Jackfruit365 Clinical Study Shows 50% of World’s Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) Can Be Prevented With Healthy Food And Exercise

* Jackfruit365.com strives to support this year’s World Diabetes Day campaign ‘Education to Protect Tomorrow’

A press meet was held at Bengaluru to discuss measures that could prevent 50% of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in the world. This press meet was part of Jackfruit365.com’s initiative to spread awareness on consumption of healthy food, which is in support of the World Diabetes Day campaign ‘Access to Diabetes care’ themed ‘Education to protect tomorrow’ this year.

The gathering laid emphasis on the World Diabetes Day campaign fact that 50% of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in the world can be prevented by the intake of healthy food and exercise. Adding more vegetables to meal plans is the most important part of making food healthy, thereby helping in managing diabetes condition naturally. Jackfruit365™ green jackfruit flour is a vegetable in flour form which can be easily added to traditional food people prefer like akki roti in Bangaluru, pesarattu in Hyderabad or podi idli in Chennai. The high fiber content, and low calorific value, in green jackfruit flour is shown to reduce HbA1c in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Renowned Doctor Vinod Abichandani, emphasised on integrating green jackfruit flour in daily meals to control blood sugar among people with diabetes. The discussion was focussed towards supporting diabetes healthcare consultants and educating the masses on the incorporation of green jackfruit flour, a simple plant-based natural remedy, in daily meals to control blood sugar, help optimise bowel movement, some lipid fractions and markers of fatty liver as well. A balanced plant-based diet provides the required vitamins, minerals as well as carbohydrates. In addition, dietary fiber or roughage is also a part of plant-based foods, promoting weight loss and lowering the risk of diabetes.

Dr. Vinod Abichandani, Diabetologist and Endocrine Physician, Ramanand Clinic, Ahmedabad said, “I recommended my patients to use 30 g  Jackfruit365™? green jackfruit flour per day to replace same portion of whole wheat flour or rice batter as part of their diet and observed a remarkable improvement in their blood glucose levels. Today, at least 50 of my patients including pregnant women, my family and staff are using 30 g of green jackfruit flour on a daily basis and the benefits are visible in overall metabolic conditions than just blood sugar control. Green jackfruit flour is a real nutritional gem for medical nutrition therapy ”

A well-designed clinical study conducted in India at the Government Medical College, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, involved randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trials; it evaluated the efficacy of Jackfruit365™ green jackfruit flour as an integral part of daily meal in patients with T2DM (type 2 diabetes mellitus). The study showed a significant decrease in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and postprandial glucose (PPG) following the consumption of Jackfruit365™ green jackfruit flour meal, suggesting a therapeutic potential of green jackfruit flour meal in improving glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.  Green jackfruit flour showed 25% lower calories, 33% lower net carbohydrates, and 57% more fiber in comparison to placebo flour suggesting that green jackfruit flour may be a promising intervention to improve glycaemic control as a replacement to rice or wheat flour.

On this occasion, Mr. James Joseph, Founder, Jackfruit365.com said, “Diabetes is a serious & rapidly growing lifestyle health issue in the world. There are more than 70 million people suffering from diabetes which is expected to rise over 134 million by 2045. Adding just one tablespoon of Jackfruit365™ green jackfruit flour in one’s meal three times a day will help reduce the absorption of carbohydrates and calories and facilitate twice the amount of fiber intake, without the need to change one’s dietary preferences. The Government Medical College, Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh has been instrumental in bringing forth the benefits of green jackfruit flour in medical nutrition therapy for diabetes; this rooted deep trust in the green jackfruit flour’s ability to control diabetes, thereby benefitting lakhs of people.”

Consumption of 30?g green jackfruit flour per day (equivalent to three tablespoons per day or one tablespoon per meal) results in control of blood sugar. It also adds to the increase in intake of vegetables, which leads to a healthy overall diet and clubbed with exercise, helps in prevention of 50% of type 2 diabetes. Further to the clinical study and these remarkable improvements observed by leading diabetologists, Jackfruit365™ advocates the usage of green jackfruit flour as a key ingredient in medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for diabetes management and prevention, including obesity management, as well as a carbohydrate replacement to fight dietary diseases.

Mr Joseph also added “It is one of the most gifted food products online, being largely gifted by children to their elderly diabetics. To make it easier for the diabetic patients to purchase from their local supermarkets & pharmacies, Jackfruit365™ is expanding its retail distribution from Kerala to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana State-wide and to the cities of Bangalore &  Chennai.”

