Emirates A380 Welcomed In Bengaluru By Karnataka Minister of Co-operation

* Emirates and Airport celebrate first commercial A380 flight operations at Bengaluru

* Daily flagship A380 service to South Indian city will commence from 30 October; Bengaluru to join Emirates’ network of over 30 destinations served by the double-decker aircraft

Emirates’ flagship A380 made a landmark touchdown at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport today, marking the first commercial flight to the South Indian city’s airport of the world’s largest passenger aircraft. 

The special service from Dubai to Bengaluru, operating as EK562 and greeted with a procession of follow-me vehicles, arrived ahead of the launch of scheduled A380 services which will commence on 30 October.

Emirates flight EK562 took off from Dubai International Airport at 10:00 am and landed in Bengaluru at 15:40 pm local time, and was welcomed by Kempegowda International Airport, in the presence of aviation fans, media and special guests representing the aviation and travel industries and diplomatic missions, amongst others. 

At the welcome reception in Bengaluru, the flight carrying 224 passengers was greeted by S.T. Somashekar Gowda, Minister of Co-operation, Government of Karnataka; H.E. Dr Ahmed Abdel Rahman AlBanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India; Hari Marar, MD & CEO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL); and Mohammed Sarhan, Emirates’ Vice President – India and Nepal. 

Emirates executives onboard included Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer and Ahmed Khoory, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations – West Asia and Indian Ocean.  

Celebrating the joint milestone for Emirates and the airport, a VIP delegation of guests onboard the A380 service included: GMJ Thampy, Chairman & MD at Riya Travels; Tariq Chauhan, Group CEO at EFS Facilities Services Group; Mohamed Al Rais, Deputy Managing Director at Al Rais Travel; Aubrey Heldt, General Manager at Kanoo Travel; Sachin Gadoya, Co-Founder & CEO at Musafir; Sai Rattan, Manager at SNTTA; Prakash Punjabi, Manager at Travel Centre; Noura Al Marzouqi, Head, Booking & Visitors services section at ADNOC; and Azza Al Remeithi, Supervisor, Booking Services at ADNOC. 

Commending Emirates for introducing the iconic aircraft to Bengaluru, Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Strategy & Development Officer at BIAL said, “Bengaluru has become the first city in South India to be served by Emirates’ flagship A380 services. The arrival of this wide-body aircraft today shows the operational capability and rising passenger demand at BLR Airport. The enhanced premium experience that the new A380 service brings to the Dubai-Bengaluru route will not only meet the strong travel demand but also help to stimulate traffic between the two markets.”

Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates, said: “The special relationship that we share with Bengaluru and the State of Karnataka is one of mutual growth and prosperity and we are delighted to introduce A380 services to this vital gateway for travellers in South India. Today’s flight is testament to the fruitful relationship that we share with the city and we look forward to providing the flagship experience across all cabins, for travellers travelling to and from Bengaluru, when we begin our scheduled daily A380 services later this month. 

IIndia is a vast market with high demand for our services to destinations across our network, and we are especially pleased to extend our A380 offering to include an additional point in the country.”

Following the symbolic welcome ceremony, Emirates cabin crew showcased the interiors of its latest four-class A380 aircraft, featuring Premium Economy, to government officials and guests. When Emirates commences the scheduled A380 services from 30 October, the airline will operate its three-class flagship A380 aircraft on the route, featuring its impeccable First Class service with signature amenities such as the Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge, Business Class cabins providing superior levels of comfort and privacy, and spacious seats in Economy Class.

Emirates’ new A380 service to Bengaluru

Travellers to and from Bengaluru will be able to travel on the Emirates A380 to enjoy the aircraft’s signature offerings across a broader network. Emirates launched its first A380 service in India on the Dubai-Mumbai route in 2014 and Bengaluru will become the second city in India to be served by the iconic aircraft. 

Starting on 30 October, Emirates’ A380 flights between Dubai and Bengaluru will operate as EK568 and EK569. The daily flight leaves the airline’s hub at 21:25hrs, arriving in Bengaluru at 02:30hrs local time the next day. The return flight departs Kempegowda International Airport at 04:30hrs, arriving in Dubai at 07:10hrs (local time). Emirates also operates two additional daily flights utilising its other widebody aircraft, the Boeing 777.

Currently, Emirates operates the A380 to over 30 destinations across the globe and plans to deploy the popular aircraft to over 40 destinations by March 2023. 

A long-time favourite amongst travel enthusiasts, the Emirates A380 is loved for its extra legroom. The champagne-coloured seats in premium cabins offer direct aisle access for every passenger, recline to a fully flat position, and offer personal minibars, ample personal storage, and a high degree of privacy. Customers also enjoy the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, ice, with over 5,000 channels of content, via the industry’s largest screens across all cabins. 

Emirates began operations to India in 1985 with its scheduled services to Mumbai and Delhi and has been serving customers in Bengaluru with its award-winning services since 2006. Emirates provides access to nine points in India, with customers enjoying seamless connectivity to its global network, with over 130 destinations currently. 

Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Offices, via travel agents or through online travel agents.

About Emirates

Emirates’ 37 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

Honeywell And Avaya Collaborate To Advance Emergency Response In Smart Cities Across The Middle East

Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) and Avaya (NYSE: AVYA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to help advance the emergency response capabilities of regional law enforcement and smart city organizations.

The agreement supports the integration of the Avaya OneCloudTM experience platform with the Honeywell City Suite to help regional governments accelerate their smart city initiatives. The combined platforms will not only improve citizen engagement but also deliver the means to support community safety efforts though improved emergency response capabilities. 

This integration is already being rolled out in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, a greenfield smart city 45 kilometres east of Cairo. Once completed, the New Administrative Capital will be the new home of the country’s parliament, presidential palaces, government ministries and foreign embassies, as well as major private firms operating in Egypt.

Using the Honeywell City Suite Platform, integrated with Avaya OneCloud, city authorities will be able to monitor the city’s activities from an integrated Command and Control Centre. The centre also includes advanced video analytics solutions that can monitor crowds and traffic flow, track suspicious behaviour, and subsequently trigger automated emergency responses.

“Avaya and Honeywell are helping Middle Eastern cities to deliver the citizen experience of the future. In situations where every second counts, having a unified communications environment that capitalises on the availability of critical data can mean the difference between life and death. This collaboration will enable us to make these capabilities more widely available to governments across the region,” said Nidal Abou-Ltaif, president, Avaya International.

According to GlobalData research, global spending on smart cities will grow from $221.1bn in 2019 to $442.6bn in 2022 - at a compound annual growth rate of 12%.

“The future of our world lies in cities that provide a better experience by emphasizing safety, sustainability and liveability for their citizens. Through this collaboration, we will create a more secure, dependable and effective way for emergency centre operators in the region to manage crisis responses,” said Sultan Chatila, chief commercial officer, Honeywell Building Technologies, Middle East, Turkey and Africa.

To see the collaboration between Avaya and Honeywell come to life, visit the Avaya stand at GITEX Global. Avaya’s presence at GITEX Global comes in partnership with Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, Uniphore, Verint Systems, GS Lab, Imperium, Konnect Insights, LumenVox, Nectar, Sestek and TOPAZ. Visit Avaya at its stand in Zabeel Hall, at Dubai World Trade Centre between October 10 and 14, 2022.

World Food Day 2022: Delicious Journeys Await You In South Africa

Food is indistinguishably intertwined with culture. Want to immerse yourself in culture and establish firm relationships with the locals? Share a meal! Food also plays and integral role in keeping culture and traditions alive. Besides, consuming meals made from locally sourced ingredients is one of the simplest ways to practice responsible and sustainable tourism while displaying respect for another society.

As with other relationships, it is important to keep nurturing your relationship with food too. The best way is to keep experimenting and trying new cuisines to keep your taste buds active.

With World Food Day around the corner, awaken the gastronome within you and take a delicious trip to the ultimate food destination – South Africa. The country has a wide range of top-notch culinary offerings which makes it an exciting destination for food enthusiasts. To celebrate World Food Day, plan a food-focused tour with your friends and family to the Rainbow Nation.

Read on to know more about the best food places you can visit in South Africa:

       Relish the Indian-origin Bunny Chow (that is not easily available in India!)

South Africa’s famous street food – the Bunny Chow, has Indian origins. This Durban delicacy is similar to a bread bowl. You take a loaf of white bread, empty it out, and stuff it with a delicious vegetarian or meat curry. Doesn’t this description alone make your mouth water? Though this dish is rare in India, it is a signature dish in the Rainbow Nation. The spice blend in a Durban curry is different from what you'd get in Delhi. This delicacy in no way is for light food eaters. It is often sold in sizes such as quarter or half. Go on an empty stomach and see how many Bunny Chows you can eat.

