Tata Motors Delivers 60 Ultra Urban 9/9 Electric Buses To Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited

* The 24-seater zero-emission buses will run on Ahmedabad’s BRTS corridor

Strengthening its commitment towards promoting sustainable mobility, Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, delivered 60 best-in-class electric buses to Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL). The Tata Ultra Urban 9/9 AC buses were flagged off today at the Sabarmati River Front Event Centre, Ahmedabad by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel and Shri Kiritkumar Parmar, Hon’ble Mayor of Ahmedabad, in the presence of dignitaries from the Gujarat State Government, AJL and Tata Motors. The 24-seater zero-emission buses have been supplied under the FAME II initiative by means of a Gross Cost Contract (GCC) with AJL and will run on Ahmedabad’s Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridor. Tata Motors will also be setting up required charging infrastructure and support systems to ensure smooth functioning of the buses.

Tata Ultra Urban 9/9 AC electric buses are powered by full-electric drivetrains, with a maximum power of 328hp and a maximum torque of 3000Nm. Their roomy interiors come with plush interior lighting, and can be customised as per application and regulations. Designed to provide a fatigue-free driving experience without clutch and gear shifting, the Ultra Urban 9/9 e-buses also come equipped with regenerative braking system, new-generation telematics and a high-security Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to offer smooth and efficient operations.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Rohit Srivastava, Vice President, Product Line – Buses, Tata Motors, said, “We are delighted to deliver Tata Ultra Urban 9/9 electric buses to AJL. With a steady commitment towards modernising public transportation and integrating sustainability in the designing of futuristic vehicles, Tata Motors has led the move towards electric mobility in the country. The Ultra Urban 9/9 has been built to provide enhanced comfort, safety and efficiency, with noiseless operations and zero emissions. The delivery of these buses will further cement our fruitful association with AJL and foster eco-friendly mass mobility in Ahmedabad.”

According to AJL, the new buses will cater to the new developing areas of Ahmedabad city and the new airport route. It will offer a comfortable travel experience for the passengers and zero-emission mobility for all the residents of Ahmedabad. Tata Motors has been a trusted partner and has delivered the electric buses as per the requirement. AJL is confident that this association will further strengthen the relationship with the company.

Tata Motors has been at the forefront of bringing environment-friendly mobility to India. Its state-of-the-art research and development facilities have steadily worked to design futuristic vehicles powered by alternate fuel technology, including battery-electric, hybrid, CNG, LNG and hydrogen fuel cell technology. The company has bagged an order to provide 15 hydrogen fuel cell buses to Indian Oil Corporation, and continues to work towards making sustainable mobility the norm. Till date, Tata Motors has supplied more than 600 electric buses across multiple cities in India, which have cumulatively clocked more than 20 million kilometres.

About Tata Motors

Part of the USD 109 billion Tata group, Tata Motors Limited (NYSE: TTM; BSE: 500570 and 570001; NSE: TATAMOTORS and TATAMTRDVR), a USD 34 billion organization, is a leading global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks and buses, offering extensive range of integrated, smart and e-mobility solutions. With ‘Connecting Aspirations’ at the core of its brand promise, Tata Motors is India’s market leader in commercial vehicles and amongst the top three in the passenger vehicles market.

Tata Motors strives to bring new products that fire the imagination of GenNext customers, fueled by state of the art design and R&D centers located in India, UK, US, Italy and South Korea. With a focus on engineering and tech enabled automotive solutions catering to the future of mobility, the company’s innovation efforts are focused to develop pioneering technologies that are sustainable as well as suited to evolving aspirations of the market and the customers. The company is pioneering India's Electric Vehicle (EV) transition and driving the shift towards sustainable mobility solutions by preparing a tailor-made product strategy, leveraging the synergy between the Group companies and playing an active role liasoning with the Government in developing the policy framework

With operations in India, the UK, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa, and Indonesia, supported by a strong global network of 103 subsidiaries, 9 associate companies, 4 joint ventures and 2 joint operations as on March 31, 2021, Tata Motors’ commercial and passenger vehicles are marketed in countries, spread across Africa, Middle East, South & South East Asia, Australia, South America, Russia and other CIS countries.

ASSOCHAM, DST & KDEM Presents The 2nd Edition Of SMARTecIndia2021, Asia’s Smart Technology Global Convention

* Set to boost a global dialogue on strengthening the policy framework and international business potentials 

* Guest of Honour Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon’ble Minister Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, and Minister for Higher Education, Skill Development, Government of Karnataka addressed the dignitaries on Bangalore’s tech advancements

* Global congregation of 12 smart technology sectors including State of Israel Ministry of Economy and Industry, Japan External Trade Organisation, World Health *Organisation, Wipro GE, IBM, PTC, DRDO, Hero Electric Vehicles, NASSCOM

The Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM), the apex association of the country, in association with Department of Science & Technology of India, GoI, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) has announced the 2nd edition of its unique digital platform – SMARTecIndia 2021 from December 3 – 15, 2021. The 12-day event is set to reach out to the industry at an international level and showcase the strengths, growth, and potential of the Indian Industry on a global platform. In a bid to provide a necessary boost to the smart technologies sector and boost global dialogue on strengthening the policy framework, international business potentials, etc. ASSOCHAM, DST& KDEM has joined hands to make a mark in the global smart technology ecosystem. 

The event converged around the vision of recognizing the significance of smart technology in businesses and lives post-pandemic, the largest Smart Technology Convention platform in Asia was inaugurated at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru by a welcome address from Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM).

The Guest of Honour Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon’ble Minister for Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T, Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka, addressed the audience on Bangalore being the Gateway in Global Tech Advancements along with the state’s contribution to the country’s digital economy and growth.

Among others to address the inaugural session of this prestigious event were Ms. Sindhu Gangadharan, SVP & MD, SAP Labs India & Head, AP User Enablement, Mr. Rajesh Agrawal, Hon'ble Deputy Mayor of London for Business, UK, Mr. Takashi Suzuki, Director General, Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Dr. Omkar Rai, Director General, Software Technology Parks of India.

Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon'ble Minister of Electronics, IT, BT, and S&T, and minister for Higher Education, Skill Development, Government of Karnataka  said "I welcome ASSOCHAM and SMARTecIndia Initiative to Bengaluru with a promise of wholeheartedly supporting their vision and contribution to the growth of the digital industry. The optimistic attitude of the world towards India is very encouraging and Karnataka has a huge role to play in this development. Under the Hon’ble Prime Miniter’s able guidance and leadership, we are very happy to create and promote a platform for  technology and the role it has played across indsutries, especially in education, finance. The pandemic presented us with a unique opportunity and I am proud to say that Karnataka was at the helm of upskilling and bridging the gap by adopting technology effectively. I believe that in order to connect with the society, system, industry alike, education and technology plays a huge role and a robust system has helped us navigate through these trying times despite geographical limitations, language barriers to transform the world “

"In the state of Karnataka, we are willing to support the requirement of the industry in the terms of the skilled manpower", he added.

“We are one of the first companies to get certified on the 3d secure 2.0 initiative from NPCI and from Visa MasterCard. All in all ISG partners with acquirers, issuers and, network operators and settling billions of transactions on an annual basis. We have large partnerships with group a MasterCard, Visa, and we are one of the largest processes of UPI transactions in India." Said Mr. Rachit Kumar, CDO, In-solutions Global Ltd  during the inaugural.

Event Partner ISG announced the launch of “ISG Pay”, #SmartMerchant an all-in-one mobile payments app with a mission to reach every last mile of merchants across India. The app was launched by Mr. Ranjeet Jaiswal, SVP Business Head, In-Solutions Global Ltd.

In ASSOCHAM 2nd Innovators’ Excellence Awards 2021 L&T Technologies Services won the award for Innovation in Overall Customer Experience, In Solutions Global Ltd for Best Process Innovation, Apeiron Techno Venture for Innovation in Service Sector, Blu Cocoon for Innovation in Environment and Sustainability, Tirupati Group for Innovation in CSR Initiatives and Smentor Solutions for Best Innovation by an SME.

Speaking on the occasion of the announcement, Shri BV Naidu, Chairman, The SMARTecIndia Initiative 2021 and Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission said, “It gives me immense pleasure to be at the SMARTecIndia Initiative inaugural session today. Our country has become the largest technology hub with 60,000 startups and India has the youngest start-up founders with an average age of 28. Further of all the 85 unicorns in India,  40-50% come from bangalore and of the 195 soonicorns in India, 85% are coming from Bangalore. This is a contributing factor in the country’s growth rate as India is racing to become the fastest growing economy in the world and we are on the right path to realising our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of $5 trillion dollar economy and a $1 trillion dollar digital economy. I am sure Karnataka will significantly contribute to this vision with platforms such as SMARTecIndia Initiative, Beyond Bengaluru and such accelerating events.