The glycaemic load (glucose level) in green jackfruit is almost half that of rice or wheat; this makes it a potent carbohydrate substitute in the diet for diabetic patients. Green jackfruit flour can increase soluble fiber and reduce the energy density and glycaemic load of a majority of traditional Indian meals. Owing to a neutral taste without a strong aroma, it makes for an easy integration with majority of staple foods across India - from roti, poori, paratha to dosa, idli, upma to oats or porridge - thus, making wholesome meals healthier and maintaining the pleasure of eating.  It can easily be used with daily meals as well, such as with a cup of curd before major meals. Since green jackfruit flour blends beautifully into most recipes, it can also change the way we look at health foods and gluten-free foods in particular.

Garware Hi-Tech Films Ltd Records Steady Performance Growth And Profitability

* Despite global challenges Consolidated H1FY23 revenue up by 18.5% at Rs. 765 crores

* Consolidated PAT up by 17% at Rs. 93 crores

Garware Hi-Tech Films Limited (GHFL) (BOM: 500655 | NSE: GRWRHITECH), a global provider of specialty polyester films, announced results for  the second quarter and half year ended on September 30, 2022.

Highlights:

Consolidated Q2FY23:

Revenue up by 16.2% at Rs. 395 crores visa-vis Rs. 340 crores in Q2FY22

EBIDTA up by 10.1% at Rs. 76 crores visa-vis Rs. 69 crores in Q2FY22

PAT up by 11.1% at Rs. 48 crores visa-vis Rs. 43 crores in Q2FY22

Consolidated H1FY23:

Revenue up by 18.5% at Rs. 765 crores visa-vis Rs. 645 crores in H1FY22

EBIDTA up by 8.7% at Rs. 147 crores visa-vis Rs. 135 crores in H1FY22

PAT up by 17.1% at Rs. 93 crores visa-vis Rs. 79 crores in H1FY22

Commenting on the results Shri S. B. Garware, Chairperson and Managing Director said, “It has been a steady quarter and half year for GHFL, despite global challenges, as we have been able to find a balance to increase our profitability as well as make investments that will contribute incrementally to GHFL's top line. These measures will eventually take the company to a niche position in the specialty films market in all the geographies where we have a presence.”

Speaking about the outlook for the year ahead, Ms. Monika Garware, Vice-Chairperson,  and Joint Managing Director said, “Keeping in mind the robust demand in the specialty film space in 2023 and beyond, the ongoing production line expansion will help us cater to the increased demand from the auto as well as architectural segments, along with an increased focus and efforts in sales network expansion and marketing activities.”

Garware Hi-Tech Films Limited (GHFL)

Garware Hi-Tech Films Limited (formerly Garware Polyester Ltd.) (BOM: 500655 | NSE: GRWRHITECH) is the flagship company of the Garware Group co-promoted by the Chairman and Managing Director Shri S.B. Garware in the year 1957 along with the Founder-Chairman Late Padmabhushan Dr. B. D. Garware.

GHFL manufactures Hi-Tech specialty performance polyester Films and  has  State-of-the-  Art manufacturing facilities in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India. GHFL is the pioneer and is one of the largest exporters of Polyester Films in India. GHFL has been the winner of top exporters’ awards for 33 continuous years from PLEXCOUNCIL.

GHFL manufacturing facility at Aurangabad is  vertically  integrated, from  the  manufacture of polyester chips to the polyester film finished  product  with  four  independent manufacturing lines and a business that spans the globe. Polyester Films are used  for  a  variety of applications such as PET Shrink films for Label applications, Low Oligomer PET films for insulation of hermetically sealed compressors motors, Electric  motor  insulation,  and cable insulation, sequin applications films, TV and LCD screen application, Packaging applications, etc. GHFL is also the market leader and India’s only manufacturer of Sun Control window films for Building, safety, and auto applications.

GHFL has facilities for manufacturing  various kinds of Sun Control Films which  are used  for Architectural and Automotive applications. The company has also developed surface- protection and Paint Protection Films designed to deliver the highest level of protection and impact resistance which has applications in many sectors.

US-Based Morningstar Introduces Industry-First ‘India Unicorn Index’

* Morningstar PitchBook India Unicorn 25 Index among one of four country-specific indexes in the newly launched Morningstar PitchBook Global Unicorn Index series

* Data shows as many as 10% of all new unicorns, across the globe, are born in India

US-headquartered global investment research company, Morningstar has introduced the industry-first Morningstar PitchBook Global Unicorn Indexes, including the Morningstar PitchBook India Unicorn 25 Index, a new series of benchmarks to daily measure Unicorns, or privately held venture capital-backed companies with valuations of $1 billion or more.

Morningstar determined only four countries have a critical mass of unicorns sufficient to create a meaningful single-country unicorn index. The creation of the Morningstar PitchBook India Unicorn 25 Index reflects local market conditions that are fertile ground for companies to remain private while they undergo considerable growth.

