Samco Mutual Fund Launches Its First NFO “Samco Flexi Cap Fund”

* (An open-ended equity scheme that aims to provide capital appreciation by investing in equity and equity-related securities across market capitalization.)

* SAMCO Flexi Cap Fund aims to create wealth for investors a 3E step strategy-

* Investing in efficient companies at an efficient price and maintaining efficient costs.

* The scheme will follow a growth investing strategy investing in Indian and Global Equities in a proportion of 65% (Indian Equities) - 35% (Global Equities).

* Samco Mutual Fund to set new transparency and disclosure benchmarks with Industry-first disclosures:

* Scheme’s Active share – which shows to what degree is the fund different from index

* Voluntary Dealing cost – shows how the scheme will be extremely cost efficient and avoid unnecessary portfolio churn to keep cost low for investors

* SAMCO publishes a Unit Holder’s Handbook to detail the strategy and help investors understand the process

Samco Mutual Fund today announced the launch of its first NFO “Samco Flexi Cap Fund”. The NFO opens on 17th of Jan 2022 and closes on 31st Jan 2022.

Jimeet Modi, Founder and Director of Samco Asset Management Pvt Ltd said “We are excited to launch SAMCO Flexi Cap Fund as SAMCO's first fund offering. In line with our goal, the fund is designed as a truly active fund and will aim and endeavour to maintain a high active share. This shall ensure that investors get their money's worth and a truly differentiated fund when they pay an active asset management fee. This is a refreshing change in a world where closet indexing has become mainstream.”

Samco Flexi Cap Fund follows the 3E strategy to build a portfolio designed to generate a high risk adjusted return.

1. Invest in Efficient Companies: The scheme shall invest only efficient companies that have an ability to sustainably generate a high return on capital in cash adjusted for discretionary growth expenditures. SAMCO targets to invest in businesses with 25%+ adjusted return on capital. The scheme shall invest in 25 stocks across market caps from India and the Globe in a proportion of 65% - 35% of the net assets of the scheme. These stocks shall be from universe of 125 companies that have passed SAMCO’s HexaShield framework.

2. At an Efficient Price: The scheme will only invest in securities at reasonable/ efficient prices when the relative yield for stocks is reasonable vis-a-vis the rest of the comparative universe.

3. Maintain an Efficient portfolio turnover and cost: The third pillar of the strategy is aimed at reducing hidden dealing costs and improve performance. Investors believe that Total expense ratio is the only cost that is incurred by them as a part of their investments. But there is also a hidden cost which is not disclosed in any of these figures: the cost of dealing within the fund. When a fund manager or an investor deals in stocks, he or she pays brokerage commissions, securities transaction tax at 0.1 per cent, exchange transaction charges, stamp

duty, SEBI fees and the difference between the broker’s bid and offer prices (the spread) often referred to as the impact cost.

Total cost of investments incurred by investors = TER of Scheme + Voluntary dealing cost

SAMCO Mutual fund is the first mutual fund in India that will transparently disclose all voluntary dealing costs. Voluntary dealing costs are all costs incurred by the fund manager for purchases and sales excluding the costs incurred for involuntary transactions such as fund inflows/outflows. This shall be computed as a percentage of the AUM. This will help investors compute the total cost of investments which is a sum of the TER and voluntary dealing costs.

Commenting on the launch Mr Umesh Kumar Mehta, CEO of Samco Asset Management Pvt Ltd said “SAMCO FlexiCap Fund is a unique and a pure equity fund in the Flexi Cap Category by its design. Unlike other funds, it only seeks to invest in Indian Equities and Global Equities. No other assets like corporate debt, REITs, derivatives, etc are permitted which will allow the scheme to be a pure equity scheme.  It’s 25 stock portfolio construction strategy ensures that investors enjoy benefits of reasonable concentration and diversification unlike other strategies which may be overly diversified. Further, investors get exposure to high growth global names and yet since 65% of portfolio will be Indian equities, the applicable taxation would be that of long-term capital gains for equities i.e., 10% after 1 year. This works as a great optimal structure for investors. Further, we are proud to be the first AMC to publish a Unit Holder’s handbook which explains in detail how investors’ money shall be managed. This ensures transparency of process and helps investors have clear expectations from the fund.”

Mrs. Nirali Bhansali, Equity Fund Manager of the SAMCO Flexi Cap Fund said “We have constructed the SAMCO FlexiCap fund as a simple 3-step buy and hold strategy that shall invest in some of the world’s fast growing and capital efficient companies that can compound capital over the long term. Investors will get exposure to high growth companies globally since the fund shall invest 35% of its assets in global stocks. Further, since the strategy is designed to reduce the portfolio turnover, we shall endeavor to have low voluntary dealing costs so that Investors total cost of investment is reasonable. We are excited to set new standards with our disclosures on active share as well voluntary dealing costs.”

The Fund Manager of the scheme shall be Mrs. Nirali Bhansali and the dedicated fund manager for overseas investments shall be Mr. Dhawal Dhanani. 

KL Deemed-To-Be University Felicitates Dr. K. Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation With An “Honorary Degree”

KL Deemed to be University, one of the leading universities in the country for graduation and higher education, has conferred an Honorary Degree of ‘Doctor of Science’ (Honoris Causa) to Dr. K. Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, Secretary, Department of Space, Govt of India for his exemplary contribution to space technology.  

Dr. Sivan has received his honorary doctorate degree from the Director of Research, KL Deemed-to-be University, Dr. K. Sarat Kumar, in a setting in Bangalore. Dr. Sivan, who is currently stationed at ISRO’s headquarters in Bangalore, is regarded widely as an influential voice in the industry. As an inspirational figure in the aerospace engineering landscape in India, Dr. K. Sivan has been conferred with numerous national and international accolades for his contribution in space technology.  

Commenting on the felicitation, Er. Koneru Satyanarayana, President, KL Deemed-to-be University said, “As a prolific and influential leader, Dr. K Sivan is a muse to many. His philosophy on persistence, success and societal welfare aligns perfectly with our university. His recent speech at KL Deemed-to-be University’s 11th convocation instilled a penchant for leadership among our young talented pupils and his contributions motivate our students to learn, grow and master”.  

KL University students were encouraged to endeavor onto a path of technology, leadership and innovation. KL University provides state-of-the art research facilities to augment its talent’s needs. These include highly sophisticated research, IoT and PEGA labs.  

Reliance General Insurance Launches Digital Campaign #CarKaYaar To Reinforce Its “Friend In Need” Brand Proposition

Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd. (RGICL), India's 4th largest private general insurance company, has launched a digital campaign called #CarKaYaar on all digital platforms to reinforce its brand positioning as the 'Friend in Need' for car insurance customers. Created by ^ a t o m network, the campaign highlights through an animated series of six films that 'RGICL will always take care of you and your car, no matter what happens'. Using RGICL's affable brand face BroBot in extraordinary situations, the campaign employs a humorous and quirky storytelling approach to communicate its message.  

Explaining the thought behind the campaign, Anand Singhi, Chief Distribution Officer, Reliance General Insurance, said "Classically the insurance sector has been filled with serious narratives depicting care, security, and various other emotional spiels. With the #CarKaYaar campaign, we have tried to break free the monotony and communicate our message in a fresh way with a bit of humor and quirkiness."  

He added, "The insurance industry has evolved a great deal in the past few years, bringing in changes in customers' insurance requirements. RGICL always strives to meet customers' evolving needs with innovative product offerings such as redesigned add-ons and industry-first features. Add-ons are critical components in car insurance policies that offer additional protection. People can choose the right add-on products based on their coverage requirements. However, there is a lack of awareness. With this campaign, we have tried to raise the awareness about car insurance add-ons and how they can offer financial protection against various types of car damages." 

Yash Kulshretsha and Ananda Sen (CCO and NCD respectively) of ^ a t o m said, "The motor insurance journey is filled with doubts and scepticism of customers. The fear of not having something covered in an accident is more significant than the accident itself. We set out to highlight that with a series of films under 'No matter what happens to your car, you can always rely on your #CarKaYaar.'" 