When ASSOCHAM approached us about curating an event such as this, it couldn’t have come at a better time. Despite the havoc the pandemic played in our lives and the industry in general, it was digital technology that brought in efficiency, stability and paved way for a productive and stronger future. Smart technology changed helped with supply chain efficiency, optimising manufacturing, enhancing services in a shorter span of time. In fact the McKinsey survey also revealed that 44% of the respondents believed that Industry 4.0 is what helped the industry bounce back and sustain in the times of adversity.The SMARTechIndia Initiative was conceptualised with the aim of maximum outreach globally to bring on board both domestic and international stakeholders while recognizing, rewarding and showcasing the smart tech capabilities and their role in making our businesses and lives smarter. After the tremendous success of its first event that was confined to being online due to the pandemic, we are thrilled to be partners for the second edition that promises to be bigger, better, and global and one that showcases the growth and contribution of young and smart India in the world’s technology space. We are honoured that under this event, we are seeing the growth of fintech and international investments from Japan, Israel and UK into our clusters in Karnataka. The encouragement from our international partners present here stands testimony to our commitment to digital growth.”

Speaking of Karnataka’s roaring contribution to the country’s digital economy, Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, called upon the participants to leverage the SMARTecIndia Initiative that will witness more than 10,000 technology professionals participating. He emphasised the need for solving tomorrow’s tech problems today by putting the right digital innovations in place today. He also lauded the Hon’ble Minister Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan’s vision of ‘Beyond Bangalore’ which is based on the premise of creating emerging cities beyond Bangalore and the need for nourishing such cities for for technology and digital economy.

In his address, Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, KDEM went on to add, “It gives me immense pride to stand before all of you and represent Bangalore and Karnataka in this global forum. We have established that India’s untapped opportunities in digitisation can play a vital role in the country’s vision of $1 trillion digital economy as said by our Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT. I believe that Karnataka as a whole can contribute  $250-$300 billion to this through its mature smart technology and digital ecosystem. Today, the entire world has started taking note of India’s start-up and innovation system as the country and emerges on the top with Karnataka leading the charge.

The entire digital economy rests on the shoulders of this very ecosystem and it is time we take on the leadership role under the guidance of our Hon’ble Minister Dr. Ashwath Narayan and his incredible vision of Beyond Bengaluru to create an even growth across the state in cluster cities such as Mysuru, Hubli, Mangaluru and nuture talent from here. I believe that a global platform such as SMARTecIndia will act as a catalyst in creating a dominant position for India in global smart tech and innovation. The success of this event can be measured by the number of IPs getting registered from India which is on an upswing. From growing to 40,000 IPs this year I hope this event encourages the industry to register 50,000 IPs by the next year. I once again congratulate everyone present here and look forward to a successful and encouraging event.” 

KDEM as a key enabler for building and scaling the digital ecosystem of Karanataka beyond Banaglore and is extensively focused on the five focus areas of IT Products & Services, BPM & GCC promotion; Innovations & Start-ups; ESDM; Beyond Bengaluru; and Talent Accelerator. In pursuance of these efforts, KDEM with its partnership with ASSOCHAM for SMARTecIndia 2021 aims at taking a lead in providing a timely and cost effective business development platform to businesses across the globe. The Convention will help the Indian smart technology industry drive and foster collaborations beyond the Indian ecosystems to advance and accelerate sector wide progress.

KDEM in association with ASSOCHAM is taking the lead in promoting the use of smart technologies in healthcare, agriculture, BFSI, transportation, education & MSMEs, with the SMARTechIndia Initiative. The SMARTechIndia Initiative was first organized in the year 2020 and created a successful global platform that witnessed impressive support of leaders from government and industry, stakeholders from around the globe taking the initiative to a global pedestal. 

About Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)

With an objective to increase the share of the Digital economy in the state, the Government of Karnataka set up the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), a Section-8 organization, which acts as a knowledge bridge between the industry and the government. To meet the objectives, KDEM has been working towards the five focus areas, viz. IT Products & Services, BPM & GCC promotion; Innovations & Start-ups; ESDM; Beyond Bengaluru; and Talent Accelerator.

KRAFTON Kickstarts iQOO "Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2021: With A Special Invitational, The Grind

* The matches for The Grind start today as India’s top gaming teams take on each other to qualify for the final showdown will take place on December 11th and 12th, 2021 

* The tournament will be streamed live on BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA Official, BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA Esports channels and iQOO Esports YouTube channel 

KRAFTON, Inc., the South Korean video game company announced the commencement of the first edition of iQOO "BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA Series (BGIS) 2021" with a special invitation, THE GRIND. BGIS 2021 is a one of its kind tournament in India which provides the biggest yet platform for the gaming enthusiasts to demonstrate their skills. The League stage “Grind Week,” will take place till December 10th, with the final showdown taking place on December 11th and 12th, 2021.  

The iQOO BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA SERIES, available to residents of India only, received an overwhelming response, with a total registration of 664,211 players including 101,571 4-member squads. This is the first esports tournament hosted by KRAFTON following the incredible response by fans to the official launch of BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA earlier in the year. The tournament will be streamed live on BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA official channel, BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA Esports Channel and iQOO Esports official YouTube channel 

The tournament will witness 32 teams divided into four groups battling to qualify for the crown. The Grind will determine which of the 32 invited teams, as well as the players that advanced via the In-Game Qualifiers, will compete in the main event.The tournament is scheduled in a “Round Robin” format, which gives every team a chance to play the other teams in their group once in the league stage. The 16 qualifying teams will again play a series of 10 matches, and the team at the top of the leaderboard will be crowned the BGIS 2021 The Grind champion. 

Commenting on the launch of this event, Mr. Aneesh Aravind, Head of Publishing, India at KRAFTON, Inc., said, “We are excited to kickstart iQOO BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA SERIES 2021 as our first esports tournament. Our players love showcasing their gaming skills at the highest level and this is our endeavor to help them do that. We have received a massive response from players with over 660k registrations for the tournament, and this is a testament to the need for bringing innovative and stimulating gaming events for our fans. We will continue strengthening the BGMI Esports ecosystem and providing a platform for gaming talent to flourish.’ 

KRAFTON has announced a prize pool of INR 1,00,00,000 for this inaugural series, with the winner taking home the lion’s portion of INR 50 lakh. The prize money for the second and third places will be INR 25 lakh and INR 10 lakh, respectively. Looking to provide the biggest platform for competitive gaming in the country, BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA SERIES 2021 is open to residents of India only.  

With this tournament, KRAFTON assures that Indian gamers will be in for some exciting times ahead, as it marks the start of a series of new content, collaborations, and esports tournaments that the firm will bring to the country. BGMI players will also be representing India in the Asian Games next year in a medalled event. From September 10th to September 25th 2022, competitors will play on a special BGMI Asian Games Version for their chance at a gold medal. 

KRAFTON, Inc. is committed towards promoting responsible gaming. In line with this commitment, the company recently  launched the ‘Game Responsibly’ campaign. Starting with a series of films, the campaign encourages gamers to take a pledge of taking care of themselves and their squad mates’ mental health as they take on the Battlegrounds. The campaign promotes safer and responsible gaming habits and builds awareness amongst players to cultivate safer and healthy gaming habits.  

IVM Podcasts Brings Listeners Five New Shows This November

* THINK FAST | RAW AND ORGANIC | WAR AND WARRIORS | IKKA DUKKA ECONOMY | PROBATION SE PROMOTION TAK

IVM Podcasts, India’s premier podcast network, doesn’t seem to be slowing down as the year comes to an end as it drops five new shows this November. With a wide selection of shows across several genres, the network is pushing out a number of productions across personal finance, economics, history, business and wellness.

‘Raw and Organic’ with strength and fitness coach Kunal Rajput aka @subtlestrength on Instagram will feature fun and enriching conversations on mental and physical well-being, holistic wellness, fitness goals and tips. ‘Thinkfast’ hosted by Varun Duggirala, Co-Founder and Content Chief, The Glitch and Suchita Salwan, CEO and Founder, Little Black Book has been conceptualised to discuss the latest trends in the world. The show covers everything from the latest trending cryptocurrencies to the way content consumption habits are changing, and from the latest updates and rumours in the start-up world to the latest reel that got viral.

‘War and Warriors’ is a war history show narrated by Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam, that focuses on some of the fiercest battles that our men and women at the borders have braved through. Mr. Subramaniam is also the author of the book ‘India's Wars: A Military History, 1947-1971’ and writes extensively in the public domain about India’s war history.

