International Admissions Consulting Firm Kanan. Co Forays Into The South Market

* Soon to tap into other major metros of India

* The company, which has its presence across 25 locations, is now set to bring its expertise in admission consulting and its network of 1000+ mentors and experts from across the globe to help students in the South to gain admission into premium institutes abroad

International admissions consulting and advisory firm Kanan. Co is making its foray into the South market, with its first branch in Bangalore.

A truly global higher education partner to students, recruiters, and educational institutions, with its presence in 25 locations is all set to bring its expertise in admission consulting and its network of 1000+ mentors and experts from across the globe to help south students gain admission economically into premium institutes in the USA, UK, and Canada, by expanding its educational services to Bangalore.

Commenting on the impact it intends to create in the South market, Founder and Managing Director Manish Shah said, “In the absence of right coaching and a consulting ecosystem for the students to study abroad, the entire Kanan. Co team is eager to embark on this new adventure with a highly motivated and trained career advisor and counsellor in Bangalore. With this fresh beginning, we will ensure that students in Southern India are helped and guided in an economical way to accomplish their dream of studying abroad more hassle-free and pave the way for great success.”

According to a report by a consulting firm, RedSeer, the number of Indians opting for higher education abroad grew from 440,000 in 2016 to 770,000 in 2019 and is set to grow further to roughly 1.8 million by 2024, resulting in increased overseas spending on higher education.

He further commented, "Kanan. Co claimed to have the highest success ratio in student visas for Canada, with more than 60,000 satisfied students placed in Canada, the USA, and the UK over the past 24 years. The emphasis will be on assisting Indian aspirants in navigating the admissions process and diversifying their application profiles.”

Additionally, they promise to assist students in achieving excellent scores to fulfill college and visa requirements. The examinations, practice exams, live lessons, and self-paced (video) courses for IELTS (academic & general), TOEFL, Duolingo, PTE, SAT, GRE, GMAT, and languages like (English, French, and German) will be available to students in Banglore and other Southern regions. 

The organization will also deliver "Kanan Prep," Kanan's test preparation portal offering online tutoring services to help prepare students for the tests mentioned above and fulfill their visa and dream college requirements. More than 1 Lac student from India and abroad have benefitted from the courses available on Kanan Prep.

Kanan. Co started operating its services in India from some well-known places of Gujrat in 2000, particularly in Surat, Vadodara, and Vallabh Vidyanagar, to help students make the right decisions at the right time and in the right way.

About Kanan International

A truly global higher education partner to learners and education institutions. It supports learners at every point in their global education journey with its reliable services, products, and solutions. 

Wonderchef Launches New Range Of 9 Coffee Machines Across India

* Introduces WondeRent to make coffee accessible to every home

Coffee is happening in India and the world’s favourite beverage has taken the country by storm. The arrival of international coffee houses in the country prepped customers’ taste buds, and they began to discern between their espressos and cappuccinos, between arabica and robusta beans. People now miss their coffee shot if they don’t get one during the day and when a guest comes home, the host now wants to serve coffee to give an elevated experience.

Wonderchef has been quick to spot this trend and as always, has taken the initiative of leading the change. The company has launched a full stack of 9 coffee machines, right from the French Press and Brew Machines to 5-Bar and 15-Bar Espresso Machines that give the same experience as a coffee bar. For those fond of coffee from pods or capsules that contain powder hermetically sealed at the origin, there is a machine that makes fine espresso from these pods at the touch of a button. A frother is at hand to magically convert your espresso shot into a cappuccino.

The pièce de resistance is the fully-automatic coffee machine that can make espresso, cappuccino, latte, macchiato or americano in a jiffy. The machine has an inbuilt grinder that uses coffee beans to make fresh powder for each cup thus ensuring your drink is always rich and aromatic. This machine is perfect even for small offices of the growing start-up ecosystem in the country that thrives on energy and intellect.

Mr. Ravi Saxena, founder and CEO of the company said, “We expect coffee to explode in India. A multitude of coffee beans and powder start-ups is an indicator of the growing trend but good coffee requires the right machine. Wonderchef provides the largest selection of machines for every style of coffee and to suit every budget, backed by our famed after-sales service. We are targeting revenue of INR 1 billion in two years from this category.”

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, founder and the face of the brand added, “Coffee is not only a reflection of a refined lifestyle but also has amazing health benefits including an increase in energy levels, weight management, enhanced athletic performance, and protection against chronic diseases. Our machines are designed to conveniently extract the best flavours from coffee in the comfort of home.”

Wonderchef also launched its new Wonderent Service today which enables early adopters to begin experiencing their coffee journey. This is an industry-first initiative, where a customer can rent premium Wonderchef products from the brand website. Mr. Amit Tilekar, CMO of Wonderchef said “WondeRent will give the brand a deeper penetration with the millennials who are the customers of tomorrow and believe in the philosophy of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. This service also enables the transient workforce to live in style without committing to consumer durables for the long term. We are indeed proud to be a pioneer in this pathbreaking idea with our partner Rentity.”

The selection of Wonderchef coffee machines is now available with prices ranging from the French Press at INR 1,399 to the fully-automatic machine at INR 84,999.

About Wonderchef Home Appliances Private Limited:

Established in 2009 by serial entrepreneur Mr. Ravi Saxena and Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Wonderchef is the leading brand of quality cookware and premium kitchen appliances that enable customers to cook healthy, tasty food with convenience. With over 600 products, Wonderchef reaches every corner of the country with its strong omnichannel distribution including over 70,000 women entrepreneurs, 25 exclusive brand outlets and is present in over 12,000 retail outlets. The brand has a growing footprint worldwide and is available in about 25 countries across 5 continents.

ICICI Lombard’s Health, Motor, MSME, Travel And Corporate Segments To See A Host Of Innovations In Consumer Experience

* The extensive line-up of insurance solutions and products prioritizes customer centricity and seamless experience

ICICI Lombard, the largest private non-life insurance company in the country, launched its latest line-up of new insurance solutions. The new offerings, announced at a Press Conference in Mumbai on Friday, including insurance products, riders/add-ons, and upgrades across Health, Motor, MSME, Travel and Corporate segments, will transform the way consumers experience insurance, providing them with a seamless journey and tech-enabled solutions.

The insurance industry is now seeing new types of risks emerging, be it pandemic, climate change or privacy and data protection. This calls for comprehensive coverage steered by the changing customer behaviour and some of it driven by the availability of new technological solutions. This was the core thought behind the new offerings. It is worth noting that this development aligns ICICI Lombard with the latest objectives of the IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority), thus, making it one of the first companies to adopt the new regulations.

Speaking about the consolidation of ICICI Lombard’s product portfolio, Sanjeev Mantri, Executive Director, ICICI Lombard, said, “We, at ICICI Lombard, have always been at the forefront of providing millions of customers with simple and cutting-edge risk solutions that are tailored to their specific needs. The slew of offerings that we announced is backed by innovation and designed to meet the futuristic needs of the customers. With technology as a backbone of our offerings and the core of our customer life cycle, these additions and upgrades to our product portfolio will be a significant step in establishing ICICI Lombard as a comprehensive insurance solutions provider across the lengths and breadths of the nation.”

ICICI Lombard offers a variety of tech-enabled solutions, one example being its IL TakeCare App, which allows users to purchase policies, handle claims, as well as renew them on the same platform, all of this while maintaining a seamless client experience. In addition to this, ICICI Lombard also has RIA (Responsive Intelligent Assistant), an NLP-enabled chatbot that will help upgrade the end-user experience. Customer support and assistance have always been a priority for the leading general insurance company: various digital initiatives such as Instaspect (a self-inspection feature in car insurance) and Whatsapp aide (for quick resolution of customer concerns) are a testimony to this fact.

Appended are the segment-wise details about the new offerings:

* Health

Golden Shield provides financial security for senior citizens against uncertain health-related risks. The plan provides customizable policies that cover exhaustive hospitalization expenses that are more relevant to the golden ager. The coverage includes expenses pertaining to room rent, ICU charges, medical practitioner fees, anaesthesia, blood, oxygen, operation theatre charges, medicines, surgical appliances, and more. It also includes medical expenses for day-care procedures/treatments requiring less than 24 hours of hospitalization, and for modern treatments including uterine artery embolization, stem cell therapy, balloon sinuplasty, oral chemotherapy, robotic surgeries, deep brain stimulations and more.

Health AdvantEdge, a flagship offering, includes international cover, enhancement of pre- and post-hospitalization, unlimited teleconsultation, air ambulance, and emergency assistance services. 

