Prataap Snacks Limited (Reports Robust Performance In FY22 Revenue Grows 19% On A YoY Basis

Prataap Snacks Ltd. (PSL), (BSE- 540724), (NSE- DIAMONDYD) a leading Indian snacks food company has announced its financial results for the quarter and full year ended 31st March 2022:

In Q4 FY22, PSL reported:

o   Revenue of Rs. 3,614.6 million, registering growth of 17% yoy

o   Operating EBITDA of Rs. 49.4 million, translating to a margin of 1.4%

o   PAT stood at Rs. (29.5) million

o   EPS (Diluted) stood at Rs. (1.26) per share

In FY22, PSL reported:

o   Revenue of Rs. 13,966.2 million, registering growth of 19% yoy

o   Operating EBITDA of Rs. 583.1 million, translating to a margin of 4.2%

o   PAT* stood at Rs. 169.1 million with margins at 1.2%

o   EPS* (Diluted) stood at Rs. 7.21 per share

o   The Board of Directors have recommended a dividend of Rs. 0.50 per share (face value of Rs. 5.00 per share)

* Excluding exceptional item due to loss by fire at Kolkata plant

Commenting on the Q4 & FY22 performance, Mr. Amit Kumat – MD, Prataap Snacks Limited said.

“We have delivered a robust performance in a challenging macro environment. Revenues during the quarter grew by 17%, significantly outgrowing the industry. This was led by an uptick in consumption and expansion in distribution network. The growth in volumes is sustainable as existing retail touchpoints are witnessing normalcy in demand even as we have added new retail outlets in our network.

During the quarter, a sharp rise in prices of palm oil and other commodities was witnessed across the landscape. We were able to partially mitigate the impact by our ongoing cost optimization initiatives, gradual implementation of the direct distribution model, grammage rationalization and higher price realisation. The initial benefit from these initiatives has accrued during the year and we anticipate further benefit in the quarters to come. Further, we have implemented our direct distribution model in all regions ahead of schedule. This, along with other structural changes, positions us towards an elevated margin profile, once the unusual rise in input prices normalizes.

Over the past few quarters, despite unfavourable market conditions and inflationary pressures, we continued undertaking initiatives to enhance our business model and transform our distribution network. The enhanced retail touchpoints have enabled higher sales volume growth and increased topline. We will look to build on this momentum through further expansion in the distribution network. With Covid restrictions being lifted and normalised activity across new and existing retail touchpoints, we are confident of accelerated growth going ahead.”

About Prataap Snacks Ltd

Prataap Snacks Limited (PSL) is a leading Indian Snacks Food Company. It offers multiple variants of products across categories of Potato Chips, Extruded Snacks, Namkeen (traditional Indian snacks) under the popular and vibrant Yellow Diamond and Avadh brands. It has recently launched a range of sweet snacks under the distinctive Rich Feast brand. PSL is focused on offering deep value to consumers through a variety of pack sizes at attractive price points. Its products are present across 27 states and 4 union territories in India, and it is one of the fastest growing companies in the organized snacks industry.

Headquartered in Indore, India; PSL operates 13 manufacturing facilities of which 6 facilities (Indore 1&2, Assam 1&2, Bengaluru and Rajkot) are owned and 7 facilities (Kolkata, Bengaluru (2), Kanpur, Karnal, Patna and Hissar) are on contract manufacturing basis. Its distribution network includes more than 1,500 super distributor and more than 3,700 sub-distributors allowing it extensive reach across the country. PSL has a wide presence that is equally spread in metro cities and urban clusters as well as in rural areas and Tier 2 and 3 cities and towns. Its products are available at independent grocers and small retail stores in the lanes and bylanes of its key markets and it is now building up its presence in supermarkets, hypermarkets and modern trade outlets.

Led by an able and experienced leadership and guided by an accomplished Board of Directors, PSL is a socially responsible corporate citizen with a strong focus on Corporate Governance and Internal controls. PSL is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE:540724) and National Stock Exchange (NSE:DIAMONDYD) in India.

Dr. Shashi Tharoor Advises Canadian International School Students To Craft Bright Future At Graduation Ceremony

Canadian International School (CIS), Bangalore, celebrated the graduation ceremony of the class of 2022 and the achievements of its 66 graduating students in the presence of eminent guest speaker, Member of Parliament, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, who encouraged the graduates to follow their passions and take a career path even if it was different from the norm. The eloquent speaker inspired graduates to plan for their future and persevere beyond adversity to realize their dreams.

The event reflected academic excellence and hope for the future. The students of the 25th graduating Class were accepted to over 280 colleges and universities around the world and have been awarded over nearly 3 million USD in merit scholarships. Students were beaming with pride as they were congratulated by all who graced the occasion. Parents were also present to encourage their children and witness the grand event. The school presented various awards to the talented students in recognition of their consistent and exceptional academic achievement. Students also shared their experiences and paid tributes to their mentors.

Addressing the students, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, said: “You have the opportunity to effect change in the world and in India.  Together, we must all move toward a world where everyone has their basic needs met like food, shelter, and education.  You will have to face the complex challenges of the real world and there are no ready made templates for your answers.  I urge you to rely on your education and the wisdom of your teachers and parents.  I am hopeful that you will all play a critical role in the growth and advancement of others.  There will be roadblocks so remember your strengths and never be afraid of failure.  Experiment and you will succeed.  There is no truly successful person in this world who has not faced setbacks.  You are the masters in command of your own destiny and no one can be better at being you, than you.  Finally, be proud of what you have accomplished, and be optimistic about what you are about to achieve.”

Vishnu, Valedictorian of the graduating class of 2022, said: “I hope our dreams of being pioneers in our communities will continue to be nurtured, and pray we can keep the spark of hope continually in our hearts. The school has taught us how to be good citizens and given us a grip on knowledge that is far-reaching and that will enable us to overcome challenges we may face ahead. I thank all my mentors and the school for transforming me into a person with vision.”

“As CIS is a culturally rich mosaic, being in an international environment with teachers and friends from so many different cultures has taught me more life lessons and gave me more experiences than any book would have. Our performance and grades apart, we have been transformed into global citizens who have the opportunity to impact the world. Thanks to the immense support from all sections of the School, I am now confident to step into the future. I am going to miss the school and all the memories that I have created here,” said graduating student Nayonika.

Addressing the students, Shweta Sastri, Managing Director, Canadian International School, Bangalore, said: “It is important for students now to chart out their future and take strides to carry on the good work they have achieved at the school. The graduating moment is one of the most memorable and critical in a student’s life and it is our responsibility to build a solid foundation of learning for students to take on challenges as they move into the future. We are proud that our students have received admissions in the most prestigious colleges and universities. We wish them the very best in crafting a fulfilling life.”

Altimetrik Signs MoU With VIT To Deliver Master of Computer Applications (MCA) Course For 200 Students

* Allocates $1.25Million for FY2022-23 to train and employ students

* MoU signed to offer Online MCA program for Graduate Trainees

* Online classes to be held by VIT professors at Altimetrik offices

* All students to get on-the-job training; high performers to get onsite opportunities

Altimetrik a U.S.-based, digital business enablement company today announced that it has signed a MOU with Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Chennai to extend UGC & AICTE recognized Online Master of Computer Application (MCA) course to its Graduate Trainees at Altimetrik offices.

The MoU was inked by Mr. Raj Sundaresan, CEO, Altimetrik, and Dr. G Viswanathan, Founder-Chancellor of Vellore Institute of Technology at the Altimetrik office in Ascendas International Tech Park, in Chennai.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Raj Sundaresan, CEO of Altimetrik said, “VIT is one of the most reputed institutes in India providing quality higher education on par with international standards. We are very excited at this opportunity to nurture Indian talent and prepare them for the world of Digital Business. This association for Altimetrik’s LevelUp Program will bolster Industry - Academia link and will prove to be beneficial for both the institutions in terms of research and practical knowledge.

Dr. G Viswanathan, Founder-Chancellor of VIT, Vellore said, ”our country is growing very fast and any country’s economic advancement depends on its educational advancement. It is always necessary that the academia, industry and business should go together. I appreciate Altimetrik for its efforts to upgrade the qualification of talent and I am glad that we are also part of it. I am so happy to sign the MoU today that is going to be beneficial for VIT as well as Altimetrik.”

Deserving students who meet the eligibility criteria set forth in the program will be absorbed as Trainees in Altimetrik and will be sponsored to receive online training from VIT professors at Altimetrik premises. Trainees will get a stipend as well as have an opportunity to work on real time projects and thus gain experience. The first batch is expected to start in August 2022 at Chennai and Bengaluru offices while the second batch will begin in February 2023 at Pune and Hyderabad offices.

