Dream Sports Joins India’s March Towards Becoming A US$5 Trillion Economy At Expo 2020 Dubai

Dream Sports, India's leading sports technology company, announced its partnership with the Government of India to showcase India’s resurgence as a hub for growth, innovation and culture. The India Pavilion, one of the largest among 190 participating countries, will display India’s exceptional fight back against COVID-19 and the country’s emergence as a nerve centre for global business. Dream Sports will showcase the extensive opportunity that lies at the unique intersection of sports and technology, as well as bring to life the large-scale positive transformation that can be brought about through digital technology and innovation within the Indian sports ecosystem.

At the inauguration of the India Pavilion today, Uday Shankar, FICCI, President said, “India is one of the world’s fastest-growing large economies and the third largest startup ecosystem. The India Pavilion will be a global platform for potential investors to experience this growth, leading opportunities, business achievements and cultural diversity with cutting-edge technologies. Over the past seven years, the Government of India’s vision of AatmaNirbhar Bharat and Digital India has reaped benefits with multiple innovation hubs and over 50,000 registered startups, that have set the roadmap for India’s digital journey. Dream Sports is one such success story that truly represents the impact of industry-focused reforms, and the possibilities of digital competencies and advancements that New India can bring to the world. We look forward to welcoming them as partners.”

Commenting on the partnership, Harsh Jain, CEO & Co-Founder, Dream Sports, said, "We are delighted to support the Government of India’s initiatives in digitisation and self-reliance. Our vision is to ‘Make Sports Better’ through the confluence of sports and technology. We want to help build an ecosystem that nurtures the growth of sports in India by engaging fans in a much deeper way than ever before. We hope to contribute significantly to India’s economy by growing the Fantasy Sports industry, investing in several sports companies, generating employment and supporting India’s athletes through our grassroots initiatives.”

Expo 2020, which was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will commence today, and conclude on March 31, 2022. The India Pavilion will mirror India’s celebration of 75 years of Independence. Created on the theme of “Openness. Opportunity. Growth", it will showcase the latest technologies and create an ambient, futuristic environment with installations powered by augmented reality and projection mapping.

About Dream Sports

Dream Sports is India’s leading sports technology company with brands such as Dream11, the world’s largest fantasy sports platform, FanCode, a premier digital sports platform that personalizes content and commerce for all sports fans, Dream Capital, a CVC and M&A arm, DreamSetGo, a sports experiences platform, and DreamPay, a payment solutions provider. It has founded the Dream Sports Foundation to help and champion sportspeople and is an active member of the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports, the nodal body for the Fantasy Sports industry in India. Founded in 2008 by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth, Dream Sports has a mission to ‘Make Sports Better’ and is located in Mumbai. Dream Sports has been consecutively featured in the Top ‘Great Places to Work’ as the only sports tech company since 2018.

Salarpuria Sattva Announces Affordable Housing Project Ashraya In Bidadi Near Bengaluru

Salarpuria Sattva Group, India’s leading Property Development, Management and Consulting organization, has launched their affordable housing project- Sattva Ashraya at Bidadi. Sprawling across lush green open spaces, the property is situated on the Bengaluru-Mysuru 10-lane Expressway stretching over 4.2 acres of land and is just 15 minutes away from the Rajarajeshwari Arch.  Sattva Ashraya comprises of 4 well-planned towers with 660 elegantly designed, spacious homes. The fusion of modern living with nature is the highlight of the project, where one can choose from 1, 2, and 3 BHK apartments. With the upcoming smart city, manufacturing hubs and industries, Bidadi has become one of the most promising and sought after locations today.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Bijay Agarwal, MD, Salarpuria Sattva, said “Continuing our legacy of providing quality homes to our customers, at affordable prices, with Sattva Ashraya, we have re-imagined the concept of smart living in the city, with the core thought of peace and serenity. Bidadi is one of the most upcoming real estate markets in the state. Consumers today are looking for homes where they can be one with nature and still stay connected. We have designed this project addressing that problem at the forefront. We hope, with Sattva Ashraya, we fulfil the need of a smart family home at an affordable price”.

Sattva Ashraya has excellent connectivity and the property is in close proximity to hospitals, schools, colleges, and the upcoming IT and technological hub. The project is based on the premise of ‘Smart City, Smart Home’ and caters to the aspiring home owners who seek a smarter and better life for themselves. At Ashraya, there is a wide range of amenities including a 10,000 sq. ft. Clubhouse, multi-purpose court, children’s play area, skating rink and a badminton court, amongst others to spectacularly meet all recreational needs of smart homeowners. These Hallmark homes start at just Rs. 18.75 Lakhs, making it accessible for all income strata.

About Salarpuria Sattva Group

With 3 decades of expertise, the Sattva Group has grown into one of the most trusted builders in the country today. Headquartered in Bengaluru, India, it is also a well-known name in Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Coimbatore and Goa. The Group will soon be expanding its presence in Mumbai. With 56 million sq.ft spaces completed, 34 million sq.ft under construction and 32 million sq.ft in the planning stage, the Group is one of the most premium builders in India today. The Group’s cutting-edge marquee projects in Hyderabad include: Knowledge City, Knowledge Capital, Knowledge Park and Image Towers (Innovation in Animation, Multimedia, Gaming, and Entertainment), a PPP based model with the Telangana State Government. The Group has built world class residential projects in Bengaluru like Greenage which offers more than 100 amenities, Exotic, Luxuria, Magnificia and Anugraha, and in commercial spaces GR Tech Park, Arena, Infinity and Softzone to name a few.  By further expanding into various verticals such as co-working, co-living, education, hotels, facilities management and warehousing, the Group today stands tall as a frontrunner, shaping India’s growth story. The Group’s unwavering adherence to quality has given it the “trusted” tag among builders in the country, renowned for its “A Stable” CRISIL rating for over a decade. 

InterMiles Set To Give Away 300 Mn Miles In India’s Biggest Ever Rewards Festival

* InterMiles 300 Million Miles Festival to run from 1st October to 31st December 2021~

* Members to get assured 15,000 Miles when transacting for INR 10,000 via the InterMiles Super App or website across five unique product categories and 200+ partners~

* Added benefit of free, confirmed Silver tier upgrade and 15% discount on spends~

India’s biggest miles festival ‘InterMiles 300 Million Miles Festival’ has gone live starting today. Hosted by InterMiles, India’s leading loyalty and rewards programme, the 300mn Miles festival will run for a total of three months including peak festive periods of Diwali, Xmas & New Years and will give members magnified earnings & savings opportunities like never before.

As part of this exclusive festive campaign, 5 unique transactions of minimum INR 2,000 each can earn InterMiles members assured 15000 Miles. Members can engage with 200+ partners via the InterMiles Super App or the website across programme categories of flights, hotels, shop, dine and vouchers. In addition to this, members will also secure an assured 15% discount on spends and a free upgrade to Silver Tier which will give them a complimentary Zomato Pro or Amazon Prime membership plus free gift vouchers of up to INR 500.

InterMiles has been constantly innovating its consumer strategy and has adopted a loyalty enabled commerce approach to complement emerging consumer behaviors as well as the current e-commerce ecosystem. Today, InterMiles houses not only the loyalty and rewards programme but also InterMiles, a new age ubiquitous digital currency which can be earned and redeemed across a range of experiences, products and services beyond just travel.

Speaking on the 300mn Miles Festival, Ashish Dhruva, SVP - Marketing and Customer Engagement, InterMiles said, “With the festive season around the corner and vaccination drives picking up pace across the country, consumer confidence is higher and discretionary spending is on the rise. Through our 300mn Miles Festival, we want to reward members for these spends by ensuring that they not only spend smarter and save money but also end up creating a valuable Miles fund for their future spends. We have always prided ourselves for being a customer-first programme and this current initiative has been crafted keeping our members in mind.”

‘InterMiles 300mn Miles Festival’ which is the biggest & first of its kind Miles festive sale to take place in India, celebrates and rewards members for their loyalty. The magnified, multifold Miles earning potential on offer will empower members with sufficient Miles to secure three domestic flight tickets for their future travel. In addition to flights, Miles earned by members can also be easily redeemed for a variety of experiences and services such as hotel stays, dinning bills, vouchers, raffles and more.

“Our focus over the last few years has been on consolidating the InterMiles programme to offer our members a broader, more diverse category & partner portfolio to engage with. We have made Miles earnings attainable by broad basing opportunities to even include daily lifestyle utilities and have balanced this by introducing multiple, quick micro & macro redemption options for our members to make the most of their Miles,” adds on Ashish Dhruva.