Complete Health Insurance & Health Booster: These products are included under health indemnity offerings. The refiled and newest avatar of these products includes many enhanced benefits along with zone-based pricing and higher sum-assured in both the products. These, along with ICICI Lombard’s existing offerings like CritiShield and Family Shield, shall help the company offer a very comprehensive spread of retail-health-products suiting varied segments of their customers.

BeFit: Introduced at the end of FY22, BeFit is an add-on offering/rider to indemnity health products, which enables 360-degree support for all health-related risks. What was initially launched in 20 locations has now broadened its reach to 50 locations.

* Motor

Motor Floater Insurance: Customers can enjoy the convenience of a single policy, a single renewal date, and a single premium for all their motor policies with a Motor Floater Policy. Customers opting for this product are provided with a lower premium for their multiple vehicles insured under this offering. Overall, it saves customers’ efforts of maintaining multiple motor insurance policies for each vehicle owned by them.

Telematics add-on: This add-on service converts the base motor product into an ‘Asset cum Usage’ based product wherein the premium charged for the insurance of the base motor vehicle would depend partially on the usage. Customers can opt for the below plans under this add-on:

o Pay-As-You-Use (PAYU) Plan: Customers are provided with the flexibility to choose from different ‘kilometre plans’ depending on usage. Hence, the premium for the policy is limited only to the extent the vehicle is used or estimated to be used by the customer.

o  Pay-How-You-Use (PHYU) Plan: Under this plan, the premium charged changes as per the driving behaviour score. A customer with good driving behaviour can avail of attractive discounts over the base premium of the policy.

Emergency Medical Expense (EME)/EMI add-ons: The EME add-on covers the occupants of the vehicle against medical expenses and daily hospital cash benefits in the event of an accident. If the vehicle is involved in an accident and the cost of repairs exceeds the threshold level, one instalment is due under the EMI add-on service.

* MSME

Under the Use & File guidelines, ICICI Lombard will be filing new insurance products dedicated to the MSMEs in the 0-5 crore and 5-50 crore segments. These upgraded offerings will replace the existing standardized products and will be flexible to increase or decrease the coverage based on requirements.

* Home Insurance

House Shield Package: Currently in the process to be filed, this offering for housing societies and apartment complexes will provide security against risks including fire, natural catastrophes, breakdown of electrical/electronic equipment, burglary, money in transit, and more.

Business Shield Advantage: With the success of the Business Shield Product, ICICI Lombard is launching the new package product – Business Shield Advantage – with property coverage on all risk basis and coverage of miscellaneous sections including money, public liability, etc. This product will easily cater to all the needs of corporate customers in the form of a single policy.

Club Royale Home Insurance Policy: Exclusively curated for the elite base, this product is tailor-made for the premium group, owners, directors and senior management customers to ensure complete protection pertaining to not just their residential units, but also their family, pet and appointed staff. This Product can be sold to homeowners with the feasibility of insuring multiple locations in a single policy. This is a comprehensive product with a wide array of add-ons that can be customized as per requirement. The objective is to get you back where you belong in case of any unforeseeable event.

* Travel Insurance

Voyager Group Travel Insurance: The new covers under this product, caters to the evolving needs of customers. In-demand covers included in this product, such as self-driven holiday, cruise etc., and reflects the changing lifestyle and preferences of travellers. Re-launched as a single solution for group and corporate coverage, this product covers both domestic and overseas travel. The new offering also includes extensions to the base cover in the medical segment (wellness and PA cover) as well as non-medical segment (baggage loss, trip cancellations, student cover, car rental cover, specialised adventure sports cover, sea to land evacuation for cruise trips etc.). 

ICICI Lombard as a company is driven by innovations and these aforementioned products are a strong justification for the same.

FIS To Launch A Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) Virtual Lab Across Nations Including India

Key facts

* FIS To Modernize Real-Time Payments Infrastructure And Central Bank Digital Currencies Across Countries

* FIS Launches New Central Infrastructure Payment Solution, RealNet™ Central For central banks of countries around the globe including India

With real-time payments increasing, many countries must either modernize outdated payments infrastructure or build entirely new real-time payments networks to move money faster. In response, FIS® (NYSE: FIS) has launched its new central infrastructure payment solution, RealNet™ Central, to help central banks transform their markets to digital-first, real-time payment economies.

Currently, 72 percent of world’s population has, or will soon have, access to instant payments, according to the 2022 Worldpay from FIS Global Payments Report. Many markets are also replacing or renovating their established real-time services, especially those that repurposed their corporate real-time gross settlement (RTGS) services to cater for instant payments, such as Brazil, United Kingdom, Japan, South Africa and Mexico. Similarly, India and the U.S. are introducing additional competing services that will sit alongside the established schemes.

As this shift occurs, RealNet™ Central will accelerate real-time payments adoption by connecting a country’s businesses, consumers, financial institutions and government entities to real-time networks, both domestically and internationally. FIS will also help central banks launch Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC). Through FIS’s CBDC Virtual Lab – created in collaboration with M10 Networks (M10) and its high-performance digital money platform – FIS will support countries’ efforts to integrate CBDCs into their economy.

The CBDC Virtual Lab allows central banks, commercial banks and other financial participants to experiment with – and pilot – core concepts of issuance, transfer, redemption, offline payments, programmable payments, retail, wholesale and cross-border payments. FIS’ CBDC Virtual Lab is enterprise-grade technology that supports over one million transactions per second at less than a second latency.

“The global economy has rapidly shifted toward digital-first mindsets and methods. While the idea of making payments in real-time may sound simple, the reality of delivering on that promise is enormously sophisticated, especially when doing so across borders,” said Aman Cheema, Head of Global Real-Time Payments and CBDCs at FIS. “Our latest offering sets out to change that, bringing consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments closer together in the payments ecosystem. The launch of this solution is the latest proof point of FIS’ commitment to invest in innovative technologies and solutions that advance how the world pays.”

FIS has been shortlisted as a finalist on the G20 TechSprint 2022 CBDC challenge to build a prototype using the FIS Virtual Lab to demonstrate secure, resilient and effective CBDC issuance, redemption and transfer, whilst maintaining financial stability and integration with the existing payments landscape.

About FIS

FIS is a leading provider of technology solutions for financial institutions and businesses of all sizes and across any industry globally. We enable the movement of commerce by unlocking the financial technology that powers the world’s economy. Our employees are dedicated to advancing the way the world pays, banks and invests through our trusted innovation, system performance and flexible architecture. We help our clients use technology in innovative ways to solve business-critical challenges and deliver superior experiences for their customers. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, FIS is a member of the Fortune 500® and the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index. To learn more, visit www.FISglobal.com. Follow FIS on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (@FISglobal).

Cummins India Limited Wins The Prestigious “Golden Peacock Occupational Health And Safety Award 2022”

Cummins India Limited is awarded the prestigious Golden Peacock Occupational Health and Safety Award 2022 in the engineering sector. Celebrating 60 years of remarkable presence in India, the company won the award for major achievements in the field of Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S), as well as the successful implementation of innovative Occupational Health and Safety programmes.  

Hon’ble Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah, National Chairman - Institute of Directors, Former Chief Justice of India, Former Chairman - National Human Rights Commission of India, Former Chairman - National Commission of Constitution of India Reforms, and Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General - Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Secretary - Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, presented the award to Shubhankar Chatterji, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Cummins India; Jenoy Joykutty, HSE Leader India/ APAC, Cummins Inc.; Rajat Kumar, HSE Leader, Cummins India; and Nitish Kulkarni, HSE Risk Support, Cummins India at the award ceremony held on August 25, 2022, in Bengaluru in the presence of esteemed business and industry leaders.  

Following his acceptance of the award, Shubhankar Chatterji, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Cummins India said, “Cummins India is honored to receive the acclaimed Golden Peacock Occupational Health and Safety Award. At Cummins, the shared responsibility for safety of our employees is derived from our core value of caring. We continuously endeavor to create an enhanced and holistic health and safety system which is not restricted to just physical safety, but also excellence in product and psychological safety. I am extremely proud of our team who has been steering the OH&S policy and annual safety plans to reduce health, safety and environmental risks and ensure the continual improvement of our Health, Safety and Environment performance. This award is also dedicated to all our employees, who play an integral role in creating a robust safety culture at Cummins through active consultation, participation, and feedback.” 

Rajat Kumar, HSE Leader, Cummins India also presented Cummins best practices during the event, underlining how HSE partners with leaders, employees, and key stakeholders across the organization to reduce risks continuously and proactively. Cummins India benchmarks world class HSEMS (Health, Safety and Environment Management System) practices through a dedicated HSE (Health Safety and Environment) department and all India manufacturing locations certified for ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 standards, an internationally recognized framework of criteria, to reduce health, safety, and environmental risks.  

