL aims to become an INR 500 crore company in the next five years while generating employment opportunities for 1000 more people.

On the occasion of the Sliver Jubilee celebrations, Vijay Kumar Sachdeva, MD & CEO, Laxmi Remote (India) Private Limited says, ”For the past 25 years, it has been a tremendous journey for LRIPL. Our entire existence resonates with the vision of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat missions led by our Hon’ble PM.  We have achieved the 25-year anniversary milestone with relentless support of our employees, customers, dealers and all the stakeholders who have believed in us through the thick and thin of times. Today, Laxmi Remote India’s core strength lies in offering consumers the best-in-class quality products with the best-in-class services whether its remote control, set-up box or mobile chargers.” 

Known for achieving consistent superior operational excellence in the past two decades, the company plans to upgrade its system with the next-gen technologies, while expanding its business overseas by foraying into the export segment in the near future. Amongst the International markets that are high up on LRIPL’s list are USA, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Argentina along with the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, etc.

Sharing about its expansion plans, Sachdeva further added, “We are planning to strengthen our facilities and targeting 20% production growth in the near future. We have spent past 25 years building a challenging reputation for technical innovation, manufacturing excellence and quality. Looking ahead, our future product line will be an outcome of focussed investment on innovation and technology which will ensure that go past our competitors and deliver our customers world class technology at a competitive price.”

With the vision to maximize India’s electronics manufacturing potential, LRIPL aims to lead OEM remote control business. The expansion of product portfolio and the adoption of leading innovation and technologies are amongst the other main focus areas for the company. Supported by its state-of-the-art R&D centre in Hyderabad with sound experience and a leading name in STB manufacturing, the company has announced plans to expand its product portfolio by foraying into internet-based category products for the Broadcast & Cable industry such as IPTV, Hybrid Box, Android box & other products in the same categories. LRIPL is also working on technologies like RF, touch screen, voice control along with Bluetooth technology in the category of remote controls.

In its 25 years, LRIPL has witnessed an exponential growth, with manufacturing facilities spreading across over 5 Acres with best in class equipment and services. Witnessing an incredible journey and sustained success, LRIPL has evolved from a just a single office to two fully operational manufacturing units located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. With a clientele of over 60 companies, LRIPL has partnered with big enterprises such as Daikin, Blue Star, Voltas, Havells, Orient Electric, Bajaj, Luminous, Livpure, Whirlpool, Lloyd, Amber, Usha, Halonix, Carrier Midea, Ricoh , SUN TV amongst others. The strong customer engagements and services have been a testimony to LRIPL’s 25 years of manufacturing excellence.

India is the biggest market for LRIPL, and in line with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, LRIPL has decided to strengthen its foothold further by bolstering its local production and manufacturing of remote controls to more than three million per month. Right from development of moulds to building sophisticated cabinets, design & development of PCBs to assembly and to manufacturing the final products, after an appropriate stringent quality process, LRIPL controls the entire production process.

About Laxmi Remote (India) Pvt Ltd (LRIPL)

Started its operations in the year 1995, Laxmi Remote (India) Private Limited (LRIPL), has out grown into the state of the art-modish facility within a span of 25 years. LRIPL is an established OEM,ODM & electronic manufacturing service company in India with 2 manufacturing plants rendering manufacturing services, located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The company is specialised in manufacturing remote controls, SMPS Power supplies, set top Box, Mobile chargers, LED TV Boards, Door Bells, lighting solutions and capable of manufacturing other electronic products too. Laxmi Remote has in-house Design & Development unit, PCB unit, Injection Moulding plant, Tool Depot, SMT Plant, Spring Manufacturing Department, Sticker Printing Department. Testing & Service Centre which have best of the industry people to take on any job assigned to them.

Live a Heart Healthy Life On This World Heart Day Across India

September 29 is observed as World Heart Day to spread awareness about cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart disease and stroke. In the time of COVID-19, people are faced with a double-edged threat. Not only are they more at risk of developing severe forms of the virus, but they may also be afraid to seek ongoing care for their hearts. The population of cardiovascular patients is rising rapidly, and the disease is afflicting younger people at their peak. In India, half of all reported heart attacks are caused due to cardiovascular diseases in people under the age of 50, and 25% of those occur in people below 40.Over the last few months, there has been a revival of interest in alternate methods of fitness and well-being accompanied by correction of diet and lifestyle.               

A healthy heart is imperative for healthy living. Thus it is important to understand what it takes to live a heart healthy life and to act on that knowledge, changing your behaviour for better quality of life now and in the future. In line with the campaign of World Heart Federation, #Useheart to beat cardiovascular diseases, Ms. Anjali Malhotra, Chief Customer, Marketing, Digital and IT Officer, Aviva Life Insurance suggests some easy ways to live a heart healthy life.