       Wine and dine at the Haute Cabriere Wine Farm

South Africa is widely regarded as one of the world's top wine-producing countries, with the ideal environment for exceptional viticulture in a variety of wine regions. Lush green vineyards can be found all over South Africa, but the most popular are those situated in and around the Cape Winelands. Enjoy a catch-up session over some great wine, food, and amazing view in one of the most renowned vineyards in the country – Haute Cabriere Wine Farm. This farm has the most beautiful views in Franschhoek! Their tasting area resembles a cavern, and their outdoor patio overlooks the entire valley on a clear day. Don’t forget to try one of their specialties – the Pierre Jourdan sparkling wines, locally known as Cap Classique. 

Find your Oyster

South Africa is so fond of oysters that they have a whole festival dedicated to them, known as the Knysna Oyster Festival. Seafood lovers may feast on an unending supply of oysters at more than 20 restaurants that are just for foodies. Oysters coupled with crisp wine in town is regarded as one of the top gourmet pairings in the country. This pairing can be found in numerous restaurants throughout the country, but for the best, tourists should go to Benguela Cove in the Walker Bay Cape Winelands, where they have a wide range of oysters and fine wine. Sip on some bubbly as you devour these aphrodisiacs.

Savour the Country's National Dish - Bobotie

Bobotie is a classic southern African meal of minced beef with curry and sauces. It is rich, flavourful, spicy, pungent and zingy, all at the same time! A comforting meal, bursting with African flavours, bobotie is enough to satisfy your appetites after a long day of fun and adventure. This delicious cuisine from Indonesia that was brought to South Africa in the seventeenth century. The Company’s Garden in Cape Town offers the best bobotie in the country.

Celebrate Your Personal Milestones with Braai 

Braai means ‘grilled meat’ and is the South African equivalent of a barbecue. The braai-making process has now evolved become a cultural tradition in South Africa. It brings together family, friends and is a go-to social event to celebrate any milestone in life. An authentic braai is fuelled with charcoal or wood and never by gas. It consists of a variety of meat like beef, pork, lamb, chicken, ostrich, seafood, boerewors (sausage), and sosatie (skewered meat) barbecued on a grill. There are multiple vegetarian options available as well. Braaibrooodjie (grilled sandwiches), pap, and roosterbrood (bread) are some common sides enjoyed with braai. It makes for a delicious meal and a perfect one to enjoy with a large group of friends or family!

The road to the Rainbow Nation is definitely through your stomach!

BharatPe Launches ‘My Shop My Ad’ Campaign For Its Merchant Partners With Rohit Sharma And K L Rahul

* BharatPe launches new campaign which enables small shopkeepers to create their own ad with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul

* The personalized advertisement can be created in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, or Kannada, and can be used by shopkeepers to attract more customers this festive season

BharatPe, one of India’s leading fintech companies, today announced the launch of its new and one-of-a-kind marketing campaign called ‘My Shop My Ad’. This first-ever campaign in the fintech industry in India gives millions of offline merchants of BharatPe an opportunity to create their own video advertisement- featuring India’s star cricketers, Rohit  Sharma or KL Rahul. The merchants can create customized advertisements for their own shops in multiple languages. Merchants would be able to share their personalized advertisements directly with their customers. BharatPe has partnered with Rephrase.ai to build the technology platform for this offering.

The process of creating the advertisement is simple. Shop owners can create their own personalized advertisements via the BharatPe app by following 3 simple steps. Merchants can go on the BharatPe app and visit the ‘My Shop My Ad’ section. They will be required to submit their business details like shop name, contact, and business category. Post this, they will need to upload a picture of their shop facade in portrait mode. The personalized ad is created and delivered to the merchants within 48 hours.

Speaking on the launch of this new campaign, Mr. Parth Joshi, Chief Marketing Officer, BharatPe, said, “We are excited to announce the launch of ‘My Shop My Ad’ campaign. This initiative will empower the next-door retail shop owners to have their own customized advertisements with famous cricketers and in turn, be able to attract more customers to their shops. I am confident that this initiative will have a positive impact on their business. We tried this with a limited set of merchants in the pilot phase and the response has been overwhelming. I am confident that this initiative will encourage more merchants to join hands with BharatPe and help us expand our reach across the country. It has been a wonderful experience working with the team at Rephrase.ai for the campaign and we look forward to creating more personalized campaigns for our merchants in the near future, as we continue to stay committed to our vision of empowering millions of offline merchants and Kirana store owners in the country.”

“Working with BharatPe, a pioneer in the Fintech space was a great experience for Rephrase.ai and this is only the beginning. With the growing demand for personalization, humanizing customer journeys continue to be Rephrase.ai’s north star and we are anticipating great developments in generative AI in the next year. For BharatPe, we unlocked new levels of personalization with pictures of storefronts as video backgrounds and audio in local languages, which means BharatPe’s 10 million store owners will get to create their shops’ ads with digital avatars of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu based on their preferences ” Ashray Malhotra, CEO and Co-founder, Rephrase.ai.

Links for the promotional films:

Rohit Sharma-

Hindi- https://youtu.be/sALXYQksJNQ

Kannada- https://youtu.be/6MPObTlluHg

Tamil- https://youtu.be/ZD8QuciowCE

Telugu- https://youtu.be/1NDe6-UewYg

KL Rahul-

Hindi- https://youtu.be/AVffTiEbZr8

Kannada- https://youtu.be/RKwJe6dw2Qw

Tamil- https://youtu.be/HHVC3OW7ZEU

Telugu- https://youtu.be/aEiXbhc1k3o

About BharatPe

BharatPe was founded in 2018 with the vision of making financial inclusion a reality for Indian merchants. In 2018, BharatPe launched India’s first UPI interoperable QR code, the first zero MDR payment acceptance service. In 2020, post-Covid, BharatPe also launched a card acceptance terminal – BharatSwipe. Currently serving 1 crore merchants across 400 cities, the company is a leader in UPI offline transactions, processing 18 crores+ UPI transactions per month (annualized Transaction Processed Value of US$ 20 Bn in payments). The company has already facilitated the disbursement of loans totaling over ?7500 crores to over 400,000 merchants. BharatPe’s POS business processes payments of over US$ 4 bn annually on its machines. BharatPe has raised over US$ 650 million in equity to date. The company’s list of marquee investors includes Tiger Global, Dragoneer Investment Group, Steadfast Capital, Coatue Management, Ribbit Capital, Insight Partners, Steadview Capital, Beenext, Amplo, and Sequoia Capital.  In June 2021, the company announced the acquisition of PAYBACK India, the country’s largest multi-brand loyalty program company with 100 million+ members. In October 2021, the consortium of Centrum Financial Services Limited (Centrum) and BharatPe, was issued a Small Finance Bank (SFB) license by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). BharatPe also made its entry in the Buy Now Pay Later segment with the launch of postpe in October 2021.

Experts From WGSHA, MAHE Head For The WorldSkills Competition In Switzerland

* They were appointed as National experts for cookery and restaurant service by the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India 

* The WorldSkills Competition will be held between 18 to 27 October 2022  

 Dr. (Chef) K. Thirugnanasambantham, Principal, Welcome group Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA), Manipal Academy of Higher Education and Mr. Paritosh Dabral, Assistant Professor - Selection Grade, WGSHA, have been chosen as national experts for The WorldSkills Competition to be held in Lucerne, Switzerland between 18 to 27 October 2022 

They were granted this honour by the Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India. Dr. (Chef) K. Thirugnanasambantham has been appointed as the national expert for cookery and Mr. Paritosh Dabral as the national expert for restaurant service. 

The WorldSkills Competition 2022 will see teams from over 59 countries and territories who will participate in competitions like visual merchandising, mechatronics, prototype modelling, additive manufacturing, beauty therapy, cabinet making etc. The cookery trade has test modules on breads, starters, main course, and desserts while the restaurant service competition will test contestants on their ability to make cocktails, coffee, carve different meats, serve food in casual, formal, and banquet settings. 

