Tata Motors Launches The Prestigious #Gold Edition Of Its Flagship SUV – The Safari

* Debuts this elegant manifestation at the VIVO IPL 2021, in the City of Gold - Dubai

Tata Motors, India’s leading automotive brand today launched the exclusive edition of its flagship SUV – the Safari #Gold priced at INR 21.89 lakhs. Gearing up for the festive season and taking the prestige of the Safari a notch higher, this edition features an artful blend of class and hi-tech features. The Safari #Gold edition will be available in two carefully crafted, special colour - ways that accentuate the Safari’s stunning design even further.

The White Gold, derived from the premium Frost White colour, offers a stunning contrast of black and white. The black roof adds a unique dual tone appearance that commands attention at first glance. Adding to it, the glistening Mont Blanc Marble finish mid pad with subtle golden accents creates an endless environment of serenity and luxury.

The Black Gold avatar redefines luxury with its intense Coffee Bean inspired Black exteriors. Along with the radiant golden accents on the exteriors, the Black Gold promises to be bold and at the same time beautiful. The interiors of the Black Gold complement the exteriors with a stunning combination of Dark Marble finish mid pad and golden flourishes throughout the cabin.

The interiors have been further enhanced with premium features like Oyster White Diamond Quilted - genuine leather seats, offering ventilation on both the 1st & 2nd rows, wireless charger, air purifier, Android Auto & Apple Carplay over Wifi, making it the most impressive version of the Safari yet.

This exciting incarnation will make its first public appearance at the VIVO IPL 2021 in Dubai. Furthermore, keeping the on-going pandemic in mind, Tata Motors has introduced the ‘Safari Gold Hit Challenge’ in this season. For the same, every time a batsman hits a six and the ball lands on either the car or the car display podium or the Safari #Gold LED commercial board, Tata Motors will contribute an amount of Rs 2 lakhs to The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a renowned NGO doing outstanding work towards Covid - 19 relief throughout India.

Commenting on the introduction of the Safari #Gold, Mr. Vivek Srivatsa, Head - Marketing, Passenger and Electric Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors said, “In less than five months after its launch, our premium flagship SUV, the new Safari reached the milestone of its 10,000th rollout and today is among the highest selling SUVs in its segment. The Safari has received immense love from our customers and keeping in mind the response, we are delighted to announce the introduction of the prestigious Safari #Gold Edition from Tata Motors. Staying true to its DNA and in line with our New Forever philosophy, Safari #Gold is a vision of luxury and opulence. With a rich mix of exquisite design elements added on the exteriors and interiors, this special version is equipped with top of the line features, heightening the sense of comfort and indulgence for an effortless driving experience. To debut this new offering what better platform than the IPL itself. The vehicle will be on display in stadiums across the second leg of season. We are excited to showcase this product in Dubai and are confident that it will command a lot of buyers’ attention during this festive season.”

Speaking on this continued partnership, Mr. Brijesh Patel, Chairman, IPL said, “We are looking forward to Tata Motors continuing their association for this year’s second leg of the VIVO IPL in Dubai. We are delighted to observe that Tata Motors has chosen IPL as a platform to launch their flagship – The Safari #Gold Edition. We are sure that VIVO IPL will serve as the best platform for showcasing this exquisite version of the Safari to all our viewers in India and abroad. Tata Motors has been the official partner of the tournament since 2018 and our relationship with them continues to grow stronger with each passing year. Over the three seasons, we have witnessed the company’s efforts to make the tournament exciting for their customers as well as for the fans through a variety of initiatives at the tournament venues. We are looking forward to yet another year of this fruitful association, while delivering great value to Tata Motors and the followers of the game, as we consolidate our partnership further.”

From the bold, confident lines to unparalleled versatility and luxury, the Safari #Gold will adorn exclusive colours with subtle yet elegant gold embellishments on the exteriors and the interiors and will come with R18 Charcoal Black Alloy Wheels. In addition to this new launch, Tata Motors is also extending some of the premium features like the wireless charger, air purifier and Android Auto/ Apple Car Play over Wi- Fi in the existing variants of the Safari range, which includes the Adventure edition. Tata Motors is currently leading the high SUV segment with a market share of 39% (YTD), and the launch of this outstanding product along with the upgrades to its existing range, is a symbolic act to celebrate the success with its customers. 

Built on the very reliable OMEGARC architecture, which in turn is derived from Land Rover’s legendary D8 platform, the Safari possess the perfect combination of stunning design and performance, meeting the needs of today’s SUV customers, who want plush and comfortable interiors, unparalleled versatility, go-anywhere experience, top-notch safety and most up-to-date connected car technology for a modern, multifaceted lifestyle.

For more information and bookings, please visit https://cars.tatamotors.com/suv/safari or visit your nearest dealership

Brochure link https://cars.tatamotors.com/suv/safari/downloads

MAHE Announces Scholarship On 86th Birth Day Of Founder Chancellor Dr. Ramdas M Pai

* 100% course fee waiver for the remaining duration for deserving students who have unfortunately lost their sole earning parent during their course of study at MAHE

Scholarship would be effective from 17th September 2021

* Scholarship is applicable for Under Graduate and Post Graduate students under several categories for all MAHE group of institutions

MAHE awards scholarship to its Under Graduate and Post Graduate students under several categories. During the previous academic year, MAHE has disbursed INR 43.4 Cr to its meritorious and needy students (3283). In addition, on the occasion of 86th Birth Day of its founder Chancellor Dr. Ramdas M Pai, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) announces scholarship for deserving students who have unfortunately lost their sole earning parent during their course of study at MAHE. The scholarship is in the form of a 100% course fee waiver for the remaining duration of the study at MAHE. This scholarship scheme will come into effect from the date of announcement (i.e., 17/09/2021).

MAHE is recognized for imparting high quality professional education and has significantly contributed to the continuous improvement of standards and penetration of higher education in India. Keeping in view of its potentials and growth curve, the Ministry of Education, Government of India notified MAHE as an Institution of Eminence in October 2020.

MAHE provides a great variety of graduate and postgraduate skill enhancement educational courses covering several important disciplines through its 22 constituent units and 9 teaching departments. Over 25,000 students from all over the world pursue undergraduate and postgraduate programs in diverse subjects. The finest of the infrastructure facilities, the state-of-the-art equipment, well-equipped laboratories, and dedicated and competent faculty have enabled the University to be reckoned as one of the best universities, attracting students from all over India and over 60 English-speaking countries of the world.

Dr. Ramdas M Pai, our present Chancellor who carried forward the legacy of his father late Dr. TMA Pai, has established Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in 1993 which was conferred Deemed to be University status by the Government of India on June 1, 1993. Dr. Ramdas M Pai made Manipal an international University township and also took Indian Higher Education overseas for the first time. His unwavering practice of “Integrity at any cost” has been the bedrock on which today’s Manipal has been built. Dr. Ramdas M Pai continues to be the guiding light and inspiration for all of us.

Dr Ranjan R Pai, President MAHE Trust and Chairman MEMG said that MAHE places great importance to the welfare of its students and has initiated many welfare measures keeping the interest of the students in view. The institution of Dr Ramdas M Pai scholarship, on the occasion of the 86th Birthday of our Chancellor is one such welfare measures that will benefit students of MAHE who lose their sole earning parent during their course of study, so that they do not face any financial hardship to complete their course. He further added that this scholarship will also be instituted in the other group Universities that is Manipal University, Jaipur and Sikkim Manipal University, Gangtok.

Pro Chancellor of MAHE, Dr H S Ballal said  that the University  is committed to taking all possible measures to provide relief to the students during the period of Covid Pandemic.  We have totally waived the tuition fees for students who have lost their  bread earners due to Covid 19 for the rest of the course.  For other students we have eased the fee rules wherein students have been allowed to pay their course fee  in three equal instalments.  We have adhered to the principals of MAHE that no meritorious students  is denied admission or continuation of their respective courses due to financial constraints.

Lt Gen Dr M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor of MAHE said that MAHE understands the difficulties faced by meritorious students and has many scholarships to help such needy meritorious students. Dr Ramdas M Pai Scholarship is one more such measure that will benefit a large number of students. MAHE’s policies on multiple scholarships to meritorious students is ultimately aimed at “Need blind admission and student progression” so that no meritorious student is denied the opportunity to study at MAHE due to financial reasons.

Dr. Narayana Sabhahit, Registrar, MAHE said that this new scholarship scheme is in addition to the scholarship announcement which was recently made in June 2021 where MAHE has offered a full course fee waiver to the students for the remaining duration of study who have unfortunately lost their father or mother who were the sole earning parent due to COVID 19. As on date, 56 students have benefitted from this scholarship scheme.