Employees are the driving force and share equal responsibility to advance the Health, Safety, and Environment Culture at Cummins India. Health and safety committees have been established across Cummins plant locations to regularly monitor the health and safety of employees. Employees and trade unions are members of safety committees and are actively engaged in periodic site-level risk reduction through Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) Prevention and HSE Risk Assessment Tools. Several employee engagement initiatives such as Lead It, Live It and Find It, Fix It, have been instrumental in sustaining the HSE performance. In alignment with our Destination Zero strategy, Cummins HSE department also drives PLANET 2050 sustainability goals and 2030 targets by regularly organizing environment awareness initiatives across Cummins India plants.  

About Cummins Group in India: 

Cummins in India, a power leader, is a group of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute, and service engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, air handling, filtration, emission solutions, and electrical power generation systems. Its technology and pioneering initiatives are bringing innovative solutions and dependable services at the best possible value to users across the country. Its high-performance outlook is based on customer focus, integrity, and capability of its people. Part of the $19.8 billion Cummins Inc. USA. Cummins in India is a Group of seven legal entities across 200 locations in the country with a combined turnover of ?17,900 crores in 2021 and employing over 10,000 individuals. Learn more at cummins.com.  

Cybernetik To Set Up 5th Manufacturing Unit In Raigad, Maharashtra

* With 120 personnel, the new plant will augment production capacity by 15x

Industrial automation firm Cybernetik will set up a new manufacturing plant in Vile Bhagad MIDC, near the Goa-Mumbai highway. At a location spanning 20 acres, the new plant will cover an area of 80,000 square metres. With 120 personnel, it will increase the firm’s production capacity by 15x. This will be the Company’s fifth manufacturing unit, besides the four existing ones in Pune and Nadiad.

Set up in 1989, the Company undertakes the designing, building and installation of end-to-end, turnkey automation systems for the Food, Agro, Pharmaceutical, Chemical and other manufacturing industries.

Elaborating on the establishment of the new plant, Mahesh Wagle, Co-Founder & Director – Cybernetik, said, “As a growing company, we are expanding operations to several markets. Given its proximity to the new Bombay-Goa Highway, plus better connectivity to the airport and port, the new plant will help in catering to the US and other export markets. Increasing demand for quality products is one of the key factors driving the growing trend for integrating robotics to automate manufacturing processes. Around 15 years ago, Indian industries had less than 100 robots manufactured within the country. Currently, we have 5,000 to 6,000 robots being built every year. Moreover, manual processes involve a higher degree of risk for the labour force, prompting companies to install automated processes to ensure error-free, safe operations. Our vision to boost this trend was the major motive for setting up the new plant.”

Cybernetik is actively involved in the development of many systems and processes to automate food processing, automotive and other non-standard products, along with emerging technologies such as EV battery assembly. Accordingly, it has partnered with leading firms such as Hershey, Cipla, GSK, Tata Motors, TVS, Dr Reddy’s, Godrej, Hindustan Unilever, Pidilite, ITC and Himalaya, among many others. It has also worked with some of the world’s biggest robotic manufacturers, including ABB, Mitsubishi, et al.

About Cybernetik

Established in 1989, Cybernetik is an Indian industrial automation company that designs, builds and installs end-to-end, turnkey automation systems to serve the Food, Agro, Pharmaceutical, Chemical and other manufacturing industries. It operates through three verticals – Automation, Process and Extraction. Providing a single-source solution for all automation requirements, Cybernetik’s mission is to achieve excellence through technology with vision and hands-on experience. Headquartered in Pune, Cybernetik has two design offices, four manufacturing units and three international offices in the USA (Charleston), UAE (Dubai) and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh).

Ageas Federal Life Insurance Launches Its New “Assured Income Plan”

* The plan will offer guaranteed annual income to fulfill the monetary requirements of an individual and their family’s recurring lifetime needs while building a financial safety net. 

Ageas Federal Life Insurance, one of India’s most trusted private life insurance companies announced the launch of its new “Assured Income Plan” a non-linked, non- participating, savings plan for individuals. The product is designed to protect the family’s future to ensure that they lead their lives comfortably without any financial worries, even in the policy holder’s unfortunate absence. 

The plan offers guaranteed financial payouts that help to achieve dream goals at different stages of life, be it preparing for the child’s future, getting ready to start your aspirational business, or planning for a comfortable retirement.  

Catering to customers with different mind-sets and requirements, the plan offers the flexibility to choose from three plan options – Short Term Income, Long Term Income and Lifelong Income.  

The plan pays a survival benefit in the form of Guaranteed Regular Income (GRI) for a fixed period of 10 years in the case of the Short Term Income option, and for 25 or 30 years (depending on the premium payment term chosen) under the Long Term Income option. For the Lifelong Income option, the survival benefit in the form of GRI is paid till age 100 years of the life assured. 

For all three plan options, a lumpsum benefit called the Guaranteed Maturity Booster is paid out at the end of the income payout period. 

In case of the unfortunate death of the life assured during the policy term, the death benefit shall be payable immediately in lumpsum to the nominee. 

Speaking on the launch of the Assured Income Plan, Mr. Karthik Raman, CMO and Head-Products Ageas Federal Life Insurance said “In this current economic scenario, we see that individuals prefer guaranteed products with stable income that is not impacted by market volatilities and fluctuating interest rates. To cater to this demand, we have introduced our Assured Income plan which offers individuals an attractive combination of protection and guaranteed payouts to help them fulfil their goals and requirements at different stages of life.” 

“Considering that unfortunate circumstances can hit us at any time in life, our Assured Income plan provides life cover even during the income payout period. This is aimed at giving our customers and their families the confidence to sail through uncertain times fearlessly!” Raman added. 

For more information on Ageas Federal Life Insurance Assured Income Plan, click here : https://www.ageasfederal.com/insurance-plans/savings-plans/assured-income-plan  

FaMe TN And WRI India Sign MoU To Prepare MSMEs In Coimbatore’s Automotive Sector For EV Transition

In the Regional MSME Meet hosted at Tiruppur today, Facilitating MSMEs (FaMe TN; formerly, MSME Trade and Investment Promotion Bureau) chaired by state’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Secretary Mr Arun Roy (IAS), signed an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with environmental research organization World Resources Institute (WRI) India.

WRI India and FaMe TN will work together to support the low carbon transition of MSMEs in Coimbatore’s automotive sector and help them adopt Electric Vehicles (EVs), through research, capacity building and skilling. The MoU was signed in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr M.K Stalin, who also inaugurated other initiatives for the benefit of MSMEs.

As India’s automotive sector moves towards EVs, it is likely to create risks and opportunities for the Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle (ICEV) MSMEs and their workers. However, they need to be prepared with the right knowledge and capacities, to adapt to the transition and tap into new opportunities.

Coimbatore being an important ICEV cluster and an emerging EV cluster in the state, as well as a major employer in the automobile industry, has been selected to become a pioneering example of a green automotive cluster where an equitable and just EV transition will be prioritized.

This initiative will support MSMEs through research on risks and mapping the sectoral transition, building capacities on decarbonizing their operations, accessing climate finance and skilling for the MSMEs and their workers for the emerging sector.

As the EV transition gathers further momentum, MSMEs in other key ICEV clusters across various states, are likely to face similar impacts and would require such interventions. Learnings from the Coimbatore cluster would help inform how capacities of the MSMEs can be systematically mapped and the kind of technical and network support required by them to undergo the necessary shifts smoothly and in an equitable manner.

Ms. Ulka Kelkar, Director, Climate Program, WRI India, said, “The low carbon transition can create challenges but also opportunities for the automotive and textile sector MSMEs. It is important understand what this transition would mean for profitability of small businesses and jobs for workers and ensure MSMEs have a robust ecosystem, and have access to technology, finance, skilling and policy support.”

WRI India will engage with FaMe TN and other key stakeholders, such as MSME associations, manufacturers, large businesses and academic institutions, to undertake transition and risk mapping, skill gap assessment, and support the development of skilling modules, to ensure a smooth and just transition for the MSMEs in Tamil Nadu.”

Ms. Sigy Thomas, Managing Director, FaMe TN stated that FaMe TN is being launched with a focus on specific pillars to support MSMEs. “One of these pillars is to support MSMEs realign with changing market needs and adopt new technologies. This program with WRI will help our MSMEs in the automobile and textiles sectors be prepared to face challenges that are likely to come their way with a transition to EVs and the move to more climate-friendly supply chains in the textile sector,” she said.

