Indian Immunologicals Hosts Massive “Anti-Rabies Vaccine Drive” On World Zoonosis Day 2022

* Administers free vaccines to 2500 pet animals in Karnataka 

* Drive held in Bangalore has inoculates 500 pet animals 

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a leading vaccine manufacturer organized a nationwide free vaccination camp against zoonotic diseases on account of World Zoonosis Day 2022. Diseases that transmit from animals to human beings are called Zoonotic diseases. World Zoonosis Day is celebrated annually on July 6th to honour the first immunisation against a zoonotic illness. It holds substantial significance in educating and raising awareness about zoonotic diseases. IIL takes pride in offering this compassionate service of large-scale inoculation to the society every year. 

2500 pet animals were vaccinated against Rabies in Karnataka, while 500 pet animals were vaccinated in Bangalore at  Dr. Jayaramaiah Govt Vet Hospital. Raksharab and Starvac R (Anti-rabies vaccines of IIL) free of cost, in endeavour to realize its vision of ‘One health’, a collaborative effort towards optimal health for humans and animals through its innovative healthcare products. A recent report from the State of the World’s Forests 2022 predicts India as a potential hotspot for zoonotic viral diseases. 70% of all emerging diseases such as Rabies, Swine Flu, Nipah, Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, Porcine Cysticercosis, Zika, etc. that affect humans are zoonotic in nature. In their fight against the spread of such zoonotic viruses, IIL’s vaccination camp was escalated to 100 cities across the country through veterinary dispensaries, veterinary colleges and NGOs. 

Zoonotic diseases such as rabies have imperilled human health since antiquity. Dogs are the source of most human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans. India is endemic for rabies accounting for 36% of the world’s deaths. True burden of rabies is not fully known, although as per available information it causes 18000-20000 deaths every year. Rabies is taking its toll on adult men and children, majority from rural areas, due to lack of awareness about proper post-exposure immunization. Several countries have been able to reduce the number of rabies related human deaths through vaccination of dogs. Awareness, accurate diagnosis, improvement in sanitary conditions, prophylactic vaccination are all measures that need to be taken to restrain/eradicate spread. 

Speaking on the occasion of World Zoonosis Day, Dr. K. Anand Kumar, Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited said, “It is the commitment of IIL as a truly One Health company to bring cost effective vaccines in both animal and human health. Through our “Anti-Rabies vaccine drive”, we aim to spread awareness on the disease and need to restrain it. Apart from Raksharab and Starvac R, IIL has the largest range of zoonotic vaccines in the country such as CYSVAX, Bruvax, among others and we are constantly innovating novel vaccines to cater to the ever-emerging zoonotic risks.”  

Indian Immunologicals Limited (a subsidiary company of National Dairy Development Board) is a leading biologicals manufacturer. Through research the company has delivered affordable vaccines for the consumers in India. IIL continues to be a leading manufacturer of animal rabies vaccine (Raksharab) and human rabies vaccine (Abhayrab) in the country. IIL’s CYSVAX is the world’s first vaccine for Porcine Cysticercosis in Pigs. Cysticercosis is a very important zoonotic disease, and it is understood that it is a prime cause of epilepsy in humans. Vaccinating Pigs against Porcine Cysticercosis can help significantly reduce the incidence of epilepsy in humans. 

About Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) 

Indian Immunologicals Limited headquartered in Hyderabad, India is the market leader in veterinary biologicals and third largest animal health and human health player in India. IIL was setup by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1982 and pursues its mission of "Biotechnology in healthcare made affordable and accessible" in both the animal and human health segments and in the process creates a vibrant biotechnology base for the country. IIL is one of the largest producers of Foot and Mouth disease vaccine in the world and was the first company in India to launch the purified Vero cell rabies vaccine for humans (PVRV) and second globally. IIL has a strong R&D and has launched several animal and human vaccines in the Indian market at affordable prices. R&D at IIL, specializes in development of varied types of vaccines ranging from inactivated and live viral vaccines, polysaccharide conjugate vaccines, recombinant subunit vaccines, toxoid vaccines, bacterial vaccines and molecular vaccines. More details about the company can be viewed on www.indimmune.com.  

EbixCash World Money Launches Self Booking Corporate Tool For Foreign Exchange Services

EbixCash Limited, a technology enabled provider of digital products and services in the B2C, B2B and financial technology arena, today announced that its Foreign Exchange Division - EbixCash World Money, has launched the Self Booking Corporate tool for business and corporates travelers, to further empower corporates with a spectrum of digital foreign exchange services.

With a variety of powerful tools that enable a Corporate to generate customized alerts and an MIS of all the associated activities, EbixCash’s Self Booking tool (SBT) provides a variety of seamless and hassle-free foreign exchange services to a Corporate. While increasing efficiency in booking and managing foreign exchange, EbixCash’s SBT provides an approval matrix setup to the corporate, besides functions like real time order updates and online invoice management.

“We are excited to be formally launching EbixCash’s Self Booking Corporate tool, as it is an important step forward towards enabling increased efficiency for corporate business travelers - a key business segment for us. We have already conducted successful pilot implementation with some of our key corporate clients. Now, we plan to roll the SBT across all our corporate clients expeditiously”. T C Guruprasad, Managing Director, EbixCash World Money said. “The tool will allow our clients to avail foreign exchange services digitally, through a hassle-free documentation process. With an included approval matrix, that can be set up by each of the corporates as they deem fit, EbixCash’s SBT empowers our corporate clients to customize the system in accordance with their corporate travel policies while generating customized reports.”

EbixCash is a subsidiary of Ebix, Inc. (NASDAQ: EBIX), with a leadership position in key businesses that it operates in, with a “phygital” strategy that combines over 650,000 physical agent distribution outlets throughout India and Southeast Asia as of December 31, 2021; with a Omni-channel online digital platform that offers its products and services encompassing domestic and international money remittance, foreign exchange (Forex), pre-paid gift cards, utility payments, travel services, and technologies across insurance, bus information systems, lending and wealth management in 75+ countries.

EbixCash World Money, the foreign exchange division of EbixCash Limited holds a leadership position in foreign exchange business in India, with a vast network encompassing 81+ retail branches, 250 franchisee partners and duty-free shops, 27+ bank clients, 1200+ corporate clients including top fortune 500 clients and 5-star hotels in India. EbixCash World Money is also a leading player in India’s airport and seaport Money Exchange business with retail kiosks in 16+ international airports, and 12 seaports.

About EbixCash

With a "Phygital” strategy that combines over 650,000 physical agent distribution outlets throughout India and Southeast Asia as of December 31, 2021, to an Omni-channel online digital platform, the Company’s Financial exchange portfolio of software and services encompasses domestic and international money remittance, foreign exchange (Forex), pre-paid gift cards, utility payments, travel services and technologies for insurance, bus information systems, lending and wealth management across 75+ countries including India. EbixCash has Forex operations in approximately 16 international airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata.  EbixCash is a leader in the international remittance business based on gross transactional value. EbixCash, through its travel portfolio (Via.com and EbixCash.com), is one of the leading travel exchanges based in India and catering to Southeast Asian markets, with over 517,000 agents and approximately 17,900 registered corporate clients.  EbixCash's financial technologies business offers software solutions to various clients in the areas of wealth, asset and lending management, insurance and bus information systems. EbixCash's business process outsourcing services provide information technology and call center services to a variety of industries. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.ebixcash.com

EDII Will Be Establishing 1 Million New Indian Women-Owned Businesses By 2030

EDII, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India is one of the country’s top and leading business schools/institutes for the growth of entrepreneurship. Offering a variety of courses for business owners. It is going to announce an ambitious target of creating 1 million new businesses and enterprises that are to be owned by Women in the country as mission 1M 2030. The Director General of EDII, Dr. Sunil Shukla, will introduce this initiative at the CSR Leaders' Roundtable meeting on July 12, 2022, at Hotel Royal Orchid Central, Manipal Center, Dickenson Road, Bangalore between 11 AM to 1 PM.