Exercise regularly

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, lives are becoming increasingly sedentary with people spending most of their time sitting in front of laptops, televisions or mobile screens with no physical activity or workout. Adapting healthy habits like walking around at home while working or taking online fitness classes will help in relaxing mind and body. Incorporating physical exercises such as walking, running, cycling and aerobics as part of the daily routine is beneficial for heart health.

Adopt healthy eating habits

Common heart diseases are caused due to high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. Therefore, it is important to consume a balanced diet. Including healthy food and an adequate amount of nutrients in the diet can protect heart diseases. Therefore, ensure enough intake of green and leafy vegetables, fibre-rich whole grains, fatty-fish, nuts, and exclude sugar and aerated drinks from the diet, and replace sweetened beverages with water.

Listen to your heart and go for regular screenings

Regular screening is essential for monitoring overall health. This becomes even more imperative with increasing age and one should not let COVID-19 stop from attending your regular check-ups. One way of healthy heart is to check if your heart is as young as you, with the help of Aviva Heart Age Calculator  which tells the actual age of your heart in few simple steps.

Get Enough Sleep

Adequate sleep is key to maintaining a healthy heart. Lack of sleep increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, despite maintaining other health habits. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, (NHLBI), one must get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep every day as it has the ability to optimize both mental and physical energy levels.

Be financially prepared to protect your heart

In today’s fast paced world, one should always be prepared for uncertainties. To attain a healthy heart and secured future, financial Planning is of utmost importance. Liquidity is another problem people are facing now so, one should invest in comprehensive insurance plans to protect oneself from medical exigencies. It is suggested to be futuristic in picking investment options and opt for insurance plans that offer coverage against cardiovascular conditions and allows lump-sum pay-out irrespective of the cost of treatment.

Focus on health and wellness

Apart from focusing on exercising and healthy eating habits, it is imperative to focus on overall wellness for healthy heart. In today’s times, happiness plays a key role in determining wellness and to ensure mental peace. Picking up a passion or hobby have a therapeutic effect on the mind and soul. Attaining a good work life balance helps one stay positive and focus on the larger aspects of life like leading a quality life, attainment of personal goals, and self-actualisation. This helps in better stress management and lead a healthy living.

Few Tips to Enjoy Dream11 IPL 2020 from the Comfort of Your Homes

For over 10 years, Dream11 IPL has been a constant source of entertainment for Indians. The fandom for the series has grown phenomenally with each passing year and viewers wait with bated breath for the next season. After multiple deliberations, Dream11 IPL is now set to make a comeback this month with its 13th season. The league will premiere on September 19th in the UAE.

While fans will miss out on the stadium energy and vibe, here are a few things that you can do at home to make this experience an equally enjoyable one. 

Upgrade to HD channels: The most important tip to start your Dream11 IPL 2020 season is to switch to the High Definition (HD) channels for your television, if you haven’t already. HD will give you enhanced clarity, sharpness and better graphics, making the overall viewing experience richer and comfortable. One might not be in a stadium, but the quality of the picture with HD channel will make you feel like you’re right there with your favourite cricket stars.

Get on a healthy diet: Stock up on healthy snacks while you enjoy the league. Eat clean and healthy food to stay fit and energetic.

Physical activity: To maintain the vibe of the stadium at home, stand up to cheer when your favourite player hits a 4 or a 6. Get up and walk around during breaks, jump up when a wicket falls. This will help you stay active throughout the match.

Family time: Enjoy watching every match with the family. To make the environment fun, pledge your allegiance to the team which is up against your sibling’s favourite team. After all, a family that cheers together, stays together.

Virtual meet-up with friends and colleagues: You might have not met your friends and colleagues in person in the past few months but this is the perfect opportunity to virtually connect with them to “chill” together and enjoy the Dream11 Indian Premier League 2020.

Reliance General Insurance Introduces New Offering Across India - "Insurance Giftcard"

Reliance General Insurance, a 100% subsidiary of Reliance Capital, has introduced first-of-its-kind offering, ‘Insurance Gift Card’, a smarter and never before opportunity of gifting ‘Insurance’. The product has been chosen as one of the few ideal and innovative offerings under the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) sandbox guidelines. The product is specially designed keeping in mind the gifting scenario in India during the festive season and is super easy to buy and gift. 

