Saturday, May 1, 2021

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Sells 9622 Units In Domestic Sales In April 2021

 


* Prioritizes health and safety of its employees and dealer staff amidst rising Covid-19 cases across the country

Toyota Kirloskar Motor today announced that the company sold a total of 9622 units in the month of April 2021. The company had also announced its scheduled annual maintenance program at its plant in Bidadi, so as to enhance its operational efficiencies, productivity and safety of equipment. For reference, TKM had reported no wholesales in the month of April 2020 owing to the nationwide lockdown announced by the Govt. of India last year.

Expressing his views, Mr. Naveen Soni, Sr. Vice President, TKM said, “At the outset we express our solidarity and continued support for the community at this hour of peril. Given the current situation and considering all those who have been impacted by the second wave of the pandemic, what is most important to TKM is the wellbeing and safety of our employees, dealer & supplier staff and the community at large. Despite the challenges, we continue to witness good demand owing to personal mobility needs and the same has helped us clock 9622 units of wholesales in the month of April 2021. We have been able to partially fulfill pending orders by making use of the pipeline finished goods inventory, so as to ensure minimal discomfort to our customers. However, partial lockdown in different parts of the country has enhanced the gap between wholesale and retail. Also, sporadic lockdowns impacting different states & cities for varying durations has increased logistical challenges to supply the right vehicle to the right dealership and at the right time. We are trying our best to work around such logistical challenges so as to be able to meet customer requirements at the earliest.

As we see it, our prime responsibility at the moment is to secure the health of our employees, their families and other stakeholders. We have set standard processes of disinfecting the workplace and common areas on daily basis ensuring safety at all times. Only limited number of employees as permissible by the rules of social distancing, are engaged in essential jobs & activities at the plant. Moreover, we are continuously educating our employees on appropriate COVID-19 guidelines to be followed while at work and also in their personal lives.

We have also launched a COVID Vaccination Centre (CVC) at our manufacturing plant, for a seamless vaccination program.  Thus far, most of our employees who are above 45 years of age are vaccinated and we will soon cover the remaining members as well. Most importantly, we have formed an internal Helpline that will facilitate donation of Blood Plasma for infected employees and their immediate family members. We continue to reexamine and take preventive and remedial measures to deal with the developing situation, closely working with various stakeholders including the relevant local district administrative authorities and state government with a view to support the health department with medical necessities to effectively respond to the rising need for medical care. We are also prepared to divert our oxygen supplies to the Karnataka health department, if the need arises”, he continued.

Sify Technologies To Announce Financial Results For FY 2020-21 On May 07, 2021


Sify Technologies Limited (NASDAQ: SIFY), India’s most comprehensive ICT solutions provider with global service capabilities spanning domestic and international Telecom Networks, Data Centers, Cloud, Applications, Managed services and Systems integration, today announced that it will report its unaudited IFRS financial results for the full year ended March 31, 2021 on Friday, May 7, 2021 before the market opens. 

In conjunction with the announcement, Sify will host a conference call at 8:30 AM ET with Mr. Raju Vegesna, Chairman of the Board, Mr. Kamal Nath, Chief Executive Officer and Mr. M P Vijay Kumar, Chief Financial Officer. Interested parties may participate by dialling +1-888-506-0062 (Toll Free in the U.S. or Canada) or +1-973-528-0011 (International), which will also be simultaneously broadcast live over the Internet at www.sifytechnologies.com/investors or https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2184/40989.

Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download the streaming media software required to listen to the Internet broadcast.

The online archive of the Webcast will be available shortly after the conference call, or investors can listen to the replay by dialing +1-877-481-4010 (Toll Free in the U.S. or Canada) or +1-919-882-2331 (International) and entering the replay passcode 40989. Please allow for some time post conference call to access the archive of the Webcast. The replay is available until May 14, 2021.

About Sify Technologies

Sify Technologies is the India’s most comprehensive ICT services & solutions provider. With Cloud at the core of our solutions portfolio, Sify is focused on the changing ICT requirements of the emerging Digital economy and the resultant demands from large, mid and small-sized businesses.  Sify’s infrastructure comprising the largest MPLS network, top-of-the-line DCs, partnership with global technology majors, vast expertise in business transformation solutions modelled on the cloud make it the first choice of start-ups, incoming Enterprises and even large Enterprises on the verge of a revamp. More than 10000 businesses across multiple verticals have taken advantage of our unassailable trinity of Data Centers, Networks and Security services and conduct their business seamlessly from more than 1600 cities in India. Internationally, Sify has presence across North America, the United Kingdom and Singapore. Sify, www.sify.com, Sify Technologies and www.sifytechnologies.com are registered trademarks of Sify Technologies Limited.

Friday, April 30, 2021

Airtel Invests In Spectrum, Capacities To Improve Network Coverage And User Experience During Pandemic: Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal


According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the volume of total wireless data usage increased to 26,405 petabytes during the quarter ended December 2020. 

Warning that there has been a "massive" surge in cyber frauds, Vittal observed, "as usual, fraudsters are always finding new ways to trick you". 

Airtel is focused on ensuring its services offer predictability to customers in “these tough times” and has made an investment of over Rs 18,000 crores to buy spectrum that will “dramatically” improve indoor coverage in coming months, its Chief Executive Officer Gopal Vittal has said.  

In a note to subscribers amid the “tragic and devastating second wave of COVID-19”, Vittal said that the company has taken multiple steps to ensure that its coverage and user experience improves. 

Vittal affirmed the company’s commitment to the safety and convenience of its customers, through contactless home delivery of SIMs and online payments, and also highlighted security-related measures amid a “massive increase in cyber frauds”. 

“We know that our services can offer some predictability in these tough times,” Vittal wrote. 

On the strengthening of networks, he said the company has made an investment of over Rs 18,000 crores to buy a “precious spectrum that will dramatically improve indoor coverage in the coming months”. 

“We have also invested an additional Rs 20,000 crores to enhance our capacities so that your experience improves even as your consumption rises,” he informed. It is pertinent to mention here that as per TRAI quarterly sector update, the volume of total wireless data usage rose almost 4.7 per cent on a sequential basis during the December quarter. The average wireless data usage per subscriber per month was at 12.13 GB, for the sector. 

According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the volume of total wireless data usage increased to 26,405 petabytes during the quarter ended December 2020. 

Vittal, in his letter to customers, further said Airtel can now ensure contactless home delivery of SIMs, making the entire process safer and more convenient for customers. 

“All our staff have been trained to adhere to the highest safety standards. In addition, you can easily make payments online from the safety of your home,” Vittal added. 

Warning that there has been a “massive” surge in cyber frauds, Vittal observed, “as usual, fraudsters are always finding new ways to trick you”. 

“This is why we have launched an industry-first feature of `Safe Pay’. This is simply the safest method of paying online in the country. It provides an additional layer of security for every transaction,” he said. 

Before a user actually makes a payment, the network intelligence throws up a message asking them to confirm the transaction. 

“In addition, with a maximum balance of Rs 2 lakh, Airtel Payments Bank is a perfect secondary account for all your transactions. And you can link a UPI app to your account,” Vittal explained. The top honcho at Airtel also invited user feedback on what the company can do better “in this very unfortunate time that India is passing through”. 

India saw a record single-day rise of 3,60,960 coronavirus cases, which pushed the total tally to 1,79,97,267, while the death toll crossed two lakh following 3,293 fresh fatalities, according to Union health ministry data updated on Wednesday morning. 

Hero Motocorp Team Rally Gears-Up For The Sports Season

 


Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters - Hero MotoCorp, has further augmented the team’s profile with the appointment of Argentine Franco Caimi as its fourth rider.

Franco brings the best of varied racing with him – a rich experience of enduro racing and promising performances in the rally racing world.

In 2004, Franco became the youngest rider in enduro history to win a Gold Medal at the age of 16. One of the most successful riders ever from South America, Franco has won two Latin American championships, three national championships each in Argentina and Chile and a staggering six gold medals at the prestigious International Six Days Enduro.  

In 2017, Franco moved to the rally racing arena where he clinched the title of Rookie of the Year with an eighth-place finish at the Dakar Rally. With speed and consistency as his forte, he matched his debut year result at the 2020 Dakar.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the Team is set to commence its Road to Dakar 2022 with the upcoming Andalucia Rally scheduled from May 11-16, 2021 at Villamartin, Spain. This will also be the first outing for Franco in Hero MotoSports colors.

Hero MotoSports Team Rally kicked-off the year 2021 with an impressive performance at the Dakar Rally with two of its riders - Joaquim Rodrigues and Sebastian Buhler posting their best-ever Dakar standings finishing at the 11th and 14th positions respectively.