The Roundtable meeting's main goal is to come up with ideas for fresh eco-friendly and technologically driven trends, innovations, and practices in women's livelihoods, income production, and entrepreneurial endeavors.  EDII hopes to achieve this goal in strong collaboration with CSRs, additional funders, government agencies, and other stakeholders. This is one-of-a-kind, robust, and expansive programme that will include the entire nation, EDII hopes to further improve its contribution to the national economy and priorities in line with the UN SDG Goals.

Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General of EDII said “This initiative of EDII will be creating so many opportunities for women entrepreneurs all around the country.  EDII is not just limited to providing entrepreneurship courses, it is making India ready to do business. The mission 1M2030 aims to 1 million new businesses and enterprises that are to be owned by Women in the country and also to provide equal opportunities for women entrepreneurs all around the country.”

About EDII:

The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (abbreviated as EDII) is an autonomous body and not-for-profit institute located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Established in 1983, the institute offers master's degree programmes in Entrepreneurship, a fellowship programme and a number of entrepreneurship training programmes. EDII was established in 1983 with the active support of the Government of Gujarat, IDBI Bank, IFCI Ltd, ICICI Bank and State Bank of India. Its initial aim was to help potential and existing entrepreneurs and then gradually ventured to train trainers and faculty members. One of the major achievements of the EDII is inducing entrepreneurship in the curriculum of colleges, schools, science and technology institutions, and management schools in several states of the country and also setting up entrepreneurship development centers in 12 states across India's

Website: https://www.ediindia.org/

Campus Fund Raises INR 75 Crore ($ 10 Mn) To Invest In Student Founders

Campus Fund today announced its second fund to deepen its commitment of investing in student-led startups. Based on a funding model that has been successful in the Silicon Valley, Campus Fund has been funding Indian students for the last two years. It already has some notable successes to its name, ranging from Digantara (building google maps for space) to HealthySure (unified health insurance platform) to Expand My Business (B2B managed marketplace for digital services) amongst others, who have gone on to raise follow on funding from reputed VCs.

Karan Bhagat Founder, MD & CEO of IIFL Wealth & Asset Management, an investor in the Fund said, "Campus Fund is contributing well to unearth the most exciting startup talent in Indian universities. Student Entrepreneurs are shaping a better future for everyone in India and Bharat and we at IIFL Wealth & Asset Management will continue to do our part to help build this ecosystem."

Campus Fund  started  with a rolling fund of INR 7 crore in July 2020 and is the first fund of its kind in India to employ students as investors, who scout, evaluate and also get a seat in the decision making with regards to investments in student-led startups.

Deep Kalra, founder of MakeMyTrip said, “Campus Fund is unique in its purpose and approach and is a game-changer in the early venture space. It is becoming a formidable force on Campuses, in identifying innovation early on and nurturing it. I am excited to be part of it.”

Campus Fund is founded by Richa Bajpai, a student entrepreneur herself, starting out of a Dorm Room in her final year of engineering in 2009, and having co-founded Goodera, a global technology platform in the Tech4Good space. Bajpai says, “We worked with over  60+ Students across the country to scout and evaluate more than 1600 student led-startups in the last two years. We now have a portfolio of 10 diverse student led startups with strong fundamentals and a potential to shape the future and contribute towards India’s ambition of becoming a $5 trillion economy”.

Campus Fund is backed by large institutions, family offices, GPs of leading funds, industry veterans and founders, including those behind Delhivery, redBus, TaxiForSure, Sheroes, Udhyam Learning amongst others.

“Considering her entrepreneurial background and the exposure she has had with Creator Fund in the UK, Richa has an absolute advantage to build the student entrepreneurship ecosystem in India. Her experience, passion, hard work, patience and perseverance will make Campus Fund the most sought after student centric VC fund in India. She is doing the right thing in a right way to the right student community at the right time”, said Ullas Kamath – Former Joint MD at Jyothy Labs, Board Member VGuard, Wonderla amongst others.

With its second fund, Campus Fund will continue to invest at the pre-seed stage, playing the role of the first institutional check in student-led start-ups and supporting them through their journey.  “The level of innovation that is taking place across academic institutions in India and the crying need for capital to support these young entrepreneurs is a need of the hour and Campus Fund is well positioned to bridge this void in the Indian ecosystem”, said Soumya Rajan, Founder and CEO of Waterfield Advisors.

By searching for entrepreneurs at universities, Campus Fund  identifies a more diverse range of founders than traditionally accessed by venture funding. In keeping with this philosophy, Campus Fund has a portfolio that has 40% Non Tech Founders, 30% Female Co-Founders and 30% Hardware First Tech Enabled student-led Startups.

“We are excited to back Richa and the team at Campus Fund in their mission to promote student entrepreneurship in the country. This will give impetus to the bold young entrepreneurs who are solving important problems in the country and generating employment. We are impressed by their commitment towards diversity, in the selection of entrepreneurs they will back”, said Sarvesh Kanodia, Principal at Omidyar Network India.

The long term ambition of Campus Fund is to partner with student founders across the country - from Bangalore to Bhopal to  Jammu and to play its part in supporting the National Education Policy 2020 which encourages students to be job creators and innovators.

Project MANAS, Student Team From MIT-MAHE Shines In Drone Competition Held In USA

* The team participated in AUVSI SUAS - 2022 (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Student Unmanned Aerial Systems – 2022) held at St. Mary's, Maryland, USA

* Project MANAS achieved overall 18th Rank amongst 71 teams competing across the globe

* They were ranked 2nd in Flight Readiness Review Rank

Project MANAS, a Students’ Major Project Team at MIT, MAHE, specializing in AI and Robotics, bagged an overall rank of 18th amongst 71 teams competing across the globe in the event, AUVSI SUAS - 2022 (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Student Unmanned Aerial Systems – 2022) held at St. Mary's, Maryland, USA, during 15th -18th June 2022.

AUVSI SUAS is held annually, since 2002 and requires students to design, integrate, report on, and demonstrate an Unmanned Aerial system i.e. a Drone, capable of autonomous flight and navigation, remote sensing via onboard payload sensors, and execution of a specific set of tasks. 

With this being their first attempt at the competition, Project MANAS completed the mission demonstration, and their performance was highly appreciated by the competition authorities and judges. Project MANAS achieved 2nd Rank in Flight Readiness Review, 18th Rank in Mission Demonstration and 10th Rank in Technical Design Report.

The 6 feet wide UAS (Unmanned Aerial System), i.e., a Drone developed by the team carried out the entire mission in autonomous mode, i.e., without human intervention. Radio Frequency Device (RFD) was used to navigate the flight of Drone, only in the manual mode. This was their mission task at the event.

Speaking about the achievement of Project MANAS Lt. Gen (Dr)MD Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education said, “We are extremely proud and delighted of Project MANAS team’s accomplishment. Their efforts in completing the mission demonstration and achieving 18th rank globally are testament of their talent and commitment. We at MAHE congratulate them and wish them all the very best for their future endeavors.”

Cdr. (Dr.) Anil Rana, Director, Manipal Institute of Technology, MAHE said “Project MANAS and its members have showcased Indian talent at a global stage in the field of AI and Robotics. We are happy that they got an excellent learning experience at the event, where they got to learn and apply knowledge in the fields of AI, Image processing, Mechanical Design, Power electronics, Control theory etc. With their dedication and perseverance, we are sure they will shine in AUVSI SUAS 2023 as well”

Tata Motors Group Global Wholesales At 3,16,443 In Q1 FY23

The Tata Motors Group global wholesales in Q1 FY23, including Jaguar Land Rover, were at 3,16,443 nos., higher by 48%, as compared to Q1 FY22.

Global wholesales of all Tata Motors’ commercial vehicles and Tata Daewoo range in Q1 FY23 were at 1,03,529 nos., higher by 97%, over Q1 FY22. 

Global wholesales of all passenger vehicles in Q1 FY23 were at 2,12,914 nos., higher by 32% as compared to Q1 FY22. 

Global wholesales for Jaguar Land Rover were 82,587 vehicles (**JLR number for Q1 FY23 includes CJLR volumes of 10,772 units). Jaguar wholesales for the quarter were 14,596 vehicles, while Land Rover wholesales for the quarter were 67,991 vehicles.

*Includes sales of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Motors Limited.