‘InterMiles 300 Million Miles Festival’ will be amplified across YouTube, Facebook and Instagram and will focus on educating existing and new members of the various ways in which they can engage with the programme and secure the most value for their spends by shopping smarter with InterMiles.

InterMiles presently offers its growing member base of 10 million, the opportunity to earn and redeem InterMiles – a new-age digital currency, across travel, hospitality and lifestyle services spanning 10+ categories and 200+ programme partners.

RAINING DISCOUNTS & MILES!

* Flat 500 Miles on First Transaction

* Flat 1000 Miles on Second Transaction

* Flat 2000 Miles on Third Transaction

* Flat 4000 Miles on Fourth Transaction

* Flat 7500 Miles on Fifth Transaction

* Additional 15% Discount offered across Flight, Hotels and Dining

L&T Technology Services Expands Intel AI Builders Program Offerings With Its Radiology Solution Chest rAI

* LTTS’ AI-Based Chest X-Ray Analysis System Chest rAI™ Will Utilize Intel’s Deep Tech Expertise To Improve Performance/Efficiency And Enhance Patient Care

L&T Technology Services Limited (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS), a global leading pure-play engineering services company, today announced its award-winning healthcare solution Chest rAI™ in collaboration with global technology leader Intel Corporation.

Chest rAI™, LTTS’ AI-based chest X-Ray analysis system to assist radiologists in improving speed and accuracy of diagnosis, will be fueled by the Intel OpenVINO Toolkit and AI Analytics Toolkit to run optimized AI inferencing models on 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors with built in AI accelerators.

LTTS’ AI-infused solution enables radiologists by fast triaging abnormalities in X-Ray, annotating and automatic report generation with significantly improved performance. The benefits of Chest rAI™ include increased throughput with the ability to extract more actionable information and to reduce waiting time for radiologists. 

LTTS recently entered into a strategic engagement with one of the largest teleradiology platform in India - 5C Network Private Limited, wherein 5C Network will leverage Chest rAI™ to empower radiologists with accurate patient insights while saving time.

Abhishek Sinha, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Board, L&T Technology Services said, “The potential of digital engineering in transforming complex age-old problem statements of the healthcare industry into simpler and more sophisticated mechanisms is now available to all, while maintaining patient data privacy by taking advantage of Intel hardware-enhanced security technologies.

With more investments and by leveraging our engineering expertise in the medical image processing segment, our commitment is to enable a complete transformation of the Indian public health diagnostics services landscape. This collaboration will benefit millions of people not just in the urban but also in the rural areas.”

Sudhir Bahl, Board Member and Chief Strategy Officer, 5C Network said, “Our endeavor is to serve as a reliable diagnostic partner with technology enabled decision-making for the healthcare service providers in India. As the next phase of growth, we aim to empower our radiologists with the best of futuristic technologies so that it not only enhances our quality but also empowers them with technology-based support to achieve clinical excellence with reduced turnaround time. With LTTS’ Chest rAITM on Intel’s AI stack, we aim to reach elevated industry benchmarks.”

Intel’s AI Builders Program is an ecosystem of industry leading independent software vendors (ISVs), system integrators (SIs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and enterprise end users who want to accelerate the adoption of AI across Intel platforms.

Wei Li, VP and GM of Machine Learning Performance at Intel Corporation said, “Wherever customers need AI, Intel is already there with 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors and an optimized software stack for the complete AI pipeline. With investments in tools, technologies, and a worldwide ecosystem of optimized solution, we’re making AI more accessible than ever. Through the Intel AI Builders Program, we collaborate with companies across the globe to help bring cutting-edge AI solutions and capabilities to market.”

LTTS’ capabilities on digital technology led new-age innovations for radiologists is industry-leading. Earlier this year, Chest rAITM was honored by the US-based BIG Innovation Award as an acknowledgement of the path-breaking technology capability possessed by the solution.

To know more about LTTS’ Chest rAI™ solution click here:

https://www.ltts.com/solutions/healthcare/AI-radiography/chest-rAI

About L&T Technology Services Ltd

L&T Technology Services Limited (LTTS) is a listed subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Limited focused on Engineering and R&D (ER&D) services. We offer consultancy, design, development and testing services across the product and process development life cycle. Our customer base includes 69 Fortune 500 companies and 57 of the world’s top ER&D companies, across industrial products, medical devices, transportation, telecom & hi-tech, and the process industries. Headquartered in India, we have over 16,900 employees spread across 17 global design centers, 28 global sales offices and 69 innovation labs as of June 30, 2021.

Seagram’s Imperial Blue Beats The Heart Of Northeast, Partners Northeast United FC (NEUFC)

Seagram’s Imperial Blue, one of the most iconic brands in the industry, proudly announces its association with Northeast United football club (NEUFC). The strategic partnership was formalized just ahead of the most anticipated football event of the country, The Indian Super League (ISL).

Seagram’s Imperial Blue has always believed in associating with the passion points of the youth across the country. Thus, this partnership presents an opportunity for the both the brands to strengthen its youth connect through this exclusive partnership. The club, owned by John Abraham, is based out of Guwahati, Assam and will be competing in the upcoming Indian Super League to be held in Goa.

Commenting on the same, Kartik Mohindra, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard India said, “Imperial Blue believes in celebrating the passion points that resonate deeply with our consumers. This partnership unites the region as they follow the progress & the success of their most loved team, Northeast United FC.  Just like NEUFC, Imperial Blue is a strong partner of the consumers in their moments of conviviality as they celebrate their love for football. The superstars of the team represents a fusion of skill, passion, drive and local pride. We look forward to a great season of football and we wish all the luck to the team for the upcoming season”.

Commenting on the association Ms. Priya Runchal, CEO of NorthEast United Football Club said” This association marks the coming together of two iconic brands who have the Northeast consumer at their heart. Seagram’s Imperial Blue is always known to create a deep rooted bond with the consumers by offering experiences ahead of the category. We are proud to have the brand on board and see this as a symbiotic relationship. One where Imperial Blue will get to further strengthen its brand love with the consumers and NEUFC gets to be a part of the various moments of conviviality that Imperial Blue celebrates with its consumers . Cheers to that.”

ABOUT PERNOD RICARD INDIA

Pernod Ricard India (P) Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Pernod Ricard SA and is a fast-growing multinational alcohol beverage company delivering quality products to its consumers across the country. With leading brands in each category, Pernod Ricard holds one of the most dynamic and premium portfolios in the industry led by Seagram’s whiskies such as Royal Stag, Royal Stag Barrel Select, Blenders Pride, Blenders Pride Reserve Collection, Imperial Blue, 100 Pipers and a wide range of International premium brands that include Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute and Jameson Irish whiskey. Some of the eminent brands in white spirits category include ABSOLUT vodka, Jacob’s Creek and Campo Viejo wines, Martell cognac, Beefeater and Monkey 47 gin, Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagne. Pernod Ricard India is recognized as an industry leader with various recognitions and achievements that help the company deliver quality products to the consumers. Seagram’s whiskies are exported to 26 countries across the world. Pernod Ricard India is a socially responsible organization with a strong belief to strengthen corporate citizen by addressing social, economic and environment sustainability in all key states.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Clocks Domestic Wholesales Of 9284 Units In September 2021

Toyota Kirloskar Motor today announced that the company sold a total of 9284 units in the month of September 2021, thereby registering a growth of 14% when compared to the domestic sales in the month of September 2020. The cumulative wholesales of TKM for the period January to September 2021 stands at 94,493 units when compared to 47,743 units sold in the corresponding period last year, thereby registering a growth of 98%.

Commenting on the sales, Mr. V. Wiseline Sigamani, Associate General Manager(AGM), Sales and Strategic Marketing, TKM said, “Demand in the personal mobility segment continues as we step into the festive months. Customer orders have been on a constant rise and we are witnessing a steady growth, ever since the second wave. The Crysta and the Fortuner continue to dominate their respective segments, both garnering huge customer interests and orders. All other segments have also attracted good traction from customers and we are very excited to cater to all such personal mobility needs of our customer, this upcoming festive season”.

Persistent Systems Ltd: Acquisitions To Strengthen Payment/BFSI And Cloud Capabilities

 ■    Persistent Systems has entered into an agreement to acquire Software Corporation International (SCI) and its affiliate Fusion360 LLC for a cash consideration of USD53mn (~3.1x EV/S on CY20 basis). It has also signed an agreement to buy certain assets from Shree Partners LLC USA and business from its Indian subsidiary Shree Infosoft Pvt. Ltd. for a cash consideration of USD6.87mn (~0.9x EV/S on FY21 basis).