The Team’s campaign in 2020 was disrupted by the Covid-19 enforced restrictions, providing little opportunities for training and development through the year. However, making the most of the limited opportunities the team managed to quickly regroup and spent valuable time in training and developing their new bike in Portugal and Spain. As the motor sports activities gradually resumed across the globe, they had two very productive and successful outings in the Andalucia Rally and the BAJA Portalegre, winning the latter, with Sebastian Buhler and Joaquim Rodrigues securing the 1st and the 2nd place respectively. With this win, Sebastian was crowned the winner of the FIM BAJA World Cup, giving Hero MotoSports Team Rally their first BAJA World Cup win.

Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, “We are excited to kick-off the Road to Dakar 2022 campaign with a strong addition to our team. Within a short span of time, Hero MotoSports Team Rally has created a differentiated position for itself and we are glad to appeal to talented riders like Franco. It is definitely a big boost for us. I am confident that Franco’s rich experience and consistent record at Dakar will help us in going a notch up in our preparedness and competitiveness. Currently, we are prepping-up for the Andalucia Rally and are extremely excited to have Franco represent the Team. We wish him good luck for a successful journey with Hero Motosports Team Rally.”  

Franco Caimi, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, “It's an honor for me to be associated with Hero MotoCorp, which has a rich heritage and has achieved great significance in the rally sport. I am extremely thrilled to join the team and thank them for bestowing their faith in my abilities. The team has been delivering impressive performance over the years and I look forward to riding alongside some of the best and promising riders in the sport. It’s a crucial time for the team currently as we train and prepare for the upcoming race. I have already had a very productive training session with Joaquim and Sebastian and now looking forward to competitive racing.”

Star India Launched New Campaign Focussing On Real HD Experience


* The TVC ‘SIRF DIKHAANE KE LIYE NAHI, DEKHNE MEIN BHI REAL HD EXPERIENCE’ will air across the Star India Network in 7 languages

Star India has launched a new network-wide television campaign (TVC) ‘SIRF DIKHAANE KE LIYE NAHI, DEKHNE MEIN BHI REAL ‘HD’ EXPERIENCE to build awareness among television lovers who, despite owning an HD TV and HD Set-Top Box (STB), continue to view their favourite Star channels in Standard Definition (SD). 

Consumers often think that having an HD TV by itself provides the complete HD viewing experience, which is a myth the campaign aims to bust with a touch of humor. Based on the findings from a study conducted by Star India, only 25%* of consumers are aware of the fact that apart from having an HD TV and an HD Set-Top box they also need to subscribe to HD channels to get the complete HD viewing experience.

The campaign also highlights the features of Star HD channels such as wider picture, 5x sharper picture**, and 5.1 Dolby surround sound** that help make the viewing experience far more superior and immersive, ‘Taaki aapka HD TV sirf ‘dikhaane’ ke liye hee nahi, dekhne mein bhi Real HD experience de!’

Gurjeev Singh Kapoor, President – TV Distribution, India and International, Star And Disney India, said, “At Star India, we have always focused on providing an unparalleled entertainment experience and value to our viewers. There is a huge potential to further increase affinity towards our content with the large portfolio of 26 Star HD channels across genres and languages; with a strong live cricketing calendar this year and VIVO IPL 2021 just around the corner, we want consumers to experience the sheer delight and stadium-like feeling that our HD channels can provide. It is the right time for consumers to enhance their viewing experience with a Star HD channel subscription. Hence, this campaign is aimed at bridging the awareness gap and in helping consumers realize the relevance of recharging their Star HD channels.”

The campaign is driven by a well-conceptualized film that draws a parallel to people’s innate habit of keeping things in their homes for show value rather than using it for their intended purpose. Owning a fancy, flat-screen HD TV is something that elevates the social status of an individual, and the campaign cheekily nudges the consumer to elevate the value of their HD TV ‘Apne HD TV Ka Naam Roshan Kijiye’ by subscribing to Star HD channels. The campaign will also feature some of the most loved characters from the Star India Network endorsing the Real HD experience.

About Star India:

Star India has defined the Indian media landscape for more than 30 years, and today is one of the country’s leading media conglomerates, reaching around 700 million viewers a month on TV across India and over 100 other countries.

Star India’s channel portfolio cuts across general entertainment, films, sports, infotainment, kids, and lifestyle content across eight languages. The network generates over 20,000 hours of content every year and broadcasts 70+ channels, reaching 9 out of 10 C&S TV homes in India. 

The Star Sports network is one of the leading sports networks with 17 channels in its bouquet. It is home to a number of leading domestic and international sports and is making quantum leaps in transforming sports in the country, helping India become a multi-sporting nation.

Disney+ Hotstar, India’s largest premium streaming platform has changed the way Indians watch their entertainment - from their favourite TV shows and movies to sporting extravaganzas. With the widest range of content in India, Disney+ Hotstar offers more than 100,000 hours of TV Shows and Movies in 8 languages, regional and national News, and coverage of every major global sporting event, including the IPL.

The company is present in the Indian movie production and distribution space through Fox Star Studios. The studios is also responsible for the marketing and distribution of its Hollywood slate in the country.

Goldman Sachs Commits Additional $10 Million To Support COVID-19 Relief And Recovery Efforts In India


The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. today announced an additional USD10 million (Rs 74 crores) commitment to support relief and recovery efforts in India, as the country experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

“Since the onset of the pandemic, our firm has been focused on how we can help communities around the world, including those where we live and work,” said David M. Solomon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “India is home to three Goldman Sachs offices and we have a responsibility to respond and provide our firm’s support and assistance.”

The additional funding for India will focus on support for frontline health facilities that are leading the fight against COVID-19 in cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi, including ongoing vaccination efforts. The funds will also be deployed to support initiatives promoting mental health in communities across India and will help economic recovery within those communities.

Frontline health facilities include portable COVID-19 care centers, oxygen concentrators and generators, and isolation care units at homes for non-critical patients from low income communities.

Sonjoy Chatterjee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs in India, said, “We are proud to support India in combating this crisis, helping to augment its medical infrastructure and drive vaccination efforts.”

Gunjan Samtani, Head of Goldman Sachs Services in India, added, “Goldman Sachs continues to stand with India as it tackles this unprecedented health crisis and seeks a pathway to sustained recovery.”

Today’s commitment builds on the USD42 million Goldman Sachs has already deployed to more than 300 non-profits across 31 countries through the COVID-19 Relief Fund, and the firm’s USD525 million commitment to small businesses. This included a USD1 million commitment to India in 2020 which was fully allocated to the distribution of food and essential supplies to help displaced segments of the population due to the pandemic. 

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. In India, Goldman Sachs operates from offices in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Linde In India Committed To Augmenting Medical Oxygen Supply


Linde India Limited and Praxair India Pvt. Ltd. are subsidiaries of Linde Plc.. Linde plc. was created in October 2018 by merger of Praxair Inc. and Linde AG. 

As India's second wave of Covid-19 pandemic continues to escalate rapidly, existing supply chains are under enormous pressure in meeting the huge demand, especially to the most impacted parts of the nation. To address this critical need of the hour, Linde India and Praxair India are working on several large-scale initiatives in cooperation with the Government of India, relevant authorities, and industry partners at a national level.  

To help ease bottlenecks in distribution, Linde in India has embarked on two major operations. The company is working closely with the Indian Railways for its Roll-On-Roll-Off (RO-RO) service for faster transportation of medical oxygen to most critical need areas. Empty tankers are being ferried closer to its plant locations, where they are filled-up with much needed oxygen and the supply is then transported via roadways to various parts of India. 

Secondly, Linde is collaborating with its operations in the Asia Pacific, including in Singapore, China and Thailand, as well as various Indian industry partners to transport ISO cryogenic tankers from across the region to India. These containers can carry up to 20 tons of Liquid Oxygen over long distances, and upon arrival the containers will be conditioned and certified for liquid medical oxygen transport from Linde facilities. The tankers can also act as interim oxygen storages in remote areas that are facing oxygen scarcity.  

As of today, 8 containers have arrived in India and many more are expected to over the next few weeks.  

In addition, the company has taken steps to convert industrial volumes to medical oxygen ready to cater to the increasing need. Linde India and Praxair India Pvt. Ltd. collectively manage and operate several plants with Air Separation and manufacturing capabilities. These plants currently have a combined capacity of more than 2000 metric tonnes per day (MTPD) and are located across India.  Both the companies are also converting their Liquid Nitrogen and Liquid Argon tankers to augment the oxygen transportation capacities. 

