Sony BBC Earth Launches ‘Young Earth Champions’ In Partnership With Climate Warrior Bhumi Pednekar

Being indoors has made us realize just how energizing it is to be outdoors and has given us another reason to be a lot more compassionate towards our planet. Last year also made us take notice of the sweeping environmental crisis, pushing us to work towards building a better tomorrow for the next generation. There is a dire need to elevate the voices of the youth and drive them towards positive call for action as their small steps today can make a big difference in the future.

Adhering to this, Sony BBC Earth is launching its IP ‘Young Earth Champions’ in partnership with Bollywood star and Climate Warrior Bhumi Pednekar, who is a strong advocate of environmental conservation through her flagship initiative - Climate Warrior. Together, via this nation-wide contest for all climate-conscious students, Sony BBC Earth and Bhumi Pednekar are presenting a platform that not only recognizes & rewards innovative ideas, but also inspires the young minds of India to think about a better and a more sustainable future.

Backed with an intent to inspire kids to be catalysts for conservation early on, the contest will be open for 5th to 9th standard kids who have to send in entries for the most innovative ideas that will make our cities and communities more sustainable. Bhumi Pednekar along with an expert will judge this initiative and select one lucky ‘Young Earth Champion’ who will be featured on the channel. Not only that, the top 10 winners will get to virtually interact with Bhumi Pednekar and have an invigorating conversation on doing our bit in preserving the Earth and co-existing with it.

Bhumi Pednekar, Bollywood star and Climate Warrior, says, “Climate change is upon us and its real. Through my initiative of Climate Warrior, I diligently try to highlight the seriousness of the crisis and its repercussions. I am glad that Sony BBC Earth echoes the same beliefs and with 'Young Earth Champions’ is offering a great platform to trigger exchange of creative ideas among kids, who have the power to bring about change. I am looking forward to an encouraging participation from incredible, young talents and a stimulating discussion about a sustainable future”.

Sony BBC Earth

Sony BBC Earth is a premium factual entertainment channel by MSM Worldwide Factual Media – a Joint venture between Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and BBC Worldwide.

Sony BBC Earth is home to BBC’s award-winning factual programs and work of some of the world’s foremost factual film makers. Rooted in the philosophy of ‘Feel Alive’, the channel promises grand visual spectacle, positive insightful storytelling and a new perspective to knowledge and entertainment.

The channel has diverse content offering ranging from for fun, insightful science, nature and wildlife to adventure and human interest stories with shows like Blue Planet II, Dynasties, Trust Me I’m a Doctor, Rick Stein’s India, Bang Goes the Theory, Deadly 60, Planet Earth II, Fishing Impossible, Where the Wild Men Are with Ben Fogle etc.

The channel is broadcast in SD & HD and available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu across India.

IDA Ireland Announces Results For 2020 And Tanaiste Launches New IDA Strategy For Next Four Years

 Performance 2020

·         Investments continued & Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment grew in 2020 despite impact of COVID-19

·         Over 20,000 new jobs created in 2020

·         Numbers directly employed in multinational sector in Ireland grew to 257,394

·         246 investments won in 2020 - 95 new name investments

·         More than half (52%) of investments went to regional locations

·         Net job creation of 8,944

·         Higher job losses than recent years in some sectors

New Strategy

·         Reflecting the ambition of the Government’s forthcoming National Economic Plan, IDA Ireland’s new Strategy 2021 - 2024 to target 800 investments and 50,000 new jobs with focus on five pillars – Growth, Transformation, Regions, Sustainability and Impact

·         400 of the 800 investments objective in new strategy targeted at regional locations

IDA Ireland, the inward investment agency of the Irish Government, today reported continued investment in 2020 despite the serious disruption to business caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

246 new investments were won in 2020 and 20,123 new jobs were created. 95 investments were from new investors and 151 investments from existing companies. 128 (52%) of the 246 projects won were for regional locations. Employment growth of 3.6% in IDA Ireland supported companies was achieved in 2020. Total employment in IDA Ireland client companies in Ireland now stands at 257,394, accounting directly for 12.4% of COVID-adjusted national employment, up from 10.7% in 2019 as a result of the severe impact of the pandemic on certain domestic facing sectors and the employment growth within IDA Ireland’s client base. Additionally, eight jobs are created in the wider economy for every ten created by IDA Ireland client companies, amounting to estimated total direct and indirect employment of 463,309.

An Tánaiste & Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment Leo Varadkar T.D. said: Despite a year of unprecedented challenges to our economy, these results show that foreign direct investment has been remarkably resilient. We still saw a net increase in FDI jobs of nearly 9,000 in 2020. This is a testament to the attractiveness of Ireland as a destination for companies seeking to invest.

Martin Shanahan, CEO IDA Ireland said: “In the context of the COVID-19 global pandemic, FDI’s performance is remarkable.  It is encouraging that Ireland has been able to secure such a significant number (246) of investments and grow employment in 2020, a year of unprecedented disruption to global business and adverse impact on global economies.”

“The bulk of investments came from North America, delivering 67% of investments, a larger US contribution compared to recent years. This was driven in part by our focus on existing companies and the strong existing base of US corporates and their investments in expansion, R&D and training activity in Ireland.”

Tanaz Buhariwalla, India Director IDA Ireland said, “It has been an unusual year, IDA Ireland however, keeping up with its tradition, successfully managed to attract investments into Ireland. Lifesciences and manufacturing companies continue to invest in Ireland, especially given the need for a stable supply chain operation centre, in light of both, Brexit and the pandemic. Technology and services companies have further scaled their footprints in Ireland, given it will remain the only English speaking jurisdiction in the EU. Several Indian companies have made Ireland their home; we hope to see more conversions in 2021. IDA Ireland is actively pursuing conversations with key players in their respective domains, who could consider Ireland as an ideal destination to invest. The events of 2020 have proved Ireland's resilience and government’s support for and interest in the pro-business outlook.”

About the new strategy, IDA Ireland Chairman Frank Ryan said: “The need to focus on sustainability, supporting our client base to innovate and transform in order to not just remain viable, but to develop and grow, has never been more important. It is why we have made sustainability, innovation and transformation an integral part of our new strategy.”

In support of the new strategy’s continued focus on regional development, IDA Ireland will deliver 19 Advanced Building Solutions (ABS) to regional locations.

The planned building solutions have a geographical spread in line with the National Planning Framework, with particular emphasis on the Border and Midlands regions reflecting our strategic focus on supporting the necessary conditions to attract FDI in regions of significant economic need (e.g. with high exposure to Brexit, Just Transition regions.)

IDA Ireland will also partner with the private sector and local authorities to deliver buildings in key locations where appropriate; invest in significant infrastructure projects across our portfolio of Business and Technology Parks to upgrade and maintain these key assets in line with the evolving requirements of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland clients and maintain a focus on land banks and utility intensive strategic sites to future proof the ability of our property portfolio to support the project pipeline, most notably large-scale capital-intensive projects which can have significant regional and national economic impacts.

The impact of multinational companies (MNCs) nationally and regionally goes far beyond their direct and indirect employment contribution. Irish economy expenditure by IDA Ireland clients in 2019 totalled €25.2bn, an increase of 14.8% on the previous year. Payroll spend was up 11.3% to €15.1bn, Irish materials spend rose by 2.3% to €2.7bn and Irish.

Dettol Partners With Treebo To Facilitate Safe And Hygienic Stays At Their Hotels

●  Treebo Hygiene Shield with Dettol protection marks a phase of a new initiatives to deliver industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection at 600+ Treebo Hotels - India’s most loved budget Hotel Chain

● This includes additional deep-cleaning of high-touch surfaces with Dettol products, placement of hand-sanitizer dispensers across the Hotels, adequate social distancing, and regular and rigorous audits to ensure compliance with the standards

●  In an effort to further minimise guest contact, Treebo has introduced the Web Check-in feature that allows guests to check-in to a Treebo Hotel remotely

Dettol, the leading germ protection brand, today announced its partnership with Treebo Hotels to facilitate safety and hygiene in domestic travel and create awareness about out of home disinfection & safety in India. The partnership program will ensure the use of Dettol products proven effective against the COVID-19 virus to elevate the disinfection and hygiene levels of the hotel premise, and drive regular training of the hotel staff among various other initiatives to ensure that guests enjoy an even cleaner and safer stay at Treebo Hotels. All Treebo Hotels will conform to the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness. Additionally, Dettol will also introduce its recently launched suite of innovative cleanliness products at select Treebo Hotels that will be conferred with the “Platinum Hygiene Shield” for maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene.

Since the Covid-19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdowns, consumers are eager to resume travel. A research by Global Monitor indicates that consumers have heightened concerns regarding hygiene on their journey, and trust in cleanliness standards is an extremely critical element when it comes to travel. Given the current environment, restarting and redevelopment is the key to consumer satisfaction.  Therefore, it has become essential for industries across to implement an effective system to ensure standardized hygiene practices.