FourKites Is #1 Supply Chain Visibility Provider Based On Market Presence In G2 Winter 2022 Supply Chain Visibility Software Report

* With the highest number of reviews from enterprise customers, FourKites was recognized as a leader in market presence, customer satisfaction, and company vision

FourKites, the world’s leading real-time supply chain visibility platform, today announced that it has been named the #1 supply chain visibility software provider based on overall market presence by peer-to-peer software review company G2 in its Winter 2022 Grid® Supply Chain Visibility Software report. The report rates products and sellers based on reviews from the user community, as well as data aggregated from online sources and social networks. After being named a Leader in the 2021 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Real-Time Transportation Visibility Platforms1 earlier this year, G2’s Winter Report, representing the voice of the customer, affirms FourKites as the market-leading real-time supply chain visibility platform.

“At its heart, our leading market presence reflects our status as a global leader in the growing supply chain visibility market,” said FourKites founder and CEO Mathew Elenjickal. “The G2 Winter Report is an affirmation of our vision and ability to serve all industries across every mode, globally — especially at a time when supply chain visibility has never been more critical.”

Based on more than 180 FourKites customer reviews, highlights from the report include:

* 96% of respondents rate FourKites 4 or 5 stars

* Nearly 100 reviews from FourKites customers were provided by enterprise customers — more than any company in the report, and over 10% more than the closest competitor

* Customers strongly support the company’s vision, with 96% reporting that they believe FourKites is heading in the right direction

* Of the leaders, FourKites has the most diverse mix of industries represented

The customer feedback in the G2 report aligns with FourKites’ recognition from Gartner earlier this year; out of 14 vendors, FourKites was the only supply chain visibility platform positioned in the Leaders’ quadrant with the highest Completeness of Vision.

What customers are saying on G2:

* FourKites is a pleasure to work with — 10x better than their competition! [I like the] quick and easy set up process. They also help with everything every step of the way. They really make everything painless.

* FourKites is invaluable. I love the fact that we are not only able to view load status in real-time, but also have the ability to receive these status updates into our TMS. This saves countless hours on the administrative/manual track and trace.

* FourKites is a simple tool to use with lots of information that’s carefully formatted so as not to be overwhelming to the users. It’s also ever changing to meet business needs

* FourKites is a great tool that simplifies and speeds up operations. [The fact that Dynamic YardSM gives us] the ability to track and quickly look up the status of equipment has been beneficial. “Lost trailers” in the yard are being caught right away instead of left growing roots for weeks. The ability to designate trailer status and condition gives you the ability to view real-time yard reports anytime you want. This helps to reduce the need to bring in additional raw materials because of paperwork errors and allows the warehouse to shift their work focus quickly. Yard drivers have found the system very easy to pick up, and like that, it tells them where to find each trailer. For new drivers, it dramatically reduces the time from training to productivity.

* The FourKites platform is straightforward, easy to use. It gives real-time information on the truck/vessel location based on GPS coordinates. The reports are helpful as they contain detailed information about CO2 emissions, tracking consistency, and much more. If you want to have end-to-end visibility and know at all times where your products are, I recommend FourKites.

Market leader delivers industry-first solutions for every mode

FourKites pioneered real-time transportation visibility in 2014, and is now leading the industry into a new era where global supply chains are powered and optimized by real-time visibility data and machine learning. Amid another year of constant disruptions, FourKites doubled-down on its customer-driven innovation model, with more than 65 new features resulting from customer feedback. These industry-first capabilities help FourKites users track shipments end to end across all modes and geographies, from sourcing to manufacturing to final destination.

These innovations included the patented Smart Forecasted Arrival (SFA) that provides frequent and highly accurate ETAs even for untrackable freight in transit; Dynamic ETA® for Ocean; Dynamic ETA® for Air; a major upgrade to Dynamic YardSM; its new Order Intelligence Hub (OIH), which provides a single-pane-of-glass view of the entire lifecycle of every order; and powerful new collaboration features — including Instant Messaging, an updated CarrierLink mobile app for drivers, and enhancements to Partner Hub, its self-service, secure GPS onboarding solution for brokers and carriers.

Gartner, “Magic Quadrant for Real-Time Transportation Visibility Platforms,” Bart De Muynck, Carly West, 14 April 2021.

Gartner Disclaimer:

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About FourKites

FourKites® is the #1 supply chain visibility platform in the world, extending visibility beyond transportation into yards, warehouses, stores and beyond. Tracking more than 2.5 million shipments daily across road, rail, ocean, air, parcel and courier, and reaching 176 countries, FourKites combines real-time data and powerful machine learning to help companies digitize their end-to-end supply chains. More than 750 of the world’s most recognized brands — including 9 of the top-10 CPG and 18 of the top-20 food and beverage companies — trust FourKites to transform their business and create more agile, efficient and sustainable supply chains. To learn more about FourKites, visit https://www.fourkites.com/.

About the G2 Supply Chain Visibility Grid

The Grid® represents the democratic voice of real software users, rather than the subjective opinion of one analyst. G2 rates products from the Supply Chain Visibility category algorithmically based on data sourced from product reviews shared by G2 users and data aggregated from online sources and social networks. To view the Supply Chain Visibility Grid® with the most recent data, please visit the Supply Chain Visibility page.

Dr Satish Adiga, Professor At Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Receives ICMR National Award

* He was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the field of In vitro fertilization (IVF).

Dr Satish Adiga, Professor in Clinical Embryology at Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, is selected by the Indian Council of Medical Research for its National Award for the year 2020. Dr Adiga also heads the fertility program at KMC Manipal.

According to a release issued by ICMR on its website, Prof Adiga will receive Dr Subhas Mukherjee Award from ICMR in recognition for his outstanding contribution to the field of In vitro fertilization (IVF).  Dr Subhas Mukherjee is the creator of India’s first IVF baby and ICMR has instituted the award in his name to recognize the outstanding contribution of IVF experts in the country.

Speaking about Dr Adiga’s win Dr H.S Ballal, Pro Chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education said “This is an extremely proud moment for us. Dr Adiga’s contribution to the field of IVF has been truly outstanding. He has contributed significantly to both clinical IVF and fertility research thereby enhanced country’s visibility in this specialised area. The recognition given by ICMR to Dr Adiga is truly well deserved”

Dr Sharath Rao, Dean, KMC Manipal, also spoke about Dr Adiga’s recognition saying “Dr Adiga has played a key role in the field of fertility and IVF. Through his work in IVF, he has helped numerous people fulfil their dream of parenthood. We at KMC are extremely delighted by his selection for the national award by ICMR”

Motherhood Hospitals Vaccinates 5000+ Children Across All Its Centres In India

* A shot of hope for the young adults of the Country

With the vaccination drive for teenagers’ kick starting on January 3rd 2022, Motherhood hospitals has so far successfully vaccinated 5000+ children aged between 15-18 years. The vaccination drive in ongoing was across all Motherhood Hospitals across the country inline with the protocols laid down by the Government of India.

This vaccination will be required to be taken in two doses keeping a gap of 28 days between each dose. The recipients need to continue practicing social distancing and wearing masks even after the first shot.

Teenagers all over the country have been receiving their first dose ever since the drive started on January 3rd. Until now only adults were eligible to get their Covid-19 vaccine shots.

With the wait for children’s vaccine finally being over for the 15-18 age group, the response from teenagers has been positive as they have flocked to the hospitals to get their jabs.

Speaking about the experience of getting the first dose of the vaccine Ahmed Sufiyan, a class XII, student from Airforce School Bangalore said, “I was eagerly awaiting the vaccine for my age group. I was quite sad that I was not eligible before. When the government announced the vaccine roll out for teenagers, I was very happy and immediately registered myself. Now that the vaccine is available, I encourage everyone who is eligible, to get themselves vaccinated not only for their own well-being, but also for others around them”

Mr. Vijayarathna Venkatraman, CEO, Motherhood Hospitals says, “We have received overwhelming response from the teens who continue to visit our hospitals across all the locations in the country for vaccination. We thank the Young Indians and their parents for coming forth for the vaccination and urge others to take the jab for the safety of their health and the nation at large”.