The program will comprise 4 semesters with a total of 80 Credits (52 Core Course Credits and 28 Elective Course Credits). The first semester will entail students attending the course and shadowing projects within Altimetrik. In the second semester the students will be assigned to billable projects. In the third year, they will be absorbed into the company at a particular role.

Talking about the strategic partnership, Mr. Ranga Kanapathy, Head of India Technology Center and APAC Business of Altimetrik, said, “LevelUp program is one of our focused programs to build the talent in India. It is Altimetrik’s objective to leverage the technical expertise of institutions such as VIT and be a strategic partner in programs that combine theory with practical experience. This approach of integrating industry training into technical pedagogy will create a strong foundation of future talent that will deepen our Practitioner-led-Engineering differentiation. This model is led by practitioners who understand the real-world business issues and collaborate with engineering team/s to customize digital solutions. The students, by undertaking this immersive program, will learn to build digital solutions that solve real-world business problems.”

The program will focus on skilling and training candidates in:

•                     Design-Led Engineering thinking: to acquire Design-Led Engineering mindset

•                     Advanced Technologies: to learn Advanced Technologies and apply them in mission critical applications

•                     Research & Innovation: to build Proof of Concepts and Minimum Viable Products

•                     Platforms & Solutions: to build Platforms and Solutions for specific functional areas.

Elaborating on the budgetary allocation, Mr. Kanapathy said, “we plan to allocate $1.25 Million approximately in FY 2022-23 to this program to benefit 200 students. From 2023-24 onwards we intend to increase it to $2.75 Million to benefit nearly 400 students. The budget will be utilized towards candidates’ stipend, course fees, administrative and incidental costs. The stipend will be increased over the years based on the candidate’s performance after appraisal.”

About Altimetrik

Altimetrik is a digital business enablement company. We deliver bite-size outcomes as organizations scale digitalization to accelerate revenue growth without disrupting ongoing business operations. With an end-to-end perspective, our practitioners and agile engineering teams create solutions that drive transformation and achieve business goals. In addition, our digital point solutions and products provide clients with the tools to fuel business growth and profitability. With offices across the globe and over 5500 energized practitioners, Altimetrik partners with Fortune 500 and mid-size companies alike to enhance their agility, empowerment, and success.

OnMobile Reports Fourth Quarter And Full Year Fiscal 2022 Results

* Challenges Arena: Revenue doubling every quarter and 26 cumulative customer agreements by March’22  

OnMobile Global Limited (“OnMobile”), the global leader in mobile entertainment, today announced the financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of FY22 ended March 31, 2022.

Highlights:

·       Challenges Arena: Revenue has been doubling every quarter; achieved a mark of over INR 3.5 crore monthly revenue in March’22

·       Challenges Arena: 26 cumulative customer agreements by March’22, up 24% QoQ

·       Challenges Arena: Now live with 16 Operators cumulative in Q4 FY’22 as compared to 8 in Q3 FY’22, reflecting a growth of 100% QoQ

·       Challenges Arena: 4.4 Mn cumulative gross additions of subscribers by March 2022

·       Challenges Arena: Net active base doubled every quarter in FY22 – Q4FY22 net active base increased to 1.33 Mn from 0.14 Mn in Q1FY22

·       ONMO: Launched B2C Cash battles in India

·       ONMO: Launched in Chingari beta and will ramp up to the entire user base soon

·       Chingari investments: valuation doubled as compared to  the initial investment

·       FY’22 revenue stood at INR 544.3 crore, a de-growth of 5.5% YoY primarily impacted by Euro depreciation and customer-driven policies in Spain, which have since been mitigated

·       Marketing cost grew by 50.9% YoY to INR 39.8 crore for FY’22 on account of investments in new launches resulting in lower EBITDA

·       EBITDA at INR 45.9 crore with a margin of 8.8% for FY’22

Commenting on FY22 results, Sanjay Baweja, CEO & MD, OnMobile, said, “We are happy with the year’s overall performance and the quarter gone by. We are on a transformational journey as we pivot our focus to mobile gaming. We have launched ONMO our social esports mobile gaming platform. Challenges Arena, our mobile quiz gaming app launched earlier, has shown huge growth during the year. We will continue to see significant demand for eSports and social gaming. Our vision is to build cutting-edge mobile gaming products while simultaneously working on digitizing our core B2B businesses.”

Asheesh Chatterjee, Global Group CFO, said, “We are pleased to report another quarter of consistent growth in our new endeavours while maintaining margins. Our revenue stood at INR 544 crores for FY22. Cost optimization efforts continued and we managed to sustain EBITDA margin at 8.8% for FY’22”

About OnMobile

 OnMobile [NSE India: ONMOBILE] [BSE Ltd: 532944], is a global leader in mobile entertainment. Headquartered in Bangalore, India and with a presence in many countries across the world, it is focused on building cutting-edge Mobile Gaming products while also offering a wide array of products such as Videos, Tones, & Contests. Based on current deployments, OnMobile has over 80 million monthly users across the globe.

Two Bengaluru Youth Vinod Kartavya And Anushya Kadiyala Bag “Champions of Change”- Young Achiever Awards 2021-22

 * Special Jury Award presented to Sikandar Meera Nayak from Gadag

Rotary Club of Bangalore Cantonment and Koncept Ambience, a leading real estate developer in Bengaluru, announced the winners of the “Champions of Change”- Young Achiever Awards 2021-22 at Hotel Chancery Pavillion in Bangalore. This year’s awards and the ceremony were sponsored by Koncept Ambience.

This year 169 applications were received from the youth of Karnataka in the age group of 25 to 40 years for their commendable work done in Karnataka. An eminent jury comprising of Mr. H N Shrinivas, former HR Group Head of the India Hotels and an advisor to Tata Trust,  Ms. Priya Menon, Chief Counsel & Legal Head of 3M , India and Ms. Kavita Chaturvedi, the COO of ITC Foods shortlisted the candidates and made the final selection.

Mr. Vinod Kartavya who excelled in community service by removing nails from trees, aiding transgenders, teaching children, and forming citizen groups to catalyze social action was the winner in the Male category. He was presented with a cheque of Rs 1 lakh along with a trophy and a citation by Mr Avinash Agarwal, Director and Mr Srinivasan S, Executive Director of Koncept Ambience.

Dr Anushya Kadiyala, a medical doctor working for the Government, who helps poor patients through awareness sessions, treatments and tackling heritage diseases beyond the call of her duty was the winner in the Female category. She was awarded the trophy, citation and a cheque of Rs 1 lakh by the Chief Guest, Dr Kavery Nambisan.

 A Special Jury Award was also presented to Mr. Sikandar Meera Nayak for the work done in the rural areas through rainwater harvesting and borewell recharging, touching the lives of many farmers in the drought-prone districts of the State. He was given a cheque of Rs 50,000 by Dr Hemant Kalyan, Chief of Orthopedics at Manipal Hospitals along with a citation from Rotary.

Dr. Kavery Nambisan in her Chief Guest’s address spoke of the need to revolutionize medical treatment in India through low-cost innovations so badly needed for the treatment of the poor and the need to look at alternate cures and materials to the expensive present-day protocols in many of the hospitals. She was effusive in her praise for those who come forward to serve society and create meaningful changes in the lives of our citizens.

About Rotary Club of Bangalore Cantonment:

Rotary Club of Bangalore Cantonment is part of the International Rotary Foundation and family. It was founded in 1984 in the Cantonment area of Bangalore and in the over 30 years of its existence been in the forefront of social, community and environmental projects in and around Karnataka serving and uplifting the downtrodden and marginalised sections of our society. It has also done outstanding work in climate change, deforestation, tribal welfare, vocational training, medical aid as well as in artificial limbs etc. Rotary Cantonment has received high accolades and many awards both at the national as well as at the international level.  

About Koncept Ambience:

In 38 years, Koncept Ambience has set a new paradigm in eco-conscious luxury living. With invigorated design and architecture, and spaces crafted around nature. Koncept Ambience has been creating a whole world of wellness and luxury living, since 1984.

7-Eleven Launches Its Global Solution Tech Center In Bengaluru

* Convenience store chain’s first tech center outside the US will focus on product development, IT services, information security

7-Eleven, Inc., the global convenience store chain, has launched the 7-Eleven Global Solution Center (GSC) in Bengaluru. This is the company’s first such center outside the U.S. The center will play a key role in 7-Eleven’s strategy by developing products that support business activities at the stores.

The GSC will accelerate digital strategy and expand internal IT capabilities in the areas of information security, networking and data science. The GSC's mission is to be a trusted resource for 7-Eleven, providing capability and dedicated expertise to deliver high-quality, innovative services.

Access to the right talent makes Bengaluru a strategic location for 7-Eleven to elevate digital innovations. Currently, the GSC has more than 150 employees and expects to double in the next year with growth across functions like IT, information security, finance and accounting roles.

