Toyota Kirloskar Motor Introduces Attractive Finance Schemes at the “Toyota Mega Carnival”

* Toyota Mega Carnival is back this December to offer special discount packages and lowest EMI schemes on Toyota vehicles 

In its pursuit of delivering remarkable customer experience through unique and customized offers & services, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced the launch of its “Mega Carnival” to enable easy finance options for all Toyota customers in Bangalore, Andhra Pradesh & Telengana. Applicable from 11th to 13th December on all Toyota models, the special scheme will feature deals ranging from cash discount benefits to some of the lowest EMIs.

The campaign titled “Toyota Mega Carnival is back this December” will provide an array of exciting packages and offers* such as:

·         Benefits up-to Rs. 40,000, low Down payment & Buy now & Pay EMI after 4 months on Toyota Innova

·         Benefits up-to Rs. 45,000, Down payment @ just Rs. 1 at an IRR of 8.99% on Toyota Yaris

·         Benefits up-to Rs. 15,000, Down payment @ just Rs. 9,999 on Toyota Glanza

·         EMI option of Rs. 5,888* monthly on Toyota Urban Cruiser

Commenting on the seasonal offer, Mr. Naveen Soni, Senior Vice President, Sales and Service, TKM said, “As a brand that puts customers at the heart of every transaction, we have curated special finance schemes that will provide easy, flexible and convenient payment options, thus ensuring the best experience for our customers. The offer has been provided across a range of vehicles so that the customers can opt for a vehicle of their choice, including our most recent launch- the Urban Cruiser, Toyota’s youngest urban SUV. 

The “Mega Carnival” is an endeavour to enable customers to live their dreams of owning a Toyota vehicle and ease the process of car buying with an assured peace of mind. We would also like to thank our customers for placing their trust on us. We want to continue bringing in such schemes so as to offer the most unique offers to choose from”, he concluded.

The offers are available across all Toyota dealerships in Bangalore, Entire Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and customers can contact their nearest Toyota dealership for more details.

 *Conditions apply

Hyundai Announces Nationwide Smart Care Clinic From Dec 14-23

* Nationwide Camp to be conducted Pan India from December 14-23, 2020.

* Special Offers & Benefits for customers including complimentary 50 point check-up, Discounts on parts, labour & much more

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), country’s first smart mobility solutions provider and largest exporter since inception, today announced the launch of ‘Hyundai Smart Care Clinic’, a 10 day Nationwide Service Camp for customers from 14th to 23rdDec ’20, at 1288 Hyundai Service points across India.

Commenting on the launch of the Camp, Mr. Tarun Garg, Director (Sales, Marketing & Service) said, “Hyundai is a customer-centric brand and a lifetime partner of customers. We believe in continuously bringing in innovation in products and services thereby providing an enhanced brand experience to our customers. Hyundai Smart Care Clinic is a nationwide service camp offering wide range of innovative offers to further deliver unmatched customer delight and quality.”

The Nationwide Hyundai Smart Care Clinic will offer wide range of benefits for the customers such as –

Complimentary 1 Year Extended Warranty for lucky 200 customers

Complimentary Amazon Vouchers /Fuel Cards worth ₹ 2000 for lucky 1000 customers

Free Top Wash

10% Discount on Mechanical Parts 

Up to 20% Discount on Mechanical Labour

20% Discount on all Value added Services

Complimentary 50 point check

Attractive discount upto ₹ 70000 on new car purchase*

Hyundai service facilities can be experienced via 360 Degree Digital & Contact-less Service. From online service booking, vehicle status update, Pick & Drop from home or office to online payment facility, a touch free service experience is ensured for the customers, wherever they are and whenever they want to. With its strong network of 1288 workshops, Hyundai has always been at the forefront in providing the best ownership experience to its customers at a reasonable cost. 

Atlassian Looks to Revolutionize ITSM with Jira Service Management

Atlassian Corporation Plc (NASDAQ:TEAM), a leading provider of team collaboration and productivity software and the maker of Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket and Trello products, has extended its footprint in IT service management (ITSM) with the launch of Jira Service Management, a cloud-based tool. With an aim of bringing IT operations and development teams together to collaborate at high velocity and power digital enterprises, Atlassian has introduced Jira Service Management to address IT support processes more easily. 

Jira Service Management is the next evolution of Jira Service Desk, Atlassian’s popular help desk solution, and builds on the capabilities already provided in Jira Service Desk with new functionality. More than 25,000 organizations employ Jira Service Desk currently, which provides the base of customers from which Atlassian intends to drive convergence of DevOps and ITSM workflows. Teams can leverage a low-code approach to defining and refining their own workflows and record types, all while remaining standardized on Jira. 

As part of the new features, Jira Service Management includes on-call scheduling, alerting and incident swarming functionality from Atlassian’s incident management product, Ospgenie, along with deeper integrations with Jira Software for project management, Bitbucket for code repositories and Confluence for collaboration. The tool also has new change management functionality to help teams respond to business changes faster. IT teams can leverage capabilities geared at helping them create amazing service experiences, such as bulk ticket actions and machine learning algorithms that intelligently categorize similar tickets and enable teams to take action quickly. 

Edwin Wong, Head of Product, IT, Atlassian said, “The launch of Jira Service Management comes at a time when more organizations are starting to transition ITSM to the cloud. This announcement underlines Atlassian’s commitment to investing in the ITSM space, a market where we continue to see strong momentum and growth. With most IT staff working from home either full or part-time to help combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations need ITSM platforms that are easily accessible from anywhere. With Jira Service Management, teams and the broader organization can get visibility into work happening across the entire company.” 

“Together with tight integrations to other Atlassian products and our suite of more than 900-plus integrations and applications on the Atlassian Marketplace, teams really do have all the contextual information at their fingertips to make well-informed decisions,” he further added. 

Even teams that interact with IT – like legal, HR, and finance – can leverage Jira Service Management to build out their own service culture and service operations. It helps them innovate faster with automated change risk assessments, advanced approval workflows, and deep integrations with popular CI/CD tools like Bitbucket Pipelines, Jenkins, and CircleCI. Teams can be more effective across the entire IT service lifecycle – from planning to building, testing, deploying, changing, and optimizing. 

Coming soon, Jira Service Management will add asset and configuration management from the recent acquisition of Mindville Insight as well as conversational ticketing capabilities that Atlassian gained via the acquisition of Halp. 

About Atlassian:  

Atlassian unleashes the potential of every team. Our collaboration software helps teams organize, discuss, and complete shared work. Teams at more than 182,000 customers, across large and small organizations - including General Motors, Walmart Labs, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Lyft, Verizon, Spotify, and NASA - use Atlassian’s project tracking, content creation and sharing, and service management products to work better together and deliver quality results on time. Learn more about products including Jira Software, Confluence, Trello, Bitbucket, Opsgenie, Jira Service Desk, and Jira Align at https://atlassian.com. 

Saft Reinforces its Position in India with the Launch of Saft Urja Brand

 

* Saft Urja, Urja meaning energy in Sanskrit is the new name replacing Amco Saft and shows the spirit of Saft and its commitment to India. 

* In 2021, Saft India will increase its production capacity by 20%, enhance its work force at its design office and launch new industrial battery products for India region. 

Saft is launching the Saft Urja brand as the new name for its products manufactured and sold from its subsidiary in India.  Adding to its existing product portfolio, Saft India is further gearing up to introduce new products for maintenance-free industrial applications and off-grid solar applications, showing its commitment to sustainability through innovative approaches and reliable renewable energy.  

Franck Cecchi, Executive Vice President for Saft’s Industrial Standby business, says: “India is strategically important and exciting for Saft. We have a strong presence here and we’ve built up a solid brand awareness over the past 14 years now. India benefits from a high potential fast-growing battery market, with average annual estimate growth of 9% in the coming five years.” 

Arindam Majumdar, Chief Executive Officer of Saft India adds: “We are confident for the future. Urja means energy in Sanskrit, so by branding our products under the name of Saft Urja, we are reflecting the spirit of the country and showing Saft’s positive energy.” 

To leverage on the “Make in India” program driven by the Indian Government, Saft India is extending the production capacity by 20% at its factory in Bangalore. The site follows the quality standards and procedures established across all Saft’s plants throughout the globe. Those standards provide high reliability and efficient operation for the Indian market. 

Saft India is a trusted manufacturer of nickel technology battery systems for industrial power backup, utilities, oil and gas, railways and metro operators in India. Many of those batteries operate in difficult and demanding conditions, for example, at subzero temperatures in the Himalayas (Leh Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir), in hot climates of the Thar and Kutch deserts and in hot and humid conditions of the western and eastern coasts. 

