Piramal Realty Ropes In Farhan Akhtar As Its New Brand Ambassador

Piramal Realty, the real estate arm of Piramal Group, announced Farhan Akhtar as its new brand ambassador. The charismatic celebrity has joined Rahul Dravid to be the face for Piramal Realty’s portfolio of projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region consisting of Piramal Mahalaxmi (Jacob Circle), Piramal Vaikunth (Thane), Piramal Revanta (Mulund), Piramal Aranya (Byculla), and Piramal Agastya (Kurla), a state-of-the-art commercial project. Farhan, known for his beguiling persona, is a testament to the talent of the Indian arts & culture and is one of the most prolific actors, writers, directors, and award winners in Bollywood.

As part of the new campaign, the multi-talented actor and director will be positioned as an experienced ambassador to the brand and demonstrate Piramal Realty's vision of designing high-quality projects that will add value to the lives of its residents. The personalities of Piramal Realty, Farhan and Rahul, intertwine with each other in a way that can only be summed up as enlightened.

Commenting on the association, Mr. Gaurav Sawhney, Chief Operating Officer, Piramal Realty, said, “Farhan embodies the authenticity and drive for excellence that aligns with our values. His unique personality resonates with our ethos, which makes him a perfect fit for us. As an organization, Piramal realty strives to be creative, adding value to projects through well thought out spaces and lifestyles. We are committed to providing exceptional and unmatched experiences that match changing consumer preferences, and we are confident that our association with Farhan will enrich our efforts to add more value to our customers.” 

Commenting on the association, the versatile actor and director Farhan Akhtar said, “During the most difficult and distressing times, one seeks solace in their homes. In the wake of the pandemic, people are spending more time together, and it has become even more crucial to cherish and nurture one’s family time and space. You treasure the memories you create at home with your loved ones forever. Through this association with Piramal Realty, we are bringing to life the essence of creating and celebrating those unforgettable experiences with our families and loved ones that will last a lifetime.”

The new campaign will be amplified through a 360-degree marketing approach covering outdoor, social media, print, digital, and physical avenues of promotion that are in the pipeline to enhance the association between Farhan Akhtar, Rahul Dravid and Piramal Realty.

About Piramal Realty

Founded in 2012, Piramal Realty, the real estate development arm of Piramal Group is one of India’s leading developers with 15 mn sq. ft. of residential and commercial under development in and around Mumbai. In 2015, two of the world’s most respected private equity investors invested USD 235 million dollars for a minority stake in the company.

Piramal Realty aims to be the gold standard in design, quality, safety, and customer-centricity in both residential and commercial real estate. Piramal Realty’s developments, while being cutting edge and contemporary, focus on embracing a more intuitive definition of luxury, which celebrates nature, greenery, space, light, ventilation, art, culture, and community living.

About Piramal Group

The Piramal Group, led by Ajay Piramal, is one of India’s foremost business conglomerates with a global footprint. With operations in 30 countries and brand presence in over 100 markets, the Group’s consolidated revenues were ~US USD 1.7 billion in FY 2021, with ~37% of revenues generated from outside India. The Group’s diversified portfolio includes a presence in industries in pharma, financial services, and real estate.

Prasanna Trust Secures US$50,000 Grant From Goldman Sachs, Gives Analyst Impact Fund

* Grant to empower female students in India affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to continue their education

* Team from Goldman Sachs Bengaluru office reached finals of the global competition and voted ‘fan favourite’

A team of analysts from Goldman Sachs’ Bengaluru office, one of the firm’s deep fintech hubs, has secured a US$50,000 grant for Prasanna Trust, through the Goldman Sachs Gives Analyst Impact Fund competition.

The grant will help Prasanna Trust, a public charitable trust supporting marginalised sections of society in India, expand its scholarship program to empower 150 girls affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to continue their education, and grow its outreach beyond Bengaluru, to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Madurai and Chennai.

Bengaluru-based, Prasanna Trust was awarded a grant of US$25,000 after the team finished fourth in the global competition and received an additional grant of US$25,000 for being voted the "Fan Favourite." The "Fan Favourite" team was selected on the basis of real-time voting by both Goldman Sachs employees and external participants, including clients, incoming analysts and summer analysts of the firm, who attended the finals around the world.

In its sixth year, the annual Goldman Sachs Gives Analyst Impact Fund is an initiative that provides Goldman Sachs employees with the opportunity to collaborate with peers across global offices to win a grant for a non-profit organization of their choice. Since 2016, more than 3,300 analysts in 42 offices across the world have participated in the competition, securing over US$2.7 million in grants to 93 non-profit organizations globally. This year’s prize pool was US$600,000. An analyst is the entry level position at the firm.

This year, more than 600 analysts from 30 offices participated globally, and pitched ideas supporting nearly 300 non-profits, with innovative proposals to tackle issues spanning food insecurity and environmental sustainability to promoting STEM education and improving health outcomes for underserved communities. 

On December 9, the finalist teams addressed their pitches and presentations to Goldman Sachs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Solomon and the firm’s Partnership Committee in New York. Each proposal was assessed on the impact, scalability and uniqueness of the project; the team’s analysis of the project goals and financials; and the strength of the organization’s leadership and partnerships. 

Gunjan Samtani, Head of Goldman Sachs Services in India, said: “Goldman Sachs continues to focus on and support our communities amid the global pandemic. Each year, we are inspired by the innovative proposals from our young colleagues, who demonstrate the firm’s long-standing culture of philanthropy, teamwork and commitment to make an impact.”

Shakila Banu, Chief Operating Officer of Prasanna Trust, said: “The team of analysts, one of whom is a beneficiary of our scholarship program, makes this grant truly special. It is a testament to our work in the areas of education and women empowerment. This Goldman Sachs Gives grant will allow us to expand our efforts to bridge the education gap between the privileged and the poor, amid the pandemic.”

According to a January 2021 national policy brief1 by Champions for Girl’s Education in India, the pandemic is reversing the gains made in gender parity in education and empowerment of girls in India. The gendered impact of the pandemic on girls’ education is due to high engagement in domestic chores and care work, and low access to devices for digital education. Prior to the pandemic, girls were twice likely than boys to have less than four years of education. Additionally, a Right To Education Forum policy brief in India noted that 40 percent girl students dropped out of school in 2019.

Previously, several teams from India have successfully secured grants through this global competition, for India-based non-profit organizations such as HelpMeSee, Operation Asha, Digital Green Foundation, Khushi Baby and SwitchOn.

About Goldman Sachs

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global financial institution that delivers a broad range of financial services across investment banking, securities, investment management and consumer banking to a large and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. In India, Goldman Sachs operates from offices in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Since 2008, Goldman Sachs has committed nearly $3 billion to philanthropic initiatives, globally to academic partners and non-governmental organizations, including in India.

About Goldman Sachs Gives

Goldman Sachs Gives is a donor-advised fund through which Goldman Sachs and its current and retired senior employees provide grants to qualifying non-profit organizations globally. Goldman Sachs Gives has made more than $2 billion in grants and partnered with 8,000 non-profit organizations in 100 countries around the world.

Venus Remedies Makes The Cut For The PLI Scheme In Category C

 * Secures approval on the basis of its world-class R&D, growth potential through cutting-edge technologies, capabilities to penetrate global value chains

* Under this scheme, Venus Remedies will make a committed investment in plant and machinery, get incentives on incremental sales of pharmaceutical products

Riding on its outstanding R&D and global manufacturing capabilities, Venus Remedies Ltd, one of India’s leading research-driven pharmaceutical companies, has figured among the select pharmaceutical firms in India which have been picked for the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme of the Central government under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

The company, which is entitled to PLI to build on its existing capacities from the financial year (FY) 2022-23 to FY 2027-28, is among the non-MSME pharmaceutical companies which have been granted approval under the PLI Scheme in Category C involving companies with a manufacturing turnover of less than Rs 500 crore.

Stating that the company got the approval as a beneficiary of the PLI Scheme on account of   impressive marketing authorisations and dossier wealth in regulated markets, Saransh Chaudhary, President, Global Critical Care, Venus Remedies Ltd, and CEO, Venus Medicine Research Centre (VMRC), said, “This is an acknowledgement of our research competencies and manufacturing abilities. We have secured this approval on the basis of our world-class R&D, potential to grow in size and scale using cutting-edge technologies and capabilities to penetrate global value chains.”

