Agnipath To Boost The Creation Of A Young And Skilled Workforce For Indian Armed Forces

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday unveiled the Agnipath scheme, a transformative move to modernise the country’s armed forces, create opportunities for the youth to serve the nation, and via soldiering, create a large pool of skilled youth who can contribute to India’s overall defence preparedness, as well with their skills and experience create opportunities for themselves and contribute to the growth of the economy.

Skill India and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) are proud to be associated with the Agnipath scheme and will work closely with the Armed Forces in the implementation of the programme as the country prepares a future-ready army of young Indians.

Skill India and MSDE will work collaboratively with various wings of the Armed Forces to train the students in additional skills to make them better suited to these job roles.

Besides, all Agniveers will get Skill India certification while in service, which will enable them to pursue many diverse opportunities in entrepreneurship and job roles that are being created in our economy after completion of their tenure.

All organisations of Skill India — Directorate General of Training (DGT), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), various Sector Skill Councils, entrepreneurship institutes NIESBUD and IIE, as well as skills regulator NCVET, will be connected with this exercise to ensure that Agniveers get the required skill certifications related to their job roles while in service. Some skills learnt on the job may have direct equivalence with NSQF syllabus. For some, complimenting their on-the-job experience with additional online or offline, theory or hands-on skills may be required. These details, as well as any training for trainers of Armed Forces, and training assessors, preferably from the Forces, for assessing and certifying — all these aspects are being worked out. At the time of exit, the entire skill ecosystem will be open to these young Agniveers who will benefit from the several upskilling/multi-skilling training and entrepreneurship courses available to them.

The Agnipath scheme is a transformative one. It will result in the creation of a tech-savvy, young workforce, along with core values of our military like nation-first, which are vital for India’s continued growth and progress. The Agniveers will become assets both in the defence of our borders and in taking India closer to becoming a modern, technology-led, young global superpower.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education Signs MoU With Schneider Electric Bangalore

The Manipal Academy of Higher education (MAHE), Manipal and Schneider Electric Bangalore have signed a MoU for setting up a MAHE Research Centre at Schneider Electric Bangalore. This Research centre will enable employees of Schneider and others to work on industrial research problems leading to Ph.D degree.

On this occasion, dignitaries and officials from MAHE and Schneider were present. Vice Chancellor of MAHE, Lt. Gen. Dr. M D Venkatesh , Ms Chitra Sukumar- Vice president, Research, Schneider Electric, Mr Venkatramanan Venugopal, Director Engineering and R&D Site Head, Dr. Narayan Sabhahit, Registrar MAHE, Dr Sathish Rao , Director , Research MAHE, Dr. Anil Rana, Director MIT and  Dr. Vasudha Devi, Dy. Director, Centre for Doctoral studies responsible for Research centre graced the occasion with their presence

Also present were Dr. Manohara Pai M M ,  Professor, Department of ICT, MIT and SPOC, Schneider electric, Mr. Vijai Bhaskar Innovation Ecosystem leader , Schneider electric, Dr. Somashekar Bhat, Joint Director MIT and Dr. Smitha Pai, HOD, ICT,MIT

Speaking about the collaboration between MAHE and Schneider Electric Bangalore Lt. Gen. Dr. M D Venkatesh said “We are extremely pleased to be signing this MoU with Schneider Electric. The commitment of Schneider to enhance industrial research through this collaboration is commendable. An integrated learning program like this is extremely beneficial for industry professionals to improve their qualifications leading to Masters and doctoral degree”

Ms Chitra Sukumar, Vice president, Research, Schneider electric also spoke on the occasion saying “Industry academia collaborations like these are very crucial for industry professionals. We are honoured to be joining hands with a reputed educational institute like MAHE and hope this partnership can help in exploring research collaboration in multidisciplinary areas of mutual interest”

On behalf of Schneider electric, Mr Venkatramanan Venugopal, Director Engineering and R&D Site Head signed the agreement and expressed his support for strengthening the industry academia collaboration. From MAHE side Dr. Narayan Sabhahit, Registrar, MAHE signed the agreement and assured to extend the support for the sustenance of the collaboration.

Post signing the MOU, Schneider team visited various research facilities in MIT. Ms Chitra Sukumar, VP Research, Schneider electric inaugurated the Industrial IOT systems and application research lab established in the Department of ICT, MIT.

Schwing Stetter India Unveils Premium Mini Excavators In Kerala; Aims To Top This Segment By End Of 2022

* With tThis Launch, Schwing Looks To Further Expand Its Products & Reach Across The Country

Schwing Stetter India, one of the country’s leading concreting & construction equipment manufacturer today has unveiled its premium category Mini Excavator range under the XCMG brand at a grand gala function at the Flora Airport hotel & Convention Centre at Cochin, Kerala.

The event witnessed the launch of four XCMG Mini Excavators in the range of 2 - 4 tons capacity. These premium “U” series Excavators are:

XE 20 U

XE 28 U

XE 38 U

XE 40 U

All the models are embedded with the latest technology. Some of the other amenities that the machines have are boom deflection, Zero tail, modern canopy and AC cabin, for fatigue free operation of the operator, as well as built in Self Diagnostic modules for easy service and maintenance. Schwing Stetter India is a firm believer in creating products that are reliable, have frugal fuel consumption and are high performers; and these are a testament to that belief. Schwing Stetter is also actively increasing its presence across the country; to ensure they can reach their customers irrespective of their location. By launching the XCMG mini excavators in Cochin, Kerala; Schwing is taking yet another step in its expansion.

Speaking about the importance of this market, Mr. V.G Sakthikumar, Managing Director, Schwing Stetter India, said, “With our aim of expanding PAN India, Kerala is one of the biggest markets for us; especially in this mini excavator segment. Therefore, we thought it imperative to unveil our four models in the heart of the state, Cochin, where we already have a significant customer base.”

The mini range of Excavators launched on 17th June 2022 at Cochin by PN Krishna Kumar, Director XCMG business along with Mr M Sezhiyan, Vice President CE business and Mr. Nassar, Director M/s Nastech Trading company

M/s. Nas-Tech Trading Company, dealer appointed by Schwing Stetter for XCMG Excavators, Wheel Loaders & Motor Graders product line for the state of Kerala, expressed that with the pipeline of projects in the state; Schwing’s move to launching these machines in the state is monumental.

About Schwing Stetter India Private Limited:

Incorporated in June 1998, and commencing its manufacturing operations in 1999, Schwing Stetter India is a 100% subsidiary of Schwing GmbH, a 1.30 billion USD German concreting machinery manufacturer and a part of XCMG group. Schwing Stetter is a pioneer in manufacturing equipment for concrete preparation, placement, transportation, and recycling. Schwing Stetter (India) Private Limited manufactures concrete batching plants, concrete placing booms, concrete pumps, concrete truck mixers for transporting readymade concrete to construction sites, concrete truck mixers with concrete pumps, concrete recycling plants, plastering pumps, self-loading mixers, and sludge pumps.

Schwing Stetter (India) sells and services equipment like concrete pavers, aerial working platform, all terrain crane, cold milling machine, crawler crane, excavator, horizontal directional drilling, motor grader, rotary drilling rig, tower crane, truck crane and wheel loader are our various newer range of equipment that have been launched recently from GOMACO and XCMG. We cater to the requirement of infrastructure developers and act as an OEM supplier to various cement companies who offer ready mix concrete. Schwing Stetter has its manufacturing units in 12 countries including Germany, Austria, USA, Brazil, Russia, Ostrava, UK, India supported by sales and service centers in France, Netherlands, Austria, and Sweden as well as representations in more than 150 countries Worldwide.

LTI Inaugurates Its New Satellite Center At Salt Lake Electronics Complex,, Kolkata

* Center to create exciting opportunities for aspiring talent in the Eastern region of India

Larsen & Toubro Infotech (BSE: 540005, NSE: LTI), a global technology consulting and digital solutions company, has expanded its operations in Kolkata by setting up a new facility in the city. The new center marks company’s expansion in the Eastern region of the country and is designed to meet the requirements of a futuristic and modern workplace. The center was inaugurated today by Nachiket Deshpande, Chief Operating Officer, LTI, Manoj Shikarkhane, Chief Human Resource Officer, LTI, Niruppam Chaudhuri, Regional Head, NASSCOM, and Debasish Sen, Chairman of Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA).