**CJLR – It is a JV between JLR and Chery Automobiles and is an unconsolidated subsidiary for JLR

SBI Signs MOU With KDEM To Provide Access For Funds And Special Financial Services For Start-Ups In Bengaluru

* SBI to provide access to CGTMSE funds for Elevate winners in Karnataka

* KDEM & SBI to partner for India’s first cluster seed fund set up by Karnataka

* SBI to partner for Fintech Innovation Hub in Mangaluru

The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) has partnered with India’s largest public-sector banking conglomerate, the State Bank of India (SBI) to support the start-up ecosystem of Karnataka. KDEM and SBI exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) wherein SBI will be now partnering with the Fintech Innovation hub at Mangaluru and leveraging the CGTSME scheme to provide funding support to the start-ups in the state. The MOU is a first of its kind step for start-ups by any banking institution.

Exchanged in the presence of Dr. Ashwathnarayan C N, Hon'ble Minister, Dept of Electronics, IT BT S&T, and Shri Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Deputy Managing Director (Transaction Banking & New Initiatives), SBI & Shri Nand Kishore, Chief General Manager (Bengaluru Circle), SBI. The MoU was signed by Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, KDEM, and Shri S. Radhakrishnan, General Manager, NW-I, SBI, Bengaluru Circle.

The MoU will empower SBI to build a robust mechanism for the Karnataka Government-recognized start-ups supported by KDEM to avail financial services including credits to the start-ups. The important feature of the MOU is to extend Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTSME) to ELEVATE Winners and to AIF-supported start-ups of Karnataka. The Elevate-Idea2PoC was launched by the Department of Electronics, IT, BT, and S&T, Government of Karnataka to identify and nurture innovative start-ups and provide them the necessary boost at various stages through funding or mentoring. So far, we already have 750 ELEVATE winners with us, and with this MOU more than 1000 start-ups are going to be supported.

Congratulating KDEM and SBI on the MoU, Dr. Ashwathnarayan C N, Hon'ble Minister, Dept of Electronics, IT BT S&T said, “Karnataka has already established itself as a leading state in the nation with a favourable start-up ecosystem supported by a robust policy framework and infrastructure. I am pleased that a huge public sector conglomerate such as SBI values the importance of building an enriching environment, that will elevate the state and the nation’s digital economy. I congratulate Mr. Sanjeev Gupta and Shri Rana Ashutosh kumar Singh for the signing of the MOU and for their support of the innovation hub in Mangaluru.”

Commenting on the MoU Exchange, Shri Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Deputy Managing Director (Transaction Banking & New Initiatives), SBI said, “It is a great pleasure for us at SBI to partner with organisations such as the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission and the Government of Karnataka that is striving to build a world-class innovation hub and a robust start-up ecosystem that will inspire the nation. We believe that this is a fitting partnership as we can converge our financial acumen with KDEM’s platform and reach that will together become a gamechanger for the industry.”

Speaking at the MoU exchange, Shri B V Naidu, Chairman, KDEM said, “KDEM has always strived to be an enabler of change and innovation in Karnataka’s start-up journey. This MOU will add another flavour of comprehensive financial services available to start-ups. SBI has shown keen interest in the opening of the start-up branches in the emerging tech clusters like Mangaluru, Mysuru, and Hubballi in the next 3-6 months.  I am happy that SBI has shown keen interest in participating in our cluster seed funds which is the first of its kind in India.”

The State Bank of India will be opening an exclusive start-up desk in the ‘Innovation Tower’ of the Government of Karnataka at HSR layout, Bengaluru to offer services to start-ups. Subsequently, KDEM will assist SBI in opening branches across the three clusters of Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Hubballi-Belagavi to facilitate and support start-ups based out of these clusters.

Commenting on this partnership, Dr. E V Ramana Reddy, ACS, Dept of Electronics, IT BT S&T, said, “This is a significant moment for SBI and KDEM, coming up with a unique platform that empowers the innovation ecosystem of Karnataka for the financial services. SBI will also be supporting the fintech task group and be an important partner in executing the strategies for making Karnataka the world’s leading fintech hub.”

Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, KDEM while signing the MOU said, “Now that we have SBI, India’s largest public-sector bank supporting Karnataka’s start-up ecosystem, I am confident that Karnataka will be the Fintech hub of the world and also aspire to be the top 5 start-up ecosystem of the world. SBI providing dedicated financial services for start-ups will now create a growth to the start-up ecosystem in beyond Bengaluru clusters as well. “

The MoU will further allow the two parties to participate in cluster funds under KITVEN (Karnataka Information Technology Venture Capital Fund). KITVEN Fund has invested in emerging companies with a long-term investment approach and also focused on investments in seed/ rapid growth opportunities within the State of Karnataka. The Fund has assisted a wide spectrum of companies catering to Information Technology, Biotechnology, and other high-end products/ solutions in the knowledge-based sector and aims to augment the state’s Fintech sector through this partnership.

About Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)

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

The Beyond Bengaluru Program

The Beyond Bengaluru program of KDEM, in particular, is spearheading the objective of proliferating the growth of the digital economy in clusters beyond Bangalore. This is done to select identified clusters in the state by developing and facilitating a product-based ecosystem. Building a community of key industry players, entrepreneurs, start-up owners, academia, accelerators, and the student community, the Beyond Bengaluru program of KDEM is steering towards getting investments and generating employment in the State.

NPCI Partners With JBIMS To Offer A Master’s Degree Program In Digital Payments To Its Employees -“Learn While You Earn” Initiative

* This first-of-its-kind hybrid program for NPCI employees with specialization in “Digital Payments” will serve as an enabling platform for bright and committed minds

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has collaborated with Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) to co-create a Master’s in Management Studies (MMS) program in Digital Payments for its employees. Launched under NPCI’s “Learn while you Earn” higher education program, the first batch commenced today with an inaugural session. The specially curated, one-of-its-kind program will integrate aspects of technology, finance, BFSI, and information system and management studies into a single Master’s specialization in Digital Payments to cater to the varied requirements of the industry today. The program will serve as a platform to build leaders of tomorrow, who are capable to manage the growing digital payment user-base and will further bring technological reforms to the financial ecosystem.

Being a hybrid program, employees will take weekend classes and spend only one week on campus per semester thereby allowing them to learn while they continue to earn at NPCI. The program is aimed to enrich employees with a deeper understanding and knowledge of research methodologies while encouraging them to publish research papers and articles.

Additionally, NPCI employees also have the opportunity to pursue super-specialization and further studies (Ph.D.) after the completion of the Master’s program.

Dr. Srinivasan R. Iyengar, Director, JBIMS said, “We are thrilled to be co-building this first-of-a-kind specialised MMS program in digital payments for NPCI employees. At JBIMS, we ensure that our programs are in sync with today’s professional demands and be of relevance to employers and participants. We believe that MMS in digital payments will offer NPCI employees the best opportunities to learn and realize their potential.”

Dr. Kavita Laghate, Professor, JBIMS said, “At JBIMS, we are continually striving to make each program better in terms of relevance, content, and methods. We are excited to be part of this pathbreaking MMS in digital payments program developed for NPCI employees.”

Nishith Chaturvedi, Chief of HR & Administration at National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) said, “Creating learning opportunities is one of our key Employee Value Propositions and we are delighted to partner with a premier institute like JBIMS to co-create this Master’s program in digital payments. We believe in ‘Learning for All’ and encourage our employees to keep themselves relevant in a fast-paced world.  We hope this initiative will further inspire the talented minds and help us in our mission to transform the Indian digital payments industry.”

About NPCI:

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

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

For more information on NPCI, visit: https://www.npci.org.in/

Emirates Secures Summer Flight Schedules To European Cities

Emirates expects a busy summer and is set to operate as scheduled over the peak travel season, including at its 39 European points with its London Stansted route re-starting from 1 August.

With over 24,000 scheduled passenger flights to and from 129 airports around the world for July and August, Emirates has been co-ordinating with its ground handling partners at airports around the world, ensuring they are up-to-date with operational requirements and are prepared to support smooth passenger movement.

Emirates has also worked closely with other stakeholders at Dubai Airport to support its flight schedule and services, provisioning additional resources to ensure efficient operations at the hub, including for transiting passengers. Those visiting Dubai or doing a summer stopover can ease through departures and arrivals with speedy biometrics-enabled check-points; and utilise various convenient options for mobile, online, home, and self-check in.