Linde India and Praxair India Pvt. Ltd. have also fast-tracked installation works at partner hospitals to ease oxygen supply challenges there. Among others, they have recently installed a 20 KL tank at GMERS Medical College, Junagadh, Gujarat. GMERS Medical College, Junagadh and another 20 KL tank at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute, Lucknow. 

These are just some of the initiatives that Linde India and Praxair India Pvt. Ltd. are currently working on, and the company is currently having discussions with additional multiple stakeholders and industry partners so that more containers and necessary equipment can be brought into the country.  

Moloy Banerjee, Head Gases - South Asia, Linde South Asia Services Private Limited said, “As part of Empowered Group 2 (EG2), we are closely working with Government of India to produce and supply medical oxygen to various parts of the country. All possible efforts are being undertaken to address supply and transportation challenges and we are thankful to our international counterparts and industry partners such as the ITC Group, Tata Group and many more such organizations that are coming forward to lend their support in executing these initiatives. We are committed to support the government in this fight against the debilitating pandemic and will continue to explore other avenues to help address the challenges emerging during these trying times.” 

About Linde in India 

Linde India Limited and Praxair India Pvt. Ltd. are subsidiaries of Linde Plc. Linde plc. was created in October 2018 by merger of Praxair Inc. and Linde AG. Collectively, Linde in India is one of the leading industrial gases company. Combining Linde Plc’s advanced technology, our deep understanding of our customers’ businesses and strong local expertise in gases and engineering, we are able to provide tailor-made solutions that help our customers to increase efficiency, productivity and flexibility in their operations, while reducing energy costs and safeguarding the environment. We manage and operate more than 30 production facilities and filling stations across the country. We supply more than 20,000 gases and mixtures as well as and provide a range of related services including the construction and installation of plants, equipment, pipelines and associated engineering services catering to the needs of a wide variety of industries. Linde has one of the largest sales and distribution network in the country giving us a wide geographic reach and placing us close to our customers in any part of India. 

SBI General Insurance To Support “Vaccination For Its Agents And POSPs”


SBI General Insurance (SBIG) has reiterated its commitment to the well-being of its people by sponsoring the cost of vaccination for its agents and POSPs. The vaccination is extended to all advisors who have remained active with SBI General since March Year 2020 and are eligible for vaccination under the government’s current norms. 

Further, this option is also extended to the spouses and dependent parents or in-laws of the advisor, up to a maximum of four members. 

Mr. PC Kandpal, MD and CEO SBI General Insurance said, “At SBIG, we have always kept ‘people’ at the center of everything that we do. The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for businesses and people across the world. It’s certainly commendable to witness our own COVID warriors i.e. our channel partners, who have stood firm and helped the organisation navigate the uncertain environment. Through this initiative, we aim to honour our channel partners – agents & POSPs and encourage them to get vaccinated at the earliest to protect themselves and their families”. 

This initiative exemplifies SBIGI’s philosophy ‘We care for your health’ and highlights the integral role that organisations can play in the health and well-being of their people and partners. It is also a step in the right direction as India continues to take steps to mitigate the health and economic impact of the pandemic.  

About SBI General Insurance Company Limited:  

SBI General is one of the fastest growing private general insurance companies, with the strong parentage of SBI, we, at SBI General Insurance, are committed to carry forward the legacy of trust and security; and to become the first choice for every Indian’s general insurance needs. 

Ever since our establishment in 2009, from 17 branches in 2011, we have expanded our presence to around 123 branches pan-India.  

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

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

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

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

Global Korean Gifting Platform – Giftiicon Enters The Indian Market With Casual Gifting App


Giftiicon, the renowned Korean gifting platform has launched in India with a new app startup specifically designed for the Indian market. Founded by father-daughter duo Nakkyun Chong and Ji Hyun Chong, the platform focuses on the casual gifting market where the act of giving and receiving gifts becomes instantaneous, impulsive and hassle free. The app enables users to send a gift of their choice in just 30 seconds through SMS and WhatsApp without necessarily knowing the address of the recipient.

Aimed at millennials and Gen Z, the concept behind the platform is to simplify the gifting process and eliminate cumbersome registration requirements along with personal information. Particularly in the post-Covid era when people are socially distanced yet want to retain their human connections, Giftiicon offers the perfect low-contact gifting option for anyone with a smartphone.

Giftiicon allows users to pick from multiple categories of gifts listed on the platform, from F&B and Cosmetics to Home Decor and Flowers. At the time of redemption, users have the option of visiting the store to pick up the gift or request a pick-up via apps like Dunzo who is Giftiicon’s delivery partner. They also provide the option of scheduling a gift so that users remember important dates like birthdays or anniversaries. There is also a Gen Z focused unique feature called ‘Tease’, that lets users request a gift.

For the merchant, Giftiicon enables pan-India marketing and requires no extra inventory investment as products are only required when the gift is paid for. Giftiicon also has tie-ups with payment gateways, which eliminates the hassle of POS integration and encourages immediate purchases.

Commenting on the launch Ji Hyun, Co-Founder and COO – The idea of Giftiicon came from the observation that people often want to build connections with others through gifts but refrain from doing so as they do not know the recipient’s personal information. Our aim is to provide an emotion-driven and hassle-free gifting experience to connect people, form social bonds, and share emotions in today’s hyper digitized world. We hope our platform can establish a new paradigm in the e-gifting culture and promote instant and casual gifting among smartphone users across India.

She adds, “Giftiicon is a proven business model in South Korea as we hit GMV 4.5B USD last year with over 24 million users using the platform and over 20 million transactions taking place every month. The Gifting market globally is poised to reach 127B by 2024, and the online gifting market is expected to grow up to 10B GMV. Since India is an incredibly young country with smartphone penetration rate growing in parallel, the e-gifting market has potential to grow more than expected. In addition, as an aggregator we are currently onboarding well-known global and national franchised brands on our platform to further expand our customer base.”

The 13 billion population market in India is a huge opportunity today, especially due to increased earnings and simultaneous growth in the spending pattern. With many premium brands across multiple categories onboarded, Giftiicon aims to appeal to these working professionals based in Tier-1 cities where there are multiple brand outlets that recipients can collect their gifts from. The overarching mission of the platform is to strengthen emotional bonds through no-hassle gifting, not despite today’s digital-first culture but as a key part of it.

About Giftiicon -Giftiicon India was incorporated in 2019 and is headquartered out of Bangalore, India. Founded by Mr Nakkyun Chong and Ms Ji Hyun Chong, Giftiicon enables users to send a gift of their choice in just 30 seconds through SMS and whatsapp without necessarily knowing the address of the recipient. The platform focuses on the casual gifting market where the act of giving and receiving gifts becomes purely about joy and eliminates the hassle. Giftiicon is currently available as a mobile app on Android and iOS Bangalore only and aims to expand Pan India by the end of this year.

With the gifting market set to hit $127 billion by 2024, Giftiicon is optimistic that its platform is here to stay.

Mr. Nakkyun Chong is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Giftiicon Global. An entrepreneur, with 29 years of global experience in the fields of mobile & online commerce, telecommunications and Internet & Cable TV media. He has founded 10 companies with a total investment of U$ 1Billion, managed 14 mergers and acquisitions and led teams of up to 1000 employees.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

JK Organisation Initiates Vaccination Drive Under ‘Mission Critical’


Furthering its commitment towards COVID-19 relief measures, and ramping up its efforts in the fight against the pandemic, Indian industrial conglomerate JK Organization has gone into ‘Mission Critical’ mode, to ensure rapid vaccination of its stakeholders across the organisation.

To ensure the health & safety of its employees and business partners, JK Organisation has instituted a system of vaccination for all. The group has already vaccinated over 12,000 personnel so far. With all Indian adults being eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine starting May 1, JK Organisation aims to vaccinate over 40,000+ individuals very soon.

JK Organisation is committed to enabling the country achieve immunity at the earliest. As the ‘Mission Critical’, the organisation has placed supreme importance on holistic well-being of employees by providing ease of access to vaccination along with other safety measures.

Shri Bharat Hari Singhania, President JK Organisation said “The safety and wellbeing of our people, our customers, business partners, and the communities in which we operate, are of paramount importance and our utmost priority. Everything else, comes later”.

Additionally, to extend support for immediate on-ground response to a large section of the society and its employees, JK Organisation has taken several safety measures across the country.