About Saft   

Saft specializes in advanced technology battery solutions for industry, from the design and development to the production, customization and service provision. For 100 years, Saft’s longer-lasting batteries and systems have provided critical safety applications, back-up power and propulsion for our customers. Our innovative, safe and reliable technology delivers high performance on land, at sea, in the air and in space. Saft is powering industry and smarter cities, while providing critical back-up functionality in remote and harsh environments from the Arctic Circle to the Sahara Desert. Saft is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Total, a leading international oil and gas company and a major player in renewables and electricity. 

We energize the world.  www.saftbatteries.com 

MIT-WPU’s School of Engineering Updates its Curriculum to Bridge Industry-Academia Gap

The Indian education system is frequently challenged by an obsolete curriculum that is theoretical in nature and lacks the practical element of providing skills and competencies that are important to an ever-evolving industry. In order to ensure that the curriculum is continuously updated and applicable to the industry, MIT-WPU’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology has restructured its engineering curriculum by incorporating industry-relevant courses and enabling students to choose a minor in Computer Engineering along with their BTech specialisation. 

The Faculty of Engineering and Technology at MIT-WPU and CIAP believe that for India to be at the forefront of cutting-edge technology and research, it requires an evolved Industry-Academia interface. They are leading in a truly collaborative approach, which enables learning through an industrial, academic and research alliance, through its extensive industry network, state-of-the-art laboratories and centres of excellence within the campus. With this, students get opportunities to learn actual industry practices through projects and lectures instead of just theoretical learning. 

Suggestions received from industries through Centre for Industry Academia Partnerships (CIAP) at the university were also considered to address the curriculum gaps. Elaborating further on this, Mr Pravin V Patil, CEO – CIAP, MIT World Peace University, said, “CIAP’s mandate is to bridge the gap between skill/exposure/academic understanding of students and his/her employability. We help bridge the gap between Industry and Academia and also build long-term partnerships with industries that can provide a win-win for both the industry and its students.” 

Introduction of Four New Industry-Relevant Courses in B.Tech 

MIT-WPU’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology has also undergone academic restructuring in line with the New Education Policy 2020 for incorporating skills required as per the market needs and to minimize the overlapping of courses across all the B.Tech programs. The university has identified four specific courses, which will be added to all the engineering curricula, after an intensive initiative to further update the B.Tech program and align it with the current industry demands. These four courses are as follows: 

1.    Linux based Python Laboratory (1 Credit): This lab course is to be offered in the second year of the BTech program. At the end of this course, students will be able to use Python for problem solving. 

2.    Basic IoT Laboratory (2 Credits): The course is to be offered in the second year of the BTech program. The course will be based on a few common lab assignments and a small discipline-specific project. This will allow students to concentrate on discipline-specific applications and also help the Schools in percolating the concepts and applications for other courses as well as in projects.  

3.    Data Science for Engineers (2 + 1 Credits): This course is to be offered in the third year of the BTech program. The course would be a combination of theory and lab practice.  

4.    Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) (2 + 1 Credits): This course is to be offered in the third year of BTech program. The course would be a combination of theory and lab practice. After learning the course, students should be able to apply the AI and ML skills in their domain and projects. 

Driving Industry-Academia Collaborations: In partnership with TCS 

Further, to address the growing need of engineering talent with skills in digital technology, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), in partnership with MIT-WPU, has designed a curriculum for a 4-year undergraduate program on Computer Science called Computer Science and Business Systems (CSBS), which will run under the School of Computer Engineering and Technology.  

Some of the salient features of this course are as follows: 

The course curriculum is designed by TCS 

TCS will conduct training sessions for the faculty members about the conduction of all courses before the commencement of each trimester. The sessions will be conducted by leading academicians and TCS senior executives. 

TCS may offer internships to selected students based on their performance of assessment tests 

Expert lectures will be conducted by TCS senior executives for some subjects 

TCS will do periodic progress assessment of the students for some papers 

This curriculum aims to ensure that the students graduating from this program not only know the core topics of Computer Science but also develop an equal appreciation of humanities, management sciences and human values. The students are also exposed to emerging topics such as, Analytics, Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, etc. to make them industry-ready at the end of four years of study. 

Market-Ready Students: Opting for a Minor in Computer Engineering 

Apart from the introduction of these new courses to inculcate further industry-relevant skillsets through their BTech programs, the MIT-WPU Faculty of Engineering and Technology is also introducing the option to opt for a minor in Computer Engineering along with pursuing their major in their chosen BTech specialization. This will further bridge the gap between industry and academia and eligible students will gain an edge over their peers and will graduate with expertise in two different disciplines. 

Speaking on this remarkable change in the curriculum, Prof Dr Prasad D Khandekar, Dean, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, MIT World Peace University, said, “In order to impart more knowledge and expose our students towards evolving skills for future applications, we are offering the minor in Computer Engineering (CE) at the BTech level. All interested and eligible students of all the BTech programs and specializations can opt for this minor in CE, excluding the students admitted in CE of course. The students can take up the minor after the successful completion of their first year, subject to fulfilling the eligibility criteria.”  

MIT World Peace University is currently accepting online admissions applications to its industry-acclaimed BTech programs. To apply for 2020, click here.  

Please note that the BTech admission at MIT Pune, Kothrud (MIT-WPU) is done via separate application process and NOT through DTE CAP rounds. The last date to apply for this program is 6th December, 2020.  

BTech Program for Diploma Students 

The MIT-WPU Faculty of Engineering & Technology also offers a 3-year BTech program for Diploma students, who wish to upgrade themselves and get their BTech degree from an acclaimed university. A unique BTech Lateral Entry (Direct Second Year) program at MIT-WPU gives the opportunity to Diploma students to benefit from world-class learning opportunities and enter the BTech program offered at MIT-WPU from the second year.  

A diploma graduate can now apply for any engineering specialization irrespective of their branch. For example, a mechanical diploma holder can apply for a computer engineering specialization through this 3-year BTech Lateral Entry (Direct Second Year) program at MIT-WPU. This program is also offered in all the mainstream engineering specializations and they can also get a minor in Computer Engineering, as is applicable in a regular BTech program at MIT-WPU. The university is currently accepting online applications for the admissions of year 2020.  

Admissions to BTech Lateral Entry (Direct Second Year) program are currently open:  https://apply.mitwpu.edu.in/bts/application.php         

Please note that the BTech admission at MIT Pune, Kothrud (MIT-WPU) is done via separate application process and NOT through DTE CAP rounds. The last date to apply for this program is 6th December, 2020. 

Scholarships for Engineering Students 

Dr Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University always encourages pursuit of academic excellence and rewards meritorious students with scholarships. Scholarships of 10% to 100% of tuition fees to the first year of BTech students are awarded on the basis of JEE mains and MHTCET entrance marks.   

Scholarships to Direct Second Year BTech students are also awarded on the basis of their diploma percentage. Scholarships from 25% to 75% of tuition fees are awarded to Direct Second Year BTech students. Polymer, Petroleum, Chemical, Civil and Electrical Engineering students can get the highest scholarships in the Direct Second Year BTech program. 

MIT World Peace University is currently accepting online admissions applications to its industry-acclaimed BTech programs. To apply for 2020, click here. 

Please note that the BTech admission at MIT Pune, Kothrud (MIT-WPU) is done via separate application process and NOT through DTE CAP rounds. The last date to apply for this program is 6th December 2020. 

Connecting through Music – STB as ‘Country Partner’ at Bacardi NH7 Weekender

* As year draws to a close, a virtual music festival collaboration to keep the Indian audience engaged and entertained 

Continuing its stride of innovative and interesting partnerships, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) recently collaborated with India’s popular music festival ‘Bacardi NH7 Weekender’ which had gone virtual for the first time.

The 11th edition of Bacardi NH7 Weekender featured a host of exciting contemporary artistes, with genres spanning from Indian classical to rap. The platform, which was built by Paytm Insider, was a state-of-the-art virtual experience replete with cutting edge features designed to make the at-home experience as immersive as possible. Over 3 days, 65,000 people witnessed the magic of this indie-music festival.

International and homegrown artistes performed from various parts of the world to curate a completely unique never-been-seen set for the Bacardi NH7 Weekender audience. Singapore’s English-Tamil rap sensation Yung Raja enthralled the crowd with his hip-hop performance. His most recent music video, featuring some of Singapore’s popular spots such as Gardens by the Bay skywalk, Singapore Flyer, Esplanade, Little India was played at the festival. Through the music video, Yung Raja took the audience through his music journey and connection with the places close to his heart in Singapore.

Another artiste who headlined the event was Indian-American rapper, singer and songwriter Raja Kumari. Her music video ‘Unstoppable’, a project by the STB and VH1 India two years back, was also screened before her performance at the Bacardi NH7 Weekender. ‘Unstoppable’, as the title suggests, urged viewers to evoke their experience-and-discover spirit by pursuing and living up their passions. Raja Kumari, along with the Chemical Brothers of India’s ‘Midival Punditz’ and popular Singaporean B-Boying crew ‘Radikal Forze’ had come together to pool their unique talents and common passion for creativity, music, sounds, dance and entertaining audiences in this music video.