Chaudhary said that under this scheme, Venus Remedies would make a committed investment in plant and machinery, and expanding its product portfolio, apart from adding new innovative and complex generics over the coming years.  The company will get incentives on incremental sales of pharmaceutical products based on yearly threshold criteria of prescribed percentage of growth in sales on year-on-year basis. The benefits accruing from this incentive will enhance the manufacturing capabilities of Venus Remedies through increase in both investment and production.

The PLI scheme has the potential to contribute significantly to achieving the larger objective of ensuring affordable healthcare in India as well as abroad on a sustained basis. It aims to give impetus to innovation, research and development and widen the product profile of Indian manufacturers. As many as 278 pharma companies had applied for benefits under three product categories under the scheme, out of which 55 were finally selected.

About Venus Remedies

Panchkula-based Venus Remedies Ltd (NSE: VENUSREM, BSE: 526953) is among the leading   injectable manufacturers in the world. Having presence in 75 countries with a portfolio of as many products spread over Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Commonwealth States, Middle East, Latin America and Caribbean region, the company has nine globally benchmarked facilities in Panchkula, Baddi and Werne (Germany), apart from 11 overseas marketing offices. Its manufacturing units are certified for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 18001 and OHSAS. The company has also been approved by European-GMP, WHO-GMP and Latin American GMP (INVIMA), among others. Venus Remedies has more than 100 patents, 70 trademarks and 12 copyrights for its innovative research products worldwide.

Johnson’s Baby Introduces New Milk + Rice Lotion That Is Enriched With Pure Milk Proteins Plus Rice Extracts

 * Unveils a new TVC that brings alive the benefits of a 24-hour moisture lock for babies who are entering a phase of exploration and doing something new every day

J&J Milk & Rice - New Packshot_Milk+Rice Lotion_200ml_FrontNational, December 10, 2021: Johnson’s® Baby announced the introduction of its New Milk + Rice lotion that seeks to support mums of growing babies who are entering a phase of milestones and exploration. As babies grow, mums want to be sure that their developing skin is equipped for all that their natural inquisitiveness will have them do during the day. Milkier and creamier*[1], Johnson’s® New Milk+ Rice lotion enriched with pure milk proteins plus rice extracts, does just that with its 24-hour moisture lock to help keep the baby’s skin nourished, moisturised and ‘baby soft’ all day.

A baby’s skin develops rapidly and needs the right nourishment to be healthy and develop right. A growing child is bound to do new things like crawling and walking and moisturisers need to deliver that extra nourishment to help equip their skin with the care it needs. The TVC conceptualized by DDB Mudra, brings alive these unique moments in the day and life of a mum and her baby, as they go about the home, exploring something new at each step.

The TVC seeks to assure mums that Johnson’s® Baby with the new Milk + Rice lotion will continue to nourish and celebrate their baby’s growing years. It brings out the richness of the lotion formulation, enriched with goodness pure milk proteins and rice extracts. It has 5x Vitamin E and Vitamin B5 to help keep skin nourished and moisturised.

According to Manoj Gadgil, Vice President Marketing, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health, India, “Johnson’s® Baby believes that ‘every baby must have a thriving start’. The new Johnson’s® Baby Milk + Rice lotion is a reiteration of this commitment to provide the best baby skincare products backed by science for every mum’s baby skincare requirement. We are dedicated to working with mums and dads, healthcare experts and scientists to ensure our products have the highest standard of care for babies at every age and stage of their growing years. The new Milk + Rice lotion with its purposeful ingredients seeks to reassure mums that their child’s developing skin will get the right nourishment, for that baby soft skin.”

Commenting on the TVC, Godwin Dmello, Executive Creative Director, DDB Mudra said, “We found the insight of growing babies seeing and feeling everything for the first time, to be a very powerful one. So, we told the story of this curious baby who’s enjoying her newfound freedom to move and explore. It sets up the need for the product to come in while being relatable and delightful for mothers.”

About Johnson’s® Baby:

At Johnson’s®, we’re committed to delivering the best for babies with products that are specially designed for baby’s skin. For more than 125 years, we’ve pioneered research to further understand the unique needs of baby’s eyes, skin and hair. This science is behind every one of our gentle and Clinically Proven Mild products, making Johnson’s® baby one of the most trusted brands amongst mothers in India.

To know more details about gentle care, visit www.johnsonsbaby.in

Link to the TVC: https://youtu.be/rFtPKezpWsI

UNDP And SAP Launch ‘Project Code Unnati’ To Foster Digital Skills And Entrepreneurship In Karnataka

* Description automatically generatedThe Initiative launched by Dr C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon’ble Minister for Electronics, IT & BT, Science and Technology, Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Government of Karnataka, will empower over 20,000 youth and 5,000 women across three districts in the state.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with SAP, launched the Project Code Unnati, to promote digital skilling and entrepreneurship development for youth and women across three districts in Karnataka.

The initiative was inaugurated by Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon’ble Minister for Electronics, IT and BT, Science and Technology, Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Government of Karnataka, in the presence of Dr. Shalini Rajneesh (IAS), Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Planning, Programming, Monitoring and Statistics, Government of Karnataka, Dr. S. Selvakumar (IAS), Secretary, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Government of Karnataka, Mr. Ashwin D. Gowda (IRS), Managing Director, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation, Government of Karnataka, Ms. Sindhu Gangadharan, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, SAP Labs India, and Mr. Amit Kumar, Head, Inclusive Growth, UNDP.

As part of the Project Code Unnati, SAP and UNDP have curated three broad work-streams, that will directly impact the lives of over 20,000 youth, 5000 women, and 300 community-based enterprises in the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Raichur, and Bengaluru Rural during the project duration of three years.  These include:

Imparting digital literacy, enhancing entrepreneurial skills, and providing digital financial education for women

Building digital skills and entrepreneurship development at the university level for youth

Connecting youth to the Government incubation centers (Atal Incubation Centres), and providing them with opportunities to participate in design-thinking workshops, innovation challenges, and boot camps

Expected impact of SAP and UNDP partnership

20,000 youth will undergo 21st century and digital skills training coupled with Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDPs) in the target districts

Students will have the opportunity to attend and participate in design-thinking workshops, demonstrations, digital skills championship leading to scholarships, Youth Co Lab innovation challenges, boot camps, and connecting them with Atal Incubation Centers (AICs) of NITI Aayog in Karnataka

Creating a direct impact on the lives of at least 5000 women as a part of the Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP)

3,000 women from 500 self-help groups (SHGs) and micro-enterprises will be trained as part of the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP)

300 women would be able to initiate their own businesses in three years, thereby increasing income level within 18 months of the commencement of the programme

Raising awareness at various levels by connecting industry and professional linkages, employee volunteering, and mentorship

Sindhu Gangadharan  SVP, SAP User Enablement & MD, SAP Labs India said “SAP’s Code Unnati in partnership with UNDP and the Government of Karnataka, aims at youth empowerment through employable skill training, career guidance, and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the State. To strengthen the New Education Policy of the Government of India, we created the content in Kannada along with UNDP, which will be available through the Code Unnati mobile app. Along with UNDP, SAP will also augment the rural entrepreneurship ecosystem to foster an inclusive and equitable economic development in Karnataka.”

Amit Kumar, Head, Inclusive Growth, UNDP India, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled the world to embrace a new normal, with physical distancing being the way of life today. Equipping and empowering youth and women to utilize opportunities for transformation is critical during the pandemic. Our partnership with SAP will not only maximize our collective effort but will allow young people and women in India to take charge of their own lives and, in turn, make their communities a better and more inclusive space.”

Employees of SAP Labs India will provide strategic mentorship for all the initiatives. SAP Labs India has also created the Code Unnati digital platform as a mobile application which provides access to over 230 courses for Youth and the workforce of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

About UNDP

UNDP works across 170 countries and territories, to eradicate poverty while protecting the planet. UNDP helps in developing strong policies, skills, partnerships, and institutions so that the countries are able to sustain their progress. UNDP has worked in India since 1951 in most areas of human development, ranging from systems and institutional strengthening to inclusive growth and sustainable livelihoods, sustainable energy, environment, to climate change resilience. UNDP’s programmes continue to integrate a global vision for catalytic change synchronous with India’s national priorities.