This ‘Insurance Gift Card’ is like any prepaid card, available with denominations of ₹500 and ₹1000 and can be bought instantly from the reliancegeneral.co.in website. As soon as you buy the ‘Gift Card’ online, you will receive the voucher on your emailalong with instructions to redeem the voucher. You can then easily share that card electronically with the person you’re gifting it and the bearer can buy a health insurance protection. The gift card is available at a discounted rate of 10% for bearer of card or self for any personal lines of Insurance products. The transactions will be completely digital in nature which will bring convenience and transparency for customers. The usage period of the Gift Card would be 6 months from the date of purchase and is refundable if unused. 

Talking about this launch, Mr. Rakesh Jain, CEO, Reliance General Insurance said, “In India gifts are like blessings, a small token on every festive or celebratory occasion is a way to express care towards our loved ones. And this year with the pandemic around, people are more concerned about the health of their friends and family, so what can be more better than gifting a protection of health insurance. An health insurance cover bought from this ‘Insurance Gift Card’ will take care of their medical uncertainties, which prove to be a financial blessing in time of need.” 

The country is slowly and steadily opening to the ‘new normal’ and is getting into the festive mood with Dussehra, Diwali and the wedding season around and this ‘Insurance Gift Card’ comes across as a smart choice of gifting during this time. 

About Reliance General Insurance - Reliance General Insurance, a part of Reliance Capital, is one of the leading general insurance companies of India.  The Company offers a well-rounded and comprehensive bouquet of products including Motor Insurance,  Health Insurance, Travel Insurance, and Home Insurance, and offers customized solutions to meet the protection needs of each customer. Reliance General Insurance has a wide network of more than 40,000 intermediaries across 136 branch offices across India for offering its products and services to retail, corporates and SME clients   

Bayer’s Aflibercept Injection (EyleaTM) for intravitreal Use Receives DCGI Approval for Diabetic Macular Edema Indication

* Intravitreal Aflibercept is a highly targeted, evidence-based treatment administered via injection directly in the area of swelling in the eye.

* Diabetic macular edema is the most common cause of moderate vision loss in Indian diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy 

* This new indication for intravitreal aflibercept (EyleaTM) provides an additional treatment option for patients with diabetic macular edema in India

Bayer in India today announced that the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved a new indication for intravitreal Aflibercept (EyleaTM) injection solution to treat Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). The approval of Aflibercept injection for intravitreal use presents a new and alternative treatment option to currently available therapies, for patients with DME.

India is estimated to have the second highest number of diabetes cases in the world, with 77 million cases projected to grow to more than 100 million cases by 2030.[1] Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the most common cause of moderate vision loss in patients with diabetic eye diseases, and is expected to affect 22.4 million Indians within the next two decades.[2]

Explaining the magnitude of this disease burden, Dr. Shobhit Chawla, Sr. Vitreo-Retina Consultant, Lucknow and President, Vitreo-Retina Society of India  said, “Based on existing medical literature, we can estimate that diabetic eye disease is found approximately in every fifth person living with diabetes in urban India, and every tenth person living with diabetes in rural India.[3] However, very few diabetic patients get screened proactively. The current pandemic has exacerbated this situation, with many patients waiting until symptoms of vision loss worsen.

Manoj Saxena, Managing Director Bayer Zydus Pharma said, “India has a large and growing prevalence of diabetes, coupled with low levels of awareness and diagnosis of vision-related complications resulting from the condition. Since a significant number of people living with diabetes are under 50, are working and may have dependent families, the economic and social burden of such complications is high.[4] Intravitreal Aflibercept (EyleaTM) offers patients impacted by diabetic vision loss a new option to be proactive and stay ahead of the disease, thereby allowing patients to maintain their vision and to continue to participate in important daily activities such as reading, working and driving.”

He continued, “We are also ensuring this innovative and effective treatment remains accessible through our unique patient support program as well as financing partnership for patients. We look forward to extending our commitment to preserving healthy vision for patients in India, and continue to emphasize a proactive approach to disease management that best maintains and supports their journey to better health.”

About Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)

Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) occurs when high blood sugar levels damage capillaries that leak fluid into the retina, resulting in swelling and blurred vision. By targeting and stopping the release of the VEGF protein that causes fluid leakage and new blood vessel growth, anti-VEGF therapies like intravitreal aflibercept (EyleaTM) rapidly reduce swelling and restore central vision.   

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2019, the Group employed around 104,000 people and had sales of € 43.5 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to € 2.9 billion and R&D expenses to € 5.3 billion. 

Indira IVF is Now Available in 92 Centres Across Indian Market

* Improving accessibility for couples seeking treatment for infertility

* Adds 4 new centres (Nanded, Warangal, Sirsa and Gulbarga) in the first half of FY20-21

Indira IVF, the largest player in the infertility treatment space in India, in its efforts to provide affordable and best in class treatment to couples seeking infertility treatment has added four new centers in Tier-III cities namely, Nanded, Warangal, Sirsa and Gulbarga in the first half of FY20-21. The infertility specialist clinics chain now runs 92 centres across the country helping desirous couples fulfil their dream of parenthood.