Located in the Salt Lake Electronics Complex, the new center is equipped to house more than 300 employees. The center will support LTI’s service delivery capabilities for Cloud, Data, and Digital technologies and create exciting career opportunities for local talent seeking experiences in these futuristic domains. It will also offer LTI’s clients the benefit of increased access to a larger talent pool from the state and the region. 

Nachiket Deshpande, Chief Operating Officer, LTI, said: “Kolkata boasts of a rich industry-academia ecosystem, and we are excited about our foray into the City of Joy. This center is launched in response to requests from our current and potential employees in the region. We are thrilled to mark our presence in the city and are committed to a long-term association with the region.”

Manoj Shikarkhane, Chief Human Resources Officer, LTI, commented: “We are witnessing monumental changes in the work, workplace, and workforce of the future, and are establishing more talent hubs across the country. Our expansion in Kolkata aims to benefit the overall technology landscape in the region. We are excited about our new start in this city and look forward to accelerated growth in times to come.”

LTI leveraged the opportunity to set base in the eastern region of the country to address the increasing demand for satellite workplaces. As one of the top technology companies in the nation, LTI encourages new ways of working and believes in taking work to people instead of bringing people to work. LTI is upbeat about the potential of the new Kolkata center and intends to offer enriching technology careers to local talent as well as solve better and solve faster for customers.

Niruppam Chaudhuri, Regional Head, NASSCOM, said: “The surge in demand for digital technologies from enterprises across the globe has opened plethora of new-age career opportunities for country’s aspiring talent. Kolkata bears a rich heritage and serves as best-fit destination to groom talent of the future. We extend a warm welcome to LTI as it expands its presence in the region.”

Shri Debasish Sen, Chairman of NDITA, commented: “Salt Lake is emerging as a preferred destination for IT service providers interested in setting their base in the city. As one of the fastest-growing technology players, LTI’s expansion in Kolkata certainly adds to the appeal of this region and will benefit the local talent immensely.”

LTI plans to gradually scale up the operations at the new center and make it a core delivery unit in the region.

About LTI:

LTI (NSE: LTI) is a global technology consulting and digital solutions Company helping more than 485 clients succeed in a converging world. With operations in 33 countries, we go the extra mile for our clients and accelerate their digital transformation. Founded in 1997 as a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Limited, our unique heritage gives us unrivalled real-world expertise to solve the most complex challenges of enterprises across all industries. Each day, our team of more than 45,000 LTItes enable our clients to improve the effectiveness of their business and technology operations and deliver value to their customers, employees and shareholders. Find more at http://www.Lntinfotech.com or follow us at @LTI_Global.

Disposing Menstrual Waste: A Rising Women Concern Across India

By Amar Tulsiyan, Founder and CEO, Niine Hygiene and Personal care 

Disposing Menstrual Waste: A Rising Concern

Women account for half the population, and addressing their health and safety concerns is the paramount duty of society. To ensure menstrual health and hygiene, the government is providing much-needed policy reforms and provisions through Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) which targets reducing or eliminating taxes on menstrual hygiene products, regulation of quality standards and easy access to these products.

Earlier public conversations about a fundamental and natural bodily function like menstruation were unthinkable but today NGOs, SHGs and manufacturers of menstrual hygiene products are educating society regarding menstruation and its best practices. This is an important step to initiate public dialogue about menstruation, which is the need of the hour. It also helps in breaking myths surrounding menstruation and periods.  

In urban India, discussions and initiatives have helped women to change, from using rags to choosing from the variety of healthy and hygienic options including sanitary napkins, tampons, cloth pads, menstrual discs and menstrual cups. These products have given women immense reasons to rejoice - ease of use, easy disposability and comfort, among others. 

However, with the advent of these products and their immense popularity in urban areas, Menstrual Waste Disposal has become a mammoth issue for civic bodies. An estimated 1 billion sanitary pads have to be disposed every month in our country. A city like Bengaluru alone generates 90 tons of sanitary napkins a day! Sanitary waste management in a hygienic, environmentally friendly manner is a problem that needs to be addressed.

Like any other garbage, sanitary waste ends up in landfills. Incineration is an easy option to dispose this huge pile of used sanitary napkins. However, Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) which constitutes the primary material in a napkin breaks down into micro-plastics as it degrades and contaminates soil, water and air. The released poisonous chemicals/toxic fumes like dioxins, phuron and other carcinogenic compounds may even enter the food chain of animals and humans. 

According to Menstrual Health Alliance India, one napkin takes 500-800 years to decompose thus leaving a very high environmental footprint. Hence in every aspect of the product life-cycle, from the choice of raw-materials to design innovations, the sustainability factor - minimizing negative impact of the product existence on the environment- must be the primary driving force.  

At the other end, individual management of sanitary waste needs to be streamlined. At homes, women dispose menstrual products in domestic waste.  In public toilets, they flush them in toilets unaware of the consequences of choking.  

At a fundamental level, garbage segregation at source is the first big solution to garbage management. Segregating menstrual waste is the responsibility of every household. However, this step is only a beginning and not a holistic solution to sanitary waste disposal. Reducing the generation of toxic menstrual waste is the only viable solution.

Course Correction

As part of conscientious awareness of the environmental impact and corporate social responsibility, manufacturers in the menstrual hygiene space must proactively seek ways and means to manufacture eco-friendly sanitary napkins. 

Eco-friendly raw materials can replace petroleum based ones to achieve sustainability in the menstrual hygiene space. Besides, manufacturers can start the process towards sustainability by offering biodegradable disposable covers for sanitary napkins. 

Manufacturing sanitary pads from sustainable, renewable materials and making them accessible to women in every nook and corner of the country/world will ensure a cleaner environment.

The key there is how menstrual hygiene products are used. Girls and women have very less or no knowledge about the reproductive tract infections caused due to ignorance of personal hygiene during menstruation time.

Awareness Building

In addition to making efforts towards manufacturing eco-friendly sanitary napkins that are also affordable to a large number of women, manufacturers must take the responsibility of proactively engaging themselves in empowering the women community in rural areas with activities geared towards education and awareness building about menstruation, menstrual hygiene management, importance of toilets at homes, hand washing, diseases related to reproductive tract due to poor hygiene, and so forth. 

Girls and women should be made aware of the consequences of disposing used menstrual products in the open or flushing them in toilets. Dustbins with proper lids should be placed in the toilets. If possible, incinerators should be installed at schools and community levels. Ignorance, misconceptions, unsafe practices, and illiteracy of the mother and child regarding menstruation are the root causes of many problems. So, there is a big need to encourage adolescents at school levels to practice safe and hygienic behaviour

Myths and prejudices about menstruation, its health and hygiene and menstruating women abound, particularly in Indian society and hence must be discussed in public forums and platforms. 

Free distribution of sanitary napkins, educating women and girls about menstrual hygiene and its disposal, spreading information about a variety of affordable and sustainable menstrual hygiene products, medical camps and other initiatives must be spearheaded by businesses operating in the menstrual hygiene space. 

All these efforts are geared towards empowering women and the communities around them as well as towards sustaining and protecting the already fragile natural ecosystem of planet Earth! After all, leading a life of dignity is every woman’s right .

Climate-Smart Deeptech Startup Ecozen Raises First Tranche of Series C Funding Led By Dare Ventures

 

Climate-smart deeptech startup Ecozen announced today that it has raised INR 54 crore of additional funding as the first tranche of a planned INR 200 crore Series C round.  The new funding round was led by Dare Ventures, the venture capital arm of Coromandel International, with participation from existing investors Caspian and Hivos-Triodos Fonds (managed by Triodos Investment Management) through equity. Northern Arc, UC Inclusive Credit, Maanaveeya, and Samunnati also participated with debt funding. Early investors in Ecozen include IFA and Omnivore.

Ecozen develops climate-smart deeptech solutions and core technology stacks to deliver a sustainable future, including motor controls, IoT, and energy storage. Applying these technology stacks to the agricultural sector, Ecozen has revolutionized cold chains (Ecofrost) and the irrigation industry (Ecotron), substantially improving the income of 100,000+ farmers and enabling the generation of over 1Bn units of clean energy(kWh). Headquartered in Pune, Ecozen was founded on-campus by three IIT Kharagpur alumni, Devendra Gupta, Prateek Singhal & Vivek Pandey. 

Ecofrost is the world’s leading solar-powered decentralized cold storage solution, which employs innovative thermal energy storage tech, and has over 450 units deployed.  Meanwhile, Ecotron is India's leading solar pumping solution adopted by over 70,000 farmers which leverages embedded IoT, predictive analytics and advanced motor controls to help improve irrigation efficiency and agricultural profitability. 