Covid-19 helpdesk: A dedicated Covid-19 helpdesk at the Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute (PSRI Hospital), New Delhi, a multi specialty run by the Group, has been established. The helpdesk will provide time-critical assistance like medical consultation, vaccination, and hospitalization to help the nation effectively brave the second wave of the pandemic. 

Covid Core Group: An apex group, comprising of the top management personnel, has been created which reviews the Covid 19 relief measures every week. The group has effectively executed many employee-friendly decisions such as uninterrupted annual increments, preemptively implementing a strict ‘Work from Home’ policy to curtail the further viral spread.

Medical Aid: addressing the immediate needs of communities and migrant labour in a Mission Critical manner, JK Organisation has created isolation wards near its plants with support from the government, along with the distribution of masks, sanitizers, and PPE kits. 

Hero Motocorp Launches Virtual Showroom Feature To Provide Immersive Digital Buying Experience To Customers


Building on its industry-leading digital initiatives Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has launched a Virtual Showroom feature to provide an Immersive Digital Buying Experience to customers.

The Virtual Showroom will enable customers to discover, engage and purchase Hero’s motorcycles and scooters through a seamless digital experience. Providing a 360-degree view of both the space and the product, the feature allows customers to easily browse and explore the design, features, and technical details of each model right from the comfort of their homes.

The virtual showroom can be conveniently accessed through Hero MotoCorp’s company website www.heromotocorp.com or at https://virtualshowroom.heromotocorp.com/. The new feature prioritizes customer convenience and ensures an experience that is identical to a physical showroom visit. Customers can easily navigate to the ‘Request a call back’ to enquire about the vehicle of their choice, while an option of direct purchase is also available.

Commenting on the initiative, Naveen Chauhan, Head – Sales and Aftersales, Hero MotoCorp, said, “At Hero MotoCorp we are constantly striving to enhance our customer buying experience. Considering the need for social distancing and catering to the digitally savvy customers, it is imperative for our services to be present at the customers’ fingertips while providing a holistic experience right from the beginning of their purchase journey. This featureis in line with our commitment to build value-led initiatives. Soon after launching our messaging app based chatbot services, we are now bringing a Hero showroom straight to the customer's room.”

Key attributes and highlights of the feature:

Virtual Showroom (VS) is the initial landing page giving an ambiance similar to a physical showroom. The VS showcases nine products, which can be purchased through Hero’s e-commerce portal - eShop.

Hero Product Configurator (HPC) provides the 3D product experience to the customers with all product features, colors, variants aesthetically displayed. The Accessory Configurator provides an immersive experience of adding the accessories of choice on the vehicle. The price of the chosen vehicle is dynamically updated basis the variant and location chosen. Further purchase process can be completed through Hero’s eShop platform. 

Augmented Reality (AR) experience is generated within HPC or directly from VS, to enable customers and page visitors to enhance their product experience and understanding instantly by visualizing the vehicle in an environment of their choice. The AR feature can be experienced on supported iOS and Android devices without the need to download any app.

Grinntech Emerges A Winner In The NXP India Start-Up Challenge


* Smart Li-Ion batteries need high-performance hardware and software

Grinntech, an investor-backed start-up specialising in Lithium-Ion batteries for EVs and energy storage systems has been judged as one of three winners from over 192 applicants in the NXP Semiconductors India Startup Challenge 2021. 

The Challenge has a core vision to nurture Indian technology start-ups by providing them opportunities to connect and collaborate with industry leaders and other ecosystem stakeholders that can support them in their growth journey for global impact.  The NXP India Tech Startup Challenge is organised by NXP Semiconductors in association with Government of India’s Invest India and Startup India initiatives.

Nikhilesh Mishra, Co-Founder and Director Grinntech explains. “Lithium-Ion batteries are “intelligent” batteries and hence employ sophisticated Battery Management Systems (BMS) and software to optimise performance measures such as energy management, extending duty cycles, and improving power delivery, while at the same time maintaining all defined safety parameters. We have employed many NXP products to achieve the stringent safety requirements needed in automotive applications while being cost competitive. Grinntech’s product portfolio spans over complete automotive application range and comes ready with industry leading IOT functionalities, best suited for smart mobility and fleet management. NXP also helps in providing the extensive support and documentation to fast track the development timelines while meeting the safety standards. We are grateful to NXP Semiconductors India and their partners, Invest India and Start-up India for providing this platform for Indian tech start-ups to showcase our technologies.”

“As the EV sector in India scales up, we hope tech start-ups like us will power its growth with Made-in-India solutions that employ globally-benchmarked technologies. Since our move to our new facilities in Chennai, we have picked-up momentum with clients not only in the 2-wheeler space but also 3-wheelers, warehouse robots and the farm-tractor sectors.”, added Puneet Jain, Co-Founder and Director, Grinntech.

Grinntech now offers a variety of proprietary Li-Ion batteries ranging from sub-1 kWh to over 50 kWh spanning the voltage range from 12V to 350V. In addition, Grinntech is engaged in several custom battery development projects for their customers which also employ Grinntech’s proprietary Battery Management Systems. Grinntech’s new manufacturing facility in Chennai is being scaled to manufacture 400 MWh per year of Lithium-Ion batteries. 

About Grinntech 

Grinntech is an investor-backed, growth-phase start-up, specialising in Lithium-Ion batteries for EVs and energy storage systems along with our proprietary BMS and connectivity systems. Our product range has established new standards in safety, intelligent controls, energy-density, power-management, long life, and reliability. Apart from a range of standard products, we also undertake custom battery development for customers in India and abroad. 

Grinntech works closely with leading global technology companies and cell suppliers, bringing cutting-edge advances in semiconductor, materials, cell-chemistry and formats. We employ contemporary techniques in our manufacturing including cell-characterisation and production testing. Our expertise has been recognised by our customers, many of whom are market leaders, and we are working with many of them to power their future EV endeavours.

Anil Agarwal Pledges RS 150 Crore To Support Govt In Tackling National Health Emergency


* Vedanta to create additional capacity of 1,000 hospital beds pan India.

* Critical care beds to be placed in state-of-the-art ‘field hospitals’ across 10 locations.

* Latest pledge of Rs 150 crore is in addition to Rs 201 crore contribution made last year to combat COVID

* Vedanta business units supporting 700 Covid beds, to increase number of beds to 1,000.

Mr. Anil Agarwal, Chairman of Vedanta, India’s leading producer of metals and oil & gas, has pledged Rs. 150 Cr to help the country in its fight against the rapidly spreading second wave of Covid 19. This is over and above Rs. 201 Cr that was spent by the Vedanta group last year.

In an effort to support the tremendous efforts being made by the Government of India and State governments, Vedanta Ltd will create additional capacity of 1,000 critical care beds in 10 cities pan-India. The critical care beds will be placed in state-of-the-art ‘field hospitals’ which will be attached to recognized and reputed hospitals. Each facility will have 100 beds in an air-conditioned tent with full electrical support and designed specifically for Covid care. The critical care facilities will have 90 beds equipped with oxygen support while the remaining will have ventilator support.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Anil Agarwal, Chairman, Vedanta, said, “I am deeply concerned and anguished to see the impact of the second wave of Covid-19 and loss of precious lives. Vedanta group has come forward to pledge Rs 150 Cr towards our commitment to fight the pandemic and we stand firmly with our people and the government at this difficult time. We believe that this additional infrastructure that will be set up immediately will bring much-needed relief for those affected by this deadly virus. Vedanta will also provide essential medical equipment for our heroic doctors and healthcare workers. We will continue to do everything possible that will help us together overcome this crisis.”

The states where the additional capacity of critical care beds will be created are Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Goa, Karnataka and Delhi NCR. The company has set a target for the first set of facilities to be ready and commissioned within 14 days and balance facilities will be augmented within 30 days. Vedanta has estimated this support for a minimum 6-month period.

Vedanta is working closely with the government bodies and local administration to provide medical facilities and hospital care to those in need. The company is currently supporting around 700 beds for Covid patients across its business locations, which will be increased to 1,000 in the near term.

Meanwhile, Hindustan Zinc (HZL), ESL and Sesa Goa Iron Ore Business have stepped in to augment oxygen supplies to Covid-19 patients as part of the Vedanta Cares initiative. HZL is currently supplying 5T (100 per cent of Liquid Oxygen capacity) of oxygen per day which can be used for medical treatment and is in the process of increasing it by another 2-3T.  Sesa Goa Iron Ore Business is supplying 3T of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) daily to the Goa State Government and hospitals, while ESL, the Vedanta group’s steel maker, has registered its plant near Bokaro for LMO and has committed to supply up to 10T of oxygen daily.