With over 30 projects being implemented across several states today, UNDP India works to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to transform traditional models to achieve holistic and all-round development in the country.

For more information, visit https://www.in.undp.org/

Follow UNDP India on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Trend Micro Accelerates Business Growth With The Opening Of New Office In Mumbai

* To be the world's first anti-microbial facility that uses BioZone technology 

Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global cybersecurity leader, today opened its new office in Mumbai, India. Located in Bandra Kurla Complex, the 6879 sq ft office space has a Center of Excellence (CoE) and Executive Briefing Center (EBC). With the launch, Trend Micro aims to expand its cloud business in India and also grow its incident response and local support team. The company aims to continue its current focus on BFSI and specific areas in government including defense and state data center. 

The new Trend Micro office is designed to create a unique environment and ensure best in class services for its employees, with major investments in infrastructure. Equipped with cutting-edge and fully integrated technology, the facility is designed to accommodate future needs, suitable for video conferencing for both collaborative and remote work, particularly post-pandemic. The style of the building has been enhanced with the help of BioZone technology, to create the world's first anti-microbial facility. 

Mr. Nilesh Jain, Vice President, Southeast Asia and India, Trend Micro said, “This year has been a great year for us. Our new Mumbai office supports our customers and, it reiterates our commitment to India market and the cybersecurity industry. We see many enterprises in India taking the lead in technology advancements and staying ahead of the global market curve, including cloud adoption. This in turn provides more business opportunities for us to invest in this market. It also allows us to look at India as a place to launch strategic initiatives that include hosting Cloud One data center and XDR data lake, building our Managed XDR Center of Excellence for SOC partners, nurturing the cybersecurity talents in India through CPITS Program, developing our AMEA regional channel team in India etc., to scale up our operations across other regions and industries.” 

Mr. Vijendra Katiyar, Country Manager, India & SAARC, Trend Micro said, “We are happy to announce the launch of our state-of-art office space that reinforces our commitment to India market. Further to our existing Cloud One and XDR data centers, we also plan to setup a local support center in India to address the cybersecurity issues and concerns of our customers. With significant investments made in the cloud business, we will ramp up hiring and continue building the team. As our customers are the backbone of our company, we are bound to cater to their needs and meet their requirements.” 

Keeping in mind the user experience, Trend Micro office is built around a strong design concept, to create a new workspace language. The design provides flexibility for users by providing workspaces to fit diverse activities including lounges, phone booths and workstations. The primary idea of the office interior is to provide users with the diverse and flexible office space breaking away from the monolithic and boring office. Hence, the design strategically weaves the feeling of comfort and homeliness with formal office setting. The combination of all of these elements allows for a wide range of activities throughout the day, making the office more efficient and enthusing for its employees. 

As a cybersecurity leader, Trend Micro has been continually receiving many industry accolades and recognition globally. The company is named a Leader Once Again in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms. It is also a Leader in the Forrester New Wave™: Extended Detection and Response (XDR) Providers, Q4 2021 report as Trend Micro Vision One receives the highest score in Current Offering category in XDR Evaluation. IDC ranks Trend Micro as #1 in Workload Security market share for the third consecutive year, in the Worldwide Hybrid Cloud Workload Security Market Shares report, June 2021. 

About Trend Micro 

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro's cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world. www.trendmicro.com. 

ISRO & OPPO India Collaborates To Provide NavIC Application, Paving Way For Atmanirbhar Bharat

Indian Space Research Organisation, Department of Space, Government of India signs an MoU with OPPO India to strengthen the research and development of the NavIC messaging service to provide a convenient and user-friendly platform. This MoU will pave the way for future collaborations between ISRO and OPPO India to develop indigenous solutions by incorporating the NavIC short messaging feature in the smartphones released by OPPO India.

This MoU will enable ISRO and OPPO India to exchange technical information of NavIC messaging services so as to build rapid, ready to use, end to end application-specific solutions by integrating NavIC messaging service with the mobile handset platform keeping in mind the need of Indian users. This MoU further reiterates OPPO India's commitment towards India and its vision towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Commenting on this collaboration, Mr Tasleem Arif, Vice President, India R&D Head, OPPO India, said, “We’re excited to collaborate with ISRO to strengthen the NavIC application. Under our latest MoU, we will support ISRO with our industry-leading R&D capabilities to provide a seamless experience to the users of NavIC application. In line with our vision towards Make In India, OPPO will invest in further scaling the product with its competitive and experienced R&D team. To benefit our users and the government, OPPO will continue to create a positive impact in the society through our innovation and technology expertise.”

Dr. K Sivan, Secretary, DOS / Chairman, ISRO appreciated the efforts of OPPO, India in scaling NavIC application through their innovative R&D initiatives. He also urged OPPO, India to include NavIC in all their upcoming products .

NavIC system provides regional navigation services covering the Indian mainland and an area up to 1500 km beyond the Indian mainland. In addition to its primary function of providing PNT services, NavIC is also capable of broadcasting short messages. This messaging service is mainly used for broadcasting safety-of-life alerts in areas with poor or no communication , particularly in the oceans.

About OPPO Mobiles India Private Limited

OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO provides its users with the ColorOS operating system and internet services like OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO operates in more than 50 countries and regions with more than 40,000 of OPPO's employees are dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.

OPPO’s Hyderabad R&D center is the largest research center outside of China and is playing a pivotal role in innovation across fields including software, imaging, and communication network. Aimed at elevating global 5G experience, the brand also launched its first overseas 5G innovation lab in Hyderabad. In line with its commitment to Make in India, OPPO has a manufacturing plant at Greater Noida, established in 2016. As per Canalys February 2021 report, OPPO India witnessed the highest annual growth rate in 2020 among the top 5 players, with annual growth of +23% y-o-y.

Need To Implement Q-Commerce And Cmnichannel In Retail Will Continue To Grow In 2022

2021 witnessed disruptions in retail, with businesses optimizing their inventory and supply chain to ensure their fulfillment was immediate. They further evolved and added fulfillment centres, in their premises, to cater to new consumer needs like BOPIS (buy online and pick up in-store) or BORIS (Buy online and return in-store), curbside pick-up and same-day delivery.

Here are five trends from GOFRUGAL in the retail space that are sure to help retailers accelerate their growth.

1. Technology is a must to offer omni channel retailing

For one thing, the pandemic had stressed the criticality of the supply chain one more time. Retailers struggled to provide consistent experience while they kept introducing new channels like online sales, WhatsApp etc. There is a need for one single view of inventory to support all fulfillment options. Having consolidated inventory on all channels, retailers can easily manage channel-wise pricing and suggested-selling. Product recommendations are introduced while browsing online, in price checkers at the store, at kiosk counters and even endless aisles so they don't lose any orders. By introducing an endless-aisle and recommendation engine, retailers can upgrade from 'buy-stock-sell' to 'sell-source-supply'.

2. Q-commerce is the next big thing

Speed and convenience are fast becoming sought-after consumer currency, giving rise to Q-commerce. This next generation commerce, true to its name, suggests quick-commerce. It also means on-demand or rapid delivery and logistics for an improved last-mile experience. A delivery management mobile app builds a fool-proof Q-commerce system where businesses get complete control on delivery, delivery staff, cash flow and even returns.  Complex processes like manual entries, delivery book, delivery tracking, and manual accounting are eliminated, ensuring faster deliveries with optimum-route navigation capability.

3. Cloud is a catalyst to transform easily

Businesses of any size benefit from upgrading to the cloud as there is one version of the truth. Stakeholders have access to a single or source of data anywhere anytime. With cloud ERP, businesses can easily integrate and grow their businesses steadily. They can enjoy cloud elasticity for either scaling up or scaling down. With data being the fuel for businesses, they must protect and back up their data. Security will be the top 4 objectives in 2022. Cloud-based data back and restore solutions are easy to set up, and data is automatically encrypted and synced in real-time for 100% business continuity.

4. Discovering the benefits of AI and ML

AI, ML and IoT are also transforming the way retailers conduct their business. AI/ML can drive inventory control, predictive selling, demand forecasting, purchase automation, auto reorder and real-time data insights for faster decision-making. AI in the supply chain can help retailers enjoy efficiency as re-stocking happens automatically. It is calculated based on the demand for the product based on its sales history, seasonal trends, promotions, and other parameters. Mobile apps for stock-audit, stock-refill, GRN and stock-pick use AI/ML to automate manual processes like what to audit, buy, re-stock when, how and thus determining optimal staff with no compromise to customer service. Importantly, IoT is used to detect pilferage, fraud and any security issues alerting the user with notification alerts immediately for proactive action.