Backed by strong demand for its cold chain and irrigation products, Ecozen crossed INR 100 crore in revenue in FY2021-22 and was EBITDA positive. Ecozen has also executed successful pilots abroad and has been able to build strong demand in African and Southeast Asian countries. It is on track to more than double its sales in FY2022-23 and become highly profitable. Growth will come from scaling up existing businesses as well as expanding beyond the Indian market. 

Ecozen sees a significant opportunity in applying its technology stacks and introducing climate-smart solutions for sectors beyond agriculture, notably electric vehicles. The company expects the market size for its innovative technology stacks in India will grow to USD 25 billion by 2025. In the coming years, Ecozen will launch multiple products which build on its deeptech expertise in thermal energy storage, motor controls, IoT, and analytics.

Commenting on this latest fundraise, Devendra Gupta, CEO and Co-Founder of Ecozen, said, “We are thrilled to partner with Dare Ventures and other new and existing investors, as we accelerate our growth and bring climate-smart deeptech solutions to new sectors of the economy. The new funding will be used for expanding our product range, manufacturing capacity and boosting exports. Expanding beyond India and beyond agriculture will enable us to expand our market potential multifold and grow exponentially while ensuring sustainability.” 

Commenting on their investment, Sameer Goel, Director, Dare Ventures Ltd. and Managing Director, Coromandel International Limited, said: “This investment marks the entry of Dare Ventures and Coromandel into the agritech investment space. We are focused on businesses with positive and long term on the ground impact and Ecozen through its innovative deep tech products is well aligned with our vision. With a keen focus on sustainability, we believe their core technology stack will significantly impact sectors beyond agriculture as well. Going forward, we aspire to build a strong portfolio of such highly transformational startups working at different levels of the agricultural value chain and thus creating a remarkable impact on the farmers' livelihoods."

Commenting on their investment, B V Narasimham, Investment Director, Caspian Impact Investment Adviser Private Limited, said, ”Caspian and Hivos-Triodos have been partners to Ecozen for over seven years through our equity and debt initiatives. We are very happy to be part of the journey thus far where the Company is successfully implementing technology initiatives to solve the problems of farmers in India as well as in other countries through innovative approaches which are environmentally friendly. We are pleased to partner with Dare Ventures and other fellow investors of Ecozen in this exciting phase of the Company’s growth.”

About Ecozen:

Ecozen develops climate-smart deeptech solutions and core technology stacks to deliver a sustainable future, including motor controls, IoT, and energy storage.  For more information, see  www.ecozensolutions.com. 

About Dare Ventures:

Dare Ventures Limited is a corporate venture capital arm of Coromandel International Limited with a focus on leading investments in early to growth stage start-up companies engaged in providing technology led solutions for complex and long-term problems in the agriculture and allied sectors. Coromandel International Limited, part of Murugappa Group, is amongst India's pioneers and leading Agri solutions provider, offering diverse products and services covering crop nutrition, crop protection, retail, and other allied advisory services to millions of farmers across the country.

About Coromandel:

Coromandel International Limited is amongst India's pioneers and leading Agri solutions provider, offering diverse products and services across the farming value chain. It operates in two major segments: Nutrient and other allied businesses and Crop Protection. These include Fertiliser, Crop Protection, Bio Products, Specialty Nutrients and Organic businesses. The Company is 2nd largest manufacturer and marketer of Phosphatic fertiliser in India. The Company's Crop Protection products are marketed in India as well as in international geographies, offering wide range of technical and formulation products. The Specialty Nutrients business of the Company focuses on water soluble fertiliser and secondary & micronutrients segments. The Company is leading marketer of Organic fertiliser in India. The Bio Products business of the company focusses on plant extractions for various applications.  It also operates a network of around 750 rural retail outlets across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Through these Retail outlets, the Company offers farming services including crop advisory, soil testing and farm mechanization to around 3 million farmers. The Company has a strong R&D and Regulatory setup, supporting the businesses in process development and new product introduction. The Company has 17 manufacturing facilities, producing wide range of Nutrient and Crop Protection products, which are marketed through an extensive network of dealers and its own retail centers.

The Company clocked a turnover of Rs.19,255 Crores during FY21-22. Its efforts towards the environment have been well recognized by International organizations like UNDP and has also been voted as one of the ten greenest companies in India by TERI. Coromandel is a part of the INR 417 Billion (41,713 Crores) of the Murugappa Group.

About Caspian:

Caspian, a pioneering impact investing firm with a track record of supporting breakthrough companies and entrepreneurs across a range of high-impact sectors is the promoter of Caspian Equity & Caspian Debt. Caspian has supported the creation and growth of a completely new category of financial institutions in India that include Microfinance Institutions, Affordable Housing Finance Companies, and Affordable School Finance Companies.  Caspian Equity has set up three impact funds/initiatives so far – Bellwether Microfinance Fund, India Financial Inclusion Fund, and Caspian SME Impact Fund IV and has managed over USD 160 Mn Assets Under Management.  

About Hivos-Triodos Fonds:

Established in 1994, Hivos-Triodos Fonds is a joint initiative of Triodos Bank and Hivos and one of the first global movers in financial inclusion investments. The combination of public and private funding from Hivos and Triodos Bank respectively remains a great example of an effective and successful blended finance initiative. Today, Hivos-Triodos Fonds invests in scalable enterprises in emerging markets to catalyse a sustainable, inclusive and green economy.

Hivos-Triodos Fonds is managed by Triodos Investment Management (Triodos IM).  Triodos IM has built up in-depth knowledge throughout our 25 years of impact investing in sectors such as Energy & Climate, Inclusive Finance and Sustainable Food & Agriculture. Triodos IM also invests in listed companies that materially contribute to the transition toward a sustainable society. Assets under management as per end of 2021: EUR 6.4 billion. Triodos IM is a globally active impact investor and a wholly owned subsidiary of Triodos Bank NV.

Photo Caption: From the left to right: Vivek Pandey (CTO, Ecozen Solutions), Prateek Singhal (COO, Ecozen Solutions), Devendra Gupta (CEO, Ecozen Solutions), Sameer Goel (Director, Dare Ventures Ltd. and MD, Coromandel International Limited), Jayashree Satagopan (Director, Dare Ventures Ltd. and CFO, Coromandel International Limited), Rajkumar Chandrasekaran (Investment team - Dare Ventures Ltd), Ravikumar Nadiminti (Investment team - Dare Ventures Ltd)

IndiaMART plugin Is Now Available On ZOHO CRM At No Extra Cost

* IndiaMART CRM Users Can Now Get Their Leads On ZOHO CRM Through This Plugin Without Any Extra Charges

 IndiaMART has launched its Official plugin at the ZOHO Marketplace for integrating IndiaMART's Lead Manager with ZOHO CRM. The plugin integrates the data of all accessible leads on IndiaMART's Lead Manager using IndiaMART's CRM API v2. This Plugin along with the Lead Manager CRM API has been developed only to facilitate the Power Sellers who wish to follow up the IndiaMART Leads to convert into deals in their own way.

Now, the sellers of IndiaMART who use ZOHO CRM, and IndiaMART Lead Manager can get their IndiaMART leads on their ZOHO CRM through this plugin without paying any extra charges.

More than 5.5% of IndiaMART CRM-API active users use ZOHO CRM, and this free plugin will be helpful to all of them to have all their leads in one place. Talking about the USP, the company said, “Sellers need to pay a subscription amount for other plugins of CRM platforms that are on ZOHO Marketplace. IndiaMART provides the same without any cost.”

The plugin automatically updates new IndiaMART leads every two hours and provides the ability to manually fetch old leads up to the last 365 days, in chunks of 7 days) into your ZOHO CRM. It assists in the classification of IndiaMART leads into Buyleads, PNS calls, and direct inquiries, as well as the avoidance of duplicate records

“There are a few vendors who provide similar IndiaMART plugins on ZOHO marketplace at an average cost of $3 per month which is being used by many businesses. The total installs across all those plugins are more than 1200. Therefore, to make business doing easy for our customers we developed our own official IndiaMART plugin at no extra cost. This will be useful to our power sellers who use Zoho CRM to consolidate all communications between salespeople and customers in one location, allowing them to make the most of interactions at any time. Also IndiaMART official plugin will be the only one which also allows its users to retrieve old leads which was not available till date,” says Amarinder Singh Dhaliwal, Chief Product Officer, IndiaMART.