About Motherhood Hospitals:

Motherhood Women & Children’s Hospital network is India’s leading single-specialty chain with 14 hospitals across 8 cities. The network has more than 1000 specialist doctors associated with it who provide clinical services in Gynaecology, Obstetrics, IVF, Neonatology, and Paediatrics. More than 25000 healthy babies have been born in the Motherhood network and 5000 babies have graduated hail & hearty from the 150 specialized Neonatal Intensive Care beds (NICU) of the network. Each hospital has a state of art Operating rooms to provide Minimally Invasive Laparoscopic Gynaecology surgeries. All the hospitals of the network follow NABH quality and safety accreditation standards. In addition, every hospital is supported by a full spectrum of Radiology services for women & children. More than 10000 women and children visit our OPD services each month. Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stands as India’s best and known as a referral centre for handling most complex preterm births. 24x7 Emergency services are provided at each hospital. Motherhood is the proud recipient of “FICCI Healthcare Excellence Award for Best Patient Safety Care 2019”.

AXISCADES Strengthens Its Leadership Team, Appoints Shashidhar SK As CFO

AXISCADES Technologies Ltd. [AXISCADES (BSE: 532395 | NSE: AXISCADES], a leading end-to-end engineering and technology solutions company catering to the aerospace, defence, heavy engineering, automotive, energy, medical & healthcare sectors, announced the appointment of Shashidhar SK as the Chief Financial Officer effective January 03, 2022. Shashidhar joins AXISCADES from StoveKraft Ltd, where he played a pivotal role in the turnaround of the Company. He spearheaded and successfully concluded its IPO in February 2021.

Shashidhar’s appointment comes at a time when AXISCADES is investing in the digital space to fully leverage the massive growth opportunities and expand its offerings and research capabilities to further drive profitability.

Welcoming Shashidhar on board, Mr. Arun Krishnamurthi, MD & CEO, AXISCADES Technologies Ltd. said, “We are delighted to have Shashidhar on board. He is a seasoned CFO who brings extensive experience with a proven track record of leading high-performing finance teams. The length and breadth of Shashidhar’s experience bring tremendous value to AXISCADES. His strategic mindset, foresight, intuitive understanding of business will aid our focused investments that augment the company’s capabilities, ensuring strategically oriented differentiation in the market. Shashidhar brings incredible experience across a variety of operational disciplines that will enable AXISCADES to accelerate its growth journey”

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Shashidhar SK said, “I am honoured to join AXISCADES’ growth story at a time when the company is rapidly evolving. The company has strong fundamentals and is evidently on a growth path in performance and continued success, and the opportunity to help shape its future and build a financial strategy to support its growth chapter is compelling. With the help of my background and experience, I am looking forward to supporting AXISCADES in achieving its strategic and financial objectives”

Shashidhar is a thorough business leader who brings with him close to three decades of experience and expertise in Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance, encompassing the entire gamut of the financial reporting process, internal controls, strategy, commercial, fundraising, IPOs, treasury, forex, international contracts, governance, risk and compliance, ERP, direct and indirect taxes, legal and business operations.

His previous assignment was with WaterHealth Inc as Vice President & Global CFO. Prior to this, he served as the CFO & Company Secretary with Tata Advanced Materials Ltd., for more than 8 years. His earlier stints include with the Inlaks Group, Carrier Refrigeration, and a subsidiary of Glaxo SmithKline.

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 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.

FedEx Express Offers Businesses More Choice With New Time-Definite Delivery Options

* Launch of FedEx International Priority® Express, providing businesses with enhanced portfolio of time-definite cross-border delivery options

FedEx Express (FedEx), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, announced the launch of FedEx International Priority® Express (IPE) offering customers who ship internationally the flexibility to schedule delivery by 10:30 am or noon to select destinations* worldwide.  With the addition of this new service, FedEx now provides a wider range of time-definite international priority shipping options to its customers.

Businesses across India can now select the right delivery option that suits their needs with choices, giving them enhanced convenience and flexibility.

* The newly launched FedEx International Priority® Express (IPE) service provides customers in India with delivery by 10:30 or noon to select markets* in Asia (Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Australia), United States, Canada, and Europe.

* FedEx International First® offers customers in India the option for early-day delivery to select postal codes and destinations* in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

* And, FedEx International Priority® (IP) offers end of the day delivery to more than 220 countries and territories around the globe.

These time-definite cross-border delivery options are part of FedEx efforts to support businesses amidst the soaring demand for cross-border commerce. The Indian logistics market is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% between 2019 and 2025[1]. Express logistics forms a critical part of the cross-border e-commerce value chain. Consumers today expect fast, customizable, and convenient delivery options.

“Adding International Priority Express (IPE) is an important enhancement to our portfolio and we’re launching it at a critical moment in time. As economies begin to recover, businesses and consumers alike are placing heightened value on trackable, time-definite delivery, and the segment is set to grow[2],” said Kawal Preet, president, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) region, FedEx Express. “IPE is an enhanced service with delivery windows early in the day for critical time sensitive shipments. The expanded range of solutions we now offer gives businesses of all sizes greater control, by providing them with more choices that match their needs.”

This is the latest addition to FedEx portfolio of services. Last September, FedEx enhanced it’s cross-border e-commerce capabilities with the launch of FedEx® International Connect Plus (FICP), an international, day-definite, e-commerce shipping service that combines competitive speed with attractive prices. It is available, across ten AMEA markets including India, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

About FedEx Express

FedEx Express is one of the world's largest express transportation companies, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories.  FedEx Express uses a global air-and-ground network to speed delivery of time-sensitive shipments.

India’s Biggest Skill Competition - IndiaSkills 2021 National Commences Today In New Delhi

* The competitions will be held at multiple locations in the National Capital Region (NCR) under Covid-19 protocols mandated by local authorities and the state government

* The three-day competition will have 500+ participants from 26 states/ union territories

* The winners of IndiaSkills Nationals will get an opportunity to represent India at the WorldSkills International Competition to be held in Shanghai, China in October 2022

* 37 participants from Karnataka will be exhibiting their skills in the three-day competition.

The national competition of IndiaSkills 2021, organised by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the nodal agency for skill and entrepreneurship development, working under the guidance of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), commenced today at Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. The closed-door event will witness participants from 26 states/ union territories competing in more than 50 skills such as car painting, patisserie and confectionery, welding, additive manufacturing, cyber security, floristry, among others. From Karnataka, 37 participants will be exhibiting their skills in the three-day competition.

The competitions will be held at multiple locations, including Pragati Maidan, from 7 to 9 January under Covid-19 protocols mandated by local authorities and the state government. Additionally, all safety protocols are being followed including no entry for visitors/ spectators, adequate social distancing, and frequent sanitization of the competition premises. To further disperse the participants, the competitions for eight skills were conducted in Bengaluru and Mumbai from 3 to 5 January. The winners of all skill competitions will be felicitated in New Delhi on 10 January.

Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “IndiaSkills Competition instills confidence and hope by providing means to the youth to pursue their passion. The competition highlights India’s capabilities to the world and facilitates learning and exposure on a global platform. The introduction of seven new-age skills to this year’s IndiaSkills showcases our effort to keep pace with emerging technologies of the 21st century. My best wishes to all the participating candidates, and many compliments for making it to the Nationals. It is an honor to witness the hard work and determination of young people who will enable Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of making ‘India the Skill capital of the World’. I would also like to congratulate NSDC, Sector Skill Councils, Partner Institutes and all stakeholders for their invaluable contribution to the competition.”

Ved Mani Tiwari, Chief Operating Officer, NSDC said, “IndiaSkills Competition aims to create a pool of talented and skilled workforce, who will fuel the economic growth of the country in the future. The competition offers a national platform to the youth and exposure to global training standards.  It is a step towards discovering the power of skills and making vocational training aspirational for the youth. The success of IndiaSkills is a collective effort of jury, experts, trainers, Sector Skill Councils, Partner Institutes and states who support NSDC in executing the country’s biggest skill competition.” 

The launch was graced by the august presence of Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India; Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development Entrepreneurship, Government of India; Shri Ved Mani Tiwari, Chief Operating Officer and Officiating Chief Executive Officer, National Skill Development Corporation; Mr. Subroto Bagchi, Chairman Odisha Skill Development Authority and co-founder of Mindtree; and Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, Chairperson, National Council for Vocational Education and Training.