5. Customer experience Imperative

Physical stores will be re-designed and re-imagined catering to the new normal adhering to the safety guidelines giving rise to self-checkout contactless interactions. With a single view of the customer, retailers can better assess, review, and personalize the loyalty and marketing promotions, pricing, upselling/cross-selling, thus providing a seamless frictionless experience across all omni channel touchpoints.

Sharing his thoughts on the trends, Kumar Vembu, CEO and Founder, GOFRUGAL said,” The pandemic has set the cat among the pigeons. It's time traditional retailers embrace technology and date innovation to spread their wings and sail the retail skies. Digital technology brings in opportunities to get new customers and repeat purchases by existing ones. It also increases efficiency with automation of store operations, empowered employees, and reduced cost of managing operations among many other benefits. Amidst all this, the physical entity would continue to revolve and evolve to the changing needs of consumers.”

Social Gaming Startup Eloelo Crosses 2 Million Users In Only 1 Year

* The app has observed a 10X growth in users in the past 6 months

Eloelo, a live streaming and social gaming app, today crossed 2 million users; the app was launched in September 2020 by ex-Flipkart executives Saurabh Pandey & Akshay Dubey. Eloelo uses first of its kind technology to embed indigenous games inside a live video chat room, thus making it stand apart from other live streaming platforms. Eloelo combines Live streaming with Social games that are very local to India (Tambola, Tol Mol Ke Bol, Chidiya Udd, etc.). All the live sessions on the app are in Hindi, and creators host from the comfort of their homes, recreating a TV-like experience digitally for their fans & followers.

“Eloelo re-imagines creators as live show anchors where they host games like Tambola, Tol Mol Ke Bol, Chidiya Udd, and more & showcase their talent live. We believe the future of entertainment is Live & interactive. Indigenous entertainment combined with gaming is a great way for Creators to connect with the audiences of Bharat & we are just getting started”, says Saurabh, Founder & CEO of Eloelo.

The App also recently launched a new Multi-video feature called “Stage”, where users can request to join a Live Video and be a co-host along with the Creator. Saurabh adds, “Live multi-video takes real-time creator-fan engagement to the next level. Users can request to be a part of the Live Video call and chat, play games with their favourite Hosts. It is almost like being a part of a Live TV game show.”

As per a KPMG report, the pandemic was a tipping point for online gaming in India, with 433 million users playing games online in FY21. Also, the creators’ economy is buzzing with growth as more creators join existing influencers & discover new means of fan engagement where Eloelo has an advantage since it allows creators to host live games for their fans. Creators on the app can choose games they would like to Host, and the app adds a chat layer on top of the Livestream for them to engage live with their audience. 

Eloelo has raised $2.5 Mn to date with Waterbridge Ventures, Better Capital & Lumikai as prominent investors. The App was recently chosen as one of the 16 homegrown startups out of 700 Applications by Google as part of its Accelerator program. It has already onboarded over 20,000 Creators on the platform.

The company is strongly positioning the app as the “Bharat Metaverse”, where Creators host Live Games & experiences for their fans and is investing in AR Filters, more tools for Creators. With more than 12 Games on the App, the company believes it is quite uniquely positioned to be a leader in the Live social gaming space.

Akshaya Patra And ManipalCigna Health Insurance Partner To Address Covid-19 Food Relief Efforts Across India

* The Cigna Foundation, funded by contributions from Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI) and its subsidiaries has pledged $75,000 for COVID-19 Food Relief Efforts for the economically deprived families under its program, ‘Healthier Kids For Our Future’

ManipalCigna Health Insurance Company Limited, a joint venture between Manipal Group, an eminent player in the field of healthcare delivery and higher education and Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI), U.S. based global health service leader, has partnered with The Akshaya Patra Foundation to distribute a total of 4,550 Akshaya Patra’s Family Happiness Kits in Mumbai/Thane, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Guwahati, and Delhi along with a school painting project. 

The Cigna Foundation, funded by contributions from Cigna Corporation and its subsidiaries has pledged $75,000 to help provide dry ration kits to the economically deprived families affected by the pandemic. The distribution of Family Happiness Kits which will include rice, wheat flour, sugar, pulses, cooking oil and other grocery accompaniments will be carried out on 17th and 18th December, 2021 across the country.

The donation is part of Cigna Foundation’s $25 million ‘Healthier Kids For Our Future’ initiative to improve the health and well-being of children and support local communities. The Healthier Kids For Our Future program addresses three key areas of children’s health and welfare that align to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – good health and well-being, zero hunger and no poverty. Cigna's over 74,000 global employees will work together to put children on a healthier path, starting with reducing childhood hunger and improving nutrition in local communities.

Speaking on the partnership, Sapna Desai, Head of Marketing and Digital Sales, ManipalCigna Health Insurance, said “Lack of quality nutrition can significantly affect people’s physical health and may lead to preventable chronic conditions. Through our partnership with Akshaya Patra Foundation’s Family Happiness Kits program, we at ManipalCigna Health Insurance and the Cigna Foundation are providing the capacity to support the underprivileged families of our society with the nutritious groceries they need for healthy lives”

Acknowledging the support, Mr. Sundeep Talwar, CMO, The Akshaya Patra Foundation said, “It is our responsibility to ensure that nutritious meals are served to children in schools and that no child goes hungry. We're pleased to be working with ManipalCigna Health Insurance, and we're appreciative of the Cigna Foundation’s support in sponsoring our Family Happiness Kits. Such collaborations assist us in serving over 1.8 million children every school day across the country. This was our first collaboration and we hope to strengthen our partnership over time.” 

The Akshaya Patra Foundation aims to address malnutrition and support the right to education of socio-economically disadvantaged children of the nation and beyond with the support of the Government of India, various State Governments, and generous supporters. With this vision, the organization has been concerting all its efforts towards serving children and humanity for the last 21 years with the spread of 58 kitchens across 12 states & 2 Union territories of India. 

About The Akshaya Patra Foundation

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that strives to address classroom hunger and malnutrition in India. By implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Government and Government-aided schools, Akshaya Patra aims to fight hunger and, at the same time, bring children to school. Since 2000, Akshaya Patra has worked towards reaching out to children with wholesome food every single school day. The Foundation is continuously leveraging technology to cater to millions of children. Its state-of-the-art kitchens have become a subject of study and attract curious visitors from around the world.

In partnership with the Government of India and various State Governments and the inestimable support of many philanthropic donors and well-wishers, Akshaya Patra has grown from humble beginnings serving just 1,500 school children across five schools to becoming the world’s largest (not- for-profit run) mid-day meal programme, serving wholesome food to over 1.8 million children from 19,039 schools [as of March 2020] across 13 states and one union territory in India.

Mahindra First Choice Wheels Adds Two More Outlets In Bengaluru

* Outlets in high demand areas like Sarjapur Road and MSR Layout on Tumkur Road

Mahindra First Choice Wheels Ltd (MFCWL), India’s leading multi-brand pre-owned cars retailer, introduced two new stores in Bengaluru city. The two new outlets namely Zippy Automart and Renew 4 u Automobiles are located in MSR Layout, Tumkur road and Sarjapur road, respectively. With the addition of these stores, MFCWL now offers more physical touchpoints in the city to buy and sell used cars. With a total of 67 stores in the state, MFCWL further strengthens its position as a market leader in organized used car segment.

On the new store inauguration, Mr. Ashutosh Pandey, CEO & MD, Mahindra First Choice Wheels Ltd. said, “We are happy to expand our network in Bengaluru as well as in neighboring region. The new store launches are aligned with our mission to offer a hassle free ownership experience to customers via our phygital model between carandbike.com, our online used car booking portal and our physical outlets of Mahindra First Choice. We are certain that both the dealerships will add many customers to the Mahindra First Choice family and bring the brand closer to consumers.”

The new Mahindra First Choice stores will offer all the facilities and services that the MFCWL brand represents including certified used-car sales, warranty on Mahindra Certified used cars, easy finance, hassle-free RTO transfer and superlative customer experience.