Business journalist Abhinav Trivedi will now host two shows on the IVM Podcasts network. Probation Se Promotion Tak aims to motivate and inspire the listener with the help of stories of successful people who might have faced failures early on. A welcome change especially at a time when the world is recovering from post-pandemic gloom and doom. Trivedi will also host Ikka Dukka Economy, a podcast about de-jargonising complex global and national economic subjects and relating them to pockets, salaries, lifestyle and expenses.

Amit Doshi, Founder, IVM Podcasts said, “It’s definitely been a busy couple of months for us and we’re confident that a lot of people will like what they hear especially considering the great calibre of hosts across these shows. It’s been a great year for us so far and we hope to bring a ton of super productions in 2022.”

All episodes are available on the IVM Podcasts website, app and across your preferred audio platforms.

About IVM Podcasts

IVM Podcasts, founded in 2015, is India's premiere podcast network that aims to serve listeners with a wide portfolio of audio content across genres. The network produces, distributes and monetizes talk and narrative based audio content across genres from comedy and politics to advertising and business.

In 2020, Pratilipi and IVM Podcasts came together to create a sustainable and scalable model for the podcasting industry in India. IVM Podcasts will continue to create content under the Pratilipi banner, with an even larger and more diverse portfolio of podcasts across genres.

Kinara Capital Appoints Ravindra Jadeja As Brand Ambassador On The Occasion Of Its 10th Anniversary

* Fintech celebrates a decade serving MSMEs in India with fast and flexible collateral-free loans

* Appoints cricketer Ravindra Jadeja as official Brand Ambassador to amplify its growing presence

* Aims to reach 500% growth and disburse additional 100,000 collateral-free MSME loans by 2025

Kinara Capital, an innovative fast-growing fintech serving India’s MSMEs, today announced that it has signed Indian cricket team’s shining star, Ravindra Jadeja, as its official brand ambassador on the occasion of the company’s 10th anniversary. With this partnership, Kinara aims to boost its outreach in financing the MSME sector in the country. With a current AUM of INR 1000 crores, Kinara Capital plans to grow 500% by the year 2025.

Kinara’s innovative offerings include the recent release of the end-to-end digital myKinara app, availability of more than 400+ digital wallet payment options, free ‘Grow with Kinara’ workshop series for customers and the HerVikas discounted loan programme for women entrepreneurs. Till date, the company has disbursed over 70,000 collateral-free loans, thereby positively impacting more than a million lives with local jobs and incremental income generation.

Seeking to support even more MSMES and promote its growing presence in over 90 cities in 6 states of India, Kinara Capital has signed up all-rounder cricketer Ravindra Jadeja as its brand ambassador.

Kinara Capital’s Founder and CEO Hardika Shah said, “I founded Kinara with the sole aim of easing access to credit for hardworking yet underserved MSME entrepreneurs in India. Starting with a handful of people in a home office, to impacting lakhs of lives in a short amount of time, Kinara has come a long way. On the occasion of our 10th anniversary, I am proud of my team and thankful to our investors and partners for believing in our vision of financial inclusion. Our sights are set even higher for the future.”

On appointing Ravindra Jadeja as Kinara Capital’s official brand ambassador, Hardika Shah further added, “Ravindra Jadeja has become a household name in India because of his stellar performance, integrity and commitment to cricket. Both entrepreneurs and athletes thrive on the power of their own grit and determination. Jadeja’s voice will amplify our presence and bolster our pace of ensuring MSMEs can grow their businesses with Kinara.”

“It is a proud moment for me to represent fintech Kinara Capital as its official Brand Ambassador,” said Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, “I come from a humble background and I understand the value of how just one opportunity can change the course of your life. This is what I liked about Kinara; they are giving that kind of opportunity to small business entrepreneurs who are the backbone of our communities and our country. Kinara Capital is hitting a sixer with financial inclusion and I am thrilled to help them carry their mission further.”

Founded in 2011, Kinara Capital has disrupted last mile lending in India with a blend of high-tech and high-touch approach that combines sophisticated technology and data-driven processes with personalized customer service in vernacular languages. Kinara Capital offers business loans to all MSME sectors including Manufacturing, Trading and Services.

About Kinara Capital

Kinara Capital is a fast-growing fintech propelling financial inclusion of small business entrepreneurs in India. Boasting a women-majority management team, Kinara Capital has set itself apart in the industry with its emphasis on social impact and profitable growth. Globally recognized for its innovative approach, Kinara earned the ‘Bank of the Year-Asia’ award by the IFC, is ranked among the ‘Top 100 High-Growth Companies in Asia-Pacific’ by the Financial Times and is named among ‘India’s Growth Champions’ by the Economic Times. Kinara Capital is qualified as a Systemically Important NBFC by the Reserve Bank of India and is a debt listed entity on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Founded in 2011, Kinara Capital has made a mark with its innovation in financial inclusion by providing fast and flexible collateral-free loans in the range of INR 1-30 lakhs across 300+ MSME sub-sectors serving 3000+ pin codes in India. Headquartered in Bangalore, Kinara Capital has 110 branches across 90+ cities in India. Click here for more information on Kinara Capital and follow us on Twitter @KinaraCapital. Download the myKinara app on the Google Play Store.

This press release may contain projections and other forward-looking statements regarding future events or future financial performance. These statements are only predictions and reflect our current beliefs and expectations with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risk and uncertainties and subject to change at any time. Given business risks and uncertainties, undue reliance on these forward-looking statements should not be placed. Actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the projections or forward-looking statements.

Notes to the Editor - Key facts and figures of Kinara Capital:

* Founded in 2011 by Founder & CEO Hardika Shah

* AUM = INR 1000+ crores

* No. of loans disbursed till date = 70,000+

* No. of customers = 40,000+

* No. of branches = 110

* Geographical presence = 90+ cities in 6 states serving 3,000+ pincodes

* Social Impact = INR 700 crores in incremental income generation for MSME entrepreneurs ; 250,000+ jobs supported in local economies ; Cumulative impact on 1 million+ lives

UPL Wins CII Industrial IP Award 2021 For Third Consecutive Year

UPL Ltd., a global provider of sustainable agriculture products and solutions, has won the prestigious Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Industrial IP Award 2021 for the third consecutive year. The award is aimed at recognizing and celebrating enterprises that have embraced the IP generation and protection to fuel their business and economic growth. UPL Ltd. has always put the farmers’ needs first and created products and services around fulfilling their requirements.

UPL has won the award in the category of Patents - Large enterprises (Life Science, Agriculture). Its strong R&D prowess has helped UPL to reach a successful innovation rate of 21% in FY 2021, up from 20.8% in FY 2020. Examples of UPL’s major research and innovation include sustainable products and solutions such as Zeba and Pronutiva which have proven successful at the grassroot level. UPL also won the Clarivate South and South East Asia Innovation Awards 2021 in the agribusiness category at the Innovation Forum held by Clarivate Plc.

Dr. Vishal A. Sodha, Global IP Head accepted the award at a Virtual CII Industrial IP Award 2021 Ceremony held on 26th Nov, 2021 on behalf of UPL. He stated “We continuously strive to address farmer pain points such as by providing new techniques for resistance management. At UPL, our focus is to provide farmers with future-ready and sustainable products including efficient utilization of the natural resources and adapting and building resilience to climate change. With conducive work environment and state-of-the-art R&D, we nurture innovation to safeguard UPL's standing as a corporate unique entity. UPL holds over 1400 granted patents and about 3000 pending applications that satisfy farmers’ needs across geographies.”

Mr. Jai Shroff, Global CEO, UPL Limited, commented, “While we are humbled by the honor of receiving this award, we are proud to share that this is the third consecutive year in which we have received this commendable recognition. This award is a testament to our spirit of innovation, and we remain deeply committed towards developing new and improved products and services and deliver the highest results to all our stakeholders. UPL is a pioneer of providing innovative and sustainable agricultural products and solutions and we hope to keep building on our legacy.”

About UPL

UPL Ltd. (NSE: UPL & BSE: 512070) is a global provider of sustainable agriculture products and solutions, with annual revenue exceeding $5.2 billion. We are a purpose-led company. Through OpenAg™, UPL is focused on accelerating progress for the food system. We are building a network that is reimagining sustainability, redefining the way an entire industry thinks and works – open to fresh ideas, innovation and new answers as we strive towards our mission to make every single food product more sustainable. As one of the largest agriculture solutions companies worldwide, our robust portfolio consists of biologicals and traditional crop protection solutions with more than 14,000 registrations. We are present in more than 130 countries, represented by more than 10,000 colleagues globally. For more information about our integrated portfolio of solutions across the food value chain including seeds, post-harvest, as well as physical and digital services, please visit upl-ltd.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Amrutanjan Launches New Campaign For Their Body Range Products With Olympic Medalists Mirabai Chanu And Bajrang Punia

* The Olympic 2020 medal winners are featured in the brand’s TV commercial for its Advanced Pain Relief body range of products

Amrutanjan Health Care, a 128-year-old company with a rich legacy and a pioneer in India's healthcare industry has unveiled a series of TV commercials for its Advanced Pain Relief body range featuring Olympic medallists Mirabai Chanu and Bajrang Punia. 