The following officials were also present during the function:

Mrs. Vasanti R Pai, Trustee, MAHE Trust, Manipal

Mrs. Shruti R Pai, Director, MEMG, Bengaluru

Dr. PLNG Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Faculty of Health Sciences), MAHE, Manipal

Dr. Dilip Naik, Pro Vice-Chanellor, MAHE, Mangaluru campus

Dharmendra Pradhan Felicitates 41 Trainers On Kaushalacharya Awards 2021

 * 41 trainers felicitated under Skill India programmes and training initiatives — DGT, Apprenticeship, PMKVY, JSS and Entrepreneurship

* Roll out of four CITs trades at five NSTIs

* 1 trainer from Karnataka felicitated under the JSS category

In a bid to empower India’s youth and encourage more trainers to join the Skill India Mission, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) today honoured trainers and launched four new trades at a digital conclave organized on the third edition of Kaushalacharya Awards. At the event, 41 trainers from Skill India’s several initiatives and training programmes — Directorate General of Training (DGT), Apprenticeship, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) and Entrepreneurship — were felicitated for their contribution towards creating a future-ready skilled workforce and ensuring that capacity-building is a continued endeavour.

Of the 41 trainers who were felicitated, Safiya​ (JSS) from Karnataka was awarded for her outstanding contribution to the skill ecosystem.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of Education, said, “It is truly an auspicious occasion today when we get to honour the creator of the universe and the creators of our skill ecosystem. It is important that we lay emphasis on skilling, reskilling and upskilling our youth and all talented people who can work towards nation-building. In the time to come, there will be demand for skilled teachers with upgraded pedagogy, which is modern, scientific, relevant to today’s market demand and of advanced global standards. At the same time, adoption of regional languages while imparting training is absolutely essential. That is when skill training will become truly effective. We must also look at integrating skilling and education at the grassroot level to turn India into a productive economy that can lead the world.”

He further added, “Trainers and instructors can make a huge difference as they mould the best out of students, enabling them to be truly Aatmanirbhar. An efficient teacher will understand students’ requirements better, and therefore, standardization and training of teachers is of utmost importance to ensure quality of teaching.”

Trainers were honoured for their contribution under various categories. Five trainers were awarded under the two categories of PMKVY Trainer and Excellence in PMKVY Master Trainer. Nine trainers received the award under JSS and two trainers were rewarded for their contribution to entrepreneurship. In addition, five candidates received awards under the apprenticeship category and two trainers were awarded from DGT for non-engineering category. Two awardees were felicitated in Engineering category. Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), pillars of India’s vocational training ecosystem, had as many as 11 trainers who were felicitated.

The event also saw the rollout of four trades under Craftsmen Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) to be taught in National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) including Lift & Escalator Mechanic; Computer Aided Embroidery and Designing; Multimedia Animation & Special Effects; and Information Technology, from the 2021-2022 session. On July 15, 53 other trades were also launched training for which is set to begin soon. 

The objective of these courses is to train the workforce for a future-ready ecosystem and create a competitive economy with high-wage jobs. The session for the course will commence from 2021-2022 at five NSTIs with 25 seating capacities each located at Howrah, Noida, Indore, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Four of these five shortlisted NSTIs are exclusively for women.

In the past couple of years, a lot of emphasis has been laid on programmes to train trainers and assessors to ensure the objective of Skill India Mission is realized and the youth get the best and most updated training in their chosen trades. Training of trainers is being provided to exceptional and excellent trainers in National Skill Training Institutes under DGT, various Sector Skill Councils under NSDC, Skill Universities and Private Training Providers.

Furthermore, NSDC in collaboration with Singapore Polytechnic and Tamasek Foundation has developed new guidelines for standardized skill development across the country. Under this, reflective practice and self-directed teaching is being implemented in all training centers and NSDC has certified 45,000 trainers, 26,000 assessors, 3,000 master trainers and 817 leads under 196 job roles from 14 sectors.

DGT has also struck partnerships with leading corporates like SAP, Adobe, Cisco, IBM and NASSCOM to develop industry-oriented courses and has collaborated with National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) to provide advanced training to trainers. The Craft Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) of DGT is aimed at ensuring trainers are provided industry-linked training to meet emerging demands for job roles. This scheme is being implemented in 33 National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), and 18 Institutes of Training Trainers and will train about 12000 trainers every year.

In order to boost skilling at the rural level, Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) implements the Training for Trainers programme under which 2300 JSS are engaged in capacity-building training of over 5,000 skilled individuals to boost training potential in far-flung locations.

Kaushalacharya Awards are a step in this direction. By recognising the contribution of trainers to the Indian skilling ecosystem the annual event paves the way for more trainers to join the movement. It is aimed at encouraging experienced skilled professionals to play a role in shaping the country’s young minds by leading them on the pathway to better livelihood.

RMS Partners With Fulcrum Digital To Deliver Secure And Scalable Solutions In The Fintech Payments Space

Retail Merchant Services (RMS), a flexible payment solution for small businesses across the UK and Ireland, has partnered with Fulcrum Digital, a leading business platform, and digital engineering services company. Fulcrum Digital will support RMS in its rapid digital transformation to deliver a superior digital customer experience and creating a diverse portfolio of technology-driven products and solutions for the payments industry.

The pandemic disrupted almost every sector, and businesses had to accelerate their digital transformation. To that end, RMS has prioritised faster response and unique digital experiences as part of its customer retention and acquisition strategy. RMS identified Fulcrum Digital as a technology partner to drive agility, product and technology innovation, and cost-effective yet personalized payment solutions for their customers.

Fulcrum Digital will leverage its more than two decades of fintech domain experience, real-time payments, alternate payments, acquirer integrations expertise, and industry-leading Centres of Excellence (COE) to empower RMS to become future-ready. Also, help RMS to deliver reliable and secure payment solutions for businesses across the UK and Ireland.

In addition to Fintech product engineering, Fulcrum Digital is supporting RMS in the vision of customer support excellence using the 24 x 7 x 365 global command centre and thereby providing customer service through an optimized cost model. Also, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) engagement will enable RMS to go to market-compliant ready.

Commenting on the partnership, Sharon Barton, COO, RMS, said, “The financial services industry is experiencing rapid change, and nowhere is that more evident than in the payments sector. Partly influenced by Covid, card transactions continue to grow and replace cash transactions everywhere. To meet increasing customer expectation in this space RMS is positioning itself as a customer champion, building products and services that really advance our customers' businesses. As a result, we are accelerating our product build and digital transformation and partnering with Fulcrum to deliver high quality product into a fast-paced and demanding marketplace.”

Rohit Dixit, Head of Product Development, RMS, further added, “We needed a partner to help us shift to digital. Fulcrum Digital's extensive experience, highly engaged team, and delivery excellence, made them our preferred partner. We are already experiencing great results as an outcome.” 

Dhana Kumarasamy, CEO, Fulcrum Digital, said, “With a digital-first mindset, we are committed to providing unique and differentiated solutions to customers across the globe. We are delighted to partner with RMS and its leadership team in their mission to make customers' lives easier through flexible payment solutions. Combining our platform and digital engineering capabilities with RMS's strategic market approach has already led to significant value for this engagement. Together, we have a common goal of delivering world-class customer experience to the Fintech Payments industry.”

Band Performance At Courtyard During The Weekend At Phoenix Market City

Band Performance at Courtyard: 

Band: “Kalatva Fusion Band” Performing live at Phoenix Market city

Date: 18th Sep 2021

Location: Courtyard Phoenix Marketcity

Time: 05.00 Pm onwards

Entry: Free 

Band: “A SQUARE PROJECT” Performing live at Phoenix Market City

Date:  19th Sep 2021

Location: Courtyard Phoenix Marketcity

Time: 05.00 Pm onwards

Entry: Free 

Band Performance at Food Courtyard : 

Band: “BOOMrang” Performing live at Phoenix Market city

Date: 18th Sep 2021

Location: Food Court Phoenix Marketcity

Time: 05.00 Pm onwards

Entry: Free 

Band: “Raqeeb The Band” Performing live at Phoenix Market city

Date: 19th Sep 2021

Location: Food Court Phoenix Marketcity

Time: 05.00 Pm onwards

Entry: Free

Practically Becomes World’s First Edtech Company To Launch ‘Scan Anything’ Feature

* Disruptive and innovative feature to help students study with their surroundings and enhance learning outcomes 

* This feature is aimed at causing a paradigm shift in our habit, moving from search to scan 

Practically, India’s first experiential learning app designed to make learning immersive for students of classes 6-12, has launched a new revolutionary feature ”Scan Anything”. Practically is the first and the only EdTech company in the world to introduce this innovative feature, which brings learning alive from books and everyday objects around us.  