Commenting on the partnership announcement, RB spokesperson said, “As India’s #1 trusted hygiene brand, we aim to partner with our consumers to ensure a healthier environment not just inside, but outside of home as we are at crossroads with the ‘new normal’. We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Treebo hotels in India, as our ethos & priority seamlessly align with one another; providing the safest environment to the Indian population. Through this partnership program we will aim to create a safe, hygienic, and enjoyable experience for its customers with the use of Dettol range of products which are effective against the COVID-19 virus. With this promise, Dettol will continue to drive the organizational purpose and fight in action - to protect, heal, and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world.”

The Treebo Hygiene Shield covers all the aspects of safety. Safety checks and disinfection at arrival to contactless check-in, fully disinfected rooms, hand-sanitizers accessible across the property, in-room dining / dining with limited seating in the restaurants, social distancing at the lobby and reception, etc. are just some of the aspects of providing guests with completely secured and safe stays. All of these safety and hygiene checks are audited regularly and rigorously by internal and 3rd party experts to arrive at a score of the Treebo Hygiene Shield with Dettol Protection. Based on these scores, the properties are awarded Bronze, Gold and Platinum badges.

Treebo Hotels has also launched the Web Check-in feature which will further minimize the need for any human interaction at the time of checking-in at a Treebo Hotel. The Web Check-in feature allows guests to upload ID cards, furnish arrival details, select rooms, and place any other special request up to 48-hrs prior to the check-in. Upon arrival at the hotel, guests who have already done a web check-in can just verify their ID cards and collect the keys to their rooms at the reception desk.

Sidharth Gupta, the Co-Founder of Treebo Hotels said “Dettol is India’s leading hygiene brand. Their partnership with our COVID safety program - Treebo Hygiene Shield - is a great validation of the quality assurance processes we follow, and our obsession about guest experience and safety. Despite the reducing numbers of new cases in India and the hope of mass vaccination on the horizon, we are not taking our eyes off the road and continuing to follow strict hygiene standards at our hotels.”

Treebo Hotel Partners are optimistic and welcoming of Dettol’s partnership with Treebo Hygiene Shield. Sanket Wetal who owns and operates 3 hotels under the Treebo brand across Maharashtra said “Treebo is the most guest-centric brand in its space and Dettol is the undisputed leader in cleanliness and hygiene. Dettol usage at Treebo gives the reassurance that our hotel premises are safe and hygienic for guests, visitors and even our own staff. The Dettol protection will become one more reason and a strong validation for guests to pick our hotel”

About RB

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

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

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

MyGate Partners with Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor for the 14th Edition of MyGate Bengaluru Midnight Marathon 2020

* The marathon to be held from 12th February, 2021, 12 am to 14th February, 2021, 12 am

* To  register log on towww.midnightmarathon.in

* Dates & Timings – Run Anytime / Anywhere from 12-14 February 2021

* The theme this year for the virtual marathon will be ‘Get on Your Feet – Help them stay on their Feet’

MyGate, India’s largest security and community management solution provider, today announced their partnership with Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor to host the much-awaited 14th edition of ‘MyGate Bengaluru Midnight Marathon’ – (BMM). The only midnight marathon in India, taking into consideration the current scenario this year, the run will be held virtually, thus providing an opportunity for enthusiasts from across the globe to participate from anywhere. The MyGate Bengaluru Midnight Marathon 2020NE will be held between Feb. 11/12 midnight to 14/15 midnight, 2021. The funds collected will be used to support the education of underprivileged children.

Speaking about the association, Mr. Vijay Arisetty, Co-founder & CEO, MyGate, said, “We are extremely glad to support the long tradition of the Bangalore Midnight Marathon in this virtual edition. At MyGate, we see the betterment of the community as being at the very core of our operations and are glad that through the various initiatives of the Rotary Club, the impact of the run will resonate long after the races are over. There cannot be a better way to harness the power of community spirit”

Elaborating on the rationale behind the marathon, Dr. Satish Rudrappa, President, Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor (RBITC) 2020-21, said, “BMM is the flagship fundraising event for RBITC’s social service projects. During this pandemic, Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor (RBITC) has been at the forefront to support the affected with food, supplies, masks, tablets for students to study from home, online learning courses, school building construction, and much more. Service never stops. When times are tough, we need to do more. And, Together we can”.

“RBITC’s Bengaluru Midnight Marathon has received tremendous recognition since its inception and also has the distinction of being the only Marathon that happens at night.  Conceptualised to celebrate the spirit of Bengaluru and its spirit of innovation, this year the Virtual MyGate BMM goes global, powered by our Virtual Platform partners, Feetapart. We believe that BMM will eventually become an embodiment of everything that stands for hope in each of us. I appeal to each and every one of you to Get on your Feet - Help them stay on their Feet.” added, Mr.Anil Danti, Chairman BMM 2020NE

Marathons have entrenched themselves as the single largest community sports event in the country in the recent years. In fact, the Midnight Marathon has the distinction of being one of them and has hosted international marathons from 2007-2019, with over 30,000 runners expected to participate virtually and globally this year.

The online registrations for the individual events of the MyGate Bengaluru Midnight Marathon have already kick started and participants can register online by logging onto www.midnightmarathon.in. MyGate residents can also  register for the run through the MyGate application.

The key runs are:

1.JBL 5k Fun Run                                  5 kms.

2.Akamai Open 10k Run                   10 kms.

3.Sakra Half Marathon                                      21.097 kms.

4.Rotary Full Marathon                                     42.195 Kms        

5.Prime VP #FitnessStartupChallenge

About Bengaluru Midnight Marathon

Bengaluru Midnight Marathon is the flagship fundraising event conducted by Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor. At its heart, the initiative aims to create a platform to raise funds for health, education, social welfare and rural enlistment projects. And in its successive years, the marathon has remained true to its simple purpose. The first edition of the Bengaluru Midnight Marathon was held on May 19th, 2007 and since then, more than 100,000 runners from across the world have taken part in the marathon.

About Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor

Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor (RBITC) was formed in June 2006 with a mission to make a transformational and sustainable change in the quality of life in Bangalore and outside. It has in the last few years funded and implemented several projects in the area of primary health care and rural livelihood provision through vocational training programs, primary education by supporting government schools by organizing mid-day meal programs and scores of other charitable community services and environmental initiatives. One of the highlights being the Bengaluru Midnight Marathon, which is their biggest fundraiser and Asia's only marathon run at night.

Tata Motors Launches The INTRA V20; The New-Generation Compact Truck, In Nepal

 

Key highlights:

• Prices for the all-new Tata Intra V20 start at NPR 19.75 lakh

• First compact truck, conceptualised and engineered on a new modular platform

• Built on ‘Premium Tough’ design philosophy, Tata Intra not only looks modern and striking, but is also the most stylish truck in the small commercial vehicle category

• Tata Intra meets the evolving needs of the new age informed customer who seeks high revenues, low cost of ownership and superior vehicle performance leading to prosperity

• Featuring the revolutionary ‘Walkthrough Cabin’ layout for extra space and comfort on the inside

• State of the art Engine technology with best in class 45% Gradeability

• Engineered to offer higher profits with 1.1-ton payload capacity and low maintenance cost

• Short turning radius allows easy manoeuvrability in high traffic intra-city trips

Kathmandu, 08 January, 2021: Tata Motors, one of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers, launched its newest smart compact truck, the Tata Intra V20, in Nepal, in association with its sole authorised distributor for the country, Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd. Designed on Tata Motors’ ‘Premium Tough’ philosophy, this small truck provides power-packed performance and increased productivity, along with a safe and comfortable driving experience. The Intra V20 is priced starting from NPR 19.75 lakh. The compact truck will be supported by an extensive countrywide network for sales, service and spare parts of Sipradi Trading Pvt Ltd in Nepal.

With its advanced design, the Tata Intra cabin offers additional space with its walkthrough cabin layout, better seating ergonomics and an advanced digital instrument cluster. Equipped with a bigger load carrying area, higher load capacity of 1,100kg and superior fuel efficiency and durability, this compact truck has been engineered to offer owners great profitability with lower total cost of operations. It also has a short turning circle radius of 4.75m which allows it to negotiate narrow streets and tight corners with ease. The Tata Intra V20 is powered by a 1.4-litre diesel engine that develops 70bhp and 140Nm of torque, and comes with a ‘Gear Shift Advisor’ to help achieve optimum fuel efficiency. Its 5-speed gearbox, with cable shift mechanism, ensures a smooth and hassle-free driving. The Tata Intra is ideal for road conditions in Nepal with its high ground clearance and best in class 45% gradeability.