The company will roll out a series of films presenting weightlifting champion Mirabai Chanu and wrestling champion Bajrang Punia for its Advanced Pain Relief body range of products that include Back Pain Roll-On, Joint Muscle Spray, and Pain Patch. The campaign idea revolves around the message of overcoming pain and achieving victory as the tagline echoes “dard ki haar, aap ki jeet”. The commercials showcase the challenges faced by these athletes in their journey to success and excellence.

The TVC shows both Mirabai and Bajrang’s Olympic triumph story as they are shown fighting pain with Amrutanjan’s Back Pain Roll-On and Joint Muscle Spray from its Body Range of products. The film starts with Mirabai Chanu ready to lift the barbell at the Olympics competition. It’s the moment of truth. Her thoughts flashback in time to her childhood and training years. As a true champion in the making, we see her striving to qualify for the Olympics and accomplish her dream. We see her moan as she’s hit by back pain during her weightlifting. But pain won’t stop her. Amrutanjan is by her side and she applies the Amrutanjan Back Pain Roll-On, which starts working on her backache within 30 seconds. We come back to the Olympic moment, we hear her inner voice urging her, ‘lift, Mira, lift!’ She lifts, she wins….no less than an Olympic silver for India. 

Similarly, the film highlights Bajrang’s rigorous training routine….all the sweat and tears that make a winner. We know that a weak and injured knee has lost him matches. On the final day at the Olympics, when he competes with his opponent in the wrestling ring, Bajrang experiences a sudden jerk in his knee. We see his inner voice motivating him to continue to give a tough fight. He overcomes the unacceptable anguish of returning home without winning a medal for the country. He fights the pain, spraying Amrutanjan Joint Muscle Spray on his knees that gives him relief. In the end, the wrestler is shown proudly flashing his medal won for India.

Both Mirabai Chanu and Bajrang Punia have delivered a stellar performance as top-class athletes on a global platform for India despite the hardships. Amrutanjan healthcare attempts to narrate their fair share of hardship, and challenges in this journey to success.

Amrutanjan, a pioneer in pain management since 1893, has been helping Indians overcome pain for over a century through its pain management products for headaches and body pain. These include Pain Balms, Joint Muscle Spray, Back Pain Roll-On, and Pain Patch. All products are 100% natural and free of synthetic chemicals like Diclofenac which have serious side effects on personal health and also impacts the larger environment.

Mr. S Sambhu Prasad, Chairman and Managing Director, Amrutanjan Health Care Limited, said,” Amrutanjan has always been a pioneer in pain management products, and is India’s trusted choice for effective pain relief over the years.  We are delighted to offer our Advanced Body pain management products with performance-based claims backed by scientific clinical trials. For over a century, Amrutanjan has been endorsing a pain-free life for its consumers through its pain management range of products that are rooted in Ayurveda.  The new TVC with Olympic champions Mirabai Chanu and Bajrang Punia will showcase our constant endeavour to provide instant and long lasting pain relief and enhance the quality of life of consumers. Through this partnership, Amrutanjan wishes to nurture the unsung heroes and upcoming athletes by inspiring them to overcome pain and accomplish their goals.”

Mr. Mani Bhagavtheeswaran, Chief Marketing Officer, Amrutanjan Health Care Limited, said, “Mirabai Chanu and Bajrang Punia have become icons for the future generation. They inspire the youth with their persistent hard work and struggles to achieve their dream for India. They reflect the same values as Amrutanjan of never letting pain come in their way of victory. With this collaboration and stories of the athletes we want to highlight the fact that pain can be overcome and it should not stop you from achieving your dreams”

Ms. Navneet Virk, Creative Head – South, R K SWAMY BBDO, “We wanted to deliver the message of achieving victory in life by defeating pain which is why we have focussed on the narrative of 'dard ki haar, aapki jeet’. All of us face hurdles that stop us from accomplishing our daily missions, our tasks great and small. As a brand, Amrutanjan aims to put an end to the physical distress of its consumers with its Advanced Pain relief body range of products. By showcasing the vigorous training practises of the Olympians in the commercials, we wanted to convey that anything can be accomplished in life with the help of hard work, determination and Amrutanjan’s Advanced Pain Relief products.

TVC Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQa1sXKayHI  

About Amrutanjan Health Care Limited (Amrutanjan Health Care)

Amrutanjan Health Care Limited (Amrutanjan Health Care) is a 128-year-old company with a rich legacy and is best known for its iconic brand Amrutanjan Pain Balm. A purpose-driven and innovative company, Amrutanjan Health Care offers a versatile product portfolio. Its flagship brand, Amrutanjan, is a pain management expert that manufactures high-quality products using scientifically proven natural ingredients. Its expertise lies in combining science and naturalness, rooted in Ayurveda. Amrutanjan Health Care believes in ethical business practices and strictly stands against the use of chemicals such as Diclofenac which have harmful side effects. Apart from pain management products, Amrutanjan Health Care offers products in other categories including cold and congestion products (Relief Cold rub, Inhaler & Cough syrup), beverages (Fruit based rehydration drink Electro+ and Fruitnik), women’s hygiene products (Comfy Snug Fit sanitary napkins).

As a company, Amrutanjan Health Care is employee-centric and endeavors to provide a culture that accepts new ideas, embraces change, and encourages innovation. The company's commitment to supporting inclusive growth is uncompromising which is proven through the social services undertaken for generations by the company. The company is actively engaged in the fields of education for the deprived sector, preventive health, environment protection, animal welfare, and women empowerment.

The Next-Gen Home Broadband Experience Is Here With ACT SmartFiber Technology

* A revolutionary advancement that brings together decade long technical expertise and user behavior mapping to deliver the seamless internet experience ever

Auto upgrade to all customers across India at no additional cost

 ACT Fibernet, one of India’s largest fiber broadband ISP (Internet Service Provider), today introduced ACT SmartFiber technology - a revolutionary broadband technology that will set the benchmark in the industry. ACT SmartFiber technology, is more than just "fiber”, this innovative and next-generation technology is a combination of the company’s technical expertise, mapping of traffic patterns and consumer usage knowledge to provide a truly smart internet experience, be it streaming, gaming, WFH, online education etc. This service is applicable to all existing broadband plans and is provided to all customers across all its cities of operation at no additional cost.

With more than 2 million users and a decade of providing high-speed fiber services, ACT Fibernet analysed real-time traffic patterns and internet performance from users in its innovation labs and continuously worked to improve traffic flows, data centers, last-mile connectivity, and in-home experience. ACT SmartFiber technology is hence a combination of intelligence and technology that optimises the performance real-time and is optimised for speed, streaming, video calling and gaming usages to provide exceptional internet use.

ACT Fibernet is taking the lead in building the next Generation technology in home broadband that enables great home internet experience. The brand focuses on technology innovations that will enable its customers experience home broadband. With ACT SmartFiber technology, the brand reaffirms its commitment of ‘Feel the Advantage’ and paving towards becoming the most admired in-home entertainment and interactive internet services provider in India.

Speaking on the launch, Bala Malladi, CEO, Atria Convergence Technologies ACT Fibernet said, “With exponential increase in consumption of data at home and number of devices simultaneously connected, customers demand from their home internet has increased manifold.

ACT SmartFiber technology is a revolutionary in home broadband that ensures that we are intelligently and in real time optimise our network performance so that you are always assured an incredible internet experience – be is incredibly fast download speeds, seamless 4k streaming, video conferencing, gaming etc.

The next few years is going to see a proliferation of connected devices, explosion of internet usage and newer applications and with SmartFiber® technology we are ready for this exciting future”

I sincerely, hope they enjoy this new phase with SmartFiber technology.”

Key features of ACT SmartFiber technology include:

Virtual dedicated speed lanes - ACT SmartFiber technology ensures that each customer has a dedicated virtual speed lane from their homes to data center. This virtual speed lane is provided for 100% of your plan speed.  So regardless of peak hour, regardless of size of usage on network, you will always get your plan speeds, 24*7, 100% assured. So, no UPTO speeds only 100% PLAN Speeds

Optimised for video - It is optimised for video streaming through smart caching, peering and other robust traffic routing technologies. This enables a phenomenal viewing experience in 4K with no buffering and lags especially on large screen TVs. SmartFiber is the smart choice for your Smart TV

The network is also optimised for ultra-stability, with low latency and jitters ensuring a seamless video conference experience – be it work from home or learning from home

Self-Healing network - ACT SmartFiber technology through its robust network design and intelligent real-time monitoring system, ensures that there are no major disruptions in your connectivity. This is done by enduring multiple real and virtual paths and efficient real-time re-routing of traffic in case of any issues on the network.