The revolutionary, cutting-edge feature supported by Artificial Intelligence identifies objects scanned by the phone camera and lists results from its vast content library of 3000+ 3D videos, 1000+ simulations/AR experiences and 20,000 3D models, sorted by a student’s curriculum and grade. The Scan Anything feature can recognize pictures, questions, exercises, proofs etc., from textbooks, magazines, newspapers including capturing images of any surrounding objects and present linked curriculum learning information on the app for the learners to pick their learning journey and resolve doubts instantly. The feature encourages students to learn from their surroundings while rendering a truly immersive learning experience from everyday objects and helps them understand how the learning from their curriculum is tied to everyday observations. Currently, the feature covers course content from textbooks of grades 6-10th across major boards like NCERT, CBSE and state boards of AP, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The course content is expected to cover all other major boards and 11 & 12 grades’ content by the end of 2021. 

The technology transforms the mobile camera into an educational tool allowing learners to interact with surrounding elements freely. The high-quality content provided by the app will instantly satisfy the inquisitiveness of the learner and help students gain a holistic understanding of the concepts, thereby challenging the traditional way of search to seek information. 

Commenting on the launch, Subbarao Siddabattula, Founder and CEO, Practically, said “The introduction of the Scan Anything feature is an important milestone in our journey. Our constant endeavour is to find innovative ways to make education more student-friendly. The Scan Anything feature not only helps increase understanding and retention of concepts with immersive learning techniques, but the availability of relevant information at your fingertips when needed adds significantly to the learning experience. The unprecedented adoption so far motivates us to keep churning out more student-centric features and reshape the way the world learns.”  

The Scan Anything feature embedded in the Practically app is available for free download on the Play Store and App Store. The app was recently revamped with a host of new features like Study Plan, 3D library with 20,000+ objects and made lighter offering a new-age consumer experience with a more friendly UI. 

Watch the commercial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEPkP75nr_A&ab_channel=Practically 

Enhancing Digital Wellness With Artificial Intelligence ‘echo’ - The Next Frontier In music Therapy

* Therapeutic app from Digital Wellness which would helps you unwind from the cognitive inertia of  your 'busy time' and improve the overall quality of life.

* Music based restoration works, only when it is attuned to your psychological state or mood, when it is personalized for you. 

DigiNxtHlt Solutions LLP, today announced ‘echo’ - an AI based marvel which takes the music therapy experience to new levels as a wellness tool. The ‘echo’ app is built on artificial intelligence technology to gauge and measure moods, stress, and anxiety levels, and deliver customised music playlists to alleviate the condition, ushering in emotional wellness to boost confidence, performance and energy levels.

“Music therapy is more about empathy than entertainment. It slips past pain points and can help gather insights to fix the mind. Music being the only art that goes beyond science, the symbiosis of artificial intelligence and music can well surpass one’s anxiety or stress levels, and take holistic wellness to a new level. It is the only art form that can break through the impenetrable walls of Autism, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.”, says Ms.Sujatha Visweswara, CEO and Co-founder at DigiNxtHlt LLP.

‘echo’ has taken 3 years to build with the help of  myriad number of data scientists, AI engineers, musicians, artists, psychologists and  analysts.‘echo’ is the result of 2768 carefully invested people-years by our global panel of science, domain and technology experts,an average of 27 human lifetimes spent over the course of 3 years.On the launching occassion Mr. Jay Amaran, Honorary Mentor,  Dr. Hari Krishna Maram,  Dr. Srinivas Vegi, Dr C.R. Satish Kumar,  Consultant  Clinical Psychologist, Manipal Hospitals, Bharathi Pratap, Renowned Hindustani Classical Singer and other dignitories were present. For more information on ‘echo’ visit https://digitalwellness.healthcare/offerings/therapeutic-apps/echo/

Zupee Appoints Ashish Chandra As General Counsel For Legal, Compliance Matters

Strengthening its legal team, leading innovator in India’s online skill-based gaming industry, Zupee has announced the appointment of Ashish Chandra as General Counsel. In his new role, Ashish will be responsible for legal and compliance matters at Zupee.

Ashish brings with him over 20 years of experience in Internet and tech industry. He joins Zupee from Whatsapp for India, where he worked as the Associate General Counsel for its largest and one of the most important markets in the world. He was responsible for legal strategy & vetting for building e-Commerce and Fintech/payments business of WhatsApp and Facebook in India amongst other responsibilities.

Congratulating Ashish Chandra on his new role, Dilsher Singh Malhi, Founder & CEO, Zupee, said, "We are pleased to have Ashish as the General Counsel at Zupee. Having over two decades of legal expertise with a number of major International companies, Ashish brings to the table his keen understanding of the Indian legal landscape with regards to digital technologies. The online gaming industry is growing rapidly in India, and Zupee is proud to be a game changer in the space. Considering the dynamic road ahead, Ashish will play a crucial role in advising the company in all legal & compliance matters. We wish him all the success and look forward to his expert counsel."

In his previous tenures, Ashish has worked with various large Indian and US companies like Netflix, eBay, Reliance Jio and Snapdeal. Over past 20 years, he has witnessed and contributed to the growth of Internet business and related regulations and jurisprudence in India. Ashish has successfully managed sophisticated, professional, and diverse stakeholders and navigated the complex Indian legal landscape.

Speaking on his appointment, Ashish Chandra, General Counsel, Zupee, said, “I feel really excited to join Zupee and be a part of the energetic team. Under the visionary leadership of Dilsher, Zupee is really taking great strides in shaping the Indian online gaming landscape. The gaming industry is in its nascent phase at the moment and is in need of a progressive and uniform legal framework for growth and development of the domain. Having guided several Internet and technology companies in the past, I intend investing all my expertise in ensuring the organisation has a strong footing in legal & compliance matters. Zupee has already emerged as a leader in skill games and I hope to continue that journey forward by contributing towards the overall transformation of the sector with a sound legal framework and deepening the understanding about games of skill.” 

A graduate in LLB from Delhi University, Ashish has specialized diplomas in cyber laws from Indian Law Institute, Delhi and Intellectual Property Laws from National Law School, Bangalore.

Founded by IIT Kanpur graduates Dilsher Singh Malhi and Siddhant Saurabh in 2018, Zupee, is India’s leading skill-based mobile gaming and knowledge platform, running live quiz tournaments on its app, where users compete with friends and other players for monetary rewards and a host of innovative game formats in the social and casual gaming space with over 30 million users across formats. The online gaming sector has witnessed a boom during the pandemic, growing at 40% CAGR with over 400 million users in the country. The industry is expected to have a market size of $3.9 billion in India by 2025, marking an increase of 113% from what it is now.

CrowdStrike Speeds Response Time And Remediation Of Critical Security Incidents For Government Agencies

 * Company announces Falcon Forensics on GovCloud; delivers enhanced visibility and automated analysis of attacker activity to dramatically reduce incident response time

CrowdStrike Inc., a leader in cloud-delivered endpoint and workload protection, today announced the availability and FedRAMP authorization of CrowdStrike Falcon Forensics. Hosted within GovCloud, Falcon Forensics speeds the response time and remediation of critical security incidents for agencies by providing increased visibility and automated analysis of attacker activity.

In today’s modern threat landscape, speed of response is crucial to help agencies prevent security incidents from turning into breaches. According to President Biden’s recent Executive Order (EO) on improving the nation's cybersecurity, agencies are mandated to modernize IT infrastructure through cloud adoption, embrace Zero Trust architectures, implement critical security controls like endpoint detection and response (EDR) and vulnerability management, and increase threat hunting to increase the effectiveness of incident response. 

Falcon Forensics for GovCloud helps to address these issues, ultimately increasing cyber resiliency among agencies by providing:

●        Deep-level forensic triage data provided for robust analysis around the cybersecurity incident

●        Convenient collection of the historical forensic artifacts needed to bring visibility into the full threat context without additional queries

●        Automated analysis of attacker activity to help customers hunt through impacted environments at-scale and rapidly return to normal operations

“Government agencies have historically struggled with disparate tools and manual, time-consuming efforts when collecting and consolidating forensic data, often delaying their ability to provide the critical analysis needed to get ahead of fast-moving threats,” said Thomas Etheridge, senior vice president of CrowdStrike Services. “Falcon Forensics for GovCloud simplifies threat hunting and forensic triage analysis, capturing the right forensic artifacts at-scale and presenting them in an easy-to-consume interface allowing agencies to make decisions faster and more confidently as they improve their cyber posture.”

Falcon Forensics for GovCloud provides incident responders with the ability to investigate security incidents faster and with granular detail, offering in-depth data analysis through convenient pre-packaged dashboards to help identify adversaries’ past activity in the environment. Through the cloud-native architecture of CrowdStrike Falcon®, Falcon Forensics for GovCloud is deployed remotely and at scale to minimize business interruptions.