Sterlite Copper has received approval from the Supreme Court to supply oxygen from its Tuticorin plant. Sterlite Copper’s oxygen plants have a capacity to produce 1,000 tonnes of oxygen daily.

Vedanta is in talks with producers to procure the vaccines in bulk for our employees and their families. So far, over 5,000 employees and family members have been vaccinated and we would cover the whole of the Vedanta family and our business partners in the coming days.

The company has rolled out a telemedicine program for Nand Ghar communities with `Doctor on call’ facility in Rajasthan, Odhisha, Chattisgarh , Jharkhand , Karnataka and UP. It has also set up a 24/7 dedicated helpline with Apollo Hospital to provide medical assistance to all employees and their families.   

Last year, Vedanta had contributed Rs 201 crore in the wake of the Covid crisis. This included a contribution to the PM-CARES Fund and Vedanta’s commitment of catering to three specific areas–livelihood of the daily wage workers across the nation, preventive health care and support to all its employees and contract partners across its plant locations.

National Winners Felicitated At 3rd IP Conclave And Intellectual Property Talent Search Examination (IPTSE) Awards


The 3rd edition of IP Conclave and IPTSE Awards – the first-of-its-kind IP Olympiad organized and administered by IPTSE Academy and supported by stakeholders such as Ericsson, several educational institutes, government departments and the industry chamber ASSOCHAM – concluded yesterday with the announcement of the national winners of IPTSE 2020 examination. The all-India rank (AIR) holders of IPTSE 2020 examination were felicitated at the virtual awards ceremony by the Guest of Honor, Prof. (Dr.) Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE.

The seminar brought together senior decision-makers of the government, industry stalwarts and academia to deliberate on creating a conducive intellectual property regime in India to not only protect innovators’ rights, but also create an ecosystem of fair and equitable royalties to enable continuous research and innovation.

Delivering the keynote address, Mr John Cabeca, US Intellectual Property Counsellor, South Asia, said, "ASSOCHAM's National Committee on IPR is steadfastly working towards actualizing the goal of advocacy, industry cooperation and awareness building about intellectual property rights among Indian innovators and MSMEs. In today's day and age, it is important to support and sustain MSMEs and early-stage innovators. And to realize this goal, intellectual property can play a critical role in protecting creators' innovations and spurring a culture of innovation and competition in the industry."

Lauding IPTSE Academy’s efforts to further the vision of putting India on the global IP map and assuring AICTE’s continued support to IPTSE’s initiatives, Prof. (Dr.) Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE, said “Like government platforms such as Smart India Hackathon and Atal Innovation Mission, IPTSE is generating awareness about IP creation and maintenance. Initiatives such as IPTSE and organizations such as Ericsson are providing students the knowledge and opportunity to develop innovative solutions for new-age challenges our societies face. In start-up hubs such as the ones in India, patenting has become crucial to protect innovative solutions developed by our entrepreneurs and young innovators.”

Started in 2018, IPTSE is India’s first Intellectual Property examination aimed at driving awareness among young learners and undergraduate students about patents, design, trademark, copyrights, industrial design and trade secrets. Since 2018, more than 13,000 young aspirants have taken the examination, and more than 250 volunteers have been working tirelessly to increase awareness about the course among students and professors across India.

During the conclave, Ms. Monica Magnusson, Vice President – IPR, Ericsson, said, "With the aim to bring together the brightest minds in India to create awareness about intellectual property, ASSOCHAM and Ericsson collaborated to initiate IPTSE. Over the last three years, it has been IPTSE's single-minded goal to raise awareness, increase competitiveness and make India a global leader in IP and innovation. It is crucial to drive awareness at grassroots level if we want to fuel India's economic growth and foster a culture of innovation. The most important aspect for any innovator is to know how to protect her/his idea. IP finds application in all sectors - be it sports, fashion, design or technology. I would like to thank our government partners for their tremendous effort; it is very heartening to see the kind of support the initiative has been receiving from all the ministries and decision makers."

IPTSE Academy has received continued support from government, industry and academic partners. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY); Ministry of Science and Technology; Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); Punjab State Council for Science & Technology; National Research Development Corporation (NRDC); INSPIRE; and scores of Indian educational institutions that have played integral roles in taking this examination to aspiring young students in every pocket of the country.

Six AIR national winners of 3rd IPTSE 2020 examination, who were felicitated by Dr. Sahasrabudhe during the virtual award ceremony, were Sangita Sharma from Gujarat National Law University; Soundarya Rathor from School of Law, Christ University; Lokesh Vyas from Institute of Law Nirma University, Ahmedabad; Ankur Yadav from Vidya Gyan School, Sitapur; Guru Sarran J from AECS Magnolia Maaruti Public School; and Sonu Yadav from VidyaGyan School, Sitapur.

Among other winners, few outstanding academicians and scientists from around the country, working in the field of IP, were also recognized and awarded for their contribution to the development of the discipline.

IPTSE continues to be India’s first and only IP examination committed to driving awareness on the need for adopting and implementing best IPR practices in the industry that will safeguard the interest of our young innovators and entrepreneurs and foster a culture of innovation and creativity throughout India.

For more information on IPTSE, visit https://iptse.com/; and follow on Twitter at https://bit.ly/3gK9LkU  

Team Pumpkin Bags The Social Media, PR And Performance Marketing Mandate Of Order Management Plus


* The 360-degrees brand solution agency will be involved in the planning and execution of all Social Media, Performance Marketing and PR communication for the company

Team Pumpkin, a full-service digital marketing and public relations agency, has been appointed the PR, Social Media and Performance Marketing mandate for technology solution platform, Order Management Plus. They will be involved in the planning and execution of all outward media communication and take responsibility for online marketing and advertising programs for the brand.

Order Management Plus is a Bangalore-based company that offers a single, unified platform for inventory and warehouse management, marketplace integration, insight reports and accounts management for eCommerce brands. Their online solution, “Omplus”, gives retailers everything they need to start, manage and grow their business online.

Commenting on the partnership, the CEO of Order Management Plus says, "We were very impressed with Team Pumpkin's repertoire of work. They have had continued and consistent success in helping enterprises devise the right communication and marketing strategies across different industries—especially in the technology and eCommerce spaces. We’re excited to have them on board and are eager to see what we can achieve through this partnership."

Speaking on the mandate, Nirav Lalan, COO of Team Pumpin says, "The Omplus solution makes expansion to e-tail easier and more accessible. We're sure this technology will have a positive impact on several businesses and are excited to begin amplification across all platforms. We have differentiated performance strategies in place for LinkedIn, Google, and other far-reaching networks in order to boost brand awareness and help facilitate their growth journey."

About Team Pumpkin

Founded in 2012, Team Pumpkin is an integrated marketing & PR agency with a digital-first approach. The agency provides digital marketing services that are not limited to digital strategy consulting, search engine optimization, social media management, mobile app development, web development, content marketing, PR and more. The company’s client portfolio is vast and includes brands like Tata Steel, ITC Foods, MamyPoko Pants, Prega News, Columbia Asia Hospitals, Paytm Money, Mahindra First Choice Services, Cricbuzz, Pathkind Labs and Network18 among others.

Martin Uhlarik Appointed As New Global Design Head Of Tata Motors


Tata Motors announces that Mr. Martin Uhlarik has been appointed as the new Global Design Head of the company.

Mr. Uhlarik was till recently Head of Design for Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC) and takes over his new role from Mr. Pratap Bose who has chosen to pursue opportunities outside the company. Over the course of his 27-year career Mr. Uhlarik has been involved in the design of successful nameplates with leading global OEMs. Since joining Tata Motors in 2016 as Head of Design, UK, he has led the development of the Impact 3 generation of vehicles.

Mr. Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors, said, “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Martin Uhlarik as the new Global Design Head of Tata Motors. Martin is an experienced automobile designer with deep domain knowledge of design, keen understanding of international trends and extensive operational experience with leading automobile companies in several geographies.  His rich experience and expertise will inspire our teams to further enhance our vehicle design philosophy and language. I take this opportunity to also thank Pratap for his services and wish him the best for the future.”

Mr Uhlarik will continue to operate from TMETC in the UK. He will lead teams in the three Tata Motors Design centres in Coventry (UK), Turin (Italy) and Pune (India). He will report into Mr. Shailesh Chandra, President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors.

Mr Uhlarik has a degree in Industrial Design from the Ontario College of Art and Design University in Toronto, Canada in 1993 and a degree in Transportation Design from Art Center College of Design in Vevey, Switzerland in 1994.

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.