ACT SmartWiFi – ACT SmartWiFi powered by WiFi6 routers, not just ensure increased speeds for your devices (by up to 38%) but enable more devices to connect simultaneously. It also optimises bandwidth according to usage i.e., streaming devices at home get more bandwidth than mobiles used for texting, thus enabling optimal experience. This is currently available in Bangalore and Chennai.

Secure and Future Ready - ACT SmartFiber technology provides state-of-the-art network security by partnering with multiple global partners and implementing best-in-class tools. Also, the state-of-the-art ipv6 technology enables better safety (IP SEC integrated) and future scalability for IoT.

ACT Fibernet was recognised as the best and most reliable broadband service in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai as per Inmobi Pulse research conducted in April-May 21. Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data for average download and upload speeds, it also emerged as the fastest broadband provider in Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Tamil Nadu in Q3 2021.

ACT Fibernet, with its futuristic broadband speed and capacity to scale up and meet demands, consistently demonstrates its commitment to offering innovative customer-centric solutions that enhance user experience and deliver maximum value. ACT SmartFiber technology is a revolutionary advancement and will go a long way in making home broadband usage more exciting and rewarding.

Hero Motocorp Expands Operating In The Argentina Markets

* Gilera Motors Argentina To Make New Investment And Generate 500 New Jobs 

Hero MotoCorp, the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, along with Gilera Motors Argentina has expanded operations and inaugurated a flagship dealership in Argentina.

The company had recently announced the revitalisation of its presence in Argentina by partnering with Gilera Motors, one of the leading companies in the motor vehicle sector in Argentina and one of the most experienced motorcycle manufacturers in Latin America.

Gilera Motors Argentina will make new investments to rapidly expand all business operations for Hero MotoCorp’s world-class products. This is expected to generate nearly 500 new jobs in the region.

Gilera Motors Argentina has also expanded its plant in Carlos Spegazzini Province of Buenos Aires to completely renovate its infrastructure and adapt the latest automotive technologies that are incorporated in Hero MotoCorp products.

Hero MotoCorp and Gilera Motors Argentina also inaugurated a flagship dealership in Buenos Aires today, where customers can experience Hero MotoCorp's world-class products and services.

Sanjay Bhan, Head - Global Business, Hero MotoCorp, said, “We are happy to rapidly expand our operations in Argentina. We have already made significant progress since announcing our new association with Gilera Motors Argentina in October. We have already inaugurated a flagship store and are focussed on scaling up sales and service across the country. With our soon-to-be-launched range of globally acclaimed products, we are confident of exciting the market and appealing to the customers.”

During the inauguration of the flagship dealership, Ramiro Di Liscia, Director of Gilera Motors Argentina, said, “We, at Gilera Motors Argentina, are extremely excited to partner with the global leader Hero MotoCorp. Our association will have a multiplier effect on the local economy, generating investment and new direct and indirect jobs. We are adding nearly 500 new jobs already and expect more benefits to the local economy as we further expand our operations in the future.”

Commenting on the alliance, Omar Caruso, Vice President of Gilera Motors Argentina, said, “Hero MotoCorp is the world’s No. 1 manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters and this is great partnership for us. The new investment and new facilities that Gilera Motors Argentina is making will boost the industry in the country. Customers will also benefit from the latest technologies of Hero MotoCorp products such as the Xpulse 200 and Hunk 160R, which comply with Euro 3 and Euro 4 standards.”

Hero MotoCorp and Gilera Motors Argentina have an aggressive expansion plan that includes enlarging the sales and service network throughout the country. Hero MotoCorp will soon introduce its world-class products in the country.

Hero MotoCorp products are designed and developed at its world-class R&D centers in India and Germany and manufactured in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in India, Colombia, and Bangladesh.

Paytm Signs MoU With Ministry Of Skill Development And Entrepreneurship To Professionally Train Youngsters In Fintech

* To train over 6000 individuals in the Fintech domain across India through a 6-month long course, designed by Paytm  

* Trainees will also undergo professional skills, communications, sales and pitch, and on-the-job training.  

* Paytm will offer employment to the eligible trainees post completion of the course 

* Aims to create a high skilled pool of human resources for the Fintech industry 

India’s leading digital ecosystem for consumers and merchants Paytm has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Directorate of General Training, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to train 6000 individuals over a period of three years in the rapidly growing Fintech industry. This is in continuation with Paytm’s dedication to building India’s technology ecosystem and driving financial inclusion in the country. 

The selected individuals will undertake a six-month program, designed by Paytm, in consultation with the DGT. It will equip the trainees with fundamentals and knowledge of the latest Fintech IoT products and financial services. The trainees will also undergo professional skills, communications, sales and pitch, and on-the-job training. 

DGT is actively taking an important role in transforming the country's youth into an industry-ready workforce. The collaboration is part of DGT’s Flexi-MoU scheme wherein industry partners provide an opportunity to the youth to acquire skills related to industries with high job potential through a ‘Learn and Earn’ approach consisting of a mix of theoretical and on-the-job training. Paytm’s focus is on creating a highly skilled pool of human resources that can contribute to the growth of the Fintech and digital payments ecosystem. Paytm will also offer employment to the eligible trainees post completion of the course. 

Narendra Yadav, Senior Vice President, Paytm said, “India’s strength lies in the talent and skilled youngsters, who will play an important role in shaping the future of the country’s economy. DGT plays a key role in the vocational and craft-based training of eligible youth in the country. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with the DGT that will enhance the quality and number of trained personnel in the Fintech industry.” 

Neelam Shami Rao, Director-General, DGT, said, “The growth of digital payments has been phenomenal in India and it will continue to rise further in the future. Paytm is one of the pioneers in the digital payments service industry and our focus is to leverage their expertise to train the country’s youth in this field.”  

Bank Of Baroda Flags-Off ‘Green Ride - Ek Pehal Swachh Hawa ki Aur’ With Fitness Icon Milind Soman’

Bank of Baroda announced the launch of ‘Green Ride - Ek Pehal Swachh Hawa ki Aur’ initiative with super-model and fitness enthusiast, Milind Soman; powered by GAIL India. Under this initiative, Milind Soman will embark on a 10-day long journey by riding a bicycle and driving an eco-friendly electric vehicle mapping through Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana before reaching Delhi.  

The Green Ride is being organized to spread awareness on importance of cleaner air and encourage people to adopt sustainable modes of transport. The Green Ride will be flagged off from Mumbai on 3rd December and conclude at Delhi on 13th December, 2021. Enroute, he would visit Bank of Baroda branches at Godhra, Baroda, Udaipur and Jaipur.  

During his tour Milind Soman would interact with Bank’s employees and his fans to educate them about his user experience of bob World app for all his travel booking and shopping needs on-the-go. He would also highlight the importance of sustainable living such as the use of energy efficient transportation to ensure clean air for all living beings.  

On this collaboration, Shri. Sanjiv Chadha, MD & CEO, Bank of Baroda said, “Sustainability is key to a strong nation and Bank of Baroda strongly supports the ideologies of a sustainable living and safeguarding the environment. Our association with ‘Green Ride - Ek Pehal Swachh Hawa ki Aur’ initiative spearheaded by India’s most popular fitness enthusiast, Milind Soman, is an effort to promote awareness and call for action among young Indians resulting in broader social impact.” 

Milind Soman said, “The GREEN RIDE is an effort to promote healthier modes of transportation. It is an ode to the air that we breathe, every living moment of our lives. It is my attempt to make us all more aware and conscious of the ill-effects of air that is polluted by our own actions. I hope this initiative makes people stop to think each time they pick up their car keys to drive small distances, or switch on gensets during power-failures, or burst crackers at celebrations. We all want progress and development. But not at the cost of depriving future generations of the beautiful world we have known. Let us celebrate our many technological achievements. Let us celebrate progress and development. But let us first celebrate the clean, wonderful air we breathe, and do all we can to preserve it”. 

A Kaviraj, Executive Director (Marketing – Shipping & international LNG, GAIL) said,  “As a responsible corporate, GAIL (India) Ltd continues to play an important role in transitioning India’s energy landscape with cleaner fuels like Natural Gas, Renewables, Green hydrogen and other clean energies to strive for a greener and cleaner tomorrow.” 