Indira IVF’s intent for their patients' wellbeing goes beyond their reproductive health, and hence, abiding by the guidelines laid by the government, the organization had shut down all their treatment centers for over two months. On June 3, 2020, Indira IVF once again opened its doors to aspiring couples, and is optimistic that the pre-COVID volume of IVF procedures will restore by December this year. Currently, all Indira IVF centers strictly adhere to government protocols of running the centers and ensures that the utmost safety standards are maintained for their staff and patients visiting the clinic. 

Speaking on the development Dr. Kshitiz Murdia-CEO, Indira IVF said, “We are living in unprecedented times and everyone is dealing with a number of challenges and uncertainties in their lives. The inability to bear children can be emotionally distressing for desirous families. Living by our vision to make infertility treatment affordable and accessible to all desirous couples, we have improved our reach by adding four more centers.”

He added, “We are witnessing a huge influx of inquiries from Tier II and Tier III cities. The growing awareness, knowledge about IVF and fertility issues has helped the sector to grow and craft a niche segment in the healthcare space. Young individuals and couples have become increasingly cognizant of their reproductive health and constitute a major share of all IVF procedures carried out at Indira IVF.”

Indira IVF today is the largest and the most recognized fertility chains of hospitals in the country. Armed with state-of-the-art infrastructure, Indira IVF helps countless couples navigate the often-complicated journey of infertility and ultimately realize their dream of starting a family.

About Indira IVF

Indira IVF is India’s largest infertility speciality clinics chain with 92 centres across the country, supported by a passionate workforce of over 2200 people. Indira IVF performs about 31,000+ IVF procedures a year – the highest number in the country.

As a responsible leader, Indira IVF constantly strives to dispel the stigma, taboo, myths and misinformation about infertility. Indira IVF is also committed to developing and grooming talent for fertility treatments. Through the Indira Fertility Academy it collaborates with like-minded organisations and institutions to further this cause. Having perceived the potential of Indira IVF in the sector, TA Associates, a leading global equity firm from the U.S., invested in the organisation in 2019.

Indira IVF was founded in the year 2011 in Udaipur, Rajasthan by Dr Ajay Murdia.

upGrad Enrols 350+ Learners for its 1st Cohort of LL.M. Program; Most Successful Batch Launch Till Date

upGrad, India’s largest online higher education company, wraps admissions for the first cohort of LL.M. in Corporate and Financial Law, blended learning in partnership with Jindal Global Law School. It is ranked as India’s No.1 Law School by the prestigious QS Ranking 2021. upGrad is now the only edtech major to introduce a first-of-its-kind LL.M program in India through blended learning for tomorrow’s legal professionals. The program has secured enrolments from over 360 learners for the first cohort, thereby booking revenue of ₹ 11 crore without having to offer any special scheme during the admission cycle.

Learners on-board carry strong profiles with an average of 4 years of work experience in top corporate law firms, in-house counsel, independent practitioners, and litigators in high court & Supreme Court who are looking forward to climbing up the ladder in their professional career through the dynamic law program. Learners from across 85 law schools have enrolled under this program from across the country including tier I, II, and III cities/regions.

Commenting on the announcement Phalgun Kompalli, Co-founder, upGrad said: “This is a breakthrough moment for us. We are delighted to partner with Jindal Global Law School to aid towards upskilling and help seasoned professionals to navigate through the ever-changing business environment. Our program structure will enable learners to continuously evolve and develop accurate subject knowledge to attain a desired professional outcome. As COVID-19 has already fast-tracked the edtech sector, the introduction of such a blended online learning program will now help professionals/individuals convert the parked upskilling programs.”

From being a Data dominated company, upGrad has massively diversified its portfolio of online programs with strong additions on Tech & MBAs in the past few months and the introduction of Law is another milestone achieved.

About upGrad:

upGrad is India’s largest online higher education company. Founded in early 2015, upGrad has on-boarded over 34.5K paid learners and impacted around 8 lakh individuals globally, within a short span of 5 years.

upGrad provides online programs in the areas of Data Science, Technology, Management and Law to college students, working professionals and enterprises. These programs are designed and delivered in collaboration with top-notch universities like IIT Madras, IIIT Bangalore, MICA, NMIMS Global Access, Jindal Global Law School, Duke CE, Deakin University, Liverpool John Moores University and others.