Leading Companies That Scaled Technology Innovation During COVID-19 Are Growing Revenue 5X Faster Than Lagging Adopters


* New class of ‘Leapfrogger’ companies compressed digital transformation and outpaced peers with 4x revenue growth

Leading companies that amplified their technology investments during the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly extended their growth advantage over competitors, according to new research from Accenture (NYSE: ACN). The research reveals that technology has undeniably become indispensable to business success and directly enables companies to not only survive, but even thrive during one of the most disruptive times in history.

The new report, “Make the Leap, Take the Lead,” shows that by stepping up investments in cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies, ‘Leaders’ are now growing revenue at five times the rate of ‘Laggards,’ exceptionally higher than the doubled growth rate Leaders reported just a few years ago. In sharp contrast, many Laggard companies just recently invested in newer technologies for the first time, largely to maintain business and technology operations during the pandemic. This put Laggards even further behind and in the position of playing catch-up.

A new category of companies has emerged: Leapfroggers (18% of the entire sample). This group stands out in their ability to quickly master the balance between systems strength and increased innovation. Leapfroggers compressed their digital transformations into a shorter time frame through an aggressive and progressive technology strategy that converted the challenges of the past year into business opportunities and advantage.

“Our research scored companies on their ‘Systems Strength’ — a measure of technology adoption, application of technologies at scale, and organizational and cultural readiness for tech-enabled innovation. Strong Systems Strength, combined with a “Flip Size” that substantially pivots IT budgets towards innovation, enables Leaders to greatly extend their growth over Laggards,” said Ramnath Venkataraman, global lead, Integrated Global Services, Accenture Technology. “Meanwhile, Leapfroggers also show tremendous progress by maintaining Systems Strength and infusing innovation across the enterprise. In fact, Leapfroggers are now growing their revenue at four times the rate of Laggards.”

The report surveyed 4,300 respondents and assigned a score based on Systems Strength and Flip Size. The study determined which companies were ‘Leaders’ (top 10% of entire sample), Leapfroggers (18% of sample) and ‘Laggards’ (bottom 25%) and looked at the financial performance of each group.

Annette Rippert, group chief executive, Strategy & Consulting, Accenture, added, “This report shows that leaders are adopting innovative technology earlier and investing more frequently than their peers. These leaders focus not only on the implementation of new technology, but the critical steps needed to ensure successful scaling across the enterprise, including new agile ways of working, making important changes to reinforce an innovation-led culture and upskilling their workforce. Each of these actions result in creating new sustainable value for their stakeholders.”

The report shows that evolving technology strategies deliver greater success when companies master these three imperatives:

Replatform to the cloud to build Systems Strength, reducing redundant technologies and disconnected data across the IT stack, while gaining computing power and flexibility. For instance, 80% of Leapfroggers had adopted some form of cloud technology by 2017, but that figure rose to 98% by 2020.

Reframe to an innovation-first technology strategy. Leapfroggers excel at shifting their mindset and viewing potential downturns as opportunities to innovate with new technology. Scaling new innovations became the top priority for Leapfroggers during the pandemic, and 67% seek to aggressively increase revenue from non-core business lines.

Reach by expanding access to technology across internal business functions and embrace a broader value agenda by addressing personalized employee upskilling, well-being, and mental health. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Leaders prioritize employee happiness by providing digital-based flexible work arrangements, compared to just 43% of Laggards.

Over 70% of Leaders increased investments in cloud security and 68% in hybrid cloud. Leaders also dug deeper into Internet of Things technology (70%) and AI and machine learning (59%). Building a foundational cloud platform delivers the costs savings to help flip IT budgets from maintenance to innovation. Both provide a sound basis for aligning technology strategies with business goals that drive 360-degree value for multiple stakeholders across the enterprise.

Leapfroggers transformed their technology strategies and priorities in a short time frame, using the crisis to increase the use of advanced and emerging technologies by 17% and scaling technology across their enterprises. Leapfroggers also fostered thoughtful organizational change to take further advantage of these technologies and compressed their transformations from years to months.

About the Research

Accenture’s "Make the Leap, Take the Lead” research is the third installment in a series that builds on one of the largest enterprise technology surveys ever conducted, “Full Value. Full Stop. How to Scale Innovation and Achieve Full Value with Future Systems,” released in October 2019, and “Your Legacy or Your Legend? A CEO’s Guide to Getting the Most Out of New Technologies,” released in January 2020. “Make the Leap, Take the Lead” is based on survey responses from 4,300 business and IT professionals across 25 countries and 20 industries. More information on Accenture’s "Make the Leap, Take the Lead” research, including examples of Leader and Leapfrog companies demonstrating technology investment best practices, can be found here.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 537,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners, and communities. 

Hero Motocorp Steps Up Its Covid-19 Relief Initiatives In Indian Market

 


·       Partners with Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama & District Administration in Haridwar for 122-bed Covid-hospital

·       Providing motorcycles & scooters for personal use by health workers in various hospitals across the country

·       Donates oxygen cylinders to hospitals in Delhi & Haryana

·       Hands over PPE Kits to various state Governments

In keeping with its commitment towards the COVID-19 relief efforts, Hero MotoCorp Ltd, the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has rapidly expanded its initiatives across the country.

Under the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform “Hero WeCare”, Hero MotoCorp has partnered with the Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal (RMSK) at Haridwar in Uttarakhand for strengthening their healthcare system and response to Covid-19. Hero MotoCorp is supporting the healthcare infrastructure of Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama to boost the capacity of rapid-response teams and other emergency medical facilities. It will also help the Mission to deploy an immediate health preparedness plan to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in the region of Haridwar.  

Additionally, Hero MotoCorp is also providing its motorcycles and scooters for safe, personal commuting by health workers and medical staff in several states, including Delhi & NCR, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Under this initiative, the Company is currently in the process of providing its two-wheelers for the health workers in seven hospitals in and around Dharuhera in Haryana, four hospitals in Uttarakhand, four hospitals in Gurugram in Haryana, three hospitals in Jaipur, and one each in Alwar in Rajasthan, and near Halol in Gujarat.

In addition to these, Hero MotoCorp has also contributed oxygen cylinders for emergency medical use by some of the hospitals in Delhi and Haryana. The Company has been donating PPE Kits to the health authorities in various states for use by health workers.

Going forward, Hero MotoCorp will continue to further expand its initiatives towards Covid-relief across the country by partnering with local hospitals, state governments and local authorities.

Mr. C. Ravishankar (IAS), District Magistrate, Haridwar, said “We appreciate the special efforts extended by Hero MotoCorp to tide over the challenges emanating from Covid-19 pandemic. I urge other companies to also extend a similar helping hand so that our efforts to contain the virus and economic hardships are strengthened.”

Swami Dayadhipananda Aka Dr. Shivakumar Maharaj, Medical Superintendent, RKMS Haridwar, said “I thank Hero MotoCorp for supporting us with the response package that will help us to respond effectively to the Coronavirus pandemic. The support of Hero MotoCorp will keep our Mission strong and we will continue to take care of our patients, help save lives and protect our communities with the help of this collaboration.”

The Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Haridwar, has the following facilities: 

·  90 Beds with oxygen in the wards (Private, Semi Private and General).

·  16 Beds with oxygen & portable Ventilator facility in the Emergency Ward.

·  08 Beds with oxygen & BIPAP Machine in the COVID ICU. 

·  08 Beds with Ventilator in the COVID ICU (Level 3). 

·  24*7 Lab, CT Scan.

·  05 Operation Theatres

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Fanzart Unveils “Grandmaster”- New Age HVLS Fans For Commercial Sector Across The Indian Market


Ever since Fanzart was ingested in the world of designer fans, it has never failed to impress its users with the unique designs, high quality specifications and a myriad series of spectacular collections it offers to homeowners and commercial sectors.

Following the trend forward, Fanzart announces a new series “Grandmaster” using the new

HVLS mechanism, but with higher RPM. The HVLS fans (High Volume Low Speed) caught its name by the unique mechanism of distributing a large amount of air at a relatively low rotational speed, hence the name ‘High Volume Low Speed’. Unlike a small, high velocity fan that creates small, turbulent air streams that quickly disperse, an HVLS fan relies on size, not speed, to move a significant amount of air.

The series offers two brand new products- Grandmaster and Grandmaster Hexa.

The size of “Grandmaster” ranges from 60 inches, 70 inches, 80 inches with the Airflow of

14250/11220/12390 CFM (Cubic feet per minute) respectively. Anything above the sweep of 10 feet and over can be custom ordered as per the project requirement. The color comes in stylish matte black with aluminum blades of 7 nos. The sweep of the fan is 1524mm/60 inches, 1778mm/70 inches and 2032 mm/80 inches with the motor spec of the fan being 188x17mm DC. The height of the fan is 503mm/19.8 including remote control.