Highlights of IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition

Abilympics – Skill Demonstration by Persons with Disabilities

IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition will also feature Abilympics, a demonstration of skills by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), in 16 skills including computer programming, painting, embroidery, and poster designing. With such participation, IndiaSkills has the potential to reach the grass-root level and is a major step towards bridging the gap between the demand and supply of a skilled workforce.

Demonstration Skills

IndiaSkill 2021 is introducing three new skills – Yoga, Shoe Making (Leather) and Garment Making (Leather) which will be exhibited to showcase opportunities for candidates in these trades.

New-Age Skills

Seven new-age skills--robot systems integration, additive manufacturing, digital construction, industry 4.0, renewable energy, mobile applications development and industrial design technology--have been introduced to this year's competition, keeping pace with emerging technologies.

Industry supporting IndiaSkills

The event has received tremendous response from the industry supporting infrastructure, experts and equipment for the skill training of candidates during workshops, bootcamps and during the competitions. 

The partnering institutions include Maruti Suzuki, Larsen & Toubro, Festo India, Hotel Leela, Toyota India, CBIP, Concept Mahindra, Academy of Pastry & Culinary Arts, Government Tool Room & Training Centre (GTTC), Karnataka German Technical Training Institutes (KGTTI) and Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers' Association (IMTMA), Bengaluru, ICT Center of Excellence, Mumbai, IndiaTV News, Playtonia among others.

Journey from IndiaSkills to WorldSkills

IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition is being conducted following four Regional Competitions that were held in East (Patna), West (Gandhinagar), North (Chandigarh) and South (Visakhapatnam) during October-December. Participants for regionals were selected through competitions organised at the district and state levels between August and September 2021, which recorded over 250,000 registrations.

The winners of IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition will undergo rigorous training to represent India at WorldSkills Shanghai, China to be held in October 2022.

The winners of IndiaSkills Nationals will get multi-level industry training through boot camps and programmes such as project-based training, industry and corporate training, exposure visits to industries, mind coaching, and personality development. NSDC, through its Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and Partner Institutes, trains the candidates for the competitions and for future endeavors.

KDEM To Shore Up Digital Infrastructure For The Start-Up Ecosystem In Belagavi With A Transformational Mega-Event

* Organised Symposium on the expansion of co-working spaces in Tier 2-3 cities

* Top 30 CEOs from Karnataka participated in the CEO Roundtable on Boosting Belagavi as the next important destination for Karnataka’s Start-up Ecosystem

* Inauguration of Vayavya Labs by Hon'ble Minister, Dr C N Ashwathnarayana, Dr. Ramana Reddy, ACS, Dept of IT BT & S&T and BV Naidu Chairman, KDEM

As part of its Beyond Bengaluru initiative to ramp up the digital economy across the state of Karnataka through the development of cluster cities, The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) is set to organise a mega event in Belagavi, Karnataka.  As part of the event, KDEM will organise three important sessions – i) Symposium on Understanding Requirements of Co-working Spaces for their Expansion in Tier-2 and 3 Cities, ii) CEO Roundtable on Boosting Belagavi as the next big Destination for the growth of IT and Start-ups iii) Inauguration of Vayavya Labs by Hon'ble Minister, Dr. C N Ashwathnarayana, Dr. Ramana Reddy, ACS, Dept of IT BT & S&T and BV Naidu Chairman, KDEM. These events have been organised with a focus on strengthening digital infrastructure in these cities while nurturing talent and addressing industry challenges.

Speaking at the momentous occasion, Shri B V Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission said, “We are constantly making strides in creating a veritable digital ecosystem across Karnataka while facilitating the development of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. This mega-event in Belagavi stands testimony to our commitment to ensuring Karnataka leads from the front in the country’s digital growth story. With the introduction of the IT Policy in the state, our concerted efforts will be to strengthen digital infrastructure across cluster cities while understanding their challenges and requirements towards expanding IT infrastructure and affordable co-working spaces to encourage organisations to set up officers here.”

The mega-event also witnessed a CEO Roundtable with participation of top 30 CEOs from Karnataka. The Roundtable was chaired by Hon’ble Minister Dr. C N Ashwathnarayana, Minister of Electronics, Science and Technology, Higher Education & Information Technology, Biotechnology of Karnataka, and focused on detailed discussions, exchange of ideas, and policy recommendations on making Belagavi the next big destination for start-ups and digital infrastructure. The participants of the CEO Roundtable included industry experts such as Bishwanath Shukla, Director, Aarya Ocean Logistics Park Pvt Ltd, Dr. Prabhakar Kore, Chairman, KLE Society & Chancellor, KLE University Belagavi along with Parag Naik, CEO Saankhya Labs & RK Patil, CEO Vayavya Labs. These visionaries came together to identify action points on creating a strong academia-industry collaboration as a growth steerer in cluster cities along with job creation, nurturing talent, and integrating a logistics hub in Belagavi.

Addressing the Roundtable, Hon’ble Minister Dr. C N Ashwathnarayana, Minister of Electronics, Science and Technology, Higher Education & Information Technology, Biotechnology of Karnataka said, “Karnataka has a strong talent pool of ideas, the drive to make it big and contribute immensely to the digital economy of the nation. What we need to focus now is on harnessing emerging markets in the state such as Belagavi, Hubli, Mangaluru, and the likes and bringing them at par in terms of infrastructure, manpower, and opportunities. I am very happy to see KDEM successfully taking its Beyond Bengaluru vision to markets such as Belagavi and empowering them to contribute to Karnataka’s digital growth.”

The event also extended to a Symposium on Understanding Requirements of Co-working Spaces for their Expansion in Tier-2 and 3 Cities. This entailed a panel discussion represented by Smart City, BUDA, CREDAI, Heads of Co-Working Spaces such as WeWork, Innov8, IndiCube, WorkFlo by OYO, BHIVE, Workshaala, Embassy Group and Prestige Group along with Industry Bodies to understand the need for creating demand for space through an effective public-private partnership model with Government support. 

Commenting on the Symposium, Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, MD & CEO, Lahari said, “KDEM’s assiduous efforts in bolstering digital development in cluster cities for the state’s overall economic development and growth is already bearing fruit. Today, tier-2 and 3 cities are inviting representation from the who’s who of the IT industry as organisations are setting up offices to enable employees to work from locations closer to their homes. This is giving rise to a surge in demand for coworking spaces. Thanks to the vision of the Government of Karnataka and their beneficial policy benefits along with KDEM’s Beyond Bengaluru strategy, Tier2-3 cities such as Belagavi will see affordable and smart coworking spaces and become hubs for the industry.”

Hon’ble Minister Dr. C N Ashwathnarayana, Minister of Electronics, Science and Technology, Higher Education & Information Technology, Biotechnology of Karnataka, and Shri B V Naidu, Chairman, KDEM also participated in the Inaugural Session of the 3rd edition of TECHBHARAT 2022, a pre-event on transforming India’s Foodtech and Agronomic Landscape. As part of the event, an MoU was signed between KDEM and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) to leverage KDEM’s expertise and collaborate on providing training programs to entrepreneurs, creating a formidable landscape to augment the growth of start-ups operating at the VTU-Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (VTUiNEC).

Hon'ble Minister, Dr C N Ashwtahnarayan, Dr. Ramana Reddy, ACS, Dept of IT BT & S&T and BV Naidu Chairman, KDEM also inaugurated the second office of Vayavya Labs in Belagavi. This Belagavi-headquartered company is known for its contribution to developing world standards for Semiconductors & Systems domain and is expanding to promote excellence, technology and foster innovation and talent generation.

Dr. Ramana Reddy, ACS, Dept of IT BT & S&T said, “KDEM in its effort to build a future of technology, growth and digital economy across Karnataka through its various initiatives has come in support of organisations emerging out of places such as Belagavi. It is encouraging to see strong infrastructure growth in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, and I am confident that such initiatives will encourage several industry leaders and organisations to set up offices in these emerging markets. We welcome Vayavya Labs’ second office and look forward to making Belagavi a centre of excellence and innovation.”