Speaking about this association, G B Srithar, Regional Director, India, Middle East & South Asia (IMESA), Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said “We are delighted to be the ‘Country Partner’ with Bacardi NH7 Weekender. While travel restrictions are still in place, the STB and our tourism partners have been leveraging technology and the digital medium for creative consumer outreach. It is to keep Singapore close to their hearts and minds. The virtual music festival gave us the opportunity to reach out to the young Indian millennials and showcase the vibrant locations of Singapore.  We are happy to support our Singapore talent Yung Raja who has a good following in India and Raja Kumari who shares a special connect with Singapore.”

Gunjan Arya, CEO, Only Much Louder adds, “We were happy to have Singapore Tourism Board with us as a Country Partner – it’s great to connect with like-minded organizations who share a similar cultural outlook when it comes to supporting artists.”

About Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore’s key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions. For more information, visit www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com or follow us on Twitter @STB_sg (https://twitter.com/stb_sg).

Godrej & Boyce Commits to Smarter Energy Use, Joins the EP100 Global Business Revolution

●        Commits to doubling its energy productivity by 2030

●        Aims to reduce carbon intensity by 60% by 2030

Recognising that business and sustainability go hand-in-hand, Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., the flagship company of the Godrej Group, is making an ambitious commitment today to smarter energy use as part of the global EP100 initiative.

EP100 is led by the Climate Group, an international non-profit organisation, in partnership with the Alliance to Save Energy. It brings together over a hundred companies with operations around the world, committed to doing more with less energy.

Godrej & Boyce pledges to double its energy productivity and implement an energy management system (EnMS) by 2030 (FY-17 baseline).

The company has made continuous efforts to lower its energy use through various efficiency measures across its manufacturing plants, such as adopting energy efficient technologies, and replacing inefficient processes.

Godrej & Boyce is also aiming at reducing the carbon intensity of its operations by 60% by the year 2030. The company will pursue low carbon pathways across its businesses by adopting following steps:

·         Implementing an energy management system (EnMS) across the organisation by 2030

·         Implementing energy conservation measures & efficiency programmes

·         Increasing the share of renewable energy

·         Adopting technologies that are energy efficient

Jamshyd Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce, said, “Our ‘Good & Green’ initiative underscores our deep and abiding belief that innovation and sustainability will promote our journey to decarbonisation, energy efficiency and promotion of a circular economy. We are proud to commit to yet another global cause – the EP100 initiative and help lead the way on smarter energy usage.” 

Divya Sharma, India Executive Director, the Climate Group, said, "We congratulate Godrej & Boyce on their leadership on smarter energy use. By joining EP100 and improving their energy productivity, companies lower their emissions and can save millions of dollars annually. As we approach the anniversary of the Paris Agreement, we call on other major businesses to follow their example and help accelerate the clean energy transition.”

As one of India’s oldest businesses, Godrej & Boyce is well positioned to lead and influence the larger business community in India. The company set up India’s first net zero carbon building under the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) rating system, and partnered with the World Green Building Council to promote net zero buildings across the Asia-Pacific region.

About Godrej & Boyce

Godrej & Boyce (‘G&B’), a Godrej Group company, was founded in 1897, and has contributed to India’s journey of self-reliance through manufacturing. G&B patented the world’s first springless lock and since then, has diversified into 14 businesses across various sectors from Security, Furniture, Aerospace to Infrastructure and Defence. Godrej is one of India’s most trusted brands serving over 1.1bn customers worldwide daily.

About EP100

EP100 is a global initiative by international non-profit the Climate Group, bringing together a growing group of energy-smart companies committed to doing more with less to improve their energy productivity. Members are driving tech innovation and reducing emissions while making substantial cost savings and improving competitiveness – inspiring others to follow their lead. EP100 is delivered in partnership with the Alliance to Save Energy and in association with the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment. #EP100

About the Climate Group  

The Climate Group drives climate action. Fast. Our goal is a world of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with greater prosperity for all. We focus on systems with the highest emissions and where our networks have the greatest opportunity to drive change. We do this by building large and influential networks and holding organisations accountable, turning their commitments into action. We share what we achieve together to show more organisations what they could do. We are an international non-profit organisation, founded in 2004, with offices in London, New Delhi and New York. 

6th Edition of IoTMatrix Online Event from December 10 & 11, 2020

IoT Forum - Think-tank organizing IoTMatrix

IoTMatrix is an annual conference of IoTForum and TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs), Bangalore to raise the IoT Quotient of India #RaiseIoTQuotient. IoT Forum tracks 2000 startups in the Internet of Things (IoT), engaging them with mentors, corporates, partners and investors and evangelizing IoT use cases and best practices. It organizes regular monthly meets on varied topics of interest for the growing community and leads several thought leadership initiatives for the wider ecosystem with corporates, startups, industry bodies and Government.

Some notable efforts are:

ü  Startups Assistance schemes from Government of Karnataka

ü  IoT Spectrum advocacy

ü  IoT platform workshops

ü  IoT Security policy

ü  Active directory of startups in the Internet of Things

The objective of the annual conference IoTMatrix is to bring the entire Internet of Things (IoT) community together to debate and deliberate on the current developments on the ground and share what to expect in near future, converse and consider the upcoming technologies and business trends, connect with global counterparts and showcase the most innovative startups from India. IoTNext/ IoTMatrix started in 2015 and is now the most premier IoT conference in India with a significant global participation.

"IoTMatrix is a new word we coined to cover the emerging connected ambient intelligent, phygital (physical + digital) world. IoT is making the physical real world digital. IoT now permeats every aspect of society -  home, work, school, travel, play, entertainment, retail and everywhere else. It covers a whole range of industries and professions" Mr. Ravi Gururaj, president, TiE, Bangalore.

Data is the new fire. As fire spreads quickly and if used well can be good for mankind, the appropriate use of data contributes to our well-being, Joy Rajan Co-Chair IoTMatrix Co-Founder and Business Head GenRev Global

In IoT Matrix 2020, we step back from just the hyper-connected IoT world and see the confluence of multiple technologies that are starting to merge together creating a world of enchanted immersive experience where data holds the key!

IoT is making the physical/real world digital while AR/VR is making the digital world accessible to us in the real world, creatin1 Celebration of Start-ups.

We are showcasing 6 years and 900 IoT Startups in Bangalore (over 2,000 in India). We are featuring a select few IoT startups as a sample of successful ones. They have over ₹750 crores of funding and millions of deployed devices.

2 AI: How can India become a hub for AI? : The Future of AI: Artificial Intelligence at the Edge

3 Agritech: Monitor farms and improve crops using IoT sensors; Reimagining Horticulture: Fresh Food & Vegetables

4 Industrial IoT: Industrial data security is finding its way in the fog; Beyond Proofs of Concept; Scaling the Industrial IoT

IoTNext

The objective of the annual conference IoTNext is to bring the entire Internet of Things (IoT) community together to debate and deliberate on the current developments on the ground and share what to expect in near future, converse and consider the upcoming technologies and business trends, connect with global counterparts and showcase the most innovative startups from India. IoTNext started in 2015 and  is now the most premier IoT conference in India with a significant global participation. 

IoTMatrix 2020 would focus on the following topics:

We are showcasing 6 years and 900 IoT Startups in Bangalore ( over 2,000 in India). We are featuring a select few  IoT startups as a sample of successful ones. They have over ₹750 crores of funding and millions of deployed

Startup Celebrations and IoTMatrix Awards

We have consistently picked and recognized quality startups at IoTMatrix over the last four years. This provides the startups with a much-needed slingshot in their journey towards success. Award Winners from previous years join a fireside chat and share about how they were helped on the journey by engaging the ecosystem with IoTForum.

IoTNext / IoTMatrix Previous Editions:  

IoTNext 2015 focused on ‘Emerging possibilities of Digital Transformation with IoT’. 

IoTNext 2016 focused on the realities on the ground with the ongoing pilots and highlighting the edge security concerns in partnership with CISO platform. 

IoTNext 2017 focused on IoT data analytics, scale up of IoT in Transportation and Logistics, and we organized a IoT security hackfest session.

IoTNext 2018 themed ‘Transformation at the IoT Edge’ focused on key aspects of edge computing, edge security, lightweight Blockchain while revisiting the state of affairs on smart city deployments and the delay in pilots to scale in Industry 4.0. ‘Scaling-up and Exits’ was a well appreciated session with M&As heating up globally and in India.