Recently, CrowdStrike introduced Falcon Complete for GovCloud to government agencies, helping them to autonomously protect themselves against sophisticated threats via cloud-native managed detection and response (MDR). CrowdStrike continues its trajectory as a leading innovator in the government space, empowering agencies to adopt cloud-native technologies to better secure the nation’s critical data.

About CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike, a global cybersecurity leader, is redefining security for the cloud era with an endpoint and workload protection platform built from the ground up to stop breaches. The CrowdStrike Falcon® platform’s single lightweight-agent architecture leverages cloud-scale artificial intelligence (AI) and offers real-time protection and visibility across the enterprise, preventing attacks on endpoints and workloads on or off the network. Powered by the proprietary CrowdStrike Threat Graph®, CrowdStrike Falcon correlates approximately 1 trillion endpoint-related events per day in real time from across the globe, fueling one of the world’s most advanced data platforms for security.

With CrowdStrike, customers benefit from better protection, better performance and immediate time-to-value delivered by the cloud-native Falcon platform.

There’s only one thing to remember about CrowdStrike: We stop breaches.

Qualifying organizations can gain full access to Falcon Prevent™ by starting a free trial.

apna Secures $100 Mn Series C Funding Led By Tiger Global At $1.1 Bn Valuation; Committed To Empowering The World’s Rising Workforce

* apna has grown 125x over past 15 months to become a Unicorn: today serving over 16 million users and 150k employers, and enabling 18 million monthly interviews

* The investment strengthens apna’s mission to empower the next billion users with access to employment, professional networking and upskilling

* apna plans to expedite product development, hire best in class talent in Engineering and Product and expand to new geographies

apna, India’s largest jobs platform & professional network for the rising workforce, has secured about $100 million in series C funding led by Tiger Global. The round also saw participation from Owl Ventures, Insight Partners, Sequoia Capital India, Maverick Ventures  and GSV Ventures. With this round, apna has attained a  total valuation of $1.1 billion. ‘Made in India, for the world’, apna  aims to go into overdrive to sustainably solve the immense challenge of unemployment, poverty and upskilling.

apna has grown 125x over the past 15 months and is currently conducting 18 million interviews each month. In the future the company plans to use the proceeds to further strengthen its presence in existing 28 cities and expand pan-India by the end of 2021 to help accelerate India’s economy. The team plans to double down on their edtech platform for skilling and invest in hiring exceptional talent and building world class engineering and product capabilities. apna plans to build a global enterprise by venturing into new markets such as the USA, South East Asia, and Middle East & Africa starting in 2022.

Sharing his views, Nirmit Parikh, Founder and CEO, apna, said, “apna has a deep social purpose, and is committed to discovery and creation of opportunities to enhance a billion livelihoods, across geographies. With the continued support of our partners, we aim to accelerate our journey of ‘solving for the world’.” 

HIGHLIGHTS

Users served: 16 million+ 

Employers served:  150,000+ 

Professional interviews in last 30 days: 18  million+ 

Active jobs: 5 million+

Job categories and vertical communities: 70+

Cities served: 28

apna’s job platform leverages a sophisticated algorithm that matches candidates with employers taking into account their skills, experience and preferences. The app  also comprises 70+ communities for skilled professionals like carpenters, painters, telecallers, field sales agents, delivery personnel and others. apna communities have enabled users to grow their professional networks, upskill through peer learning and find  gig opportunities. apna’s communities enabled 17 million peer to peer professional conversations in the past month.

In a short period, apna has become the preferred choice of employers to hire the right talent. Several of India’s leading companies, such as Zomato, Bharti AXA, Urban Company, BYJU’S, PhonePe, Burger King, Delhivery, Teamlease and G4S Global rely on apna to address their most urgent and critical hiring needs. apna has facilitated about 100 million interviews via the app in less than two years. 

Griffin Schroeder, Partner, Tiger Global, said, “Apna’s viral adoption is driven by a novel social and interactive approach to connecting employers with job seekers. We expect job seekers in search of meaningful connections and vetted opportunities to drive Apna’s continued explosive growth across India – and the world.” 

Partnering with Owl Ventures, the largest education technology VC in the world, will help bolster apna’s global ambitions in the skilling space. Amit Patel, Managing Director Owl Ventures, said, “We believe that apna has the potential to fundamentally shift how companies approach hiring skilled professionals and how these individuals approach networking and upskilling. The apna team is creating an innovative technology led solution that has already shown tremendous traction by facilitating close to 100 million interviews in approximately two years, and that is just the beginning. By incorporating learning and upskilling offerings to drive strong outcomes for its user communities, apna is building an end-to-end solution that has the potential to help individuals over the course of their career and not just in a single interaction. That repeated interaction and trust they are building on their platform can profoundly impact not just India but the global talent ecosystem."

Throughout the pandemic period, apna has supported business continuity by helping employers connect with and hire interested candidates in their vicinity. After taking concrete steps to accelerate India’s recovery, the company is committed to continue to solve employment and skills related problems for the world. apna has partnered with organizations such as, National Skill Development Corporation, UNICEF Yuwaah, Truecaller, Akzonobel, and the Ministry of Minority Affairs of India, in their endeavor to provide better skilling and job opportunities to candidates.

About apna

Founded in 2019, the apna.co is India’s largest jobs and professional networking platform dedicated to helping India’s rising workforce to unlock unique professional networking, and skilling opportunities.

Having secured more than $190 million from marquee investors such as Tiger Global, Owl Ventures, Insight Partners, Lightspeed India, Sequoia Capital India, Maverick Ventures, GSV Ventures, Greenoaks Capital and Rocketship.vc apna is on a mission to enable livelihoods for billions in India. With over 16 million users, present in 28 cities and counting, and over 150,000 employers that trust the platform - India has a new destination to discover relevant opportunities.

About Tiger Global Management:

Tiger Global Management, LLC is an investment firm that deploys capital globally. The firm's fundamentally oriented investments focus primarily on the global internet, software, financial technology, consumer and industrial sectors. The private equity strategy has a ten-year investment horizon and targets growth-oriented private companies. Such investments have included Spotify, Harry's, Warby Parker, Peloton, JD.com, Facebook, LinkedIn, Yandex, Mail.ru Group, Despegar, Ola and Flipkart. The public equity efforts emphasize deep due diligence on individual companies and long-term secular themes. Tiger Global was founded in 2001 and is based in New York with affiliate offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangalore and Melbourne.

About Owl Ventures

Owl Ventures is the largest venture capital fund in the world focused on the education technology market with over $1.3 billion in assets under management. The Silicon Valley based firm invests in the world's leading education technology companies across the education spectrum encompassing PreK-12, higher education and the future of work (career mobility/professional learning). Owl Ventures has deep domain expertise and leverages a global network of Limited Partners, investors, and strategic partners to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses into transformative category leading companies.

Meditronic Showcases Hugo Robotic Assisted Surgery System At The Inauguration Of Its First Surgical Robotics Experience Centre In India

* Hugo™ RAS System to Help Advance Capabilities in Minimally Invasive Surgery and Expand Access to Care

* The Surgical Robotics Experience Center, First in APAC, Will Enable Clinicians in India to Experience and Train on Robotic-Assisted Surgery Technology from Medtronic

India Medtronic Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) – the world’s largest medical technology, services, and solutions company – today showcased its new robotic-assisted surgery platform, Hugo™ RAS system, at its state-of-the-art Surgical Robotics Experience Center (SREC), which was inaugurated in Gurugram. The center was inaugurated by Padma Bhushan Dr. BK Rao, Chairman NABH, Chairman ASSOCHAM National Health Committee and Former Chairman- Board of Management at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi in the presence of Chief Guest Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. Committed to delivering solutions that help surgeons and operating room staff achieve procedural and clinical proficiency, the SREC will focus on standardized training for surgeries with the Hugo RAS system. The SREC is the company's first in Asia Pacific and one of ten world-class facilities around the globe today where clinicians can experience and train on the Hugo RAS system.

The Hugo RAS system — Medtronic's solution to historic cost and utilization barriers that have kept surgical robotics out of reach for many hospitals — is a modular, multi-quadrant platform designed for a broad range of soft-tissue procedures. With the Hugo RAS system, Medtronic is building on its decades-long commitment to bring the benefits of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to more patients around the world. With MIS, patients experience fewer complications, shorter hospital stays, and faster return to normal activities.1-3,†

Reiterating the need for pathbreaking medical technology for India, Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog stated, “While we believe promoting innovation in healthcare is crucial to building a healthy nation, it is also critical to invest in continuous training and education of the healthcare personnel. The opening of Medtronic’s Surgical Robotics Experience Center is a befitting example of achieving holistic healthcare goals in terms of accessibility and training so that more patients can benefit from latest advancements in med-tech.”