Jennifer Goschke, Vice President and Country Leader, 7-Eleven Global Solution Center, said: “The GSC in Bengaluru is an important resource for our Dallas-based core technology team. Our India and U.S. offices complement each other and support innovation to enhance our services. Bengaluru was a natural choice for us, as it is India’s technology talent hub. Our aim is to deliver a seamless experience for our stakeholders and 7-Eleven customers while providing exciting career opportunities to emerging technology talent in the country.”

While the GSC will only service 7-Eleven®stores in the U.S., the first 7-Eleven store in India recently opened in October 2021 in Mumbai. 7-Eleven stores in India were opened by 7-India Convenience Retail Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Limited and a master franchisee of 7-Eleven International LLC.

About 7-Eleven, Inc.

7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name in the convenience-retailing industry. Based in Irving, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 13,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to 7-Eleven stores, 7-Eleven, Inc. operates and franchises Speedway®, Stripes®, Laredo Taco Company® and Raise the Roost® Chicken and Biscuits locations. Known for its iconic brands such as Slurpee®, Big Bite® and Big Gulp®, 7-Eleven has expanded into high-quality sandwiches, salads, side dishes, cut fruit and protein boxes, as well as pizza, chicken wings and mini beef tacos. 7-Eleven offers customers industry-leading private brand products under the 7-Select™ brand including healthy options, decadent treats and everyday favorites at an outstanding value. Customers can earn and redeem points on various items in stores nationwide through its 7Rewards® loyalty program with more than 50 million members, place an order in the 7NOW® delivery app in over 2,000 cities, or rely on 7-Eleven for bill payment service, self-service lockers and other convenient services. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.

About 7?Eleven International LLC

With offices in Dallas, Texas and Tokyo, Japan, 7–Eleven International LLC master franchises and/or licenses more than 41,000 stores in 14 countries and regions: Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, China (Taiwan), Thailand, Viet Nam, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The iconic brand also operates corporate and/or franchise stores in the US, Canada, Mexico and Japan and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2027. Globally, the 7?Eleven trademark is represented in over 77,000 stores.

Indian Future Agriculture Leaders Program For Agri-Entrepreneurship Will Hold Its FALI 8 Convention On June 4- 5, 2022

The Future Agriculture Leaders of India Program will hold its FALI 8 Convention on June 4 and 5, 2022 on Jain Hills in Jalgaon.  In its eighth year, FALI has established itself as a unique, high impact program that makes agriculture attractive for the next generation by providing interactive learning, field visits, business plan contests, and exposure to cutting edge agriculture and agribusiness.  This last academic year, FALI provided its program to over 11, 000 eight and nine standard students in 135 government aided rural schools in Maharashtra and Gujarat.  The number of FALI alums totals 25,000, most pursuing higher education in science and agriculture and positioned to be future leaders of Indian agriculture. 

The Board of Directors met today and agreed on the expansion plans for FALI.  Over the next ten years, FALI is expected to increase the number of students and schools by 25% a year in Maharashtra and Gujarat, adding Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.  At this rate, FALI would have backed the creation of over 250,000 future leaders of Indian agriculture.  The Directors also agreed on programs for FALI alums, internships, scholarships and seed funding for FALI alumni ventures. 

The Directors of FALI also reviewed the plans for the FALI 8 Convention to be held on June 1-2 and June 4-5 on Jain Hills in Jalgaon.  

Over its first eight years, FALI has received strong support from several leading agribusinesses of India: Godrej Agrovet, Jain Irrigation, UPL, Bayer and StarAgri.  At the FALI Convention on June 4 to 5, senior managers of these companies will participate along with leaders of about ten other agribusinesses and banks interested in supporting FALI 9 and beyond.  These companies see that the results of FALI has shifted attitudes of students and their parents, who before saw subsistence farming as an unattractive career for their children.  FALI students have taken home modern agriculture practices and with FALI, parents see modern, sustainable agriculture and agro-enterprise as a promising path for their children.

Commenting on the Board’s decision to expand the initiative’s reach, Nadir B Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Agrovet Limited, and Chair of the Association for FALI, said, “Despite registering impressive growth by the sector, agriculture in India is losing its sheen with the next generation. We need to overcome economic, social, and psychological barriers jointly. FALI’s efforts have steered over 11,000 students towards modern and sustainable agriculture in the last eight years. Today, as the Chair of the Association for FALI, I am delighted to announce our plans to expand the footprint of this innovative programme to three more states of India. It aligns with our commitment to promote sustainable agriculture and agro-entrepreneurship among the next generation.”

Rajju Shroff, Chair of UPL says:  Many FALI alums will lead the charge in modernizing Indian agriculture. Several FALI alumni have built small agri-enterprises in fruits and vegetables greenhouses, in small commercial livestock operations and in building small pieces of equipment geared to improve small farmer productivity. And these FALI alums have built their businesses while pursuing higher education.

Anil Jain, Vice Chair and CEO of Jain Irrigation says:  In FALI, students learn about the techniques of modern farming.  They also learn how to run an agri-business whether that business is a farm or a greenhouse with fruits and vegetables or a company making agricultural implements. They learn about costing and pricing. They learn about value chains from the farm through processing and packaging to the consumer’s table. They learn how to create something new and better for your village and for India. And FALI is not finished in the ninth standard.  FALI now is starting programs for alumni pursuing higher education in science and agriculture, internships, scholarships and seed funding for FALI ventures. 

FALI’s strong team, comprising agriculture educators and MSc/BSc graduates, introduces students in eight and nine standards to modern, sustainable agriculture and agro-enterprises using interactive methods and practical exposure. 

FALI has received positive evaluations from students and their parents. Many FALI students have improved their family farms, introduced higher value crops with irrigation, better livestock breeds, and accepted best practices such as soil and milk testing.

In evaluations of FALI, about 90% of FALI students judge that they have become better equipped to succeed in farming and agro-enterprise after completing the programme. Over 90% of FALI students plan to pursue higher education, and about 30% of FALI alums are working in agriculture as they pursue higher studies. Nearly 800 alums have begun their own profitable agro-enterprises.

Partners of FALI support the programme with internships, scholarships and seed funding of ventures, making FALI a life-long experience for many. 

At the FALI 8 Convention held in two parts on June 1 and 2 and on June 4 and 5, 2022 in Jain Hills in Jalgaon, over 800 of the top FALI students will participate in business plan and technology innovation contests which will be judged by senior managers of companies which do or plan to support FALI. 

Six or seven outstanding FALI alums who are pursuing their studies while building profitable agribusinesses or running impactful rural development programs will be participating in the FALI 8 Convention along with about 40 company and bank leaders who do or plan to support FALI 9 and beyond.

The Agriculture Educators, top MSc and BSc Agriculture graduates, who provide the interactive learning and exposure to best practice to FALI students will be participating in the Convention. 

FALI students will engage with progressive farmers who have moved from subsistence farming to commercial success through use of technology and sound business practices.

A video on FALI can be accessed at https://youtu.be/4IbrCqYfOHw. More detailed materials are available, including success stories on FALI alumni.

Malabar Gold & Diamonds Hosts A Solitaire Show With De Beers Forevermark At Their Showroom In Somajiguda, Hyderabad

* View the Largest Collection of De Beers Forevermark Solitaires till 5th June 2022

De Beers Forevermark, the world’s leading and most trusted diamond jewellery brand, will showcase a collection of over 450 diamond solitaires at the Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Artistry store at Somajiguda, Hyderabad. These exquisite solitaires, starting from 0.10 carats onwards, will be on display till 5th June 2022.

De Beers Forevermark diamonds are the world’s most meticulously selected diamonds while Malabar Gold & Diamonds are known for their immaculate and perfect quality, trust and transparency. The solidarity amid these two brands have nurtured an ideal partnership to offer elegant diamond solitaires that come with a unique inscription by De Beers Forevermark that ensures they are beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced natural diamonds.

Commenting on the solitaire show, ­­­­­­ Mr. Shareej K, Store Head, Malabar Gold and Diamonds, said, “Malabar Gold & Diamonds is thrilled to showcase De Beers Forevermark’s exclusive diamond solitaires at our store. Knowing that less than 1% of the world’s diamonds are eligible to become a De Beers Forevermark diamond, gives us the confidence to offer only the best diamond jewellery to our customers. Our partnership with De Beers Forevermark is testimony to the trust and credibility of our brand.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Amit Pratihari, General Manager, De Beers Forevermark India, said, “We are happy to showcase our unique collection of diamond solitaires at Malabar Gold & Diamonds, one of the brand’s most cherished partners. De Beers Forevermark diamonds are among the world’s most beautiful diamonds and at Malabar Gold & Diamonds solitaire showcase, you are sure to find a diamond to mark a special memory. Each of our diamonds goes through a stringent selection and grading process and has met De Beers Forevermark’s ultimate standards of beauty, rarity and naturalness.”