Dr. OP Agarwal, CEO, WRI India added, “Coimbatore’s automotive industry is a major business hub and an employment generator not just in Tamil Nadu but in India as well. Systematic training, skilling and capacity building will make the sector’s low-carbon transition efficient and economically beneficial for the people. By doing so, Tamil Nadu can support India achieve its climate goals and set an example for other states to follow.”

About World Resources Institute India

WRII is a research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. Know more: Wri-india.org

About FaMe TN

Facilitating MSMEs (FaMe TN) (formerly, MSME Trade and Investment Promotion Bureau) was established in September 2019 with the intent to promote trade, investments, and exports in the MSME (Micro Small and Medium Enterprise) sector in Tamil Nadu. The organization supports MSMEs in various aspects related to their business, including discovering new market opportunities for products of MSMEs in the overseas market, facilitating Government clearance processes, providing new and innovative solutions for bottlenecks in technology, finance and management. Headquartered in SIDCO Corporate Office Building at Guindy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the bureau is headed by the Secretary to the Government, MSME Department (Micro Small and Medium Enterprises) as its chairman.

Godrej Security Solutions Study Reveal That 31% Bengaluru Respondents Associate Home Security To Being ‘Safe & Sound’

~Boosts investment in technology and innovation to bridge the gap between awareness and adoption of home security solutions~

What does ‘Safe & Sound’ mean? Since the pandemic, there has been a massive shift in India’s security habits. Even though the crime rates continue to rise, Indians prioritize health and physical security over home security. Given the increasing gap between the awareness and adoption of home security, Godrej Security Solutions, a business of Godrej & Boyce, the flagship Company of the Godrej Group, has conducted a study called ‘Decoding Safe and Sound: in the Indian Context’. The study reveals that ‘Safe and Sound’ to Indians are based on three key contexts: Health wellbeing, property security and technology safety. 55 % of Bengaluru respondents associate ‘Safe and Sound’ to the wellbeing of their own health and to that of their loved ones.

With the pandemic easing out and people moving out of their homes, it was shocking to know that only 31 % of the Bengaluru respondents associated Safe and Sound to their property and possessions. The focus on health wellbeing was re-emphasized when 30 % of Bengaluru respondents said that they were most likely to opt for contactless options even while looking at home security solutions. Godrej Security Solutions has in the past two years introduced a range of contactless security solutions. The category has seen a 20% Y-o-Y growth in sales. The study also revealed that men were more disposed to opting for contactless solutions than women.

It must be noted that when a similar study was conducted by the brand in 2021, more than 80% of respondents were concerned about the health and wellbeing of their family members while travelling as against the security of their homes from theft or robbery. In this year’s report, the response is far more balanced. This is believed to be the result of the pandemic easing out.

Mr Pushkar Gokhale, Business Head at Godrej Security Solutions said, “With rising crime rates it’s important to focus on physical as well as network home security. With emergence of technology, there are an abundance of home security solutions in the market. However, what we have gathered from the study is that while there are solutions, there is a huge gap in the awareness and adoption of these technological solutions. The main objective behind this survey was to bring forth to people the need for security, make them aware of the solutions that are there in the market and how home security solutions can lead to a safer, more convenient, and flexible routine.

In spite of the global attention to data privacy, only 0.13 % of Bengaluru respondents associated Safe and Sound to data security. Last year, Godrej Security Solutions disrupted the home security market by launching India’s most secure range of home cameras that transfer data over secure cloud servers based in India as contrary to most other home CCTV options that store data in severs located outside the country. The brand saw a 40% uptick in CCTV sales in the past one year.

Godrej Security Solutions commissioned this survey across 7 cities in India. A key insight that emerged from the study was that there is a strong need for phygital solutions. The leading security brand will be aligning their product development and communications basis the study.  The brand has increased its investment on technology and innovation by 50% over last year with a strong focus on adopting global technology to bring disruptive security solutions to the Indian consumer.

About Godrej Security Solutions:

Godrej Security Solutions is a division of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd and part of the USD 4.1 billion Godrej Group. A pioneer and leader in the business, Godrej Security Solutions Division is the largest manufacturer and marketer of Security Solutions in India. It is the largest supplier of security solutions to several prestigious banking, corporate and public institutions. For the first time in the category and the industry, Godrej Security Solutions Division has been awarded the Superbrand status. It has also won the “Most Preferred brand” award in the Home Segment. The Division currently exports its products to over 45 countries including Middle East Asia, South East Asia, Far East Asia, East Africa, the US, Europe and the SAARC Countries.

Champions Of A Better Tomorrow – Five Pioneer Social Innovators Are Finalists Of Social Entrepreneur Of The Year Award India 2022

The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and Jubilant Bhartia Foundation announced the finalists of the 13th Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2022 today.

The following highly accomplished individuals with their transformational social ventures have been selected as the finalists:

1.        Osama Manzar

Digital Empowerment Foundation, www.defindia.org

2.        Ajaita Shah

Frontier Markets, www.frontiermkts.com

3.        Aniket Doegar

Haqdarshak, www.haqdarshak.com

4.        Wilma Rodrigues

Saahas Zero Waste & NGO Saahas, www.saahaszerowaste.com, www.saahas.org

5.        Meera Shenoy

Youth4Jobs, www.youth4jobs.org

The winner of the ‘13th Social Entrepreneur of the Year’ (SEOY) Award - India 2022 will be announced in an event on Thursday, 15 September 2022. The award ceremony will be attended by dignitaries from various fields, across the globe to celebrate and appreciate the extraordinary contribution of these passionate individuals.

The SEOY award aims to honour and recognise accomplished social change leaders across a diversity of large-scale, system change and social innovation models in society. These change leaders are key enablers of an inclusive, sustainable and equitable world.

The winner of the SEOY Award - India will join the world’s largest and the first inter-sectoral community of social innovators in the world affiliated with the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. The Winner and Finalists of SEOY India will also get an opportunity to apply for the Hindustan Times Fellowship for the Stanford Seed Transformation programme. 

This year’s finalists of the SEOY Award India, are inspiring, visionary individuals who met various stringent criteria of evaluation for their selection. The chosen finalists are technology-enabled experts working for the underserved in fields of digital literacy and empowerment (financial inclusion), financial technology, agricultural technology, e-commerce, rural

technology, social protection, livelihood, waste management, education and skilling and advocacy for people with disability.

Using creativity and innovation in their respective initiatives, these social entrepreneurs are delivering impact through the use of technology, market-linked skilling, large-scale advocacy, innovative expansion of the market, data analysis etc.

The SEOY award – India 2022 opened for applications in February 2022 and received over 100 submissions, out of which over 60% are women. The diverse categories of the interventions included healthcare services, clean technology, media communication, disability, energy, enterprise development, labour conditions, microfinance, nutrition, sustainable farming, and water and sanitation.

Over the last decade the SEOY Award – India, has established itself as one of the most reputable awards for social entrepreneurs. This year the award celebrates its 13th year. In 2010, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and Jubilant Bhartia Foundation came together to promote social innovation in India through the Social Entrepreneur of the Year (SEOY) Award – India and has since recognised and supported the growing field of social innovation in India.

Meet the Finalists:

Osama Manzar

DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION; www.defindia.org

Year Established: 2002

Sector: Digital (Access & Infrastructure, Education & Empowerment, Governance & Citizen services, Markets & Social enterprises, Research and Advocacy, Knowledge Hub & Networking)

Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) is a non-profit organisation working towards empowering citizens through digital literacy and digital tools to gain access to better healthcare, education, skills and livelihood opportunities. DEF focusses on making technology easily accessible to the masses, so as to empower women, youth, persons with disabilities, artisans and the elderly through providing functional digital literacy, media literacy and digital up-skilling across agriculture, micro and nano-businesses, health, education, livelihood and entrepreneurship. Over the last 20 years, DEF has directly impacted over 30 million people, through its 1,500 strong Community Information Resource Centers. These centers are supported by a widespread network of 10,000 digital foot soldiers located across 24 states and 135 districts in rural, tribal, marginalised and unreached areas

Ajaita Shah, FRONTIER MARKETS; www.frontiermkts.com

Year Established: 2011

Sector: FinTech/AgriTech/E-commerce/Rural-Tech

Frontier Markets through its unique rural distribution platform, is driving access to the products and services that the rural population wants to be delivered at their doorstep. These products and services are high quality, climate friendly, gender-inclusive and also include clean energy-services. It is doing so by investing in rural women, making them entrepreneurs and building a strong network, which acts as a bridge to rural communities. The delivery is enabled via its e-commerce platform specially designed to cater to the rural population that remains unreached by mainstream e-commerce platforms and hence inevitably being denied an opportunity to change, evolve and grow. Frontier Markets has enabled over 20,000 women rural entrepreneurs to help over 500,000 families in over 3000 villages adopt over 10 million solutions. 