■    Deal rationale: SCI brings domain consulting capabilities and specializes in payments solutions, integration and support services for leading US banks. SCI enhances PSYS's capabilities and serves as the foundation of a dedicated payments business unit. SCI expands PSYS's BFSI client footprint with ~10 marquee customers from top banks in North America and over 90 employees in the region. PSYS has announced a dedicated payment business unit, which will be headed by D. Keith Sides, President and CEO of SCI. The Shree acquisition expands PSYS's BFSI capabilities in the cloud, data and infrastructure domains. It also enables PSYS to deliver critical services to a strategic client, which is a leader in the global claims management industry. Shree adds over 200 employees, largely in NCR, India, and clients across US and Europe in BFSI and Travel & Hospitality. Additionally, SCI expands PSYS's presence in Charlotte, a key hub for the US BFSI industry. Shree Infosoft adds a new delivery location in NCR.

■    Deal structure, consideration and timeline: Persistent Systems Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PSYS, has entered into a stock purchase agreement to acquire US-based SCI and its affiliate Fusion360 LLC. The total consideration payable for the acquisition of SCI and Fusion360 is USD53mn. The total consideration includes: 1) an upfront payment of USD34.45mn, 2) earnout of maximum USD5.96mn per annum in next two years subject to achievement of certain performance thresholds, and 3) a retention payment of USD2.21mn per annum to key employees and consultants at the year-end for the next three years. PSYS has signed an agreement with Shree Infosoft to buy its business and inked a pact with its parent entity, Shree Partners LLC USA, to purchase certain assets for an aggregate cash consideration of USD6.87mn. The total deal amount includes: 1) an upfront payment of USD2.37mn in USA and USD1mn in India, 2) earnout of maximum USD1.5mn per annum in next two years subject to achievement of certain performance thresholds, and 3) a retention payment of total USD0.5mn to key employees in the next three years. The SCI deal is expected to be completed within two weeks. The acquisition of certain assets and business of Shree is likely to be completed within 3?5 weeks.

■    Financial implications: The combined revenue run rate of the two target entities was ~USD25mn in the last fiscal year. Combined revenue grew at a ~13% CAGR in last two years. Management said that the deals are likely to be gross margin accretive. However, retention payment and intangible amortization expenses would impact EBITM by 50-75bps in FY22. PSYS expects revenue synergies would gradually reduce margin dilution, and the absence of retention payment after the third year should further improve margins.

■    Our view: The deals should strengthen PSYS's BFSI/Payment and cloud capabilities. The payments IT services market is expected to grow by 12.5% in CY21 to reach USD16.8bn. The acquisition of SCI and Fusion360 will help PSYS take advantage of the acceleration in demand for payments modernization. Cross-selling opportunities among the existing clients and access to marquee logos augur well for revenue growth in the medium term. Given the size of the deals (~4% revenue accretion/low-single digit EPS dilution due to amortization charges and lower other income in Year-1), we do not expect any meaningful revision to our earnings estimates. We have a Buy rating on the stock with a TP of Rs3,700 at 33x Sep'23E EPS.

BlueStacks Launches BlueStacks X, The World’s First Cloud Gaming Service For Mobile Games

* BlueStacks X is free, live in 14 countries with 200+ games, available via the browser, native client/apps and Discord bots

BlueStacks Inc., a pioneer of Android gaming on PC and the world's leading mobile gaming platform, today announced the release of BlueStacks X (beta), the world’s first cloud-based game streaming service for mobile games. BlueStacks X is available on Windows 10 and 11, Mac, iOS, Android, Chromebook and Raspberry Pi. It is the only cloud gaming service on the market that offers free game streaming for mobile games across platforms and devices.

BlueStacks X (beta) is powered by hybrid cloud technology, built in partnership with now.gg,  BlueStacks’ sister company. Hybrid cloud enables the cloud to offload parts of compute and graphics rendering to the endpoints, dramatically reducing the cloud costs and enabling users to enjoy a free service. This can be achieved both with using a native client and browsers capable of native graphics rendering. This technology works transparently and does not require any integration from game developers.

“BlueStacks App Player recently crossed 1 Billion lifetime downloads. BlueStacks X is a natural next step for us. Hybrid cloud is a big technological breakthrough which makes it economically viable to launch the service,” said Rosen Sharma, CEO, BlueStacks Inc. “We are a trusted partner to top mobile game developers. There is a lot of excitement among them about BlueStacks X and some of the other innovations we have like deep Discord integration.”

“These days all gamers practically live on Discord. Launching BlueStacks X as a Discord bot is so innovative and smart. We can literally just click a link and jump into a game. I can customize the service for my server, way cool,” said Aevatrex (Jonathan Fermin), leading mobile gaming influencer.

BlueStacks X can be accessed via the mobile browser on iOS, Android, Windows 11, Mac, Chromebooks and even some smart TVs. The BlueStacks X native client is available on Windows 11, Windows 10 and older versions of Windows. BlueStacks X can also be used by BlueStacks App Player users.

BlueStacks X (beta) already has over 200 games, and several new games are being added every week. The service has a great collection of RPG and Strategy games with other genres being added over time.

About BlueStacks

BlueStacks is an award winning mobile gaming platform adopted by over 1 Billion gamers in 100 countries and six continents around the world. In 2020 over 6 Billion gaming sessions of 70,000 different games were played on BlueStacks. In 2021 BlueStacks launched BlueStacks X (beta) the world’s first game streaming service for mobile games. BlueStacks has a global team of over 400 and is one of the most recognized tech brands in the industry. The world's top game developers leverage its platform to promote their games.

Swaraj Pro Combine 7060 Tracked Harvester To Enable Best-In-Class Acreage For Farmers In Karnataka This Harvest Season

* Loaded with new features the Swaraj Pro Combine 7060 offers enhanced durability, performance and operator comfort

* Designed and developed for paddy harvest with world-class tracked solutions for tough soil conditions

* Aims to improve farmer earnings with best-in-class equipment and a powerful fuel effecient 72 HP engine 

The new Swaraj Pro Combine 7060, a tracked Harvester by Swaraj, will offer paddy farmers in Karnataka with enhanced productivity, performance and ease of operation, while maximizing potential grain yield, for best-in-class acreage.

Fitted with a new paddy cutter bar, the new Swaraj Pro Combine 7060 is also capable of performing efficient cutting of sleeping crop with consistency at comparatively lower costs.

Designed & developed to efficiently harvest paddy and soyabean the new combine harvester by Swaraj will enable reaping, threshing, and winnowing of grains efficiently, with minimal grain loss and breakage.

Engineered to be rugged, powerful and fuel-efficient, the Swaraj Pro Combine 7060 is reliable and is fitted with a 72HP @2300rpm engine. Along with a sturdy low ratio reduction gear box and a low-speed, high torque hydraulic motor for lesser wear & tear, thus guaranteeing a longer product life. With a focus on safety, the harvester also has an overhead guard to prevent electrocution from low-lying electric cables in the field.

Commenting on the offering, Harish Chavan, CEO – Swaraj Division, M&M Ltd.  said, “With a very short window for harvesting, and with agriculture increasingly becoming technology intensive, we at Swaraj are pleased to have the Swaraj Pro Combine 7060 made available for the farmers of Karnataka, with complete on-ground sales, service and spares support at a time crucial for them. Our new product will ensure maximum productivity, quality and yield, with minimum wastage and product downtime thereby ensuring maximum earnings for the farmer.”

The Swaraj Pro Combine 7060 is sold and serviced via Swaraj’s wide retail and service network across Karnataka. The harvester is available at an attractive price with financing available from several banks and finance companies. Apt for wet and soft fields, the Swaraj Pro Combine 7060 is also made available in Orissa, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Swaraj Pro Combine 7060 is an addition to Swaraj’s legacy of rugged and reliable harvesters. Having launched its first harvester about four decades ago, today Swaraj is a leader in harvester technology in India with a rich product portfolio of wheeled, tracked and tractor mounted harvesters manufactured and developed in Mohali, Punjab.

About Swaraj

Swaraj Tractors a division of Mahindra Group is India’s second largest and fastest growing tractor brand. Established in 1974, based in Punjab, the grain bowl of India, Swaraj is a brand that is made by the farmer, for the farmer as many of its employees are also farmers. They bring real world performance and create an authentic, powerful product with assured performance and enduring quality, designed with one purpose – enabling the Indian farmer to Rise. Swaraj Tractors manufactures tractors in the range of 15HP to 65HP and also provides complete farming solutions.

What’s Common between Barack Obama And Ranveer Singh?

Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh has been named the NBA Brand Ambassador for India. He will engage with NBA Fans in India throughout the League’s 75th Anniversary Season in 2021-22. Interestingly, while Ranveer is associated in promoting basketball in India, it is being reported that Barack Obama is backing NBA Africa! Looks like the league is pulling in global heavyweights for their campaigns! 

Over the course of the season, Ranveer will participate in a number of league initiatives that will be featured on the NBA’s and his personal social media accounts. Ranveer will attend NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland, where he will post behind-the-scenes social media content and meet NBA players and legends. Ranveer previously attended NBA All-Star 2016 in Toronto, where he sat courtside at the NBA All-Star Game.

Ranveer will also be featured on “NBA Style” (@nbastyle_in), a new lifestyle-focused Instagram account for fans in India that showcases the convergence of the NBA and popular culture. ‘NBA Style’ serves as a destination for fans in India to immerse themselves in the many ways that the league and its players influence and are influenced by music, style, art and entertainment. The new account also spotlights a wide range of local personalities and their contributions to both NBA and popular culture.

“I have loved basketball and the NBA since my childhood and have always been fascinated with its influence on popular culture including music, fashion and entertainment,” said Ranveer. “With the NBA tipping off its 75th season celebrations, there couldn’t have been a better time to join forces with the league and support their efforts to grow basketball in the country.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Ranveer Singh as NBA brand ambassador for India ahead of what promises to be a memorable 75th Anniversary Season,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum. “A Bollywood icon and one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, Ranveer is also a dedicated NBA fan who is passionate about the league and its players.  We’re excited to work with Ranveer to engage with fans in India and around the world on a variety of platforms.”

“Ranveer is an ideal ambassador to headline the launch of NBA Style, our new Instagram handle that explores the intersection of basketball and culture,” said NBA Asia Executive Vice President and Managing Director Scott Levy. “Art, fashion and entertainment are part of the fabric of India, and with Ranveer’s help, NBA Style will contribute to the cultural landscape and showcase how the league and its players have been shaped by and influence culture.”

Sterling And Wilson Solar Limited Wins Its First Waste-To-Energy Project Worth INR 1,500 Crore

Sterling and Wilson Solar Limited (SWSL/ Company) (BSE Scrip Code: 542760; NSE Symbol: SWSOLAR), one of the world’s leading solar EPC and O&M solutions providers, announced that it has received the first order worth ~ INR 1,500 crore for its waste-to-energy business from a leading developer of energy assets in the UK and Europe. Last month, the Company had announced expansion of its renewable energy offerings to include hybrid energy, energy storage and waste-to-energy solutions. 

The facility will process 23.2 tonnes of non-recyclable solid municipal waste per hour, diverting over 185,600 tonnes of waste each year. The facility will generate around 19.6 MW of energy, enough to power over 30,000 homes, and will also provide heat that can be used by nearby businesses. 

Mr. Amit Jain, Global CEO, Sterling and Wilson Solar Group said, “We are delighted to have bagged our first order in the waste-to-energy segment, which we recently forayed into. This is a double delight since it is also our first order in the European market, further cementing our position as the most trusted partner in the EPC segment. Since waste-to-energy projects have a larger execution period, through such orders, the Company will be able to manage a consistent revenue stream year-on-year.” 

“This is an important project for the region, in terms of sustainability and renewable power generation. With over two billion tonnes of municipal waste produced globally each year, the treatment of non-recyclable trash that otherwise emits methane from landfills will help reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” he added. 

Scope of work for this project includes design, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and testing of the facility, Boiler (fuel - Refused Derived Fuel), 19 MWe steam turbine generator and condensor, pollution control equipment, water treatment plant, associated balance of plant and subsequent O&M.  Construction will start in Q3FY22 and will take over three years to commission. 

About Sterling and Wilson Solar Limited 

Sterling and Wilson Solar Limited, a Shapoorji Pallonji group company, is a global pure-play, end-to-end solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) solutions provider. The Company provides EPC services primarily for utility-scale solar power projects, with a focus on project design and engineering, and manages all aspects of project execution from conceptualising to commissioning. The Company has been executing projects globally and has to its credit more than 11.4 GWp of solar power projects (commissioned and under various stages of construction) in various geographies. SWSL also provides operations and maintenance (O&M) services, including for projects constructed by third parties, and currently manages a portfolio of 8.8 GWp. Present in 24 countries today, Sterling and Wilson Solar Limited has operations in India, South-East Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australia.  

Bidadi Industries Association Conducts 9th Annual General Body Meeting

* Underscores its strengths while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic on its journey towards becoming the most admired industrial area

The Bidadi Industries Association (BIA) today held its ninth Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) at Wonderla Resorts. The Association ensured compliance with all government restrictions given the coronavirus pandemic to conduct the AGM by following all COVID-19 protocols. 

The AGM approved the actions of the Executive Council for FY 2020-21 by a large majority and approved all the resolutions on the agenda, comprising the adoption of Annual Accounts 2020-21 & BIA bye-law amendments. Various contributors & sponsors were felicitated in a modest but professionally organized AGM event with a clear agenda. Dr. K. Rakesh Kumar, IAS, Hon’ble Deputy Commissioner & District Magistrate, Ramanagara District & Mr. Mohammed Ikramulla Shariff, IAS, Hon’ble CEO, Ramanagara Zilla Panchayat presided over the event.

Just last October (2020), BIA had celebrated the official opening of its state-of-the-art new office building and a full-fledged Centralized Solid Waste Management (CSWM) Facility at Bidadi Industrial Area in Bidadi, Ramanagara District, which have since been operational and functioning well.

Addressing the gathering, the President of BIA, Mr. K V Rajendra Hegde, recounted the tough but systematically planned and executed actions for improving infrastructure in the Bidadi Industrial Area. He said this was possible by following its motto of inclusive development involving industry, government, and community, by a dedicated and passionate Special Purpose Group (SPG), comprising experienced personnel deployed from major industries like Toyota & Bosch, and mandated and supervised by an expert Executive Council, represented by all categories of industries from the large to the small.

Attending the AGM event were senior representatives from BIA, industry heads & senior officials from the Government of Karnataka.

Addressing the audience as Chief Guest, Dr. K. Rakesh Kumar, IAS, Hon’ble  Deputy Commissioner & District Magistrate, Ramanagara District said, “It is highly appreciable that BIA has been able to attain recognition from the Government of Karnataka for its unique model as a professionally managed organization, with a robustly planned system of operations for long term sustainability. It is indeed a model for other industry associations to emulate.”

Formed in 2011 by a group of 25 industries, BIA kick-started the development initiatives in 2014 with the formation of a 13 member EC, ably supported by the SPG, a team of dedicated professionals from across member industries, who have taken proactive collaboration to new levels. The progress can be witnessed on the ground, a direct consequence of the self-reliant, self-sustainable approach of BIA towards its goal of becoming the most admired industrial area, by proactively aligning and liaising with government, industry, and community – the three “pillars” as the President of BIA terms them, to develop, manage and sustain the estate, the fourth pillar, which houses the industries of members, currently numbering 212.

“The BIA has been nothing but optimistic in navigating out of the shadows of COVID-19 to provide valuable support to member industries, many of whom are MSMEs. All of us are hoping that we can overcome the crisis soon and we are looking forward to a period of recovery and stability,” was the consensus from the team at BIA, as it concluded its ninth AGM event successfully.

Serial Entrepreneur & Healthcare Industry Veteran Jay Reddy Joins “Click2Clinic” As Chairman Of The Board

* New appointment to bring in great momentum to an already fast-growing healthcare services enterprise

* Click2Clinic announces expansion of the board and infusion of new capital

Click2Clinic, a technology-enabled marketplace for home healthcare with the mission to deliver consistent high quality affordable patient care at home, today announced appointment of Mr. Jay Reddy, an industry veteran, as Chairman of the Board. This new appointment further expands the board of the company which also witnessed infusion of fresh capital into the business.

Click2Clinic has deep-rooted penetration currently in Delhi-NCR & Hyderabad in the B2C segment while through institutional clients like corporates, Insurances & TPAs etc. have services across 10+ cities in India. With the corporate office at Gurugram (Delhi-NCR) & regional branch at Hyderabad, the core management team brings in a cumulative experience of more than 4 decades to serve customers every day across its 25+ home healthcare service categories.

Mr. Jay Reddy, a successful serial entrepreneur who till recently was the Founder, CEO & Chairman of Vitreoshealth from 2010 to 2019, a healthcare predictive analytics company, will assume the role of Chairman at Click2Clinic effective October 2nd, 2021. Testament to Mr. Reddy’s success as an entrepreneur are the accolades his company won over the years, and under his leadership Vitreos Health was successfully acquired by HMS Holding (HMSY)in 2019. Prior to VitreosHealth, Jay Reddy founded a supply chain optimization company _ MindFlow Technologies _ and was its CEO from 2000 to 2007.