“Grandmaster Hexa” on the other hand comes in 93 inches with the Airflow of 10990 CFM. The color comes in classy matte silver with aluminum blades of 6 nos. The sweep comes in 2362mm/93 inch with the motor spec of 188x22 mm DC. The height of the fan is 560 mm/22.04 in with the Airflow of 10990 CFM. Remote control included.

The Grand Master Series is ideal for commercial and hospitality sector as well as larger areas like corporate offices, halls, workspaces, hotels, sports clubs, airports, stadiums, manufacturing units and so on. The stylishly crafted Grand Master series can also be an addition to residential spaces that have a larger area. HVLS Ceiling fans are larger than 7 feet in diameter and so these massive designer ceiling fans are definitely the talk of the town. Some of our clientele who have used these magnificent fans include JW Marriott, Bosch, Wipro to name a few.

Fanzart Fans are a perfect blend of style and performance with smart features like Summer

Winter features, Whisper Quiet Technology, BLDC motor fans, Sleep Mode, Human Sensor, 3D Oscillation and many more, it won’t be incorrect to call it the new coming of age in the world of fans.

For purchasing and more information visit our newly launched e-commerce portal: www.fanzartfans.com.

sRide Launches sNeighbour Feature To Help Communities Tide Over The Pandemic


 -- sNeighbour app enables community-level engagement to seek and offer help during these difficult times of pandemic --

-- sNeighbour is an expansion to sRide, a leading carpooling app that has 2 million users across 10 cities in India --

-- Global software firms EPAM & ThoughtWorks have joined hands with sNeighbour for their employees to seek and offer help --

Started with a vision of creating a platform for like-minded people to form communities, sRide, India's largest carpooling app today announced the launch of sNeighbour. This unique location-based discovery app enables neighbours to seek help and provide support to those in need during these testing times. Many families are suffering and need help with food, groceries, medicines and life-saving equipment. sNeighbours will help each other with cooked food, groceries, medicines, to share information about things such as medicines, oxygen tanks, hospital beds, vaccination centres with vaccines, offering rides to vaccination centres etc. Those in need will be able to get in touch with individuals and neighbours providing support with a simple click of a button.

The second wave of corona virus has again grounded the country to a halt and added tremendous pressure on the health infrastructure. The surge of conversations around lack of hospital beds and oxygen supply has forced citizens to run helter-skelter seeking support. Due to the strict lockdown in several areas, necessities such as groceries, medicines and transport to hospitals has also become an issue for everybody impacted. Within minutes of its launch on Android Play Store, sNeighbour feature received over 100 registrations with 50% posting about the help they can provide with medicines, cooked food, groceries and ride to vaccination centres. Global software firms EPAM & ThoughtWorks came forward to join the cause and encouraged their employees to use the platform to provide and seek help as required.

Speaking at the launch, Lakshna Jha, co-founder,  sRide who said, “In the wake of the most rapidly escalating COVID-19 situations, it is heartening to see the coming together of people and communities to help each other out. With sNeighbour, we have augmented our existing technology infrastructure and network of 2M+ users in a way that can make a positive grassroots-level impact. The intent is to provide a platform for people to come together and form communities where they can engage and exchange help and support with each other. We strongly believe that, as social creatures, all human beings need one another to survive. And we are hopeful that this platform will supplement that purpose by helping the users tide over these testing times, together.”

As the situation improves, people will still need to exercise self-isolation and social distancing. sNeighbour is expected to provide ease of accessibility to essentials by forming social bubbles within the community and reducing the spread of coronavirus. In the long-term, sNeighbour will continue to serve as a platform to attract like-minded individuals who share common values and vision and form a community, help each other, follow and share interests, have fun and grow as human beings. As an extension of sRide, sharing the same purpose and objective, sNeighbour will continue to bring people together.

To download the app, click here: http://bit.ly/GetsRide

About sNeighbour from  sRide

sRide is a social platform that helps millions to commute by carpooling. With more than 2Million users across 10 All cities, sRide has helped more than 1 Million+ users monthly to share or pool their rides.  With sNeighbour, the 2 million users can come together to engage and help neighbourhoods.

Bentley Acceleration Initiatives Acquires Indian Project Controls Specialist Nadhi Information Technologies


* To Help Infrastructure Projects in Asia Manage Risks and Avoid Delays, Meet Demand for New Construction

Bentley Acceleration Initiatives today announced the acquisition of Chennai, India-based Nadhi Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd., a specialist in project controls, analytics, and decision support for construction supply chains. Nadhi serves some of India’s leading construction sector participants, including contractors Larsen & Toubro and Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd., real estate developers Mahindra Lifespaces and RMZ, and owner-operators DMRC (Delhi Metro) and Welspun Enterprises. Founded in 2008, Nadhi was incubated in the IIT Madras Research Park with advisors from the IIT Madras Building Technology and Construction Management faculty and the Lean Construction Institute.

Bentley Acceleration Initiatives is the internal incubator for strategic investments of Bentley Systems (Nasdaq: BSY), the infrastructure engineering software company. Its objective is to bring together ecosystem partners in digital co-ventures. Nadhi brings to Bentley a critical mass of field-experienced professionals in construction automation, attuned to their region’s specific challenges and project dynamics. The acquisition strengthens Bentley’s focus on Asia, which is experiencing huge demand for new construction of infrastructure and has a keen appetite for digital workflows to help address this need. According to Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research, while China and the U.S. will remain the two highest-value construction markets globally, India and Indonesia will rise to the third and fourth highest-value markets by 2029.

Currently, project teams in Asia are often held back by conventional construction methodologies and obstacles to public cloud deployments, experiencing delays and cost overruns because of poorly coordinated schedules and the lack of visibility into project status. Project managers are looking for a solution that helps them interconnect their data silos—spanning documents, schedules, budgets, issues and risks, resources, and materials—all in one environment.

Some of the best-managed construction projects are now using Nadhi’s services to solve these challenges and improve their project delivery using digital workflows. Since offering lean construction consulting services in 2008, Nadhi has pioneered mobile-enabled project controls. In an offering explicitly configured for the needs of project teams in Asia, the integrated project controls in Nadhi’s nPulse software combines data-driven decision support and predictive analytics to give engineering and construction projects early warning of schedule risks and potential delays in milestone completion, advancing project planning and execution from reactive to proactive.

Dr. Ashit Gandhi, senior director, accelerated business development, Bentley Systems, said, “We are very pleased to welcome Nadhi’s construction automation experts as Bentley colleagues. Together, we see a significant new opportunity to help construction projects throughout Asia, especially for road and rail linear infrastructure, in ‘going digital’. Combining Nadhi’s proven project controls and analytics capabilities with Bentley’s SYNCHRO 4D construction modeling and field-based construction delivery will enable more integrated and efficient digital workflows, tailored specifically to Asian needs.”

Kalyan Vaidyanathan, CEO, Nadhi Information Technologies, said, “The whole team at Nadhi is excited to be joining Bentley Systems at this pivotal moment for India’s construction community. We look forward to deepening our capabilities in core areas of project controls and expanding our reach both in and beyond India for new opportunities. We believe, as part of Bentley, we will be even more strongly positioned to help our users to stay in control of their projects and to generate insights through analytics to avoid delays and improve confidence through visibility.”

Nadhi will add approximately 30 colleagues; its annualized revenues and profitability are not material to, and are not expected to meaningfully impact, the BSY financial outlook for 2021.

About Bentley Systems

Bentley Systems (Nasdaq: BSY) is the infrastructure engineering software company. We provide innovative software to advance the world’s infrastructure – sustaining both the global economy and environment. Our industry-leading software solutions are used by professionals, and organizations of every size, for the design, construction, and operations of roads and bridges, rail and transit, water and wastewater, public works and utilities, buildings and campuses, and industrial facilities. Our offerings include MicroStation-based applications for modeling and simulation, ProjectWise for project delivery, AssetWise for asset and network performance, and the iTwin platform for infrastructure digital twins. Bentley Systems employs more than 4,000 colleagues and generates annual revenues of more than $800 million in 172 countries.

InMobi Launches In-Game Advertising For Global Brands And Agencies


* InMobi’s In-App Exchange First to Offer Access to High-Performing Traffic from World’s Leading In-Game Advertising Platforms

InMobi, the world's leading independent marketing cloud, today announced the launch of in-game advertising on InMobi Exchange. The launch of this unique in-game inventory on InMobi Exchange will now enable brands to reach premium mobile users, with ads that blend into the game environment, like electronic advertising boards in an in-game sports stadium, an esports arena or the extremely popular casual and hyper-casual gaming space.