Aniket Doegar, HAQDARSHAK; www.haqdarshak.com

Year Established: 2006

Sector: Social protection, financial inclusion, livelihood

Haqdarshak is solving the information and access gap between citizens and the government’s welfare schemes at the last mile, through its tech-enabled intervention. It digitises information on government schemes in a simple form in 11 vernacular languages and makes it available to intended beneficiaries including MSMEs through various B2C channels and an agent-led model. It also has an easy eligibility-discovery engine that identifies eligible schemes based on the profile information provided. Haqdarshak also enables an extensive agent network to deliver last-mile support in accessing these schemes and trains these select field agents for on-field implementation. Present in 24 states in India it has trained over 22,800 agents so far and provided benefits worth Rs 4,000 crore for over 20 lakh families and 35,000 micro businesses.

Wilma Rodrigues, SAAHAS ZERO WASTE & SAAHAS NGO, www.saahaszerowaste.com, www.saahas.org

Year Established: 2013 & 2001

Sector: Waste management

Saahas Zero Waste (SZW) is a socio-environmental enterprise that provides decentralised end-to-end waste management services. With the belief that waste is a resource and through its holistic solutions, SZW strives to ensure that more than 95% of waste is converted to resources, thus addressing the issue of open dumping, burning, landfilling and contamination of air, water and soil. SZW was also one of the first movers in India in formalising the waste management industry. It branched out of Saahas NGO in 2013 and currently both organisations are independent entities working towards holistic solid waste management. Together, they have over 20 years of experience, work with over 100 clients across 22 states and 2 union territories, managing an average of 100 tonnes of waste per day.

Meera Shenoy, YOUTH4JOBS, www.youth4jobs.org

Year Established: 2012

Sector: Livelihoods & Education for persons with disabilities

Youth4Jobs Foundation (Y4J) works for grass-root transformation of lives of persons with disability by skilling and linking them to sustainable livelihoods.  Youth have locomotor, speech, hearing and visual impairment.  Some have cerebral palsy, autism spectrum, downs syndrome, and multiple disabilities. Y4J  works with 1100 companies to ensure the hired youth is productive and it benefits business. Today, it is  a ‘System-Changer’ with a pan-India presence, scale and high impact, changing attitudes and lives. Youth4Jobs has trained over  31,647  youth with disabilities with job linkages.  22% trainees are from  SC , ST category and 30% are women. Y4J has reached 9.3 million households in 28 states, 8 Union Territories, 12,026 villages, 579 districts and 3,452 mandals.  It is setting up ‘SwarajAbility’, an AI-triggered accessible job platform for youth with disabilities.

CII Is Organizing Innoverge 2022 - Engineering Imagination - Its 18th Innovation Summit In Bengaluru From Aug 25-27, 2022

The 18th edition of CII’s Flagship India Innovation Summit reimagined as ‘Innoverge’ with the theme ‘Engineering Imagination’ commenced today in Bengaluru. The summit aims to create a stage for industry captains, academia technocrats, young innovators and policy makers to participate and deliberate on the nuances of innovation.

The three-day summit will inspire collaborations and ideation by bringing a cross section of stakeholders to engage, share, understand and learn about the futuristic and imaginative world of high-end innovations.

CII Innoverge 2022 is an enhanced version of the earlier editions and includes showcasing of innovations through the Innoverge 2022 exhibition, which provides attendees the opportunity to experience the demos of leading innovations across various sectors.

The Chief Guest for CII Innoverge 2022 Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Hon’ble Minister of Electronics, ITBT & S&T, Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Government of Karnataka cited “We are working very closely with the industry and the industry is always part of the government. We need to expand our economy. We want to make it inclusive and equitable and the government needs to understand the language of innovation in a better way. We have come up with Engineering and R&D policy. Since I am working in convergence with many ministries, I can connect higher education with the industries and bring them closer to each other. Innovation is the way forward and it should become a culture in our society.”

Further he also highlighted Karnataka being the top rank in NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index, 2022, which determines innovation capacities and ecosystems at the sub-national level. The State has held this position, under the Major States category, in all three editions of the Index so far.

Mr Kris Gopalakrishnan, Past President, CII & Co-Founder, Infosys & Chairman, Axilor Ventures said, “the Summit will present Innovation-led growth strategies that have catalyzed the evolution of Indian Industry, making Indian companies emerge as global leaders in creating the momentum to drive the digital era. India’s innovation landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past few years. The adoption of new innovative technologies has helped India become the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world.”

Further he also mentioned, India’s performance has been consistently improving in fostering innovation, as attested by the ranking in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021, where India moved up two positions since 2020. The recent India launch of Global Innovation Index 2021, India ranked 46th in the innovation index amongst 132 economies. India also secured the first rank in central and southern Asia.

Mr Kamal Bali, Deputy Chairman, CII SR & President & MD Volvo Group India said, “An Innovation mindset together with emerging technology is the key to maximizing business outcomes. India already plays a significantly defining role in the global R&D arena, and with our growing innovation ecosystem, we are poised to emerge as the most sought-after destination for scientific research.”

We have legions of Indian engineers who are working in various countries exemplifying the well-trained manpower available at competitive costs. As a result, many MNCs have shifted their R&D base to India. The vast human capital puts India at a vantage point, while making us dependent on our own ability to ideate, create, network and collaborate with other nations to deliver better results.

Mr Arvind Kumar, Director General, Software Technology Parks of India said “Startups are the key in the innovation ecosystem. India has potential to become a data centre hub for the Asia-Pacific region and we are located strategically where we will provide an enabling environment. STPI had already established about 20 Centres for Entrepreneurship to promote research and development in specific domains. Located in different cities, these centres helped the local experts to work on products in technologies like IoT and Blockchain”

Mr Arjun M Ranga, Chairman, CII Karnataka & Director, NR Group and MD, Cycle Pure Agarbathi, elaborating on the summit said, “Karnataka is on the right path with a strong regulatory framework, skilled personnel, and capital to support an environment of entrepreneurship and innovation-driven startup ecosystem. Improved digital connectivity across the country, along with government initiatives such as ‘Digital Saksharta Abhiyan’ to encourage digital literacy, has further promoted the growth of technology start-ups.”

The 3-day event will host thought leadership addressing 15 power pack sessions on the Global Innovation Landscape, Advanced Manufacturing, and the Future of industry sectors such as mobility, healthcare, sustainability and education. A masterclass on AI etc, besides showcasing innovation in different industries as a part of the agenda. The session format will be a mix of keynotes, case studies and panel discussions with strong academic engagement. The summit will be addressed by CEOs, industry experts and distinguished academia.

The summit will harness innovation for organizational growth on a one-of-a-kind platform and the attendees can learn from experts about the best ways to invest in innovation and learn how businesses are adopting high-end technology to maximize business outcomes. The summit's program will also include a conference, exhibition, master class, fireside discussion, and other activities between the private sector, academia, and policymakers.

More details on Innovation Summit at given website link www.innovationsummit.co.in ;

Follow updates on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC4xVjqNHGTrahfAHtsz7Mw;https://mobile.twitter.com/ciisummit1; https://www.linkedin.com/company/indiainnovationsummit/

About CII

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the development of India, partnering Industry, Government and civil society, through advisory and consultative processes.

CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed organization, with over 9000 members from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 300,000 enterprises from 294 national and regional sectoral industry bodies.

For more than 125 years, CII has been engaged in shaping India’s development journey and works proactively on transforming Indian Industry’s engagement in national development. CII charts change by working closely with Government on policy issues, interfacing with thought leaders, and enhancing efficiency, competitiveness and business opportunities for industry through a range of specialized services and strategic global linkages. It also provides a platform for consensus-building and networking on key issues.

Extending its agenda beyond business, CII assists industry to identify and execute corporate citizenship programmes. Partnerships with civil society organizations carry forward corporate initiatives for integrated and inclusive development across diverse domains including affirmative action, livelihoods, diversity management, skill development, empowerment of women, and sustainable development, to name a few.

As India marches towards its 75th year of Independence in 2022, CII, with the Theme for 2021-22 as Building India for a New World: Competitiveness, Growth, Sustainability, Technology, rededicates itself to meeting the aspirations of citizens for a morally, economically and technologically advanced country in partnership with the Government, Industry and all stakeholders.

With 62 offices, including 10 Centres of Excellence, in India, and 8 overseas offices in Australia, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Singapore, UAE, UK, and USA, as well as institutional partnerships with 394 counterpart organizations in 133 countries, CII serves as a reference point for Indian industry and the international business community.