The feature-rich Tata Intra is built securely on a hydro-formed chassis frame with a robust body shell cabin, which ensures increased structural strength, durability and provides lower NVH levels. It features an ergonomically-designed cabin with comfortable seats as well as a dashboard-mounted gear lever enables easy and fatigue-free driving even during long hours of driving. Its rugged and reliable aggregates account for an overall lower cost of maintenance and make it the best choice of vehicle in its category.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rudrarup Maitra, Vice President – International Business, Commercial Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors Ltd. said, “Tata Motors’ diverse and robust range of commercial vehicles has been well received by the people of Nepal and we will endeavour to continue to introduce newer models and variants. Tata Intra is an ideal product for customers who want to upgrade their commercial vehicles for higher business returns and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), enabled by proven and reliable aggregates and driving comfort leading to longer, fatigue-free drives.With the launch of Tata Intra V20, we have brought forth a one-of-its-kind powerful and resilient model in the small commercial vehicle sector, ideal for customers who want maximum revenues, minimum maintenance costs and a Modern & Comfortable cabin. We remain certain of the dedication and zeal with which Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd. will conduct sales and services for the all-new Intra, in continuation of the support they’ve extended to all our other models for many decades. We also believe Tata Intra V20 will provide its owners in Nepal with a best-in-class experience, building on Tata Motors’ legacy of providing highly efficient and reliable products that ensure utmost customer satisfaction.”

Expressing confidence, Mr. Siddhartha SJB Rana, Executive Chairman, Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd. said, “As a reputed brand in Nepal, our priority has always been to bring world-class products and provide best in class customer service. Our partnership with Tata Motors has resulted in successfully delivering a range of excellent vehicles in the market in the past few decades. With the launch of the Tata Intra V20, we continue our commitment to provide our customers the vehicles that offer the best performance, affordability and high efficiency. Tata Intra V20 is an expertly crafted compact truck with a lot of potential within the market in Nepal, and we are confident that it will be highly appreciated by the Nepalese citizens.”

About Tata Motors

Tata Motors Limited (NYSE: TTM; BSE: 500570 and 570001; NSE: TATAMOTORS and TATAMTRDVR), a USD 35 billion organization, is a leading global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks and buses. Part of the USD 113 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 103 subsidiaries, 10 associate companies, 3 joint ventures and 2 joint operations as on March 31, 2020.

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, fueled by state of the art design and R&D centers 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.

About Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd.

Sipradi Trading Private Limited is a major player in automotive and allied business and is one of the largest and most driving brands in Nepal. 38 years down the line, Sipradi has exceeded USD 350 million annual revenue and continue to grow rapidly in automotive, lubricant, financial service and equipment business sectors. The entire workforce has been working together to accomplish a shared objective – To deliver quality products and services while adding synergy to the growth of overall brand value.

Sipradi Trading Private Limited (STPL) has been the sole distributor of Tata Motors Ltd. India vehicles, for Nepal since 1982 and is certified with ISO 9001:2015. The company provides sales, services and spare parts, facility for the full range of Tata Motors’ commercial as well as passenger vehicles. The company has immense networks throughout Nepal with 29 sales network offices and 53 service centres dedicated to commercial vehicles.

Atlassian Plans to Reach Net Zero Emissions by 2050: Sets Ambitious Goals to Fight Climate Crisis

* Absolute emissions reduction of 50 percent by 2025 

* Reduce absolute emissions from business travel 25 percent by 2025 

* 65 percent of suppliers by emissions will have SBTs by fiscal year 2025 

Atlassian Corporation Plc, a leading provider of team collaboration and productivity software and the maker of Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket and Trello products, has released its second annual Sustainability Report for the fiscal year 2020 and announced ambitious goals to combat global climate change. 

This report details Atlassian’s progress and trajectory across four sustainability pillars: planet, customers, people, and community. 

As part of our commitment to combat climate change, Atlassian set a goal to reach 100 percent renewable power across all our operations by 2025, which we achieved in the fiscal year 2020, five years ahead of schedule. 

“We are setting ambitious climate goals because we believe in matching our words by stepping up and taking action, said Jessica Hyman, Atlassian’s head of sustainability. “It’s what our staff want. It’s what our customers expect. It’s what our politicians should be doing. And it’s what we must do for the future sustainability of our business.” 

In September 2019, at UN Climate Week, we committed to set a target to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050. We aligned our goals with a 1.5°C trajectory as part of our commitment to the Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign, reflecting the most ambitious objectives of the Paris Agreement. We had recently announced that these goals have been approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative steering committee. 

“We congratulate Atlassian Corporation for setting emissions reduction targets consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C, the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement, said Alexander Farsan, global lead for Science Based Targets at World Wide Fund for Nature. “By setting targets that are grounded in climate science, Atlassian is setting themselves up for success in the transition to a net-zero economy.” 

Our SBTi validation is an important step in our climate leadership and commitment to science. Here are the key ways we believe, we can get there by 2050: 

Scope 1-2 – Absolute Emissions Reduction of 50 percent by 2025: This will mostly be achieved through procurement of 100 percent renewable energy and is therefore directly aligned with our RE100 commitment. The other critical element is ensuring any of the buildings we own and operate run on electricity for heating and cooling (as opposed to natural gas or diesel). 

Scope 3 – Reduce absolute emissions from business travel 25 percent by 2025: This will be achieved by reducing emissions from business travel, with a big focus on air travel. 

Scope 3 – 65 percent of suppliers by emissions will have SBTs by fiscal year 2025: This will be achieved through supply chain management. We’ll need to engage with our top suppliers and encourage them to set science-based climate targets. We are in the middle of mapping out our priorities here with our internal teams, and we’re looking forward to the opportunity for innovation in this space. 

“Our hope is that more companies see this is possible, and take the leap, said Mike Cannon-Brookes, Atlassian co-founder and co-CEO. “The latest climate science says we need reductions to keep warming to 1.5 degrees to avoid the most damaging effects of climate change. Australia needs to do its part. Our future depends on it.” 

About Atlassian: 

Atlassian unleashes the potential of every team. Our team collaboration and productivity software helps teams organize, discuss, and complete shared work. Teams at more than 182,000 customers, across large and small organizations - including Honeywell, Dropbox, Bank of America, Redfin, Verizon, 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 our products, including Jira Software, Confluence, Trello, Bitbucket, Opsgenie, Jira Service Desk, and Jira Align at https://atlassian.com/. 

As Per TRAI Data Vodafone Idea In December Continues To Deliver Higher Voice Quality In The Industry

Idea received 4.8 average indoor and outdoor call quality rating on the scale of one to five in December. Idea also said to have received  95.95% satisfactory rating in the month. Idea has been consistent with its high quality voice calls since it scored a rating of 4.9 and 4.8 for indoor and outdoor calls respectively in the month of November as well.

Vodafone retained its second spot on the Trai charts with an average 4.3 voice quality rating and 85.05% satisfactory rating in December.

Vodafone and Idea are the only industry players to score ratings above 4, for both months in a row.

Trai data on its MyCall Portal based on usage of Trai MyCall Application by mobile users across India, highlights the voice call quality feedback provided by the users on its application.

https://trai.gov.in/mycall-dashboard

Dr. Fixit Launches New Initiative to Educate Consumers About Right Ways Of Waterproofing

* Campaign to feature legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan

* To conduct outreach programs for contractors and dealers

Dr. Fixit, from the house of Pidilite,  unveiled a new initiative featuring legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan. The new campaign is aimed at educating consumers about the importance of thorough waterproofing in the construction of a new house. Parallel to this, the brand is undertaking various outreach programs that shall enable the dealers to offer the right solutions to the customer for their waterproofing issues.

The latest Dr. Fixit campaign addresses the misunderstood beliefs that often makes people to use only Dr. Fixit LW+ leading to incomplete water-proofing of their new homes. It underlines the importance of using Dr. Fixit LW+ as well as URP for the most effective waterproofing solution.

Mr. Nilesh Mazumdar, CEO, Construction Chemical Retail, Pidilite Industries said, “Dr. Fixit offers a range of waterproofing products which address all the critical areas of waterproofing.  With this new TVC, we intend to sensitize consumers about the correct waterproofing technique, of using Dr. Fixit LW+ as well as URP for complete waterproofing of a home. The initiative encourages consumers to adopt a preventive approach to waterproofing while constructing a new house. Humour works best in changing people’s attitude and even better with Mr. Bachchan. Additionally we have undertaken various initiatives like ‘DOST Campaign’, ‘Dukaandar se Salaahkar’ movement and ‘Atmanirbhar Contractor’ to enable the dealers and contractors to offer the best waterproofing solution for combating the future and existing waterproofing issues”

Some of the initiatives launched to support the campaign are:

Dukandaar se Salaahkar movement for the dealers – With this campaign Dr. Fixit aims to make every dealer (Dukandaar) into a Waterproofing consultant (Salaahkaar), to provide solutions that could overcome the barriers of lack of time and technical education amongst dealers. As a solution, the brand has generated a unique QR code for every dealer in the country. These QR codes are linked to easy-to-understand waterproofing information, which is delivered via WhatsApp. The dealer just needs to guide the visiting consumers and contractors to scan the QR code from their mobile, which shall lead them to a WhatsApp chat window that will open with a default message typed in the response box. As the mobile owner hits the send button, he/she would receive a message with waterproofing solutions to all commonly known waterproofing problems for new construction as well as repair situations. The information will be provided in 11 Indian languages for the users' benefit. Additionally, for unique problems, the message shall guide the consumers to call Dr. Fixit Advice Centre at 1800 209 5504.