Commenting on this milestone, Dr. Sujeeth R Punnam, Founder, Click2Clinic said, “This is a significant development in the history and for the future of our organization. Jay’s addition to our team brings the best of clinical, operational, technology and entrepreneurial spirit with a proven track record of successfully scaling up our operations, which we intend to do with the launch our solutions across multiple cities over the next few years.”

“The infusion of new capital and talent will accelerate our growth plans by continuously innovating and delivery of new care models that our customers are demanding,” added Mr. Vivek Khanna, CEO, Click2Clinic.

Expressing his gratitude, Mr. Jay Reddy, Chairman-designate, Click2Clinic said, “This pandemic has shown that healthcare in India, which is predominantly acute-care centric, is broken when it comes to delivering ongoing care for patients suffering from chronic diseases. And ‘home healthcare’ can significantly fill-in this existing gap. I am excited to be a part of this transformation in the Indian healthcare through Click2Clinic, who are pioneers in the marketplace model. Click2Clinic is an exciting idea and a company built by a group of physicians. It has clinical DNA entrenched in its ethos, processes and products.”

Click2Clinic has raised a total of USD 1.5 Million from a group of angel investors (primarily a group of doctors) based out of USA. The new influx has been introduced by Mr. Jay Reddy along with an individual reputed hedge-fund manager well established in the American circuit. They would together continue infusing capital to fund the growth of the company at angel level before going to the market for Series-A funding by professional investment groups.

About Click2Clinic:

Founded by a group of highly successful physicians with deep clinical experience and expertise from India and the United States of America, Click2Clinic is a fast-growing enterprise which provides patient care in the comfort of one’s home by connecting providers with patients in a highly transparent and secured environment. Click2Clinic is transforming the Indian Home Healthcare landscape enabling a dynamic shift from overly dependent hospital-centric healthcare ecosystem to the most secure & desirable care setting - The Loving Home, by continuously innovating with new user-friendly technologies and new care delivery models.

Kennametal India Launches The “One Billion Drops” Project In Bengaluru In Partnership With United Way Of India

Kennametal India Limited, in partnership with United Way of India, a non-profit organization, initiated the launch of the “One Billion Drops” project in Bengaluru, India today with a groundbreaking ceremony. The project will take place at the Jayaprakash Narayan (J.P. Park) Bio-diversity Park in Mathikere to improve the ground water table of the park and its surrounding residential area. Apart from several community members, the event was graced by a special guest, Shri N. Munirathna, Hon’ble Horticulture, Planning and Statistics Minister for the State of Karnataka.

This project entails building 86 percolation pits over 90 days and will yield manifold benefits – from a 6-meter increase in the water table around J.P Park, to a decrease in rainwater waste, as well as securing water availability for the park and nearby residential areas. These efforts will also result in a substantial reduction in dependence on other water sources in the near term, while generating water supply for gardening and watering the park.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, Managing Director, Kennametal India Limited said, “Our Corporate Social Responsibility platform is built on a three-pronged framework: promoting technical education, Kennametal involvement in community and protecting our planet. Through credible NGO partners, our Bengaluru facility is involved in various projects to make a meaningful impact around our manufacturing facility. ‘One Billion Drops’ is an initiative aligned with our core values and commitment to sustainability that ensures protection of the environment for future generations.”

Citing the importance of such projects, Shri N. Munirathna said, “The horticulture department of Karnataka has been taking initiative to increase the green cover of Bengaluru and sustain its status as the “garden city of India.” We are thankful to Kennametal for proposing and sponsoring this project through United Way India that will positively impact the environment by aiding in the conservation of our precious natural resources.”

Speaking on the significance of environmental sustainability, Jayanti Shukla, CEO – United Way of India said, “Rejuvenation of water bodies provides a viable water source for local communities and improves ground-water levels. Our programs for community welfare go hand-in-hand with environmental protection and reclamation.” She adds, “United Way of India is proud to be a part of this coalition with Kennametal India Limited and United Way of Bengaluru in building a long-term and sustainable solution for environmental conservation." 

NITI Aayog, AWS, And Intel Collaborate To Accelerate Digital Innovation In India

* New Experience Studio at the NITI Aayog Cloud Innovation Center to be a hub for collaboration and experimentation, initially focusing on healthcare, agriculture, and smart infrastructure verticals

The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), the Government of India’s national policy think tank, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Intel have come together to establish a new experience studio at the NITI Aayog Frontier Technologies Cloud Innovation Center (CIC). Located in NITI Aayog’s New Delhi premises, the studio will be a hub for collaboration and experimentation to enable problem solving and innovation between government stakeholders, startups, enterprises, and industry domain experts.

The studio will help showcase the potential of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/ VR), blockchain, and robotics to accelerate their application in public sector use cases. The studio will encourage open innovation and serve as a hub for government, healthcare, education, and nonprofit startups from India to showcase their solutions. It will also provide startups with an option to access necessary support to enhance and scale their solutions.

NITI Aayog will also leverage the studio to demonstrate the application of geospatial, AR/VR, drone, and IoT solutions in verticals such as healthcare, agriculture, and smart infrastructure. Major homegrown industry leaders in respective fields of technology and research – like MapMyIndia in geospatial solutions, Raphe mPhibr Pvt. Ltd. in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and the Centre for Advanced Research in Imaging, Neuroscience and Genomics (CARING), which delivers AI in healthcare – and global leaders like Dassault Systemes, and startups like Vizara Technologies and Agatsa Software Pvt. Ltd. are demonstrating their solutions at the studio. Startups will be encouraged to participate actively in the studio through hackathons, grand challenges, and other capacity building initiatives, in collaboration with the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Atal Incubation Centres (AIC).

The studio was inaugurated today in the presence of Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, by Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog and Rahul Sharma, President, Public Sector – Amazon Internet Services Pvt. Ltd. (AISPL), AWS India and South Asia. Prakash Mallya, VP & MD – Sales, Marketing & Communications Group, Intel India attended the inauguration virtually.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that effective collaboration and experimentation matter significantly when developing innovative solutions to address problems of scale in the country. As the NITI Aayog Frontier Technologies CIC identifies societal challenges to address, it is important to embrace a culture of open innovation and working backwards from problem statements. The new experience studio with AWS and Intel will further support our mission to identify and deploy leading edge technologies to drive continuous innovation in delivering citizen services,” said Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog.

“The new experience studio at the NITI Aayog Frontier Technologies CIC, based on the AWS Cloud Innovation Centers program, aims to quickly solve public sector challenges through collaboration and actualize innovations from experimentation and prototypes. The studio will help subject matter experts from different verticals, government stakeholders, and startups to apply design thinking to go deeper into problem areas and develop solutions to enable digital healthcare, build the digital agriculture ecosystem, and develop the digital infrastructure for smart cities in India. It will be a hub for creativity, experimentation, and testing new ideas to solve challenges sourced from the community,” said Rahul Sharma, President, Public Sector – AISPL, AWS India and South Asia.

“Cloud innovation is fundamental to unlocking the potential of future technologies to create scalable impact across sectors. Intel is committed to expanding access to technology resources and knowledge through our collaboration with NITI Aayog and AWS to develop, build, and support cloud services that can enrich the lives of people in India and around the world. The new NITI Aayog CIC Experience Studio is a powerful example of industry collaboration to accelerate technology solutions for meaningful social impact,” said Prakash Mallya, VP & MD – Sales, Marketing & Communications Group, Intel India.

The experience studio at the NITI Aayog Frontier Technologies CIC will adopt a hybrid model enabling physical and virtual workspaces to collaborate seamlessly. The physical workspace design in the studio will enable solutions showcase, interactive demos, and rapid prototyping among stakeholders to converge on ideas for further action. The studio’s digital workspace will enable state-of-the-art collaborative environments to invite experts from various verticals, government departments, research institutions, and not-for-profit organisations for hands-on workshops.

The NITI Aayog Frontier Technologies CIC was established in October 2020 as part of the AWS Cloud Innovation Centers Global Program. Focusing on tackling the challenges facing India, the CIC recently developed COvAID during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Developed in five days, COvAID provided a platform for consolidating the end-to-end flow of aid received to support COVID-19 affected people, distributing the aid in a transparent manner, and accelerating the speed at which the aid reaches beneficiaries. In another example, working with the Digi Yatra Foundation, the CIC also anchored the Digital Yatra Central Ecosystem (DYCE) Challenge, inviting startups to develop a real time facial biometric validation solution to provide a friction-less, hassle-free, contact-less, and safe experience to passengers during air travel.