During the inauguration, Padma Bhushan Dr. BK Rao, Chairman NABH, Chairman ASSOCHAM National Health Committee and Former Chairman- Board of Management at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi echoed the contribution of Medtronic in transforming healthcare in India and said, “Innovation is the cornerstone of medical technology advancement and towards saving lives. The advent of robotic surgeries in India is a hallmark of the progress we've made in improving access to quality healthcare for patients. I am confident that Medtronic’s contribution through Surgical Robotics Experience Center will help in training surgeons and in improving adoption of minimally invasive way of surgery.”

Through SREC, the aim is to provide a multi-layered curriculum for training surgeons, assistants, and paramedical staff on the Hugo RAS system in India. The curriculum includes training such as dry lab surgical models, simulation exercises, and robotic instruments and accessories to provide a focused and collaborative experience.

“Training and education of surgeons is an important driver in accelerating medical technology adoption and improving access to healthcare. I believe in a way it is aligned with Government of India’s focus on Skill India. Through the Surgical Robotics Experience Center, we are dedicated to helping surgeons focus on deepening their expertise in robotic-assisted surgery,” said Madan Krishnan, vice president and managing director, Medtronic India. “The Hugo RAS system demonstrates our commitment to the rapidly changing surgical environment by improving experience for our surgeons while delivering quality care to patients.”

“We designed the Hugo RAS system to bring the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to more patients in more places around the world, and it’s incredibly exciting that India is leading the way forward for this new era in robotic surgery,” said Megan Rosengarten, president of the Surgical Robotics business, which is part of the Medical Surgical Portfolio at Medtronic.

“India has a vast number of extremely qualified surgeons and hospitals that nurture healthcare solutions for the patients who need them. SREC has been set up with a vision to provide healthcare professionals a complete hands-on experience of our new surgical robotics system,” said Kevin Falzon, senior business director of Surgical Robotics Asia Pacific, who attended the inauguration virtually. “We’ll be training surgeons on the use of the Hugo™ RAS system, utilizing procedural and evidence-based medical education activities. The center is also equipped with mixed reality technology to provide remote virtual tours to clinicians, administrators, and OR staff.”

The Hugo RAS system combines the precision of wristed instruments with the flexibility of independent robotic arm carts and best-in-class 3D visualization technology on an open console. Touch Surgery™ Enterprise, a cloud-based surgical video capture option powered by artificial intelligence, allows surgeons to seamlessly record, analyze, and share Hugo system case footage.

The Medtronic Hugo RAS System is commercially available in certain geographies. Regulatory requirements of individual countries and regions will determine approval, clearance, or market availability. Hugo RAS is pending CE mark for the EU. In the U.S., the Hugo system is an investigational device and is not for sale. Touch Surgery Enterprise is not intended to direct surgery, or aid in diagnosis or treatment of a disease or condition.

About Medtronic

Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world’s largest medical technology, services and solutions companies – alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 90,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in more than 150 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.

Manipal Institute Of Technology Observes Engineer’s Day Celebration And Prof. P V Bhandary Memorial Oration On September 15, 2021

Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal celebrated the Engineers Day 2021 on 15th September 2021 to commemorate the birth anniversary of the greatest Indian Engineer Bharat Ratna Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, who is known as the Father of Indian Engineering. Aligned with this event, Late Prof. P V Bhandary Memorial Oration by eminent personality was also conducted.

In memory of Late Prof P V Bhandary, who was the Principal of MIT and Pro Vice Chancellor of MAHE, his family members and admirers came forward to conduct an oration series on a selected theme which is done every year. This was the fourth oration in the series, aligned with Engineer’s Day.

The event began with the floral tributes by the dignitaries to Sir M Visvesvaraya, Late Prof. P V Bhandary and formal inauguration by lighting the lamp.

The Chief Guest of the event was Dr M. S. Valiathan, Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan Awardee, National Professor of Research Government of India and Honorary Advisor, MAHE, Manipal. The Guest of honor was Brig (Dr.) S S Pabla, Pro Chancellor Bharatiya Skill Development University Jaipur. The event was presided over by Cdr. Dr. Anil Rana, Director, MIT Manipal.

As a mark of tradition, the invocation was rendered, by Dr. Vidya S Rao, in order to seek the blessing of the almighty. The welcome address was delivered by Joint Director of MIT Manipal, Dr. Somashekara Bhat. A brief introduction highlighting the achievements was delivered by Dr. N V Subba Reddy, the chairman of P V Bhandary Oration committee.

The Chief Guest of the function Dr. M. S. Valiathan, delivered the P V Bhandary Memorial Oration. He recalled his association with Prof. P V Bhandary during his tenure as the Vice Chancellor of MAHE, Manipal. Dr. Valiathan referred to the issues involved in the Cardiac Surgery and emphasised on the technological support involved such as materials, devices and the use of engineering solutions to take the health care to common people. He highlighted the Strengths, Weaknesses and Opportunities pertaining to Health care in India. While he spoke about the need for easing out regulatory norms, he also stressed that the quality of work carried out should be given the utmost importance.

The Engineers Day Special talk was delivered by Former Director of MIT and former Pro vice Chancellor of MAHE Brig (Dr.) S. S.  Pabla. He spoke on National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and on the enhancement of autonomy of the Universities. He also talked about the future of technical education in India and the new AICTE norms for admission to under graduate programs in India.

The presidential remarks were delivered by Cdr. Dr. Anil Rana, Director, MIT Manipal. He gave examples of eminent personalities who bounced back after failure and hence motivated everyone.  He also stressed on going for an optimal solution if not the best solution.

Students Of Manipal Institute Of Technology Achieved Yet Another Feat With The Start-Up Venture “ALLSKIER”

* ALLSKIER develops customized Edge Computing and IoT solutions for users across multiple domains

Manipal Institute of Technology is proud to announce that two of their 4th year bachelor’s in technology students, Atharv Tendolkar and Amit Choraria have built their start-up named Allskier that develops customized Edge Computing and IoT solutions for users across multiple domains.

The Startup, after its genesis in the past 4 months, has managed to attract more than 20 MIT students from various branches to be a part of this start-up. ALLSKIER shares the passion for a better and sustainable world through intelligent tech. One of their signature drones is the 'Agro- copter' which is the perfect aerial farm assistant for the users in today’s agriculture sector. It offers comprehensive crop health analytics, targeted nutrient/pesticide spraying and fully autonomous on-site surveillance.

Further to the accomplishment by the MIT students, Cdr. (Dr.) Anil Rana, Director of Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) says “Heartiest congratulations to Atharv and Kritika and to their startup ALLSKIERS. The team has a lot of brilliant ideas, tremendous energy and a passion to build a sustainable world with the help of intelligent technology. With 5 G technology spreading fast and wide, edge computing with IoT devices has a very bright future. I wish the team a lot of success. Jai Hind”

ALLSKIER is committed to customer satisfaction and provides not only the best products but also after-sales support, consultation, and seminars to keep itself and its customers informed. As a ‘Made in India' start-up, they strive to contribute to the growth of our country and better understand the niche markets in our country, with a global marketplace as a result.

Seven-In-10 Hospital Executives Acknowledge Need To Invest More To Maximize Staff Efficiency

* Zebra study reveals plans to mobilize urgent care teams, automate workflows, and regain control of supply chains

Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, today released the findings of its latest healthcare vision study. The “Smarter, More Connected Hospitals” Global Report reveals a stronger commitment to advanced technology tools as acute care providers strive to become more resilient and digitalize the patient journey.

Eighty-nine percent of executive decision-makers and 83% of clinicians surveyed agree real-time intelligence is essential for optimal patient care, and hospitals are increasingly investing in clinical mobility tools, real-time location systems (RTLS) and intelligent workflow solutions to support smarter, more connected workflows. However, more than two-thirds (67%) of hospital executives still don’t feel their organizations are investing enough to maximize staff efficiency and more must be done moving forward.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has tested the efficiency of both clinical and administrative workflows,” said Chris Sullivan, Global Healthcare Practice Lead, Zebra Technologies. “As a result, today’s healthcare leaders face the challenge of recalibrating technology systems to better support the needs of clinicians and patients.”

Need for Intelligent Workflow Automation

Approximately two-thirds of executives acknowledge physicians and caregivers are overextended during their shifts and spend too much time locating medical equipment and supplies. Over half report their administrative staff is equally overburdened and unable to complete their work during their shift. With people’s safety and well-being always the top priority, hospital executives are turning to technology to help combat fatigue, reduce errors caused by manual processes and workarounds, and refocus clinicians’ time on patients:

Approximately 80% of executives plan to automate workflows in the next year to improve supply chain management, make it easier to locate critical equipment and medical assets, better orchestrate emergency rooms and operating rooms, and streamline staff scheduling.