Atmanirbhar Contractor – This initiative will help the contractors to have easy access to all the necessary documents required for suggesting a suitable waterproofing solution. To enable them, Dr. Fixit has launched Dr. Fixit Chatbot - a simple, menu-based WhatsApp chatbot which allows them to access technical documents, product application videos, find nearby dealers, learn the right COVID-safety methods, and play a knowledge-based quiz to upgrade their knowledge. The chatbot provides all the information in 11 languages and can be activated by saving the easy-to-remember number 75 03 03 03 03 and sending a 'Hi' to it.

About Pidilite:

Pidilite Industries Limited is a leading manufacturer of adhesives and sealants, construction chemicals, craftsmen products, DIY (Do-It-Yourself) products and polymer emulsions in India. Our products range also includes paint chemicals, automotive chemicals, art materials and stationery, fabric care, maintenance chemicals, industrial adhesives, industrial resins and organic pigments & preparations. Most of the products have been developed through strong in-house R&D. Our brand name Fevicol has become synonymous with adhesives to millions in India and is ranked amongst the most trusted brands in the country. Some of our other major brands are M-Seal, Fevikwik, Fevistik, Roff, Dr. Fixit, Fevicryl, Motomax, Hobby Ideas.

InterMiles Launches India’s Largest Dining Rewards Programme

* InterMiles to offer both accrual & redemption opportunities via their mobile app for food takeaways & dining spends across 25,000+ restaurants

InterMiles, the leading loyalty & rewards programme, today announced the launch of their new Dine platform, allowing members Miles earning and redemption opportunities directly on the InterMiles mobile app while eating out at their favorite restaurants. InterMiles members can now earn Miles every-time they reserve a table or pay for their take-away or restaurant dining bill via the InterMiles app. Additionally, members can use their InterMiles app to pay for their take-away or restaurant dining bill in Miles.

InterMiles has over the years, adopted a strong consumer-centric approach towards becoming the preferred travel and lifestyle rewards programme. Today, InterMiles usage has shifted from being occasion driven to becoming a habit and consequently an intrinsic part of members’ daily lifestyle.

As dining out resumes in a measured, innovative and reinvigorated manner, the industry is optimistic of business slowly and steadily returning to pre-COVID levels. Innovations introduced by restaurants to ensure that customers have a memorable and safe experience have been met with much enthusiasm and appreciation. F&B outlets are witnessing an increase in footfalls from diners looking to meet up with family / friends after extended periods of isolation, as well as from those simply looking to recharge themselves and break away from the confines of their homes, all with caution.

This sentiment is echoed by Dineout which has observed an 80% increase in digital payments usage by consumers for settling them in-restaurant dining bills. Having a finger on the consumers’ pulse and identifying an opportunity to elevate existing dining benefits offered to members, InterMiles has introduced its dedicated, industry-first Dine platform, powered by Dineout, which can be accessed exclusively via the InterMiles app and website.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Vikas Chandak, SVP & Head – Strategic Businesses, Financial Products, Partnerships & Alliances, InterMiles said, “At InterMiles, our programme and platform enhancements have always been determined by evolving member trends. As our members resume stepping out and transition back to the new-normal, we identified an opportunity to reward them with new, elevated benefits each time they dine out. We also believe, being able to earn miles or save on your dining bills with just a couple of taps via the InterMiles App, will be a great program feature for our members, especially given the expanse (25000+ restaurants) brought in by our partners – DineOut. This further strengthens our vision to make earning & redeeming InterMiles everyday your most rewarding habit.”

With the Dine platform, InterMiles members can earn Miles when they reserve a table or pay restaurant bills via the mobile app. InterMiles members also have a dual-benefit advantage when they use the InterMiles app since they can avail of outlet specific cash discounts, cashbacks and special offers over and above their Miles earning and redemption opportunities. Members can also choose to redeem their earned Miles for dining bill payments, through the InterMiles App and enjoy a fully free culinary experience.

Members will earn 1 Mile on every INR 40 spent for bill payments on the InterMiles mobile app. Members will also get a bonus 150 Miles for the first restaurant bill payment made via the app and a bonus 100 Miles for the second such transaction. Earning and redemption benefits for dining out can be availed by InterMiles members at 25,000 plus restaurants across the country; this is in addition to existing cash discounts or offers run by respective dining outlets.

The First All-Electric Performance SUV, Jaguar I-Pace Lands On The Indian Shores

Jaguar Land Rover’s first foray into Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), the I-PACE is now a step closer to being launched in India. The first unit of the All-Electric Performance SUV has landed in India at JNPT near Mumbai, for extensive testing and validation across the country.

Rohit Suri, President & Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India said, “We are delighted to share with you pictures of the first Jaguar I-PACE in India. The I-PACE marks a significant milestone in Jaguar Land Rover’s journey in India, as we gear up for an electrified future.”

The first Jaguar I-PACE in India is finished in stunning Firenze Red and is a top-of-the-line HSE variant. Equipped with a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery, the I-PACE produces 294 kW and 696 Nm torque, helping it accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 4.8 s.

Since its debut, the I-PACE has won several accolades and over 80 global awards, including the prestigious World Car of the Year, World Car Design of the Year, and World Green Car in 2019. It was the first vehicle ever to win all three World Car titles simultaneously in the 15-year history of the awards, reinforcing its status as the best electric luxury SUV.

LTI Becomes The Elite Services Partner Of Snowflake To Accelerate Cloud Data Transformation

Larsen & Toubro Infotech, a global technology consulting and digital solutions company has become an Elite Services Partner of Snowflake, the Data Cloud company. Elite Partner represents the highest level of partnership in Snowflake Partner Network. This achievement recognizes LTI’s commitment in delivering amplified outcomes at scale and speed on Snowflake’s Data Cloud. The status differentiates LTI as a preferred services partner for Snowflake with proven expertise and experience.

LTI has also become the maiden partner for Snowcase, a program that Snowflake is launching to develop and market industry-specific solutions to accelerate cloud data transformation journey of enterprises. The first Snowcase being launched with LTI is ‘Data-Driven Manufacturing Transformation’ highlighting best practices from LTI’s marquee Snowflake implementation for a global manufacturer. The accelerated migration and platform simplification of existing data platform to Snowflake data cloud was done leveraging LTI Canvas PolarSled, LTI Mosaic & Qlik.

Sanjay Jalona, CEO & Managing Director, LTI said, “Snowflake is the preferred partner for modern enterprises because of its unique ability to decouple storage and compute. Our alliance with Snowflake has grown stronger and deeper over time, with several joint go-to-market initiatives and implementations. The Elite Partner status and alliance on Snowcase program will further help us deliver Snowflake led transformations.”

Colleen Kapase, Vice President, WW Partner & Alliances, Snowflake said, “LTI’s achievement as an Elite Partner is a testament to their deep expertise on Snowflake. Our many recent joint client implementations globally reflect their strong capabilities and customer connects, making them an ideal industry leader for Snowflake services. We look forward to continued momentum and a long partnership with LTI.”

LTI and Snowflake partnership combines the best of LTI’s data modernization & transformation expertise with Snowflake’s innovative architecture, unique consumption model and near-unlimited scalability. With an automated cloud migration and modernization framework, LTI Canvas PolarSled is a key differentiator in driving Snowflake migrations. It enables enterprises with rapid migration of their cloud data to Snowflake’s single, integrated platform in an efficient and low-risk way.

LTI and Snowflake have together delivered many successful transformations for clients across the globe, and the partnership compliments the exponential growth aspirations of both companies.

About LTI:

LTI (NSE: LTI) is a global technology consulting and digital solutions Company helping more than 400 clients succeed in a converging world. With operations in 32 countries, we go the extra mile for our clients and accelerate their digital transformation with LTI’s Mosaic platform enabling their mobile, social, analytics, IoT and cloud journeys. Founded in 1997 as a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Limited, our unique heritage gives us unrivalled real-world expertise to solve the most complex challenges of enterprises across all industries. Each day, our team of more than 32,000 LTItes enable our clients to improve the effectiveness of their business and technology operations and deliver value to their customers, employees and shareholders. 

Indian Real Estate In Top Cities Has Become Affordable With Property Prices Correcting And Interest Rates Falling: Knight Frank Report

Real estate across India’s top eight cities has become more affordable with property prices correcting and interest rates falling to multi-decade lows. Prices of residential properties have fallen across most of the top eight cities in the last one year between 1% and 9%. The fall is much steeper when compared to 2016 and ranges between 16% and 19%, according to the latest findings of Knight Frank India for the months between July and December 2020.

The sharpest correction of 19% has come in Chennai, followed by Pune, where prices have corrected by 17% in the last four years. Mumbai, the most expensive real estate market in India, has also seen a sharp fall of 16% in residential prices. Bengaluru, which has traditionally been an end-user driven market, has seen a minor increase of 2% in these last four years. However, NCR continues to hold on to its prices and has seen no correction in the last four years.