Viraj Bahl, Founder & MD- Veeba & Earthmade Organix, said, “At Earthmade Organix,  working towards a cleaner and sustainable environment comes naturally to us - an organic way of living. We make an honest attempt to design products that are credible, responsibly sourced, and certified organic. Hence, we are proud to associate with a fitness icon like Milind Soman who represents sustainability through his lifestyle and food choices. With the Green Ride, we want to further our cause towards a cleaner living.” 

Bharat Kalia, Co-Founder, Lifelong Online Retail Pvt. Ltd., said, “Milind continues to inspire everyone! Lifelong Online along with Milind are trying to create a movement that makes fitness mainstream. The multi-city cycling trail is a seamless fit for the whole movement. Fight lazy is simply about starting in the right direction and pushing yourself to be the fitter you.” 

Mr. Rajendra Singh, Managing Director VRS Foods Limited said “Milind’s fuel has been Ghee with khichdi for many years. Paras ghee supports healthy heart, strong bones & muscles which gives him this health & fitness. We are delighted to partner with him on this journey of endurance, strength & stamina.” 

About Bank of Baroda:  

Founded on 20th July, 1908 by Sir Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Bank of Baroda is one of the leading commercial Bank in India. At 63.97% stake it’s majorly owned by Govt of India. Bank serves its global customer base of over 140 Mn through over 46,000 touchpoints spread across 19 countries in 5 continent. Through Its state of the art digital banking platforms it provides all the banking products and services in a seamless and hassle-free way. Recently launched bob World mobile app provides customers with saving, investing, borrowing and shopping experience, all under one single app. The app also serves non customers by enabling account opening through video KYC. Bringing about a vision that matches the diverse clientele base and to instill a sense of the trust and security has been the paramount factor for Bank of Baroda. Its moving well in that direction and bob World has been a testimony for its roadmap towards Digital Transformation. 

Photo Caption:  

Shri. Joydeep Dutta Roy, ED, Bank of Baroda, Shri. AK Khurana, ED, Bank of Baroda, Shri. Sanjiv Chadha, MD & CEO, Bank of Baroda, Shri. Milind Soman, Shri. Vikramaditya Singh Khichi, ED, Bank of Baroda, Shri. A Kaviraj, ED, GAIL and Shri. Ashok Kumar Pradhan, CVO, Bank Of Baroda at the announcement of 'Green Ride Initiative' . 

Garmin Releases 2021 Asian User Health Data Report In India

* India ranks in the Top Three for the Average Resting Calories, Active Calories and Weekly Intensity Minutes category

Key Findings:

·         India ranks 1st with the highest average resting calories (2,451 Cal) followed by South Korea (2,451 Cal) and Hong Kong (2,402 Cal)

·         Top three regions with the highest average intensity minutes values are Hong Kong (53 minutes), India (47 minutes) and South Korea (46.9 minutes)

·         Report highlights  "Resting Calories" of both men and women in Asia decreased in the age range of 55 years and above

·         The average weekly intensity minutes of the older population is more than that of the youngsters in Asia

·         Asian countries registered fewer “Active Calories” in comparison to the 2020 data. Also, their “Stress Levels” have been amplified due to the ongoing pandemic

Leading smart wearable devices brand, Garmin, has released the 2021 Asian User Health Data Report. Garmin, which has more than 60 million active users worldwide, has effectively tracked a rich array of users’ data with its exclusive health technology. The multinational technology company uses this data to measure their health statistics and guides them in achieving their fitness goals efficiently.

With the ongoing pandemic, lifestyle habits have changed considerably and more people struggle with poor metabolism. Metabolism is the engine that drives the body to function, playing a critical role in maintaining good health. Over time, this has resulted in health issues like poor sleep quality due to anxiety and stress, lockdowns and working from home has led to declining metabolism due to a sedentary lifestyle. In the long term, this may lead to serious conditions such as obesity, digestive issues, hair loss or even hyperglycemia, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. A healthy metabolism is key to a healthy body.

By referencing the "Resting Calories" and "Active Calories" indicated on Garmin smartwatches, users can track their total calories consumed and any changes in their metabolic rate. Other real-time health indicators like stress levels, Pulse Ox, hydration tracking that is tracked and displayed on the watch can also serve as a reminder for users to be more health- conscious.

According to Garmin's 2021 Asian User Health Data Report which tracks data from January to September 2021, users from regions with higher average weekly intensity minutes consumed more calories than others, not only active calories but also resting calories, which emphasizes the importance of exercise in maintaining good metabolism.

The report revealed that the "Resting Calories" of men and women in Asia decreased significantly in the age range of 55 years and above. According to Dr Min-Shan, LI M.D., Psychiatrist of JUST! Mental Health Clinic, Taiwan, "Metabolism (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the rate at which the body burns calories. Whether it is to maintain a good figure or to pursue a healthy lifestyle, ‘metabolism’ is the key. By increasing the amount of exercise or improving living habits, you can boost your metabolism to achieve your ideal health goals."

It is noteworthy that India (2,490 Cal) tops the list with the highest average resting calories, followed by South Korea (2,451 Cal), and Hong Kong (2,402 Cal) respectively.

The data trend also reveals that older users have clocked more “weekly intensity minutes” than youngsters on average. This could indicate that users become more health-conscious as they get older and place more importance on building an active lifestyle. Among Asia, India ranks second in the weekly “Intensity Minutes” with an average of 47 minutes. Hong Kong (53 minutes) ranks first and South Korea (46.9 minutes) third. Based on the data, female users have clocked more intensity minutes than male users in India.

User data are collected anonymously for long-term observation and understanding of the impact of different factors on health. Garmin strongly encourages users to pursue a healthy lifestyle through scientific health monitoring. 

Sharing his thoughts on Garmin’s 2021 Asian User Health Data Report, Mr Ali Rizvi, Director, Garmin India, said, “Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the regular lifestyle of people has changed significantly. With the help of this report, we can see detailed health insights of our users across a variety of regions. One of the significant outcomes of the report is that the older population is more conscious of their health and overall wellbeing. Another finding highlighted in the report is that the female users in India are more active than men in building a healthy lifestyle. Such reports are essential to analyse the health statistics and create more awareness for health and active lifestyle.” 

Stressing on the importance of 2021 Asian User Health Data Report, Dr. Maluk Mohamed Co-Founder & VP Research of Twin Health commented, “With age, it becomes increasingly important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. As a result, the older generations have become very conscious about their health, which has enhanced their metabolic ability.  Monitoring our health statistics and taking part in daily exercise are very significant. There are several health features built into the smart wearables these days that will assist the users in quantifying the status of their metabolic health. There was an uptick in ailments across the country during the initial days of the pandemic as it altered people's lives upside down. However, with time people have started to focus more on their health, and fitness and health departments have intensified.”

Below are the detailed findings of the report:

Asia data trend I: Metabolic rate is key for people aged 55 years and above

Basis the "Resting Calories" of Asian users in 2021, Garmin found that the top three countries with the highest average resting calories are India (2,490 Cal), South Korea (2,451 Cal) and Hong Kong (2,402 Cal). While, the bottom three regions with the lowest average resting calories are Thailand (2,207 Cal), Japan (2,232 Cal) and Vietnam (2,287 Cal). The older the users are, the lower their resting calories are.

The data trend also reveals that the population above 55 years show the most evident decline in resting calories tracked, which decreased significantly compared with that of the previous age range.

Asia data trend II: India is among the top three regions with the highest average intensity minutes value and Active Calorie Values. Activity levels in Asia decreased in 2021

Basis the weekly “Intensity Minutes” of Asian users in 2021, Garmin found that the top three regions with the highest average values are Hong Kong (53 minutes), India (47 minutes) and South Korea (46.9 minutes). While, the bottom three regions with the lowest average values are Indonesia (33 minutes), Thailand (36 minutes) and Taiwan (40 minutes).

The top three regions with the highest resting calories consumption also have the most weekly intensity minutes, indicating a positive correlation between "Resting Calories" and "Intensity Minutes". One trend observed across Asia is that the average weekly intensity minutes of the older population is more than that of the youngsters. This indicates that users are willing to invest more time in regular exercise every week as they grow older.

In most regions, weekly intensity minutes attained by men is longer than that attained by women. On average, the weekly intensity minutes of men aged 46-55 is the longest, with Korean men taking the lead at achieving weekly intensity minutes of 60.7 minutes. Indonesia is the only country where female users achieved 3.6% more weekly intensity minutes than male users at 29.74 minutes and 28.66 minutes respectively.

ctive Calories Comparison_1125

According to the data collected for "Active Calories" consumption, the values in most regions across Asia decreased compared with last year. But it’s worth mentioning that India still keeps the same value as previous year and ranks among the top three in 2021 with the highest average Active Calories(545 Cal) after Hong Kong (556 Cal) and Korea (553 Cal).