This particular edition was originally scheduled for 2021 in Shanghai, China but due to pandemic from COVID-19, it was rescheduled and will now happen as a “Special Edition” in seven different countries. Dr. (Chef) K. Thirugnanasambantham and Mr. Paritosh Dabral, have been rigorously training India’s entries for the last eight months for the upcoming edition in Switzerland 

Speaking about their achievement, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, The Vice Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education said, “We are extremely elated that Dr. (Chef) K. Thirugnanasambantham and Mr. Paritosh Dabral have been appointed as National experts at the WorldSkills Competition being held in Switzerland. This is a testament to their hard work and efforts. With this honour they have made, not only MAHE but also the nation proud at this international platform. We wish them all the very best” 

Dr. (Chef) K Thirugnanasambantham, Principal of Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA) said, “Being appointed as the National expert is a great honour. At WGSHA we have rigorously and carefully trained the contestants. Our main aim was ensuring that the trainees consistently meet the international standards and continually improve upon their previous performance. We are confident of a good showing at Lucerne in Switzerland” 

The participants are very excited about the competition as well. Thanmayee Nallamothu (alumna, 8thcourse BA in Culinary Arts, 2018-2021 batch) who is the contestant for cookery said, “Due to COVID-19 this competition has been delayed by over one year. This delay caused us a lot of anxiety, but I am happy now that the training ensured that our morale and preparation remains high.”  

Subrat Patel, the restaurant service contestant is equally upbeat about this competition and said, “I am happy to have received training at WGSHA and I have been adequately prepared to delivery my best performance and shine at this event.”  

The Uncontested: The BMW M5 Competition ‘50 Jahre M Edition’ Launched In India

Highlights 

Best-in-class performance: High-revving V8 engine with 625 hp, 0-100 in 3.3 seconds.

M xDrive with Active M differential guarantees maximum traction and driving dynamics for everyday driving, as well as at the racetrack.

Special 50 Jahre M badging signalling exclusivity.

20” Jet Black Alloys with Red M Compound Brakes. 

New features like Comfort Access System & Soft Close Doors as standard.

#BMWM #50YearsOfBMWM #50JahreBMWM #WeAreM

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic BMW M GmbH, BMW India has launched an exclusive ‘50 Jahre M Edition’ of the BMW M5 Competition in India today. Available as Completely Built-up Unit (CBU), this exclusive edition can be booked online from today onwards.

BMW India had announced that it will launch 10 exclusive ‘50 Jahre M Editions’ to celebrate the M sub-brand that stands for high-performance adrenaline gushing cars.

For the last 50 years, BMW M has stood for those who enjoy high performance and supremacy of excellence. The BMW M5 Competition is often referred to as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a saloon offering the utmost in terms of luxury and comfort, while having a 4.4l twin turbo V8 roaring under the hood. The M5 Competition provides undiluted M feeling with unmatched performance features like retuned chassis, new shock absorbers, track modem, active M differential with centrailsed intelligent control, bespoke engine mounting, special M Sport exhaust system, M multifunction seats and set-up button that come together to offer even better driving dynamics and superior comfort levels.

The limited edition is available at an attractive ex-showroom price of -

BMW M5 Competition 50 Jahre M Edition           :          INR  1,79,90,000                 

*Price prevailing at the time of invoicing will be applicable. Ex-showroom prices inclusive of GST (incl. compensation cess) as applicable but excludes Road Tax, Tax Collected at Source (TCS), GST on Tax collected at source, RTO statutory taxes/fees, other local tax cess levies and insurance. Price and options are subject to change without prior notice. For further information, please contact the local authorised BMW Dealer.

The BMW M5 Competition ‘50 Jahre M Edition’.

Exterior of the BMW M5 Competition 50 Jahre M Edition makes an immediate impression with its front look that consists of the new BMW Individual lights Shadowline that adds a dark-tinted accent to the BMW Laserlight and the L-shaped light tubes connecting towards the kidney grille in narrow streaks. The exclusive, BMW Individual paint finish in Aventurine Red lends it a striking look. Sitting proudly above the BMW Kidney Grille is the iconic 50 Jahre M Emblem. Visually distinct from the conventional BMW emblem, it signals passion for racing and for the roots of the BMW M brand. The M emblem adorns the front and rear logo as well as the wheel hub caps. Black styling details all over the exterior underline its elite status. The BMW kidney grille surround, M-specific double bars, the mesh on the M gills, mirror caps and the additional rear spoiler on the boot lid all have a High-gloss Black finish. Black M5 Competition badges adorn the kidney grille, the gills and the boot lid, while the door sill plates have an illuminated version. The rear design features new 3D rear lights with densely illuminated LED bars which give a new interpretation to BMW typical “L-shape”. The rear apron includes black inserts. The standard M compound brake now features callipers in red high gloss. The quad tailpipes of the standard M Sport exhaust system are finished in Black Chrome.

Interior of the new BMW M5 Competition is sporty and luxurious. Bespoke upholstery in leather Merino elevates the interior in Aragon Brown BMW Individual headliner anthracite and high-gloss Shadow Line provide a luxurious feel. M multifunction seats with integral head restraints, an illuminated ‘M5’ logo and extended functions come as standard. Exclusive functions such as M Seat belts, M footrest and pedals, M Leather Steering Wheel, seat heating (driver and front passenger), electrical seat adjustment with memory function, automatic tailgate add to the comfort. Adding to the sense of space is the large Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) sunroof. Ambient Lighting with six dimmable light designs creates an atmosphere for every mood while Automatic 4 zone A/C further enhances the in-cabin experience. Welcome Light Carpet, which is projected from the side sill, welcomes passengers in glamorous style. The soft-close function for doors adds to convenience in closing doors softly and quietly. Comfort access system enables easy ingress and egress from the vehicle with features such as keyless entry, automatic locking, contactless opening of tailgate etc. The car is equipped with Adaptive M-Specific Suspension, M Sport exhaust system, M high performance compound brakes and 20-inch M jet black alloy wheels in the standard profile. 

The high performance V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology under the bonnet of the new BMW M5 Competition is the most powerful V8 offered by BMW’s M Division and it goes about its business in racing-car-derived, high-revving style. It imposes muscularity and supreme power delivery. Specially designed bespoke engine mounts with a stiffer spring rate result in even more rapid engine response offering greater directness and precision. The engine generates maximum output of 625 hp and peak torque of 750 Nm with 0-100 kmph acceleration in just 3.3 seconds.

The eight speed M Steptronic transmission enables extraordinary short shift times and fast, precise responses to every nudge of the accelerator. The driver can use both the selector lever and the shift paddles on the steering wheel to intervene manually. The damper response settings vary according to the mode selected with the Driving Experience Control switch, that allows the driver to choose between different modes to suit the driving conditions. The new two-button operating concept in the centre console originates from the BMW M8. Using the M Setup, the driver can further improve driving dynamics, be it comprehensive driving stabilisation. M Mode selector on the centre console. It adjusts the contents of the instrument cluster displays and the Head-Up Display and can be used to activate the ROAD and SPORT settings. The BMW M5 Competition also offers TRACK mode, for an undiluted M experience on race circuits.

Modern cockpit concept BMW Live Cockpit Professional with BMW Operating System 7.0 includes 3D Navigation, a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument display behind the steering wheel and a bigger 12.3-inch Control Display. This makes it even easier to keep a clear eye on the myriad functions associated with the driving dynamics systems and BMW M xDrive all-wheel drive, which can be altered to 2WD mode. The occupants can operate several functions simply by speaking to their BMW Virtual Assistant. Hands do the talking with BMW Gesture Control that recognizes six pre-defined hand movements for control of a number of functions. The smartphone holder integrated into the centre console allows inductive, Wireless Charging for mobile phones. Wireless Apple CarPlay® / Android Auto ensures seamless smartphone connection with the car to access several functions. Harman Kardon Surround Sound System conjures an engrossing treat for the ears. High-end 16 speaker system with woofers generates an impressive audio experience in all seats and is unique worldwide in the automotive sector. BMW Head-Up Display to a special M View projects all information relevant to the journey directly into the driver's field of vision. BMW Display Key allows drivers to keep in contact with their car round the clock.

The new BMW M5 Competition presents best-in-class cutting-edge driver assistance systems. Parking Assistant Plus with Surround View Camera makes parking in tight spots easier. Reversing Assistant provides unmatched support in reversing out of a parking spot or through narrow driveways. It keeps a record of the last 50 meters driven and assists by taking over the steering. The Comfort Access System makes it possible to open all four vehicle doors without using the key.

BMW EfficientDynamics includes features such as 8-speed Steptronic Sport Automatic Transmission, Auto Start-Stop, Brake-Energy Regeneration, Electronic Power Steering, 50:50 Weight Distribution and ECO PRO mode in Driving Experience Control.

BMW Safety technologies include six airbags, Attentiveness Assistance, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobilizer and crash sensors, ISOFIX child seat mounting and emergency spare wheel.

AIWA Launches Flagship Portable Speaker MI-X 330 Meteor In India

Continuing its spree of launches this year, Aiwa India has added another star product to its impressive Luxury Acoustics portfolio – Aiwa Meteor MI-X330. The launch comes at a time when parts of the country are celebrating multiple festivities.