The double-decked Emirates A380 aircraft is also being deployed to serve high customer demand at over 30 cities around its network, this includes popular European cities: Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Rome, Paris, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Vienna, and Zurich.

Whether travelling for the holidays or to visit family and friends, customers can look forward to all of Emirates’ signature experiences. On ground, this includes complimentary Chauffeur Drive airport transfers for First and Business Class customers in nearly all cities served by Emirates. Onboard, customers in all cabins can expect freshly prepared meals inspired by the season and region, and an unmatched selection of the latest movies, TV shows, radio, live TV, podcasts and more on the 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment on Emirates ice.

Flight updates and travel advisories: To receive the latest flight updates, customers are encouraged to download the Emirates App or update their contact details by clicking on the ‘Manage My Booking’ tab on emirates.com. Customers should also check the latest travel requirements and advisories before their journey, and plan to arrive early at check-in, allowing extra time to clear airport formalities.

Dedicated lounges: Customers flying in First and Business Class, and qualifying Emirates Skywards members can take advantage of an early check-in to refresh and relax in Emirates’ dedicated Lounges at 21 airports outside of Dubai, including recently re-opened facilities in Bangkok. In Australia, Emirates Lounges in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are scheduled to be re-opened by the end of July. For the rest of its global network, Emirates has arrangements with lounge partners in 100 other airports. Paid lounge access is also available to customers travelling in other classes, for more information visit: https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/experience/our-lounges/

Dubai summer holidays and stopovers: Dubai is the place to be this season with The Dubai Summer Surprises, one of the city’s major shopping and entertainment events, running a packed line-up of events, family activities, and shopping promotions. The Emirates boarding pass doubles up as a discount card for the summer until 30 September 2022. Emirates’ customers can simply show their boarding pass and a valid form of identification to hundreds of retail, leisure and dining outlets to enjoy fantastic discounts throughout Dubai. Learn more about My Emirates Pass here: www.emirates.com/myemiratespass

About Emirates

Emirates’ 36 years in India have been defined by progressive investment, partnership and growth. In October 1985, Emirates launched flights from Dubai to Delhi and Mumbai which formed the base of its initial route network. Since then, Emirates has grown its India operations to serve a total of nine destinations across India – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram. For more information on Emirates’ current operations, network, travel support, guidance, customer and employee safety, visit www.emirates.com 

Ignitho Names Former Cognizant, Mindtree Exec As Chief Delivery Officer; To Grow Its India Presence In Chennai To 500

Ignitho Technologies, a US headquartered data science and digital engineering company, has named Ramesh Ramaswamy as its Chief Delivery Officer. Ramesh brings to Ignitho more than two decades of delivery leadership experience and was with Cognizant and Mindtree for close to a decade each, playing key leadership roles in delivery and account management. His core experience is in driving large-scale IT programs, setting up and growing businesses, and increasing operational efficiency. Ramesh will nurture Ignitho's client relationships as well as develop high-performance teams as the company gets ready to cross INR 100 Crore ($15 million) in revenue by 2023. Ramesh will also drive Ignitho’s India team expansion plans in Chennai to 500. Ignitho sees the expansion of its India operations as critical to sustaining its rapid growth and has also lined up plans to move to a larger development center in Chennai.

Welcoming Ramesh Ramaswamy to the leadership team, Joseph Olassa, CEO says, "Ignitho will hugely benefit from Ramesh's delivery expertise and industry experience, which enabled him to deliver successful digital engagements for an enviable list of clients over the years in the US and Europe. Ramesh will also collaborate with our CTO, Ashin Antony in building industry-leading expertise in data science, AI, automation, and product engineering at Ignitho." Scott Nugent, Chief Commercial Officer added, "As Ignitho continues to onboard Fortune 500 and Nasdaq listed companies as clients in North America and Europe, our customer-centric leadership and industry expertise will continue to be key differentiators, something Ramesh will augment. In addition, we are looking at Ramesh to further ramp up our India team in Chennai via the amazing tech talent pool available to us in the region, to fuel our growth plans.

Sharing his excitement at joining the leadership team, Ramesh Ramaswamy says, "Ignitho is today seen as a challenger vendor and a strategic partner in data science, AI, automation, and product engineering services. Ignitho's engagement model delivers tier-1 service quality with the agility, accessibility, and innovation-focus of a scale-up. Having proven the model, we have now lined up plans to disrupt the pure-play IT services industry using our AI-led Digital Engineering capabilities. As Ignitho continues to aggressively expand into the US and European markets, I'm looking forward to giving impetus to this momentum. In addition, I’m also looking forward to ramp-up our data science and digital engineering team at our India Development Center in Chennai."

Established and led by industry veterans from top-tier IT services companies like Cognizant and Mindtree, Ignitho has built an enviable track record of being a challenger vendor in data science and digital engineering services. Ignitho’s POD-based teams come with a product engineering mindset and discipline in agile delivery, enabling digital agility and business growth for its clients. In addition, Ignitho’s parent company, Nuivio Ventures Inc, brings together an ecosystem of innovative enterprises, early-stage investors, and passionate entrepreneurial professionals to build software platforms and products. In addition, the unique model of entrepreneurship via Nuivio Ventures provides like-minded professionals a platform to fuel their startup dreams.

About Ignitho & Nuivio: 

Ignitho, a Nuivio Ventures company, delivers Data Science and Digital Engineering solutions, taking Enterprises from ambition to success in the Data Led, Cloud Enabled, Digital Economy. Ignitho’s POD-based project teams come with a digital engineering mindset and discipline in agile delivery, enabling accelerated business growth for its clients. Ignitho’s engineering services are powered by its Innovation Labs, which leverages the Frugal Innovation methodology co-developed with Jaideep Prabhu, Professor at the University of Cambridge.

Headquartered in the USA, Ignitho services its customers through its primary offices in New York and London, with additional offices across North America, Europe, and Asia. Read more at www.ignitho.com & www.nuivio.com 

PNB Introduces Pre-Approved Personal Loan In 4 Clicks And single OTP Via Digital Channels

Punjab National Bank (PNB), nation’s leading public sector bank introduces  ‘Pre-Approved Personal Loan in 4 Clicks and Single OTP ’ on the mobile Banking App PNB One, that unifies multiple services of PNB on a single platform. Customers can now get  personal loans with just four clicks and a single one-time password (OTP). The end-to-end digital journey takes less than a minute with instant disbursal in the account

The 24*7*365 end-to-end digital service will offer customers a seamless and convenient experience i.e. customers no longer need to visit the branch as they can do it from the comfort of their home, office or  anywhere anytime.

‘Pre-Approved Personal Loan in 4 Clicks and Single OTP ’was launched by Shri Atul Kumar Goel, MD & CEO of PNB, at the Bank's head office in New Delhi, in the presence of Executive Directors -  Shri Sanjay Kumar, Shri Vijay Dube, and Shri Kalyan Kumar, CGMs, senior officials and other bank staff.

At the event, Shri Atul Kumar Goel, MD & CEO of PNB, said: “Having understood the opportunity due to the growing demand of digital loans due to busy schedules amongst the current generation, we are delighted to offer the Pre-Approved Personal Loans to our customers through our digital channels. In addition to providing access to instant credit, there is no hassle of documentation for loans up to Rs. 4 lakh. PNB hopes that this product will serve as an example of responsible digital lending for the banking industry and prove to be one of the best products in the retail sector.”

Eligible customers can avail the facility through the digital lending platform PNB Instaloans which can be accessed through Bank’s corporate website and the mobile banking app PNB One

PNB customer care center can be reached at 1800-180-2222 for further information. Currently, the bank is offering this service to salary account holders and pension accounts.

IIPC Celebrates World Chocolate Day With Live Demo And Love of Chocolates At Bangalore's Chocolat Building, Indiranagar

Each year July 7, is celebrated as the 'World Chocolate Day' Its the day when chocolate lovers around the world indulge in their favorite treat without any guilt. And in Bangalore, IIHM Institute of Pastry and Culinary (IIPC) located at Chocolat building in Indiranagar displayed  lot of love on World Chocolate Day with a special and very interesting Live Demo session, along with a wide spread of European favourite confectionery items.  So on the occasion, chocolate lovers present made sure to enjoy all kinds of goodies made from chocolate while also stayed mindful of the consequences of overindulging.