About three-quarters plan to use locationing technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID) to better track equipment and specimens and improve patient flow and security. They are also turning to locationing solutions to create more dynamic workflows and improve staff efficiency, safety and compliance.

Just as many executives say they will integrate visionary solutions like Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, prescriptive analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) to help improve both inpatient and outpatient care as the opportunities for remote physician-to-patient and clinician-to-clinician consulting grow.

“Hospital staff must be able to identify, track, locate and monitor the condition of every patient, staff and asset. A mobile device alone can’t do that. That’s why we're seeing rapid investment in locationing and automation solutions,” explains Sullivan. “It’s the technology that will work behind the scenes to improve front-line clinician workflows and the patient experience.”

Purpose-Built Mobility Solutions Drive Manageability

The majority of respondents (84%) believe the quality of patient care would improve if nurses, physicians and non-clinical healthcare workers had access to collaboration tools and the convenience of using their mobile devices to access healthcare applications.

This may come as a surprise considering that mobile technologies have been used in both clinical and non-clinical workflows for several years. By 2017, most bedside nurses, doctors and lab technicians were already using mobile devices, and adoption among pharmacy staff and intensive care unit nurses was on the rise. However, several acute care facilities were allowing staff to use their personal devices to connect to healthcare information systems and workflow applications at the time.

The approach to mobility is now changing. Nearly half (49%) of the surveyed executives now provide employees with hospital-owned devices intended for healthcare as more clinicians need durable and rugged devices, hospitals require more remote device management capabilities, and data security becomes a top priority. Those who have already adopted clinical mobility solutions are seeing the positive impact on the quality and cost of patient care with 8-in-ten citing an increase in medical workflow accuracy and precision as well as a reduction in preventable medical errors among other benefits.

All Technology Investments Tied to Workforce Transformation

Most hospital executives expect to have devices deployed across nearly all staff types in the next five years. However, the focus now is on nurses assigned to emergency departments, critical and intensive care units (ICU), and operating rooms as well as those responsible for IT, supply chain/inventory management and patient transport. This is a bit of a shift from 2017, when bedside nurses and facilities management staff were being prioritized for device deployments.

“Improving team communication is now a top goal of many hospitals, and executives are highly concerned about preventing the spread of infection and current staff burnout,” says Rikki Jennings, Chief Nursing Informatics Officer (CNIO), Zebra Technologies. “There is also a push to automate the orchestration of high traffic areas such as emergency rooms and operating rooms in the next year, which requires departmental staff to have mobile devices in hand.”

In addition, telehealth and remote patient tracking are rising on executives’ priority lists, both of which are poised to benefit ICU and emergency room staff, and forward-thinking leaders want to start the transition from manual, reactive processes to more responsive, predictive systems in the next few years.

As a result, most procurement and IT teams are now working to equip all staff with mobility solutions that enable them to access intelligent communications and locationing tools and take full advantage of automation solutions designed to streamline workflows and improve care delivery models. In fact, just as many doctors, pharmacists, radiologists and lab technicians are expected to have a device in hand in the next two years as emergency and critical care clinicians.

“More than ever, it is vitally important that all hospital functions work together as a cohesive ecosystem. That is only possible if they are plugged into the right information systems and one another,” adds Jennings. “Most of hospital’s transformation ambitions are either rooted in or dependent on mobile technology in some capacity. So, ensuring each staff member has a clinical device in hand is the first step to achieving a new standard of patient care and operational efficiency.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS  

Zebra’s Smarter, More Connected Hospitals global report reveals hospitals are investing in clinical mobility tools, real-time location systems (RTLS) and intelligent workflow solutions. Yet 67% of hospital executives agree more must be done moving forward.

Most hospitals are committed to giving the “right device to the right worker”, a shift from 2017 when “bring your own device” (BYOD) strategies were equally popular.

Though hospitals are aiming to give nearly all staff mobile devices in the next five years, priority is being given right now to urgent care team members who need clinical mobility solutions to better manage patient surges and collaborate with physicians and nurses on the move.

Technologies that automate workflows and deliver real-time intelligence to hospital staff will benefit both patients and clinicians by reducing the time spent trying to track down critical medical assets and information. This optimized information ecosystem can lead to smarter decisions and fewer mistakes.

Telehealth and remote patient monitoring will be transformative for both clinicians and patients in the next few years, and most hospital executives plan to increase spend to support new applications.

SURVEY BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

Zebra’s “Smarter, More Connected Hospitals” global report was conducted via an online survey among more than 500 senior-level hospital leaders within the clinical, IT, and procurement disciplines. The study’s goal was to better understand the role of technology in acute care hospitals. All data was collected and tabulated by third-party research firm, Azure Knowledge Corporation who surveyed respondents in Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America. The full report can be downloaded here.

ABOUT ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES  

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) empowers the front line in retail/ecommerce, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, healthcare, public sector and other industries to achieve a performance edge. With more than 10,000 partners across 100 countries, Zebra delivers industry-tailored, end-to-end solutions to enable every asset and worker to be visible, connected and fully optimized. The company’s market-leading solutions elevate the shopping experience, track and manage inventory as well as improve supply chain efficiency and patient care. In 2020, Zebra made Forbes Global 2000 list for the second consecutive year and was listed among Fast Company’s Best Companies for Innovators. 

GOFRUGAL Secures Next Phase Of Growth; Expands Presence In Tier 2 Markets Across India

* Opens new office in Tier 2 location in TN (Madurai)

* Gains proximity to customers

GOFRUGAL, a leading cloud ERP company with over 30000+ customers in retail, restaurant and distribution in India, is expanding their presence in emerging markets through their first office launch in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. GOFRUGAL launches its Madurai office with the current employee strength of 90 and aims to grow its’ talent pool to 150 in the region.

With an existing customer base of 2000+ SMBs in the town, GOFRUGAL aspires to maximize digitization of retail businesses in Madurai as advanced as their contemporaries in Tier 1 cities through simplified solutions. The Madurai office is multi-floor with about 15,000sq feet where about 150+ employees can work. The company also plans to set up an exclusive walk-in experiential center for customers to get a firsthand understanding of a digital store. This will give them the confidence to automate their processes and transform their businesses through technology.

During the launch, V Needhi Mohan, Chairman of Young Entrepreneur School, said, “GOFRUGAL's plan to start with 150 employees and tap the talent pool in the South will definitely be a boon to the economic development of Madurai and South Tamil Nadu. I believe theirs will be the first step for many more companies to follow"

“For all the problems the pandemic has caused, it has also presented us with new opportunities to go rural and grow more rural. Apart from the enormous amount of talent in tier 2 market, we also witnessed small towns having a large share of aspirational businessmen who long for our hand-holding and digital support,” said Mr. Kumar Vembu, CEO and Founder, GOFRUGAL.

He further added, “After carefully studying the market opportunity, challenges and business growth strategies, we at GOFRUGAL wish to launch full-fledged development offices in smaller cities of the country. Our mission is to empower all MSME business in tier2 tier3 with right tech and tools so that they stay ahead of competition and enable them to compete against big players. This is one of the predominant reasons for us to shift our growth to these markets. We believe the tier 2 cities are finally ready to be the tech-hotspot and we consider this as our small contribution towards nation-building by spotting hidden talents and tapping untouched human resources!”

While Indian businesses in emerging tier 2 cities were not fully utilizing the power of technology due to lack of awareness and need for better infrastructure, Covid-19 pandemic has pushed small businesses, traders, retailers from tier 2 and tier 3 cities to go digital and meet the needs of changing consumer’s behavior. From selling products online to sending 'digital copy of invoices to consumer’s phones, business owners can greatly use tech and obtain their objective via contactless business process.

Moreover, Covid- 19 brought in change in the working style of corporates; it seeded the thought of taking work closer to staff’s hometowns. In the quest for talent and new sources of profitable growth, GOFRUGAL is increasingly shifting the focus towards lesser-known but emerging tier 2 markets like Madurai and Thane. 

About the company:

GOFRUGAL is a digital-first company offering cloud and mobile ERP solutions to Retail, Restaurant and Distribution businesses. Established in 2004, it helps businesses embrace agility and transform digitally to stay competitive in the dynamic market. The company helps businesses grow with minimal staff, least skills along with 100% accurate and reliable solutions.  GOFRUGAL's products and solutions helps businesses delight its customers, manage them efficiently, connect and collaborate with its stakeholders and most importantly take timely decisions on the move. More than 30,000 customers across 60+ countries experience simplicity in running their businesses with GOFRUGAL. The company addresses the needs of a wide spectrum of customers from small independent stores to local chains and large enterprises.