Photo caption: Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Hon’ble Minister of Electronics, ITBT & S&T, Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Government of Karnataka at the Inauguration of CII Innoverge 2022, Innovation Summit. Also seen are Mr Kris Gopalakrishnan, Past President, CII & Co-Founder, Infosys & Chairman, Axilor Ventures, Mr Kamal Bali, Deputy Chairman, CII SR & President & MD Volvo Group, Mr Arvind Kumar, Director General, Software Technology Parks of India, Mr Arjun M Ranga, Chairman, CII Karnataka & Director, NR Group and MD, Cycle Pure Agarbathi. 

Indian SaaS Startup Kapture CRM Expands Its Business In Indonesia

* Kapture aims to help Indonesian companies to deliver what their people deserve and seek, that is “a delightful customer service experience”.

Strengthening its global presence, Kapture CRM is all set to expand its foothold in Indonesia. The leading enterprise-grade, SaaS-based service automation platform is gaining a lot of interest from the region, and to cater to the demand, it has set up its office in Jakarta. Kapture offers to assist organizations in better understanding their customers, capitalizing on digital/technology investments and analytics, and seizing the chance to engage customers in a highly personalized way that can lead to higher customer conversion and retention.

To efficiently match the needs of global markets and form stronger ties, Kapture has already mastered the art of balancing cultural alignment with operational logistics to scale internationally. With this development, the company aims to make Indonesia a 5 million recurring revenue and create a significant presence in the entire EMEA market in the upcoming years.

Elaborating on this, Sheshgiri Kamath, CEO, and Co-Founder, Kapture CRM said,” There is a lot of similarity between India and Indonesia in terms of demographics, the kind of companies, and the gap in customer service. Indonesia is very open to better technology, digital transformation is picking up rapidly, and entrepreneurship is at its peak. Our research over the past year tells us that customers are looking for better customer service and companies want to provide personalized customer service but this is not turning into a reality, and we are trying to bridge that gap with Kapture. We want to be a testament to providing superior customer service that does not have to be complex, either technologically or financially."

As a part of its Indonesia plans, Kapture has appointed Sai Jayachandra as the country manager. The company has onboarded Budi Mulia as its Head of Business Development who has rich experience in leading sales teams, customer success teams, and implementation teams across multiple software products. Kapture CRM will provide its solutions across sectors like retail, e-commerce, consumer durables, healthcare, medical devices, travel and hospitality, real estate, FMCG, banking, and financial services.

The company is successfully helping 1000+ brands in 16 countries to make customer service more intelligent and contextual. Kapture has also established its presence in Singapore and has been acknowledged recently in the Middle East region.

Motherson And Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia To Work Together To Evaluate Opportunities For Industrial Development In Saudi Arabia

Samvardhana Motherson International Limited (SAMIL) [Formerly Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd.] and Ministry of Investment, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MISA), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") which aims to identify investment development opportunities for industrial and service activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

The MoU encourages joint cooperation by SAMIL and MISA in the development of automotive parts industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Both partners will also explore the investment opportunities in other industrial sectors as well.

Ministry of Investment, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MISA) is responsible for the investment affairs in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Under the scope of this MoU, MISA will provide necessary support to Motherson to identify potential areas of investments in the KSA.

Commenting on this partnership, Mr. Fahad Alnaeem, Deputy Minister for Investment Development, MISA, said, “This MoU attributes to complement the efforts made in the development of the auto industry in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We shall continue exploring collaboration opportunities with Motherson in different sectors.”

Commenting on this partnership, Mr Vivek Chaand Sehgal, Chairman, Motherson, said, “Motherson believes in creating its own path. We feel honoured and delighted to be partnering with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Together with Ministry of Investment, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MISA), we are looking forward to creating the industrial ecosystem for automotive and other industries in the KSA. We thank MISA for their encouragement and support to industries in the region and their trust in the abilities of Motherson.”

Ministry of Investment, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

“The Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA), formed in February 2020, has been working closely with investors and all key stakeholders with the objective of substantially enhancing the investment ecosystem in Saudi Arabia to drive economic growth in line with Vision 2030, with a focus on productive and competitive sectors, and a stronger role for the private sector.”

Samvardhana Motherson International Limited (SAMIL) [Formerly Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd.]

Samvardhana Motherson International Limited (SAMIL) is one of the world’s leading specialised automotive component manufacturing companies for OEMs. The company, formerly known as Motherson Sumi Systems Limited was established in 1986 as a joint venture with Sumitomo Wiring Systems and was listed in 1993 on BSE and NSE in India. SAMIL is a focused, dynamic, and progressive company providing customers with innovative and value-added products, services, and solutions. With a diverse global customer base of nearly all leading automobile manufacturers globally, the company has a presence in 41 countries across five continents. SAMIL is among the top 25 automotive component suppliers globally. 

Mahindra Logistics Establishes Strong Presence In Grocery Vertical

~ Launches its eleventh fulfilment centre in the country ~

~ Enables quick commerce for its customers ~

~ Partners with leading e-commerce players ~

Mahindra Logistics Ltd. (MLL), one of India’s large 3PL solutions providers, which forayed into end-to-end services for its B2C grocery business last year, has been able to establish a very strong presence in the country. The company today announced the launch of its latest fulfilment centre, its eleventh in the country and third in the city of Hyderabad. The new fulfilment centre will specifically enable quick commerce in the grocery segment with technology at its backbone in driving efficiency.

Within a short period, MLL has established its operational capability across India with its end-to-end services of fulfilment centres, milk-run transportation, micro-fulfilment centres (dark stores) and last mile delivery. The network which the company built for this segment is the best in class and is equipped to fulfil large volumes. These fulfilment centres are spread across 5 cities (Bangalore, Vizag, Vijayawada, Hyderabad, and Kolkata) and are currently serving more than 6 lakh units and 15000+ stores per day.

Commenting on this expansion, Mr. Rampraveen Swaminathan, Managing Director and CEO of Mahindra Logistics, said, “With changing consumer demand patterns, we are expanding our network to continually enhance our reach. Essential service is a rapidly growing category, and we are looking at bringing our facilities to cities where these services are not accessible. We believe in delivering a consistent customer experience in the B2C space through customized, technology-driven solutions.  These operations also synergise last mile operations through “Whizzard”, our last-mile logistics brand we acquired in April this year.

MLL through these B2C fulfilment centres is creating employment for 1500+ people. MLL has been steadfast in its efforts to be more inclusive. The company has actively employed differently abled persons and employees from the LGBTQ+ community, at its warehouses across the country. Similarly, MLL is bridging the gender diversity gap by hiring more women from various backgrounds and experiences.

About Mahindra Logistics

Mahindra Logistics Limited (MLL) is an integrated third-party logistics (3PL) service provider, specializing in supply chain management and enterprise mobility. MLL serves over 400+ corporate customers across various industries like Automobile, Engineering, Consumer Goods and E-commerce. The Company pursues an “asset-light” business model, providing customised and technology enabled solutions that span across the supply chain and people mobility services.  

For more information, visit www.mahindralogistics.com

About Mahindra

Founded in 1945, the Mahindra Group is one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology and financial services in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality and real estate. 

The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to Rise.

Pristyn Care Witnesses Industry Highest Adoption Of EMR

* 99% of Pristyn Doctors are using EMR facility on its doctor app

Healthcare industry has been battling with a lack of tech adoption long before the pandemic. The pandemic only served to highlight the broken system, especially the hurdles which exist for doctors. To solve OPD challenges for both doctors and healthcare providers which includes inaccessibility of patient records, repetitive tasks, manpower and logistics, Pristyn Care - a leading healthcare provider has adopted its in-house cloud-based proprietary tech EMR (Electronic Medical Records). 99% of Pristyn Care doctors use its in-house EMR mobile App to process the prescriptions digitally which are centrally uploaded and audited by the Clinical Affairs team. This in turn has improved quality of care, patient outcomes and safety. Currently, Pristyn Care owns end-to-end patient centric services and digitally enables over 400+ surgeons across 42+ cities in the country through its EMR services.