With an 80% program completion rate, robust tech platform, outcome-based learning approach, industry-relevant curriculum, finest university credentials, strong mentorship, and steadfast placement support, upGrad has established its position as the leader in the Indian education system.

upGrad Elevate, a virtual hiring drive for upGrad users/alumni offers the opportunity to interview with 300+ hiring partners ensuring successful career outcomes they deserve.

IIIT Bangalore and upGrad's PG Diploma in Data Science is India’s first-ever PG Diploma to be recommended and validated by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM). The program is India's largest Data Science program with over 10,000 alumni & learner-base, which now provides learners with certification from NASSCOM FutureSkills, thereby making the program aligned to Government approved National Occupational Standards (NOS) to facilitate the upskilling of India’s IT workforce and make them abreast of the new-age skills. Through this first-of-its-kind collaboration, upGrad joins NASSCOM’s mission to make India a hub for innovation and a global hotspot for a skilled talent pool.

upGrad has ranked No.1 in the #LinkedInTopStartups 2020 list. This is the third time in a row that upGrad has been featured in the #LinkedInTopStartup list. upGrad has been awarded the title of ‘Best Tech for Education’ by IAMAI in 2019. Also, received the ‘Best Education Brands’ award by Economic Times in 2018, and Most Innovative Companies in India' by Fast Company in 2017.

Omidyar Network India Announces ‘Digital Society Challenge’ Aimed at Innovators Addressing Online Risks

Omidyar Network India, an investment firm focused on social impact, today announced a call for proposals for innovations to help Indians cope better with online risks. The program will fund the most creative and scalable proposals aimed at the next half billion (NHB), i.e. the 500m low and lower-middle-income Indians coming online between 2017 and 2022.

Shilpa Kumar, Investment Partner at Omidyar Network India, said “India is digitizing rapidly, especially since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis. The internet helps us address the development needs of the country faster, better, and cheaper. To consolidate these gains, we need better privacy, protection from cybercrimes, recourse from frauds, and authentic information online. Such efforts will help build individual trust and pave the way for India’s digital deepening. This is why we are launching the Digital Society Challenge to support entrepreneurs in tackling this issue through creative and innovative ideas.”

What type of innovations will be considered?

The challenge will shortlist tech and non-tech innovations that directly impact individuals, especially, the NHB. e.g. apps or digital training programs for users and data management platforms for non-profit organizations. 

The challenge is sector agnostic as long as the solution addresses one or more online risks such as privacy, cybersecurity, misinformation, or digital exclusion of vulnerable groups (e.g. elderly, disabled). The innovation can be at any stage right from being a concept to a minimum viable product or a locally-implemented solution and even scaled-up innovation.

Who can apply?

The challenge is inviting proposals from three categories of applicants. Start-ups can apply for equity investments, and non-profits can apply for grants to undertake projects or strengthen their organizations. Organizations that provide services to clients can also apply for service contracts to execute their ideas.

Selection Criteria: 

Reach – the solution should reach and empower a large segment of Indians, especially those in the NHB

Depth of Impact – the solution should have a deep impact on the lives it touches

Innovation – the solution should have either tech or non-tech innovation that meaningfully strengthens online safety 

Application Timelines:

The call for proposals will end on 23 October 2020. The shortlisting of applicants will happen on a rolling basis, and applicants are therefore advised to apply early.

Where to Apply: 

More details and the application form can be found on www.digitalsociety-india.com 

About Omidyar Network India

Omidyar Network India invests in bold entrepreneurs who help create a meaningful life for every Indian, especially the hundreds of millions of Indians in low-income and lower-middle-income populations, ranging from the poorest among us to the existing middle class. To drive empowerment and social impact at scale, we work with entrepreneurs in the private, non-profit, and public sectors, who are tackling India’s hardest and most chronic problems. We make equity investments in early-stage enterprises and provide grants to nonprofits in the areas of Digital Identity, Education, Emerging Tech, Financial Inclusion, Governance & Citizen Engagement, and Property Rights. Omidyar Network India is part of The Omidyar Group, a diverse collection of companies, organizations, and initiatives, supported by philanthropists Pam and Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay.

Trend Micro Study Finds 42% of Indian Employees Access Corporate Data on Personal Devices

 

Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), the leader in cloud security, today released survey results that show smart home devices and their apps represent a major weak link in the corporate cybersecurity chain as the lines between work and home life increasingly blur.  

Trend Micro’s Head in the Clouds study surveyed more than 13,000 remote workers across 27 countries to find out more about the habits of distributed workforces during the pandemic. It revealed that 42% of workers in India use personal devices to access corporate data, often via services and applications hosted in the cloud. These personal smartphones, tablets and laptops may be less secure than corporate equivalents and exposed to vulnerable IoT apps and gadgets on the home network. Over one third (37%) of remote workers surveyed do not have basic password protection on all personal devices, for example. 