AIWA’s latest product in the highly successful ‘Luxury Acoustics’ category is designed to meet the needs of avid audiophiles and hard-core music enthusiasts who are looking for exclusivity, luxury, and high-quality sound. The new stylish & high-performance range is a perfect product for those who don’t like to settle for the ordinary. It can be used both indoors and outdoors as it is portable and comes with high-power rechargeable batteries. The speaker fits well in a range that comprises versatile form factors from Retro to Wooden Built to luxurious leather finish to exquisite metallic build.

AIWA MI-X330 Meteor Portable Bluetooth Speaker: MRP 34,990

The compact, high-performance portable speaker with an elegant & commanding character comes equipped with best-in-class features and software high-resolution supporting 24-bit music quality audio over Bluetooth 5.0. MI-X330 comes with two passive bass radiators (front+ back) for even distribution of sound. This speaker also comes with two custom-designed 40 mm active audio drivers and a Type – C charging point that enables 6-7 hours of charging time and 6-10 hours of playback time, powered by a 5000 mAH Li-ion battery delivering an impressive 60W of powerful Sound. MI-X330 is not just about great aesthetics but also best-in class audio performance that will leave even the most demanding consumers impressed. There is also a circular LED display, a control panel, and a 3.5mm AUX –IN. The Speakers also have TSW Multi-Link technology as a standard, allowing consumers to link multiple products in tandem.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Ajay Mehta – MD, Aiwa India said “The Luxury Acoustics Speaker Range has been the most successful range of products for Aiwa in the past year and the brand has been able to compete and establish its footing into the elite high-end speaker bracket that comprises iconic global brands. We are delighted to say that our consumers and channel partners have loved our products and we hope to continue building the number of Aiwa users further with exciting products over next year. Meteor is just a start and we are confident that the product will deliver stunning performance.”

Consumers can buy the speakers on www.aiwaindia.com and also on Croma, Reliance Digital, and Select Partner Stores. Taking the legacy forward for more than seven decades, technology and innovation have been the core strengths of AIWA products.

Mindtree Ltd: Strong Operating Performance During Q2, 2022

HOLD

CMP: Rs3317  |  Target Price: Rs3350

MTCL reported strong operating performance, with an all-round beat in Q2. Deal intake remains strong in Q2, with TCV of USD518mn and a healthy mix of annuity and transformation deals. Mgmt remains cautiously optimistic and is closely monitoring developments in sectors like hi-tech, retail, logistics and manufacturing which, in the near term, are expected to demonstrate more sensitivity to the prevailing uncertain macro environment. Further to this, Company has emphasized that its European clients are substantially cautious and apprehensive, which is reflected in its slower pace of decision-making and elongated deal-closure cycles. However, MTCL remains confident about sustaining revenue-growth momentum in the medium term on the back of its ability to address digital transformation’s dual objectives of revenue maximization and cost optimization, healthy deal pipeline, stitching new partnerships with strategic partners, and potential synergy benefit with LTI. We raise our EPS by 2.9%-4.7% for FY23E-25E, factoring-in the Q2 beat. We remain positive on the mid-to-long term growth prospects of the MTCL-LTI combined business and benefits from merger synergies; but growth momentum would moderate in the near term due to potential lower spending in Hi-tech and Retail and current valuation leaving limited upside. We maintain HOLD with TP of Rs3,350/sh at 23x Sep-24E EPS (earlier Rs3,250).

Result summary: Revenues grew 5.7% QoQ to USD422.1mn (7.2% CC), above our expectations of USD416.5mn. EBITDAM declined by ~10bps sequentially, on account of salary hikes (-240bps) and largely offset by the absence of visa and merger-related one-off expenses (+110bps), currency movement (+50bps) and operational efficiencies (+70bps). Net profit stood at Rs5.1bn, above our estimates due to better operating performance. Revenue growth was broad-based and led by BFSI (10.2% QoQ in USD), TTH (8.8%), CMT (4.3%) and Healthcare (34.9%, albeit on a smaller base), while Retail declined by 0.8% QoQ (Management indicated it grew 2.9% CC QoQ). The top-client grew 6.9% QoQ, while the top 2-10 clients grew a mere 0.3%. What we liked: Strong revenue growth (7th consecutive quarter of >5% CC QoQ growth); robust deal wins; resilient margin performance. What we did not like: Softness in CMT (ex-top client) and potential growth headwinds in the sector.

Earnings-call KTAs: 1) Management indicated that some annuity & transformation programs ended in H1 and that clients are making a cautious move in new programs which could weigh on growth in H2. 2) Client conversations and deal pipeline indicate an increased focus on cost optimization and efficiency deals. 3) Company highlighted that the pain in RCM on account of ramp-downs is largely behind and that it is hopeful of a recovery, barring unexpected macro headwinds impacting the sector. 4) While legacy-deal pricing continues to be competitive, the company is able to command a premium for its digital and niche skills. 5) Although it has not witnessed any cancelations, the company is seeing potential growth headwinds in hi-tech and increased caution in decision-making in Europe, specifically in the retail, CPG, logistics and manufacturing verticals. 6) Company highlighted that Q3 is a seasonally-weak quarter due to furloughs and lesser working days. Slower pace of decision-making amid macro uncertainties could be an added headwind. 7) Company is awaiting the final regulatory approval for its merger with LTI which it expects to be completed by the end of CY22. 8) Travel expenses are expected to inch up from Q4, but will remain below pre-Covid levels. 8) LTM attrition stood at 24.1% in Q2 and moderated by 40bps sequentially; Mgmt expects it to further ease in coming quarters. 9) Net employee addition was 835 in Q2, lower compared with the past few quarters, as the company is evaluating integrated hiring and talent strategy with LTI. 10) ~1/3rd of its employees are working from office in a staggered manner.

Infosys Ltd: Strong Rebound In EBITM; Large Deal Intake Remains Robust In Q2, 2022

BUY

CMP: Rs1421  |  Target Price: Rs1600

Infosys reported strong operating performance in Q2. Revenue was a tad below our expectations, while EBITM beat our estimates. Deal pipeline remains healthy, but considering the macro uncertainties and emerging pockets of weakness for discretionary spending in Hi-tech and Communication apart from Mortgage and Retail indicated earlier, management remain cautiously optimistic. Infosys has narrowed its revenue growth guidance to 15-16% CC (14-16% earlier), implying 0-1.2% CQGR in H2 which reflects seasonal weakness and increased caution amid macro uncertainties. Management has also narrowed its EBITM guidance to 21-22% for FY23 (earlier 21-23%) and expects it to be at the lower end of the guided range. We largely retain our earnings estimates (<0.5% change) for FY23-25 post the Q2 performance. We maintain BUY with TP of Rs1,600/share at 22x Sep-24E EPS, considering continued market-share gains, expected margin recovery, and steady cash generation.

Results summary: Revenue grew 2.5% QoQ to USD4.55bn (4%/18.8% QoQ/YoY CC), a tad below our estimates. EBITM expanded ~150bps QoQ to 21.5%, clocking 60bps above our expectations on account of Rupee depreciation (+70bps), cost optimization measures including large-deal cost optimization, pyramid rationalization, offshore shift, and automation; this was partly negated by lower utilization (+90bps) and lower subcontracting costs (+40bps) partially offset by salary hike for mid-to-senior employees (-50bps). Net profit stood at Rs60.2bn, above our estimate, due to the margin beat. Revenue growth was broad-based and all verticals/geographies clocked double-digit YoY CC growth. The demand environment remains healthy so far, except for pockets of weakness seen in hi-tech and communications in addition to mortgages and parts of Retail. Management remains watchful of emerging the macro situation and its impact on client budgets. Optimization in subcontracting costs, higher utilization, automation, pyramid rationalization, pricing, and cost efficiencies remain the key margin levers that give management confidence about further margin recovery in H2. What we liked: Steady revenue performance, sharp EBITM recovery, large-deal intake of USD2.7bn, the quarterly annualized attrition moderating by 250bps QoQ. What we did not like: Softness in EURS and Communications.