In a fast growing electronic medical record sector which is expected to grow from $31.78 billion in 2021 to $34.3 billion in 2022, Asia pacific is witnessing the highest adoption. The Indian Electronic Medical Records Market is projected to witness a boom with a CAGR of 6.67% which is fuelling the growth of the healthcare sector in India. Pristyn Care is front-leading tech innovations in the industry by adopting cloud-based EMR systems and synergizing the needs of advanced and complex technologies such as the Internet of Things and AI to enhance the patient experience. Pristyn Care has served over 1.55 million happy patients till date and 95% of these patients have access to their Electronic Medical Records (EMR).realised that

Commenting on this development, Gaurav Bagga, SVP - Product & Engineering at Pristyn Care said, “We at Pristyn Care have over 30+ tech products which have helped us drive operational efficiency and improve the patient experience. Our doctor’s app, which provides EMR facility, has witnessed a 10X increase in adoption among doctors. The future of medicine is where most decisions will be made electronically and would rely on a lot of health data. Mobile app-based EMR services such as ours are portable and convenient; it has improved workflow efficiencies by enabling real-time access to necessary medical information. Our path flows are designed to keep the doctor’s convenience in mind. We are also planning to introduce an AI-enabled smart EMR solution with fewer clicks and faster workflows.”

Dr Shaloo Varma, SVP-Medical Directorate at Pristyn Care said, “We at Pristyn Care truly believe doctors need agile and digital-first solutions to drive better health outcomes. Our EMR aims to help doctors experience a more efficient and easy approach to delivering value-based care using technology. Additionally, the patients benefit from improved diagnosis and treatment, central repository of health records and faster care and decision-making responses from one’s health practitioner.”

The government has also increased its focus on the digitization of healthcare with initiatives such as the National Digital Health Mission, creation of ABHA ID to make patient data easily accessible between healthcare providers, researchers and policymakers so that healthcare can be delivered more effectively and efficiently, and in a more affordable manner. Pristyn Care is in line with the government's effort to promote digital health-tech focussed solutions. Recently, NHA listed Pristyn Care as its health tech partner for Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission to create ABHA ID. This partnership between the NHA and Pristyn Care is helping more Indians be able to generate their ABHA ID through a simple two-step process, where only phone numbers and Aadhar ID numbers will be required.

About Pristyn Care

Pristyn Care is a leading healthcare provider that performs advanced secondary care surgeries with the help of its network of 800+ hospitals, 200+ clinics, and 400+ in-house super-specialty surgeons. A team of expert surgeons uses the most advanced medical technology to treat over 50+ diseases across 42+ cities. The company was founded in August 2018 by Harsimarbir (Harsh) Singh, Dr. Vaibhav Kapoor, and Dr. Garima Sawhney, and is now a leader in secondary care surgeries. 

Zee Digital To Host Its Second Edition Of MSME National Summit & Awards 2022

~Smt. Anupriya Patel , Minister of State, Commerce & Industry, Government of India to be the chief guest ~

Zee Media Digital, the digital media publishing arm of Zee Group, will be hosting the second edition of the MSME National Summit & Awards 2022. After witnessing the enormous success of the first edition of the MSME National Summit and Awards, the second edition aims to be bigger and better. The second edition aims to reinstate the importance of MSMEs for our economy and their role in defining the trajectory of the nation’s development, especially post Covid-19.

The event will be inaugurated Smt. Anupriya Patel , Honourable Minister of State, Commerce & Industry, Government of India, followed by panel discussions by MSME industry leaders on Smart Manufacturing and Working Capital Issues & Funding for SMEs. The event will also host leadership talks by Dr. Anadi Saran Pande, Director, IIM Lucknow Incubator & Professor of Strategic Management; and Arnab Chakrabortty, National Director, UNCTAD, Empretec India Foundation. Some of the dignitaries who will be gracing the event are Rajive Chawla, Chairman, IamSMEofIndia; Prashant Girbane, Director General, MCCIA; Roshan Baid, MD, Paragon Apparels & Founder, Alcis Sports; Puran Dawar, Chairman, Dawar Group; Sundeep Mohindru, CEO, M1Xchange among others.

Speaking of the event Shridhar Mishra, CRO- Digital, says, “The MSME sector was hard hit during the pandemic, yet the initiatives undertaken by the government gave them the much-needed thrust for revival. Today, the MSME sector has an instrumental contribution to the economy, and it is important to recognize the same. This summit is an attempt to recognize the same.”

The event will be promoted across all social media, microsites, and content hubs. Special workshops will also be conducted as a part of the promotional event. The entire event is to be hosted on the Zee Business Facebook page.

The event is scheduled for 27th August 2022, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.

About Zee Media Corporation Ltd: Zee Media Corporation Limited is one of India’s leading media and entertainment companies with a strong presence in the news and regional entertainment genres and is India's one of the largest News networks with 14 news channels in 10 different languages touching more than 300 million viewers and digital properties like zeenews.com and dnaindia.com.

TVS Motor Company Announces investment In Formula 1 Driver Narain Karthikeyan’s Start-Up “DriveX”

·         Investments will enable DriveX to further scale up offerings in the pre-owned two-wheel space in India

TVS Motor Company, one of the leading manufacturers of two-wheelers and three-wheelers globally, today announced investment in Narain Karthikeyan’s start-up “DriveX” (NKars Mobility Millennial Solutions Private Limited), a pre-owned two-wheeler platform. TVS Motor sees a strong potential in the pre-owned two-wheeler market, which is witnessing a structural shift from the unorganized to the organized sector. The pre-owned two-wheeler market is growing rapidly and has garnered high levels of investor and customer interest in recent years, driven by digitization and emergence of start-ups. This investment in DriveX is aimed at enabling innovative solutions to lead this transformation.

Founded by India’s first Formula 1 ace racing driver Narain Karthikeyan, DriveX is a fully integrated model present across the pre-owned two-wheeler vehicle value chain. This includes all core areas including procurement, refurbishment, and retailing of multi-brand pre-owned two-wheelers. Incorporated in April 2020, DriveX started off as a two-wheeler subscription platform, providing affordable and flexible mobility solutions and has expanded to five cities in a short span of time.

Speaking on the occasion, Narain Karthikeyan, Founder and CEO of DriveX said, “The pre-owned two-wheeler vehicle market is changing rapidly today. DriveX is a digital first business, serving all brands with unique analytics-led capabilities across the value chains. We have also been successful at launching new business models, including the subscription model in the pre-owned two-wheeler segment. In the coming years, DriveX will aim to strengthen its presence across India, followed by other geographies in due course. With this investment from TVS Motor Company, we are confident of expanding the DriveX vision, and delivering a pre-owned two-wheeler business that exceeds customer expectations.”

Announcing the investment, Sudarshan Venu, Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, said, “The pre-owned two-wheeler market is largely unorganized today. It is delightful to see what DriveX has been able to create and deliver in short time. Narain and his team have built a unique platform that can scale up quickly. DriveX has a vision to bring a change in this segment by building trust, assurance, and transparency through end-to-end, high-quality products and customer experience through innovative solutions. We are confident of DriveX ability to deliver on this vision.”

About TVS Motor Company

TVS Motor Company is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally, championing progress through Sustainable Mobility with four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Hosur, Mysuru and Nalagarh in India and Karawang in Indonesia. Rooted in our 100-year legacy of Trust, Value, and Passion for Customers and Exactness, we take pride in making internationally aspirational products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes.  We are the only two-wheeler company to have received the prestigious Deming Prize.  Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys.  We have been ranked No. 1 Company in the J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for consecutive four years.  Our group company Norton Motorcycles, based in the United Kingdom, is one of the most emotive motorcycle brands in the world. Our subsidiaries in the personal e-mobility space, Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG) and EGO Movement have a leading position in the e-bike market in Switzerland.  TVS Motor Company endeavours to deliver the most superior customer experience across 80 countries in which we operate.  For more information, visit www.tvsmotor.com

About Nkars Mobility Millennial Solutions Private Limited (NKMMS)

Co-founded in 2020 by Narain Karthikeyan, NKMMS operates under brand name “DriveX” is engaged in (i) leasing two-wheeler motorcycles and scooters and (ii) selling, trading, and distributing pre-owned two-wheeler motorcycles and scooters. NMMSPL operates a digital platform ‘DriveX’ which provides two-wheelers to customers on a sub-scription model for a flexible tenure and on a purchase model, along with certain ancillary services.

Change Of Guard At FADA As Vinkesh Gulati. Hands Over The Baton To Manish Raj Singhania As FADA's 36th President

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), the apex national body of automobile retail in India announced the appointment of Mr. Manish Raj Singhania as FADA’s 36th President and for the years 2022-24. The decision was made at the 307th Governing Council Meeting, which was held immediately after the 58th Annual General Meeting at Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

Mr. Singhania is the Managing Partner of Ralas Motors based out of Raipur, Chhattisgarh and has dealership of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. Besides a strong presence in the automobile business, Ralas Group, which was established in 1975 is one of the leading Real Estate Developers of Chhattisgarh. The group also has significant interest in Agriculture. Over the past two decades, the Ralas Group has grown significantly both in terms of assets and turnover establishing a considerable presence in the State of Chhattisgarh.