GOFRUGAL, a global player headquartered in Chennai, envisions a ‘Happiness First’ environment to provide a friction less experience to all the stakeholders. 

Ayu Health Raises $6.3M Series A From Vertex Ventures And Stellaris Venture Partners

 

* To expand to 5000 beds in 6 cities by December 2022

Ayu Health, a health-tech startup with a network of hospitals providing high-quality, affordable healthcare, announced today that it has raised $6.3M in Series A financing from Vertex Ventures and Stellaris Venture Partners. The round also saw participation from marquee angel investors including Varun Alagh of Mamaearth, Ashish Gupta of Helion and Rajat Goel of EyeQ Hospitals.

Founded in 2019, Ayu Health has over 20 hospitals in Chandigarh and Bengaluru - all accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) - making it one of the largest hospital chains in these cities. The startup enables its network hospitals with technology to maintain high clinical standards and provide a better patient experience at an affordable cost.

This fund infusion will help Ayu expand its hospital network and build new technology solutions to enable insurance processing, efficient procurement and clinical quality management at network hospitals. Ayu Health expects to grow its business 10x in FY22 and expand its bed capacity to 5000+ beds in 6 cities by Dec 2022.

Speaking about the investment, Himesh Joshi, Co-founder, Ayu Health said, “Our mission at Ayu is to democratize hospital care by using technology to improve both the quality, efficiency and reach of stand-alone hospitals. Our partner hospitals use our technology platform to improve clinical quality, procure medicines and consumables, and process insurance claims; this results in better clinical outcomes, a smooth in-hospital experience and transparent pricing for patients.

We are thrilled to partner with Stellaris and Vertex, as well as our angel investors to take our cause forward”, he added.

Ayu Health was co-founded in 2019 by repeat entrepreneurs Himesh Joshi, Arjit Gupta and Karan Gupta. The trio had previously founded used-goods marketplace Zefo, which was acquired by Quikr in 2019.

Ritesh Banglani, Partner at Stellaris Venture Partners said, “We have partnered with Himesh, Karan and Arjit previously when they were running Zefo, and have a very high regard for their capabilities. Their plan to tech-enable the $100 billion private hospital market and create India’s largest branded hospital chain resonated deeply with us. With their technology-led approach, they can provide high-quality and affordable hospital care to the mass market of patients.”

Piyush Kharbanda, Partner at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India said, “At Vertex, we are continuously looking for ways in which technology can drive efficiencies in healthcare by demystifying complex tenets of care such as pricing, insurance and non-medical interventions. We are excited to partner with Ayu Health on this mission, especially with evolving customer behavior towards healthcare in the post pandemic world.”

About Ayu Health

Ayu Health is a chain of hospitals that provides high quality healthcare at affordable prices.

Ayu Health partners with high quality doctor entrepreneurs and provides them with an operating system to run their hospitals, which includes technology for a range of non-clinical services like marketing, patient management, insurance processing, procurement, etc.

The Ayu Health network currently consists of 20+ hospitals in Chandigarh and Bangalore. For more information, visit www.ayu.health.

About Stellaris Venture Partners

Stellaris Venture Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in tech and tech-enabled consumer and enterprise startups in India. Since its inception in 2017, Stellaris has backed market leaders such as Mamaearth, Whatfix, mFine, Slintel and Propelld.

For more information on Stellaris Venture Partners, visit http://www.stellarisvp.com.

About Vertex Ventures

Vertex Ventures is a global network of operator-investors who manage portfolios in the U.S., China, Israel, India and Southeast Asia. The firm is a trusted partner to some of the world’s most innovative entrepreneurs, supporting them with unmatched operating experience and deep access to the capital, talent, partners and customers they need to build truly global businesses. Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India invests in high-growth startups seeking institutional venture capital funding across Asia (excluding China), with a focus on Singapore, India, Indonesia and other emerging hubs of innovation in the region. As part of Temasek Holdings, Vertex enjoys close relationships with the region’s top decision makers, talent and influencers. For more information, go to http://www.vertexventures.com/southeast-asia-india/.

AIFISPA Welcomes The Path Breaking Reforms Announced By Government Of India For The Telecom Industry

* Hopes to get similar reforms in Fixed Line Broadband too

All India Fixed Internet Service Providers Association (AIFISPA) would like to congratulate and thank Govt of India for remarkably futuristic and enabling reforms for the Telecom Industry. The reforms announced by India’s Hon’ble Minister for Communications Mr Ashwini Vaishnaw, today are indeed a new beginning for the Telecom Industry in the country. These reforms would augur well for the industry to invest for the future and successfully steer the Government of India’s Digital Mission. AIFISPA thanks the Hon’ble Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi for his futuristic vision with these bold moves and encouraging the industry to accelerate India’s mission for digitalization.

While Welcoming the reforms and relief package announced by the Government of India,  AIFISPA hopes that the Government will take similar path breaking and much needed reforms for the Fixed Line Broadband Service providers in the country, which will help the industry to fulfil the national broadband mission. Fixed line Broadband involves 1200 plus small Internet Service Providers (ISP) across the country and has delivered much needed high speed connectivity during the pandemic. The fixed line broadband players have enabled entire industry to seamlessly transition to  “work from home setup”, keeping the wheels of the economy running. School from home, tele medicine, video conferencing, streaming entertainment, are all some of the ways in which fixed broadband players have critically supported and enabled everyday lives during this pandemic. This yeoman’s service was rendered by lakhs of on-field employees relentlessly braving the virus in pursuit of the prime purpose  of keeping customer connected. Further, fixed Internet Industry is set to play a critical role in building a ‘Digital India’ and support the Union Government’s initiatives to enhance fibre optic infrastructure across the country as envisioned under NDCP 2018 and the National Broadband Mission.

AIFISPA is hopeful that the Government of India, under the visionary leadership of Mr. Narendra Modi would look into the challenges faced by the fixed line broadband industry and seeks the much needed helping hand and encouragement to the industry. The Recent proposal to levy 8% licence fee on this industry , that does not use any natural resources like spectrum, will be a major bottleneck for the industry to exist and thrive . Fixed line broadband industry is besought with many challenges including very high investment in ROW, infrastructure and cost of building network upto  the last mile of  customer’s home. Industry is hopeful of positive legislative encouragement through exemption from license fee.

While commenting on the reforms, President of AIFISPA, Sunil Yajaman said “We sincerely thank the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Hon’ble Finance Minister and the Hon’ble Minister for Communications for this much needed support to the Telecom Industry and would like to make a humble request for them to hand hold and nurture fixed line broadband service providers, an industry which is suffering greatly over last few years on many fronts. We are more than happy to assist all endeavours of Government of India and are looking forward to work towards making National Broadband Mission, a resounding success soon.”

About AIFISPA: All India Fixed Internet Service Providers Association (AIFISPA) , which consists of Fixed line Internet Service providers serving more than 30 lakh homes across the country. Some of the founding Members of AIFISPA include leading Fixed Broadband service providers namely - ACT Fibernet, Shyam Spectra, You Broadband, Microsense, D-Vois, Vizag Broadcasting Company, Pioneer Elabs, Mithril Telecommunications, Bell Tele Services,  BBNL etc. Currently these members cater to more than 3 million subscribers of the Fixed line internet industry representing more than 35% of the pure play ISP universe.

The Chennai Angels Partners With Native Angels Network To Co-Invest In TN Start-Ups

The Chennai Angels (TCA) and Native Angels Network signed an agreement yesterday to co invest in start- ups across Tamil Nadu. Both angel networks will coordinate and plan common pitch sessions on a case-to-case basis. They intend to not only fund but also mutually support start-ups for select activities. The intention is to ensure that Tamil Nadu based start-ups get a wider reach to a larger number of investors that are relevant to their industries.

Mr K Chandran, CEO, The Chennai Angels said, “The coming together of two of the largest leading angel networks in Tamil Nadu is certainly a landmark initiative. This will benefit promising start-ups across the State gain access to a huge pool of elite mentors and capital for scaling up their early stages of growth. We look forward to a fruitful and rewarding partnership with the Native Angels Network.”

Mr R Sivarajah, Founder & CEO, Native Angels Network said, “We are mainly concentrating in investing in early-stage start-ups emerging from small towns of Tamil Nadu. The association with The Chennai Angels will enable us to explore newer horizons in investing. This partnership will strengthen the investment ecosystem in Tamil Nadu.”