Pastry makers, aspiring pastry chefs and home bakers enjoyed a live session conducted by the distinguished pastry chefs - Chef Avjit Ghosh, Director IIPC, Chef Michelle Peris, Executive Pastry Chef and Chef  Riya Arora, Chief Instructor. Enthusiasts took  this opportunity to learn the tricks of making hand-rolled truffles, flavoured with Royal Chai Ganache and Saffron Crunch.

Chocolate lovers made this event a hit,  by being a part of this extraordinary experience at IIPC. A spread of exquisite goodies made from chocolate awaited the guests at IIPC.. Chocolate lovers thoroughly enjoyed and indulged, guilt-free, in their favourite confectionery items on this special day. Some of the items on the spread included :

· Dark Chocolate Cannelloni with Almond and Cocoa Nib Mousse

· Caramel and Chocolate Meringue Tart

· Flourless Chocolate Cake, with Praline and Coconut Crunch

· Milk Chocolate Profiterole, with Cocoa cream and Streusel

· Intense Brownie with Whipped ganache and Orange Jus

· Mini Glazed Berliners with Hazelnut and Chocolate Custard -rolled truffles,

Celebrating World Chocolate Day for the first time, Dr Suborno Bose, the Chairman and Chief Mentor of IIHM, said, “It is our pleasure to celebrate this special day dedicated to chocolate and chocolate-lovers. IIPC is providing a wonderful opportunity to people who love to bake and experiment with new items with this special live session at our campus. IIHM always tries to highlight the important days in the year and bring something new and exciting for everyone.”

Chef Avijit Ghosh, Director, IIPC said, “This is an amazing opportunity for us to showcase some exclusive chocolate recipes and items for our guests. World Chocolate Day is earmarked for chocolate lovers to enjoy their favourite chocolates-inspired confectioneries and we are trying to do just that.”

Candidates interested in learning the art of pastry-making have a wonderful opportunity ahead to become a certified professional pastry chef from the best culinary school in India. At IIPC, students can learn and enhance their skills from the world’s best chefs. Their skills will be recognised and they will find placements in the best organisations in the world. IIPC is recognised by the Craft Guild of Chefs, a leading professional body for chefs.

Hero MotoCorp Launches Hero Dirt Biking Challenge (HDBC) - A Pan-India Talent-Hunt Program

Building on its customer-focused approach and providing the ideal platform to the country’s youth, Hero MotoCorp - the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters -today announced Hero Dirt Biking Challenge (HDBC) - the first-of-its-kind pan-India talent-hunt program by an OEM (original equipment manufacturer).

The Hero Dirt Biking Challenge is aimed at providing the much-awaited platform for budding riders, enthusiasts and amateurs who want to pursue their passion in off-road racing and make a name for themselves in the field.

Making it truly pan-national by spanning across the nook and corner of the country, the HDBC will reach as many as 45 cities to find India’s top amateur off-road riders. The winner and two runners-up will receive the popular Hero Xpulse 200 4V motorcycle and sponsorships contracts from Hero MotoCorp worth Rs. 20 lakh. 

Further spreading its popularity among the youth, the HDBC will be telecast over MTV and streamed over Voot in the month of November 2022.

Announcing this here today, Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Growth Officer (CGO), Hero MotoCorp, said, “The Hero MotoSports Team Rally - the rally-racing team of Hero MotoCorp - has been India’s flag-bearer in international rally racing and we are now bringing that expertise to mentor the youth in India through HDBC. This will give a further boost to the off-road riding culture in the country. Thanks also to the Hero Xpulse 200 4V, the youth have now got an accessible option to pursue their passion in off-road riding. I am sure this first-of-its-kind initiative in the country will open doors for riding enthusiasts and provide India with its future champions. We wish all the participants the very best of luck.”

The participants of the HDBC will also get a Golden Opportunity to be trained by the Hero MotoSports Team Rally - one of the top international teams and the only Indian team ever to win a stage at the Dakar Rally. Hero MotoSports Team Rally riders Ross Branch, Joaquim Rodrigues, Sebastian Buhler and Franco Caimi will work with the top participants and provide them with invaluable coaching.

To register and for more details on Hero Dirt Biking Challenge, interested participants may log on to www.hdbc.in.

After screening of the online submissions, the first rounds will be held over multiple weekends in 45 cities and the shortlisted participants from this round will move to the regional rounds that will be held across 18 cities.

The top-100 selected riders will go to a five-day regional bootcamp, where they will get another golden opportunity – this time to be trained by none other than the ace Indian rider CS Santosh.

The bootcamp will conclude with a race and the top-20 participants will then move for the finals to be held at the world-class Center of Innovation of Technology (CIT), Hero MotoCorp’s state-of-the-art R&D center in Jaipur.

At CIT, the top riders will be trained and mentored by the Hero MotoSports Team Rally over five days before the final race to choose the eventual winner for the coveted prize.

Netflix India And Film Companion Spotlight The Next Generation of Filmmakers With ‘TakeTen’

The creative community, Film Companion and Netflix India have come together to support the next generation of India's storytellers. The ten finalists of 'TakeTen,' underwent an intensive week-long workshop facilitated by over twenty of India's finest creative leaders covering a wide variety of aspects in the filmmaking process. All 10 finalists will now create fully-funded short films that will be presented on Netflix India’s YouTube channel.

The ‘TakeTen’ workshop included sessions on editing, production design, screenplay development, music, cinematography, lighting, and laying the groundwork for short films.

Acclaimed professionals such as Reema Kagti, Tisca Chopra, Guneet Monga, Neeraj Ghaywan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Kabir Khan, Vishal Dadlani, and Shakun Batra mentored the budding filmmakers during their creative journey.

"It's always exciting to meet new filmmakers, because they carry infinite possibilities for all of us connected with films and music, within their dreams. These are the people who may well redefine how films are made, how the business is run and most crucially, 'what works'. I’m really looking forward to watching all their films and excited to see what we discussed has translated into the way they've worked with music", said Vishal Dadlani, who conducted a session on music and how to skillfully incorporate music that fits and adds value in short films.

Reema Kagti, whose session focused on translating thoughts into on-screen stories, said “It was great fun to speak to the ten finalists. I’m looking forward to seeing them create magic through their films!”

Tisca Chopra said, "Netflix and Film Companion have done a great job with selecting these young filmmakers. It was so gratifying to see them have such a mature take on cinema. I can’t wait to see the films they will make!" Her workshop on the power of short films highlighted the art form as a means to communicate more in less.

“I am so thrilled that ‘TakeTen’ finalists got to learn from the best in the business and so grateful to all the artists who made time to inspire a new generation of filmmaking voices!” said film critic, author and Film Companion editor, Anupama Chopra.

The finalists of ‘TakeTen’ are Barkha Naik & Suyash Kamat from Goa, Hitarth Rakesh Desai, Ria Nalavade & Sameeha Sabnis from Mumbai, Murali Krishnan from Thiruvananthapuram, Manasvini Boovarahan & Sandip Kishan Anbuselvan from Chennai, Rohan Shyam Chowdhury from Kolkata and Aditi Sharma from Noida.

Manasvini Boovarahan, one of the TakeTen Finalists, said “The workshop made the whole process of filmmaking seem so much less intimidating. It was a relief to know that the professionals also go through problems just like us.”

“Multiple speakers said do not be afraid to make mistakes as they can be magical, which has helped me to rearrange my own mental state with my team, which is going to help a lot,” said Sameeha Sabnis, who also learned about power of saying “I don’t know” while making a film.

Suyash Kamat, a TakeTen finalist said, “The whole week was about making connections between the ways different filmmakers approach the process. I have certainly gained a sense of clarity regarding my film and how to focus on it.”

About Netflix: Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 222 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

About Film Companion: Film Companion, founded by Anupama Chopra, is India’s leading entertainment journalism platform. The platform is a celebration of movies and storytelling. Film companion is pan-India and covers entertainment from across the country and abroad. It’s a platform committed to quality with balanced, well-researched journalism and its hallmark is credibility. Film Companion brings to you engaging and informative content on movies that includes reviews of films and web shows, interviews, film festival news, features and masterclasses.