Dr Linda K. Kaye, a cyberpsychology expert said: "The fact that so many remote workers use personal devices for accessing corporate data and services suggests that there may be a lack of awareness about the security risks associated with this. Tailored cybersecurity training which recognises the diversity of different users and their levels of awareness and attitudes around risks would be beneficial to help mitigate any security threats which may derive from these issues." 

More than half (57%) of Indian remote workers have IoT devices connected to their home network, 12% using lesser-known brands, the study revealed. Many such devices – especially from smaller brands – have well-documented weaknesses such as unpatched firmware vulnerabilities and insecure logins. These could theoretically allow attackers to gain a foothold in the home network, then use unprotected personal devices as a stepping-stone into the corporate networks they’re connected to.  

There’s an additional risk to enterprise networks post-lockdown if malware infections picked up at home are physically brought into the office via unsecured personal devices at organizations with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) practices. 

The research also revealed that 81% of remote workers in India connect corporate laptops to the home network. Although these machines are likely to be better protected than personal devices, there is still a risk to corporate data and systems if users are allowed to install unapproved applications on these devices to access home IoT devices. 

“IoT has empowered simple devices with computing and connectivity, but not necessarily adequate security capabilities,” said Nilesh Jain, Vice President, Southeast Asia and India, Trend Micro. “They could actually be making hackers’ lives easier by opening backdoors that could compromise corporate networks. This threat is amplified as an age of mass remote work blurs the lines between private and company devices, putting both personal and business data in the firing line. Now more than ever, it is important that individuals take responsibility for their cybersecurity and that organisations continue to educate their employees on best practices.” 

Trend Micro recommends employers ensure their remote workers are compliant with existing corporate security policies, or, if needed, companies should refine these rules to recognise the threat from BYOD practice and IoT devices and applications.  

Companies should also reappraise the security solutions they offer to employees using home networks to access corporate information. Shifting to a cloud-based security model can alleviate many remote working risks in a highly cost-efficient and effective manner. 

Cost, Complexity and Compliance: Clumio Addresses Enterprise All-Cloud Needs Amidst COVID Challenges

 

Clumio, innovators of authentic SaaS for enterprise backup, today announced increased demand for its “all cloud” enterprise data protection service in 2020, with an eight-time increase in the number of its platform customers protecting more than one data source across private cloud, public cloud and SaaS compared to seven months ago. Clumio has tripled its employee headcount, hiring more than 50 percent of its total company roster during the pandemic. The company has expanded from protecting one to four data sources, including AWS EC2, EBS and RDS, VMware Cloud on AWS and Microsoft 365 – the first service of its kind on a single platform. Enterprises choose Clumio for its innovative air-gap backup service for public cloud and SaaS. Clumio, unlike any legacy product, frees companies from the burden of managing data protection. Clumio continues to advance company, product and industry innovation throughout 2020 by solving the cost, complexity and compliance problems that are inhibiting enterprises from getting to the cloud faster.

Clumio has responded to rapidly increasing customer demand for all-encompassing data protection with an easy-to-onboard service that safeguards against ransomware and data loss. The company has redefined the enterprise backup experience with the industry’s first “born in the cloud” data protection offering for long-term retention and compliance of AWS native services. Clumio scales on demand, has predictable pricing – including a free tier for operational recovery – and is simple to manage.

“Remote work and a major uptick in SaaS and cloud use has escalated potential ransomware threats. Now, more than ever, our customers are realizing the value of a cloud-native data protection platform - a platform that arms them to fight today’s data protection challenges,” said Poojan Kumar, CEO and co-founder, Clumio. “Other industry players can’t deliver Clumio’s ‘built natively in the public cloud,’ always-on, always-covered data protection. The fact that Snowflake Computing CRO Chris Degnan joined Clumio’s board - combined with support from Snowflake investor Mike Speiser of Sutter Hill Ventures - further validates our mission; we, like Snowflake, are tapping the scale, elasticity and economics of the public cloud to disrupt and redefine our market.”

Clumio, committed to removing cloud barriers so enterprises can achieve their cloud-related technology goals, continues to deepen its partnership with Amazon. The company’s enterprise backup as a service is built on native AWS services, meaning customers can take full advantage of the flexibility, scalability and economics AWS provides - without needing to rely on incomplete snapshot managers or build a solution on their own. Clumio’s data protection for Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service) workloads is the first data protection service for long-term retention of AWS native services. Clumio protects EC2, EBS and RDS for operational recovery, data recovery, and long-term retention, dramatically reducing companies’ costs and security risks as they accelerate to the cloud.