Consumers are now looking to seal real memories with simple, classic designs with genuine, natural diamonds. In every market, consumers’ interest gravitates towards classic pieces, with solitaires at the apex of aspiration. Timeless classics such as diamond solitaire earrings, necklaces and rings have a strong appeal as proven designs. Owning a piece of Mother nature, with a story as old as the earth, is an emotion unparalleled, adding enduring and endearing value to the journey of each De Beers Forevermark diamond. Diamonds will always be an emotional purchase providing an opportunity to wear a piece of history, striving to make lives brilliant as a diamond is forever.

Throughout history, diamonds have been a symbol of love, happiness and power. Trends have changed over the decades but the growing interest in solitaires has only increased making it one of the most aspirational luxury purchases for celebrating life’s special moments.

ATEN’s Remote Control & Monitoring Management Software- RCMMS

* An outstanding management software solution for high-tech production lines requiring durable and reliable over-IP server management.

The ATEN RCMMS is a Windows-based management software that provides convenient single-point access, monitor, and customize control to multiple RCM devices within a network. By consolidating all types of RCM devices, such as KVM over IP extenders (e.g. RCMDVI00AT and single-port (e.g. RCMVGA101) and multi-port KVM over IP switches (e.g. RCM416) RCMMS fulfills the administrators’ need of centralized management of IT infrastructures in production lines even across isolated, secured environments.

Featuring Panel Array and WinClient viewer, RCMMS allows operators to easily monitor up to 25 device ports simultaneously in a single 5 x 5 view and provides instantaneous remote access to any specific PC / workstation as needed. Additionally, its Panel Array Grouping and single sign-on functions allow the consolidated management of all ATEN RCM devices for easy and convenient operation.

The RCMMS implements visualized flow charts which allow users to set advanced RPA (robotic process automation) scripts that can be executed according to a specified schedule with ease. It also provides flexible image settings suited for a variety of applications, as well as the popping up and enlarging viewer access onto a dedicated screen by double-click during monitoring, empowering operators to promptly deal with any urgent cases encountered.

With the help of RCMMS, operators in varying industries can immediately respond to and fix any issues and problems arose at a production line efficiently, putting them in complete control.

Route Mobile Records Weak Operating Performance In Q4, 2022

BUY

CMP: Rs1213  

Target Price: Rs1630

* ROUTE delivered better-than-expected revenue growth in Q4, while EBITDAM missed expectations. Revenue grew by 11.2% QoQ/72.7% YoY to Rs6.3bn. EBITDAM declined 180bps QoQ to 9%, 200bps below estimates due to a miss on gross margins, expansion of sales and tech teams for the Masivian business, and expenses related to events.

* Billable transactions stood at 18bn in Q4 (highest ever in a quarter) vs. 16.3bn/8.8bn QoQ/ YoY. For FY22, billable transactions grew 63% YoY to 52bn. Revenue per transaction, excluding email, stood at Rs0.448 (Rs0.385 including email) vs. Rs0.435 in FY21.

* FY22 revenues grew 42.4% YoY (organic growth of ~33%). ROUTE expects the strong revenue growth momentum to continue in FY23 and has guided for at least 40% YoY growth in FY23. It expects EBITDAM to expand ~150bps in FY23 from the Q4FY22 level.

* We cut FY23/FY24 estimates by 0.4%/2.6% considering Q4 performance. Retain Buy with a revised TP of Rs1,630 (earlier Rs2,150) but lower the target multiple to 32x from 42x, factoring in moderation in medium-term growth assumptions due to macro uncertainties and potential business disruptions in new-age tech companies, corrections in CPaaS firms' valuations and dilution in medium-term return ratios with acquisition-led growth.

B2B Marketing Automation Solution Start-Up Inflection Raises $5M In Seed Funding

US and India-based Inflection.io, a B2B Marketing Automation Solution, has received a $5 million seed funding led by MHS Capital. The company is co-founded by former executives of Marketo, Adobe, and Bizible, Dave Rigotti, Aaron Bird, and Oak Nguyen, further joined by Nakul Sibiraj from India as a co-founder.

Other participants in the funding round include Version One, Cercano Management, Matt Heinz (CRO Amplitude, SVP Sales Marketo), Edward Unthank (CEO Etumos), Justin Gray (CEO LeadMD), Adam Schoenfeld (CEO Simply Measured, VP Strategy Drift), Ray Carroll (VP Sales Marketo, VP Sales Engagio), Brewster Stanislaw (VP Product Bizible, Marketo, CPO Demandbase), Patrick Thompson (CEO Iteratively, Dir. Product Amplitude), Prasanna Venkatesan (VP Engineering ZoomInfo India), and others.

Inflection has strong roots in India with Nakul spearheading the headquarters in Kochi. They have also established operations in other cities, namely Bengaluru, Pune, and Chennai.  The company has been expanding exponentially in the past year since its inception and has over 750 members in its marketing community so far. The funds will be used for recruiting and scaling to over ten open job roles in India and establishing an expanded team across the US and Indian markets.

According to Dave Rigotti, the CEO and Co-founder of Inflection, this seed funding will accelerate the growth of the company, and help with better awareness in the Indian market. “The rise of product-led companies, and the emergence of a new end-user era, requires innovative solutions that treat product activity data as a first-class citizen to drive meaningful engagement with customers. We built Inflection with the premise that B2B product-led companies deserve a purpose-built marketing solution to help them drive adoption, revenue expansion, and create delightful product engagements,” he adds.

“At Inflection, we unify data across accounts, individuals, and product activity, giving marketing teams a single view of the customer, and the ability to deliver tailored marketing campaigns across the customer lifecycle. This unique approach will in turn help us provide scalable and constructive solutions to the Indian market. “adds Nakul Sibiraj, Co-Founder and Head of Engineering, India.

“When I was running product at Marketo, it was clear that companies are investing a great deal of effort to get B2C or sales-led processes and tools to work for product-led strategy, unsuccessfully. Current marketing automation providers make you choose between driving campaigns from CRM data OR product activity data. With Inflection, marketers no longer need to choose - they can drive highly contextualized campaigns utilizing data across account, individual, and product activity data.” said Aaron Bird, Co-founder of Inflection.

Inflection is a SaaS product company focused on delivering value for its customers through a marketing automation solution. Pricing starts at $1,000/mo, though there is a discount for early-stage startups. Their vision is to be the go-to-market HQ for other SaaS product-led companies, helping them drive new users, product onboarding/adoption, create delightful brand engagements, for engagement and upsell/cross-sell, and reduce churn. Inflection was made for businesses that need scale. From being able to support 100 million contacts and 1000s of product activity events to being built with exacting security standards such as SOC 2, CCPA, and GDPR compliance.

About Inflection.io

Inflection is built, keeping in mind modern product-led marketing teams, and addresses key challenges that are introduced by legacy marketing automation solutions and providers. Dave Rigotti, Aaron Bird, and Vic Davis are co-founders at Bizible and former executives at Marketo and Adobe, who had a front-row seat to the changing dynamics with the shift to the end-user era and the challenges current B2B marketing automation solutions have in pivoting to support the demands of product-led marketing. They launched Inflection to improve the lives of product-led marketers struggling to create meaningful customer experiences utilizing product activity data. Inflection also launched the #1 marketing community for product-led growth which now has over 750 members. Operating out of Seattle, Kochi, Bengaluru, Pune, and Chennai, the team focuses on creating value for customers, growing careers, and building a well-rounded and diverse group of marketing technologists.

To learn more, visit: Inflection.io

Cooper Corporation Offers “World-Class Genset Series” For The Southern Market, Ranging From 5KVA To 250KVA

The global pandemic scenario, followed by various phases of lockdown and unlocking, has accentuated the need of having a constant power supply. The requirement for continuous power supply exists whether it is in hospitals, residential societies, restaurants, offices or retail businesses, bungalows, farms, or construction sites. Recent years have seen India's energy consumption increase at one of the fastest rates in the world. To ensure a reliable power source, Cooper Corporation, one of India’s leading engine manufacturers, has introduced a brand-new world-class Genset range ranging from 5KVA to 250KVA for the Southern market.  

Our In-house research and strategic alliances with partners such as Ricardo PLCUK, have resulted in the introduction of a truly unique category of power generators. These robust gensets provide best-in-class backup power solutions with minimal CapEx and OpEx spend. The entire range goes from 5KVA to 250 KVA powered by 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-Cylinder Cooper engines. The compactness of the generators accrues enormous cost savings for the customer in terms of space requirements, especially in areas where space is a luxurious investment. 