Vestian, In Association With FICCI, Releases Report About ‘Shifting Trends In Indian Office Market’ And Understanding The New Cogs

* The report consists of market trends observed in the seven major cities of the country, encompassing Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Mumbai, and NCR

* Office absorption in the first half of 2022 recorded at 27.2 million sqft; equals the absorption witnessed during pre-pandemic period of H1 2019

* New office completions pegged at 26.9 million sqft in H1 2022, depicting a 32% YoY improvement

* The pandemic-impacted period spanning H1 2020 to H1 2022 saw total absorption of 103.56 million sqft and the completion of a new 98.8 million sqft

* Bengaluru leads the way in both absorption and new office space completions during the pandemic years, followed by Hyderabad

* Evolving market dynamics, taking into consideration factors such as infrastructure push, ESG compliance, proptech adoption and strengthening co-working and start-up ecosystem, that have increased bearing on the office market

Vestian, in association with FICCI, released a report today titled ‘Shifting Trends in the Indian Office Market: Understanding the New Cogs’. The report walks us through the office market trends during the COVID-19 outbreak and sheds light on the key insights that were perceptible in this period.

Mr Sanjay Dutt, Joint Chairman of FICCI Real Estate Committee and MD & CEO, Tata Realty & Infrastructure Ltd., said, “FICCI and Vestian have co-created this report on emerging trends that are being adopted in office spaces by companies across the country. We observe that India is leading to changing work cultures and environments. I am confident that the report’s findings would be useful not only for realtors but also for consumers, the government, research & academic institutes, and the industry. These ideas and deliberations would help us all go a long way in addressing the regulatory challenges and reflect on our way forward.”

Dr Shrinivas Rao, FRICS, CEO, Vestian, said, “This report aims to provide an insight into the various facets that emerged during the pandemic, most of which are still evolving constantly in tandem with the change in scenario. With the COVID-19 event impacting occupier expectations and consequently leading to a shift in market dynamics, it is imperative to understand the opportunities presented in the new environment. Newer cogs such as proptech, ESG implementation and policy changes have emerged on the real estate scene and harbour potential to take the sector to the next level of development.”

Gearing up for the future by understanding the new cogs in office market dynamics:

Push to infrastructure development has been one of the major catalysing factors to stimulate the market in the aftermath of the pandemic. Additionally, policy announcements such as granting infrastructure status to data centres and rebuilding of the SEZ norms would undoubtedly impact the office market.

In FY 2021, approximately 30 companies hired 3.6 lakhs freshers, out of which India’s top 5 tech companies such as TCS, Infosys, Cognizant, HCL Tech, and Tech Mahindra have hired 2.3 lakhs freshers. This alone would translate into the absorption of over 18.5 million sqft of office space in India.

With ESG coming into the picture, the emphasis on sustainability has driven up considerable investment in green buildings and clean energy infrastructure. Compared with conventional structures, buildings with stronger environmental credentials that depict ESG compliance generate higher rents, fetch higher sale prices, increase retention rates, and also demonstrate lower rates of obsolescence.

India’s co-working spaces, initially occupied by start-ups and freelancers are now seeing increasing preferences by larger corporations in Tier I as well as Tier II cities. Not surprisingly, the sector accounted for nearly 20% of the transacted space during H1 2022 as against 15% in 2021.

With the hybrid work model increasingly being seen as a preferred mode of working post the pandemic, companies must now contemplate a futuristic vision for the workplace, determine the areas of investment and retraction, and come up with a stable strategy on how to meet the changed requirements of the workforce. Thus, as we progress through 2022, we expect to see the office market gearing up to meet these imminent occupier requirements and move in the direction of an improved work environment in the near future.

GSMA Report Shows 5G Coverage Set To Accelerate Across Asia Pacific – But The Usage Gap Remains Significant

* Despite Mobile broadband coverage in 96% of the region, it has the largest regional usage gap worldwide

The GSMA has published its latest Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2022 report, which delivers a detailed picture of the region’s adoption of mobile internet. At present, mobile broadband networks cover around 96% of the population, a testament to operators’ investment in 3G, 4G and, increasingly, 5G infrastructure. However, just 44% of the population (1.23 billion users) are using mobile internet services.

The reasons for this discrepancy include lack of digital skills, affordability and online safety concerns. This year’s report outlines how countries are addressing this usage gap.

“Addressing the usage gap and extending the benefits of the internet to more people in society is critical,” said GSMA’s Head of Asia Pacific, Julian Gorman. “However, it will require a concerted effort by a broad range of stakeholders, working together with mobile operators and other ecosystem players such as device manufacturers and digital content creators, to drive adoption and overcome the barriers we see today.”

Mobile delivers economic and societal benefits

Mobile technologies and services continue to make a significant contribution to Asia Pacific’s economy, generating 5% of GDP in the region in 2021, which equates to around $770 billion of economic value. This ecosystem supported approximately 8.8 million jobs in 2021 and made a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with around $80 billion raised through taxation.

400 million 5G connections by 2025

5G adoption is set to accelerate across the Asia Pacific region as the technology’s footprint expands. Today, it is commercially available in 14 markets, with others, including India and Vietnam, going live in the coming months.

According to the report, by 2025, there will be more than 400 million 5G connections, equivalent to just over 14% of total mobile connections. Progress is more advanced in   countries like Australia, Japan and South Korea and in Singapore 5G is expected to account for 55% of the country’s connections by 2025.

Metaverse momentum in Asia Pacific

The report also explores the advent of the metaverse and highlights various 5G use cases and other related activities in the region.

Notably, government bodies in the region have started outlining plans to harness the potential of the platform to increase the efficiency and quality of public services. South Korea has plans to spend $186.7 million to create its metaverse ecosystem, and Thailand’s Tourism Authority leveraged the technology to boost tourism in the country. 

Policies for digital innovation

Policymakers and regulators can fuel growth and innovation by establishing a flexible forward-looking regulatory regime to support mobile network deployment and operations. The report provides insights on focus areas where regulatory reforms would yield maximum rewards for the region.

Mobile 360 Asia Pacific in Singapore                                                                          

APAC’s adoption of 5G will be centre stage at the GSMA’s Mobile 360 Asia Pacific conference on 2-3 August 2022 at the JW Marriott South Beach Hotel in Singapore. The two-day agenda will include thought-provoking keynotes and discussions on how a digital nation strategy is essential in the post-pandemic global economy.

For more information visit www.mobile360series.com/asia-pacific. You can also follow developments on Twitter @GSMA using the hashtag #Mobile360 or www.linkedin.com/showcase/gsma-mobile-360-series.

About GSMA

The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.

IDA Ireland - Inward Investment Agency of The Irish Government Announces Mid Year Results Until 2022

·      Investment approvals strongest ever in half-year period

·      First half of 2022 shows Investments up 9% on 2021 and 10% on 2019 pre-pandemic levels

·      Jobs approvals up 44% on 2021 figures and 33% above 2019 pre-pandemic levels

·      Despite significant global economic headwinds, FDI continues to prove resilient in Ireland

·      155 investments won up to the end of Q2 – 73 of them new name investments

·      Associated employment potential of over 18,000 jobs

IDA Ireland, the inward investment agency of the Irish Government, today reported significant investment growth in the first half of 2022, returning FDI employment creation plans to above the pre-pandemic 2019 record levels, despite a continuing challenging global environment.

155 investments were won, with associated employment potential of over 18,000 jobs. 73 were new name investments who went to regional locations. Several investments approved and announced in the first half of the year involve large job numbers and significant capital investments.

Speaking at the launch of IDA Ireland’s 2021 Annual Report, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar said, “These are incredible results. We had a record year last year for foreign direct investment and now, today, we see that we’ve exceeded that again in the first six months of the year with investment up 9% on last year. That’s around 18,000 new jobs. Given everything that’s happened over the last few years that really is remarkable. It’s showing no sign of slowing down.  We should never forget that the jobs and revenue created by multinationals helped to keep us out of recession when the pandemic hit and are now giving us the financial firepower to ease the cost of living crisis and avoid recession once again.