Asia data trend III: Asia's overall stress level has risen. Men experience more stress than women

According to the "stress level" data of Asian users in 2021, the stress level of countries apart from China and Vietnam has increased compared with last year, and the overall stress levels for men is higher than that for women. Indonesia's stress level ranked the highest in Asia, followed by the Philippines and Malaysia. Compared to the data in 2020, Indonesia showed the highest increase in stress levels. The stress levels of men aged 26 to45 are also the highest amongst their Asian counterparts of the same age range. This could be a result of the constant battle with the pandemic and the notorious traffic congestion that the locals suffer.

Health is a Choice. Choose Garmin. Garmin's comprehensive health monitoring features include heart rate monitoring, oxygen saturation, stress monitoring, advanced sleep, body energy, fitness age, and hydration tracking, which encourage users to live a healthy lifestyle.

Garmin devices (with Indes S2)

Garmin smartwatches come in a variety of designs and features to meet every lifestyle need. The smart devices include the Venu series with built-in GPS, Lily, the Vivomove Series featuring heart rate monitoring, and the Index S2 smart scale with access to data such as body fat percentage, BMI, skeletal muscle mass, and more. Garmin offers a range of fitness trackers, along with methods for boosting metabolism and reaching health goals. To learn more about Garmin Health feature, visit https://bit.ly/3d5NECi.

Twin Health Link - https://in.twinhealth.com/

About Garmin International, Inc. Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Garmin is a registered trademark and Index S2 and Garmin Connect are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.

Honda Establishes Battery Sharing Service Subsidiary In Indian Market

* offers battery sharing service for small mobility, which will accelerate the penetration of electric vehicles

* Honda’s battery “Mobile Power Pack e:” will be made in India. 

 Honda Power Pack Energy India Private Limited, Honda’s new subsidiary for battery sharing service has been established in India. 

The company will offer battery sharing service for small mobility, which will accelerate the penetration of electric vehicles by solving three issues of electric vehicles: limited range, long charging time, and high cost of batteries. It is planned to start battery sharing service for electric auto rickshaws (E-auto) from the first half of 2022 in Bengaluru, Karnataka and expand the operations in other Indian cities in phased manner. 

Honda’s battery sharing service subscribers can avail the services from nearest battery swapping station located in the city to exchange battery “Honda Mobile Power Pack e:”, Honda’s all-new portable and swappable batteries, with fully charged ones. By this convenient service, drivers need not to wait for charging and can get back on the road in marginal time. 

In addition to offering battery sharing service, the new company will closely work with multiple vehicle OEMs who wish to integrate Honda’s battery into their vehicles, by providing necessary technical information for interface. By expanding vehicle OEMs, applications, and service areas, it aims to onboard more drivers which will further enhance service convenience. 

Honda’s battery “Mobile Power Pack e:” will be made in India. 

By utilizing batteries made in India and accelerating electrification of small mobility, Honda Power Pack Energy India seek to encourage the use of renewable energy and contribute to the carbon neutrality in India.

Urban Company Lunches The Biggest Innovation In The Country With Free Video Consult For Appliance Repairs

* This industry-first initiative is a one-of-a-kind disruption which will empower consumers with knowledge 

Trusted by more than 30 lakh households, Urban Company – Asia’s largest tech-enabled home services marketplace – launches free video consult for consumers for all its appliance repair services. This initiative will enable the consumer to understand the exact issue with an accurate diagnosis and cost estimate, leading to instant resolution, all through a video call.

The industry-first initiative by Urban Company is a revolutionary move, set to change the way the appliance repair industry operates. Free video consults will be provided to all its customers across India, by senior experts with over 15 years of experience in the appliance repair industry. Given that knowledge is power, the focus is to give control back to the consumers in the whole repair process. Sometimes an issue can be solved by consumers themselves with the guidance of an expert. For example, if your refrigerator is leaking, it could be something as simple as the drain cap getting blocked. In case it is a major issue, the expert will diagnose the problem instantly and recommend a technician visit.

Talking about the new campaign, Abhinav Tyagi, Senior Vice President – Marketing, Urban Company, said: “We, at Urban Company, always strive to use innovation and technology to deliver a far better and delightful experience to our consumers. One of the biggest issues consumers face whenever an appliance breaks down is the confusion and anxiety during the whole repair process, especially if they face overruns in both time and costs versus what they had estimated. We have launched a free and instant video consult service for repairs so that our senior experts, who have > 15 years of experience, can help our consumers with accurate diagnosis and correct estimates without having to invest significant time or money. We believe this advice will help our consumers make informed decisions whenever they need.”

Through this launch, Urban Company aims to empower consumers, arming them with the right knowledge and the right guidance, for all their appliance repair needs.

How video consult works:

1. Tap on the Appliance under Home Services section the Urban Company app.

2.Select the appliance you want to get repaired

3. Select Instant Video Consult option

4. Select language in which you want the consultation

EVRE Partners With Mad About Wheels To Add 500 EV Charging Stations Across 100+ Cities In India

* This will enable the country’s largest EV e-retail Dealership network with country’s largest integrated EV charging infrastructure

* First 100 EV chargers in 30 cities to come-up by March 2022

* Aim to enhance dealer-profitability and EV customer-convenience 

* Important enabler to provide professionally-managed charging infrastructure across Tier I, II & III cities across the country

EVRE, India leading EV charging infrastructure player, today announced its association with Mad About Wheels (MAW), India’s first brand agnostic electric mobility & automotive solutions and retail services provider through its phygital platform, today announced their partnership to enable EV dealerships across 100+ cities with over 500 EV Chargers to begin.

EVRE in association with MAW will set-up public EV charging infrastructure at these 100+ locations, benefiting the respective dealer network operators and EV owners with easy access to quality EV chargers, majorly in tier-II & III cities.  MAW shall enable all deployment at its e-retail partners, in association with EVRE, offering them value-added services with no cost of asset ownership to them.  EVRE will manufacture, establish, own and operate this EV charging infrastructure.  The tariffs for charging EVs will be in accordance with the electricity tariff in respective locations, and enabled through the EVRE App available on all app stores.

This added infrastructure to their existing set-up will help the dealers with incremental revenue for utilising the chargers as public infrastructure for walk-ins by EV customers and well as EV fleet owners.

Announcing this partnership, Mr. Amresh Khar, Co-Founder of Mad About Wheels said, “At Mad About Wheels, our focus is to provide consumer-centric infrastructure to enable our dealer-partners by providing enhanced experience for our existing and potential EV-customers, brands in association, new partnership in discussion. Dealers get the Charging point exclusive and free of investment in these assets. Partnership with EVRE helps us in completing the loop of providing 360o services, and to our customers by providing charging touch-points at convenient last-mile locations as well as drive profitability for our dealer-partners at the same time.  All these quality chargers are 2W & 3W smart-enabled”.  

Commenting on this unique partnership, Krishna K Jasti, CEO & Co-Founder of EVRE said, “We at EVRE strive to increase the touchpoints for EVs with our best-in-class EV Charging infrastructure and continue to increase our footprint across the nation.  MAW provides us one such platform that enables us to reach out to the length of breadth of the country, touching a majority of the districts in our country within a year.  This added infrastructure to their existing set-up will help the dealers with incremental revenue for utilising the chargers as public infrastructure, as well as utilising the parking spaces for charging hubs.  We are a firm believer that tier-II & III cities in India will play an important role in pushing the clean mobility drive and we are fully geared-up to satiate that demand across the country with our hub model”.

2W and 3W EV is a rural phenomenon, where public charging infrastructure will play a decisive role in the efficient take-off of the EV revolution in the country.  With the first EV-ready 100+ strong dealer-network, MAW and EVRE aim to start building the EV ecosystem across the nation. 

The implementation will include setting-up 100 charging stations in first 30 cities by March 2022.  EVRE and MAW will work together to strengthen charging infrastructure across the rest of the cities support the fast-growing EV adoption across these sub-urban communities.

About Mad About Wheels:

Mad About Wheels is a Gurugram-based start-up established 2019 that provides India’s first brand agnostic electric mobility service solutions like extended warranty, annual maintenance & digital finance  and dealership program through its technology.  It is the country’s first company focusing to service the electric vehicle demand across the majority of districts with a focus towards organising market and enabling peace of mind for customer.  At all these touchpoints, MAW offers its value added services of Extended Warranties, Su-RAKSHA (AMC program) or digital dealership and futuristic services.  The company’s products have been designed for two, three and four-wheelers.  It is founded by experts with over 20 years of rich experience in the field of automotive product development, franchise building program and operations, spares and accessories and the electric vehicle business.  Through its unique and first-of-its-kind solutions, the company has been able to provide customized products & services to its entire customer base.  