*  IoT Matrix 2019 We step back from just the hyper-connected IoT world and see the confluence of multiple technologies that are starting to seemingly merge together creating a world of enchanted immersive experience where data holds the key! IoT is making the physical/real world digital while AR/VR is making the digital world accessible to us in the real world, creating a confluence with ‘Digital Twin’ and an ‘Enchanted Reality’.

Our Partners.

1. Microsoft   2. Western Digital     3. Lowes Innovation Lab      4. NABVENTURES

5. GoK K-tech   6. STPI Bangalore

Our partners are fully supporting the Innovation, Start-ups in their growth.

About TIE Bangalore TiE is a non-profit, global community welcoming entrepreneurs from all over the world. We believe in the power of ideas to change the face of entrepreneurship and growing business through our five pillars; mentoring, networking, education, incubating and funding. TiE was founded in 1992 by a group of successful entrepreneurs and is currently the world’s largest entrepreneurial organization out there. With programs like TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) and Mentor Match, we are reaching out and fostering the next generation of entrepreneurs. For more details, visit http://bangalore.tie.org/

SBI General Insurance Partners with Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd for Insurance Penetration in Rural India

* This association will enable the company to provide health insurance cover to a significant number of people in tier 2 & 3 markets; and generate employment 

SBI General Insurance announced a strategic partnership with Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd. (MIBL) through its Sajhedaari programme, to increase insurance penetration in tier 2 & 3 cities. This association marks a significant milestone for SBI General in realising its vision of becoming the most trusted general insurer for a transforming India.  

SBI General is also associated with MIBL for the new car, commercial vehicle, tractors and used cars and provide vehicle Insurance with several add-ons the customers.  In the digital space also SBI General has partnered with PAYBIMA, a digital platform by Mahindra Insurance Broker for providing affordable insurance solutions.  

PC Kandpal, MD & CEO, SBI General Insurance said, “The pandemic has brought to fore a large part of our population that does not have health insurance to finance their medical expenditures. The most pressing requirement at this moment for us is to ensure that the ‘missing middle’ is tapped and insured. 

Hence, this tie-up is an important enabler in our strategy to meet the insurance needs of our customers in Tier 2 & 3 cities. We are sure that our association will play out well in promoting health insurance awareness; and making certain that more people get health cover.”  

Dr. Jaideep Devare, ‎Managing Director, ‎Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd. said, “We are excited to collaborate with SBI General Insurance under our Sajhedaari program, a socially inclusive initiative designed to identify, train and certify Point of Sales Persons (POSPs) for insurance distribution, while enabling deeper insurance penetration in the country. We are confident that through our collective efforts, we will empower people with knowledge about and access to health policies, which are sadly neglected due to lack of awareness and accessibility, especially in the under-served and under-penetrated rural areas of our country.” 

About SBI General Insurance Company Limited: With the strong parentage of SBI, we, at SBI General Insurance, are committed to carry forward the legacy of trust and security; and to become the first choice for every Indian’s general insurance needs. Ever since our establishment in 2009, from 17 branches in 2011, we have expanded our presence to around 123 branches pan-India.  

We follow a robust multi-distribution model encompassing Bancassurance, Agency, Broking and Retail Direct Channels. Today, our distribution family includes over 22,900 IRDAI certified advisors including the State Bank Group employees, and over 12,000 Agents to make insurance easily available even in the remote areas of the country. 

On the distribution network front, we have strong distribution partners adding up our reach to every nook and corner of India, with SBI’s over 22000 branch network, other financial and digital partners. Our current geographical exposure covers 125+ cities pan-India with a presence of another 350+ locations through satellite resources.  

We currently serve three key customer segments viz. - Retail Segment (catering to Individual & Families), Corporate Segment (catering mid to large size companies) and SME Segment; and are future-ready to serve the growing needs of Indians with new age-processes and services at affordable prices.  

SBI General Insurance closed the financial year 2019-20 with a Gross Written Premium of Rs. 6840 cr at a YoY growth of 45%..

Forms & Gears Wins CII Industrial Innovation Award 2020 for its Pioneering SmartFix4.0 Solution

Forms & Gears, an ASM Technologies Group Company, has won the prestigious Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Industrial Innovation Award 2020 under the ‘Top 25 Most Innovative Companies’ category for its smart fixture device, SmartFix4.0. Forms & Gears is one of Asia’s oldest and best-known fixture building companies designing and manufacturing precision fixtures to the world’s leading Machine Tool and Automobile Manufacturers globally. ASM Technologies Limited (BSE: ASMTEC), which is a global Engineering and Product R&D company, brings next-generation technologies along with global reach to the partnership that further strengthens Forms & Gears and enables it offer turnkey solutions to clients.

SmartFix4.0 is an award-winning solution driving innovation for world’s leading Machine Tool & Automobile ManufacturersThe award-winning solution, SmartFix4.0, is a precision work-holding device with the ability to collect, transmit and analyse data in easy-to-use formats for the end-users. Developed for the first time in the world, it allows the workholding and fixtures segment to achieve Industry 4.0 seamlessly.

Talking about the award, Reji Varghese, Managing Director, Forms & Gears, said, “At Forms & Gears, we have built fixtures that helped our clients, foster innovation, increase productivity and save costs for more than four decades now. The award signifies the indispensable role of fixture building companies on the modern-day shop floor. Smart fixtures, in particular, have the potential to catalyze the next revolution in the digitalization journey of manufacturers.”

“The award is a validation of the capabilities our expert development team and deep understanding of fixtures is the reason why the world’s best companies trust Forms & Gears. Our solutions leverage emerging technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence data analytics and industrial internet of things to power the Industry 4.0 journey of manufacturers,” said Nikhil Rabindra, Team Lead, SmartFix4.0.

The awards were announced recently in a virtual ceremony hosted by CII during the India–Portugal Technology Summit. In the event, the apex industry body felicitated top 25 companies across large, medium and small segments for their innovation prowess.

About ASM Technologies

ASM Technologies Limited is a publicly listed company in India. With over two decades of experience, ASM has been supporting customers in the areas of Engineering Services, Product R&D and Manufacturing engineering. ASM has multiple delivery locations in India with a global presence in USA, Singapore, UK, Canada, Japan, Thailand, China and Mexico. 

About Forms & Gears

Forms and Gears is a 48-year-old fixture building company based out of Chennai, India. The company has world-class, state-of-the-art fixture building facilities and supplies fixtures to the world’s leading Automobile, Machine Tool and companies in other sectors, in ten countries across the world. Forms and Gears is a joint venture with Bangalore based public limited company ASM Technologies.

Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities Ltd. IPO Opens December 15 And Price Band Fixed At Rs 286-288 Per Share

The Punjab-based Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities Ltd. will sell shares at Rs 286-288 apiece in the the biscuit and bread maker's three-day initial public offering that opens on Dec. 15. The IPO comprises sale of shares worth Rs 500 crore by Linus Pvt. Ltd., Mabel Pvt. Ltd., GW Crown Pte. Ltd. and GW confectionary Pte. Ltd., and fresh issue worth Rs 40.5 crore. ICICI Securities Ltd., SBI Capital Markets Ltd. and IIFL Securities Ltd. are the book running lead managers to the issue. Mrs. Bectors plans to use the proceeds of fresh issue to expand its biscuit factory at Rajpura, Punjab, Anoop Bector, managing director at the company, told the media.

The company has 1% market share in the Rs 38,000-crore Indian biscuit space, with a strong presence in northern India. It competes with Britannia Industries Ltd., Parle Products Pvt. Ltd., ITC Ltd. and Anmol Industries Ltd. Mrs. Bectors is also the largest supplier of buns in India to quick-service restaurant chains including Burger King India, McDonalds and Yum! Restaurants, which runs KFC and Pizza Hut in the country. Its revenue from operations from April to September stood at Rs 430.90 crore, up 18.2% over a year earlier. Net profit in the first half stood at Rs 38.8 crore, a threefold year-on-year jump.

Its revenue from operations from April to September stood at Rs 430.90 crore, up 18.2% over a year earlier. Net profit in the first half stood at Rs 38.8 crore, a threefold year-on-year jump.

Satellite-Based Narrow Band-IoT Now a Reality in the Indian Market

BSNL, in partnership with Skylotech India, announced today a breakthrough in satellite-based NB-IoT (Narrow Band-Internet of Things), in pursuance of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a truly Digital India — starting withfishermen, farmers, construction, miningand logisticsenterprises. With this solution, India will now have access to a ubiquitous fabric of connectivity for millions of yet unconnected machines, sensors and industrial IoT devices.

This new ‘Made in India’ Solution, which is indigenously developed by Skylo, will connect with BSNL’s satellite ground infrastructure and provide PAN-India coverage, including Indian seas. The coverage will be so vast that it will not leave any dark patch within the boundary of India, from Kashmir &Ladakh to Kanyakumari, and from Gujarat to the North East, including the Indian seas.