With the fall in prices and interest rates at multi-decade low, the report highlighted that affordability had improved for India’s top eight cities in the last decade. The affordability is calculated by taking into account the movement in housing prices, household income and the interest rates and its impact on affordability.

Mumbai, though still remains the most expensive city to own a house in India, has seen the affordability improve significantly from 100% in 2011 to 61% in 2020. This means that an average household in Mumbai needs to spend around 61% of their income towards EMI. Ahmedabad remains the most affordable market in the country with 24%, while affordability in NCR has improved from 64% in 2011 to 38% in 2020. Bengaluru has seen affordability index improve from 53% to 28% in the same period.

Meanwhile, the second half of 2020 saw a revival in residential sales, which can be primarily attributed to price corrections across all major markets and fall in home loan rates. Sales in the top eight cities increased 60% in the July-December 2020 period compared to the first half of last year, with these cities recording sales of 94,997 units. Annual sales, however, remained affected by the pandemic and declined 37% in whole of 2020 compared to the year before. Stamp duty cut in Maharashtra bode well for sales in Mumbai and Pune.

Interestingly, the mid- and high-end segment performed better in the second half of 2020, leaving behind the affordable segment. The over `50-lakh category constituted 57% of all sales in H2 2020 while the share of affordable category stood at 43%. Also, a rise was witnessed in transactions in the high-end category.

However, total launches across the country were lower by 34% in 2020, at 146,628 units. In H2 2020, the new launches increased by 42% compared to the January to June 2020 period. Unsold inventory levels declined 2% for the whole of 2020 and stood at 4.25 lakh units. However, sluggish sales velocity in mid-2020 helped quarters-to-sell (QTS) to rise to an average of 10.1 quarters from 8.9 quarters in the January-June period.

The office market in top eight cities recorded transactions of 22.2 million square feet in H2 2020, while new completions were recorded at 17.2 million sqft. The year began on a high note with office leasing achieving 96% of the quarterly average of 2019 in Q12020. However, the government-imposed lockdown due to the pandemic led to temporary economic inactivity and translated into a sharp fall in office leasing activities in Q2 2020. With the return to normality, gross leasing revived to 31% of the quarterly average of 2019 in Q3 2020, eventually surging to a staggering 115% in Q4 2020.

Shishir Baijal, chairman and managing director of Knight Frank India, said, “While the events of 2020 may hasten the evolution of the office space into a more flexible, sustainable and wellness-oriented environment in the long run, it is unlikely that the need for traditional office space will reduce in the foreseeable future.”

Aspire Systems Joins Hands with World Vision India To Support COVID-19 Affected Households

Aspire Systems India (P) Ltd. (Aspire) has partnered with World Vision India to support one of its landmark projects – ‘Restoration of livelihood for COVID-19 affected households in Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu’. The program aims to help 100 beneficiaries with livelihood options based on their needs, such as supply of agriculture inputs, livestock, setting up of small shops, etc.

On signing the MoU, Gowri Shankar Subramanian, CEO – Aspire Systems, said, “Our philosophy of ‘Attention. Always.’ encompasses society, making it a practice for the organization and our employees to lend a helping hand to empower people from economically backward sections. Extending our support since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been collaborating with various NGOs to provide the best aid possible. We are glad to be partnering with World Vision India in their efforts to support the needy and provide them with sustainable livelihood opportunities. The best part of this initiative is the imparting of necessary training to the selected beneficiaries, which will empower them to be self-sustained individuals.”

Speaking on the progress of the initiative, Sathappan, General Manager (CSR) – Aspire Systems, commented, “The team is currently in the process of shortlisting beneficiaries and evaluating their needs, which is scheduled to be completed by January 2021. The key highlight of this project is that it will be regularly monitored and reviewed by the field volunteers and project coordinators to assess the status of the livelihood and food security program. The restoration efforts will help the beneficiaries in enhancing cash flow in the community to meet the daily consumption expenses and improve food and nutrition security among affected and reverse migration households.”

"We have all felt the unprecedented economic impacts of COVID-19 affecting the lives of wage labourers and small vendors to a greater extent. This impact requires strategic and sustainable approaches to build a resilient community and enable families with increased sustainable income so that they could provide better for their children", said James Neil Devasahayam, Head - Technical Support, World Vision India. "This partnership aims to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19, protect local livelihoods by providing support to restart their source of income and boost the country’s resilience to future climate-related disasters".

World Vision India will leverage the Wealth Ranking tool and vulnerability mapping to identify potential beneficiaries. In addition, focussed group discussions will be conducted with the community to verify the status of beneficiaries’ household level. The beneficiaries of this program will also include families who have faced reverse migration.

About Aspire Systems:

Aspire Systems is a global technology services firm serving as a trusted technology partner for more than 200 customers across the globe. We work with the world's most innovative enterprises and software product companies, helping them leverage technology to transform their business in the current digital landscape. Our proven approach to Software Engineering & Digital Technologies helps companies to run smart business models. Our core philosophy of ‘Attention. Always.’ communicates our belief in lavishing care and attention to our customers and employees. The company currently has over 3000 employees, globally and is CMMI Level 3 certified. We operate across North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific and have been recognized for the 11th time in a row as one of the Top 100 ‘Best Companies to Work For’ by the Great Place to Work® Institute. To know more about Aspire Systems, visit https://www.aspiresys.com/

About World Vision India:

World Vision India is one of the country’s largest child-focused humanitarian organisations. With over seven decades of experience at the grassroots, we employ proven, effective development, public engagement and relief practices empowering vulnerable children and communities living in contexts of poverty and injustice to become self-sufficient and bring lasting change. We serve all children regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender as a demonstration of Christ’s unconditional love for all people. World Vision India works in 143 districts (as on 1st Oct, 2020) impacting around 26 lakh children and their families in over 6200 communities spread across 23 states and 3 union territories to address issues affecting children, in partnership with governments, civil societies, donors and corporates.

CropIn Raises US$20 Million in Series C Funding Round Led By ABC World Asia

CropIn, a leading global artificial intelligence and data-led agri-tech organization empowering stakeholders to reimagine agriculture with data, has raised US$20 million in a Series C funding round led by ABC World Asia, an Asia-focused private equity fund dedicated to evidence-based impact investing. 

Existing investors Chiratae Ventures, Invested Development and Ankur Capital also participated in this funding round. Other new investors in this round include CDC Group and Kris Gopalakrishnan’s family office Pratithi Investment Trust. 

CropIn will use this capital infusion to focus on its global expansion, while continuing to innovate on its machine learning-based predictive analytics platform, SmartRisk to further strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities. CropIn is also investing to penetrate deeper in its target markets globally. Recently, CropIn opened an Amsterdam office, and will be hiring local leaders to drive growth in the European market.

CropIn’s data-driven farming solutions enable agri-enterprises and growers to ‘maximize per-acre value’. Its farm data and agronomy management platform, SmartFarm, empowers stakeholders to improve efficiency, productivity, predictability, and sustainability of their crop value-chains. SmartFarm enables agri-enterprises to adhere to food safety standards thereby ensuring farm-to-fork traceability. The platform helps growers adopt sustainable farming practices to build long term economic viability and resiliency for local farming communities. CropIn has partnered with several global players in agriculture, including development finance institutions and government entities in 52 countries, to drive their digital and sustainability goals.

CropIn’s SmartRisk platform improves underwriting and risk assessment, enabling banks, insurance providers and other financial institutions to make informed underwriting decisions, identify new markets and expand product portfolios to service high-volume low-ticket opportunities. By analyzing and interpreting farm-centric data for over 388 crops with nearly 9,500 variants across trillions of data points that grow every day, SmartRisk helps achieve high prediction accuracy at a plot-level. It does this by combining computer vision with deep-learning algorithms, on multispectral imagery derived from aerial scouting (satellites and drones), field scouting data, and hyperlocal weather. 

The SmartRisk AI has processed more than 160 million hectares of land area, and has the potential to impact 70 million farmers globally in the next 3-5 years. Thus far, CropIn has positively impacted 13 million acres and 4 million farmers through the SmartFarm and SmartRisk platforms. Smallholder farmers associated with CropIn’s clientele also observed their crop yields increasing by nearly 25% in the first year and subsequently experienced optimised yield improvements in the following years, by integrating the recommended advanced agricultural techniques and quality inputs into their farming practices through CropIn’s agri-tech platforms.

“The robust, predictive power of digitalisation offers tremendous potential for the agriculture industry to leapfrog its many challenges in the coming years. The industry is capturing more data than ever, on everything from agronomy, weather and logistics to market price volatility, which has helped reduce acute data gaps throughout the value chain. In order to improve yields, optimise production and improve resilience and sustainability, agri-businesses are increasingly relying on innovative agri-tech solutions like artificial intelligence, data analytics, and the internet of things. We, at CropIn, are excited to advance the ‘AI-Culture’ for Agriculture,” says Krishna Kumar, Founder and CEO of CropIn.

Based in Singapore, ABC World Asia invests in companies that demonstrate commitment to generating positive and measurable social or environmental impact, alongside the ability to deliver compelling risk-adjusted returns. 