Earnings-call KTAs: 1) Revenue from cloud services was above USD1bn in Q2. 2) Digital revenues comprised 61.8% of the total revenue and delivered 31.2% CC growth in the quarter. 3) Large deal pipeline continues to be strong; however, Management remains watchful of the macro uncertainties. In addition to transformation deals, there is strong focus on cost reduction deals in the pipeline. 4) Infosys signed 27 large deals with combined TCV of USD2.7bn (54% net new) in Q2, split across geographies (18 in North America, 6 in Europe, 1 in India, and 2 in RoW) and verticals (5 in BFSI, 4 each in Retail, Communications, EURS, and Hitech, 3 in Manufacturing, 2 in Life Sciences, and 1 in Others). 5) Management highlighted nil project cancellation in Q2, although Company observed delay in decision-making and slowness in discretionary spending. 6) The Communication sector is likely to face some headwinds due to the uncertain macro conditions and the inflationary environment, while the Hitech segment is witnessing increased caution on discretionary spending, leading to delay in deal closures. 7) Company announced buyback of equity shares (through the open market route) amounting to Rs93bn, at a price not exceeding Rs1,850/share. It also announced an interim dividend of Rs16.5/share. 8) Attrition, on LTM basis, moderated to 27.1% from 28.4% Q1. Management further indicated that quarterly annualized attrition declined 250bps QoQ in Q2 and expects it to see added moderation in coming quarters.

Nearly 60% of Indian Consumers Won’t Shop Online This Festive Season Due To Anticipated Delivery Delays And Returns Complexity

* FarEye survey findings signify need for retailers to prioritize a seamless last-mile delivery and returns experience to win customers during peak shopping seasons

FarEye announced findings from its Festive Season Consumer Shopping Survey 2022 which revealed that anticipated delivery delays and returns headaches are causing nearly 60% of consumers not to shop online this festive season. The survey of 1,000 respondents in India revealed current shopping habits and festive season purchase plans and explored their last-mile delivery pain points.

India’s festive season peaks ahead of Diwali in late-October and runs through December and is historically when retailers see an uptick in online sales, projected around 28% higher vs last year according to industry experts. FarEye’s survey found that while 41% of those surveyed plan to shop from e-commerce retailers during festive season, nearly 60% do not, due to delivery delays and returns frustrations. Of those surveyed, about 63% are abandoning shopping carts due to poor delivery terms and 54% are expecting delivery delays during festive season.

“Consumers have become frustrated with challenges associated with getting their deliveries on-time, every time, and don’t want to pay extra for returns, or for faster delivery,” said Gautam Kumar, co-founder and chief operating officer, FarEye. “For the first time in over two years, retailers are banking on increased consumer spending during festive season after several pandemic-stricken years reducing spending and in-person celebratory gatherings. In order to see those sales increase, retailers must improve the delivery experience, from the first click to order, through to delivery to consumers’ doorsteps.”

The survey further revealed that while e-commerce deliveries are typically higher during the festive season, so are returns. Key returns findings include:

* More than 50% of consumers reported making online returns during last year’s festive season.

* 87% consider easy and/or free online returns policies important when making a purchase during the upcoming festive season

* Free online returns (25%), fast refund/credit (22%), home returns pickup (20%) were the top three reasons for a positive returns experience

“Peak seasons like the festive season  are some of the most critical periods for retailers to get the consumer delivery - and returns - experience right, or risk losing brand loyalty, or worse, the customer, for good. These survey findings, while not surprising, indicate the need for brands to continue redefine their last-mile delivery strategy to ensure a superior consumer experience, every time,” concluded Kumar.

Survey Methodology

1,000 India consumers aged 18+ were polled via online survey in September 2022.

Renault India Kickked Off "The Brand First 3D Anamorphic Experience In Orion Mall For Kiger

* The novel outdoor activation is unveiled in Chennai, Delhi NCR and Bengaluru  

* The innovative out of home campaign aims to augment resonance for #RenaultKIGER  

* Emphaises the sporty design, smart interiors & the multi sense drive modes  

Renault, the Number one European brand in India, has launched its first one of a kind “3D Anamorphic Outdoor Activation” in India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru – Orion Mall giving out an exceptional experience of Renault KIGER’s sporty design, smart interiors & the multi sense drive modes. Renault executed this exceptional 3D Anamorphic Experience campaign in other metropolitan cities such as Chennai -Express Venue and Delhi NCR – Ambience mall.  

The campaign which was launched recently is scheduled to be live for the period of 2 weeks. The campiagn aims at engaging with the audiences and potential buyers using immersive visuals and content design which exhibits the sporty product design and empahises smart interiors & the multi sense drive modes of the Renault KIGER. 

The first of its kind 3D on-ground anamorphic experience by Renault India provides an exhilarating visual treat and an opportunity for prospective customers to virtually experience the Renault KIGER amplifying the brand resonance for KIGER during the festive season.  

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Sudhir Malhotra, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Renault India Pvt. Ltd said, “Our idea behind the Kiger campaign was to create a campaign unlike anything we have ever done before, this shaped up to be a fantastic brand-first initiative for us. 3D OOH gave us an exciting new realm to explore and it seemed very fitting for a visual narrative centred on an SUV that boasts of both a futuristic design and technology. Our aim was to engage with the audience in a way that feels fresh and authentic and allows the Renault Kiger to shine.” 

Renault KIGER is one of the most affordable offerings in the compact SUV segment with cost-effective maintenance. Renault KIGER has been recognized with multiple awards in the compact SUV category, highlighting its success in the Indian market. Powered by a world-class turbocharged 1.0L petrol engine, it not only offers more performance and a sporty drive, but also boasts best-in-segment fuel efficiency of 20.5 KM/L. 

ABOUT RENAULT  

Renault India Pvt. Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Renault S.A.S. France. Renault India cars are manufactured in the manufacturing facility located in Oragadam, Chennai, with a capacity of 480,000 units per annum. Renault India also has a widespread presence of more than 500 sales and 530 service touchpoints, which includes 250+ Workshop On Wheels and WOWLite locations across the country, with benchmark sales and service quality. 

Renault India’s product line up and services have seen strong recognition among customers and industry experts alike, winning more than 60 titles, making Renault India one of the most awarded automotive brands in a single year in India. 

Perimeter 81 Partners With OSI Global To Distribute Platform In India

* The company’s network security platform will be distributed across India, to protect local networks from cyber attacks

Connectivity in India is increasing, and with it grows the threat of cyberattacks. In 2021 ransomware attacks in India reportedly increased by 120% with surveys indicating that 79% of companies with a digital presence have experienced at least one ransomware attack. Perimeter 81, the rapidly-growing Zero Trust Networking Access leader, has partnered with OSI Global to distribute its platform in India and address the heightened threat the country faces.

Perimeter 81 is already securing over 2700 companies worldwide. This marks the first time the company’s network security solutions will be distributed in India, and it underscores Perimeter 81’s commitment to protecting businesses and their networks from cyberattacks.

“This partnership will allow us to better serve the needs of businesses in India that are facing increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats,” said Rich Farbman, Vice President of Channel Sales at Perimeter 81. “With OSI Global's extensive network in the region, we can offer our platform to those who need it most.”

Perimeter 81's platform provides a comprehensive and easy-to-use solution for businesses of all sizes to secure their networks. The platform features Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Firewall as a Service (FWaaS), and Secure Web Gateway (SWG). With its unified and easy-to-use management console, along with seamless user onboarding, organizations can utilize Perimeter 81’s platform for fast and reliable secure remote access from anywhere. Users gain instantly secured remote network access in the cloud, while the company benefits from reductions in cost and time spent managing hardware. 

With the Perimeter 81 platform, businesses can protect their networks from a variety of cyber threats, including malware, phishing attacks, and cloud breaches. Perimeter 81’s platform is available immediately for OSI GLOBAL customers to deploy in a matter of minutes and provide their company’s with a secure network.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Perimeter 81 to bring its innovative platform to our customers in India,” said Keerthi Kumar, Sales Director at OSI Global. “This partnership adds to our portfolio of solutions available to help overmatched IT teams in this underserved region.”

About Perimeter 81

Perimeter 81 allows companies of all sizes to finally break free from outdated network architectures and legacy security products to easily manage their network security from a single, seamless service, delivered by the cloud. Perimeter 81’s converged security solution includes Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Firewall as a Service (FWaaS), and Secure Web Gateway (SWG). The company is helping thousands of businesses of all industries and sizes achieve holistic network security easily and cost-effectively.

About OSI Global

With its innovative Security Framework, OSI Global IT Distribution’s best-of-breed and market-leading Cyber Security technologies are recognized as a “Trusted Advisor” to over 250 Channel Partners in the Middle East Region, India & SAARC Countries. They are Head Quartered in Dubai with offices in London, Bangalore, and Chennai.  There unparalleled portfolio of products and solutions that meet every critical IT needs – from cloud access security, advanced threat prevention, and data-centric security to network system management, monitoring, and optimization.

Amazon India Launches ‘#WeAreAmazon’; A Campaign To Celebrate Amazonians Who Make Every Day Better

During the festive season in India, Amazon once again celebrates its people who play a key role in delivering a delightful festive season for the customers, with the launch of "WeAreAmazon” campaign. The campaign spotlights Amazon employees, associates, and partners who are making sure that customers have a brighter and safer festive season.