Over the years, MFCWL has built an organized eco-system in the highly unorganized pre-owned cars sector, creating a circle of trust and transparency among franchisees, customers, dealers and institutional clients. All franchise owners have access to technology, training, software, branding and marketing. MFCWL has the largest collection of 5000+ certified vehicles sold through an omnichannel model to customers across the length and breadth of the country.

Mahindra First Choice is an industry leader in the used car segment with 1100+ retail stores in 350+ cities has sold over 2 million cars in the country.

For associating with Mahindra First Choice Wheels, log on to: https://www.mahindrafirstchoice.com/

About Mahindra First Choice Wheels

Mahindra First Choice Wheels is a dominant player in the Indian used vehicle eco system providing products and services to cater to the needs of retail and wholesale customers utilizing its “on-the ground” and “in-the-cloud” capabilities. The company has raised funding from Silicon Valley based Hedge Fund, Valiant Capital and Cox Automotive, a $17 Billion US based enterprise.

About Mahindra

 The Mahindra Group enjoys a leadership position in utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume It also enjoys a strong presence in renewable energy, agribusiness, logistics and real estate development. Headquartered in India, Mahindra employs over 2,56,000 people across 100 countries.

53 Companies In 2021 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 Hails From Karnataka

 

Key Highlights: -

* The cumulative value of companies from Karnataka stands at INR 23 lakh crore

* Big 3: With a value of INR 7.5 lakh crore, Infosys is Karnataka’s most valuable company, followed by Wipro with INR 3.7 lakh crore and BYJU’s with INR 1.4 lakh crore

* 29 companies doubled in value and 2 companies rose by INR 1 lakh crore from Karnataka in 2021 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 List

* Software & Services and Financial Services led the way with 9 companies each, followed by Healthcare and Real Estate with 6 companies each.

* Total sales of companies from Karnataka in the 2021 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 List cumulated to INR 5.2 lakh crore, equivalent to 31% of state’s GSDP

* The 2021 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 companies from Karnataka employ 10.1 lakh people in total, with an average of 19,096 employees

* The average age of companies from Karnataka in this list is 17 years, i.e., founded in 2004

Burgundy Private, Axis Bank’s Private Banking Business and Hurun India launched the first edition of the ‘2021 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500’, a list of the 500 most valuable companies in India. These companies are ranked according to their value, defined as market capitalization for listed companies and valuations for non-listed companies. Hurun Report India and Burgundy Private launched a further analysis of most valuable non-state-controlled companies from Karnataka in the 2021 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 List. The cut-off date to arrive at this list was 30th October 2021. This list refers to companies headquartered in India only; state-owned companies and subsidiaries of foreign companies are not included.

Amitabh Chaudhry, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Axis Bank said: “Burgundy Private is delighted to partner with Hurun India in celebrating India’s 500 most valuable companies. We salute the leadership of these companies who have ably steered their businesses through the ravages of the pandemic, adopting new ways of serving their customers and emerging as winners. As India’s leading wealth management franchise, Burgundy Private has witnessed this value creation from close quarters.

The total value of the 2021 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 companies is close to INR 228 lakh crore (US$3tn), which is higher than India’s GDP for FY21. The top line of these 500 companies is equivalent to 29% of India’s GDP and they employ up to 1.5% of the total workforce of the country. What is most heartening is that nearly 10% of these companies are younger than 10 years, representing India’s vibrant tech ecosystem. We believe that India’s new economy companies will witness greater representation in this list in the times to come. Axis Bank has been a partner to many names that find a mention in this report, and through our integrated ‘One Axis’ approach, we look forward to working closely with them as they achieve greater milestones in their journey ahead.”

Anas Rahman Junaid, MD and Chief Researcher, Hurun India said: “Hurun India is delighted to partner with Burgundy Private, Axis Bank’s Private Banking Business to release the 2021 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500. The first edition of Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 comprises of notable names ranging from startups such as InMobi, Zerodha, BYJU’S, Swiggy, Meesho, Ola Electric to veterans such as Infosys, Wipro and Mindtree. The report reflects the entrepreneurship spirit that the city harbors while positioning India as a preferred destination attracting investments for high-decibel growth.”

Methodology

The 2021 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 is a list of the 500 most valuable companies that are headquartered in India. Government/ State-owned companies and subsidiaries of foreign companies are excluded. Although the cut-off date for the list is 30th October 2021, we have taken an exception for Paytm, Nykaa, Policybazaar, Sapphire Foods India, Latent View Analytics and Go Fashion for which we have considered the closing market cap of the listing day. The aforementioned companies were in the process of going public/ getting listed during the cut-off date.

Valuing private companies is as much an art as it is a science. Surely, Hurun India may have missed some companies, but our endeavor is to develop the most comprehensive report of its kind with an objective to identify and acknowledge India’s top businesses. Hurun Report’s team of researchers have traveled the length and breadth of the country, cross-checking information with entrepreneurs, industry experts, journalists, bankers and other sources of publicly available data.

For unlisted companies, Hurun Research’s valuation is based on a comparison with their listed equivalents using prevailing industry multiples such as Price to Earnings, Price to Sales, EV to sales, EV to EBITDA. Other methodologies such as Discounted Cash Flow and Tobin’s Q are also used. In certain cases of early- stage companies, Hurun used the First Chicago Method for valuation. Financial information used is from the latest available annual reports or audited financial statements.

IIID Bengaluru Chapter To Host 'DesignUru 3.0' To Promote Local Artisans

 

- The grand 8- day design festival to be held from Dec 15- 22

 - The theme of DesignUru 3.0 is ' Vocal for Local' & ’Save the Artisans'

The Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), a non-profit organization focused on promoting architecture and design, will be hosting the third edition of DesignUru 3.0, which will be held from 15th December to 22 December 2021 at the Rangoli Centre, M G Road, Bengaluru.

DesignUru 3.0 is an 8- day grand design festival focused on the Government of India initiative 'vocal for local' by promoting local artisans and handcrafted work. The various themes of this design fest are ' Vocal for Local', 'Save the Artisans' & ' Sustainable Architecture'

Announcing this at a press conference, Architect Kavita Sastry, Chairperson of IIID BRC said, “This Design Fest is organized to promote Make In India Initiative by using locally available materials and helping and promoting local artisans from across the states. We have tied up with organisations working at ground level with artisans. At IIID BRC, we encourage local artisans to collaborate with Architects and Industry to make their network strong and promote their products," she added. 

Each of the 4 participating organisations are from Karnataka and will be hosting a two day participatory workshops / demonstrations involving the traditional artisans during the Design festival week. The week long design festival will also host a crafts bazaar by Naisargik Santhe, supporting the works of artisans. The design festival will have three, week-long exhibitions; one is an exhibition hosted by IUDI on urban design. Second is an exhibition of restoration works done by INTACH. The third is the exhibition of a competition hosted by IGBC curated by team Mistry.

“The design festival will also have 2 installations-one made from waste, which will serve as an area to host workshops, interactions, presentations. This is erected by ASSOCHAM GEM Karnataka Chapter. The second installation is an experimental stone structure created using interlocking technique without cement by Architect Senthil Kumar,” apprised Kavita Sastry.

The 8- day fest promises to be an educative series for architecture and design students. 

The keynote speaker of Design Uru 3.0 Architect Anupama Kundoo ,the RIBA Charles Jencks award winner.

Dinesh Verma, Immediate Past Chairperson , IIID and Gayathri Shetty, National Joint Secretary also addressed the press conference.

About IIID:

The Institute of Indian Interior Designers, popularly called I.I.I.D; was founded in 1972 to establish good professional & trade practices and ethics amongst its members and to highlight and enhance the image of the Interior Design Profession and exchange know?how with similar organizations within the country & abroad. IIID is a member of APSDA: Asia Pacific Space Designers Alliance.

Today, with over 8,000 members in 31 chapters & centres across India, IIID is true representative of the Interior Design fraternity within the country as well as globally. IIID has well defined aims and objectives towards fulfillment of its duties towards the fraternity & profession and society at large. 