Mr. Farrokh N. Cooper, Chairman and Managing Director, Cooper Corporation Pvt. Ltd said, “we are celebrating our 100th year, and our legacy is built on trust and reliability. We continuously strive to improve our quality, service, and product innovation considering the ever-changing market dynamics. It is our constant endeavor to provide best-in-class products to our consumers. Our engines are best suited for this market as they include cutting-edge technology and are designed with Indian circumstances in mind. All our engines and gensets are 'Made in India,' and are manufactured in our state-of-the-art facility in Satara, Maharashtra”. 

Range of gensets: 

The company has recently launched its 5 KVA compact genset -Cooper Bolt Mini. The Cooper Bolt Mini genset is a versatile engine that produces higher power and is the most compact in size compared to its competition. It is also the most fuel efficient in the market compared to other players. When it comes to high-performance, the 125 kVA genset is a beast.The genset applications include hotels, restaurants, and office buildings, among others. This low-noise, compact engine is in high demand both domestically and internationally. The 140 KVA is a liquid cooling diesel genset with 6-cylinders that ensures companies and industries never experience power disruptions during production hours. Compact in size, the 160-kVA diesel generator for industrial usage can provide a great deal of power for a long length of time.  With a high block load capability, this genset can push itself even in harsh weather conditions and provide consistent performance for long durations. With the 200 kVA genset, industries and other civil works such as highways, railways, metros, etc. can operate at full capacity without any interruptions in their production schedules.  Rugged, fuel-efficient the Cooper 250 kVA is the most powerful diesel genset, capable of powering huge office buildings, malls, theatres, and industrial sectors.  

These gensets power applications in a variety of industries, including automotive, gensets, marine, defense, construction equipment, and agriculture. These engines are designed to meet all future emission norms. 

The all-new series of Gensets comes with the Cooper assurance of quality and maximum uptime. With a nationwide network of professional service dealers with adequate spare parts stock and ready to provide prompt after-sales service support.  

Bank of Baroda Wins The “Express BFSI Technology Awards 2022” For Enterprise Mobility (BoB World) And Analytics (Digital Lending Platform)

Bank of Baroda (Bank), one of India’s leading public sector banks, was awarded the Express BFSI Technology Awards 2022 in two categories. bob World, the Bank’s mobile banking platform, won in the Enterprise Mobility category and analytics-driven lending through the Bank’s Digital Lending Platform was adjudged the best in the Analytics/Big Data category.  

Further, Bank of Baroda was also conferred with the prestigious Banking Frontiers’ Finnoviti 2022 Award for bob World.  

Shri Akhil Handa, Chief Digital Officer, Bank of Baroda said, “The BFSI landscape has been going through a digital revolution for the last many years and at Bank of Baroda we are acutely mindful of the power of Digital in reshaping the industry. Transformative initiatives like bob World and the Bank’s Digital Lending Platform (DLP) are key components of the Bank’s digital ecosystem that helps the Bank in empowering our customers and employees.” 

The bob World mobile banking ecosystem, launched in 2021, has over 20 million active users and offers 95% of the retail services of the bank. bob World is an all-in-one app that caters to the financial, non-financial, and lifestyle needs of the Bank’s customers. 

In the digital lending space, Bank of Baroda has built a Digital Lending Platform that makes extensive use of analytics and big data to understand customer behaviour, account information and past credit performance to offer pre-approved loans to customers in a seamless manner. The Bank has a dedicated Analytics Centre of Excellence (ACOE) that analyses multiple data sources for targeted cross-sell/up-sell of retail banking products to existing customers.  

About Bank of Baroda:  

Founded on 20th July, 1908 by Sir Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Bank of Baroda is one of the leading commercial banks in India. At 63.97% stake, it is majorly owned by the Government of India. The Bank serves its global customer base of over 150 million through over 46,000 touchpoints spread across 17 countries in five continents. Through Its state-of-the-art digital banking platforms, it provides all banking products and services in a seamless and hassle-free manner. The recently launched bob World mobile app provides customers with a saving, investing, borrowing, and shopping experience, all under one single app. The app also serves non-customers by enabling account opening through video KYC. The Bank’s vision matches its diverse clientele base and instills a sense of trust and security. It is moving well in that direction and bob World is a testimony of its roadmap towards Digital Transformation. 

Photo Caption:  T P Nanda - Regional Head, Pune District, Bank of Baroda and Shri Rakesh Kumar - Network Dy. General Manager, Pune Zone, Bank of Baroda accept the Express BFSI Technology Awards 2022 on the Bank’s behalf

PUMA Brings RCB's '12th Man Army' To Create A Guinness World Records Title For Most Cricket Runs Between The Wickets In 1 Hour

* Fans celebrated with activities curated around RCB memorabilia at a day-long cricket carnival

Royal Challengers Bangalore fans on Thursday scripted a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® feat for completing most runs between the wickets in an hour at #12thManTakeover, organised by Wings Events and powered by sportswear giant PUMA at Jayamahal Palace in Bengaluru.

A huge group of 187 RCB fans came together to establish a new official record as they completed 823 runs between the wickets on a 22-yard cricket pitch set up at the venue.

Royal Challengers Bangalore were the first T20 team to be placed in the Top-10 list of the most popular teams in the world on social media. RCB and its official kit partner PUMA have consistently focused on creating curated experiences for fans. This time, they have taken it to the next level and created a world record in the presence of the top Indian sports personalities—Dutee Chand and Rupinder Pal Singh.

“PUMA has always believed in connecting fans with sports culture by creating personalised experiential events for them. We are committed to engage and serve our consumers in the best possible way. It was great to see cricket fans come in such a huge number to set this new world record. The atmosphere was quite electrifying, and we are glad to get fans on a single platform for this initiative,” said Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director, PUMA India & Southeast Asia.

On the occasion, Rajesh Menon, VP and Head of Royal Challengers Bangalore, said, “From the jersey to the stands, we always want to bring our 12th man army closer to the game. We are glad to see our partner PUMA bringing this philosophy alive through one of its kind, a unique on-ground activation on the 19th of May in Bengaluru.”

India’s star sprinter Dutee Chand kickstarted the official attempt for the world record with the first run and was joined by fans, who contributed runs for the feat.

“It was great to be part of this event. I never imagined such a record could be created on a cricket pitch. It was heart-warming to see so many fans unify for this sporting event,” said Dutee.

Popularly known as 12th Man Army, the RCB fans wore the team’s jersey along with cricketing gear while securing the record.

“Fans always play a crucial part in sporting journeys and having loyal and passionate fans is always a blessing for any sportsperson or a team,” Indian hockey team drag-flicker Rupinder said.

With this world record, fans celebrated the team’s impressive run in the on-going cricket season ahead of their final league match against Gujarat Titans tonight as RCB look to secure a playoffs berth. The cricket carnival concluded with the fans enjoying a host of personalised activities curated around RCB memorabilia with a simulated dressing room and Instagrammable zones. 

Photo Caption: An enthusiastic RCB fan runs as RCB fans attempted the Guinness Book of World Record for scoring the maximum number of runs in an hour on Thursday at Jayamahal Palace in Bangaluru

GITAM Bengaluru Campus Launches School of Humanities And Social Science (GSHS)

* The GSHS Bengaluru will be an addition to the three existing Schools of Technology, Business and Science. GSHS will offer Bachelor of Arts (BA) and PhD programmes in Psychology, Political Science, Economics and English

* The programmes aim to equip students with the core knowledge, employability skills, and a multidisciplinary perspective relevant to job and research as well as creative work

GITAM (Deemed to be University) Bengaluru campus today launched the GITAM School of Humanities and Social Science (GSHS) amid an august gathering that included the likes of Syed Kirmani, former Indian cricketer and Padma Shri awardee; Prof. R S Deshpande, renowned economist and former Director of Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore and Shukla Bose, founder Parikrama Humanity Foundation. Also present were M. Sri Bharat, President, GITAM (Deemed to be University), M S Mohan Kumar, Pro Vice-Chancellor, GITAM Bengaluru and Prof. V. Nagendra, Director GSHS.

The GSHS Bengaluru will be an addition to the three existing Schools of Technology, Business and Science. The Bengaluru campus was established in 2012 near the IT hub of the city. This is the third campus after Vizag and Hyderabad. GSHS offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and PhD programmes in Economics, English, Political Science and Psychology. It also offers Minors in Sociology, History, Dance and Music.

Speaking at the inauguration, Syed Kirmani addressed on the topic of ‘Youth and Sports – Importance of Character, Discipline and Dedication.’ Kirmani recollected his experiences as a professional sportsman and how character, discipline and dedication held him in good stead. Audience was all ears to hear some anecdotes from the successful 1983 World Cup outing. Joining Kirmani was Prof. R S Deshpande, who spoke on ‘Relevance of humanities in contemporary times and their importance in addressing societal complexities.’ Deshpande touched upon the core objective of studying humanities and social sciences in the present context. Shukla Bose added to the conversation and spoke about ‘Society, Deprivation and Empowerment through Education.’