“Sustainable food and agriculture is a core investment theme for ABC World Asia. The agriculture industry is an important pillar of the global economy, in particular driving Asia’s growth and feeding the region’s rapidly increasing population. The industry now faces challenges more pronounced than before, with the COVID-19 global pandemic highlighting the vulnerability of global food supplies and impacting the livelihoods of many smallholder farmers. CropIn’s digital solutions will enable farmers to utilize real-time data for better decision-making and improved farm productivity. This investment underscores our support of such smart and sustainable agri-tech solutions that can build resilience in agriculture,” said David Heng, Founder and CEO of ABC World Asia. Ms Sugandhi Matta, Managing Director of ABC World Asia, will also join CropIn as a board member.

Existing investors of CropIn include BeeNext and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Strategic Investment Fund (London and Seattle). Over the last year, CropIn has established an advisory board comprising Barrett Mooney (Chairman of Board at AgEagle), Ranveer Chandra (Chief Scientist at Microsoft), TVG Krishnamurthy (Member of the Board of Directors at Ola), and Dr Iya Khalil (Global Head of the AI Innovation Center at Novartis). 

According to Karan Mohla, Partner, Chiratae Ventures India Advisors, “As active investors in the agri-tech space as well as in companies pioneering deep-tech and AI, we are truly excited about the innovative models that CropIn is building out in farm management and predictive analytics. In creating and building out a platform for multiple participants in the agriculture ecosystem, CropIn has established itself as a true global leader. With the leadership of Krishna and co-founder Kunal Prasad, they have built out a tremendous world-class team and advisory board and are on the precipice of achieving massive scale as a global company.”

Ambit Corporate Finance acted as the financial advisor to CropIn for this funding round. With this new round of investment, CropIn has raised a total funding of US$33.1 million to date.

About CropIn

CropIn is a leading global AI-driven agtechÿ organization that provides SaaS and data solutions to ag-enterprises globally. CropIn enables businesses in the agriculture ecosystem to adopt a data-driven approach through its ground-to-cloud technology solutions. 

CropIn’s unique suite of platforms - SmartFarm and SmartRisk - enable various stakeholders to adopt and drive digital strategy across their crop value-chains and operations. The company empowers the ag-enterprises with data insights that help drive initiatives around Digitization, Predictability, Traceability, Financial Inclusion, Climate Smart Agriculture and Sustainability. 

About ABC World Asia

Headquartered in Singapore, ABC World Asia is a private equity fund dedicated to impact investing. Impact investing encompasses the intention to generate positive, measurable social or environmental impact, alongside a compelling risk-adjusted return.

ABC World Asia was established by Temasek Trust, the philanthropic arm of Singapore headquartered investment company, Temasek. The fund’s investment strategy aligns with Temasek’s ABC Framework for an Active Economy, a Beautiful Society and a Clean Earth, building on the ideals of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

ABC World Asia will focus on themes including – financial and digital inclusion; better health and education; climate and water solutions; sustainable food and agriculture; and smart and liveable cities.

ITC Aims To Meet 100% Of Electrical Energy Needs From Renewable Sources By 2030 As A Part Of Its Sustainability 2.0 Vision

• At present, more than 40% of its electrical energy consumption is met through renewable sources like wind, solar and biomass. Offsite solar projects in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana & Tamil Nadu and onsite solar projects in West Bengal and Tamilnadu are under execution.

• Aims to achieve a 50% reduction in specific emission and 30% reduction in specific energy consumption to mitigate climate change risks

ITC Limited, one of India’s leading multi-business conglomerates and a global exemplar in sustainability, has set itself the target to meet 100% of purchased grid electricity requirements from renewable sources by 2030. In line with its philosophy of ‘Responsible Competitiveness’, the Company has adopted a low carbon growth strategy which encompasses a large renewable energy footprint. At present ITC meets over 40% of its electrical energy requirement through renewable sources like wind, solar and biomass. As a part of its Sustainability 2.0 Vision, ITC is planning to invest further in strengthening its renewable energy portfolio in order to contributemeaningfully to the fight against climate change. 

Investments in renewable energy

In its endeavour to contribute to a ‘cleaner and greener’ environment, ITC has been expanding its renewable energy footprint over the past two decades. The company has already made significant investments in renewable energy assets (Wind and Solar projects combined). This will improve Renewable Energy share of company by additional 6% from current levels.

Current renewable energy portfolio

The current renewables portfolio of ITC consists of 138 MW of wind power plants and 14 MW of Solar plants with ~53MW of additional solar capacity under execution. Projects are also underway in the area of other sources of renewable energy like solar boiler or biomass boilers. 

At present, ITC uses renewable energy across 20 factories, 9 hotels and 6 office buildings spanning states such as Telengana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Haryana, West Bengal and Punjab.  

In 2018, ITC became the first private sector entity to wheel renewable energy across states through Inter-State Open Access mechanism. Currently, the 46MW Wind power plant in Andhra Pradesh owned by ITC supplies power to over 15 ITC establishments in 8 states. This has led to a higher Renewable energy utilization for the company.

Emission Reduction Targets

Besides investing in new renewable energy assets, ITC also aims to achieve a 50% reduction in specific emission and 30% reduction in specific energy consumption by 2030 over a 2014-15 baseline. Such efforts in decarbonizing energy consumption through low-carbon energy solutions will be met through large-scale digitalisation and R&D initiatives, cross-sectoral collaborations and partnerships.

Talking about company’s resolve to mitigate climate change risks, Mr Sanjiv Rangrass, Group Head –R&D, Sustainability and Projects, ITC Limited said,” As a sustainability pioneer and an exemplar in environment stewardship, ITC has been emphasizing on the need to decarbonize energy consumption through green energy solutions in order to mitigate climate change risks. Since making sustainability a core objective in all business operations two decades ago, we have worked on a low carbon growth plan, in which expanding our renewable energy portfolio is our top priority. To pursue continuous improvement in energy and emission related performance, we have taken up specific energy and Greenhouse Gas emission reduction targets. The results of our 360-degree sustainability initiatives are manifest in the Company’s decade-longachievements even as our businesses expand rapidly together with the creation of 6 million sustainable livelihoods.”

Details of new renewable energy projects

Offsite Solar projects

ITC is currently executing several offsite solar projects totalling 50 megawatt in several states such as Bihar (5.1 MW), Uttar Pradesh (9 MW), Karnataka (13.4 MW), Haryana (7 MW) and Tamil Nadu (14.9 MW) to expand its renewable energy footprint further. It is also pursuing an offsite solar project in West Bengal to meet the huge electricity needs of ITC’s establishments within the state. 

Rooftop & on-site solar projects

Driving innovation further, large areas of the ITC’s Integrated Consumer Goods Manufacturing and Logistics (ICML) facilities and rooftops of factories and warehouses are beingused for solar power generation. ITC also executing onsite solar projects in West Bengal (2.7 MW) and Tamilnadu (3 MW).

ITC Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy

ITC, as part of its initiative to channelize knowledge-sharing and collaboration between different teams with valuable and varied experiences in green energy projects, constituted a Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy (CoE RE) in 2014. The CoE RE currently consists of over 100 members from different divisions and units actively taking part in initiatives to drive the green objectives for the company. 

ISBR Bengaluru Adjudged The Best Emerging Business School With Industry Collaborations

* Rated Platinum Institute Category by AICTE - CII Survey 2020

ISBR Business School, a leading business school based in Electronic City, Bangalore, has been judged as the Best Business School with Industry Collaborations in the Emerging Business Schools Category by the AICTE-CII Survey 2020. The Survey assesses the status of partnership between institutions and industry on six basic parameters such as curriculum, faculty, governance, infrastructure, placements and research and services / project & skill development. ISBR has scored high in every parameter and emerged on top from among 69 shortlisted management institutions that participated in the survey across India.

The AICTE-CII Survey for Industry-Linked Technical Institutes maps Industry linkages of Indian technical institutes in four broad streams – Engineering, Management, Architecture and Pharmacy. It showcases the best practices of partnerships with industry and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the ecosystem of technical education in India.

The continuous and sustainable efforts made by ISBR in establishing active industrial collaborations under different categories, have helped in the holistic development of the institution, faculty, and students, thereby enhancing the technical skills and the employability of the students in the corporate sector. In 2019, the flagship program of the ISBR Business School, Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) got NBA accredited. ISBR have been consecutively ranked as the Platinum institute by the AICTE- CII survey for 5 years in a row.

Dr. Lakshman Kumar, Director, ISBR, said, “We are excited to receive this honour from the apex advisory body of education in the country. Creation and dissemination of knowledge has been the motto which drives everyone at ISBR. The school is working towards securing its place among the global rankings of promising business schools. Faculties and management at ISBR believes in learning and un-learning and re-learning. It is this spirit that has enabled the school to retain the quality of delivery that we have been providing year after year to our stakeholders. We prepare our students to think boldly and act confidently in any environment, fostering him to be a lifelong learner, a transforming leader for the society. ISBR is a different path taken towards creating a socially conscious and effectively employable workforce for the future”. 