About EVRE:

EVRE is India’s leading integrated charging infrastructure company that follows EAAS (Energy-as-a-Service) model, offering public charging infrastructure in a pay-per-use model in nine cities across India.  EVRE is working towards enabling EV-ready communities and cities with sustainable Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure that are not only convenient but prompt consumers to make the switch with ease.  Founded in 2017, EVRE aims to enhance the experience of the EV users with smart and connected infrastructure for seamless and immersive consumer experience while ensuring sustainability through its solar-powered Intellipoles. 

EVRE is focussed on establishing and maintaining 50,000 EV charging stations by 2023.

Meesho Soars To 9 Million Women Entrepreneurs On The Platform

* Entrepreneurs witness 2.5x growth in orders 

* With >60% coming from Tier 3+ regions, entrepreneurs to help Meesho unlock the next billion users in Indian e-Commerce

 Meesho, India’s fastest growing internet commerce platform records a new milestone of nine million women entrepreneurs on the platform. Supporting them in their quest for financial independence through the company’s reselling business model, women entrepreneurs on the platform saw a 2.5X year-on-year growth in orders in 2021.

Nearly 600 million people in India are still unconnected to the internet, with a majority of them from non-metros. Meesho entrepreneurs are unlocking this market by influencing demand, and providing value-conscious customers access to affordable products. 

With more than 60% of them coming from Tier 3+ markets like Dimapur, Faizabad and Haldwani, Meesho is becoming the preferred e-commerce destination for the next billion users in India. Apparels, personal care, kitchen and home decor are the highest-selling product categories for women entrepreneurs reselling on the platform.

“Meesho is championing socioeconomic equity, enabling more women even from the remotest regions to find financial independence, while driving access to affordable and quality products across India’s hinterlands. By supporting entrepreneurship and facilitating accessibility, we are bringing more people from the grassroots online, and driving Bharat’s e-commerce growth story,” said Vidit Aatrey, Founder & CEO, Meesho.

With 15 million total entrepreneurs on the platform, Meesho’s reseller business model helps anyone using a smartphone set up an online business at zero cost. Entrepreneurs can create product catalogues on the app and sell to their local and digital communities with end-to-end customer, logistics, and technological support from the company. 

About Meesho:

Meesho is India’s fastest growing internet commerce platform. With a vision to enable 100 million small businesses, including individual entrepreneurs, to succeed online, Meesho is democratizing internet commerce and bringing a range of products and new customers online. The Meesho marketplace provides small businesses, which includes SMBs, MSMEs and individual entrepreneurs, access to millions of customers, selection from over 700+ categories, pan-India logistics, payment services and customer support capabilities to efficiently run their businesses on the Meesho ecosystem.

94% Of Indian Workers Feel Well-Prepared To Work Remotely; 93% Have Adapted Remote Workspace Over Last Year: Atlassian Survey

* Indian workers have the strongest preference for full-time remote work, 57% compared to the global average of 37% 

Atlassian Corporation Plc (NASDAQ: TEAM), a leading provider of team collaboration and productivity software and the maker of Jira, Confluence, and Trello products, has today announced the launch of a global study into the nuances of modern work and in particular changing attitudes and expectations from workers over the past year. 

According to Atlassian’s second annual ‘Reworking Work’ study, more than any country surveyed, Indian workers have adapted their remote workspaces over the last year, with 45% having changed it often compared to the global average of 15%. 93% of Indian workers have updated their remote workspace over the last year and 94% of Indian workers feel well-prepared to work remotely, which is also the highest globally.  

12 months on, the new research tells a story of change. Indian workers continue to enjoy the shift from the office environment, with the highest preference for full-time remote work, and the lowest preference for hybrid work of all countries surveyed. However, the past 12 months, indicate the early stages of hybrid work transition. Workers are spending less of their week working remotely and the idea of hybrid work looks to be slowly gaining traction with a slight increase from 25% to 28% year on year. 

Indian workers were seen as leaders in adaptability and they are younger than the global average. Keeping up with change is front of mind for workers, with 82% recognizing the increasing importance of remaining adaptable compared with the global average of 59%. A significant percentage of Indian workers upgraded their remote workspaces over the last year, with 71% of workers noting improvements to their internet connection, 67% improving workspace functionality and 63% improving workspace comfort and ergonomics.  

Over the past 12 months, workers in India have had more success in adapting to long-term remote work compared to other countries surveyed. An area of major concern highlighted in the research was that 83% of new recruits are feeling insecure about their job, which is the highest globally. Workers recruited within the last two years feel less secure in their roles yet feel a stronger sense of commitment than their colleagues with longer tenure. 

The study commissioned by Atlassian and conducted by Australian research agency PaperGiant across six countries and covering 6192 knowledge workers, is an extension of the previous global survey conducted in early 2020 with knowledge workers in Australia, USA, Japan, India, Germany and France using observational, qualitative, and ethnographic research methodologies. In India, 1,009 participants from tier 1, 2 and 3 cities were surveyed. The research survey was launched on 28th July 2021 and ran through to 5th September 2021. 

Hero findings from the research include: 

Indian workers have the strongest preference for full-time remote work, 57% compared to the global average of 37%. The preference for hybrid work has grown slightly from 25% in 2020 to 28% in 2021. 

A majority of Indian respondents are still nervous about a return to office; 79% compared to the global average of 49%. 

Managers are struggling with 68% of managers in India worrying that their work has become more transactional and less appealing over the past 12 months. 

Teams are thriving with 85% of Indian workers agreeing that their team members pull together to accomplish work, compared to the global average of 65%. 

Trust levels are high with 90% of Indian workers agreeing that there is a very high level of trust throughout their company, compared to the global average of 70%. This may indicate that people are grateful to have secure employment and a safe place to work amidst ongoing uncertainty. 

Male primary caregivers reported higher care responsibilities than before the pandemic, and they’re finding it harder, with 48% strongly agreeing that remote work made this harder, compared to 31% of female primary caregivers. 

Dinesh Ajmera, Site Lead and Head of Engineering, Bengaluru, Atlassian said, “This research report presents some important findings and startling revelations on the state of play within Indian organisations. For instance, the fact that a high percentage of new recruits in India compared to other countries surveyed felt more insecure about their job, or whether it’s to do with how managers are finding their work less appealing over the last year, are matters of concern that needs to be addressed by organisations. Also, compared to others, Indian workers seemed to have a substantially different outlook and propensity towards remote and hybrid work.” 

“These insights can help organisations and employees navigate through this paradigm shift in work that we are witnessing. Atlassian has always been cognisant of the fact that a collaborative, open and supportive work culture would go a long way in unleashing the potential of teams, one that cuts across all levels within the organisation, from new recruits, managers to the leadership team. With the onslaught of the pandemic and the challenges associated with it, we pivoted to a new distributed work model to support our 900+ growing employee base at our R&D centre in Bangalore to seamlessly transition to the new model of work,” he further added. 

To see further commentary on the research and its implications, please visit Atlassian’s WorkLife Blog.

About the research 

The Reworking Work: Quantitative Research was commissioned by Atlassian and conducted by PaperGiant, with the support of international research partners. They surveyed 6,192 knowledge workers across six different countries - Australia, Japan, India, Germany, France, and the USA, who have worked remotely from their normal office at any time during the past 12 months. They surveyed: Full-time knowledge workers (30+ hrs per week); Workers from a broad range of industries; Workers aged from 21 to 65 years old; Managers and individual contributors; Workers who have been employed at their company for at least 6 months and People from midsize to large workplaces with at least 250 employees. Building on last year’s analysis, they expanded the survey to enable further examination of the breadth and depth of change experienced by workers during the pandemic. For their comparative analysis, they revisited the survey data from both the Changing Work Practices (August 2020) project and the Reworking Work: India (October 2020) project. For Survey analysis, they primarily used Python and Qualtrics – a sophisticated cloud-based platform for creating and distributing web-based surveys. Their statistical tests were conducted using Python statistics libraries, and SPSS – a statistical software platform that facilitates the extraction of actionable insights from large data sets. 

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://www.atlassian.com/.  

About PaperGiant 

PaperGiant is a strategic research and design consultancy that helps organizations understand and solve complex problems. PaperGiant specializes in combining qualitative and quantitative research to understand customers and communities and translates that understanding into designs for product, service, and policy. PaperGiant has offices in Melbourne and Canberra and works throughout Australasia. Learn more about their work and services at http://papergiant.net.