AWS Public Sector CICs are also present across Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Germany, South Korea, and United States. Earlier this year, AWS also collaborated with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in India to establish a Quantum Computing Applications Lab in the country, focused on accelerating quantum computing-led research and development, and enabling new scientific discoveries aligned to the government’s science and technology priorities.

About Amazon Web Services

For over 15 years, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud offering. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any cloud workload, and it now has more than 200 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), media, and application development, deployment, and management from 81 Availability Zones within 25 geographic regions, with announced plans for 24 more Availability Zones and eight more AWS Regions in Australia, India, Indonesia, Israel, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. Millions of customers—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit aws.amazon.com.

Six Actions To Limit Global Warming To 1.5°C: ETC Report

The Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) today set out the actions which nations and companies could take during the 2020s to deliver the Paris agreement and limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Current national decarbonization pledges (known as Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs), made as part of the Paris climate accord, fall far short of those needed to prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. An additional 17-20 Gt of CO2 reductions and a 40% reduction in methane emissions would be needed to achieve that objective. But the ETC’s report Keeping 1.5°C Alive: Closing the Gap in the 2020s, describes technologically feasible actions which could close that gap to a 1.5°C pathway and which could be catalyzed by agreements at the upcoming COP26 climate summit in November in Glasgow.

Many of the actions entail minimal cost and would spur further innovation and support green economic development; and all of them could be given impetus at COP26 via commitments from leading countries and companies, without the need for comprehensive international agreement. But two high priority actions – ending deforestation and reducing emissions from existing coal plants – will need to be supported by climate finance flows from rich developed countries.

The recommendations cover six areas: cutting methane emissions, ending deforestation and other nature-based solutions, moving faster beyond coal, accelerating road transport electrification, decarbonizing key industrial and other “harder to abate” sectors, and achieving improvements in energy efficiency. 

"To keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees alive, the world must act now to halve emissions over the next decade, and work towards net zero by the middle of the century,” said COP26 President-Designate, Alok Sharma. “This report sets out a clear and credible action plan of achievable emissions to get us on a 1.5-degree pathway. Ahead of COP26, we urge all countries to submit enhanced plans to reduce emissions and take action on coal, cars, trees and methane.”

“Current national commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are a useful step forward but far from sufficient to limit global warming to an acceptable level,” commented Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission. “But we have the technologies to achieve far faster reductions, often at nil or low cost, and this report shows how. And much of what needs to be done does not require comprehensive international agreements but can be driven forward by coalitions of leading countries and companies. COP26 must be the catalyst to seizing this opportunity.”

Nigel Topping, UK High Level Climate Action Champion, COP26, said: “The ETC highlights the critical actions for nations and companies to Keep 1.5°C. Alive. Rallying leadership and global support is at the heart of the Race to Zero and the ETC’s recommendations demonstrate that it is technically and economically feasible to achieve collective action in the next decade. Momentum is building and it is now crucial that we focus on rapid deployment in the 2020s, if we are to limit global warming to 1.5°C."

The six categories of action identified by the ETC are:

Significant and rapid reductions in methane emissions. The latest report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that methane emissions have accounted for around 40% of past global warming, and reducing these emissions is the most powerful lever available to limit global warming as soon as possible. But many NDCs place insufficient focus on methane. Low-cost actions could cut fossil fuel related emissions by 60% by 2030, while emissions arising from agriculture and waste management could potentially be cut by 30%

Halting deforestation and beginning reforestation. Halting deforestation, beginning reforestation, and improving other land use practices could reduce emissions by 6.5Gt per year by 2030. Achieving this will require financial support from rich developed countries and should be a priority use of committed climate finance

Decarbonizing the power sector and accelerating the phaseout of coal. Coal-fired electricity generation is the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, but it is increasingly uneconomic against renewables. An immediate ban on the construction of new coal-fired power plants, combined with a phaseout of existing coal plants could deliver 3.5 Gt of additional emissions reductions per year by 2030. All rich developed countries should commit to total phase out by2030, and climate finance flows from developed economies should support a gradual phase out in developing countries.

Accelerating the electrification of road transport. The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) promises to save consumers money in fuel costs and maintenance while eliminating one of the largest sources of air pollution. A ban on selling internal combustion engine light duty vehicles, instituted by 2035, would cement this shift.  Commitments by major fleet operators to fully electrify their vehicle fleets at still earlier dates would be a powerful driver of change. An additional 2.3 Gt per year of emission reductions could result from such actions by 2030.

Accelerating supply decarbonization in buildings, heavy industry, and heavy transport. Eliminating emissions from these sectors will extend beyond 2030. But progress in technology and cost reduction is making possible faster reductions than most NDCs currently assume. Commitments by leading companies and countries in steel, cement, shipping and aviation could deliver an additional 1 Gt per year of emissions reductions, with a further 1 GT per year potentially delivered through accelerated electrification of electric heat.

Reinvigorating energy and resource efficiency. Despite big opportunities to achieve low-cost emissions reduction via improvements in energy and resource efficiency, recent progress has been disappointingly slow. But progress could be accelerated via action at COP26, building on existing initiatives to spur efficiency improvements in buildings and appliances. 

Sumant Sinha, Chairman and Managing Director, Renew Power, said: “Country NDCs fall well short of what is needed to limit global temperature rise by 1.5°C. More ambitious goals with targeted actions in the energy sector, with specific actions across electricity, transport, industries, and buildings are needed. These must be backed by speedy deployment of zero-carbon power, proven emission reduction technologies, creation of the right policy environment to ensure technology diffusion in all sectors. The steps we take now will determine the kind of planet we leave as our legacy."

To read the full Keeping 1.5°C Alive: Closing the Gap in the 2020s report, please visit: https://www.energy-transitions.org/publications/keeping-1-5-alive/

Cashfree Payments And Mumbai Angels Network Partner To Make Payment Solutions More Accessible To Start-Ups

●  This partnership will allow start-ups associated with Mumbai Angels Network to avail Cashfree Payments’ suite of fintech solutions and products at discounted rates

●  Cashfree Payments is the only fintech company on board with Mumbai Angels Network to support these start-ups with payment tech

Leading payments and API banking solutions company, Cashfree Payments today announced its partnership with Mumbai Angels Network to support start-ups with seamless payment solutions. Through this partnership, Cashfree Payments will help more than 170 start-ups to accelerate growth by providing payment solutions at subsidized pricing. With Cashfree Payments’ solutions and services these businesses will have seamless transaction processes and will be able to achieve greater success and economic scalability.

The Mumbai Angel Network is a start-up investment platform that backs seed and early-stage ventures.

Commenting on the partnership, Reeju Datta, Co-Founder, Cashfree Payments said, “We have always focused on empowering the start-up ecosystem by providing seamless payment frameworks so that start-ups can streamline their payments for efficient operation. We are pleased to partner with Mumbai Angels Network in this endeavour. Our goal is to mentor and offer a suite of Fintech products at special rates to these  start-ups to accelerate their progress and establish ourselves as reliable partners in their growth and success".

Commenting on the partnership, Nandini Mansinghka, Co-Founder & CEO, Mumbai Angels Network said, "We are curating a high-end cohort of service providers to strengthen the core businesses of our portfolio companies. In this initiative, we believe Cashfree Payments can be a promising partner for paperless banking services, an innovative solution for early-stage companies looking for payment service”.

Mumbai Angels Network has 15 years of experience and a network of about 550 angel investors that enable startups to unlock their potential and scale growth across core operations.With INR 200 CR invested from 40 cities and ten countries, they support investors and portfolios in various areas including investing, portfolio monitoring, and investor education. They also co-invest with VCs.

Recently, Cashfree Payments has launched the first product from its Banking as a Service (BaaS) offering, ‘Accounts’ to help platforms create, link and manage bank accounts of all kinds on behalf of their customers, partners and vendors. ‘Account’s by Cashfree Payments will enable 100% paperless instant bank account creation, helping businesses to quickly build a financial services product and grow fast. India’s leading payments and API banking solutions company offers 6 first-of-its-kind fintech innovations: Payouts, Instant Refunds, Cashgram, Pre-Authorization, Subscriptions, Instant Settlements. This is outside of its regular offerings, which includes Payment Gateway, Payouts, Cashgram, Autocollect, Marketplace Settlement and supporting features.