Some of features of IndiaMART plugin include are auto-updating leads from IndiaMART to Zoho CRM's Leads module, updating all important fields from IndiaMART to Zoho CRM, allowing manual fetching old leads helping in segregating IndiaMART leads and different enquiry types into buy leads, PNS calls, and direct enquiries, and prevents duplicate record creation.

Lam Research Teams Up With SK Hynix To Enhance DRAM Production Cost Efficiency With Breakthrough Dry Resist EUV Technology

* Company underscores its leadership in driving the next era of EUV lithography

Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) today announced that SK Hynix Inc. has selected Lam’s innovative dry resist fabrication technology as a development tool of record for two key process steps in the production of advanced DRAM chips. A breakthrough technology introduced by Lam in 2020, dry resist extends the resolution, productivity, and yield of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, a pivotal technology used in the production of next-generation semiconductors. 

Through Lam’s work with SK Hynix and ongoing collaboration with ecosystem partners on dry resist technology, the company continues to take a leadership role in driving patterning innovations to remove the roadblocks associated with scaling to future memory nodes with EUV lithography.

“Lam’s dry resist technology is a game-changer. By innovating at the material level, it addresses EUV lithography’s biggest challenges, enabling cost-effective scaling for advanced memory and logic,” said Richard Wise, vice president and general manager of the dry resist product group at Lam. “We are proud to continue our long-standing collaboration with SK Hynix to accelerate DRAM technology innovations.”

SK Hynix intends to use Lam’s dry resist underlayer and dry development processes for advanced DRAM patterning. “As DRAM continues to scale, innovations in EUV patterning are critical for delivering the performance needed for today’s increasingly connected devices at a cost that is right for our customers,” said BK Lee, head of R&D process at SK Hynix. “The dry resist technology that we are working on with Lam enables exceptionally precise, low defect, and lower cost patterning.”

As chipmakers move to advanced technology nodes, they must resolve ever smaller and finer chip designs on the wafer. First developed by Lam in collaboration with ASML and IMEC, dry resist technology offers several advantages over conventional chemically amplified resist patterning for EUV lithography. Dry resist technology solutions significantly enhance EUV sensitivity and the resolution of each wafer pass, enabling patterns to better adhere to the wafer and improving performance and yield. In addition, Lam’s dry resist development approach offers key sustainability benefits by consuming less energy and five to ten times less raw materials than traditional chemical wet resist processes.

About Lam Research

Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ: LRCX) is a global supplier of innovative wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. Lam’s equipment and services allow customers to build smaller and better performing devices. In fact, today, nearly every advanced chip is built with Lam technology. We combine superior systems engineering, technology leadership, and a strong values-based culture, with an unwavering commitment to our customers. Lam Research is a FORTUNE 500® company headquartered in Fremont, California, with operations around the globe. Learn more at www.lamresearch.com (LRCX-P).

ASSOCHAM Names Valocity For Excellence In Innovation & Technology At India Fintech Festival

Valocity, a global Fintech company has won the “Excellence in Innovation & Technology Award" at the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) India International Fintech Festival. The award was received by Valocity India CEO, Sovan Mandal, in the presence of esteemed dignitaries, officials and representatives of industries and commerce including honorary guest and Ex Finance Secretary, Mr. Subhash Chandra Garg. The festival is India’s leading interacting platform for the Fintech ecosystem, a global movement shaping the future of Fintech.

Commenting on the achievement, Sovan Manal, CEO at Valocity India said, “'We are honoured to win this prestigious award as it demonstrates the positive impact Valocity is having on our clients and the huge potential of our product to transform mortgage lending in India. When we entered the market, we promised to lead the way for the property ecosystem delivering cutting edge, cloud-based technology to enable digital data capture and automated valuation workflows. To be presented with this award is a testimony to the problem Valocity is solving for the industry.”

India is among the fastest growing Fintech markets in the world, comprising of over 3,500 Fintech start-ups. The Indian Fintech market was valued at USD$31Billion in 2021 and is estimated to be worth USD$85Billion by 2025.

Carmen Vicelich, Founder and Global CEO at Valocity said, “India is embracing digital faster than ever before, and it is exciting to be delivering much needed automation and standardisation to the property valuation process. While the Valocity platform is well established globally, it is exciting to be recognised for our localised India solution at these esteemed awards.”

India’s approach to digital financial inclusion is a global model and with initiatives such as Digital India, Housing for All, and India Stack, it has never been more important to embrace digitisation and the latest data and technology.  Valocity is proud to collaborate with the industry to deliver ongoing innovation, future-proof solutions, enhanced customer experiences and timely data insights for informed decision making.

Valocity is digitising the entire end to end mortgage valuation process in a single seamless platform to deliver significant efficiency, risk and compliance management and operational cost savings. Valocity’s advanced Valuation Ordering Platform is entirely cloud based and has supported over a $1.5 Trillion dollars in loan decisions globally.

Valocity connects the ecosystem of Lenders and Valuers with intelligent tools, giving clients an edge when it comes to industry benchmarking, standardised data capture, quality control, real time portfolio analytics, risk mitigation, regulatory compliance, and ease of use for the Valuer.

Future Generali India Insurance Adjudged ‘Best General Insurance Employer’ By Great Place To Work

~ Earns the distinction of featuring amongst ‘India’s top 50 best companies’~ 

Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited (FGII), the general insurance arm of the joint venture between retail giant Future Group and global insurer Generali, has been recognized for its ‘employee centric approach’ and ‘Human Touch’ philosophy, yet again. FGII outshines amidst the ‘General Insurance’ category by emerging as the employer of choice and earning its place amidst the much-coveted list of ‘India’s top 50 best companies’ to work with as per ‘Great Place to Work® Institute’.  

FGII’s ambition is to be a ‘Life Time Partner’ to its customers by combining simplicity and innovation with empathy and care along the entire customer journey. They are of the strong belief that customer delight and employee satisfaction go hand in hand, and its ambition of housing strong and happy customer relationships will be delivered through its happy and motivated employees.  

Over the last few years, the company has made extensive efforts towards orchestrating an appropriate organisational design aimed at fostering a culture of growth and productivity, a nurturing environment for employees that enables them to realise their full potential and progress in their career aspirations with FGII. 

The pandemic stood testimony to some of FGII’s people practices, relevant to the difficult times. Right from prioritizing employee safety, job, and financial security, providing for medical needs to emphasize on mental health for employees and families, the management stayed focused on keeping employees first. The organization ensured that employees were continually engaged and gainfully employed, while they got their increments, bonuses and promotions ,like any other (pre-pandemic) year. Substantial efforts were undertaken to ensure employee connect and well-being which were prioritised through various interventions, like - mental health helpline, Mental health day off on ‘World mental health day’ on 10th October and series of other employee engagement programs to connect employees and families. All this was done maintaining focus on productivity and bringing to market a slew of innovations and industry first’s that resonated positively with its customers, making FGII the fastest growing General Insurance player in India, amidst the top 10. 

Anup Rau, MD & CEO, Future Generali India Insurance says,  “At FGII, we are a ‘Life Time Partner’ to our employees, first; and each of us collectively deliver this promise, creating customer delight, through their journey with us. Leading with ‘Human Touch’ has been our core guiding principle to ensure employee well-being, growth, and satisfaction, reflecting in all our people actions”. 

He further adds “We are delighted to see ourselves at the helm of the industry for being a workplace of choice amidst the general insurance industry. It is humbling to witness the reciprocated trust and faith of our employees. With the backing of the best talent in the industry, FGII is well on its way to mirror this success as among the fastest growing top 10 player in the general insurance space”.  

About Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited 

Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture between Future Group – the game changers in Retail Trade in India and Generali – a 190 year old global insurance featuring in the world’s 70 largest companies*. The Company was incorporated in October 2006 and received the IRDAI license in September 2007 with the objective of providing retail, commercial, personal, and rural insurance solutions to individuals and corporates to help them manage and mitigate risks. 

Future Generali India has been aptly benefitting from the global Insurance expertise in diverse classes of products of Generali Group and the Indian retail game-changer Future Group. Having firmly established its credentials in this segment and effectively leveraging on the skill set of both its JV partners, Future Generali India has evolved to become a Total Insurance Solutions Company. 

*As per Fortune Global 500 Ranking (2020) 

*Future Generali India Insurance is certified ‘Great Place to Work’ (December2021-November 2022)  

Creative “B.Sc. Culinary Arts Program Offered” At VMSIIHE In Goa

Exemplifying its one-of-a-kind stride in the league of culinary pursuits, the prestigious V. M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE), Goa,  recently announced the initiation of a globally accepted, highly personalised, and hands-on program - the B.Sc. Culinary Arts. The immersive and practically oriented three year degree program is set to commence with much gusto from August 2022. 