About TCA

The Chennai Angels (TCA) is one of India’s leading Angel Investment Networks. In an effort to help a new generation of entrepreneurs, a group of prominent successful entrepreneurs came forward to form a consortium called The Chennai Entrepreneurship Trust Fund in Nov 2007, which is now The Chennai Angels (TCA). These members and those that followed have successfully built, run and in many cases exited enterprises across multiple domains. 

Besides providing capital, TCA members act as mentors for those venturing into the business world. TCA has among itsmembers several Venture Capitalists who are available to partner with TCA on more significant outlays. TCA investors can handhold the entrepreneur through the fundraising life cycle and open doors to customers and partners of a very high order. As of today, TCA has invested over INR 130 Cr across 60+ Startups. The Chennai Angels is sector and location agnostic in its investments.

About NAN

Native Angels Network Association commonly referred to as “Native Angels” or NAN is India’s first Angels driven ecosystem building organization for the small towns. The parent body Nativelead Foundation was founded in the year 2012 as a trust and its investments focused arm Native angels was incorporated in the year 2015.

Native Angels is a community driven model and currently having 6 local chapters (Madurai, Coimbatore, Erode, Karur, Trichy and Tuticorin) and three Native Connect chapters (Chennai, Washington DC and Tokyo). Native Angel’s core objectiveis to nurture and invest in Startups emerging from the small towns of Tamil Nadu. They also co-invest with other like-minded agencies across the country.

They prefer to invest in startups working in the domains of Agri -Tech, Retail, Healthcare, Edu-tech, Clean- tech venture with social impact and ESG compliance.

De Beers Forevermark Launches The 'Forevermark Avaanti’ Collection

* One Ripple Can Start a Wave

* #THEFIRSTRIPPLE #FOREVERMARK

De Beers Forevermark launches its latest jewellery collection. Forevermark Avaanti™ embodies a spirit of possibility, inspiring the wearer to realise their power and make a lasting statement every day.

Each piece in the Forevermark Avaanti™ jewellery collection sweeps around like a ripple, symbolising the start of something new. The thirty-six stand-out pieces all feature a rare De Beers Forevermark diamond in 0.10, 0.18 and 0.30 carats at their centre. Set in 18k yellow, white or rose gold, the clean, circular designs are also available with the added brilliance of pavé diamonds. Worn together or alone, these rings, earrings, pendants, and bracelets make a bold statement of confidence, adding verve to your style.

“The global Forevermark Avaanti™ collection has been crafted with rare and natural De Beers Forevermark diamonds. Each piece from the collection is like a personal representation of those who wear it and reminds them that they can bring about change with just a single ripple. To support the collection De Beers Forevermark introduced The Forevermark Avaanti™ campaign that is a reminder that if you believe in yourself and seize the day, you can be unstoppable.” said Mr. Sachin Jain, Managing Director, De Beers India.

To accompany the launch of the jewellery collection De Beers Forevermark introduces its Forevermark Avaanti™ campaign. Driven by a single belief that what the future holds can unfold from a single ripple, the campaign stands as a powerful reminder that the moments we seize today can become the unstoppable momentum of tomorrow. Harnessing a unique visual style, the Forevermark Avaanti™ campaign; ‘The First Ripple’ celebrates the power of possibility and encourages women to unleash their own ripple on the world. 

The campaign was brought to life by an all-female creative team, including award-winning director, Vicky Lawton and photographer Anya Holdstock. Together they realised the execution of the campaign’s inspirational film and striking photography.

Accelerating equal opportunities, and challenging gender stereotypes are values deeply rooted in everything De Beers Forevermark represents as a jewellery house. We live and breathe this belief in all we do, and the Forevermark Avaanti™ collection is no exception. It is fine jewellery designed to connect with the mindset of our consumer.

The Forevermark Avaanti™ collection is available for sale at all authorized De Beers Forevermark jewellers across the country. For further details, visit: www.forevermark.com

Epson Global Survey Reveals Startling Climate Reality Deficit — 73.4% Of Indians Are Still Optimistic We Will Avoid A Climate Crisis

* The survey is a part of Epson Group’s effort to bring about greater awareness and understanding about Climate Change

* India has highest Climate Reality deficit in the world as new research highlights a significant gap between perceptions of climate change and the severity of the emergency

With just 45 days to go to the start of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in the UK in November, Epson announces the results of its Climate Reality Barometer. Epson’s research discovers a potentially damaging gap between climate reality and people’s understanding of its catastrophic effects. The survey captures global experiences and perceptions of climate change from 15,264 consumers across Asia, Europe, North America and South America, including 1,207 consumers in India.

Timed to help frame discussions at COP 26, the goal of the Epson Climate Reality Barometer is to raise greater public awareness of climate change impacts, influence transformative business decisions, and better inform policy makers.

Reality deficit: Optimism vs evidence

When questioned about their views on humanity’s ability to avert a climate crisis within their lifetimes, almost three in four (73.4%) of people surveyed in India as part of the Epson Climate Reality Barometer, state they are “very” or “somewhat” optimistic, while just one in 10 (11.4%) claim to be very or somewhat pessimistic. This significantly outweighs the global trend, with close to half of the respondents worldwide (46%) stating that they are optimistic and 27% expressing pessimism in this regard. Results show a worrying climate reality deficit between participants perception of, the scale and immediacy of the climate emergency on one hand and the actions to tackle the same on the other. In India 4.1% of respondents do not believe that there is a climate emergency at all. The US tops the list of climate deniers at 11%.

Optimism in India is driven most by the opportunity to use science and technology to solve problems (31.9%), the fact that people are not aware of climate change dangers (26.4%) and the ability to move away from fossil fuels like coal to renewable sources like wind energy (21.4%). On the other hand, those who are pessimistic are driven mostly by a belief that people are not aware of climate change dangers (32.6%), a lack of government action (30.4%) - with 17.4% believing we are not switching to renewable energy sources link wind energy fast enough.

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warned that India will suffer more frequent and intense heat waves, extreme rainfall events and erratic monsoons, as well as more cyclonic activity, among other weather-related calamities in the coming decades (source). Epson’s Climate Reality Barometer’s findings suggest a damaging triumph of optimism over evidence, with potentially devastating consequences.

Reality check: Understanding vs. action

The Barometer suggests that optimism may be the result of a failure to recognise climate change and, therefore, its scale. Around three quarters of respondents in India see the link between climate change and rising global temperatures (81.6%), extreme weather (78.5%) and declining water supplies (75.6%). In contrast, awareness falls to just over half for other important events such as famine (58.4%), thawing permafrost (54.1%) and insect outbreaks (59.8%).

Many in India, however, still believe action should come from elsewhere: a quarter (25.8%) believe governments are “most responsible for tackling the climate emergency”, and 26.9% say businesses are the “most responsible” for tackling climate. The findings also suggest a lack of consistency between individual intention and action. While 66.2% of Indians are already reducing plastic use, worryingly 8.8% of people say they have no intention of doing so, or don’t know how to. Similarly, 42.6% of Indians claim that they are boycotting unsustainable brands but 16.7% of those surveyed say they don’t intend to or aren’t sure how to go about this. And while 65.1% of Indians claim that they are walking or cycling more often, 8.9% still say they don’t intend to change their travel habits.

There is evidence, however, that the idea of personal and collective responsibility is gaining currency. Encouragingly, 21% of respondents see that they are personally “most responsible”, while (21.5%) believe that we are all responsible — with action incumbent on governments, businesses, and individuals alike.

The Climate Reality Barometer suggests that for many, climate crisis remains something that happens to someone else. As the survey reveals that globally only 14% of respondents recognise big businesses as most responsible for tackling the climate emergency, and just 3% small companies (fewer than the 5% of climate change deniers), it also suggests that now is the time for companies of all sizes to play a bigger role.

Companies can empower other businesses and consumers with sustainability supporting innovations. At Epson, this has seen the development of, for example: initiatives to reduce customer impact through the use of highly energy efficient Heat-Free printing technology; and R&D into environmental technologies such as naturally derived (non-plastic) materials.

Beyond product and materials innovation, businesses can make a big difference by promoting and demonstrating climate responsibility. Epson carries this forward by: transitioning to 100% renewable electricity and engaging with initiatives such as the RE100 renewable energy project; working to close the resource loop for example, by promoting product refurbishment and reuse; and engaging in high impact partnerships such as its work with National Geographic to protect permafrost.

Yasunori Ogawa, Global President of Epson, commented: “The discovery of the Climate Reality Deficit shows that awareness coupled with action, will be critical to tackling the emergency. Epson’s goal is to bring this awareness and the technologies needed — by our company, other businesses and consumers — to action transformational change. Sustainability is central to our business plan and backed by significant resources — because while we know there is a long way to go, we believe we can build a better future.”