Cashfree Payments is among the leading payment service providers in India and processes transactions worth USD 20 billion annually. With over 50% market share among payment processors, Cashfree Payments today leads the way in bulk disbursals in India with Cashfree Payments’, ‘Payouts’. In June 2021, India’s largest lender, SBI, invested in Cashfree Payments, underscoring the company’s role in building a robust payments ecosystem. The company works closely with all leading banks to build the core payments and banking infrastructure that powers the company’s products and is also integrated with major platforms such as Shopify, Wix, Paypal, Amazon Pay, Paytm and Google Pay. Currently, Cashfree Payments’ products are used in India and eight other foreign countries like the USA, Canada, and the UAE, and by businesses like Logisy, Aramex, Zomato, Cred, Nykaa, Delhivery, among others.

About Cashfree Payments:

Cashfree Payments is a leading payments and API banking solutions company. It provides full-stack payments solutions enabling businesses in India to collect payments and make payouts via all available methods with a simple integration. Cashfree Payments’ offerings include an advanced and easy way to integrate payment gateway, a split payment solution for marketplaces, bank account verification API and Auto Collect -- a virtual account solution to match inbound payments to customers. Founded by IIIT Hyderabad alumnus Akash Sinha and IIT Kharagpur graduate Reeju Datta, www.cashfree.com is among the  leading  payment service providers in India processing transactions worth USD 20 Billion annually. It has leveraged technology to lead payment disbursals in India with more than 50% market share among payment processors. 

Cashfree Payments enables more than 1,00,000 businesses with payment collections, vendor payouts, wage payouts, bulk refunds, expense reimbursements, loyalty and rewards. Apart from India, Cashfree Payments’ products are used in eight other countries including USA, Canada and UAE. Cashfree Payments is backed by Silicon Valley investor Y Combinator, Apis Partners, State Bank of India (SBI) and was incubated by PayPal.

Atlassian Recognized In The Top 100 Of India’s Best Workplaces For Women By Great Place To Work Institute

* The largest study in India that celebrates organizations for fostering a sense of gender equity and equality 

Atlassian Corporation Plc (NASDAQ: TEAM), a leading provider of team collaboration and productivity software and the maker of Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, and Trello, today announced that it has been recognized in the ‘Top 100 Best Workplaces for Women 2021' in the large companies category, by the Great Place to Work Institute. This recognition comes off the back of the company ranking #19 in the prestigious 2021 Best Workplaces in India by the Great Place to Work Institute. The company was recognized for its unique work culture involving openness, teamwork, and innovation. 

Atlassian, which established a local presence in 2018, has grown its office in Bengaluru into a world-class R&D center by hiring the smartest technical minds and intentionally creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. The company is working to support the women in tech community in India, thereby building a diverse and inclusive organizational culture. Atlassian's annual women focused event - She Talks Tech, is an inspiring tech talk series which provides women in tech space to connect, network and learn from each other. Atlassian also supports a mentoring initiative where employees provide guidance to female engineering students from underprivileged backgrounds to help advance their careers. 

“As a company committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, we are honored to be recognized as one of India’s best workplaces for women. We are on a mission to unleash the potential of every team - including our own. We know that only when we have nothing short of equity, will we truly be able to achieve this. We know we have a long way to go but I am proud of this recognition. It is a tribute to our fantastic team members,” said Dinesh Ajmera, Site Lead and Head of Engineering, Bengaluru, Atlassian. 

Sonia Parandekar, Head of Engineering for Commerce, Bengaluru, Atlassian said, “Since first joining Atlassian more than three years ago, I’ve had the pleasure of working with and mentoring many of our talented female engineers who do brilliant innovative work every day. As our India site continues to grow at a fast pace, we want to hire the best female tech talent that India has to offer. For us, it’s about hiring but then also retaining. We are deeply invested in supporting our employees throughout all stages of their career. I am so proud that this ambition has been recognised with this award.”  

This year, more than 712 organizations participated in the ‘India’s Best Workplaces for Women’ survey conducted by the Great Place to Work® Institute in India, from which the top 100 workplaces for women were selected and recognized. The study is one of India’s largest annual assessments of workplace excellence for women across all levels and is based on confidential employee feedback and an audit of management processes. 

Further, certified organizations were then studied basis Gender Parity in Experience & Representation across levels to arrive at India's Best Workplaces for Women 2021. The Eligibility Criteria include - Having at least 10% women employees on their payroll and a minimum of 70% positive feedback on the Trust Index© employee survey from women employees in the organization. 

About Atlassian 

Atlassian unleashes the potential of every team. Our team collaboration and productivity software helps teams organize, discuss, and complete shared work. Teams at more than 236,000 customers, across large and small organizations - including Bank of America, Redfin, NASA, Verizon, and Dropbox - use Atlassian’s project tracking, content creation and sharing, and service management products to work better together and deliver quality results on time. Learn more about our products, including Jira Software, Confluence, Jira Service Management, Trello, Bitbucket, and Jira Align at https://atlassian.com/. 

About Great Place to Work 

Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Great Place to Work helps organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. Emprising®, their culture management platform, empowers leaders with the surveys, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Their unparalleled benchmark data is used to recognize Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies and the Best Workplaces™ in the US and more than 60 countries, including the 100 Best Companies to Work For® and World’s Best list published annually in Fortune. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a Great Place to Work For All™. To learn more, visit http://greatplacetowork.com.

Airtel To Invest Rs 5000 Crores To Scale Up Its Data Centre Business

* Investment to further cement ‘Nxtra by Airtel’ as India’s largest network of hyperscale and edge data centres

* Will triple Nxtra by Airtel’s data centre capacity to over 400 MW by 2025 and position it well to meet the surging demand in India’s fast growing digital economy

Bharti Airtel Limited (“Airtel”) today unveiled a refreshed brand identity ‘Nxtra by Airtel’ for its data centre business and outlined investment plans to significantly scale up its data centre network to serve the requirements of India’s fast growing digital economy.

Nxtra by Airtel has the largest network of data centres in India. It currently operates 10 large and 120 edge data centres located strategically across India and manages critical submarine landing stations. Coupled with Airtel’s global network, it offers secure and scalable integrated solution to global hyperscalers, large Indian enterprises, start-ups, SMEs and governments.

With 5G around the corner, a fast growing digital economy, enterprises transitioning to cloud and local data storage regulations, India is witnessing strong demand for reliable data centre solutions. The Indian data centre industry is expected more than double its installed capacity from an approximate 450 MW to 1074 MW by 2023*.

Nxtra by Airtel aims to be at the forefront of this growth and plans to invest Rs 5,000 crores by 2025 to further scale up its industry leading network of hyperscale and edge data centres. This will include new data centre parks in key metro cities. The investment will triple Nxtra by Airtel’s installed capacity to over 400 MW to meet the surging demand and consolidate its network leadership.       

Ajay Chitkara, Director and CEO, Airtel Business said, “Airtel has built the largest data centre network in India and we are now doubling down on this business to scale up our network that will be at the core of 5G and Digital India. Our experience of operating secure data centres, deep brand trust in the enterprise segment and the ability to deliver end-to-end digital transformation solutions positions us well to serve the emerging requirements of India’s connected economy. The new brand identity embodies this vision and ambition.”

Sustainability will continue to be its big focus given the huge energy requirements of data centres. Nxtra by Airtel is already aggressively scaling up use of green energy for its data centres and aims to source 50% of the power requirements of these centres through renewable sources as part of Airtel’s overall GHG emission reduction targets. Nxtra by Airtel also recently commissioned captive solar power plants in the state of Uttar Pradesh & Maharashtra with still more in the pipeline.

Airtel Business, the B2B unit of Airtel, is the India’s leading provider of information communication technology services and offers a diverse portfolio of products and services covering voice, data, collaboration, work from home solutions, cloud, data centre, cyber security, IoT, network integration, managed services, enterprise mobility and digital media across a range of industries.

* https://www.jll.co.in/en/trends-and-insights/research/2020-india-data-center-market-update.

About Airtel

Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global communications solutions provider with over 474 Mn customers in 18 countries across South Asia and Africa. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its networks cover over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated communications solutions provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. Airtel’s retail portfolio includes high speed 4G/4.5G mobile broadband, Airtel Xstream Fiber that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps with convergence across linear and on-demand entertainment, streaming services spanning music and video, digital payments and financial services. For enterprise customers, Airtel offers a gamut of solutions that includes secure connectivity, cloud and data centre services, cyber security, IoT, Ad Tech and cloud based communication. For more details visit www.airtel.com. 