Shri P.K.Purwar, CMD, BSNL, said:“The solution is in line with BSNL’s vision to leverage technology to provide affordable and innovative telecom services and products across customers segments”.He further added:“Skylo would also help provide critical data for the logistics sector to enableeffective distribution of COVID-19vaccine in 2021and will be a big contributor in service to the nation.”

Shri Parthsarathi Trivedi, CEO and Co-founder, Skylo, said: “For centuries, industries, including agriculture, railways and fisheries, have been operating offline, and havenot had the opportunity to take full advantage of the latest advancements in AI& IoT– until today.This is theworld’s first satellite-based NB-IoT network and I am proud to launch this capabilityin India first to transform lives and our domestic industries”.

Shri VivekBanzal, Director (CFA), BSNL Board, said, “Successful POCs have already been conducted by BSNL and Skylo in India and we will soon approach various user groups before the New Year 2021 begins.”

This breakthrough announcement is very timely because it comes during the ongoing Indian Mobile Congress 2020. This new technology supports the Department of Telecom and NITI Aayog’s plan of bringing indigenous IoT connectivity to India’s core sectors. Examples of where this technology has already been tested successfully include, Indian Railways, fishing vessels, and enabling connected vehicles across India.

A small, smart, incredibly rugged box, the Skylo ‘User Terminal’interfaces with sensors and transmits data to the Skylo Network and into people’s hands. The accompanying Data Platform provides an immersive, visual, experience for industry-specific applications on mobile or desktop. It gives users the ability to take immediate and appropriate action, no matter where they are. This new digital machine connectivity layer will serve as a complement to smartphone-centric mobile & Wi-Fi networks, and covers India’s full geography to bring online new applications for the first time.

Maggi Desh Ke Liye 2 Minute Announces ‘Apna Food Business to Empower Women to Become Successful Food Entrepreneurs

Nestlé India recently announced the launch of their year-long campaign “MAGGI Desh Ke liye 2 Minute – Ek Chhoti Si Koshish” which emphasized the importance of addressing the needs of the communities around us, especially during these trying times. Over the years MAGGI noodles has encouraged many first-time cooks to step in to the kitchen and with MAGGI Masala-ae-Magic, millions of homemakers are serving extraordinary food every day. Home cooking has the potential to provide not just nourishment and joy for the family but also a source of income and recognition for the homemaker. With this very thought as the foundation, MAGGI Desh ke liye 2-minute campaign in partnership with India Food Network has announced an initiative that aims to empower women from all across the country, with guidance, skills and training to become successful food entrepreneurs.

This program will include four primary phases and will support two categories of home-chefs: those who wish to start food delivery businesses from their home-kitchens, and those who aspire to launch a food channel online.

Commenting on the launch of this program, Mr. Nikhil Chand, Director - Foods & Confectionery, Nestlé India said, “The unprecedented turn of events witnessed this year may have impacted economies and businesses gravely. However, we at Nestlé firmly believe that irrespective of the situation, the spirit of the people of India is hard to dampen, especially those with entrepreneurial dreams. This program is an ode from us at Nestlé India to those who did not let the lockdown affect their ambitions, rather only fueled it. Through this initiative, in partnership with India Food Network and many other industry experts, we will support the dreams of 10,000 home chefs and assist their entrepreneurial journey.”

Phase 1 would invite 10,000 entries and each participant would get access to exclusive ‘step-by-step guides’ on how to launch a successful food business. Phase 2 would involve shortlisting 250 participants who would undergo a month-long online mentorship and training program with industry stalwarts like Chef Ajay Chopra, Kabita Singh of the Kabita’s Kitchen fame, along with many others. In this phase, they will also get a chance to showcase their recipes on www.maggi.in. In phase 3, 20 selected participants will get the opportunity to present their business ideas to an extended panel of judges from the food and media industry. The final phase will see the announcement of 10 winners, who will be supported by Nestlé India and India Food Network to launch their business. The winners will not only get assistance in the form of capital funding but also help in brand development, home kitchen/studio set up, and will also be given recipe development partnership contracts with MAGGI.

Details  about this program can be accessed at www.deshkeliye.maggi.in. 

NSDC Partners with BYJU’s to Support Skilling of Teachers and Trainers

* Offering impetus to Skill India Mission, the partnership aims to create better learners and make learning engaging by empowering teachers and trainers

BYJU’S, India’s largest EdTech company, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), to support the skilling of teachers and trainers. Sharing a vision to accelerate Skill India Mission, the partners aim at empowering teachers and trainers with the key skills and digital tools to make learning engaging, effective and personalised for children and youth. 

BYJU’S will be supporting NSDC by providing free access to its educational content and tools to help the teachers. Additionally, BYJU’S will share its digital educational content (scholastic and non-scholastic) as free licences with the NSDC ecosystem to equip teachers and students for a quality learning experience. 

Under this partnership, eskill India - NSDC’s digital skilling initiative, will assist BYJU’S in enhancing the awareness and adoption of its digital tools as well as enable stakeholders in the NSDC ecosystem to utilize resources provided by BYJU’s digital interventions.

Speaking on the partnership, Byju Raveendran, Founder & CEO, BYJU’S, said, “At BYJU’S, our overarching goal has always been to make quality content accessible for students and provide teachers with the right content to foster the best learning outcomes for students across the country. We are delighted to partner with NSDC, a proven force that has contributed immensely to the skilling needs in India. This association will further the Digital India vision and boost online learning that has become an integral part of mainstream learning now. This collaboration will go a long way in empowering teachers and trainers and help them succeed in a digital economy.”

Commenting on the collaboration, Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC, said, “Digital learning is emerging as one of the most important tools in modernizing education and skill training. As the skill development ecosystem is evolving from a brick-and-mortar model to a blended model, NSDC is delighted to partner with BYJU'S for professional development of trainers that support powerful teaching and learning.”

Grab the Powerful TECNO POVA with Helio G80 Processor on Flipkart Starting 12 Noon Onwards

* Special Offer of flat INR 750 off on Induslnd Bank Debit & Credit Cards

TECNO, the global premium smartphone brand, is all set with its first sale of the much awaited POVA series that will go live on 11th December, 2020 via Flipkart at 12 noon.  The TECNO POVA 4GB + 64GB variant will be available at an aggressive price point of INR 9,999. Additionally, consumers can avail an instant discount of flat INR 750 off on IndusInd Bank Debit & Credit Cards.

The TECNO POVA is currently holding the crown of bringing together the most competitive smartphone featuring a high-performance MediaTek Helio G80 Octa-Core Processor, an in-built Hyper Engine Gaming Technology and  a 6000 mAh battery with 18W Dual IC Fast Charge for a seamless, un-interrupted gaming and multitasking experience. Not only this, it houses massive 6.8-inch dot-in display with 20.5:9 aspect ratio and 640 x 720 HD+ resolution which provides for an immersive viewing experience. The MediaTek Helio G80 Processor with LPDDR4X high speed memory allows for a smoother smartphone experience. 

TECNO POVA is equipped with a Quad camera set-up of 16 MP + 2MP + 2MP + AI Lens complemented with a ‘Super Quad Flash’ which provides for a professional grade photography mode. The user centric multi AI Photography modes like Bokeh, Macro, Slow Motion, Short video, 2K video recording, AI body shaping, Google Lens, Document scanner altogether enhance the smartphone photography experience. The MediaTek Helio G80 processor with powerful AI processing capabilities enables one to capture bright photos even in low lit conditions. It also supports slow motion videos at 120 fps continuous recording at 720p HD Quality.

TECNO POVA is available in three exciting colour variants:  Dazzle black, Magic Blue and Speed Purple.

Nearly 1 in 2 Employers Hired Only Virtually in the Pandemic: Indeed

 

* Indeed surveyed nearly 500 employers in India to understand hiring sentiment and patterns ~

* 1250+ employers world over hosted 3700+ virtual hiring events on Indeed this year ~

Indeed, the world’s No. 1 job site,  gathered top recruiters across India at its virtual event Indeed Showcase today, to launch its latest tech innovation, Virtual Hiring Events (VHE) – a simple and efficient solution that will help recruiters across the country hire in this new virtual world of work. VHE launches in India around the same time Indeed spoke with nearly 500 employers across 16 sectors and 12 cities, where 47% hired only virtually and nearly 1 in 3 used a combination of virtual and face-to-face hiring methods this year.

Safety concerns drove employers to hire virtually, as the pandemic drove India into remote work:

With the pandemic disrupting the job market and more and more people taking to the internet to find jobs, organizations are now required to have a more digital approach towards recruiting. 64% employers said that safety was the primary driver for hiring virtually this year. Indeed’s VHE is a virtual hiring solution aimed at bringing ease and seamlessness to a complex traditional hiring process, helping all people to now find opportunities in a safe and efficient way.