At Amazon, there is a peculiar sense of togetherness and warmth that permeates everything that the Amazonians do, this reflects in every department, every function, every delivery. All Amazon employees are unique, but still, one in spirit and they have an opportunity to grow personally and professionally while being their authentic selves while contributing to a greater vision.

Sharing her thoughts on the campaign, Ms. Deepti Varma, Vice President, People and Experience Technology (PXT) at Amazon Stores India & EM says, "At Amazon, people are at the heart of all our decision making and we believe that it’s not only good for society but also business. ‘WeAreAmazon’ is a simple effort to exhibit gratitude to all our employees who, with their exceptional and unconventional roles, have become builders, innovators, and have successfully delivered services to customers. We are thankful to all these remarkable people who work relentlessly to delight customers while having fun at work which is in line with our efforts of becoming ‘Earth’s Best Employer’ and a “Great Place to Work.”

Amazon India's Day 1 culture is strong among employees, be it AWS, Seller team, Prime, Ops, Consumer and Corporate teams, with every person working together to improve each day for their colleagues and customers. Our work culture is shaped by the leadership principles that employees use to guide their work. Among them is ‘Strive to be Earth’s Best Employer’, a principle that encourages leaders to lead with empathy, have fun at work, and make it easy for others to have fun.

During the festive season, Amazonians come together to serve customers and offer an exceptional shopping experience while ensuring safe and reliable delivery of customer orders. The season brings in fun, joy, happiness, and warmth across the organisation where each individual, while gearing up for the festive season, is making sure easy processes for their peers, customers, sellers, and partners.

Sharing her experience, Suma, Delivery Associate for Amazon India, shares "Amazon has not only enabled a good work opportunity, but has also helped me become financially independent. I have two kids and when someone asks my children about where I work, they proudly say that I work at Amazon. The festive season is a good time for gifting, customers buy gifts for others, and when we deliver those gifts it makes them very happy, and seeing the smiles on their faces makes me happy too.”

There are Amazonians from diverse backgrounds who have been working for many years and have been part of the celebrations each year at Amazon. From a military veteran,              , who during every festive season, with the same rigour, discipline, and ownership incorporated with the Amazon Day 1 culture, has made the processes seamless to Shipra Bansal, Customer Service Associate, CS Operations-VAR, Amazon India, who joined Amazon after a career break, can manage both her personal and professional life and is making sure that not just her husband and kids are happy, but the customers that she serves every day always feel the happiness when they shop from Amazon to Sumith K, Program Manager, Local Shops, Amazon India, who feels the festive season is an exciting time for both sellers and customers. While customers look forward to buy and shop more, on the other hand sellers look forward to sell more and reach customers across the country.

Pallavi Singh, Senior Manager, Prime Shopping, IN Prime, believes teams at Amazon connect deeply and bond with each other - imbibing trust and camaraderie in whatever they do. Tanujit, Tools Program Manager for Payment Risk, Amazon India, who owns tools that help Amazon prevent bad-debt and preserve a risk-free environment for our customers, increased customers shopping during the festive season, it is a crucial time for him and his team to work towards providing customers with a safe shopping experience.

Automation India Is The Master Systems Integrator (MSI) of The Bengaluru project

Awiros’ AI-based Video Intelligence platform, facial recognition system, automatic number plate recognition and other Video AI applications are going to empower analysis of video feeds of over 7000 cameras spread across 3000+ locations in the Bengaluru city. The video analytics system provided by Awiros will process and analyse the video feeds and identify persons and vehicles of interest as per the requirements of the city police. This will enable Bengaluru City Police to undertake real-time monitoring and situational analysis, and take timely actions to any potential crime being committed by offenders for the safety of the citizens, particularly women and children.

Elaborating on the notable features of the project, Mr Yatin Kavishwar, Co-Founder and COO, Awiros, said, “At Awiros, we are committed to developing state-of-the-art AI-enabled Video intelligence technology which will significantly empower authorities and law enforcement agencies. We are honoured and excited to be part of this project, as for the very first time, an 100% indigenously developed and true make-in-India technology in Video AI space will be deployed for citizen safety initiatives at such a massive scale. It would be a game changer in women and child safety as verification of suspect identity, real-time intelligence gathering, attribute-based search and monitoring of criminals and suspects throughout the network of cameras in the city will be available on demand”.

Awiros is a part of the start-up India programme and is carrying out key deployments in India including more than 14 smart and safe cities where Awiros Video AI solutions are collectively deployed across more than 50,000 AI channels.

About Awiros

Awiros is a one-of-its-kind Operating System (OS) and marketplace for AI-powered video analytics solutions. The company’s mission is to bring the power of Video Intelligence to everyone; right from developers to the end users. It was co-founded by Vikram Gupta and Yatin Kavishwar in 2015. Awiros’ proprietary software infrastructure powers a marketplace of 60+ Video AI apps which can be subscribed to by the customer on-demand. The marketplace offers a holistic solution to the end customers for diverse use cases across private enterprises and public sector/ Government entities, such as Smart Cities/Traffic Management, Manufacturing units, Warehousing & Logistics, Retail, Critical Infrastructure segments, etc. Further, the company has 100+ esteemed clients and partners including Fortune 500 companies such as Hewlett Packard Enterprises, Intel, Honeywell, Cisco, Dell, Qualcomm, DXC Technology, Mercedes-Benz, and many more..

Latest Study Recognises India Gate As World’s No.1 Basmati Rice Brand: 2022 Report

* Latest study by leading global research agency shows how the grain is witnessing an increased demand, globally

* The made-in-India brand successfully exports Basmati Rice to over 90 countries, translating to 8+ cr. packs annually

* As a global leader brand in the category, India Gate plans to grow in India through converting a largely loose unbranded category to a branded one

The aromatic Basmati Rice is a staple across households in India. According to a recent research study on the Global Basmati Rice Market, the iconic grain is witnessing huge demand owing to its high quality, premium appearance, and distinct taste. India Gate, the flagship brand of KRBL, has been recognized as the world's No. 1[1] Basmati Rice Brand in a market study conducted by a leading global research company.

The quantitative study by Mordor Intelligence covers research of White and Brown Basmati Rice Category across continents like Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. The research has been done using methodologies like Primary & Secondary Research, Data Triangulation and Insight Generation.

Mordor Intelligence, a leading global research company founded in 2014 has been conducting studies providing insights to 4000+ enterprises across 100+ countries across multiple industries.

Since its introduction in 1998, India Gate Basmati Rice, has been working continuously to deliver its purpose of enriching lives through Basmati Rice, a nutritional wonder of nature. Over the years, India Gate has developed a successful global consumer franchise, as evidenced by the fact that it is exported to over 90 countries and sells 8+ cr. packs annually. The grains of India Gate Basmati Rice are aged to perfection, which makes them longer, fluffier, non-sticky, and full of beautiful aroma, setting them apart from the others.

Commenting on this, Mr. Anil Kumar Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director, KRBL Limited, said, “With a rich industry experience of more than a century, KRBL Limited has created its place as a world leader in the Basmati rice industry. From the very beginning, our unconditional commitment has been to offer the best quality to our consumers. Today, our flagship brand India Gate Basmati Rice is appreciated worldwide for its premium quality. This latest study recognizing India Gate Basmati Rice as the World’s No.1 Basmati rice brand is testimony to our unwavering commitment to get the best quality basmati on the consumer plates across the world.

In India there's a huge task ahead to convert a largely unbranded loose market into a branded one. Mr. Mittal adds, “Brand India Gate has tasked itself to drive conversion from unbranded Basmati Rice to branded. There is a well thought out strategy basis robust consumer and category insights that has been put in place to drive this which includes sharp consumer communication, aggressive retail footprint expansion from the current 3 lacs to 5 lacs outlets, distributor expansion in lower population class markets and scaling up digitization to accelerate efforts in this direction”

Products in the India Gate Basmati Rice portfolio are available across leading e-commerce platforms as well as offline modern trade and general trade stores.

About KRBL

KRBL is world’s largest & only integrated manufacturer and exporter of Basmati rice. The Company is certified by FSSC 22000 issued by Eurofins, a globally recognized certification. The certification confirms that the organizations food safety management system is in conformance with the scheme requirements. It also showcases how the Company has been successful in maintaining compliance with international standards. Thus, ensuring top-notch product quality and safety attributes.

KRBL has two state-of-the-art manufacturing units and four technologically advanced packing units strategically located across India. Through their extensive network of 500+ distributors and 3 lac+ retail outlets operating in more than 750 cities, KRBL enjoys product presence throughout all of India.