AXISCADES Technologies Ltd Appoints Arun Krishnamurthi As Managing Director And CEO

AXISCADES Technologies Ltd. [AXISCADES (BSE: 532395 | NSE: AXISCADES], a leading end to end engineering and technology solutions catering to the aerospace, defence, heavy engineering, automotive, energy, medical & healthcare sectors, today announced that appointment of Arun Krishnamurthi as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer effective 22nd November 2021. Arun joins AXISCADES from Tata Technologies(TTL), London, where he was the president for the Europe region and responsible for sales of the Europe business besides sitting on the board of TTL UK, Romania and Sweden.

Arun’s appointment comes at a time when AXISCADES’ investments in digital space is rewarding the business while its innovation and research capabilities are driving factors for profitability. The company is strengthening its position through strategic partnerships and believes that Arun’s leadership will augment the bouquet of services.

Welcoming Arun on board, Mr David Bradley, Chairman, Board of Directors said, “We are glad to have Arun on board who joins us at this crucial juncture of taking the organisation to the next level. His rich experience will augur well with the goal of consolidating our presence and market share in important sectors such as Aerospace, Heavy Engineering, Energy, Auto,, and Medical Devices.”

Arun brings with him two and a half decades of pedigree global technology experience and business acumen across sales and technology. Speaking at his appointment, Arun said, “I am honoured to join AXISCADES at a time when businesses are challenged to reinvent strategies given the impact of the pandemic. I believe AXISCADES Technologies to be a resilient platform that has the capabilities to become a leader in engineering and technology solutions. Going forward, our strategy will be to strengthen and increase wallet share with major customers while diversifying the sector mix, increase client portfolio and bring in new logos that will become key and strategic clients to the organisation. Digital and embedded are disrupting the engineering space and this will be a focus for our business growth and solutions going foward”

His prior stints also include managing large P&L’s, major transformation projects and M&As in Wipro and Patni Computer Services. Arun has lived in the US and UK and has recently relocated to India after eight year in London. He has first-hand experience of business in the US, Europe and APAC.

About AXISCADES Technologies Ltd.

AXISCADES (listed on the BSE and NSE) is a leading, end to end engineering and technology solutions company creating innovative, sustainable and safer products worldwide. Headquartered in Bangalore with office across India, AXISCADES has subsidiaries in USA, UK, Canada, Germany, India and China; and offices in Germany, France, Denmark, USA and Canada.

AXISCADES has a diverse team of over 2000 engineers working across 16 futuristic Global Engineering Centres across North America, Europe, UK and Asia-Pacific, striving to reduce the program risk and time to market.  The company offers Product Engineering Solutions across Mechanical Engineering, Embedded Software and Hardware, Digitisation and Automation, System Integration, Tech Solutions, Manufacturing Engineering, Technical Publications and Aftermarket Solutions.

The engineering solution portfolio covers the complete product development lifecycle from concept evaluation to manufacturing support and certification for Fortune 500 Companies in the Aerospace, Defense, Heavy Engineering, Automotive, Medical Devices & Industrial Product industries. The company is known for its robust system of certifications and best practices that address customer requirements and domain expertise.

For more information visit www.axiscades.com

IMDb Announces Top 10 Indian Films And Web Series Of 2021

* Based on IMDbPro data of page views in India,

* Jai Bhim is the top movie of 2021; Aspirants secures the top spot for web series

IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for information on movies, TV shows, and celebrities, today unveiled the 10 movies and TV shows that were most popular with IMDb users in India this year. Rather than base its annual rankings on small statistical samplings or reviews from professional critics, this exclusive and definitive data is derived from the IMDbPro movie and TV rankings, which are based on the actual page views of IMDb users and updated weekly throughout the year.

IMDb Top 10 Indian Films of 2021*

Jai Bhim

Shershaah

Sooryavanshi

Master

Sardar Udham

Mimi

Karnan

Shiddat

Drishyam 2

Haseen Dillruba

*Of all the movies released theatrically or digitally in India between January 1 and November 29, 2021 and have an average IMDb user rating of 6.5 or higher, these 10 titles generated the most IMDb page views in India within a six-week post-release window, based on IMDbPro data. IMDb users can add these and other titles to their IMDb Watchlist.

IMDb Top 10 Indian Web Series of 2021*

Aspirants

Dhindora

The Family Man

The Last Hour

Sunflower

Candy

Ray

Grahan

November Story

Mumbai Diaries 26/11

*Of all the web series released in India between January 1 and November 29, 2021 and have an average IMDb user rating of 6.5 or higher, these 10 series generated the most IMDb page views in India within a six-week post-release window, based on IMDbPro data. IMDb users can add these and other titles to their IMDb Watchlist.

“Entertainment fans around the world rely on IMDb to learn who and what is trending, discover new content, and decide what and where to watch,” said Yaminie Patodia, head of India, IMDb. “This year’s list of the top movies and streaming series reflects the diversity of popular content in India, including titles across Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam. Additionally, demonstrating content consumption patterns in India, for the first time ever, two of this year’s Top 10 Web Series—Aspirants and Dhindora—are available to stream for free on YouTube, while the others are available on subscription-based channels.”

To learn more about this year’s most popular Indian web series, watch this video: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls576684852/

The IMDb Best of 2021 section features a variety of additional year-end Top 10 lists as well as retrospective photo galleries, trailers, original videos (including an upcoming In Memoriam video), and other coverage at https://www.imdb.com/best-of.

Zirca Digital Solutions Received Its First-Ever Patent For ContentiQ

* The patented product is Asia’s first integrated advertising management platform ~

Taking another successful step towards innovating and staying ahead of the curve, Zirca Digital Solutions has recently acquired its patent for ContentiQ. This latest patented product is designed to help brands and agencies ease their campaign and account strategy. It offers a unified dashboard, on a SaaS platform, using which campaigns can be managed and optimized to achieve the campaign goals with high effectiveness.

The dashboard consolidates results from across CDNs: search, social, video as well as various publishers. It presents a holistic view of consumer responses on ads and sets of recommendations using which ad performance can be crafted to address the primary campaign objective.

Zirca aims to aid brands to customise consumer conversations  through ContentiQ by placing consumers’ responses firmly at the core. This ensures that the message is communicated in the best-suited format, relevant to the consumers, and promises to deliver objectives effectively.

Being an independent global digital solutions provider with a passion for results, Zirca also enables brands to integrate ad response data with their CRM, thus, giving them a transparent view of digital spending. Zirca’s unique understanding of the consumer is also achieved through its partnerships and innovation. By providing a different perspective on the attribution of sales on the digital spends, it closes a big gap in understanding the drivers of product sales.

Neena Dasgupta (CEO and Director, Zirca Digital Solutions) said, “This patent places Zirca into a unique position in delivering and optimising multi-dimensional campaign objectives for a brand. With this differentiated offering, we can ensure high returns for clients’ spends on advertising. Tying up various aspects of campaigns and ad management to ensure that these objectives are met is among the firsts in the industry. We’re delighted with ContentiQ being our first patented product.”

Karan Gupta (Managing Director, Zirca Digital Solutions) adds, “We are applying for patent for this product in several countries so that Zirca’s unrivalled approach is recognized across different markets. Clients in these markets will be able to utilize our tailored services to fulfil their localized objectives.”

Zirca’s patented product ContentiQ also enables entities who are investing in ad spends to reconcile the responses of the ads using Blockchain technology.  

About Zirca Digital Solutions:

Zirca is a 360-degree digital solutions provider who is spearheading digital consumer insights and evolution of media sales in India. At Zirca, Consumer Insights, Content and Brand Solutions, Media, Representation and Platforms — work in tandem to create high impact campaigns executed with extreme precision to unlock the value of clients’ digital assets.

Zirca has evolved into an independent global digital solutions firm that provides cutting-edge digital content and advertising solutions to brands across industries and in key markets across India and South-East Asia.

ZIRCA works with multiple Indian and global publishers and platforms to enable them to monetise their multi-channel assets in India. Zirca represents few leading global brands like The Economist, Fast Company, Inc.com, Mail Online, and Microsoft in India.

Dr Ranjan R Pai, President-MAHE & Chairman-MEMG, Named In The EdelGive Hurun India Youngest Philanthropists List

Dr Ranjan R Pai, chairman of Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG) and President of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) was named as one of the youngest philanthropists in the 8th annual EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. The list highlights the country’s most generous individuals who have contributed to the development of the nation through their philanthropic efforts. The report was prepared by Edelgive Foundation in partnership with Hurun India.