About AICTE- CII Survey

Conceptualized by CII in 2011 as a pilot and implemented in close coordination with AICTE since 2012, the AICTE-CII IndPact Survey is now a mature tool to measure the depth and extent of collaborations between technical institutions in the country and industry. It was given the name IndPact in 2013 and the two words which have been combined to arrive at this name are “Industry” and “Impact”. The scope of the survey has increased manifold in the past eight years. It was initially launched only for six streams of engineering discipline in 2012. After its huge success, its coverage was expanded to other disciplines such as management, pharmacy and architecture in the following years. In 2014, participation was expanded to include all types of institutes such as self-financed institutes (including deemed universities), government institutes, government-aided institutes and centrally funded institutes (IITs, NITs etc). From 2017, participation in the first level of this survey became mandatory for all technical institutions in the country.

ISBR Business School

ISBR Business School founded by young entrepreneur, Mr. Manish Kothari, is a leading management institution with collaborations with International universities of Europe, US, and Australia. The first campus of ISBR was set up under the aegis of Bangalore Education Trust established in the year 1990.

The edifice of ISBR is built on three building blocks. The Governing Council, The Academic Advisory board & the board of Studies. These Apex bodies, individually & collectively, contribute towards a high standard of Academic Governance. With the competence & experience of the best minds from Academics & Industry, ISBR is envisioned as an institute of high academic standards. ISBR takes pride in being a place where students and faculty can pursue knowledge without boundaries, a place where theory and practice combine to produce a better understanding of our world and ourselves.

DcodeAI, An AI-Focused EdTech Startup Launches New AI Learning Platform For Students

* DcodeAI offers Device agnostic, Gamified and Cloud-based Do-It-Yourself (DIY) curriculum for learning Artificial Intelligence (AI) across their 10,000+ school network in India

* Aims to democratize AI learning in India as well as other global markets in Africa, UK, USA and UAE

DcodeAI, an India based EdTech startup focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI), has launched new DIY learning platform including Natural Language Processing (NLP), Computer Vision (CV), Data Science for children aged between 12 and 18 years. With Angel funding of USD 500,000 from Sultan Chand & Sons (P) Ltd., Educational Publishing House, DcodeAI was launched earlier this year, with the vision to equip the next generation of learners with AI skills, without having a formal coding background. It aims to democratize AI learning among primary and secondary level students across 10,000+ schools that are currently part of its network.

DcodeAI focuses on low code/no code tools and usage of AI to make learning easy, intuitive and personalized. Hence, even those without any coding background can start to learn and implement AI models. The new set of DIY learning programs is designed for students who can learn the concept of AI and hone their skills in data manipulation, data visualization, statistics, machine learning, deep learning and more. These learning programs are suitable for students who want to learn about developing Chatbots, Image Recognition Models, as well as Voice Recognition-based Bots and Home Automation Systems.

Kartik Sharma, CEO & Co-Founder, DcodeAI said, “In 2020, we have witnessed multiple disruptions in the education system of the country as well as the overall learning and development process of the students. The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India has given a clear clarion call for the need to democratize AI across all sectors. This journey of AI transformation has to start at the school level and this is what we, at DcodeAI, want to enable. We want to simplify the learning curve of students who want to use AI for solving problems and driving impactful innovations. Our immediate goal is to reach out to 500+ schools in India by Q1 FY2022 and further expand our global footprint in countries like Africa, UK, USA and UAE by Q2 FY2022.”

Additionally, to build capacities and acumen for AI within school teachers, periodic offline Teacher Training sessions will be conducted around courses on data science, automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

About DcodeAI

DcodeAI is making the next generation of learners equipped with AI without having even coding background. With the focus on low code/no code tools and using AI to make learning of AI concepts and fundamentals easy, intuitive and personalized, even those without any coding background can start to learn and implement AI models. DcodeAI offers DIY modules on Data Science, Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing for age groups 12-18. The company uses specialised orchestrated containerization to help learners run AI models without the need for any special computing resources or GPUs.

The venture was started in mid 2020 by Kartik Sharma and Ashish Aggarwal who have been running successful Edtech businesses with a network of more than 10,000+ schools. Kartik is an IITian and Artificial Intelligence Practitioner while Ashish graduated from NTU, Singapore and has significant experience with education business. The venture has raised USD 500,000 as Angel round from Sultan Chand & Sons (P) Ltd. and is on rapid product development and expansion phase.

JK Tyre Ties-Up with Hyundai Motor India to Drive Growth in the OEM Segment

* Becomes Tyre Partner for top-end variants of Hyundai Creta~

Indian tyre industry major and the pioneer of radial tyre technology in the country, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd., has become an exclusive tyre partner with Hyundai Motor India – one of the largest car manufacturer in the country - for its highest selling SUV, Creta.

Over the years, JK Tyre has introduced hi-technological products that are best suited for Indian roads. Through this association, JK Tyre is offering best-in-class technology, unmatchable performance, comfort and handling to the top-end variants of the Hyundai Creta with its UX Royale 215/60 R17 radial tyre.

With its 5-Rib asymmetric design, variable draft groove technology, stable shoulder tread blocks, waffle groove and aero wing design, JK Tyre’s UX Royal 215/60 R17 tyre is the perfect fit for Hyundai Creta. The tyre is capable of giving superior ride comfort with crisp handling and low noise even at all speeds. 

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. VK Misra, Technical Director, JK Tyre and Industries said, “We are proud to further strengthen our partnership with Hyundai India for one of India’s best-selling SUV’s Creta. Through this collaboration, we aim to provide supreme quality tyres with cutting-edge features to complement the ride quality for the customer. JK Tyre’s best-in-class technologies in radial tyres and tyre testing mechanism will ensure safety of customers driving Creta in multiple terrains. We are confident that this association will further strengthen our market presence and we look forward to a continued and reinforced partnership with Hyundai Motors.”

Commenting on the partnership, Hyundai Motor India, said, “All New CRETA has been a benchmark SUV ever since it was launched in March 2020. Offering customers exceptional performance, unparalleled comfort & convenience as well as opulent aesthetics, All New CRETA continues to be the customers’ brand of choice. Our partnership with JK Tyre to offer All New CRETA with UX Royale 215/60 R17, continues to carry forward this SUV’s premium offering with superior handling & driving dynamics.”

JK Tyre & Industries has joined hands as a tyre partner for Hyundai India’s exclusive membership club ‘Hyundai Mobility Membership’. Through this association, members of Hyundai Club across the country can avail exciting offers on JK Tyre’s products including their Smart Tyres range.

JK Tyre & Industries Limited

The flagship company of JK Organisation, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd is amongst the top 25 manufacturers in the world. Pioneers of radial technology, the Company produced the first radial tyre in 1977 and is currently the market leader in Truck Bus Radial segment. The Company provides end-to-end solutions across segments of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, farming, Off-the-Road and two & three-wheelers.

A global force, JK Tyre is present in 105 countries with over 180 Global distributors.  The Company has 12 globally benchmarked ‘sustainable’ manufacturing facilities - 9 in India and 3 in Mexico – that collectively produce around 35 million tyres annually. The Company also has a strong network of over 4000 dealers and 550+ dedicated Brand shops called as Steel Wheels and Xpress Wheels.

JK Tyre’s unwavering commitment towards innovation is reflected through its state-of-the-art global research and technology centre – the Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence - in Mysore, which houses some of the world’s finest technologies and techniques.

JK Tyre launched India’s first ever ‘Smart Tyre’ technology-and introduced Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) which monitors the tyre’s vital statistics, including pressure and temperature. The company recently rolled out its 20 millionth Truck/Bus Radial tyre becoming the first and the only Indian company to achieve this milestone.

It is the only Indian tyre manufacturer to be included in the list of Superbrands India in 2019 for the seventh consecutive year. JK Tyre has been conferred the Sword of Honour for Safety across its plants by the British Safety Council,UK. The company entered the Limca Book of Records with the country’s largest off-the-road tyre - VEM 04.

JK Tyre is also synonymous with motorsport in the country. For over three decades, the Company has relentlessly worked towards shaping India’s positioning as the motorsport hub of Asia, developing the right infrastructure for the sport and promoting young talent in the arena.

Tata Motors Brings Back Its Iconic Brand - ‘Tata Safari In A New Avatar

Commencing the New Year with a bang, Tata Motors today announced that it is bringing back its iconic brand ‘Safari’ with its forthcoming flagship SUV, (codenamed as the Gravitas).

Tata Safari introduced India to the SUV lifestyle, and glamourized the segment in India for other players to follow.  For over two decades, Safari has represented prestige and performance, and in its new avatar, the Safari will carry forward this rich idea and its strong legacy.

Announcing the formal branding of its forthcoming SUV as the ‘Tata Safari’, Mr. Shailesh Chandra – President, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit (PVBU), Tata Motors, said, “We are proud and elated to re-introduce our flagship SUV–Safari. The Safari, an iconic brand with a strong following, has been the most sought after SUV on Indian roads for well over two decades. In its new avatar, the Safari will appeal to the socially active, fun loving customers who seek out unique experiences and adventure. Its design, performance, versatility, features, and long lasting build quality, reinforce the SUV lifestyle to provide unending pleasure. We are confident that the launch of the Safari will once again re-energise the market, amplifying its cult status.”