KRBL Limited is also India's first, integrated rice company with an extensive supply chain presence and a rich, 130-year history. With processing capacities of 195 MT/per hour. KRBL Limited’s portfolio also includes 14 brands in Rice and a variety of healthy food products like Quinoa, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, and Brown Rice. The Company offers its rice under a varied range of brands namely India Gate, Unity, Nur Jahan and many more. Its’s flagship brand India Gate is appreciated worldwide for its premium quality.

The Company engages in seed production, touch cultivation, paddy procurement, storage, processing, and packaging, basmati rice branding and marketing. The Company enjoys presence in the domestic as well as in 90+ international markets, which includes USA, Australia, EU, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar, amongst others.

For more information, log on to https://krblrice.com/.

AU Small Finance Bank Hikes Interest Rates On Fixed Deposits

* Senior citizens to get inflation-beating returns from FDs with hiked FD interest rate 

AU Small Finance Bank, the largest Small Finance Bank and one of the fastest-growing retail Banks in India, has announced an increase in fixed deposit interest rates so that customers can get maximum return on their investments.  

The Bank has hiked the FD rates by up to 60 basis points for retail deposits from flagship 6.9 percent to 7.5 percent for regular customers and 7.4 percent to 8 percent for senior citizens. With this hike, the bank is offering one of the most competitive FD interest rates. Given the rising inflation, AU Bank provides an opportunity to customers, particularly senior citizens to get inflation-beating returns from their fixed deposits. 

There is also an increase in the Savings deposit rate by 50 basis points in the balance buckets of Rs. 1 Crore to less than Rs. 2 Crore, thereby taking it to 6.5% p.a. Moreover, the Bank continues to offer a higher interest rate of 7% p.a. for balance buckets of Rs. 25 Lakh to less than Rs. 1 Crore. 

Commenting on the rate hike, Mr. Uttam Tibrewal, Executive Director, AU Small Finance Bank, said, “AU Bank has always strived to offer world-class services to its customers and competitive loan and deposit rates. With the recent spate of repo rate hikes announced by the RBI, we have increased the FD rates to extend the maximum benefit to our customers. Currently, we are offering one of the most competitive rates in fixed deposits in the industry.” 

IIFL Home Finance Launched 12th Chapter of ‘Kutumb’ To Raise Awareness About Green Affordable Housing For EWS, LIG In Karnataka

·         To promote and propagate green affordable housing and spread awareness about building climate resilient housing, that also saves cost and energy, in Karnataka.

·         Over 7,300+ households benefitted, as on August 25th, 2022, with a total loan disbursement of over Rs 1,600 cr in the state of Karnataka, in line with government’s mission of ‘Housing for All’.

·         Over 1,300 households benefitted with Credit Linked Subsidy (under PMAY-U) of over Rs 29 cr.

India’s fastest growing digital first home finance company, organised the 12th chapter of Kutumb themed ‘Rebuilding Green and Affordable Karnataka’ in Bengaluru and Mysuru. It’s 6th Kutumb in association with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The objective is to promote green, affordable, future-ready, and sustainable housing in India and to engage with developers, architects, rating agencies, and local influencers to establish a better understanding of green design, rating, and financial options available. This is the second chapter of Kutumb in Bangalore in past three years.

The event took place in Bengaluru and Mysuru on October 13th, 2022. The speakers present at the event were Ashok B. Lall (Principal, Ashok B. Lall Architects New Delhi), Kranth Namala, (Zonal Sales Head, South Region, IIFL Home Finance Ltd.), Chitra Vishwanath (Architect and Managing Director, BIOME Environment Solutions), Saumadip Dey (Senior Investment Officer, Asian Development Bank) and Somashekar MG (Chairman & MD, PG Setty Group).

This event was focused on spreading awareness among the developer community about affordable green housing and educating them to have better grasp of the green design, rating, and financing options available. The event was organised by IIFL HFL to address and reduce persistent problems in Karnataka, such as the drastic natural calamities across the state. The need for the adoption of green and affordable housing; and the trend observed for the first time EWS and LIG home buyers owing to the large-scale migration.

Speaking at the event, Kranth Namala, (Zonal Sales Head, South Region, IIFL Home Finance Ltd.), said, “With Kutumb, we want to create an impact in housing finance industry that leads to awareness about green and affordable housing. We had developers from the state of Karnataka, architects working on green sustainable options for housing construction projects and spokesperson from ADB all at one platform. IIFL HFL has always focussed on aligning itself with government’s mission of ‘Housing for All’ while being thought leaders in sustainable housing. We hope to continue bring about this positive change in our sector.”

While IIFL Home Finance, focusses on providing affordable home loan, they also offer IIFL Shakthi Loan which is a small ticket size Loan Against Property for small business owners such as, small grocery store owners, salon owners, vegetables vendors, small traders and agricultural ancillary owners. To enable the MSME sector, IIFL Shakthi is secured business loan to boost the ‘Make in India’ initiative. IIFL HFL has been supporting the MSME sector with over 40,000 loans.

The event was also live streamed on YouTube and later available as recording on the same platform. Click here for the event link: https://youtu.be/SMB3j7DWaPI

GoDaddy Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary With 3x Growth And Over 1.5 Mllion Customers In India

GoDaddy Inc. (NYSE: GDDY), the company that empowers everyday entrepreneurs, today announced its 10-year anniversary in India. The world's largest domain name registrar celebrated this milestone in recognition of GoDaddy registering 3x growth in the last decade with more than one and half million customers in India, which includes both independent small businesses and GoDaddy partners (Pros + Resellers). With 20+ million customers worldwide, GoDaddy is the place people come to name their i
dea, build professional websites, attract customers, sell their products and services, and manage their work.

GoDaddy entered the Indian market in 2012 and started with 40 customer care agents in the country, handling around 300-400 calls per day. Today, GoDaddy has about 1,000 customer care agents, who handle an average of 3,500 calls per day and close to 90,000 messages per month. GoDaddy is pleased to offer its multilingual integrated product offerings and customer care to support customers in this culturally dynamic market. GoDaddy continues to build awareness about online adoption, through its national marketing campaigns in Hindi, English, and 6 local languages including Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Kannada, and Malayalam. As well as offering customer care in five languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and English. 

Over the last decade, GoDaddy has launched India-specific product offerings such as the Online Starter Bundle, an all-in-one internet solution that offers an India-specific domain name (.IN and.CO.IN), a starter one-page website, and a security professional email account. GoDaddy also offers Websites + Marketing, which combines a website builder with digital marketing tools and an online store.  For a more sophisticated digital presence, GoDaddy offers Managed WordPress, VPS, and dedicated servers.  All of this is backed by 24-hour customer care support to provide guidance along their journey.  

“We extend our warm felicitations to GoDaddy on completing 10 years here in India,” said Anil Jain, CEO, of NIXI. “GoDaddy’s mission has been to empower everyday entrepreneurs and small businesses, which are considered the foundation of India’s growing economy.  With the changing dynamics around internet adoption in India amongst businesses, there is strong potential for the digital marketplace to grow. Considering this, we at NIXI aspire to leave no stone unturned to help widen the scope of small businesses and start-ups in the country to grow online. This makes our association with GoDaddy extremely special, as we resonate with their vision of encouraging Indian small business owners and entrepreneurs to create a digital presence by providing them with the right tools and services. We look forward to continuing to work with GoDaddy supporting Indian entrepreneurs,” he added.

Commenting on the 10-year milestone and GoDaddy’s presence in India, Nikhil Arora, V.P. & M.D - India, GoDaddy, said, “India is home to 63 million small and medium-sized businesses, and they continue to be a major contributor to the socio-economic development of the country. As we look a decade back, we feel proud of our efforts to empower businesses, digitally. Today, according to NIXI, GoDaddy is #1 in market share with over 45%.IN domain name registrations.  Aligned with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Vocal for local’ missions, looking forward, GoDaddy will continue to support the small and medium business ecosystem to scale up with our products, services, and guidance to help them benefit from having an online presence.”

GoDaddy is invested in empowering the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME)  ecosystem in India. With the intent to offer seamless support to businesses, GoDaddy recently opened its first Data Center in India to make available resources that can help improve overall server response time by up to 40%, offer an improved user experience, and further the goals of security protections. Having a local Data Centre can help to improve the loading time of websites and improve the search rankings results positively. 

As a step towards supporting the Government of India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, GoDaddy continues to put Indian small business owners at the center of everything they do. By providing training to become digitally empowered, Indian small business owners can be in further control of helping their businesses grow.  