Dr Pai, who is 48 years old is one of the youngest people to have made to the list which features individuals who donated Rs 5 crore INR or more during the period under consideration. With philanthropic contributions worth 17 crore Dr Pai has directed his efforts to the cause of education.

The Edelgive Hurun list includes entrepreneurs from various sectors like pharmaceuticals, software, automobile, finance etc. who apart from creating wealth have also given back to the society. The forum celebrates the efforts of such individuals and also throws light on the sectors and regions which have benefitted from these philanthropic endeavours. The list was prepared after surveying India’s most successful entrepreneurs, their philanthropic contributions and cross referencing them with media reports and data from the charitable organisations. The research for the report also included meetings with scholars, experts, and senior members of charitable foundations.

Speaking about Dr Ranjan Pai’s inclusion amongst the youngest philanthropists, Dr H S Ballal, Pro Chancellor, MAHE said “The Manipal family has a strong legacy of charitable endeavours right from the days our founder DR T.M.A Pai. He always believed Healthcare and Education are the two critical areas of human development and strived to develop those fields. His legacy has been carried forward by his son Dr Ramdas M Pai and now his grandson Dr Ranjan R Pai. Being one of the youngest people to be included in this list speaks volumes of Dr Ranjan’s commitment to corporate responsibility”.

Lt. Gen (Dr.) M.D. Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, MAHE said “Dr Ranjan Pai has always been an excellent entrepreneur with a deep sense of responsibility. Through his charitable undertakings he has steered his energies into empowering people and improving their way of life through education and healthcare. His inclusion in the list is a proud moment for us indeed”. 

MyGate Acquires MyCommunity Genie To Strengthen Community Commerce Play

* Technology platform to unlock benefits of group buying for residents of 25,000+ communities

MyGate, India’s largest community app, has announced its acquisition of MyCommunity Genie, a Bengaluru-based community commerce platform, in a part-cash, part-equity deal. Following a number of successful pilots and focused efforts on home services and seasonal products over the past three months, MyGate’s community commerce vertical has been growing at 50% month-on-month. MyCommunity Genie’s strong technology infrastructure and its team’s expertise in the space will enable MyGate to further accelerate this growth.

MyCommunity Genie powers group buying for 100s of communities and has over 150 sellers across Bengaluru. It provides communities with a framework for residents to come together and buy as a group to unlock higher savings for all, using an adaptive discounting model. For sellers, in addition to delivering high-value, single-destination orders, the platform also solves numerous operational pain points with regard to procurement, packaging, delivery and payments. Following the acquisition, all MyCommunity Genie systems will be integrated into MyGate.

This acquisition would provide MyGate with the necessary tools to bring scale to its long-term plans in community commerce, enabling its 25,000+ communities to unlock the power and savings of group buying. For example, a group buying deal in Bengaluru that led to the sale of 15,000kgs of alphonso mangoes would go pan-India come next summer.

MyCommunity Genie was founded in 2019 by Gagandeep Singh (IIT Delhi, ex-Google, Bloomreach, Ola), who has a deep understanding of e-commerce and search relevance. With a combined 40 years of experience in commerce, Gagandeep and MyCommunity Genie’s founding team members Mahendra Kumar, Vaishali Bhati and Zoheb Arif will play an integral role at MyGate to achieve the ambitious targets set for the medium term. Gagandeep Singh will join the leadership team at MyGate.

On the acquisition, Abhishek Kumar, Co-founder and COO, MyGate, says, “We are big believers in the power of group buying and community commerce. There is immense potential in the space, with greater savings for residents and larger volumes for sellers. Excited to welcome aboard Gagandeep and the entire team at MyCommunity Genie to help us realise our vision.”

Gagandeep Singh, Founder, MyCommunity Genie, says, “We’re very proud to become part of MyGate, the organisation best positioned to enable community commerce, and look forward to scaling our group buying technology to the 25,000-plus communities on their platform.”

According to a report by Redseer, Gated Community: A $500 billion consumption story in 2026, the 16 million or 6% Indians that live in gated communities account for $245 billion or 45% of national consumption today and will account for $500 billion by 2026. The report further estimates that community apps are poised to capture a $35 billion market via community commerce. MyGate is the market leader in the space, with an 82% share.

Karnataka Emerges As The 2nd Highest State In Number Of Transactions In Q3’21

* Digital payments have shown rapid penetration across the state

* Offline payments in the state are at an all time high

PhonePe, India’s leading fintech platform, today announced key digital payment trends from Karnataka as a part of the PhonePe Pulse Q3 (July - September) 2021 data. In what is a true validation of the reach and penetration of digital payments in the state, it has emerged as the 2nd highest in the number of overall transactions, with Maharashtra taking the top spot.

Here are some interesting trends and insights from the state:

* Bengaluru Urban was the top district in number of transactions accounting for ~63% of total digital transactions in the state at 48 Cr. transactions. This was followed by Mysuru with 2.5 Cr transactions and Bengaluru Rural with 1.82 Cr. transactions.

* Merchant payments has been Karnataka’s favourite use case, overtaking money transfer volumes back in Q3’2019 - more than a year ahead of the time it took for the same to occur pan-India. In Q3’21, merchant payments volumes beat money transfers volumes by ~5% on average across India. In Karnataka though, Q3’21 merchant payment volumes came in at 36% more than money transfers volumes. 

* Dharwad district saw the highest rebound in transaction volumes QoQ as the 2nd lockdown eased towards the end of June’21 and early July’21 . The district saw a 50% increase in the number of QOQ transactions, while Bengaluru Urban came in second with a 46% increase in transactions.

* Finally, mutual fund transactions in Karnataka increased by 33% in Q3’2021 relative to the volumes we saw in Q2’2021, indicating that digital payment platforms such as PhonePe are demystifying the investment process and making the product more accessible to all.

Speaking about the trends, Karthik Raghupathy, Head of Strategy and Investor Relations at PhonePe said, “It is fascinating to see the increasing penetration of digital payments in Karnataka. We are seeing phenomenal growth across all key metrics such as transactions, users and categories across the state, and the post-pandemic recovery has given a further fillip to this. It is going to be an exciting next quarter with the festivities and the holiday season, and we are already looking forward to the next set of interesting insights and trends emerging from Karnataka for Q4 2021.”

PhonePe recently launched PhonePe Pulse, India’s first interactive website with data, insights and trends on digital payments in the country. The website leverages geo-spatial technology to analyze digital transaction habits of over 335 Mn Indians, from 2000+ Crore transactions by consumers to show how India is paying, down to the district level. PhonePe Pulse is India’s go-to destination for accurate and comprehensive data on digital payment trends. With over 46% market share, PhonePe’s data is representative of the country’s digital payment habits.

Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations Releases Vehicle Retail Data For November 2021

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) today released Vehicle Retail Data for November’21.

November’21 Retails

Commenting on how November’21 performed, FADA President, Mr. Vinkesh Gulati said, “Auto retail for the month of November continued to remain in negative zone despite Diwali as well as marriage season in the same month. The unwanted rains in southern states further spoiled the party. Unless Rural India starts showing signs of strength, overall retails will continue to remain weak.

While the 2W segment saw almost at par sales compared to last year (which itself was a bad year), overall sentiment remained low as marriage season also didn’t help in revival except in one or two states. Apart from this, crop loss due to incessant rains and flood in southern states, high acquisition price as well as fuel costs kept the customers away. Further, there are no signs of increase in inquiry levels which is a bigger cause of concern.

PV continues to face the brunt of semi-conductor shortage. While the new launches are keeping customer’s interest high, it is only the lack of supply which is not allowing sales to conclude. The extended waiting period is now starting to make customers jittery and this may lead to loss of interest in vehicle buying.

The CV segment continues to see traction in M&HCV segment. This aided by low base resulted in double digit growth. The bus segment is still witnessing a dry run as educational institutes continue to remain closed. With diesel prices at record highs, supply of CNG vehicles are not able to meet the demand. Tight liquidity and unavailability of finance for customers who availed moratorium are also acting as sales barrier.”

Near Term Outlook

The new variant of Covid ‘Omicron’ has once again gripped the entire nation in fear. This will further impact the overall vehicle demand.

Educational Institutions and offices which were planning to reopen fully have once again deferred their plans and are allowing work/study from home. Price rise due to high input costs and high fuel costs are continuing to add customers woes.