During the past more than one-year, digital consumption has seen a huge boost majorly accelerated by Covid-19 induced lockdowns. Especially, gaming has seen rapidly growing user penetration and engagement levels during this period. According to KPMG’s India Media and Entertainment Report 2020, online gaming was the fastest-growing segment in the Media & Entertainment sector, recording a 45% growth in revenue while the user-base surpassed 365 million in the fiscal ended March 2020. As the mobile gaming industry is expected to continue on the growth trajectory, InMobi’s in-game advertising solutions will enable brands to leverage this platform to reach out more effectively to their audience.

Meanwhile, InMobi Exchange has forged partnerships with several industry-leading platforms in the native in-game advertising space including AdInMo, Admix, Adverty, Anzu, Bidstack, Frameplay and Sayollo. The breadth of these partnerships means that advertisers can access this type of premium inventory across the globe at a scale and diversity unmatched by any other mobile supply-side platform today.

Speaking on the phenomenal growth of mobile gaming in India, Jayesh Ullattil, VP and GM for India at InMobi said: “India is the 5th largest mobile gaming market in the world. Based on our recent consumer study, we saw that the pandemic added 40% first-time gamers with 80% of all mobile gamers playing once or several times every day.” According to the recent 2021 Gaming Report by InMobi, 60% of the mobile gamers spend at least 10 minutes per session in an average, every day. “74% of all mobile gamers prefer to watch an ad over making in-app purchases and 60% recall the ad seen during play. This innovative partnership only enables advertisers to further maximize engagement with an already watchful and engaged audience,” added Jayesh.

“In-game advertising is uniquely effective because it allows advertisers to interact with their consumers in a highly intuitive way,” said Kunal Nagpal, SVP and GM, Publisher Platforms and Exchange at InMobi. “InMobi’s technology and unmatched mobile in-app expertise our global advertisers to access the highly engaged and diverse mobile gaming audience in a medium that is becoming increasingly relevant.”

“I’m excited to see that in-game advertising has been recognized as a solid media channel of its own, and the biggest players around the world have adopted a serious approach to in-game ads as a way to  effectively tap into the colossal and booming gaming market,” said Yaniv Rozencweig, Director of Business Operations at Anzu.io. “Through our global partnership, InMobi’s brand advertisers are able to access Anzu's exclusive inventory and reach premium gaming audiences across not only mobile, but also PC and console platforms. With Anzu offering in-game ad viewability and fraud detection audited by the industry leaders, advertisers gain even more confidence in the value of in-game advertising for their current and future campaigns.”

“We are thrilled to partner with InMobi as they make a push in the in-play space. To see one of the largest mobile in-app exchanges support this new way of advertising is a testament to the growing appetite from brands to enter gaming,” said Sam Huber, Founder of Admix. “Leveraging Admix's unique programmatic capabilities in-game, this partnership enables our game publishers to access InMobi's wide range of advertisers and deliver incremental revenue.”

“InMobi has made fantastic progress towards native in-game advertising becoming an integral part of a brand’s digital media mix,” said Kristan Rivers, CEO and co-founder of AdInMo. “InMobi’s mobile heritage and expertise is the perfect match for AdInMo’s dedicated global mobile games inventory. InMobi Exchange enables us to deliver InGamePlay brand awareness campaigns across diverse game genres so that brands can target the great diversity of mobile playing personas.”

“This news is further proof that the most exciting, largely untapped media frontier is very much open for business,” said Tobias Knutsson, CEO of Adverty. “What’s more, both branding and performance advertising options are available, meaning that advertisers can unlock previously unreachable audiences at scale and turbocharge their marketing efforts in ways never before thought possible. With this partnership, the door is wide open for further innovation," added Knutsson.

Said Jonathon Troughton CEO and Co-Founder of Frameplay: “We value our partnership with InMobi as they share our vision to deliver high-quality intrinsic in-game advertising without disrupting the game. We especially appreciate InMobi’s ability and willingness to support Frameplay’s proprietary programmatic intrinsic in-game ad-serving capability, which requires a unique approach to programmatic to get this right.”

According to Yonatan Attias, CEO of Sayollo, “With one-third of the world’s population playing mobile games for one whole day out of every workweek, the potential for in-game brand exposure is astronomical. As with the roadside billboards of yore prominently positioned in busy thoroughfares, today’s advertisers know that in order to maximize reach, brands need not only an online presence, but a prominent position in the mobile gaming world. We are totally stoked to partner with InMobi as pioneers in this futuristic technology and give our publishers more valuable ways to monetize their content.”

About InMobi

InMobi drives real connections between brands and consumers by leveraging its technology platforms and exclusive access to mobile intelligence. Its Marketing Cloud creates new paths for brands to understand, identify, engage and acquire connected consumers. As a leading technology company, InMobi has been recognized on both the 2018 and 2019 CNBC Disruptor 50 lists and as one of Fast Company’s 2018 World’s Most Innovative Companies. 

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Paytm Aims At Raising Rs 10 Crores To Acquire 3,000 Oxygen Concentrators To Fight Shortage


 - Launches Oxygen For India initiative to help the country tide over the crisis 

- Over 1,000 Oxygen Concentrators worth Rs 4 crore has already been ordered with Paytm Foundation's emergency relief funds 

- Government hospitals, Covid care centres, private hospital, NGOs, Resident Welfare Associations across the country to be immediately given the imported Oxygen Concentrators 

- Pledges to match each contribution made rupee for rupee, raise over Rs 10 crore 

- Coordinating with other companies, NRIs to join the cause and aggregate overall demand for bulk buying 

- Working on tie-ups with sourcing partners to import over 30,000 oxygen concentrators to India in due course 

India's leading digital financial services platform Paytm today announced that Paytm Foundation that aims to support citizens in their hour of need will acquire & import over 3,000 Oxygen Concentrators (OCs) to fight Covid-19 and the ongoing oxygen shortage in the country. It has launched a nationwide 'Oxygen for India' initiative to create more awareness about the issue. While Paytm Foundation has already placed an order for importing 1,000 Oxygen Concentrators worth Rs 4 crore, it is aiming to further raise over Rs 10 crore. The company is encouraging citizens to join the cause by pledging to match every rupee contribution by users. It has raised over Rs 1.5 crore within hours of starting the campaign, and with Paytm's contribution of matching the amount, the total amount raised by Paytm Foundation has reached over 3 crores. 

The country is going through an unprecedented oxygen crisis and needs all kinds of oxygen support including large oxygen tankers, oxygen cylinders as well as Oxygen Concentrators that can produce oxygen locally. Realising that the country does not have an adequate supply of OCs, the foundation decided to swing into action and search globally for these devices. With aim of saving a maximum number of lives, the foundation is working on tie-ups with sourcing partners to import over 30,000 OCs to India in due course. 

Paytm has started this initiative and will bring in OCs from abroad at war footing. It is also reaching out to like-minded startups to join in the initiative and place orders for OCs along with the foundation to bulk up orders. The company hopes that people will contribute wholeheartedly, which it will match rupee for rupee & raise over Rs. 10 crore in a short period of time. 

The company will collect demand requests from hospitals for oxygen concentrators on the Paytm app itself. It will give first preference to government hospitals, then private, smaller clinics, and finally Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs). The list will be available to the public view to maintain maximum transparency and accountability. The service will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis or need-based in case of emergency. Hospitals will have to furnish details of requirements, address, as well as the name of the coordinator. 

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder & CEO, Paytm said, "India is going through an unprecedented oxygen crisis right now and there are all kinds of oxygen support needed, large oxygen tankers, oxygen cylinders & then something that can produce oxygen locally which is oxygen concentrators. I also call upon other startups, businesses to join us and match rupee to rupee contribution to double the supply of oxygen concentrators. It will be a great support for India in the present oxygen crisis. I am sure by pooling in our resources we will be able to fight this crisis and come out stronger." 

Since the start of the pandemic, Paytm has taken several initiatives to support India's fight against the spread of COVID-19. Last year, it raised hundreds of crores for the PM-Care fund with support from citizens and also distributed over 10 million hygiene kits to frontline workers and Covid warriors. It fed over 20 million meals to migrant workers going back home to their loved ones. It also worked dedicatedly to revamp the Paytm app UI with a ‘Stay at home Essential payments’ section to include Mobile & DTH Recharge, electricity, water, gas, credit card & insurance premium payment among others. 

Total Pageviews