To help raise awareness around the GoDaddy brand and offerings, GoDaddy partnered with the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the official sponsor of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, one of the biggest sporting events in the world.  GoDaddy also sponsored the 3-match Home T20 series vs Sri Lanka in Dec 2017, and the 5-Test match home series vs England in November/December 2016.  In addition to cricket, GoDaddy has partnered with various national & international organizations to elevate & promote various sports globally. This includes GoDaddy’s long-term collaboration with the Badminton World Federation (BSF) as ‘Official Partner’ for their major events like TOTAL BWF Thomas Uber Cup, TOTAL BWF World Championships, and more. GoDaddy’s partnership with Delhi Women's Rugby Team is designed to promote its mission to unlock new opportunities and inspire young women along the way.  

To maintain its legacy of delivering enlightening campaigns to educate small businesses, GoDaddy has conducted India Marketing Campaigns with MS Dhoni being the voice of the brand. The cricketer was seen playing the character of Bijness Bhai, a helpful business mentor, guiding and encouraging small local business owners to build their presence online to reach a larger set of customers and grow their ventures successfully. GoDaddy’s most recent marketing campaign focuses on the benefits of creating an online presence to help make a business ‘visible’ around the world, irrespective of size and location. The campaign strives to inspire and empower more women entrepreneurs to go online and make opportunities more inclusive. 

GoDaddy has also partnered with Public Interest Registry (PIR), to launch its digital video campaign in India - “Faces behind Change”, to further promote the adoption of.ORG domain names in India. With this campaign, GoDaddy supported and created awareness about various renowned non-profit organizations

like Kiran Bedi’s India Vision Foundation, Indian music director duo Salim and Sulaiman Merchant’s Zariya Foundation, and Indian actor and social activist Rahul Bose’s HEAL, amongst others. 

Last year amidst the global pandemic, GoDaddy launched its first virtual event in India, Digitized Bharat e-Conclave 2021, which was focused on supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs to help ensure business continuity in the new normal operating environment. With a goal to provide guidance and resources to those starting and growing digital businesses, GoDaddy Pro, a sub-brand of GoDaddy, also launched EXPAND 2021 conference to nurture the next generation of Indian web designers and developers.  

GoDaddy offers an integrated suite of online products ranging from domain names, hosting, website building, email marketing, security protections, and an online store, along with 24/7 customer support, locally and in regional languages, to help guide customers in the growth of their venture, and to find the tools that best meet their needs.

About GoDaddy

GoDaddy is empowering everyday entrepreneurs around the world by providing all of the help and tools to succeed online. GoDaddy is the place people come to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, sell their products and services, and manage their work. Our mission is to give our customers the tools, insights and the people to transform their ideas and personal initiative into success. To learn more about the company visit www.GoDaddy.com

Kellogg’s Launches Breakfast Cereal ‘Pro- Muesli’ Across Indian Market

~ The breakfast cereal with milk provides 29% of the daily protein requirement* ~

Kellogg’s, India’s leading breakfast cereal manufacturer, has launched ‘Kellogg’s Pro Muesli’. A high protein Muesli, which is 100% plant is the latest innovation from the bowl of Kellogg’s for the nutrition seeking and time-pressed consumers. It is a tasty, wholesome and an easy way to incorporate protein in one’s breakfast. *One serving of Kellogg’s Pro Muesli with 200 ml milk provides 29% of an adult’s (sedentary woman’s) protein requirement for the day.

Kellogg’s Pro Muesli is the latest addition to the strong range of Kellogg’s Muesli portfolio, which includes Kellogg’s Muesli with 20% Nuts Delight, Kellogg’s Muesli with 21% Fruit, Nut & Seeds, Kellogg’s Muesli with 0% Added Sugar and Kellogg’s Muesli with 22% Fruit Magic. As per the recent Nielsen data of July 2022, Kellogg enjoys a 70% share in the Muesli & Granola category in India and the category is growing at a strong double digit, which indicates its strong affinity with consumers.

Made in the manufacturing unit of Taloja, Maharashtra, Kellogg's Pro Muesli is available across all prominent retail chains like Reliance, D Mart, More Retail, etc. It is exclusively launched on the e commerce platform of Big Basket and is scaling to other e-commerce platforms. The product is available at a SKU of 500 grams for Rs.420/-.

Commenting on the launch, Sumit Mathur, Senior Director of Marketing, Kellogg South Asia, said, "Health-conscious individuals are aware of the importance of protein in their diet to be at their energetic best. And for someone looking at a protein-rich option that is tasty too, Kellogg’s Pro Muesli is a great breakfast option for those busy mornings. I want to commend the efforts of the team which has painstakingly crafted this food keeping in mind the dual desires of consumers, which is nutrition and taste. It is reflected in all brand assets, including packaging design, clear nutrition information on the pack and especially the taste of the food."

About Kellogg’s Pro Muesli

Kellogg’s Pro Muesli is made up of 5 grains (wheat, rice, oats, barley, corn), soy protein nuggets, moong dal, combination of seeds (pumpkin, flax seed, chia), and delightful cranberries, raisins & papaya, making it both nutritious and tasty. It is also naturally cholesterol free. The product contains 100% plant protein without added whey powder.

About Kellogg India Private Limited

At Kellogg Company, our vision is a good and just world where people are not just fed but fulfilled. In India, we serve consumers with a wide range of cereals which are made with staple grains like wheat, corn, and rice. Our cereals fulfil the diverse nutrition needs of different members in the family, be it the home-maker, growing children or adults on the go. Our trusted brands such as Kellogg’s Corn Flakes®, Kellogg’s CHOCOS®, Kellogg’s® Muesli, Kellogg’s® Chocos® Fills and Kellogg’s® Oats, are loved by millions of consumers in India. Kellogg’s cereals, made in India, are consumed in the country and exported to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh & Maldives.

We began our journey in India by setting up a manufacturing plant at Taloja (Maharashtra) in 1994. Since then, we have innovated, invested in, and built the breakfast cereal category. We grew our commitment towards Make in India by launching our second manufacturing facility at Sri City (Andhra Pradesh) in 2015. We also established a Research and Development Centre in India that caters to the demand of the South Asian markets for Kellogg.

Through Kellogg’s® Better Days, our purpose platform globally, we aim to Nourish the Great of our consumers and communities in India.  Our CSR and sustainability programs such as Bright Start, provide underprivileged children with fortified cereals and milk to ensure they start their day on a healthy note.

To know more about our vision and purpose,  visit www.kelloggcompany.com. For India-specific information,  visit www.kelloggs.in

Happiest Minds Partners With Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences And Research In Establishing Molecular Testing Laboratory

Happiest Minds Technologies Limited (NSE: HAPPSTMNDS), a ‘Born Digital . Born Agile’, Mindful IT Company, today announced the inauguration of the molecular testing laboratory established at Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research in Bengaluru.

The laboratory with its state-of-the-art research facilities and infrastructure was unveiled by Dr. Ravi V, Senior Professor and HOD, Department of Neurovirology from NIMHANS in the presence of Dr C.N. Manjunath, Senior Cardiologist and Director, Sri Jayadeva Institute and Mr. Venkatraman Narayanan, MD & CFO, Happiest Minds. Happiest Minds has contributed INR 1 crore to the Institute for establishing the testing lab and 3 ICU Ventilator Beds.

Mr. Venkatraman Narayanan, MD & CFO, Happiest Minds Technologies said, “Social Responsibility is a core value of Happiest Minds. In line with our 5-year vision of being a responsible corporate citizen and a leader in social responsibility initiatives, this facility further adds to our ongoing efforts to expand medical facilities for the public and undertake innovative R&D and collaboration for understanding human health and disease.”

Aligned with the Company’s CSR objectives for community engagement and contribution of resources for social and environmental causes, the Company has associated with several other partners like the Akshaya Patra Foundation, Bangalore West Lions Super Specialty Eye Hospital and NGOs like Baale Mane, Balajothi Centre for the Disabled, One Billion Literates Foundation & Jeevarathni Foundation.

About Happiest Minds Technologies:

Happiest Minds’ Technologies Limited (NSE: HAPPSTMNDS), a Mindful IT Company, enables digital transformation for enterprises and technology providers by delivering seamless customer experiences, business efficiency and actionable insights. We do this by leveraging a spectrum of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud, digital process automation, internet of things, robotics/drones, security, virtual/augmented reality, and more. Positioned as ‘Born Digital. Born Agile’, our capabilities span digital solutions, infrastructure, product engineering and security. We deliver these services across industry sectors such as automotive, BFSI, consumer packaged goods, e-commerce, edutech, engineering R&D, hi-tech, manufacturing, retail, and travel/transportation/hospitality.

A Great Place to Work-Certified™ company, Happiest Minds is headquartered in Bangalore, India, with operations in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and the Middle East.