CIMA Signs New Remote Digital-Packed Learning Program MOU With Christ University

 ·         The CGMA ® Finance Leadership Program was launched in Africa, Asia and Europe as a new e-learning and assessment platform supporting employers and universities

·         Meets accelerating demand for remote digital self-paced learning driven by the COVID-19 pandemic

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Christ University for a new remote, digital self-paced learning program namely The CGMA ® Finance Leadership Program that will be available for all of Christ University’s business, accounting and finance students.

The CGMA ® Finance Leadership Program is a new guided learning and assessment route to completing the CIMA© Professional Qualification and earning the CGMA designation. With the help of real-life case simulations, it teaches a mix of finance, accounting, business, people, leadership and digital skills that will be required to build successful careers.  

“We are proud to partner with Christ University to pilot our CGMA ® Finance Leadership Program, a complete digital learning platform which will enable students from Business and Accounting specialization to progress into becoming a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and digitalization, it is crucial for graduates to have strong skillsets and competencies to remain relevant and I believe the CGMA ® Finance Leadership Program is the right tool that students can use to get the relevant skills and mindset to prepare themselves for the current workforce,” said Venkkat Ramanan FCMA, CGMA, Asia Pacific Regional Vice President of The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (The Association), the unified voice of AICPA & CIMA.

With traditional in-person tuition and examination methods being challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic and digital acceleration, this new e-learning and assessment platform provides instant on-line access for aspiring business and finance leaders to learn finance skills needed in business to the equivalence of a master’s degree level of education.

Students can start their learning journey at an appropriate entry level, building on existing education achievement, credentials and practical experience, with their employer or university able to monitor and support their students as they progress.

“Christ University’s association with CIMA is reaching to one and a half decade of collaboration. Through this relatively long journey, CIMA has distinctly contributed towards strengthening of the undergraduate Bachelor of Commerce Professional program. By looking across the global skillsets and changing conceptual needs CIMA association at undergraduate level ensured quality curriculum updates by default,” said Professor Biju Toms, Director, Department of Professional Studies, Christ University.

“CIMA and Christ University engagement is reaching 3.0 with the introduction of The CGMA ® Finance Leadership Program. The uniqueness of the program is that universal pedagogic practice on a virtual mode is getting facilitated with the undergraduate study. It ensures the learning is completely student centric and hence the pace of completion of modules completely determined by the student. Testing and evaluation along the progression dashboard analytics will enable both student and the university to keep track of the student progress,” added Professor Biju Toms.  

The partnership with Christ University is targeting a minimum of 180 students to enroll annually for the program where students will be able to complete only three exams – operational level, management level and strategic level to obtain the CIMA Professional Qualification.

This intensive experience enhances any team’s credibility and fundamentally changes their careers. Upon completing the program, team members earn CIMA membership at either the ACMA or FCMA level, in addition to the prestigious CGMA designation.

This initiative will also connect students and the university with the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the global accounting organisation formed by CIMA and The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), and its 642,000 students and members worldwide.

The MoU signing ceremony was represented by Dr. Fr Abraham V M – Vice Chancellor, Dr Anil J Pinto – Registrar, Professor Biju Tom – Director – DPS, Dr. Tomy K Kallarakal – Dean – School of Commerce – Finance & Accountancy, Dr. Kavitha Desai – HoD – DPS, Assistant Professor Reshma Roy – Bcom Professional – DPS and Mr. Kishan Sathyan – Coordinator, BCom Professional of Christ University. The event was held at the Christ University campus.

Keysight Selected by NIO to Verify 5G and Cellular Vehicle to Everything (C-V2X) Connectivity In Electric Vehicles

* Enables top Chinese electric vehicle automaker to address market demand in China and abroad

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a leading technology company that delivers advanced design and validation solutions to help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, announced that NIO, a Chinese manufacturer of battery electric vehicles (EVs), has selected Keysight solutions to verify 5G and cellular vehicle to everything (C-V2X) connectivity.

NIO, one of China's top EV automakers, selected Keysight's 5G and C-V2X network emulation solutions to advance development of premium EVs primarily targeting the Chinese market. Keysight enables NIO to verify 5G and C-V2X designs according to the latest 5G new radio (NR) and C-V2X specifications as defined by 3GPP and other standards organizations. Keysight's solutions enable NIO to emulate and verify complex hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) drive test scenarios in a lab environment under controlled and repeatable test conditions.

"Automakers, such as NIO, are at the forefront of driving next generation technologies in connectivity, autonomous driving and artificial intelligence," said Thomas Goetzl, vice president and general manager for Keysight's Automotive & Energy Solutions business unit. "We're pleased to support NIO, an innovator in automotive smart connectivity and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), with test solutions that enable the automaker to address the market demand in China and abroad."

Successful market introductions of highly complex passenger transport EVs rely on comprehensive validation of connectivity, implemented to improve road safety, efficiency in transportation of people, as well as drivers' and passengers' in-car experiences. Keysight's connected car solutions support a wide range of technologies including 5G, C-V2X and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), to improve reliability, cybersecurity and safety.

"Keysight enables NIO to confidently verify the performance equipment designed for deployment on board our electric vehicles," said Wang Wei, senior manager at NIO. "Thanks to Keysight's integrated portfolio of test solutions across multiple cellular technologies, NIO can quickly and cost-efficiently deliver EVs that maximize safety for passengers and road users alike."

Keysight offers a wide range of automotive solutions for verifying wireless connections, interoperability, electromagnetic compatibility, cybersecurity and functional safety. Leading vendors of chipsets, sub-assemblies and vehicles, as well as test houses within a global automotive community, depend on Keysight's design, validation and optimization solutions to advance smart transportation technology and products.

About Keysight Technologies 

Keysight delivers advanced design and validation solutions that help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Keysight's dedication to speed and precision extends to software-driven insights and analytics that bring tomorrow's technology products to market faster across the development lifecycle, in design simulation, prototype validation, automated software testing, manufacturing analysis, and network performance optimization and visibility in enterprise, service provider and cloud environments. Our customers span the worldwide communications and industrial ecosystems, aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, semiconductor and general electronics markets. Keysight generated revenues of $4.2B in fiscal year 2020. For more information about Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS), visit us at www.keysight.com.

SparkleBox.School-Finds Its New Admirer For Preschool In Ziva Dhoni

* Mom Sakshi Dhoni recommends this learning programme for all kids under 6 Years

SparkleBox.School has redefined the concept of preschool  learning at home in India and has everyone talking about since its launch of innovative activity  based learning programme for kids aged between 2-6 years.The unique combination of skill  development, concept building & creativity in a preschool at home is crucial for the growth years  of a child. 

Recently, Sakshi Dhoni, wife of former Indian cricketer MS Dhoni, has been added to the long list of SparkleBox.School’s proud patrons. As a proud mommy of Ziva, Sakshi Dhoni believes in keeping her occupied with activities that are educational as well as interesting and therefore she chose Sparklebox.School. In a video released by Sakshi Dhoni and Sparklebox.School on their social media handles, the mother-daughter duo were seen having fun exploring the kit and trying out various learning activities. Sakshi Dhoni complimented Sparklebox.School for designing such a unique programme that helps to promote children's cognitive development while keeping them engaged in fun activities.

Facebook Link -https://m.facebook.com/107009718240530/

Instagram Link-https://www.instagram.com/sparklebox.school/

Twitter Link -https://twitter.com/SparkleboxSchol?s=09

SparkleBox.School, is a one-stop solution for the students from pre-primary to K2 (UKG) and covers subjects such as Literacy, Numeracy, Environmental Science, Art & Crafts, and Dance.  Every item in the kits such as Workbooks, Picture books, flashcards, Activity Packets, etc. is designed by a panel of expert educators and approved by certified child care professionals. 

Sajeed Munshi, Business Head at SparkleBox.Schoolsaid, “We at SparkleBox.Schoolbelieve that Home is the first school of a child. An effective preschool at home shapes the raw &young minds for the better. Our preschool curriculum is mindfully chalked out Learning Program tailor-made for pre-primary students. Our activity-based learning programme encourages early foundational learning with minimal screen time”. “We are glad that our efforts are appreciated  by all our patrons and especially we are grateful to Mrs. Dhoni for showing her interest in our programme and endorsing it." he added.

About SparkleBox.School

SparklebBox.School started its journey in mid-2020 during the Covid-19 outbreak and its subsequent lockdown.The program is aimed at making home-schooling fun as well as  educational. The pre-primary to K2 curriculum helps in cognitive growth among the children while keeping them engaged in fun activities. It is a comprehensive pre-primary learning programme created for providing highly effective hands-on learning experience for children.  SparkleBox.School is designed for pre-schooling of children by providing everything a child needs at the convenience of their home. For more information visit - https://sparklebox.school