With VHE, employers across India can easily, and cost-effectively, create and promote their own company-sponsored virtual hiring event(s) where they can host open interviews, from a safe distance,  and hire for a set of roles they need to fill.

“With India being the world’s second-largest workforce, it can be a challenge to find the right hire, especially in the middle of a pandemic. In order to succeed we need to acknowledge that the things that matter to job seekers have changed. Employers have to reimagine their recruitment strategies to find great talent and create opportunities for growth. Indeed is constantly innovating to find new ways to improve, adapt and simplify the hiring process and VHE is a step in that direction. All of what we do is with the hope that we can help people get jobs and we are especially proud to have products and solutions for the recruiting market in India,” said Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed.com.

Employers identified virtual hiring as a more democratic approach towards recruitment:

Companies have shifted their focus to the future and need great talent to grow and achieve success. They’ve also had to reimagine their workplace practices, to stay relevant and attractive to job seekers today, including how they hire. 31% employers credited virtual hiring for giving them wider access to talent, while another 28% said this approach allowed for flexibility and convenience, a priority for job seekers today. Nearly 1 in 5 employers also said that virtual hiring reduced bias in the recruitment process.

Indeed’s Virtual Hiring Events can be used to connect with candidates at scale and hire for any role. Globally, where VHE is already helping revolutionize how companies hire, it has been observed that those looking to hire for many entry-level roles, those who need to make many hires across different roles in hospitality, food service, retail, and warehouse operations, and those looking for talent such as nursing, tend to be best suited for these events.

Closer home, Anjali Singh, Program Manager at Homelane, a participant at Indeed Showcase today and a pilot VHE user, shared, “With people spending more time at home, the demand for interior design solutions have grown, and so has the need to expand our team. Indeed was quick to set up a virtual hiring page for Homelane, and also helped optimize our hiring through targeted campaigns, making sure the right candidates reached out to us. Sure enough, our first hiring day was an enormous success. VHE offered great value to us and simplified the sourcing and interviewing process in these times where hiring virtually can be a challenge. We’ve held three more such sessions on Indeed and experienced similar success rates and believe this solution will be a game changer.”

Employers did not rely much on virtual hiring before the pandemic. Will that change?

Across organization types – large and medium Indian & global companies, SMEs and startups – more than 4 in 5 employers indicate that they started using virtual hiring only during the pandemic.

That said, more than one in four employers (26%) consider virtual hiring a novel and surprisingly effective experience, and another 22% believe that it is the right way forward, even while acknowledging its present challenges. And nearly two in every five employers believe virtual hiring is here to stay post pandemic.

The study further shows that sectors such as BPO/iTes (95%), Media & Entertainment (90%) and Telecom (87%) are embracing new age technologies and hiring mostly through virtual means while sectors dependent upon physical labour such as Construction & Real Estate (98%),  Manufacturing (97%),  Agriculture (95%) and Retail (93%) prefer face to face hiring methods only. Employers from the Financial Services (91%), Marketing & Advertising (89%) and Healthcare & Pharma (87%) prefer a more hybrid approach towards hiring. Regardless, putting a face to a name still seems important as virtual interviews/video conferencing (29%) emerged as the most favoured virtual hiring method by employers.

Those who host virtual hiring events, regardless of sector or location or organization type, will now be able to focus on the interviewing and hiring portion of the recruiting process since Indeed handles the event promotion on the its job site, uses automation to manage candidate screening and communication (RSVPs, scheduling and automated reminders), and provides the video interviewing technology, and be assured that job seekers will sign up to attend open virtual interviews hosted by them.

V-Guard’s Iris Series Geysers Offer Instant Heating and Long Life

India’s leading home appliances brand V-Guard’s new Iris series of water heaters are making strides in the market as the temperature drops to single digit in several parts of the country. With its powerful heating element and rustproof tank, the Iris and Iris DG series are budget-friendly storage water heaters for home purposes. This series comes with a sleek design and an exterior body that is made of rustproof engineered polymer and sturdy inner tank, which gives it a premium look as well as longer life. The power consumption of this 5-star rated water heater is less compared to the other water heaters in the market.

The Iris DG Series electric water heater from V-Guard comes with a unique 3 mm thick coating that has been created using Engineered Polymer Anti Corrosion Technology.

It comes with an energy saving Vitreous enamel coated Incoloy 800 heating element.  All it takes is just few minutes for piping hot water.  Iris series water heater is built with a pressure withstanding compatibility up to 8kg/cm2 making it an ideal choice for high rise buildings.

The feature rich water heater series include LED display for real time temperature indication, multifunctional safety valve, adjustable capillary thermostat for temperature regulation and rustproof dual colour ABS outer body. The Iris series comes with a product warranty of 2 years and heating element warranty of 3 years and inner tank warranty of 7 years.

IRIS DG: https://www.vguard.in/product-details/iris-dg-storage-water-heater

IRIS: https://www.vguard.in/product-details/iris-storage-water-heater

About V- Guard:

V-Guard Industries Limited is one of India’s leading consumer electrical and Electronics Company. Incepted in 1977 by Mr. Kochouseph Chittilappilly to manufacture and market Voltage stabilizers, V-Guard is now a force to reckon with in the Indian electrical and electronics goods panorama. The company has established a strong brand name and aggressively diversified to become a multi-product company catering to the Light Electricals sector manufacturing Voltage stabilizers, Inverters, Pumps, House wiring cables, Electric water heaters, Fans, Solar water heaters, Kitchen Appliances and has also recently forayed into Air Cooler & Modular Switches. In an endeavour to reach every nook and corner of the country, V-Guard is armed with an expansive network of over 500 distributors, 200 service centres, 5500 direct dealers and 20,000 retailers and a committed after sales team. Under the leadership of Mr.Mithun Chittilappilly, Managing Director, V-Guard will continue to create thoughtfully engineered products in its endeavour to enrich consumer lives.

UTI Mutual Fund Launches ‘UTI Small Cap Fund’ in Indian Market

UTI Mutual Fund launches an open-ended equity scheme which will predominantly invest in small cap stocks – ‘UTI Small Cap Fund’. The New Fund Offer opens on December 02, 2020 and closes on December 16, 2020.  The scheme will re-open for subscription and redemption for an ongoing basis from December 23,2020.

The investment objective of the scheme is to generate long term capital appreciation by investing predominantly in equity and equity related securities of small cap companies. However, there can be no assurance or guarantee that the investment objective of the scheme would be achieved.

Mr. Ankit Agarwal is the Fund Manager of the scheme.

Mr Ankit said, ”Small businesses are often referred as backbone of Indian economy, their presence is across the sectors engaged primarily in manufacturing, retailing, services, construction etc. In the recent years, a wide spectrum of initiatives and opportunities have been set forth by the government to nurture the small businesses. Therefore, in the long run the share of small companies to economic growth is likely to expand.”

“UTI Small Cap Fund will endeavour to invest in companies that have scalable business models, are run by seasoned management and aims to generate high return on invested capital. We have a 360 degree risk assessment framework to mitigate the underlying risks and is aligned to gain from small cap and select midcap companies having growth opportunities.” he added.

Discovery+ Launches a Riveting New Indian Original, Ladakh Warriors: The Sons of the Soil

 

Ladakh, known for its beautiful snowy mountains and stunning blue waters, is also home to Indian Army’s Ladakh Scouts, fondly known as the ‘Snow Warriors’. This picturesque land is alive with stories of their bravery and sacrifice. To introduce these courageous sons of the soil to the world, discovery+, India’s first and leading aggregated real-life entertainment streaming app, is all set to launch one of the most visually spectacular shows this year, Ladakh Warriors: The Sons of the Soil, as it forays into original content made especially for the Indian audiences.

Shot in the stunning backdrop of rugged desert mountains, Ladakh Warriors: The Sons of the Soil is an exciting and immersive film that will give the heroes of mountain warfare the attention they deserve. Born with larger lungs and genetically conditioned to fight at heights of over 15,000ft, the young Ladakhi boys only dream of being the human shield to protect their country. It is a story of determination and love for the motherland. Narrated in Hindi by the Indian equestrian, actor and nature & wildlife enthusiast, Randeep Hooda, the show depicts the grueling training that the Snow Warriors go through, at one of the highest regimental centers in the world. Ladakh Warriors: The Sons of the Soil is streaming now on discovery+.

On lending his voice for the show in Hindi, Randeep Hooda said, “I have always been in awe of Ladakh’s beauty. However, associating with this show, I am now equally mesmerized by the stories of these warriors, who come with a determination towards their country and train in such extreme conditions only to be able to protect their land. It's a great initiative by Discovery and I am glad to lend my voice and take this story to every corner of this country.”