"This B.Sc. Program offers in-depth exposure to diverse cuisines and gastronomic intricacies by renowned Indian and international faculty with rich teaching and industry experience. The modern amenities and support services enable students to establish and evolve their very own culinary concept. With a robust emphasis on developing managerial and entrepreneurial skills, students will also find incentive in honing their communication, problem-solving, time management, and teamwork capacities", explained Prof Irfan Mirza, Director/Principal of the institute.  

“What makes this program so immensely inviting is the carefully crafted curriculum which includes the philosophy of the slow food movement, molecular gastronomy, plating techniques, culinary photography and more”, explained Chef Sebastian Breitinger, Professor of Culinary Arts at VMSIIHE.  

Addressing the multifaceted nature of this Program, Prof. Mirza ascertains that it meets the aspirational needs of ambitious students seeking to make it big in the realm of hospitality. With ultra-modern training kitchens and professional internships at renowned hotels and catering industries, students will stand to gain the best of both worlds. 

“With hospitality intensely ingrained in the Goan soil, such an opportunity; right in the heart of India, is an unparalleled, exceptional and exciting prospect,” adds Prof. Mirza. 

Breitinger added, “Spanning across six semesters, this program has a total of 142 credits; on the culmination of which, a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Arts from the Goa University will be awarded to the students. Besides rigour in the Program content and placement priorities through this program, the quintessential VMSIIHE experience offers recreational opportunities along with hostel facilities.  

From learning how to source and select the choicest of ingredients and kitchen products to exploring and mastering various methods in cooking, this Program is customized to appeal to the zeal of every culinary connoisseur in the making.  

A fantastic fusion of academia and industry, customary and contemporary, this program presents an avant-garde approach to the tried and tested patterns, thereby permitting it to become one of its kind. 

One can visit www.vmsiihe.edu.in for more details. 

Bank of Baroda Hikes Interest Rates On Term Deposits And Savings Deposits”, Effective Immediately

Bank of Baroda has hiked fixed deposit interest rates on Domestic Term Deposits including NRO and NRE Term Deposits of below Rs 2 crore by up to 40 basis points. These rates are applicable with effect from June 15, 2022.  

Interest rates have also been hiked on Saving Deposits of Rs. 100 crore and above to less than Rs. 200 crore and Rs 500 crore and above. 

Genesys International, India’s Leading 3D Mapping Company Receives An Investment of Rs. 250 Cr Equity Led By Malabar India Fund

Genesys International Corporation, a leader in 3D Mapping content and geospatial solutions announced a Rs. 250 Cr. round of equity investment, which is intended to accelerate the company's 3D Digital Twin Content Program. The content platform which was launched by NITI AAYOG is creating the most state of art mapping content for India thanks to the landmark new geospatial policy. The well-received investment round was led by Malabar India Fund with participation from other marquee investors. The proposal was approved at the meeting of the Board of Directors held today. 

Genesys was the first company in India to launch the street imagery immersive content for all major Indian cities along with an all-India vector map. The Genesys constellation is now India’s largest sensor constellation capable of acquiring terrestrial, oblique and aerial imagery at high speeds and accuracy 

It recently filed for two patents for the 3D mapping environment. The company plans to strengthen its Content As A Service platform creating a business model offering multi vertical applications catering to the emerging needs of India’s digital infrastructure ecosystem The company plans to target its offering to Utilities, Smart Cities, Big-Tech and Digital and E-Commerce sectors. 

Speaking about the investment, Mr. Sajid Malik Chairman and MD of the company said that “This investment will be a key catalyst post the new Indian geospatial policy which has given a major fillip to our capabilities. We believe we will help leapfrog India’s map ecosystem.” 

Speaking about the investment, Mr Sumeet Nagar, Malabar's Managing Partner, said “We are excited about Genesys' mapping content and integration capabilities and the opportunities that the Indian digital infrastructure will provide in the years to come. A high-definition map platform will be an integral part of Digital India and we are delighted to partner with Genesys on their journey to deliver it.”

Mathew Cyriac, ex-Blackstone MD and also an existing investor said “Genesys has a unique differentiated approach which meets the needs of India‘s economic development.

About Genesys:

Genesys International Corporation Ltd is a pioneer in advanced mapping, survey, and geospatial services. Headquartered in Mumbai, India. With a team of 2000+ professionals it has worked on several complex advanced mapping content and counts as its clients leading big tech, digital companies, utilities, and governments 

Cremica Food Industries Unveils A New Range Of Lip-Smacking Sauces

-Elevates the flavors and food industry -

Cremica Food Industries today launched a new variety of sauces that are deliciously addictive and can be used in salad dressing, for dips or to prepare filling for sandwiches and wraps.  The next time you shop, seven different types of lip-smacking sauces are going to be available at the Cremica counters. 

On this momentous occasion, Akshay Bector, Chairman and Managing Director, Cremica Food Industries said, “We have been experimenting with new and different ingredients/ flavors to create new, tastier cold condiments and sauce recipes. While we previously had only a tomato sauce, and mayonnaise, with the introduction of these seven varieties of sauces, along with the tomato ketchup, the flavour profile of the dish will be improved and will offer unique culinary experiences to the diners.”

With changing lifestyles and income levels, there has been an increase in consumption of condiments and growth of the food services sector. Consumers are looking for more exotic flavours which were not known a decade ago. They are also switching to vegetarian and healthy products.  This has led to a lot of innovation and demand to provide unique and exotic flavours in the food sector.  Cremica is debuting its range of seven sauces and tomato ketchup to cater to this ever-changing palate of millennial consumers. Cremica pioneered the vegetarian mayonnaise from 1996 posted a turnover of Rs 300 crore last fiscal, with average annual growth of 20 percent and is keen to capture this new disruption in the market, in a similar fashion.   

“Though tomato ketchup, tomato sauces, Indian Ethnic Chutney, Pudina & Imli, mustard, and mayo remain on the top of the list of most-used sauces overall, when dining at restaurants or in other food establishments, an increasing number of people are searching for specific sauces with distinctive flavour.  With the introduction of these flavors from Cremica - Chipotle Sauce, Sriracha Sauce, Piri piri sauce, Tomato Ketchup, Honey Mustard, Sweet Onion Sauce, Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, Barbeque Sauce – we would like to capture and become global leaders in the cold condiment market.” – said Akshay Bector, Chairman and Managing Director, Cremica Food Industries.

Across the globe, the market for tomato ketchup is expected to increase by US$ 4 Billion in the next 5 years due to significant growth in the food and beverage industry across the globe. Tomato ketchup pairs well with a wide variety of cuisines and foods offered by hotels, cafes and fast-food chains. Flavoured tomato ketchup, with fresh and new ingredients like sweet and spicy, chili, barbeque, chipotle, and jalapeno, is being used to enhance the flavour of the dish and to accompany snacks and appetizers.  This combination of flavours is exactly what you will find under the Cremica banner of products.  The new product line includes: 

Chipotle Sauce is bright red with specs of coarse chili and smokey with high fiery notes!

Cremica Sriracha is a multi-purpose hot sauce that is deliciously addictive. This Thai-inspired hot sauce is orange Red in Colour with Hot chilli and has a tangy taste.

PIRI-PIRI Sauce is Reddish Orange with spices & has tangy notes.  It is best used for marinating. It can spice up savoury dishes or be used as a sandwich spread or Jazz up veggies.  Piri piri sauce is a complex and versatile condiment that is sour, sweet, salty and spicy all at the same time. 

Cremica Honey Mustard can be used as an ideal salad dressing, for dips or to prepare filling for sandwiches and wraps. It is a yellow coloured sauce with thick and smooth texture and glossy appearance having sweet taste with traditional mustard and honey taste Sweet Onion Sauce has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. Light brown in color, smooth with chunks of onions, it works wonders on your favorite salads or sandwiches.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce is a mild spicy dipping sauce. Best used for fresh or fried spring rolls, wontons or grilled meats.  It is bright red colour with visible chili flakes and Garlic. It is sweet with prominent Garlic flavour.

Barbeque Sauce is dark brown, smooth and tangy with smoke flavour.  

Tomato Ketchup – Tomato ketchup is made from tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar, with seasonings and spices. The spices and flavors Vary, but commonly include onions, allspice, coriander, cloves, cumin, garlic, and mustard, and sometimes include celery, cinnamon, or ginger.