We’ve worked hard to create a welcoming environment for FDI in all parts of the country and the strong regional spread of jobs and investment in today’s results demonstrates government policy, with 73 of the 155 investments outside of Dublin. We want long-term sustainable jobs, work that pays better, in every county in the country. That is our objective and I’m glad to see that reflected in the results today.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO IDA Ireland said, “These are very strong half year results achieved against a backdrop of a global pandemic, Brexit, considerable geo-political uncertainty globally, inflationary pressures, supply chain challenges, climate change and energy issues and, since the start of the year, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It shows the endurance and strength of the FDI sector with 155 investments approved so far this year compared to 142 for the same period in 2021. The associated employment potential is up significantly, at over 18,000, compared to over 12,530 in H1 2021. Both investments and employment potential are now ahead of 2019 pre-pandemic levels. It’s proof that our strategy of continuing to concentrate on core sectors of focus, which have proven durability, is the correct one.  Winning investments for regional locations across Ireland is another key focus for IDA and once again, in the first half of 2022 we see it yielding very good results, with 73 of the 155 – that’s 47% of investments – approved for outside of Dublin.

Ireland’s existing base of foreign direct investment is a core national asset that we cannot take for granted. The benefit of FDI, as outlined in the IDA’s annual report 2021 launched today, shows the many contributions that FDI makes to the economy, including direct and indirect employment, 72% of export sales, 70% of corporation tax, and direct expenditure on pay, materials and services totalling €27.9bn.   

Investors’ commitment to Ireland remains strong. The country’s value proposition as a place in which to do business remains, as evidenced by these results, a compelling one. As we seek to lay the foundations for continued growth and transformation in the FDI base in the years ahead, our success will depend on progress towards enhancing the carrying capacity of the economy in the immediate and medium-term. The key areas requiring attention remain Planning, Housing, Energy, Water and wider infrastructure. Policies that support the continued availability of talent are also critical. Managing costs in the current inflationary environment and executing on planned capital projects will be challenging, but important for Ireland’s continued competitiveness.”

Tanaz Buhariwalla, India Director IDA Ireland said, "The mid-year results successfully showcase yet another milestone for IDA Ireland. Despite the current geopolitical turmoil and ongoing COVID-19 disruptions, the country has positively sustained its FDI performance with robust strategies.

In this journey, Indian companies have continued their commitment and support with their presence in Ireland. We are confident that Ireland will keep up its resilience and be consistent in sustaining and promoting a pro-business environment. We believe this successful trend will continue with more positive results in future.”

Wingsure Partners With AICIL To Provide Curated Insurance Products And Digital Management Services To Farmers Using Advanced Tech

 
Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited (AICIL), a nationalised insurance company under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has signed a three-year agreement with Wingsure, an insurtech company that leverages artificial intelligence and deep technology to protect farmers worldwide.

As part of the agreement, Wingsure will use its advanced technology capabilities to significantly strengthen the accessibility of insurance products and services to farmers in India; curate and promote AICIL's comprehensive portfolio of agriculture insurance products and enable its channels, including groups and partner brokers, to distribute on its mobile app.

Agriculture and the allied sectors are the largest sources of livelihood in India, with most rural households dependent primarily on agriculture and 86% percent of holdings being small and marginal. However, farmers are vulnerable to the impact of climate change and other livelihood risks and have sub-optimal access to risk awareness programs and modern resources. Launched to support economic empowerment with transparency and promote sustainability through modern agricultural practices, Wingsure's application leverages advanced computer vision, augmented reality, and voice capabilities to provide intelligence and facilitate the underwriting and insurance claims processes for small holder farmers. The partnership will have access to more than 40 million farmers in India and focus on transforming how farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change and other livelihood related risks. 

Malay Poddar, Chairman and Managing Director, AICIL, said, "We firmly believe that technology implementation is key to providing insurance and thereby protecting the underserved. Through our association, we will utilise the Wingsure technology platform to support our vision of how farmers can leverage insurance to mitigate risk."

Avi Basu, Founder, and CEO of Wingsure, said, "Wingsure's deep-tech platform revolutionizes how small holder farmers leverage insurance and financial products to protect their livelihood. It is designed to provide optimal access to risk awareness programs, climate smart practices & other modern resources as well as government backed schemes. The application uses AI and machine learning (ML) to rapidly process insurance underwriting and claims. We are excited to partner with AICIL in their vision to use technology for strengthening farmers' resilience in India."

About Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited

AICIL, controlled by the Government of India, has been implementing the crop insurance schemes of the Government of India since 2003-04. Currently, AICIL is implementing, inter alia, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Bangla Shasya Bima Scheme (BSBS), and Restructured Weather-based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) and many of it proprietary agriculture insurance products.

About Wingsure                                                                                    

Wingsure leverages artificial intelligence and deep technology to protect farmers worldwide. The company operates in developing nations, as well as advanced countries, focusing on growers who are locked out of traditional financial services. Wingsure is dedicated to providing farmers with competitive levels of technology and security to maintain the dignity and sustainability of individuals worldwide.

Nikon India Announces A New Experience Zone In Bengaluru

* Aims to fortify Nikon India’s leadership in the southern market

Nikon India, a 100% subsidiary of Nikon Corporation, leaders in imaging technology, inaugurated a new experience zone in Bengaluru –Foto Circle at Brigade Plaza, S.C Road. The zone was inaugurated by Mr. Sajjan Kumar, Managing Director, Nikon India, and Mr.Ohba Yoji General Manager Corporate Planning Imaging, Nikon India. With the launch of this 33rdexperience zonein South, Nikon aims to highlight its commitment and support to the photography community while making its unique product portfolio easily accessible to consumers. 

The new experiential zones in Bengaluru will enable reaching a vast network of photography enthusiasts, professionals, hobbyist, and artists to enable seamless access to the complete range of Nikon products, including the Mirrorless Series, DSLR cameras, COOLPIX range, lenses, accessories, and Sport Optics Range at a one-stop-shop. These zones will also host special technical support for all professional photographers.

“We are delighted to announce the launch of yet another flagship experience zone in  Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of Indiafor our valuable consumers. The new Nikon Experience Zone aims to promote the accessibility of our latest products for photography enthusiasts. Bangalore is a significant economic and cultural centre and India's fastest-growing metropolitan city. With today’s announcement, the consumers will now find an array of Nikon equipment that has changed the photography spectrum worldwide. Our goal is to amplify our brand presence PAN India bydelivering a delightful and immersive experience in the realm of photography”. said Mr.Sajjan Kumar, Managing Director, Nikon India

Southern Market in India is culturally progressive, which makes it a strategic location to connect with a diverse set of photography enthusiastsand artists. With Nikon Experience Zones, company aims to provide consumers across India with a distinctive "touch and feel" experience, aspires to connect with young millennials and empower them to pursue creative opportunities that embody innovation and imagination.

ABOUT NIKON INDIA

Nikon India distributes, markets, and services the complete range of Nikon imaging products, Nikon Sport Optics, and Nikon Biological range of Microscopes. The Nikon Imaging includes the Nikon Mirrorless Z series, Nikon D-SLR, the Nikon COOLPIX, and a range of NIKKOR lenses & accessories. Nikon India operations also include the sales, services, and application support for Nikon's Biological range of Microscopes and its accessories. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Nikon has branch offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Delhi. Nikon India has a total of five Nikon-owned Service Centers (4 Branches and 1 headquarters), 23 ASCs (authorized service centers), 14 Nikon Collection Centers, and over 1500 dealer bases for complete service & support for Nikon customers. Nikon has also set up 140 Experience zones pan India which showcases the entire range of Nikon Mirrorless series, D-SLR cameras, COOLPIX cameras, and an elaborate range of NIKKOR lenses, Nikon Sport Optics, and accessories.

NFTICALLY Partners With Mafatlal Industries To Launch Metaverse Gallery And NFT Store In The Fashion Category

* The curated collection will feature uniforms for schools, hospitals and corporate organisations

* The NFT virtual gallery will display 3D models to engage customers in an immersive experience of design offerings

* Six design offerings of school and hospital uniforms will be available as NFTs

NFTICALLY, a global Web3 E-Commerce platform, has partnered with Mafatlal Industries Limited (part of the Arvind Mafatlal Group) a leading manufacturer and supplier of textiles, garments and uniforms, for their first virtual gallery and NFT store on the metaverse platform, COMEARTH. The design collection features six distinct NFTs for school, hospital and corporate uniforms using 3D models for an enhanced immersive experience, making Mafatlal Industries the forerunner in the textile space.