Mr Singhania has also been the President of Raipur Automobile Dealers Associations (RADA) for the last nine years. For over 12 years, he has been a key member of the FADA Governing Council, holding different positions and roles, particularly in accelerating the expansion of the association’s network.

The Governing Council also elevated the following for the years 2022-24:

Mr C S Vigneshwar, DMD – Anaamalais Toyota, (Dealer for Toyota, VECV and Ather) based out of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, takes over as the Vice President.

Mr Sai Giridhar, MD Saisha Motors Pvt. Ltd. (Dealer for Skoda and Volvo Cars) based out of Jaipur, Rajasthan, take over as Secretary.

The Council unanimously elected Mr Amar Jatin Sheth, as Treasurer for the years 2022-24. Mr Sheth is the Managing Director for Group Shaman (Dealer of Honda Cars, Volkswagen, and Triumph) based out of Mumbai, Maharashtra.

FADA India places on record its gratefulness for the immense contribution of its outgoing President Mr. Vinkesh Gulati. Under his able leadership, FADA took multiple initiatives during the pandemic like Auto Dealers Protection Act, Model Dealer Agreement, creation of 2W, GenX and Women in FADA vertical and initiating Dealership Satisfaction Study as it was one of the most challenging times not only for the Auto Retail Business but the entire global economy. During his term, Auto Dealers once again came under the ambit of MSME.

While handing over charge to Mr. Singhania, Mr. Vinkesh Gulati said, “The past two years have been an enormous honour and source of pride for me as the head of India's apex association of Automobile Dealers. It is truly said that necessity is the mother of invention, and COVID-19 made our association even stronger. I received incredible support and energy from my team of Office Bearers, Executive Committee, Governing Council and all the State Chairpersons as this journey wouldn't have been possible without their support.

I congratulate my friend and colleague Mr. Manish Raj Singhania on taking over as the 36th President of FADA. After working with him for several years, I am confident that he will take the association to a newer orbit of momentum and growth. His unique working style and convincing approach will continue to help resolve Dealers’ issues and challenges faced by the community. I strongly believe that the association will be even more unified and stronger under his leadership.”

Commenting on his appointment as FADA 36th President, Mr. Manish Raj Singhania said, “I am grateful and honoured that the Federation has placed its trust in me as I take the position of the next FADA president.

Apart from putting in all my effort to strengthen Auto Retail across the length and breadth of the country and continuously striving to bring in a balanced approach towards Dealer related issues, I along with my team consisting of Mr. C S Vigneshwar, Mr. Sai Giridhar and Mr. Amar Jatin Sheth, will also work towards the implementation of Auto Dealer’s Protection Act, getting in a balanced OEM - Dealer Agreement and continue to further strengthen FADA across all aspects.

Despite the current challenges, India has the potential to become the global leader in Automobile Industry. If the Government, SIAM, ACMA and FADA whole heartedly work in unison, this dream will become a reality well before its time.”

SJS Ltd Appoints Mahendra Naredi As New Chief Financial Officer

SJS Enterprises Limited, a leading player in India’s decorative aesthetics industry, announced the appointment of Mr. Mahendra Naredi as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Mahendra comes with 20 years of experience in financial management, key accounting, financial analysis, planning and forecasting, fund-raising, M&As, tax, secretarial, legal, compliances, corporate governance, and strategy. Before joining SJS Enterprises, he has held various positions, such as Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary - Minda Vast Access Systems Private Limited, Chief Financial Officer for Spark Minda (European Companies), Controller in GE & Manufacturing Finance Head in GE & Wipro. His last position was Associate Vice President – Corporate Finance at Minda Corporation Ltd (IN). During his stint at Spark Minda group, Mahendra was actively involved in finalization of TLAs and Mergers & Acquisitions. He has overseen more than 5 M&A transactions to meet the inorganic growth objectives.

Welcoming Mahendra on board, Mr. Sanjay Thapar, Executive Director & CEO, SJS Enterprises Limited, said, “We are delighted to have Mahendra as part of our management team. He is an experienced and talented finance professional with a brilliant track record. He comes with substantial background and understanding of the auto ancillary sector and has remarkable capability to manage the finance function to ensure the best outcomes. We are confident that his expertise and experience will be strong assets to SJS as we continue to execute our strategy and deliver strong financial performance."

Commenting on his new role, Mr. Mahendra Naredi said, “I strongly believe that SJS has tremendous potential in the decorative aesthetics space today. I am honoured and overwhelmed to be part of this dynamic company and am looking forward to working closely with the entire team in realising the company’s vision and mission. My primary focus is to grow the company to a strong position in the market and to model the desired changes for future growth and expansion.”

As the newly-appointed CFO, Mahendra will provide financial and strategic leadership to help accelerate SJS’s business momentum and deliver profitable growth. He will be responsible for finance & accounts, fund-raising, purchases, investor relations and liaisoning with investors and bankers.

About SJS Enterprises

SJS is one of the leading players in the Indian decorative aesthetics industry, which has one of the widest range of products with a presence across traditional and premium products. The Company deals in 11 product categories like decals & body graphics, 3D luxe and dome logos, aluminium badges, 2D & 3D dials, chrome-plated parts, overlays, In-moulding Labelling/ Decoration parts, optical plastics, and lens mask assembly. These products primarily serve two-wheelers (2W), passenger vehicles (PV), and large consumer durables (CD) industries along with commercial vehicles (CV), medical devices, farm equipment, and sanitary ware segments. SJS has a strong manufacturing footprint with 2 facilities in Bengaluru and Pune, and global distribution capabilities exporting to 22 countries.

Aakash BYJU’S Student Malay Kedia Bags Silver Medal At 15th International Olympiad On Astronomy And Astrophysics (IOAA), Georgia

Malay Kedia, a student of Aakash BYJU’S Noida,has won the silver medal at the prestigious 15th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) held in Kutaisi, Georgia, from August 14 to 22, 2022. It is one of the most well-known international science competitions for high school students that is organized every year. 

Malay Kedia, who hails from Ghaziabad and is studying in Class 12, is a student of Aakash BYJUS Noida branch and is preparing for JEE examinations.  

Congratulating Malay, Mr Aakash Chaudhry, Managing Director, Aakash BYJU’S, said, “We are very pleased with Malay Kedia’s outstanding performance at the International Olympiad. We would like to thank the teachers and parents for their dedication and support in making this possible. IOAA is one of the toughest examinations and the best students from all around the world are picked for this examination. At Aakash BYJU’S, we are committed to providing students with high-quality exam preparation services to students, and we are setting new benchmarks every year.” 

This year’s IOAA has 209 students among 37 main and six guest teams. Additionally, 24 students from six countries participated in the online mode. India and Singapore were tied for third place in the medals standing.  

Malay said, “I am very appreciative of my mentors since they have always provided me with the best advice. The extensive curriculum, regular tests, and one-on-one counselling all played a part in my achievement. My parents and the faculty have always had faith in me, which has helped me to remain focused and upbeat during my preparation.” 

The students participating in the science Olympiad have to undergo and crack four stages to be eligible to participate in the fifth stage of the International Olympiad. The National Olympiad programme follows a five-stage process, which starts with an examination held at about 1400 schools across the country and reaches a pinnacle with the International Olympiads at different corners of the world. The students who have cleared all the stages from 1-4 can only participate in stage 5 of the International Olympiad of Astrophysics and Astronomy.  

Aakash BYJU’S is committed to helping students in their quest to achieve academic success. It has a centralized in-house process for curriculum and content development and faculty training and monitoring, led by its National Academic Team. Over the years, students from Aakash have shown a proven selection track record in various Medical & Engineering entrance exams and competitive exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads.   

About Aakash BYJU’S 

Aakash BYJU’S provides comprehensive test preparatory services for students preparing for Medical (NEET) and Engineering Entrance Examinations (JEE), School/Board Exams and Competitive Exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads. The “AakashBYJU’S” brand is associated with quality coaching and a proven student selection track record in various Medical (NEET) and JEE/Engineering Entrance Examinations, Scholarship exams & Olympiads. 

With over 33 years of operational experience in the test preparatory industry, the company has a large number of selections in Medical & Engineering Entrance Exams and several Foundation level Scholarship exams/Olympiads, a pan India network of 285+ AakashBYJU’S Centers (including franchisee), and an annual student count of more than 3,30,000. 

The Aakash BYJU’S group has investments from Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd (BYJU’S) as well as by the world's largest Private Equity firm Blackstone.  

www.aakash.ac.in