This array of cold condiments from Cremica are manufactured from soft red tomatoes and can be consumed with both hot and cold foods. They can be served on the side with sandwiches, burgers, fries and grilled or fried meat in homes, restaurants, cafés and Fast-food chains.  They are also used as a base sauce for various curries and soups. This range of sauces from Cremica improves the overall flavor and consistency of the dish and is also a rich source of essential antioxidants, vitamins and lycopene that have various health benefits.

When dining at restaurants or in other food establishments, an increasing number of people are searching for specific sauces with distinctive flavor.  With the range of sauces from Cremica, their search ends here.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education Along With Postmaster General For South Karnataka Region – Releases Special Postal Cover

The Department of Student Affairs of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, organized a Special Postal Cover Release in connection with the project “Nasha Mukt Udupi Abhiyaan by involving Young Leaders of MAHE” as part of the nation-wide Nasha Mukt Bharath Abiyaan, a campaign to make India free of drug abuse, under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.

The event took place, at the TMA Pai Auditorium, Manipal  and encompassed the release of a special postal cover, two newsletters i.e “Hithaishi” and “Nasha Mukt Udupi Abhiyaan” and the launch of the Nasha Mukt club at Manipal College of Dental Sciences, MAHE, Manipal. Dignitaries and officials from MAHE and the postal department were in attendance along with students and faculty.

The Chief Guest was Ms. Radhika Chakravarthy, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, who joined the event online and released the “Nasha Mukt Udupi Abhiyaan” newsletter. The Special Poster Cover was released by the Guest of Honour Sri D.S.V.R Murthy, IPoS, Postmaster General for South Karnataka Region, Bangalore.

Lt. General (Dr.) M.D. Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor MAHE, released the 3rd edition of the newsletter “Hithaishi” of the Department of Student Affairs. Dr. H. Vinod Bhat, Executive Vice President of MAHE, was the Guest of Honour. The special postal cover was designed under his guidance.

Speaking at the event Lt. General (Dr.) M.D. Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor MAHE said “Substance abuse is a serious issue that needs to be tackled. Manipal academy of Higher Education will continue to provide its support in creation of awareness around the issue, so that the goal of making Udupi “Nasha Mukt” is achieved”

As part of the launching of the Nasha Mukt club at the Manipal College of Dental Sciences (MCODS), Manipal, the guest of honour Dr. Monica Charlotte Solomon, Dean of MOCDS, Manipal administered the oath to the members of the Nasha Mukt Club at MCODS, Manipal.

Dr. Geetha Maiya, Director Student Affairs, MAHE, welcomed the gathering and Dr Binil V, Associate Professor, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal and Co-Principal Investigator of the project, proposed the Vote of thanks.

Aashirvaad Atta With Multigrains Promotes Awareness Through The Happy Tummy Platform On World Digestive Health Day

After the successful launch of Happy Tummy in 2021 with India’s first Digestive Quotient Test, Aashirvaad atta with Multigrains aspires to increase awareness about the importance of digestive health with the introduction of Fibre Meter and My Meal Plan in 2022.

Aashirvaad Atta with Multigrains, the value-added atta variant from India’s No.1 packaged atta brand, Aashirvaad, had launched Fibre Meter & My Meal Plan on its flagship Happy Tummy website ahead of World Digestive Health Day on 29th May, 2022. The initiative was in line with the brand’s endeavour to amplify the awareness and importance of digestion and the role played by fibre in helping to maintain normal digestion. The brand had commissioned ‘A Survey on Digestive Health’ conducted by Momspresso in 2021 which indicated that 56% of Indian mothers surveyed think their family suffers from digestive health issues. Based on the insights from the survey, the brand had launched Happy Tummy website, http://happytummy.aashirvaad.com/, a platform that is aimed at educating consumers about digestion and introduced India’s first Digestive Quotient (DQ) test – a 2-minute questionnaire to know more about digestion.

Over the last year, this initiative has witnessed more than 12 lakh Indian consumers landing on the website with more than 3.3 lakh undertaking the DQ test. The website also houses content such as blogs and videos by experts in the field of nutrition as well as high fibre recipes. It also gives consumers the opportunity to book a consultation with a dietician. Taking the conversation about Happy Tummy a notch higher, the brand has now introduced–Fibre Meter and My Meal Plan. The Fibre Meter indicates whether an individual is meeting the recommended daily fibre allowance through their present diet. Subsequently, My Meal Plan gives a suggested diet plan that can help meet the dietary fibre requirements as given by the Indian Council of Medical Research Recommended Dietary Allowances based on the gender and age entered by the consumer, in their diet every day. Consumers can choose from suggested meal plans across different cuisines.

Speaking about this on-going initiative, Ganesh Kumar Sundararaman, SBU Chief Executive – Staples, Snacks and Meals, Foods Division, ITC Ltd. said, “Last year, it came as a revelation to us that 56% of Indian mothers surveyed as part of ‘A Survey on Digestive Health’ conducted by Momspresso think their family suffers from digestive health issues. Aashirvaad Atta with Multigrains is our high fibre atta, and is committed to educating, enabling, and empowering the consumers by providing information on digestion. In 2021, we launched the Digestive Quotient (DQ) test with the objective of raising awareness about digestion among consumers, which witnessed massive success. This has encouraged us to further our focus on this subject and we are now happy to have launched additional initiatives under the platform - Fibre Meter along with My Meal Plan.”

To bring consumer attention towards the significance of digestion, Aashirvaad Atta with Multigrains has activated communication across multiple mediums. Consumers can check out the Fibre Meter and get a free meal plan at, http://happytummy.aashirvaad.com/

Searce Wins 2021 Google Cloud Specialization Partner of the Year For Work Transformation

·         Through Google Cloud, Searce has successfully helped customers achieve work transformation using Google Workspace

·         The implementation of Google Workspace allows customers to work anywhere, anytime, on any device

Searce, a modern technology consulting firm that empowers businesses to be future-ready has been announced as the winner of the 2021 Google Cloud Specialization Partner of the Year award for Work Transformation. This global recognition by Google Cloud reinforces Searce’s strong commitment to digital transformation and testifies to the seamless integration of the Work Transformation service that Searce has been providing its clients in partnership with Google Cloud for over 13 years.

Searce has been working along with Google Cloud to facilitate work transformation for organizations across the globe since 2009. As a Google Cloud services partner, it offers consultation on business process improvement and automation. The in-house team at Searce provides SLA-based tech support for Google Workspace with an average response time of just 2 hours. Additionally, work transformation also enables clients to implement and streamline seamless onboarding and offboarding processes, fewer and measurable security breaches, better interconnectivity of departments, centralized and secure control for sharing and collaborating of documents, and many more features which make sharing of work seamless and easy.

“Google Cloud Specializations recognize partner excellence and proven customer success in a particular product area or industry,” said Nina Harding, Global Chief, Partner Programs and Strategy, Google Cloud. “Based on their certified, repeatable customer success and strong technical capabilities, we’re proud to recognize Searce as the Work Transformation Specialization Partner of the Year.”

Commenting on this felicitation, Hardik Parekh Founder and CEO, Searce said, “We are honored to receive the Google Cloud Specialization Partner of the Year award for Work Transformation. This award marks a milestone in our partnership with Google Cloud and strengthens our resolve to work together towards achieving our shared goal of empowering organizations worldwide to embrace the future of work, which is all about collaboration, openness, and borderless. We will continue to keep innovating technology and leveraging our expertise, to help our customers drive business growth in terms of the speed, agility, and performance of their organization with Google Workspace and help them meet and match business needs as they keep evolving in the hybrid environment.” He also added “Our focus is not only on increasing Google Workspace adoption but also on ensuring our customers can make the most out of these solutions to achieve true digital transformation.”

Searce’s Google Workspace clients span across various verticals  across the globe, some prominent clients include RedDoorz, Dunzo, Inshorts, Rapido, Kirloskar, and many more. Searce continues to remain focused on growing its global partnership with Google Cloud and providing intelligent and effective business outcomes across sectors.

About Searce:

Founded in 2007, Searce is a modern technology consulting firm that empowers clients to futurify their businesses, leveraging cloud, AI & analytics. Searce provides deep technical consulting, hand-on implementation and 24*7 cloud care support enabling digital transformation of organizations with the best infrastructure, platform, industry solutions and expertise.  Working with Google Cloud as a top tiered preferred partner and a specialized SI for 13+ years, Searce has been enabling digital innovation by leveraging the entire portfolio of Google Cloud solutions across its 3500+ clients globally. Also, an Advanced Consulting Partner for AWS, Searce’s technical team partners closely with AWS experts to solve complex cloud challenges for our clients globally.