The Mafatlal NFT collection is set up on COMEARTH, an e-commerce metaverse platform powered by NFTICALLY. With this collaboration, Mafatlal Industries, a household name with over 118 years of experience and legacy in the Indian textile industry, aims to gain the first-mover advantage in its category to enter the NFT ecosystem. 

NFT drops are technologically complex processes involving various challenges like Smart Contracts, Traffic Management, Security and Backend Streamlining. NFTICALLY’s global benchmarked technology ensures smoothening out of the process for collectors and creators selling their digital assets as NFTs. Presently, over 11,000 stores are powered by NFTICALLY, making it one of the largest and most preferred NFT marketplaces for creators and collectors. NFTICALLY recently launched its e-commerce metaverse platform, COMEARTH, which aims to build an ecosystem of various stakeholders to generate value through engagement or transactions.

Talking about the collaboration, Toshendra Sharma, Founder and CEO, NFTICALLY said, “NFTICALLY takes pride in itself on powering Mafatlal Industries for the NFT drop, a first for a reputed Indian textile brand. Enabling Mafatlal’s NFTs on the Web3 ecosystem will boost engagement between the brand and the young audience.”

Priyavrata Mafatlal, Vice Chairman of The Arvind Mafatlal Group said, “We are thrilled to have partnered with NFTICALLY. Having a century long legacy and experience, we believe in pushing our boundaries and being innovative and creative in every aspect of our business. With NFTICALLY’s COMEARTH, we hope to reach out to a larger set of audience.”

GE Healthcare Inaugurates Its First ‘5G Innovation Lab’ In India

* To accelerate access to quality care, by employing 5G-enabled healthcare solutions - Artificial Intelligence, Augmented & Virtual Reality and Advanced Visualization, to streamline image transfers, teleradiology

* Aimed at transforming remote care, and foster collaboration with academia, industry and startups to co-create future-ready solutions

GE Healthcare, a leading global medical technology, diagnostics, and digital solutions innovator, announced the launch of its 5G Innovation Lab in India, the first for GE Healthcare across the globe. With the advantage of massive bandwidth, high data speeds, low latency, and highly reliable connectivity, 5G has the potential to disrupt the patient care continuum, transforming diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. The 5G Innovation Lab is designed to position GE Healthcare at the forefront of these groundbreaking advances in patient care, including potentially bringing cutting-edge technology to rural and sub-urban regions.

Situated at the John F. Welch Technology Centre (JFWTC) Bengaluru, GE Healthcare’s largest R&D centre outside of the USA, the lab will serve as a testbed to develop future-ready products and solutions, turning a new corner in innovation. It houses state-of-the-art infrastructure, including a private 5G network for testing and development. It provides expertise as well as a platform for a collaborative ecosystem for academia, the healthcare industry, and startups, facilitating exploration and enabling validation and qualification of 5G-enabled Precision Healthcare use cases.

5G in Healthcare was valued at an estimated USD 215 million in 2021 and projected to reach USD 3,667 million by 2026.[1] This high-speed connectivity has the potential to advance Point-of-Care services by pushing the boundaries of tele-health, remote health monitoring/diagnosis, real-time remote image processing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). 5G could act as a key catalyst for transforming the patient experience by enabling rapid collection and transmission of large data files and real-time, high-definition video, which can support quicker analytical insights and streamline clinical decision-making. In the broadest sense, 5G could significantly accelerate improvements in the quality of medical care and reduce the burden of healthcare costs.[2]

“The healthcare industry, driven by value-based patient care, is at a turning point that will put a greater emphasis on connectivity and accessibility. As the world is transforming digitally, it’s important for us to ensure we don’t miss out on lifesaving, critical information. India is an important market for us globally and it is indeed the right time to venture into 5G, which will open a realm of exciting opportunities, driving the next wave of growth in Healthcare,” said Jan Makela, President & CEO, Imaging at GE Healthcare.

The GE Healthcare 5G Innovation Lab will serve as a conduit for the interplay of exponential technologies like AI/ML, IoT, Big Data, Edge Computing and Cybersecurity.

“At GE Healthcare, we are using our clinical expertise and know-how to deliver integrated, efficient, and highly personalized care and advance precision health. At our 5G Innovation Lab, our lead scientists and technologists will research and develop solutions for the most pressing healthcare issues, for India and the world. This lab will play a pivotal role in helping us build an ecosystem to explore 5G-enabled use cases and leapfrog into the next generation of MedTech,” added Girish Raghavan, Vice President, Engineering, GE Healthcare.

Researching the use cases of 5G connectivity is critical to exploring its potential to provide quality healthcare to rural and sub-urban regions in India and across the world. High-speed connectivity will help connect smaller clinics to larger specialty hospitals or radiology centers, which is especially important as care is becoming more distributed. GE Healthcare’s 5G Innovation Lab aims to explore and drive this accelerated trend, streamlining the continuum of care and supporting the patient journey.

5G-powered Augmented and Virtual Reality are also key to training physicians from doctors and nurses to interns, enabling them to visualize procedures in a more engaged, learning-by-doing manner. Better healthcare delivery depends on better diagnosis services made available and accessible worldwide at an early stage and the 5G Innovation Lab is designed to facilitate progress and, ultimately, improve lives.

About GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare is the $17.7 billion healthcare business of GE (NYSE: GE). As a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics and digital solutions innovator, GE Healthcare enables clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions through intelligent devices, data analytics, applications, and services, supported by its Edison intelligence platform. With over 100 years of healthcare industry experience and around 48,000 employees globally, the company operates at the centre of an ecosystem working toward precision health, digitizing healthcare, helping drive productivity and improve outcomes for patients, providers, health systems and researchers around the world.

Axis Bank Signs MOU With Indian Air Force Offering Defence Service Salary Package

Axis Bank, India’s third largest private sector bank, reinforced its commitment to the Defence sector by signing an MOU with the Indian Air Force, offering a defence service salary package with best-in-class benefits and features under its ‘Power Salute’ initiative.

The signing ceremony was held at Air Force Headquarters, with the I.A.F, represented by Air Vice Marshal Ashok Saini, VSM, ACAS (Accts & AV), in the presence of Air Chief Marshal, V R Chaudhari PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC and Axis Bank representatives - Mr. Reynold D’ Souza, Executive Vice President and Lt Col M.K Sharma, National Accounts Head. 

Through this exclusive Defence service salary package, the Bank will offer numerous benefits to all ranks of Indian Air Force personnel including the veterans, cadets/recruits -

·         Personal Accidental cover of up to Rs. 56 lakhs to all personnel including the veterans, cadets/recruits

·         Additional up to Rs. 8 lakhs for Children Education Grant

·         Total Permanent Disability Cover benefit up to Rs. 46 lakhs

·         Permanent Partial disability cover of up to Rs. 46 lakhs

·         Air Accident cover of Rs. 1 Crore

·         NIL Processing fee & 12 EMI waiver on Home loans

·         Additional zero balance accounts for 3 family members with no charges

·         Universal account number across India. All Axis Bank branches will serve us “Home branch’’

The MOU is a reflection of Axis Bank’s constant endeavour to serve the Defence Forces of India, and help them meet their financial requirements, aspirations and milestones.

About Axis Bank:  

Axis Bank is the third largest private sector bank in India. Axis Bank offers the entire spectrum of services to customer segments covering Large and Mid-Corporates, SME, Agriculture and Retail Businesses. With its 4,758 domestic branches (including extension counters) and 10,990 ATMs across the country as on 31st March 2022, the network of Axis Bank spreads across 2,702 cities and towns, enabling the Bank to reach out to a large cross-section of customers with an array of products and services. The Axis Group includes Axis Mutual Fund, Axis Securities Ltd., Axis Finance, Axis Trustee, Axis Capital, A.TReDS Ltd., Freecharge and Axis Bank Foundation.