KDEM’s Beyond Bengaluru mission has been creating waves through several mega-events, cluster events, and international technology platforms to provide network, market access, mentorship, and investment access for the growth of start-ups in Karnataka while strengthening talent for the future needs of the industry. 

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.

Airtel Payments Bank And Park+ Collaborate To Offer FASTag Based Smart Parking Solutions

Adding to its growing range of digital payments and financial services solutions, Airtel Payments Bank, one of the leading FASTag issuers in India, today announced a collaboration with Park+ to offer FASTag based smart parking solutions to marquee commercial and residential properties across the country. Park+ is the market leader in automating parking spaces through FASTag and the majority of parking FASTag transactions in India are currently being processed through Park+ systems. 

The collaboration aims to leverage the deep distribution reach and digital payments stack of Airtel Payments Bank to digitize the Parking ecosystem using FASTag associated with the vehicle. Park+ will offer its entire suite of FASTag services including issuance, acquiring, recharge, and technology support to Airtel Payments Bank. 

Airtel Payments Bank is among the top five issuers of FASTag in the country. The bank's digital-first approach has helped it become a leading player in the FASTag segment. Customers can easily purchase a FASTag in a matter of a few clicks from the banking section of the Airtel Thanks App.

Park+ access control systems are installed at 1500+ societies, 30+ malls, and 150+ corporate parks across the country. Being the largest parking aggregator in the country, Park+ is capitalizing on this asset to help deploy more than 10,000 EV chargers at these locations. 

Beginning with the parking fee payments, both partners are working together to enable automatic cashless payment deduction from the valid FASTag associated with the vehicle. With cashless payments, visitors will save time and will no longer not have to wait in a queue to make parking payments. The service is already operational at a South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) parking site, and will soon be made available at Aurangabad Airport and 32nd Avenue (32nd Milestone) in Gurugram. 

Airtel FASTag customers will have access to innovative analytics-based solutions offered by Park+. This includes solutions like toll predictor, timely low balance alerts, and automatic recharge top-ups. 

Ganesh Ananthanarayanan, COO, Airtel Payments Bank, said “We are delighted to partner with Park+ to offer innovative Fastag based parking solutions to our customers. With a higher number of people preferring private vehicles to travel these days, these solutions will enable customers to save time and smoothen their travel experience.” 

Amit Lakhotia, Founder and CEO, Park+ said: “We look forward to developing the FASTag ecosystem further, and partnering with Airtel Payments Bank is a positive step in that direction. FASTag has the ability to be the default wallet for the car owner. We want to work with our partners to bring back delight to car ownership through our solutions around FASTag, parking digitisation and more.”

Praveena Rai, COO, NPCI said, “We are glad to witness the gaining momentum of NETC FASTag enabled contactless car parking all across the country. Initiatives like these will only add more value to the strategic expansion of NETC FASTag. We believe the customers of Airtel Payments Bank will get a hassle-free car parking payment experience through Park+ which otherwise is a time-consuming affair. Car parking via NETC FASTAg, will not only help car-owners to save time in tendering the parking fee, but also empower them to travel safe and cashless.”

About Airtel Payments Bank Ltd.

Airtel Payments Bank, India’s first payments bank, was launched in January 2017. The Bank offers a diverse range of simple, safe and rewarding banking solutions through a strong network of 500,000 bank points spread across the country and its digital platforms. Airtel Payments Bank aims to take digital banking services to the doorstep of every Indian, particularly in unbanked rural areas, and contribute to the Government’s vision of Digital India and Financial Inclusion. 

About Park+ 

Park+ is backed by marquee institutional investors - Sequoia Capital and Matrix Partners and is building the Super App for car owners by solving day-to-day problems faced by them. Park+ is the highest-rated car mobile application in India and provides online parking booking, FASTag management, inspection to sell your car among other services to more than 1 million users. Park+ recently enabled MG Astor to become the world’s first car where users can book and pay for parking via the car's head unit infotainment system.

About NPCI

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) was incorporated in 2008 as an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. NPCI has created a robust payment and settlement infrastructure in the country. It has changed the way payments are made in India through a bouquet of retail payment products such as RuPay card, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), BHIM Aadhaar, National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC Fastag) and Bharat BillPay. NPCI also launched UPI 2.0 to offer more secure and comprehensive services to consumers and merchants.

NPCI is focused on bringing innovations in the retail payment systems through the use of technology and is relentlessly working to transform India into a digital economy. It is facilitating secure payments solutions with nationwide accessibility at minimal cost in furtherance of India’s aspiration to be a fully digital society.

BMW Motorrad India Records Stellar Performance In 2021 With Highest Ever Annual Sales

* 5,191 motorcycles delivered. Astounding growth of 102%.

BMW Motorrad India has once again set a new benchmark in performance by achieving the highest ever annual sales by a premium motorcycle brand in India. In 2021, BMW Motorrad India sold 5,191 motorcycles, posting a remarkable growth of 102.5% as compared to 2020.

Mr. Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India said, “Since entering the Indian market five years ago, BMW Motorrad has outperformed itself every year and consistently raised the bar for the premium segment. In 2021, BMW Motorrad has recorded the highest annual sales by a premium motorcycle brand in India. We are proud of this feat! The main factor behind this overwhelming success is the unmatched emotional experience which is unique to the brand. BMW Motorrad has shaped a world of pure motorcycling that thrives on the thrill of riding, being one with the road and creating priceless memories with fellow comrades. We will continue to serve our customers with the same passion and keep on growing the BMW Motorrad family.”

Throughout 2021, BMW Motorrad India kept up the pace with a strong product offensive. A slew of new launches such as the all-new BMW C 400 GT, the BMW R 1250 GS and BMW R 1250 GS Adventure, the BMW R nine T and BMW R nine T Scrambler, the BMW S 1000 R, the all-new BMW M 1000 RR and the BMW R 18 Classic excited the motorcycling community with feature-rich, performance driven bikes with best-in-class riding dynamics.

The BMW G 310 R and BMW G 310 GS were important drivers of sales along with other popular models such as BMW S 1000 RR, BMW R 1250 GS / GSA, BMW F 900 R / XR and BMW R 18. The BMW C 400 GT scooter launched in last quarter was also in great demand.

BMW Financial Services India played a strategic role in expanding the footprint of BMW Motorrad in India. The customised and flexible financial solutions were significantly valuable to premium clientele of BMW Motorrad and helped tremendously in facilitating sales performance.

Simpl Eyes Aggressive Growth Backed By Asset Backed Facility From Partner Investors

* Partner includes Franklin Templeton, Finuvo LLC and Catalina Finance

* Funding line will support close to $1bn in annual payment volume

* Simpl’s merchant base grew by 10X to 10,000 online retailers

Simpl – India’s leading Pay-Later platform – has secured an asset-based facility from Franklin Templeton, Finuvo LLC and Catalina Finance to fund the rapid growth of its 1-click pay-later offering. The funding line will support close to $1bn in annual payment volume.

The recent capital infusion, along with the Series B funding last year, will allow Simpl to accelerate the growth of its existing businesses, which have already demonstrated robust organic growth with minimal marketing spend, historically. Simpl will also be doubling its engineering, product, data science and sales teams to work on a suite of new merchant and consumer-facing products to enable zero friction commerce experiences. The company will continue to address the three fundamental frictions in e-commerce - user experience, trust and speed.

After growing its merchant base by 10x in the last 12 months to more than 10,000 online retailers, Simpl is seeing strong growth acceleration in user-base and payment volumes. Besides the growing merchant network that now includes bellwethers such as Jio, Zomato, Bigbasket and MakeMyTrip, Simpl’s growth is fueled by the rise of e-commerce and consumers’ increasing demand for safe, seamless and cashless premium payment options.

Commenting on the financing, Simpl’s Co-Founder & CEO Nitya Sharma said, “Since the pandemic broke out, Simpl has seen even more acceptance among new customer cohorts, thanks to the greater safety we offer via our 1-tap transactions. While the customer response validates our operating model, the current financing represents a landmark transaction by bringing blue-chip balance sheet partners on board, which will allow us to scale the business quickly and efficiently.”