Talking about the mission and vision, M. Sri Bharat, President, GITAM (Deemed to be University), said, “Philanthropy, Philosophy and Ethics are ingrained in the GITAM School of Humanities and Social Sciences (GSHS). The inclusive environment of GITAM instils togetherness among the stakeholders – students, teachers, and other service providers.”

M S Mohan Kumar, Pro Vice-Chancellor, GITAM Bengaluru added, “The multidisciplinary university system that combines human with artificial intelligence develops a learning environment. Combining knowledge systems provides a solid foundation to face future challenges and complexities. A proper mentoring system and Venture Development Centre help students till they graduate and beyond.”

Highlighting about the courses, Prof. V. Nagendra, Director GSHS said, “The programmes aim to equip students with the core knowledge, employability skills, and a multidisciplinary perspective relevant to job and research as well as creative work. The GSHS B.A. programmes are structured to encourage qualitative dialogue and debates for adequate comprehension, communication, and collaboration. Firmly based on the core values of liberal arts, the courses combine critical thinking and problem-solving approaches with strong disciplinary foundations.”

The cafeteria system allows the students to tailor the programme as per their requirements. The student can choose either a three-year Major program or a four-year Honours programme—the B.A. Honors programme provides a robust research foundation with advanced courses and dissertation writing. To broaden the career options, the GSHS ecosystem encourages the students to choose a Minor from other areas.

Photo Caption:  Lamp lighting at GSHS Bengaluru launch, (from right) M Sri Bharat, President GITAM, Syed Kirmani, former Indian cricketer, M S Mohan Kumar, Pro Vice-Chancellor, GITAM Bengaluru, Shukla Bose, founder Parikrama Humanity Foundation and Prof. V Nagendra, Director GSHS 

ManageEngine Turns 20, Announces Major Expansion Plans In India

* 1,000 Employees To Be Hired This Year; Will Ensure Bigger Teams in Customer-facing Roles

ManageEngine, the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation, today announced its plans to grow its Indian workforce by 1,000 employees in 2022, a year that marks two decades of the company’s innovation, growth and success as a trusted global technology provider. Since 2002, the company has served over 2,80,000 organisations in more than 190 countries.

Speaking at the ManageEngine user conference in Bengaluru, Sridhar Vembu, CEO and co-founder of Zoho Corp., said, "We invest heavily in R&D, product design and integration, so that our customers can accelerate their own digital transformation. We invest heavily in support so that our customers have a reliable partner to navigate a fast-changing landscape. We are in IT for the long haul, so customers can trust us to be around.”

Commenting on the expansion plans for ManageEngine in India, which has emerged as one of the top three markets worldwide after the United States and the United Kingdom, Shailesh Davey, Co-Founder & Vice President of Engineering of Zoho Corp., said the company plans to boost its local workforce by 25%.

"In India, we registered a YoY revenue growth of 63.2% in 2021, while our customer count increased by 26.3%, driven by demand primarily from the BFSI and IT services and solutions sectors," Shailesh noted. He added: "With three key pillars driving growth—hybrid work, cloud adoption and the government’s digital push—ManageEngine plans to hire around 1,000 employees in the country this year for development, R&D and customer-facing roles."

Talking about his organisation's 19-year relationship with ManageEngine, COO Yatin Kantak of top value-added partner Softcell Technologies said, "Ensuring good-quality products and service for over 20 years can be challenging. But ManageEngine's biggest strength has always been its people. And the effort demonstrated by ManageEngine through its sales, leadership and tech teams has been phenomenal. I'm very proud to see an Indian tech player achieve this success and compete with international players."

ManageEngine is hosting its user conference in Bengaluru on May 19 and 20 at the ITC Gardenia. The two-day conference will offer detailed walk-throughs and live demonstrations of all major ManageEngine solutions. One-on-one sessions with solution experts will ensure customers have the opportunity to receive answers to their product questions. Participants can also take part in training sessions to increase their knowledge of ManageEngine products, and they can take a test to become a certified product associate.

About ManageEngine

ManageEngine is the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation. Established and emerging enterprises—including 9 of every 10 Fortune 100 organisations—rely on ManageEngine's real-time IT management tools to ensure optimal performance of their IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, applications, desktops and more. ManageEngine has offices worldwide, including India, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Mexico, Singapore, Japan, China and Australia, as well as more than 200 global partners to help organisations tightly align their business and IT. For more information, please visit manageengine.in; follow the company blog and on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Jeep India Launches Most Awaited All-New Jeep Meridian At INR 29.90 Lakhs (Ex Showroom India)

·         It delivers several best-in-class features and is a blend of refinement, sophistication, and 4x4 capabilities to disrupt the premium D- SUV segment

·         The Jeep Meridian received more than 67,000 inquiries and over 5,000 reservation interest before the official bookings begins

·         The Jeep Meridian is available in two trims - Limited and Limited (O) trims with multiple drivetrain options

·         Bookings for the Jeep Meridian are now open at Jeep dealerships and on the Jeep India website, with deliveries starting in June

The new Jeep Meridian has been launched at an introductory price of ?xxx lakh. The all-new three-row Jeep SUV is designed to disrupt the segment. The Meridian leverages its globally proven engineering prowess coupled with Indian insights to deliver an authentic SUV experience with high-level of sophistication.

The vehicle’s design is inspired by the iconic Jeep Grand Cherokee as it redefines the premium SUV segment with its many best-in-class features, including the fastest acceleration and highest power-to-weight ratio. The highly capable & agile SUV can go from 0-100 km/h in just 10.8 seconds and can attain a top speed of 198 km/h.

Commenting on the Jeep Meridian’s launch, Nipun J. Mahajan, Head of Jeep Brand India, said, "Brand Jeep believes it is time for Indian customers to kick-start a new adventure in the refined and capable Jeep Meridian. Our pricing reflects our intent to disrupt the segment and offer unmatched value for customers seeking a powerful, spacious, and sophisticated SUV.”

Jeep Meridian brings a unique blend of adventure and sophistication which has been highly appreciated by media for its class-leading attributes. Now, customers can experience the new Jeep Meridian first-hand. It aims to attract customers from all segments and serve as an excellent choice for customers who are looking to experience the JeepLife.

Jeep India is delighted with the response and interest for the new Jeep Meridian and is on track to start deliveries of the ‘Made-In-India and made-for-India’ Jeep Meridian in early June.

Engineering and Architecture

The new Jeep Meridian gets the first-in-segment completely independent front and rear suspension setup. The new Jeep Meridian comes equipped with Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) and Hydraulic Rebound Stopper (HRS) to ensure a smooth ride, top-notch comfort, and superlative driving dynamics for all kinds of roads and terrains.

The Jeep Meridian also promises the best steering control in the segment, thanks to the lowest parking torque of 2.2 Nm and a dynamic torque of 4.3 Nm. The low turning radius of 5.7 m further fortifies the new Jeep Meridian as an inspired choice for city driving.

The SUV’s credentials are further strengthened by the terrain-proven unibody SW platform which helps bring the authentic Jeep DNA to life and amplify the offering with unparalleled sophistication and performance.

Trims and Powertrains

Jeep Meridian is available across two trims, Limited and Limited (O), with various best-in-segment features to ensure occupants' convenience and comfort. Both Limited and Limited (O) are available with the 4x2 front-wheel drive and a choice between a six-speed manual transmission and a nine-speed automatic transmission. A nine-speed automatic transmission with the 4x4 all-wheel drive is also available in the Limited (O) trim.

The Jeep Meridian is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine that generates 125 kW (170 HP) at 3,750 rpm and a maximum torque of 350 Nm available between 1,750-2,500 rpm.

Among the most fuel-efficient SUVs in the D-segment, the Jeep Meridian delivers a fuel economy of up to 16.2 km/l (ARAI certified)

Design and Comfort

To further ensure absolute comfort for the car’s occupants, the SUV gets 840 mm between the first and second row, and 780 mm between the second and third row, making the Jeep Meridian the most spacious vehicle in the segment.

Jeep Meridian is a spacious three row SUV with 481-litres of boot space while seating five people and 170-litres of boot space when all seven seats are occupied. Beside its spacious interior, the cabin offers easy accessibility thanks to provisions such as the one-touch fold-and-tumble seats in the second row and the 80-degree door opening angle to help passengers get in and out with ease.

It also offers the best cooling performance in its class: the SUV cools up to 30 per cent faster than competitors, thanks to the multi-zone climate control system, dedicated third-row AC-evaporator unit, and the thermo-acoustic cabin insulation.

The Jeep Meridian features Emperador Brown leather seats, third-row cooling with controls, automatic headlamps, diamond cut dual-tone 18-inch alloy wheels, and several other such attractive features.

The all-new Jeep Meridian comes equipped with UConnect5 that offers a host of connectivity & class leading infotainment features.