Col. Sonam Wangchuk (Retd), Maha Vir Chakra awardee said, “Young Ladakhi boys come to join the Ladakh Scouts regiment with a desire to do something for their country. Physiologically, they are customized for the existing terrain and climatic conditions of this place and are irreplaceable as soldiers to deliver in extreme conditions of Ladakh. I am thankful to discovery+ for telling this story to the people of India, encouraging many young boys and girls to do something for their motherland.”

Issac John, Direct-to-Consumer Head, APAC - Discovery, said, “There was no other show better than Ladakh Warriors: The Sons of the Soil to launch discovery+ Originals. The show is a beautiful depiction of the spirit of Ladakh, its people and their loyalty towards their country. The show will provide the viewers unprecedented access to one of the world’s highest regimental centers and we’re delighted, that we are kicking discovery+ Originals with a show that will resonate with every Indian family.”

Watch Ladakh Warriors: The Sons of the Soil streaming now on discovery+

IDC MarketScape Names Zebra Technologies a Leader in Rugged Mobile Devices

Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, today announced that it has been recognized as a Leader in the 2020 IDC MarketScape report for Rugged Mobile Devices*. The company was recognized for various strengths, including its wide range of rugged mobile devices, numerous support features and services, in-house developed enterprise software suite and solution ecosystem, and LifeGuard for Android extended security solution that delivers security and patch updates for up to 10 years.

“Zebra Technologies is thrilled to be positioned as a leader in the 2020 IDC MarketScape for Rugged Mobile Devices,” said Deep Agarwal, Regional Sales Director - Indian Sub-continent at Zebra Technologies. “We have customers from a broad list of industries leveraging our tablets and mobile computers to deliver a performance edge to the front line of business. Being positioned as a leader in the IDC MarketScape shines a light on our ongoing commitment to deliver innovative hardware and software solutions that help our customers make every worker and asset visible, connected and optimized.”

Zebra Technologies’ purpose-built rugged device portfolio features both Android and Windows mobile computers – including handheld computers, wearables, dedicated scanners, tablets and detachables – that offer enterprise-grade connectivity, scanning and voice capabilities. The devices are designed for customers of all sizes in warehousing, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, retail, utilities, healthcare, and public safety, with a portfolio tiered by capability and features – giving customers the opportunity to select the solution that best suits their needs.

All of Zebra Technologies’ Android-based mobile devices are supported by its Mobility DNA software suite of end-user applications, application development tools and utilities. These tools allow businesses to maximize the return on investment by increasing worker productivity, simplifying management, strengthening security and reducing training and adoption time. The company is also a participant in the Android Enterprise Recommended program, ensuring its Android devices will receive timely security updates and operating system support.

The IDC MarketScape report recommends that enterprise organizations consider Zebra Technologies high on their list of potential providers if they are looking to deploy a variety of rugged mobile devices that address multiple dedicated use cases. Most of Zebra Technologies’ device offerings cater to high-volume scanning and asset management mobile use cases, although device offerings are sufficiently varied and tiered to provide customers with a broad range of options to meet their specific needs.

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

* Zebra Technologies has been named a Leader in the 2020 IDC MarketScape vendor assessment report for Rugged Mobile Devices for its portfolio of Android and Windows mobile computers.

* Zebra Technologies was recognized for strengths including breadth of device offerings and strong in-house developed software and security solutions.

* Customers can select the devices that best fit their needs, as Zebra Technologies’ rugged mobile devices are tiered by capability and features.

* Please click here to download an excerpt of the IDC MarketScape Worldwide Rugged Mobile Devices 2020 Vendor Assessment (September 2020) report.

1000 Indian Towns and Cities Join the Digitization Drive Among Tutors & Teachers: Teachmint Data

● Data compiled by EdTech start-up Teachmint, which is helping educators launch their digital teaching practice, shows pan India traction from teachers ranging from Srinagar to Port Blair

● Online classes are no longer a COVID 19 pandemic triggered compulsion, but are fast getting mainstream led by the Indian teaching community thereby establishing that personalized instructor lead EdTech is a far bigger opportunity in India

● 25% new enrollments are from metro towns while 75% from tier 2 and tier 3 towns in multiple Indian languages

Buoyed by the multiple benefits of teaching online, the vast informal Indian teaching and tutoring community is rapidly moving beyond vanilla video solutions to adopt full-service digital teaching solutions, to enhance their teaching experience and manage their teaching business more efficiently and effectively. According to data collated by Teachmint, a Bengaluru based EdTech start-up providing digital tutoring solution, the shift today is being led by 1000 Indian towns ranging from Srinagar to Port Blair and Jaisalmer to Dibrugarh with 75% of all enrolments emanating from Tier 2 and below towns and villages.

Early trends today indicate that digital transformation of the informal tutoring sector, whose stickiness is based on a highly personalized teaching experience, is a far bigger opportunity in India as compared to the content centric impersonal EdTech models, or even the organized sector competitive exam preparation models. Since its launch in May 2020, Teachmint has enrolled 2.4 lakh teachers on its platform and is witnessing an inflow of 50,000 teacher enrollments every month.

Explaining the phenomenon, Mihir Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO, Teachmint said, “At Teachmint, we are on a mission to democratize distribution and access to online education. We are working tirelessly to deliver   two-way   video communication and operating a full suite of teacher-student learning workflow including value added services like managing assessments, notes sharing, tuition fee management and many other features which are unique to the Indian environment. These exciting new features will remain relevant even when face to face teaching is fully restored fully, providing teachers with an option to operate a hybrid practice offering all the value-added features to offer a superior learning experience for their students more efficiently. With a focus on ‘Build for India’, Teachmint is available in 11 languages pan-India and supports low bandwidth connections through our custom video technology. Teachmint through its offering is becoming the technology and infrastructure backbone for teachers across the country from Srinagar to Port Blair.”

Exemplifying the benefit of scale that can be achieved through digital teaching is Dr. Vivek Singh, a tutor of Political Science and Assistant Professor at the University of Allahabad, who after signing up on Teachmint has been able to expand his student base and is today serving 1000 students across UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, MP, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh.

Sharing his experience Dr. Singh said, “At first, I was not sure about how to go digital with my classes. I did a few test runs and was pleasantly surprised with how simple and effective it was. Teachmint has helped me scale up my initiative called Nayi Pahal under which I give back to the community by tutoring and providing guidance to youngsters without charging them. These interactions were extremely satisfying for both the students and me. Inter-city teaching is fast becoming a trend thanks to Teachmint with students being able to access tutors without any geographical barriers. Teachmint has helped me connect with over 1000 students from various states which is remarkable”

As India moves towards the future of education, it is looking more and more likely that online learning is the way forward. Teachmint has been able to strike the right balance for tutors by enabling teachers with the right digital tools for each tutor to run their classes in a manner that is best suited to them and highlights their unique method of imparting education to their students. The platform has seen wide acceptance and rapid adoption by tutors across the country and helps them manage their tutoring sessions with a combination of online as well as recorded videos. With online classes cutting down on infrastructure costs like rent and electricity, private tutors believe digital classes are the future and are of the firm opinion that this will be instrumental in spreading quality education to students located in the farthest corners of the country.

How To Avoid Getting Sick This Winter Amid Covid-19 Across India

Now that winter is coming, the chances of getting a cold or flu will rise dramatically. Although most of the cold related illness and flu infections occur during the fall and winter seasons, this year amid Covid-19, the situation is different and more dangerous. As the pandemic continues, it has been predicted by experts that the situation could get worse in the upcoming winter this year.

Some recent studies conducted in different countries, including India, the UK and Australia, also claimed that Covid-19 cases may rise in winter dampening the outlook for a return to a normal life. Most doctors stress that healthy lifestyle practices like eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and frequent hand washing will make life less vulnerable in the winter amid Covid-19 outbreak.

Here are the tips that can help boosting health this winter:

Eat healthy, nutritious foods

Immune system is the defense against any infection in the body. Studies have shown that the general immune response to one episode of infection prevents the next one and hence helps to safeguard against that condition. Fresh fruits and green vegetables can help support the immune system.

Eating more Protein

Protein can also help to improve the immune system. Meat, fish, poultry, grains, beans and dairy products are good sources of protein.

Exercise regularly

Walking and working out regularly will enhance immune function during winter amid Covid-19. Walking, running, and working out regularly will enhance immune function. Exercise can help the body to fight against any cold or flu germs.

Practicing good hygiene

As winter sets in, the pollution in some parts of north India reaches its extreme level due to uncontrolled discharge of dust. Hand sanitization, use of face masks and regular house cleaning are all part of good hygiene and safety measures. These are some prime hygiene practices that everyone should follow to lead a healthy life.