The new Safari has evolved to satisfy the new age SUV customers, who demand arresting design, unparalleled versatility, plush and comfortable interiors, outstanding performance for a modern, multifaceted lifestyle. It encourages customers to ‘Reclaim their Life’ with its powerful stance, unmatched performance, effortless drivability, luxurious comfort, spacious interiors and new age connected technology, which make it ideal for both daily commute as well as an exciting family getaway.

The Safari further builds on the legacy of prestige and outstanding performance by combining Tata Motors’ award winning Impact 2.0 design language with the proven capability of OMEGARC, an architecture derived from the renowned D8 platform from Land Rover, which in itself is the gold standard of SUVs worldwide. This adaptive architecture allows for further drive train enhancements including all-wheel drive and possibilities of electrification in future.

Arriving in showrooms this January, booking for the new Safari will begin shortly. Stay tuned for more details.

About Tata Motors

Tata Motors Limited (NYSE: TTM; BSE: 500570 and 570001; NSE: TATAMOTORS and TATAMTRDVR), a USD 35 billion organization, is a leading global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks and buses. Part of the USD 113 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 103 subsidiaries, 10 associate companies, 3 joint ventures and 2 joint operations as on March 31, 2020.

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, fueled by state of the art design and R&D centers 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.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ushers In The New Year With New Fortuner and Legender

HIGHLIGHTS

* Fortuner continues to be SUV segment leader since its launch in 2009 over 1,70,000 units sold till date.

* In the quest to build “Ever-Better Cars”, Toyota has launched the new Fortuner and the Legender.

* New Fortuner features a Tougher & More premium Design language, in line with customer needs.

* While the new Fortuner exudes best in class torque and a powerful performance, the Legender is a mighty combination of power, sophistication, and unmatched style.

* The new Fortuner is available in 2.8 L Diesel Engine with 6-Speed Automatic and 6-Speed Manual Transmission with Intelligent Manual Transmission options and 2.7 L Petrol Engine in 6-Speed Automatic and 5-Speed Manual Transmission.

* New Fortuner Automatic Transmission provides a whopping 500 Nm of Torque and powerful performance with 204 PS while Manual Transmission variants will also see a power up with 204 PS of Power and 420 Nm Torque.

* The new Fortuner adds new features like 11 speaker JBL Audio, Superior Suction based Seat ventilation system (Front Row) & a new Infotainment system with Android Auto/Apple Carplay connectivity.

* The 4X4 (AT and MT) variants further enhance their off-road credentials with a Lockable Differential as an additional feature to ensure firm footing when navigating in extreme terrains.

* New Fortuner available in new color - Sparkling Black Crystal Shine.

* In line with the trend of connected cars, all new Fortuner & Legender comes with connected features like Geo-fencing, Real-time tracking, Last Parked Location etc.

* The Legender comes with “Sleek & Cool” design language loaded with many high-end features also launched to meet the growing demand for exclusive and convenience features.

* The Legender comes with best-in-class Torque of 500 Nm and 204 PS of Power and brings new convenience features like Kick Sensor for Back door & Wireless Charging.

* The Legender is available in Pearl white with Black roof (Dual Tone).

* New Fortuner and the new Legender is available as per the price below Ex-showroom (Prices are the same across the country except for Kerala). 

In line with Toyota’s philosophy of making “Ever- Better Cars”, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today launched the new Toyota Fortuner and exclusive new Legender. The Fortuner has been an aspirational SUV for more than a decade now and continues to dominate the segment with over 53% segment share, even today.

The new Fortuner is available in 2.8 L Diesel Engine with 6-Speed Automatic and 6-Speed Manual Transmission with Intelligent Manual Transmission options and 2.7 L Petrol Engine in 6-Speed Automatic and 5-Speed Manual Transmission. The Fortuner Automatic Transmission variants provide best-in-class torque of 500 Nm and 204 PS of Power while Manual Transmission variants generate 204 PS of Power and 420 Nm Torque.

The new Fortuner boasts of new exterior features like a tougher-looking new Front Grille, Sculpted Side-pontoon Shaped Bumper thus amplifying commanding presence. New Headlamp Design with distinctive sharp LED line guide, Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) and Multi-Axis spoke Alloy wheels with Super Chrome metallic finishing giving a luxurious look.

For the interior, Superior Suction based Seat ventilation system (Front Row) and a larger Smart Playcast Touchscreen Audio with Android Auto/Apple Carplay and a JBL 11 speaker w/ subwoofer system [4X4 variants only] are some of the key changes.

For added driving comfort and convenience, the new Fortuner comes with Auto Limited Slip Differential (Auto-LSD) that enables maximum power without breaking traction, Variable Flow Control (VFC) Power Steering that allows customers to dynamically change steering dynamics with drive modes [Eco, Normal, Sport] and Front Clearance Sonar to safely navigate when parking in tight spaces.

The 4X4 (AT and MT) variants further enhance their off-road credentials with a Lockable Differential as an additional feature to ensure firm footing when navigating in extreme terrains.

The new Fortuner will be available in existing colours of Phantom Brown, Super White, Attitude Black, Avant-Garde Bronze, Grey Metallic, Silver Metallic, Pearl White Crystal Shine and a new color of Sparkling Black Crystal Shine.

On the occasion, TKM also unveiled the Legender. Its bold proportions demonstrate the clear differentiation that makes it cooler and futuristic. The Catamaran elements that wrap the corners creates a strong vertical prominence and ensure a wider presence. Further, an exclusive headlamp design has been crafted for the Legender – Split Quad LEDs with a waterfall LED line guide signature that will ensure the best of brightness. The sharp nose creates a strong forward movement; to create a sense of exclusivity with a sleek and cool theme, the Legender comes with exterior features such as Catamaran Style Front & Rear Bumpers sharp, and sleek Front Grille with Piano Black Accents, Sequential Turn Indicators and 18-inch Multi-layered Machine-cut finished Alloy Wheels. In the Legender, the interior features include Dual Tone (Black + Maroon) interior theme, Contrast Stitching for Steering Wheel and Console Box, Interior Ambient Illumination (I/P, Front Door Trim, Front Foot-well areas) and Rear USB Ports. Apart from these, the Legender is loaded with high-end features like Kick Sensor for Power Back Door and Wireless Smartphone Charger. The Legender is available only in exciting color of Pearl White with Black roof (Dual tone).

Both the products are uniquely positioned to cater to the diverse needs of the dynamic market. While the new Fortuner is poised to “Lead with Power” the exclusive new Legender is “Powered in Style” thus reinforcing the brand’s towering presence.

Sharing his views on the launch of the new Fortuner, Mr. Yoshiki Konishi, Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation, said, “The new Fortuner is born out of our understanding of the customer feedback. The idea was to enhance the toughness of the vehicle and give it a powerful presence and distinctiveness like no other. Our enhancements were more than just skin deep; we have also upgraded the engine by introducing a new heavy-duty Turbo, designed for powerful performance, and improved frictional efficiency. As a result, the Fortuner Automatic now puts out 500Nm of torque, making it the best in the segment. For the Legender, we have brought in a sense of exclusivity in the design language and style. The bold proportions and advanced features make it look cooler and modernized, giving it a true premium stance and outlook. We are confident customers will appreciate the tweaks we have introduced specifically for the Indian market.”

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director, TKM said, “For more than a decade, the Fortuner has proven itself to be the most dependable SUV becoming the top-most choice for customers across every corner of the country. The Fortuner witnessed demand despite the effects of the pandemic on the economy. Therefore, it gives me great pride to introduce the new Fortuner and new Legender to the ever-growing base of loyal customers in India. I am confident the new Fortuner and exclusive new Legender with their bold styling, advanced features and rugged frame structure will offer value, versatility and superiority attracting many existing customers to upgrade while bringing in new set of customers to the Toyota family.”

Talking about his views, Mr. Naveen Soni, Senior Vice President, TKM, said, “We are delighted to bring the all new Fortuner and New Legender to our customers in India. The Fortuner lineup together with the Legender reflect the growing aspirations of our customers who seek the best in style, comfort, and performance. Following our customer-first approach, we have tried to not just meet these aspirations but also surpass them by introducing the new Fortuner and the Legender. A key addition to the new Fortuner & Legender is connected technology that enables features like Geo-fencing, Real-time tracking, last parked location for peace of mind. The infotainment system also comes with Android Auto/Apple Carplay connectivity to provide more convenience. We are sure that the customers will enjoy the new features and continue to put their faith in India’s most admired SUV. We are anticipating great demand for our new offerings across all major Tier I, II and III markets in the country.”

Bookings for the new Fortuner and exclusive New Legender are now open. Customers can either book the car online https://www.toyotabharat.com/online-booking/ or visit their nearest Toyota dealership.