FADA is hopeful that the chip shortage will ease in times to come and therefore reduce waiting period of vehicles and help in increasing sales. On the 2W front, we once again request all OEMs to announce attractive scheme which can work as a stimulus for growth in sales. FADA additionally requests them to consistently work on a 21- days inventory cycle.

Overall, we remain extremely cautious and hope that India does not see a 3rd wave with the new Covid variant. We also urge the Central as well as all State Governments to aggressively drive the vaccination coverage so that India is not caught off-guard and recovery to pre-covid levels is not derailed.

Key Findings from our Online Members Survey

Inventory at the end of November’21

Average inventory for Passenger Vehicles ranges from 10 – 15 days

Average inventory for Two – Wheelers ranges from 30 – 35 days

Liquidity

Good =                  39.5%

Neutral =             36.5%

Bad =                     24%

Sentiment

Neutral =             38.9%

Good =                  32.3%

Bad =                     28.7%

Expectation in December

De-growth =       45.5%

Flat =                     38.3%

Growth =             16.2%

CollegeDekho Appoints Sudhir Bhargava As New Chief Financial Officer

* The announcement comes at the back of CollegeDekho’s recent Series B funding of US$35 Mn and its hyper-growth phase 

* Sudhir is an expert financial strategist and was the Executive Vice President of Info Edge where he was instrumental in taking them public and subsequently was CFO of Career Launcher and MyMoneyMantra. 

* Sudhir is an FMS graduate and brings with him 28 years of rich experience in Corporate Finance, Corporate Development and Investor Relations 

CollegeDekho, India’s largest higher education ecosystem has appointed Sudhir Bhargava, an expert financial strategist with about 30 years of experience in the internet, education, management advising and services industries, as its Chief Financial Officer.  

In his new role, Sudhir will oversee and negotiate strategic mergers and acquisitions alongside leading fundraises and stakeholder management. Sudhir’s appointment comes at the time when CollegeDekho has raised US$ 35 million in its Series B funding and is planning to use the funds to expand into new geographies outside of India, further build its products and services portfolio, and acquire Indian and global companies that complement CollegeDekho’s vision.  

Sudhir is highly skilled in investor relations, IPO, fund raising, corporate development, corporate finance, treasury, and business planning. He served as an Executive Vice President of Info Edge India Limited (parent company of Naukri.com), where he was part of the IPO team and handled investor relations, while playing a key role in corporate development.  

On the appointment of Sudhir as Chief Financial Officer, Ruchir Arora, Founder & CEO, CollegeDekho, said, “We are excited to have Sudhir onboard. He brings with him enormous expertise in domains representing a wide spectrum of finance, and has vast exposure to the service business such as the internet and education. This combination will help CollegeDekho strengthen the strategic alignment of its finance and business development functions, as it grows exponentially adding new verticals. The entire team at CollegeDekho is looking forward to having a wonderful experience working with Sudhir for years to come.”  

Talking about his joining CollegeDekho, Sudhir Bhargava, CFO, CollegeDekho said, “CollegeDekho is disrupting the college discovery space and is growing rapidly in a booming domain. India’s demographics and the value its society attributes to education offers the company a vast opportunity. I see tremendous scope for CollegeDekho to grow multifold and am excited to be a part of its momentous journey.”  

Sudhir obtained a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from Faculty of Management Studies - University of Delhi. He started his career as a Consultant with AF Ferguson and Co, then worked in corporate Banking at ICICI Bank and thereafter as Regional Manager - Sales at HSBC Asset Management India. Besides his 11+ year stint with InfoEdge, Sudhir had also served as a CFO of two companies: MyMoneyMantra, and CL Educate Ltd.  

The higher education market in India accounts for over 50% of the Indian education market, valued at US $135 billion in FY20. As an ecosystem leader, CollegeDekho is propelling a change in India’s higher education space making it more student-oriented with its portfolio of services including admissions in India, study abroad, education financing at 0% interest, hostel accommodation, online courses and coaching.  

Hyundai Showcases Commitment To Electrification In Indian Market

* Announces Expansion of Line-up to 6 BEVs by 2028 and Introduction of Dedicated BEV Platform – E-GMP

·         Hyundai’s line-up of 6 BEVs will cater to multiple segments including Mass market and Mass Premium segments in India

·         Hyundai’s Battery Electric Vehicle line-up by 2028 will comprise of a total of 6 BEVs across different segments and body styles including SUV

·         Hyundai will also introduce its dedicated BEV Platform E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) as well as modified platforms in India

·         HMI will work towards the development of Electric Vehicle infrastructure in India with strategic collaborations to drive a widespread adoption of BEVs in India

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), country’s first smart mobility solutions provider and largest exporter since inception, today announced its roadmap to drive the electric mobility revolution in India with the expansion of its line-up to 6 Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) for the Indian market by 2028. Further, Hyundai will also introduce its dedicated BEV Platform – E-GMP in India, showcasing its commitment towards smart Indian customers.  

Commenting on the corporate announcement, Mr. S S Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “Hyundai has been at the forefront of the electric mobility revolution in India, with the introduction of India’s 1st Electric SUV - KONA Electric in 2019. Hyundai Motor India has been delighting customers with the most innovative and technologically advanced mobility solutions over the last two and a half decades. As we continue to redefine the mobility space, today we are yet again showcasing our commitment towards Indian customers with the announcement of expanding our BEV line-up to 6 vehicles for the Indian Market by 2028. At Hyundai, we are taking experiences Beyond Mobility and are strongly focusing on Intelligent Technology, Sustainability and Innovation. Keeping in line with this thought, we will introduce our dedicated BEV Platform – E-GMP as well as modified platforms for battery electric vehicles in India. By driving the adoption of electric mobility at scale in India, Hyundai will become the fulcrum for transformation of a brighter and better tomorrow.”

ELECTRIC GLOBAL MODULAR PLATFORM (E-GMP)

Hyundai Motor Group globally showcased its E-GMP dedicated BEV platform for future electric vehicles, marking a new era for the brand. Driving the pump-to-plug revolution, Hyundai will pioneer the development of future electric vehicles with this dedicated BEV platform that comprises of vehicle chassis that includes the battery, motor and power electric system. With scalable dimensions, this platform will form the backbone of different types of vehicles. With an innovative interior packaging vehicles developed on E-GMP will feature a flat floor, slim cockpit and a flexible & spacious cabin. E-GMP has been developed on 4 Key Pillars of:

·         Modularity – With one platform that can facilitate many body types, feature a modularized battery system and create greater synergies with BEV component sharing.

·         Reliability – Featuring a low center of gravity, use of Ultra High Strength Steel and 8-point battery mounting, E-GMP will pave the way to highly reliable BEVs of the future.

·         Usability – With a flat floor and flexible seating layout as well as an innovative interior space that offers sliding console and sliding 2nd row seats, E-GMP will usher in a new dimension of usability

·         Performance – Featuring a large battery capacity up to 77.4 kWh, 2WD/ 4WD capabilities, improved handling and capability to achieve a top speed of 260 km/h, E-GMP will drive in a new age of fun-to-drive electric vehicles

LINE-UP OF 6 BEVs BY 2028

Catering to the diversity of the Indian market, Hyundai’s line-up of 6 Battery Electric Vehicles will cater to multiple segments including Mass market and Mass Premium segments in India. To further delight customers, Hyundai will introduce these BEVs in different body styles including SUV body shape by 2028, thereby offering a wide range of models for customers to choose from.

25 YEARS OF COMMITMENT TO MAKE-IN-INDIA

Over the last two and a half decades, Hyundai Motor India has been fueling the Make-in-India movement by leading the automotive industry with excellence in manufacturing. Aligning with the Government’s vision of Electrification, Hyundai has worked towards the development of a concrete BEV roadmap that will breathe life into the Electrification ecosystem in India, focusing on localization of manufacturing synergies for Battery Electric Vehicles.    

ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE

Hyundai Motor India to work towards the development of BEV infrastructure in India with strategic collaborations to drive a widespread adoption of BEVs in India. Hyundai Motor India will work towards the development of a customer centric BEV charging solutions with a focus on:

·         Home Charging

·         Public Charging station

·         Charging Facility at HMIL Dealer Network

·         Peace of Mind with 24 X 7 road side assistance