The company has just achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Outposts Ready designation, which differentiates Clumio as an AWS Partner Network (APN) member with a product fully tested on AWS Outposts. Clumio has also distinguished itself as an AWS Partner Network member by earning AWS Storage Competency status, validating the company’s deep domain expertise in core storage categories including backup and recovery.

“We vetted several options and Clumio came out on top as the only solution that could reduce our costs and remove the complexity of managing and protecting data in the cloud. Now we can focus our resources on more strategic initiatives,” said Dennis Yang, CIO at Motion Picture Association. “Clumio’s ability to innovate and deliver is unmatched.”

"We have always taken the necessary precautions to reduce our risk of ransomware attacks across multiple sites, but that often came with a high cost," said Chris Blazejewicz, manager of IT at Lakeside Process Controls. "When I was introduced to Clumio, I saw the value right away. Now we protect Microsoft 365 and VMware with a single service and have a secure air-gap for our backups to protect us from bad actors."

Clumio continues to evolve SaaS backup for the all cloud enterprise with a seamless public cloud backup service that enables companies to get to the cloud faster. The company delivers a unified backup solution that protects public cloud, private cloud and SaaS with a single service for VMware, VMware Cloud on AWS, Amazon EC2, Amazon EBS, Amazon RDS and Microsoft 365. This single service provides companies with always-on security, fast, intuitive restores and effortless compliance - along with air-gap data protection that enables recovery from data loss and ransomware. In fact, Clumio is the only “air-gapped” service for protecting public cloud applications outside of customer accounts. The Clumio platform is built in the cloud and for the cloud, providing the agility and scale of the public cloud with a simple, intuitive “as a service” offering. The continually updated platform consolidates operational recovery, backup and compliance requirements  - all with predictable costs and proactive support.

Clumio has marked the following corporate, customer and product-related milestones so far during 2020:

Corporate

Increased employee headcount by 70 percent, to 179 total employees.

Hired more than 50 percent of employee headcount during the pandemic.

Launched the Clumio Research and Development Center in Bengaluru, with plans to tap into local tech talent to double the company workforce in India by the end of 2020.

Launched operations in Canada, meaning Canadian companies – for the first time – have access to a simplified and cost-effective enterprise backup service that provides scale, flexible economics and inherent elasticity, while protecting the data within the borders of Canada.

Customers

Featured new customers include Cole Scott & Kissane (law), Rush Memorial Hospital, Infogix (data governance and management), Lakeside Process Controls, InTown Suites (hospitality), Frogslayer (cloud IT consultancy), and Point Loma Nazarene University.

Selected by and continuing to gain traction with customers who commend Clumio’s “easy” UI and “set it and forget it” simplicity, as well as proactive customer support that includes automated, continuous, 24/7 real-time monitoring.

Product

Clumio, with the addition of Microsoft 365 to its secure backup as a service, has delivered on its all cloud vision with the first private, public and SaaS enterprise data protection service on a single platform. Now, with Clumio, organizations running Microsoft 365 have a globally consolidated data protection service. Clumio allows Microsoft 365 users to quickly and easily set their backup policies to meet data retention requirements, monitor progress, and easily restore their data at the email, folder, or mailbox level. Future updates include extending support for Microsoft 365 beyond Exchange to OneDrive and SharePoint support later in 2020.

Announced industry’s first data protection service for long-term retention and compliance for Amazon RDS, including a free tier for operational recovery. Clumio now allows customers to address operational recovery, data recovery and long-term retention -- all with a single service. Companies can slash up to 50 percent off their snapshot spend and can stop paying competitors for snapshot orchestration altogether with the free tier in Clumio.

Added Rolling Backup Protection for Amazon RDS, a product capability that includes a time-lagged standby copy of an RDS database securely stored in Clumio. The rolling backup is an essential add-on feature that enables administrators to do a full restore from the time-lagged standby copy in the event of a ransomware attack on the database or an account compromise.

Introduced Backup as a Service for AWS EC2/EBS, expanding Clumio’s functionality and flexibility within AWS. Users now have more options to protect their data, including consistent protection at various granularities from EBS to EC2, operational simplicity with unified policies, as well as cost-effective, air-gapped protection at up to 50 percent lower costs compared to AWS snapshots.

Added Extended Retention and Granular Record Retrieval for Amazon RDS, a simple, easy-to-use solution to help organizations adhere to regulatory requirements, company policies, and compliance mandates. Clumio helps these companies retain backup data for long durations, ensuring they can easily retrieve the data when needed. Granular backups can be taken weekly, monthly, and yearly and can be retained for seven years.