The Jeep Meridian Limited (O) trim additionally gets a two-tone roof, a dual-pane sunroof, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 360-degree camera, and a powered lift-gate with programmable height, obstruction detection, etc.

The all-new Jeep Meridian is now available for booking on Jeep India's website (jeep-india.com) and at Jeep dealerships across India with a small down payment of INR 50,000. Deliveries will begin in June.

South Africa Witnesses Surge In Indian Traveller Demand For Visas Post The Launch of Successful Recovery Campaigns

~Issues over 7000+ visas from Delhi and Mumbai since the start of 2022~

~On track to meeting India targets for the year, with over 4,600 visitors travelling to South Africa in January & February 2022~

~Anticipates large footfalls from MICE, post receiving enquiries from groups of 2000 to 4000 pax~

South African Tourism concluded yet another highly successful association with South Asia’s leading travel show, SATTE 2022. The tourism board showcased destination South Africa and addressed members of the press at the 29th edition of the trade show, held at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida in Delhi NCR from 18th to 20th May 2022.

South African Tourism, along with 32 prominent South African exhibitors, introduced novel and upgraded destination offerings. The delegation included 2 key South African provinces namely Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency, Gauteng Tourism Authority, unique accommodation options, luxury experiences, offbeat activities, SMMEs, advanced MICE infrastructure providers, as well as adventure, wildlife and culinary capabilities. The collective South African exhibition concluded a multitude of productive meetings and new business partnerships with the key players in the travel and tourism industry.

One of the key agendas for the tourism board during SATTE 2022 was to empower local SMMEs, along with youth and women-owned businesses. These businesses – which are the building blocks of the South African economy – are all set to receive a host of Indian visitors and deliver exclusive, customized and memorable experiences to Indian travellers.

Earlier this year, the tourism board outlined a strategic roadmap to garner 64% YoY increase in Indian visitors in 2022. With over 4,600 Indian visitors travelling to South Africa during January & February 2022 itself, the tourism board is well on track to achieve or even surpass these targets, especially with the opening up of international air routes and easing of travel restrictions.

Having successfully launched & promoted diverse, authentic destination offerings via the More & More campaign, that was immediately followed by a 4-city Roadshow in India and experiential consumer, corporate and trade activations, the tourism board is witnessing an uptick in demand for the destination. According to South African Tourism, 7000+ visas have been issued from Delhi and Mumbai until now this year.

Speaking about the association, Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – Middle East, India and South East Asia, South African Tourism said, “We are extremely delighted and humbled with reception destination South Africa is receiving at SATTE 2022. We are also grateful to the trade fraternity for their support and conviction in the brand that enables us to roll-out offbeat and value-for-money itineraries. This year, we anticipate that MICE will be a driving force behind travel recovery and are happy to share that the tourism board is already seeing enquiries for large groups ranging from 2000 to 4000 pax from India.”

“We are also proud to have had the opportunity to host 13 SMMEs and 11 women and youth-owned businesses as part of the exhibitor delegation. One of our core objectives at South African Tourism is to support and grow the local economy. SMMEs play a major role in the travel ecosystem and it is our privilege to partner with these game-changing exhibitors who help bring unique, new, fresh and innovative experiences to the table,” she continued.

At present, several stop-over flights fly from India to South Africa, including Emirates, Air Seychelles, Qatar Airways, Etihad, RwandAir, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways. Travellers from India to South Africa will be required to produce either a complete vaccination certificate or a negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, not older than 72 hours from the time of departure from the country of origin to South Africa.

Neobank Fi Launches New Feature ‘Connected Accounts’ Allowing Users To Sync Multiple Bank Accounts On A Single App

Neobanking app Fi launched its ‘Connected Accounts’ feature to become one of the first fintechs to build a product on top of the RBI’s Account Aggregator (AA) framework. The feature allows users to link multiple bank accounts with Fi to get a comprehensive view of their finances on a single platform. The neobank was also among the first fintechs to get on the AA framework when it was launched in September 2021.

Simplifying a common problem

The move marks a major step towards the three-year-old fintech firm’s mission of simplifying finances for users. The general practice is to open a new bank account with each job change, or in the case of self-employed people, have multiple bank accounts for different needs. This leads to one's finances being split between multiple accounts and financial instruments, for things ranging from tax savings to discounts. This new feature solves this problem by enabling users to track their overall balance and expenditure on the Fi app, to begin with. Over time, users will be able to track their deposits and investments too.

Accuracy, security, and consent

Users of personal finance management tools usually have to trade security and privacy for ease and convenience. Most personal finance apps gather transaction data by reading one's SMSs - a questionable practice that is not always accurate. The system of scraping SMSs is based on the last SMS received, which may not always contain the latest account balance. Additionally, if a user changes their phone, there is no historical SMS data to provide updated financial information to users.

None of these are issues with ‘Connected Accounts’, as the data is sourced directly from the Account Aggregator network that banks are connected to. Past transaction data is also available directly from the banks and can be presented to the user.

Data gathered from the AA framework is based on user consent. Banks can share a user’s financial data only if the user grants permission for it. The consent to share data is entirely in the user's hands and can be revoked at any time.

A first for iOS users

Connected Accounts will be particularly useful for iPhone users as it brings personal finance management tools like balance and expenditure tracking for the first time to iOS devices. Apple’s data privacy and security settings prohibit data collection methods like SMS scraping.

Commenting on the launch, Sumit Gwalani, co-founder of Fi, said, “After successfully launching mutual fund investments on Fi, we are glad to announce the role out of Connected Accounts. This is a huge step toward our goal of demystifying finances for our users, and towards becoming a one-stop solution for all things money. Balance and expenditure tracking across bank accounts is only the beginning. This feature will become the backbone for many features we will build on top of this to help users understand their money better.”

Fi has partnered with two RBI-licensed AAs, Finvu and Onemoney, to bring this new offering to users. The integration makes the entire process of linking multiple accounts on the Fi app a matter of minutes.

Insights and intelligence

The new feature will strengthen other innovative features that Fi already offers to its users such as its Artificial intelligence-powered digital financial assistant Ask.Fi. Users will be able to search for transactions across accounts by simply typing 'Amazon orders this month’.

The usefulness of this feature is expected to only increase as more financial institutions join the AA framework. Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said that it will soon join the framework and allow customers to access information on their mutual fund and stock portfolios through financial service providers.

Earlier this month, Fi announced the launch of its Investments offering which included direct mutual fund schemes with 0% commission and ‘Fi Jump’, a peer-to-peer investment platform where users can earn up to 9% interest. Going forward, the fintech firm will venture into lending products that will be backed by data from Connected Accounts.

About Fi

Fi.money is a neobank created for working professionals. Fi's innovation lies in creating an interactive, personalised, and transparent financial platform that covers banking, investing and money management. The Fi app listens to your needs, understands your wants, and gently nudges you to achieve your money aspirations. Every aspect of Fi's design minimises friction for the digital-first generation. It's a secure digital platform built in partnership with banks.

As an integrated financial services platform, Fi's users gain access to a new-age Savings Account, an investment platform and money management tools with features that help users know their money, grow their money and organise their funds. Millennials and GenZs have a higher disposable income and a greater incentive to spend than save. The Fi app, therefore, takes on a one-of-a-kind approach, rewarding users for saving money and not just for spending.

Founded in 2019, the fintech company is funded by Sequoia India, Ribbit Capital and B Capital Group. Fi is the brainchild of ex-Googlers who pioneered GPay, Sujith Narayanan and Sumit Gwalani. Their team of experts – from Google, Netflix, PayPal, and others – distil decades of tech & banking wisdom into Fi. All of whom want to change the way people perceive and interact with their money forever.

pTron Debuts Wireless Neckband With Ultimate 60Hrs Playtime

* Tangent Urban, pTron’s newest premiere Wireless Neckband allows wearers to enjoy gaming and audio in real-time with industry-leading 50ms Low Latency

* Tangent Urban is also equipped with DSP technology for Environmental Noise Cancellation that offers super sharp calling experience.

pTron, the rapidly growing and leading maker of affordable and high-quality digital lifestyle and audio accessories brand in India, announced today the release of TANGENT URBAN, the next-generation wireless neckband earphone for gaming and entertainment.

Engineered with proprietary AptSense Technology for exceptional gaming experience and an unprecedented 60Hrs battery life on a single charge, TANGENT URBAN is made for the Urban youth, which allows wearers to enjoy pristine audio output for music, entertainment, and talk time.  