Driven by an engineering excellence mindset, Searce cares most about delivering intelligent, impactful & futuristic business outcomes, specializing in modernizing (improve, automate & transform) the full scope of infrastructure, data, app, process & work.

Barbeque Nation Launches 13 Dishes For Mango Mania Food Festival From June 13-30

* Welcomes the season of mangoes by adding over 13 Dishes to the menu

Barbeque Nation today announced the launch of its much awaited Mango Mania food festival, to celebrate the king of fruits this summer. During the festival period- 13th June to 30th June, Barbeque Nation will welcome guests to its restaurants across the country with a wide spread of delectable dishes inspired by the mangoes, ranging from beverages and starters to the main course & desserts- all with a mesmerising twist of mangoes.

The eat-all-you-can buffet at Barbeque Nation offers over 13 dishes in vegetarian and non-vegetarian spreads. Guests can indulge in the famous Indian traditional summer cooler drink Aam Panna to set the tone for the exciting food that follows. For starters, non-vegetarians can savour Kachhi Ambi Fish Tikka and much more, while vegetarians can feast on the mouth-watering Chili Mango Pineapple. The main course section for non-vegetarians includes Ambi Fish curry, while vegetarians can indulge in Ambi dal tadka, Ambi veg and much more. The dessert section comprises Mango pastry, Mango Mousse and Aam phirni. The chef has blended various flavours of mangoes into one and created diverse combinations of the much-loved desserts.

On the occasion, Mr Nakul Gupta, Chief Marketing Officer, Barbeque Nation Hospitality Limited, said, “Our guests look forward to new reasons to visit our restaurants in the summers. We are glad to kickstart this festival to infuse some refreshing flavours in our offerings to beat the heat this summers, with a vast spread of mango based dishes. We look forward to invoke the feeling of togetherness among guests and bring back childhood memories of having mangoes with their families. We are quite confident our guests will enjoy the festival and celebrate their special occasions along with their loved ones with us.”

In order to make the food festival more exciting and memorable for guests, Barbeque Nation has also organized fun-filled activities for its guests across the restaurants, with special gifts for the winners.

About Barbeque Nation

Barbeque Nation is a pioneer in India to promote ‘DIY’ (do-it-yourself) cuisine with a concept of the live on-the-table grill since its first store in Mumbai in 2006. Barbeque Nation was founded with a simple vision – offering a complete dining experience to customers at attractive prices. The philosophy extended to all aspects of service and caused the chain to expand rapidly. Over the last 15+ years, Barbeque Nation has expanded to over 82 cities with 171 outlets in India. During this period, the brand innovated with interactive live counters, multiple Kulfi varieties and a unique delivery product portfolio of ‘Barbeque-in-a-box’.

o9 Solutions Partners With AMOREPACIFIC to Digitally Transform Its Global Supply Chain Operations With AI-Powered Planning Platform

 o9 Solutions, a leading enterprise AI software platform provider for transforming planning and decision-making, today announced that AMOREPACIFIC will use o9’s AI-powered Digital Brain platform to digitally transform its supply chain operations and supply network management system.

AMOREPACIFIC is Korea’s leading beauty company, providing global customers with 30 popular brands that offer a range of cosmetics, healthcare and household products. o9’s platform will help AMOREPACIFIC generate a single, data-driven plan across its sales, inventory and supply functions to establish better supply chain management decision-making and performance management. It will also enhance the company’s ability to respond quickly to changing market dynamics and customer demand through better supply network collaboration.

With a sales plan for all products anchored in the use of high-quality demand data and the supply network leveraging the sales plan as the standard, the o9 platform will enable AMOREPACIFIC to accurately forecast market demand. The platform will give the company superior visibility into demand by facilitating mid- to long-term demand planning based on consensus. Additionally, features like supply chain master data, system-wide supply planning and a global supply chain control tower will augment the reliability of and visibility into AMOREPACIFIC’s supply plans.

In addition to the power demonstrated by o9’s Digital Brain platform, AMOREPACIFIC selected o9 for its innovations in graph technology, in-memory databases, software-as-a-service, AI and machine learning. The decision was also based on o9’s accumulated expertise and successful track record of helping some of the world’s most beloved global beauty brands realize rapid value delivery through digital transformation.

Woonghyeog Lee, o9’s Korea Country Manager, added, “AMOREPACIFIC’s selection of the o9 planning and decision-making platform carries a lot of meaning, as it represents o9’s breakthrough into the Korean beauty industry. We are honored to support AMOREPACIFIC’s journey with Samsung SDS to transform its supply chain management practices and will continue to offer our innovative AI-powered technology to more and more markets throughout Asia Pacific and beyond.”

Syska Personal Care Announces The Launch Of Syska HT350U BeardPro Trimmer

- Syska HT350U BeardPro Trimmer is the best-in-class trimmer for today’s grooming conscious user

Syska Personal Care Appliances, a leading brand in the personal care grooming segment has announced the launch of Syska HT350U Trimmer as a part of BeardPro series. This trimmer has been ergonomically designed to provide all men with a comfortable grooming experience. Syska has been constantly delivering personal care appliances that provide consumers with value for their money.

HT350U Trimmer has been made to give all gentlemen a sleek appearance who can groom themselves at home. The product has inbuilt self-sharpening stainless-steel blades and has been designed for an easy grip. Syska trimmer makes every stylish look possible be it a stubble, goatee, textured cut, side art or Beardstache with great ease.

Commenting on the introduction of the Syska HT350U BeardPro Trimmer, Mr. Gurumukh Uttamchandani, Executive Director, Syska Group said, "There is a consistent need among our pan India consumers to experience personal care grooming products that add comfort and convenience in their everyday life. We at Syska have been at the forefront in introducing products that augment the lifestyle of our consumers and also add value to their purchase. With the latest introduction of HT350U BeardPro Trimmer, our objective is to provide an affordable and multi-style solution to all the looks conscious men in achieving their grooming needs."

Key features of Syska HT350U BeardPro Trimmer:

·         Cord/ Cordless use: One has the flexibility to operate the trimmer using a cord or cordless (lasts up to 40 minutes) depending on personal choice and comfort

·         Five length setting: Syska trimmer comes with a five length setting and offers a 2mm precision trimming for a perfectly groomed look

·         Advanced technology: Syska trimmer has been incorporated with advanced Rototech technology

·         Charging: Syska trimmer charges up to six hours and offers a usage time of 40 minutes. The USB cable offers flexible charging via computer or any USB adaptor.

·         Lightweight compact design: With its lightweight design the product is extremely travel friendly and can be carried on the go

Syska HT350U BeardPro Trimmer comes with two years warranty from the date of purchase. The product package includes 1 hair trimmer, charging cable, four stubble comb, cleaning brush, user manual and warranty card.  The trimmer can be purchased for INR 829/- from leading retail and modern trade outlets.

About Syska Personal Care

Crafted with the latest innovations in technology, the SYSKA Personal Care products have the best solutions for your grooming and hygiene needs. SYSKA Personal Care products are of superior quality and priced fairly. SYSKA Personal Care offers a wide range of personal care products for men and women providing hassle-free and efficient grooming for both genders. SYSKA Personal Care products give you the power to decide how you want to style yourself.

Atlassian Recognised As One Of India's Top 25 Best Companies To Work For

* For the second consecutive year, the company is recognised for its values-driven culture and various employee benefits including its distributed work policy 

Atlassian Corporation Plc (NASDAQ: TEAM), a leading provider of team collaboration and productivity software and the maker of Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, and Trello, today announced that it has been recognised as one of India's Best Companies to Work For by the Great Place to Work Institute, ranking in the top 25 companies.  

The ranking is based on the results of the Great Place to Work’s Trust Index survey, where Atlassian was assessed for its values-driven culture, employee benefits and authentic leadership. The twenty-year-old company, which established its local presence in India in 2018, employs more than 1,000 Atlassians at its world-class R&D centre in India. Atlassian employs some of the brightest and most talented people from across India, providing them with various opportunities to grow. Employees work on some of the company's most innovative and cutting-edge technology in an environment that fosters an open work culture and favours learning and development. 