“Finuvo is pleased to provide asset-backed financing in support of Simpl’s mission to enable a safe and seamless buying experience for consumers in India,” said Heather Hamilos, CEO of Finuvo LLC. “Simpl’s business model produces high-quality, short-duration receivables, and its underwriting mechanism has produced remarkably consistent results during a volatile period. The company’s strong credit performance and experienced management team give us the confidence to support its continued rapid growth.”

On the transaction, Russell Byrne, CFO – Simpl, added, “We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this transaction as we were most thoughtful with the structure to ensure Simpl has scalable access to a capital base of global investors. As the market appreciates the combination of low risk, short duration and high data visibility, we now have a robust team of funding partners and infrastructure in place to scale the business.”

About Simpl

Co-founded in 2015 by Nitya Sharma, Simpl is India’s fastest growing Buy Now Pay Later platform, and is on a mission to make payments invisible and money intelligent. Having secured more than $110 million from marquee investors such as Greenvisor Capital, IA Ventures, Valar Ventures, Recruit Strategic Partners, and FJ Labs, and garnered investor confidence from the likes of Franklin Templeton, Finuvo LLC and Catalina Finance, Simpl is on a mission to empower merchants to build trusted relationships with customers, one transaction at a time. With more than 10,000 available merchants, 7+ million users pan - India, Simpl envisions creating an inclusive digital payments experience for India that empowers and fosters trust between merchants and their customers.

Simpl is the leading Pay-Later platform in India, providing a full-stack solution for e-commerce conversion. It enables merchants to give their customers 1-click checkout, buyer protection and a pay-later facility to allow them to feel safe and trusted when shopping online. With Simpl, merchants are able to provide consumers an easy, safe and intuitive user experience.

Simpl is at the forefront of the digital payments revolution in India. Through the innovative offerings at affordable costs, their aim is to catalyze and simplify the payments domain. With proven technology expertise, Simpl is committed to the simplification and democratization of digital transformation in the payments space in India.

90+ My Tuition App Eyes Expansion Across The Gulf Countries

* Launches CBSE curriculum in all GCC countries

90+ My Tuition App, a burgeoning Indian edtech start-up, has announced the start of the CBSE curriculum in Indian schools across the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. The move is in line with the company's aggressive expansion plans. 

Recently, 90+ My Tuition App had added 13 state education board curriculums in its portfolio as a part of national expansion plans. Following its enormous success, the company is now expanding overseas. The curriculum will be launched in all GCC countries i.e., United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and  Kuwait. 

Smijay Gokuldasan, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, 90+ My Tuition App, says, “We at 90+ My Tuition App, believe that quality education is every child’s right.  We are committed to offering quality digital tuition to all students on a shoestring budget. I'm delighted to inform that so far, people have embraced our vision, prompting us to expand our services to other nations. Students from the Indian diaspora and other countries adopt CBSE curriculum and we aim to help these students secure good grades.”

The Arabian Peninsula is one of those regions which boasts of having one of the highest concentrations of Indians residing outside of India. "From workers to executives, over 8 million Indians live in these GCC countries. The expansion will benefit lakhs of Indian students studying in more than 60 CBSE schools in these GCC countries. "Vingish Vijay, Founder and Curator of 90+ My Tuition App, noted. I'm confident that the reception we got here will be replicated there."

90+ My Tuition App is a Bengaluru-based edtech startup started in 2018 by Vingish Vijay, Smijay Gokuldasan, and Rinto C Ravindran. The company started with an idea to bring affordable and quality textbook oriented tuitions to the doorstep of every school-going child. The app helps students irrespective of their current academic prowess, score better marks in school assessments. The app with the help of digital animations makes learning a walk in the park for the users of the app. 

About 90+ My Tuition App

90+ My Tuition App is India’s best-in-class Tuition App helping students to achieve exceptional grades through digital visualization in an affordable way.

With the start of lean operations in 2018 and the launch of classes in May 2020, the App has touched the lives of more than 5 lakh students within a year.

With the vision of “Educating India Affordably”, 90+ My Tuition App provides most simple and accessible content pedagogy for 14 State Education boards and CBSE board curriculum for 5th to 12th division.

With an 86% program completion rate, robust tech platform, outcome-based learning approach, state board and NCERT curriculum, testament of students with exceptional grades, strong mentorship, 90+ My Tuition App has established its position as a substitute for physical tuitions in the Indian education system.

90+ has recently launched its second premium product 90+ Top Rank for students aspiring for competitive examinations. Its first initiative is coaching for PSC aspiring students in Kerala. The upcoming modules will be for training SSC and Railway aspirants. 

Learn more on: https://mytuitionapp.com/

11 Nutrients To Keep You Going Strong During 2022

* Good Nutrition Can Help You Start off the Year Strong and Healthy

If you'd like to start the new year off strong, make a resolution to get enough of these powerful nutrients. They're proven to support overall health across lifespan - including immunity and brain development, muscle mass and strength, bone health and more. Dr. Irfan Shaikh, Head Adult Nutrition, Scientific & Medical Affairs, Abbott's Nutrition business shares sources of these nutrients and the foods that can be consumed to keep your optimal levels on track:

1. Protein

Provides the building blocks for each and every cell in the body like muscles, bones, hormones, antibodies etc. Consuming 0.8 to 1g/kg body weight of high-quality protein per day helps build muscle and may help you feel fuller for longer between meals. While eggs are an excellent source of protein, foods such as chickpeas, cottage cheese, quinoa, Greek yogurt, peanuts, and almonds also help increase protein intake.  Not to forget dairy and dairy products.

2. DHA Omega-3

This unique fat found mainly in seafood, nourishes our brains and keeps eyesight sharp. Fatty fish is an excellent dietary source of omega 3. You can also meet the recommended omega 3 intake by eating plant-based foods, such as omega-3-rich vegetables, nuts, and seeds. For vegetarians, Seaweed, nori, spirulina, and chlorella are different forms of algae that many people consume for their health benefits.

3. Choline

Our brains and nervous system depend on choline for memory, mood, and muscle control. But most of us don't consume enough of it, especially pregnant women, who need extra choline to help aid their child's development. The main dietary sources of choline consist primarily of animal-based food such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and eggs.

4. Calcium

An impressive 99% of the body's calcium is found in bones and teeth, making this mineral critical for bone and dental health. Calcium also helps muscles contract, aids in blood clotting, and helps our brains and nerves communicate with each other. Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese are the most obvious calcium rich food sources. In addition to this you can also include non-dairy foods like tofu, leafy greens, and beans can also be added to your diet on a daily basis to ensure calcium intake.

5. Vitamin D

This multitasking nutrient helps our bodies absorb calcium and it promotes a strong immune system. Even though we can make vitamin D from sunlight, hence also called as ‘sunshine vitamin’ it can be found in foods as well. There are few foods are naturally rich in vitamin D3. Some of the sources are flesh of fatty fish and fish liver oils, egg yolks, orange juice and cheese.

6. Zinc

Keeps immune cells strong and healthy and helps with wound healing. Zinc is also critical for proper growth and development, especially during childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy. Meat is an excellent source of zinc especially red meat. For vegetarians, food like chickpeas, lentils and beans all contain substantial amounts of zinc. Seeds are also a healthy addition to your diet and can help increase your zinc intake.

7. Selenium

Selenium works as an antioxidant nutrient to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.  This mineral is also important for reproduction and proper thyroid function. Milk and yogurt each contain about 8 mcg of selenium per cup, or 11 percent of your daily needs. Apart from this, there are bananas, cashews, lentils, and spinach that are loaded with this nutrient.

8. Vitamin A

Known as the "anti-infective vitamin", this nutrient keeps the skin, mouth, stomach, and lungs healthy so they can better fight infection. It's also key for sharp vision. Consume it with some fat for better absorption. Sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, and spinach are loaded with Vitamin A.

9. Vitamin E

Helps your body to defend against free radicals and supports a healthy immune response. Vitamin E is a common nutrient found in most foods. A few foods, including cooking oils, seeds, and nuts, are exceptionally rich sources.