Partner

Achieved Amazon Web Services (AWS) Storage Competency status for enterprise backup solutions. Clumio is one of the youngest companies to earn this designation, recognizing the company’s ability to help customers successfully achieve their storage goals on AWS.

Earned the AWS Outposts Ready designation, part of the AWS Service Ready Program, validating that Clumio has demonstrated successful integration with AWS Outposts deployments.

Certifications

Earned industry certifications and compliance for ISO 27001, SOC2 Type 1, HIPAA, and PCI/DSS Level 4.

Awards and Accolades

CRN “Emerging Vendors 2020” Award

CRN “Software Defined Data Center 2020” Award

CRN 2020 “Data Center 50” Award

VMworld “Best of Show” Award

VMworld Gold Award in Data Protection

Storage Magazine “Product of the Year” finalist

Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 2020 “Best Places to Work”

Additional Resources

●          See upcoming webinars and events

●          Learn How Clumio is Reimagining Enterprise Backup

●          Read our Blogs

●          Follow us on Twitter

About Clumio

Clumio is the innovator of authentic SaaS for enterprise backup. Using this secure service, organizations eliminate hardware and software for on-premise backup and avoid the complexity and cost of running third-party backup software in the cloud. As enterprises move aggressively to cloud, they use Clumio to protect workloads like VMware Cloud on AWS, AWS native services and SaaS. Born in the public cloud, Clumio can leverage the most modern cloud services to ensure it meets the current and future backup requirements of the most demanding enterprises. For more information, visit: www.clumio.com.

Mirchi and TimesJobs Launch National Campaign to Help People Get Hired in COVID-19 Crisis

* Mirchi and TimesJobs recently announced a national campaign of the popular CSR campaign – Baat Baat Pe Jobs - where both brands jointly help professionals find appropriate jobs quickly

* TimesJobs has roped in 202 recruiters to help job seekers get hired in a span of 3 weeks

* More than 4,475 jobs are available from all domains, including IT, Banking, Marketing and Retail

* Mirchi RJs from Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru are anchoring this campaign on radio

The season 3 of TimesJobs and Mirchi’s hiring focussed CSR campaign ‘Baat Baat Pe Jobs’ was launched nationally with a focus on key cities - Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.

‘Baat Baat Pe Jobs’ has been curated to help professionals whose jobs have been impacted due to COVID-19.

In December 2019, TimesJobs and Mirchi collaborated for the first time to launch a recruitment centric CSR campaign called ‘ReadySteadyJobs’. This campaign caught everyone’s attention as it helped more than a thousand candidates get hired in a sluggish economy.

With the same enthusiasm, a re-branded season 2 was launched in Delhi-NCR in July 2020 to bring hope to job seekers amid the COVID-19 crisis. More than 1 lakh job seekers uploaded their CVs for the jobs posted by 160+ recruiters. This edition helped more 670 professionals find jobs and 2,399 get shortlisted in just 27 days! Mirchi Delhi RJs Naved, Rochie, Vidit, Leen and Sayema were the campaign’s torchbearers as they spoke to job seekers, hiring managers and recruiters - show after show – and ensured that the word reached every job seeker.

In season3, the number of recruiters has grown to 202, comprising of 38 companies and 164 hiring consultants. Companies include top names as OPPO, WhiteHat Jr, Berger, BMC Software, Mastercard, Capgemini among others. Together, these recruiters have posted 4,475 jobs from all domains as IT, Manufacturing, Banking & Finance and Sales & Marketing. There are 136 jobs for international locations too. 

Mirchi RJs from Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai radio stations are anchoring this campaign and guiding the job seekers on how to find jobs through this campaign, and most importantly how to be job-ready!

Sanjay Goyal, Business Head, TimesJobs and TechGig lauded the campaign’s national launch and said, “At ‘Baat Baat Pe Jobs’ - both Mirchi and TimesJobs are combining their synergies and reach to help job seekers across India. With this campaign, we want to give a simple message - hiring is happening, companies are recruiting competent professionals and there’s still hope! We have 202 active recruiting agencies and companies on board, with 4,475 jobs where candidates can apply and get hired quickly”.

Sudipta Suri, National Marketing Head, Radio Mirchi said “We received good feedback for the first two seasons of ‘Baat Baat Pe Jobs’ and wanted to take the campaign national. The current pandemic has left many people jobless and to help people find jobs again is a great way to make our listeners ‘Khush’! Now live in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, the campaign is being spearheaded by our RJs who are utilising not only radio but also social media extensively to spread the word about companies hiring. Such a campaign at these times is great use of Mirchi’s leadership position in reach and we are very happy to have partnered with TimesJobs in this CSR initiative.”