With the emergence of remote and hybrid work models, Atlassian introduced TEAM Anywhere – a flexible work policy. This means that employees can choose to work from home, the office or a combination of both - they get to choose what works best for them based on their work and lifestyle. The policy has had a positive impact on hiring and attracting diverse tech talent, and since February 2021, 47 per cent of Atlassians global new hires have been remote (defined as living two or more hours away from an Atlassian office). This has been a game-changer for many with some moving closer to home while others set off to follow their passions or explore new places. Atlassian also boasts a 90-Day Rule where employees can stay and work outside their designated ‘work location’, including in locations outside the company footprint, for up to 90 cumulative days in a rolling 365-day period.  

Atlassian offers a variety of perks and benefits to support its employees and their families in India, including initiatives aimed at work-life balance and employee wellbeing. Some of them include childcare support through the KLAY Schools and ‘Circle In’ which is a dedicated parent and caregiver portal, and access to Modern Health to promote mental wellbeing. Atlassian also provides 26 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents and 20 weeks of paid parental leave for non-birthing parents. The company provides employees with an annual stipend for fitness and wellness reimbursements to encourage an active lifestyle.  

Dinesh Ajmera, Site Lead and Head of Engineering, India, Atlassian said, “We are delighted to have received the Great Place to Work Institute recognition in India for the second year running. At Atlassian, our company mission is to unleash the potential of every team, but this can only happen if we empower our teams and employees to unleash their own potential and this award is a humbling testament to this. This recognition is a tribute to all our incredible team members and their commitment to building a great company. As we rapidly grow in India, we want to hire bright and talented individuals and provide them with an opportunity to join a diverse team connected by our values, to do the best work of their lives.” 

In 2021, Atlassian was ranked in the top 25 World’s Best Workplaces and was also recognised as India’s Best Workplaces for Women by the Great Place to Work Institute. 

About Atlassian 

Atlassian unleashes the potential of every team. Our team collaboration and productivity software helps teams organize, discuss and complete shared work. Teams at more than 230,000+ customers, across large and small organizations – including Bank of America, Redfin, NASA, Verizon, and Dropbox – use Atlassian’s project tracking, content creation and sharing, and service management products to work better together and deliver quality results on time. 

Learn more about our products, including Jira Software, Confluence, Jira Service Management, Trello, Bitbucket, and Jira Align at Atlassian | Software Development and Collaboration Tools. 

About Great Place to Work 

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

Velvet, World’s Leading Liquidity As A Benefit Platform Commences Operations In India

* Signs a deal worth $10million with Open Financial Technologies in India

Velvet, a leading provider of Liquidity as a Benefit solutions to startups across the world announced its entry into Indian markets today. Velvet offers recurring liquidity solutions for emerging markets with built in onboarding, strike price financing and a focus on constantly bringing new investment opportunities for shareholders. Founded in Brazil in 2021, Velvet brings solutions for late-stage tech companies to provide liquidity to their employees on a recurring basis as a unique HR benefit. Velvet is a platform that buys stakes in promising, privately-owned startups, allowing their partners and employees to monetize part of their vested equity before the company goes public. The company’s India office is located in Bengaluru’s Central Business District. 

In India, Velvet will be running its liquidity programs for the best startups in the country with valuations around $300 million. The company enables access for high-income investors to sell their stakes through a platform that is connected with some of the largest private banking and wealth management firms across the globe, which will sell and buy the stakes on behalf of their clients. 

Velvet is planning to invest in Indian startups in various sectors and has raised a warehouse facility of discretionary capital of $200 Million for investing in startups in Latin America, India, Southeast Asia, and African markets. Velvet has already struck recurring secondary offering agreements with five startups including Brazilian neobank Neon, Indonesia’s Lummo, India’s fintech Open, and Mexican fintech Credijusto. With Open, the company has already signed a deal worth $10 million. 

Velvet’s warehouse facility of $200 million was led by Yolo Investments, in February 2022, featuring participation of family offices from Switzerland and the United States. Earlier, the company raised a $3 million seed round, led by Global Founders Capital. Velvet has operations in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, India, and the US.

Carlos Naupari, Co-Founder & Co-CEO said "we believe that there is a massive opportunity for Velvet in the Indian market. We can leverage our core competencies and offer value to the promoters and employees of Indian startups. In India we will be targeting startups that have more than$300 million valuations. Our customer pipeline will be highly selective and curated - the best of the best of the startups that are in the "soonicorn" category.” Vivek Boray, Founder of Velvet’s India Office added, “we are going to focus on educating the ecosystem on our offering and how it enables scaling companies to retain talent. Our recurring liquidity programs enable early partners of startups to tap into otherwise unavailable liquidity consistently. We intend to be the definitive global creator company and our expansion into global markets, including India, is in line with this vision”.

The Velvet 360 Program

Founders require initial capital to bootstrap their startup and begin testing assumptions. The Velvet 360 Program provides necessary liquidity to enable risk taking. The Velvet 360 Program enables startups to offer their talent pools tangible monetization of their stock options to attend to changing life needs. The company’s bespoke programs are designed with careful consideration of all stakeholders to maximize the value and experience of working in dynamic companies. The Velvet 360 Program is an invitation only HR initiative for select high growth companies that understand that the best talent needs to have alternative paths to liquidity. The 360º program helps companies in attracting and retaining talent through the true money of stock options. The benefit adds value to the company and makes it come out ahead when it comes to retaining and attracting talent

About Velvet

Founded in Brazil by Carlos Naupari and Edouard de Montmort, Velvet is focused on enabling access to illiquid assets in emerging markets. The company offers recurring liquidity solution for emerging markets with built in onboarding, a private exchange, and a focus on constantly bringing new opportunities for shareholders. Started in September 2021 the company buys stakes in promising, privately owned startups, allowing their partners and employees to monetize their equity before the company has gone public. Velvet provides recurring end-to-end liquidity solutions for the teams of select private companies by unlocking the value of equity in startups Velvet helps to attract & retain exceptional talent. The company has operations in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, India, and the US.  More information on Velvet can be found at their website: www.velvet.io.

GOQii Forays Into Caribbean Region To Drive Sustainable Healthcare With Its Health Metaverse

- To engage the youth of the region with a focus on health & fitness

- To offer opportunities for entrepreneurship and promotion of holistic health management using GOQii Health Metaverse

GOQii recently announced an investment of $10 million in the UK with Modality Partnership. As a part of our engagement to drive preventive healthcare, we are happy to announce our extension of engagement with the Commonwealth Moves initiative to encourage healthy lifestyle and behaviour among the youth.

With this new venture, GOQii will be also looking for opportunities of investment in the Caribbean region to enable local communities make a shift towards sustainable healthy lifestyle.

GOQii’s centre of engagement will engage the youth of the region with a focus on health & fitness and will be anchored from a location that has a vibrant ecosystem for nurturing innovation, dynamic leadership and innovative entrepreneurial youth.

Vishal Gondal, Founder and CEO of GOQii, commented: “We thank the Commonwealth Secretariat and in particular the Secretary General, Patricia Scotland for their support and the useable youth focused investment templates in the region through the Cambridge Collaboration for attracting sustainable development in Small Islands and Developing States (SIDS), which will underpin our effort in the region.”

“We are committed to connect for engagement of youth in the region and offer opportunities for entrepreneurship and promotion of holistic health management using GOQii Health Metaverse”, concluded Vishal Gondal.

GOQii recently has also raised $10 million in an extended Series C Equity round of funding from Animoca Brands. GOQii will collaborate with Animoca Brands and its ecosystem companies and projects to develop various offerings that leverage blockchain tokens and gamification in preventive healthcare.

About GOQii

Founded in 2014 by serial entrepreneur and gaming guru, Vishal Gondal, GOQii is empowering consumers globally to lead healthier and better lives. GOQii’s smart-tech- enabled healthcare platform brings together the entire preventive healthcare ecosystem. Its Smart Health Ecosystem integrates tools for real-time personalized coaching, an explosive high-growth health e-commerce store, scheduling health check-ups, a health locker, and a unique ‘GOQii Cash’ program where healthy behavior is rewarded with cash discounts and insurance discounts based on health management data. Given the state of ‘Sickcare’ delivery infrastructure in India, the company strongly believes that preventive healthcare is the only viable, long-term, mass-market solution. As one of the official partners of the ‘Fit India Movement’ GOQii is a strong supporter of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s vision of making 130 crore Indians fit and healthy. GOQii counts marquee investors like Mitsui, Megadelta, DSG Consumer Partners, Galaxy Digital, Denlow Investment Trust, Edelweiss, Cheetah Mobile, GWC, Mr. Ratan Tata, and Mr. Vijay Shekhar Sharma.