Keeping the air clean

People tend to stay inside the house, locking all the doors and windows in winter when it is cold. Data and research indicate that the novel coronavirus favors cold, weather, and locked indoor conditions in winter are favorable to viral stability. Hence adequate sunlight exposure and good ventilation along with humidification of air can really help prevent diseases in winter.

The article has been contributed by Ms Kanchan Naikawadi, Preventive Healthcare Specialist, Indus Health Plus.

User Education, Cloud Security and XDR Are Critical for Cybersecurity in 2021: Predicts Trend Micro

Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), the leader in cloud security, predicts that home networks, remote working software and cloud systems will be at the center of a new wave of attacks in 2021. 

Trend Micro’s predictions report, Turning the Tide, forecasts that cybercriminals in 2021 will particularly look to home networks as a critical launch pad to compromising corporate IT and IoT networks. 

“As we begin to enter a post-pandemic world, the trend for remote working is likely going to stick for many organizations. We predict more aggressive attacks to target corporate data and networks,” said Jon Clay, director of global threat communications for Trend Micro. “Security teams will need to double down on user training, extended detection and response and adaptive access controls. This past year was all about surviving: now it’s time for businesses to thrive, with comprehensive cloud security as their foundation.” 

The report warns that end users who regularly access sensitive data (e.g. HR professionals accessing employee data, sales managers working with sensitive customer information, or senior executives managing confidential company numbers) will be at greatest risk. Attacks will likely exploit known vulnerabilities in online collaboration and productivity software soon after they are disclosed, rather than zero-days. 

Access-as-a-service business models of cybercrime will grow, targeting the home networks of high-value employees, corporate IT and IoT networks. IT security teams will need to overhaul work from home policies and protections to tackle the complexity of hybrid environments — where work and personal data comingle in a single machine. Zero-trust approaches will increasingly be favored to empower and secure distributed workforces. 

As third-party integrations reign, Trend Micro also warned that exposed APIs will become a new preferred attack vector for cybercriminals, providing access to sensitive customer data, source code and back-end services. 

Cloud systems are another area in which threats will continue to persist in 2021, from unwitting users, misconfigurations, and attackers attempting to take over cloud servers to deploy malicious container images.  

Trend Micro recommends the following steps to mitigate threats in 2021: 

Foster user education and training to extend corporate security best practices to the home, including advice against the use of personal devices 

Maintain strict access controls for both corporate networks and the home office, including zero trust 

Double down on best practice security and patch management programs 

Augment threat detection with security expertise to protect cloud workloads, emails, endpoints, networks, and servers round-the-clock 

Cybercriminals will continue to go where the money is – seeking the greatest financial returns on their attacks. Organizations and security teams must remain nimble and vigilant to stay ahead of criminals.  

About Trend Micro 

Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Leveraging over 30 years of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro enables resilience for businesses, governments, and consumers with connected solutions across cloud workloads, endpoints, email, IIoT, and networks. Our XGen™ security strategy powers our solutions with a cross-generational blend of threat-defense techniques that are optimized for key environments and leverage shared threat intelligence for better, faster protection. With over 6,700 employees in 65 countries, and the world’s most advanced global threat research and intelligence.

IBM Launches Watson Discovery – AI-Powered Search Tool, Now Supports Hindi Language

* Leading Global Brands including EY use Watson to Infuse Intelligence into Workflows.

* IBM Research innovations in natural language processing, automation and building trust to be commercialized in Watson products

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced innovative new capabilities planned for IBM Watson designed to help scale the use of AI by businesses.

Developed by IBM Research, the new capabilities are designed to improve the automation of AI, provide a higher degree of precision in natural language processing, and foster greater trust in outcomes derived from AI predictions. They include:

* Reading Comprehension is based on an innovative question-answering (QA) system from IBM Research. Currently in beta in IBM Watson Discovery, it is planned as a new feature that can help identify more precise answers in response to natural language queries from vast troves of complex enterprise documents. It also provides scores that indicate how confident the system is in each answer.

* FAQ Extraction uses a novel NLP technique from IBM Research to automate the extraction of Q&A pairs from FAQ documents. Currently in beta in IBM Watson Assistant’s search skill, it is planned as a new feature to help businesses keep virtual assistants up-to date with the latest answers and reduce the time-consuming process of manual updates.

* A new intent classification model is now available in IBM Watson Assistant. It is designed to more accurately understand an end-user’s goal or intent when engaging with a virtual assistant and to enable administrators to train the system faster. The model provides more accurate results from less data versus compared commercial systems1. This can help businesses go live with virtual assistants in a few days while achieving high accuracy.

* Watson Discovery now includes support for 10 new languages including Hindi. With this capability, it can now natively understand the meaning of Hindi text written in Devanagari script and extract useful information from it such as business keywords, named entities, relationships, perform sentiment analysis, and other such NLP features. IBM Research - India collaborated with its AI Horizon Network partner – IIT Bombay to lead this effort.

Advancing AI Governance Capabilities to Help Build Trust and Transparency in Business Outcomes

IBM also announced plans to commercialize IBM Research-developed ‘AI Factsheets’ in Watson Studio in Cloud Pak for Data throughout the next year. Like nutrition labels for foods or information sheets for appliances, AI Factsheets are designed to provide information about a product’s important characteristics. Standardizing and publicizing this information will help build trust in AI services across the industry.

To complement this, IBM Services for AI at Scale, a new consulting offering, provides businesses with a framework, methodology, and underlying technology to guide organizations on their journey to  trustworthy and ethical AI. IBM Cloud Pak for Data also has new capabilities to provide a complete foundation for AI that can run on any cloud. Read more about the AI Governance updates here.

'Today's announcement reiterates IBM's focus on helping clients innovate across all three foundations of AI – natural language processing, building trust, and automation. IBM Research India has been key partner and leader in IBM’s AI advancements with a focus on Trustworthy AI initiatives and along with US team (IBM Research Yorktown) conceptualized the core idea of AI FactSheets. In the area of natural language processing - by using a combination of AI-deep learning, shallow semantic understanding models we have enabled Watson to understand Hindi language natively. For instance, Watson Discovery can natively understand documents in Hindi and extract meaning, without having to resort to any translation to English -- an outcome of our collaboration with IIT Bombay’s Center for Indian Language Technology as a part of  IBM’s AI Horizon Network. - said Gargi Dasgupta –Director, IBM Research India.

"India has taken positive steps to establish a leadership role in AI and IBM-IITB AIHN (AI Horizon Network) project is an important step - both for science and technology and for India's progress. The collaboration is focused on automation of cognition and perception, with emphasis on cutting edge research, high quality publications and open and widely usable AI resources. There are social and commercial needs, whose servicing requires user interaction and information dissemination in Indian languages (IL), however the complexity of Indian languages, low Indian language corpora and other constraints makes adoption and adaptation of English centric NLP very difficult for IL-NLP. Through our partnership with IBM, we have been able to use machine learning for IL-NLP and address challenges related to low resource, understanding of Hindi language sense, intent, sentiment and more. In two years, the endeavour has seen stellar publications coming out of the collaboration and creation of quality software (in NLP, Speech and Multimodal AI). " – said Prof Pushpak Bhattacharyya, Professor - Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT- Bombay.

Leading global brands are using IBM Watson to infuse intelligence into their workflows.  For instance, a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy and transactions and consulting services, EY is transforming the M&A due diligence process using IBM Watson Discovery. Following the global expansion of its alliance with IBM earlier this summer, EY launched Diligence Edge, which includes a custom NLP model trained on EY proprietary M&A language, to help deal makers identify and leverage valuable insights throughout the transaction’s lifecycle, as well as make informed decisions on deal value opportunities to gain an advantage in competitive deal processes.

Today’s news is another step from IBM to advance its AI for business strategy: from commercializing advanced NLP capabilities from Project Debater; expanding its AI-powered automation capabilities with the launch of IBM Watson AIOps, acquisitions of WDG Automation and Instana2 and expanded ecosystem partnerships including ServiceNow; and helping businesses, healthcare organizations, governments and academic institutions use IBM Watson Assistant to get information they deem trustworthy on the pandemic to stakeholders.

For more information on today's announcement, please visit: https://newsroom.ibm.com/new-innovative-capabilities-for-watson

[1] Qi et. al, 2020: Benchmarking Intent Detection for Task-Oriented Dialog Systems https://arxiv.org/pdf/2012.03929.pdf

[2] Expected to close within several weeks.

About IBM Watson

Watson is IBM’s AI technology for business, helping organizations to better predict and shape future outcomes, automate complex processes, and optimize employees’ time. Watson has evolved from an IBM Research project, to experimentation, to a scaled, open set of products that run anywhere. With more than 30,000 client engagements, Watson is being applied by leading global brands across a variety of industries to transform how people work.