10. Vitamin C

Acts as an antioxidant protecting cells from damage. It also helps protect against anemia by helping us absorb more iron from plant foods. Oranges are best known for their source of Vitamin C. However, apart from that, certain foods power-packed with Vitamin C are kiwis, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, and red peppers.

11. Fluids and Electrolytes

Don't forget fluids! They lubricate joints, keep cells and tissues healthy, remove waste products and regulate body temperature, especially when you're sick. Consuming liquids that contain electrolytes — like sodium, potassium and chloride — helps the body hold on to fluids for even better hydration. Many foods and drinks contain electrolytes including leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale and fruits like bananas, prunes, and dried apricots. Apart from this, beans, lentils, nuts, sand seeds also contain substantial levels of electrolytes.

Soroco Announces Strategic Partnership With ISG Automation

Soroco, a work graph company, today announced it has formed a global partnership with ISG Automation, the pure-play automation business of Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

Soroco was recently named a Rising Star in the Process Discovery and Mining Quadrant of the 2021 ISG Provider Lens™ Intelligent Automation – Solutions and Services report for the U.K. 

“We are proud to be Soroco’s first Global Platinum Partner,” said Chip Wagner, CEO of ISG Automation. “Leveraging its AI-driven work graph platform, Scout, ISG Automation will be able to offer solutions to our clients that move them along the maturity curve toward becoming discovery-led, digitally transformed enterprises.”

ISG Automation offers a full portfolio of advisory and implementation services, including automation assessments and strategy, proof-of-concept deployments, implementation and integration of software bots, establishment of centers of excellence to scale automation, as well as training and managed services.

“Companies often don’t maximize ROI on automation investments because of poor identification of use cases and the inclination to automate processes as is,” said Anurag Saxena, Partner, ISG Automation. “To gain the benefits of automation, processes must be assessed through multiple lenses with the help of process and task mining technologies like those offered by Soroco. These technologies help reduce inefficiencies in business operations and pave the way to lower costs, improved productivity and enhanced customer experience.”

“We are proud to partner with ISG Automation, a leading independent advisor in the intelligent automation space,” said Samson David, CEO of Soroco. “Traditional Task Mining is reaching fast-paced adoption and maturity, and companies are looking to further unlock the value of discovery-led transformation with the work graph, which allows them to deal with the multitude of unstructured data at work and in processes. Customers are also looking to scale their transformation efforts over time. Our partnership with ISG will allow enterprise clients to achieve a significant benefit in their digital transformation efforts.” 

In naming Soroco a Rising Star – a company with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition – the ISG Provider Lens™ research report cited Soroco’s strength in the discovery of end-user processes across all types of teams, applications, documents, tasks, and processes, using a non-obtrusive data agent. It also cites Soroco’s strengths in unified task mining and process mining capabilities, quick insights within 48 hours, and being fully GDPR compliant. 

About ISG 

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq:?III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence, and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com. 

About Soroco 

Soroco is on a mission to discover how the world works to help teams be their best. To do this, we are evangelizing and commercializing the “work graph”, which is a structured view of how teams get work done across people, processes, technology, and documents. The “work graph” unifies disjoint categories like Process Mining, Task Mining, user training, BPM, and RPA to provide a single source of truth. Teams can use the work graph to identify and resolve sources of friction at work, such as technology impediments, poor process design, opportunities for learning and collaboration, among others. Soroco’s work graph platform, Scout, enables a culture of continuous improvement and identifies benefits from applying a portfolio of change levers, delivering targeted change programs at scale. Soroco has offices in Boston, London, and Bangalore with a roster of Fortune 500 customers across 30 countries. Our team has published 150+ papers and patents. Visit www.soroco.com to learn how we help teams discover their work graph. 

Motherhood Hospitals Bags CII Award For Customer Obsession 2021

* The hospital has been recognised for excellence in Customer Centricity

ndia: Motherhood Women & Children’s Hospital has won the recognition for “Excellence in Customer Centricity” by Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Award for Customer Obsession 2021. The awards aims at recognising Customer Centric organisations where the customer is at the core of all that they do and consistently deliver a superior experience.

The CII honours organisations under three levels i.e, Customer Engagement, Customer Centricity and Customer Obsession. This year Motherhood Hospitals has been awarded for its excellence in Costumer Centricity. Previously in the year 2019, they had won the award for Customer Engagement. 

The assessment of the awards is done based on the Baldrige Framework which evaluates an organisation ’s practices, management, leadership, customer focused strategies, products and services, knowledge management, technology, ability to innovate etc. The jury consisted of members from reputed organisations across different industries.

Speaking about the award Mr. Vijayarathna Venkatraman, CEO, Motherhood Hospitals said “We are honored to receive the most coveted recognition by CII for excellence in customer-centricity. As an integrated & comprehensive provider of women and child health, rigor and commitment are at the heart of everything we do. All our processes are designed keeping the customer in mind. We are incredibly proud to have a highly motivated & purpose-driven team who goes beyond their call of duty to demonstrate ownership, integrity, and customer focus. We humbly accept this recognition that reiterates our commitment to customer obsession."

About Motherhood Hospitals:

Motherhood Women & Children’s Hospital network is India’s leading single-specialty chain with 14 hospitals across 8 cities. The network has more than 1000 specialist doctors associated with it who provide clinical services in Gynaecology, Obstetrics, IVF, Neonatology, and Paediatrics. More than 25000 healthy babies have been born in the Motherhood network and 5000 babies have graduated hail & hearty from the 150 specialized Neonatal Intensive Care beds (NICU) of the network. Each hospital has a state of art Operating rooms to provide Minimally Invasive Laparoscopic Gynaecology surgeries. All the hospitals of the network follow NABH quality and safety accreditation standards. In addition, every hospital is supported by a full spectrum of Radiology services for women & children. More than 10000 women and children visit our OPD services each month. Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stands as India’s best and known as a referral centre for handling most complex preterm births. 24x7 Emergency services are provided at each hospital. Motherhood is the proud recipient of “FICCI Healthcare Excellence Award for Best Patient Safety Care 2019”.

Bengaluru Hosts 7 Of 54 Skill Competitions Of IndiaSkills 2021; Industry 4.0, Mechatronics And More Skill Competitions Underway

* Of the 54 skills, competitions for seven are being held in Bengaluru owing to the current Covid-19 scenario and to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure to participants

* Toyota India, Festo India, among others are supporting to conduct these skill competitions in Bengaluru from 3 to 5 January 2022

* The winners of IndiaSkills Competition will represent the country in WorldSkills Shanghai 2022

 National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the nodal agency for skill and entrepreneurship development working under the guidance of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), is conducting seven skill competitions—industry 4.0, mechatronics, prototype modelling, CNC turning, CNC milling, plastic die engineering, robot systems integration—in Bengaluru under IndiaSkills 2021 from 3 to 5 January 2022. The competition for information network cabling skill is being conducted in Mumbai. The remaining 46 skill competitions will be held in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi and eight other locations in the National Capital Region (NCR) from 7 to 9 January.

The competitions are being held at multiple locations under Covid-19 protocols mandated by local authorities and state governments. Decentralization of skill competitions will also ensure providing world-class infrastructure to the participants. Toyota India, Festo India Pvt. Ltd., Government Tool Room & Training Centre (GTTC), Karnataka German Technical Training Institutes (KGTTI) and Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers' Association (IMTMA) are facilitating the skill competitions in Bengaluru. ICT Center of Excellence, Mumbai is enabling the competition for information network cabling skill.

Under the Skill India Mission, the country’s biggest skill competition, IndiaSkills 2021 Nationals will bring together more than 500 participants from 26 states/ union territories, covering 54 skills such as beauty therapy, cyber security, floristry, autobody repair, cloud computing, water technology, painting and decorating, health and social care, welding, among others.

Seven new-age skills—robot systems integration, additive manufacturing, digital construction, industry 4.0, renewable energy, mobile applications development, and industrial design technology—have been introduced to the competition this year, keeping pace with the emerging technologies.