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Ameen Khwaja, Founder & CEO, pTron, said, "For every avid gamer even the smallest amount of lag between one’s device and earphones can quite literally be life and death within the game. With that in mind, we designed the TANGENT URBAN to be the ultimate neckband for Gaming, entertainment & calls. The perfect companion for young trendsetters looking for an affordable pair of great quality earphones, Tangent Urban is a break-through entry in the Wireless Audio segment that offers best-in-class 60-hours playtime, DSP ENC Tech, and AptSense 50ms gaming technology. The powerful & versatile Tangent Urban comes out on top compared to its competitors that offer Wireless Neckband with similar specs at 2x the price all at an incredible launch price of INR 799/- only."

Equipped with the most advanced Bluetooth v5.3 for fast & seamless 1-step pairing with any device, the all-new Tangent Urban is designed for those who want the best of the best for calls, and music, allowing users to experience wireless audio without limits. Packed with TrueSonic Bass Boost Technology including 10mm dynamic drivers & expertly crafted EQ, Tangent Urban offers a max performance so that you can experience every bit of your favourite bass-heavy music.

The sleek and versatile Tangent Urban with magnetic locking IPX4 rated ear-tips design is tailored for sports and active lifestyle that stays put even when you sweat & grind. Maximizing flexibility and comfort, the innovative design of Tangent Urban is made keeping in mind long hours of use without compromising on sound. With USB C Quick charging capabilities, the neckband offers 4H of play in just 10 mins of charge. The neckband features easy & durable button controls to control music & calls and activate voice assistant.

Designed in harmony with life’s hustle pTron Tangent Urban Wireless Neckband keeps you going on every occasion, be it a casual morning run or those busy workouts by the gym. Equipped with Dual Device connectivity, Tangent Urban also makes for a perfect device for online conferences, meetings, classes, and remote offices indoors or outdoor.

pTron Tangent Urban comes in three attractive colorways – Fav Black, Ocean Green, and Magic Blue to suit your daily lifestyle and will be available at a special introductory price of INR 799/- only on 18th May, 12PM onwards.

For the launch, Tangent Urban will be available at an exciting price of INR 99/- for the first 100 customers only.

V-Guard’s Q4 FY 2021-22 Revenue Grew By 23.7 Percent Y-o-Y

V-Guard Industries Ltd., leading consumer electricals and electronics Company announced its audited financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2022.

Q4 FY 2021-22 highlights:

·           Consolidated Net Revenue from operations for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 was Rs. 1,058.21 crs; a growth of 23.7% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year (Rs. 855.20 crs)

·           Consolidated Profit After Tax for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 was Rs. 89.58 crs; PAT grew by 31% over corresponding period of the previous year (Rs.68.39 crs).

·           Strong growth in Consumer durables and Electrical segments.

·           Continuing volatility at a global level presents a challenging environment.  The overall business has done well, barring margin pressures in specific categories.

FY 2021-22 YTD highlights:

·           Consolidated Net Revenue from operations for the year ended March 31, 2022 was Rs. 3,498.17 crs; a growth of 28.55% compared to the Net Revenue of previous year (Rs. 2,721.24 crs)

·           Consolidated Profit After Tax for the year ended March 31, 2022 was Rs. 228.44 crs; a growth of 13.15% over the previous year (Rs.201.89 crs).

Business Outlook: 

Commenting on the company’s performance, Mr. Mithun. K. Chittilappilly, Managing Director, V-Guard Industries Ltd said “The business has shown a very good performance during the quarter, with both South and non-South regions doing well.  We were able to overcome supply chain challenges we faced in the earlier waves of Covid. Electrical and Durables categories have shown strong growth.   Summer related products recovered from a slow start to the quarter to grow well in March.  Commodity prices remain elevated in the context of on-going uncertainties at global level. We have continued to take pricing actions and some more actions will follow in the coming months”. 

About V-Guard Industries Limited:

Founded in 1977 by Mr. Kochouseph Chittilappilly, V-Guard Industries Limited is India’s leading consumer electrical and electronics major is headquartered in Kochi, South India. The firm has built a strong brand and has aggressively diversified to become a multi-product corporation with a varied range of services including Voltage stabilizers, Inverter & Inverter Batteries, Electric Water Heaters, Solar Water Heaters, Pumps & Motors, Domestic Switchgears, Wires & Cables, Induction Cooktops, Mixer Grinders, Fans, Gas Stoves, Rice Cookers, Modular Switches, Air Coolers, Breakfast Appliances, Chimneys, Water Purifiers etc. The 44-year-old company with a reputation of delivering thoughtful products and experiences to its consumers has over nine manufacturing facilities and its presence in more than 16 product categories, across 29 states with over 600+ distributors, 5,500+ direct dealers and over 25,000 retailers. V-Guard is a strong pan-India consumer brand and business that has established itself as one of the market leaders, building the foundation for the next level of growth.

For more information on V-Guard Industries, visit: https://www.vguard.in/

Inflow Technologies And CYFIRMA Announce Collaboration To Bring The Innovative External Threat Landscape Management Platforms

CYFIRMA, a Singapore-headquartered external threat landscape and cyber-intelligence platform company, having its research and operations hub in India, and business operations in APAC, the US and EMEA, today announced its appointment of Inflow Technologies as its distributor in South Asia. With this appointment, CYFIRMA has expanded its network of partner resellers and MSSPs to serve one of the largest and fastest-growing Asian countries that is leading the way in digital adoption and transformation.

Inflow Technologies is the leading distributor providing Cybersecurity, Networking, Unified Communications and Collaboration, AIDC, Server, Storage & Software and Electronic Security products & related Services in South Asia with revenue run-rate of USD 400+ Million. Headquartered in Bengaluru, Inflow Technologies is present in 18 locations and known for bringing in innovative technology that can help organizations unlock their digital potential. The selection of CYFIRMA’s external threat landscape management platform, DeCYFIR, and digital risk discovery and protection platform, DeTCT, will help businesses address the complexity of managing cyber threats in a fast-evolving environment.

“We are excited to partner with CYFIRMA as it reinforces our commitment to deliver the world’s leading IT security products to the Indian market. Traditional methods of responding to cyber incidents will no longer be sufficient to counter the highly resourceful and creative hacker. With CYFIRMA, businesses can for the first time have complete visibility into their external threat landscape while reducing the total cost of ownership and time to value of their security investments. CYFIRMA has a revolutionary approach to managing cybersecurity and we are proud to be part of this journey,” said Rajesh Kumar, Vice President, Inflow Technologies.

Businesses and channel partners globally have recognized the importance of external threat visibility and the predictive intelligence provided by CYFIRMA’s platforms to manage risk not addressed by conventional security control tools and fragmented point product security solutions. With Inflow Technologies, the company will tap into its network of 2300 partners across the country and lean on its go-to-market expertise to scale the business at an accelerated pace.

“We are honoured to work with Inflow Technologies as our distributor for the India region. Their strong channel and customer coverage in the local market paves the way for us to realize our vision of having DeCYFIR and DeTCT as the de facto external threat intelligence platforms protecting businesses from current and emerging threats,” said Kumar Ritesh, Founder and CEO, CYFIRMA.

“CYFIRMA is clearly differentiated in the industry as the only cyber-intelligence company with the capability to offer six threat views on a single pane of glass. These threat views are attack surface discovery, vulnerability intelligence, brand intelligence, digital risk discovery, situational awareness and cyber-intelligence. And together, they work to provide important insights to customers, alerting them to impending cyberattacks so they can take remedial actions before an attack is in full swing. The platform gives customers the unique view through the hacker’s lens and performs the much-needed role of predicting impending attacks. DeCYFIR and DeTCT are game-changers and help our customers turn the tables on their cyber adversaries,” adds Ritesh.

About CYFIRMA

CYFIRMA is an external threat landscape management platform company. We combine cyber intelligence with attack surface discovery and digital risk protection to deliver early warning, personalized, contextual, outside-in, and multi-layered insights. Our cloud-based AI and ML-powered analytics platform provides the hacker’s view with deep insights into the external cyber landscape, helping clients prepare for impending attacks. CYFIRMA is headquartered in Singapore with operation in APAC, EMEA and USA. The company is funded by Goldman Sachs, Zodius Capital, and Z3 Partners.

About Inflow Technologies

Inflow Technologies was founded in the year 2005 and is headquartered in Bangalore. A niche player in the IT Distribution Services market in India / South Asia. Inflow Technologies addresses the growing needs of organizations to manage and secure information more effectively and intelligently. The team at Inflow Technologies are well-versed with latest and the most powerful technologies available today for locating, organizing, managing, retrieving, analysing, protecting, and presenting information.

Being a VAD (Value Add Distributor), we cater to Cyber Security, Unified Communications and Collaboration, Networking, Automatic Identification and Data Capture & POS, Infrastructure & Application Software, Storage Management, Electronic Security products & related Services in South Asia.

We have direct relationships with 40+Global Technology vendors, have a strong channel of 2300+ partners, offering one or more solutions to 7000+ end customers.

Learn More: https://www.inflowtechnologies.com