Witnessing over 2.5 lakh registrations, IndiaSkills 2021 began with district and state-level competitions in August-September 2021.  The state-level competitions were conducted across 26 states/ UTs. This was followed by four regional competitions for East (Patna), West (Gandhinagar), North (Chandigarh) and South (Visakhapatnam), where more than 1,300 competitors pitted their skills against each other to qualify for the national round. The 500+ finalists from four regional competitions will now exhibit their skills at the National level to vie for a gold and a silver medal in each skill category.

Ved Mani Tiwari, Chief Operating Officer, NSDC said, “IndiaSkills Competition aims to create a pool of talented and skilled workforce, who will fuel the economic growth of the country in the future. The competition offers a national platform to the youth and exposure to global training standards.  It is a step towards discovering the power of skills and making vocational training aspirational for the youth.”

Abilympics Demonstrations for Persons with Disabilities

IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition will also feature Abilympics, a demonstration of skills by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), in 16 skills including computer programming, painting, embroidery, and poster designing. With such participation, IndiaSkills has the potential to reach the grass-root level and is a major step towards bridging the gap between the demand and supply of a skilled workforce.

Journey from IndiaSkills to WorldSkills

The winners of IndiaSkills 2021 National Competition will undergo rigorous training to represent India at WorldSkills Shanghai, to be held in October 2022.

Winners of IndiaSkills Nationals will get multi-level industry training through boot camps and programmes such as project-based training, industry and corporate training, exposure visits to industries, mind coaching, and personality development. NSDC, through its Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and Partner Institutes, trains the candidates for the competitions and for future endeavors.

About National Skill Development Corporation

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, is a unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) that aims to catalyse the creation of quality vocational training ecosystem in India. Since inception in 2010, NSDC has trained over 3 crore people through its collaboration with 600+ training partners and over 11,000 training centres spread across 600+ districts in the country. NSDC has established 36 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and implements the Government’s flagship skill development schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), among others. 

About IndiaSkills Competition

NSDC, with the guidance of MSDE, leads and organises IndiaSkills Competitions every two years at the regional and national levels. Skilled youth from various states/ UTs compete in their respective skills. The winners of IndiaSkills undergo training and participate in several development programs for a year to prepare for WorldSkills. NSDC aims to enrich the lives of the youth and empower them through IndiaSkills.

About WorldSkills Competition

Founded in 1950, WorldSkills International is the global hub for skills excellence and development. WorldSkills brings youth, industries, and educators together to give youth the chance to compete, experience, and learn how to become the best in their skill of choice. From traditional trades to multi-skilled technology careers in the industry and service sectors, supported by partners, industries, governments, volunteers, and educational institutions, WorldSkills’ vision is to improve the world through the power of skills. It has 85 member countries and regions, all working with youth, educators, governments, and industries to help prepare the workforce and talent of today for the jobs of the future.

Zupee announces Strategic Partnership With Reliance Jio

* Increasing visibility in the Jio ecosystem

* First of its kind integration and cutting-edge tech & innovation partnership

* Massive distribution reach

* Partnership enables market growth for Zupee, which just completed a US$ 102 million series B round

Zupee, India's largest skill-based casual gaming company, has announced a first-of-its-kind strategic partnership with Jio Platforms Limited. This will entail integration of products and strong synergies in user engagement and distribution in a future-ready ecosystem that will benefit over 450 million users. With this new synergy, the aim is to build an ecosystem that will facilitate faster and more efficient development and distribution of products and services that will benefit Zupee customers. Jio users will be provided access to Zupee’s rich repertoire of online skill-based games as well as other innovative products that Zupee develops.

With the new partnership in place, emphasis will be on rolling out more quality games in multiple languages to as many users as possible with the ambition of making Zupee the biggest gaming platform in India connecting India with Bharat. Over 150 million 5G handsets are expected to be sold before the commercial launch of 5G in India, and Zupee is aggressively looking to capture as much of the market as possible with this partnership with Jio.

Zupee will also benefit from the reach Jio currently has. Zupee games will be distributed to all the Jio customers. It will also be made available to Jio Phone customers. This will give Zupee the biggest reach of all gaming companies in India catapulting the fastest growing gaming start-up into the biggest gaming company in the country. This strategic partnership firmly cements the trust in the incredible growth and vision that Zupee brings to the table with key strengths in cracking winning game formats and monetisation in the Indian market.

Zupee recently completed US$ 102 million Series B funding round, with an extension of US$ 30 million that was already raised. The round saw participation from marquee investors such as WestCap Group, Tomales Bay Capital, Nepean Capital, AJ Capital, Matrix Partners India & Orios Venture Partners. This takes the total funds raised by Zupee to US$ 121 million at a US$ 600 million valuation. Previous investors include the Smile Group who partnered as a venture builder with Zupee. Zupee has over 70 million downloads in India and the new capital raise will help it grow its reach significantly.

The funds will be utilized for developing new products, enhancing immersive design experiences, expanding into new geographies, ramping up marketing, reach, penetration, research and innovation, and hiring top talent to further Zupee’s ambition of building a platform rich with possibilities and meaningful connections. In 2022, Zupee will continue to develop new forms of purposeful entertainment that can engage, empower and entertain the users.

Dilsher Singh, Founder & CEO, Zupee, said, “Zupee has always been a behavioural science, human motivation & culture first start-up, bringing the best of India’s engineering talent, creativity & storytelling abilities under one roof, pushing the boundaries of innovation, with user centric design and a tech-for-good approach. Jio is the perfect partner for this journey as we look to penetrate the remotest areas of India all the way to the most disadvantaged people to bring them into the fold. This resonates firmly with our idea of the internet of the future which would be open, permissionless,

decentralized & limitless. Indian smartphone exports are expected to increase from USD 3.6 bn in 2020-21 to USD 55 bn in 2025-26 which is a 15x growth. As a home-grown start-up, we want to put Indian products and games on all those devices that can take the India story to the world. We will do this while continuing to make games that entertain and put smiles on the faces of millions of people around the world.”

“The timing for this partnership could not be better as we are going to be focussing on innovations in Edge Computing, Decentralised Data Networks and Artificial Intelligence creating a truly global platform with the best that India has to offer. As we work towards building a robust feature rich platform, we never wish to lose sight of staying relevant and meaningful for the last mile and the underserved communities of the country. I remain equally bullish on enhancing the footprint of the Zupee Skilling Academy where we will be at the forefront of empowering the youth of our country for the future of work & jobs through our equal opportunity pillars and our collective efforts on deepening democracy.” he further added.

Zupee has many firsts to its credits and was recently named a soonicorn in the Hurun India Future Unicorn List 2021 with its founders highlighted as the youngest leaders in the category. They have previously been recognized in the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 Consumer Tech category as well. The gaming start-up is known for taking time-tested, popular games and reengineering them for mobile devices by making them competitive, engaging and entertaining. The user-centric, language-agnostic approach has meant that the games are popular with people across geographies and demographics.

Rodolphe Belmer Takes Office As New Chief Executive Officer Of Atos

Atos is pleased to announce that effective January 1st, 2022, Rodolphe Belmer has assumed office as the Group’s new Chief Executive Officer.

Last October Mr Belmer was coopted as Board Member and nominated by the Atos Board of Directors to lead the Group’s transformation. With a wealth of experience and a solid international network, he is a recognized business leader in Europe, the United States and Asia and can capitalize on a proven track record in transforming and spearheading the rebound of companies disrupted by technology.

Bertrand Meunier, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Atos SE, Chairman of the Nomination and Governance Committee, said: "On behalf of the Atos Board and all its employees, I am very happy to welcome Rodolphe Belmer and look forward to working closely with him as he leads our Group forward, accelerating our transformation and enabling the return to growth.”

Rodolphe Belmer, 52 years old, was formerly Chief Executive Officer of satellite operator Eutelsat Communications, a position he held for six years, following a 14-year career at Paris-based television giant Canal Plus where he was appointed CEO in 2003 and served as Group Managing Director from 2012 to 2015. Mr Belmer is also a board member of the world’s leading streaming entertainment service Netflix.

About Atos

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 107,000 employees and annual revenue of over € 11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 71 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), listed on the CAC 40 ESG and Next 20 Paris Stock Indexes.

The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.