Morningstar noted that the pace at which new unicorns are coming up in India is rapid; as many as 10% of all new unicorns across the globe are born in India. The investment, consumption, and regulatory landscape in India is ripe for the growth of unicorns, as well as for upcoming unicorns, or “soonicorns.” Active government support for India’s start-up ecosystem, including its openness to foreign capital being invested, helps Indian startups secure funding while staying private. Behavioral changes towards technology and online consumer products that were brought on by the pandemic have also created a favorable environment for innovative startups. And the size of the consumer market in India allows businesses to produce at scale.

Similar to the Indian stock markets that remained relatively resilient compared to global peers, Indian unicorns have remained resilient as well. Despite the slowdown in 2022, Indian unicorns have seen some large deals for companies. BYJU’s, Swiggy, ShareChat and Meesho were among the many Indian unicorns that have successfully raised funding in 2022.

Another important differentiator among Indian unicorns is that diversification has been consistently increasing among them. In 2019, the top 10 constituents of Morningstar Pitchbook India Unicorn 25 Index comprised nearly 80% of the index that has dropped to almost 60% in 2022. This is indicative of increasing number of companies having large up-rounds.

Sanjay Arya, Head of Innovation, Morningstar Indexes said, “Considering the pace at which internet and other technology solutions are turning mainstream in India, these segments are poised for further growth. Pandemic-induced lifestyle changes are also expected to bolster growth in these segments. B2B products and services are expected to witness growth as the focus shifts towards self-reliance among Indian businesses.”

B2C product and service providers such as BYJU’s, Swiggy, OYO Rooms, and Ola comprise of 60% weight in the Morningstar Pitchbook India Unicorn 25 Index. This is followed by a 25% weight in the Information Technology sector which include companies like Dream Sports and Razorpay.

“In today’s market, investors are increasingly looking to nontraditional asset classes like private markets for portfolio diversification and investment opportunity,” said Ron Bundy, President, Morningstar Indexes. “Our new global unicorn indexes combine the deep data and insight of PitchBook with the best practices of Morningstar Indexes to deliver a new state-of-the-art series of benchmarks for the late-stage venture capital market.”

According to Morningstar research, private capital markets have grown substantially in the last decade, with more companies staying private longer or pursuing less traditional funding strategies.  This trend has fueled a growing number of “unicorns,” or VC-backed companies with more than a billion dollars in valuation.

This new series of market indexes combines the leading VC data, analytics and insights from PitchBook, an independent subsidiary of Morningstar, with the indexing best practices of Morningstar Indexes, one of the fastest-growing global index providers. It employs a proprietary three-factor mark-to-model pricing methodology to provide more frequent valuations for the asset class. The first of its kind, the model employs a range of valuation measures and comparable data from private and public market peers to bring transparency to an asset class that has been hard for investors to track.

About Morningstar, Inc. 

Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The Company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers and owners, retirement plan providers and sponsors, and institutional investors in the debt and private capital markets. Morningstar provides data and research insights on a wide range of investment offerings, including managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, debt securities, and real-time global market data. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with approximately $253 billion in assets under advisement and management as of June 30, 2022. The Company has operations in 29 countries. For more information, visit www.morningstar.com/company. Follow Morningstar on Twitter @MorningstarInc.

About PitchBook

PitchBook is a financial data and software company that provides transparency into the capital markets to help professionals discover and execute opportunities with confidence and efficiency. PitchBook collects and analyzes detailed data on the entire venture capital, private equity and M&A landscape—including public and private companies, investors, funds, investments, exits and people. The company's data and analysis are available through the PitchBook Platform, industry news and in-depth reports. Founded in 2007, PitchBook has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, London and Hong Kong and serves more than 70,000 professionals around the world. In 2016, Morningstar acquired PitchBook, which now operates as an independent subsidiary.

About Morningstar Indexes

Morningstar Indexes, recently named the fastest growing global index provider by Burton-Taylor, was built to keep up with the evolving needs of investors—and to be a leading-edge advocate for them. Our rich heritage as a transparent, investor-focused leader in data and research uniquely equips us to support individuals, institutions, wealth managers and advisors in navigating investment opportunities across all major asset classes, styles and strategies. From assessing risk and return with traditional benchmarks to helping investors effectively incorporate ESG objectives into their investment process, our range of index solutions spans an investment landscape as diverse as investors themselves. We help investors answer today’s increasingly complex questions so that they can more easily reach tomorrow’s goals.  

Dalmia Cement Wins Prestigious “CII CAP 2.0° Award” For Pioneering Climate Action Initiatives In India

* Company bags award for second consecutive year and becomes only leading player in cement sector to receive coveted prize 

Reinforcing its nationwide commitment towards sustainability, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited (DCBL), India’s fourth largest cement manufacturer and a subsidiary of Dalmia Bharat Limited, has won the prestigious ‘Oriented’ honour at the 3rd edition of the Climate Action Programme (CAP 2.0°) Awards by India’s reputed industry trade association, the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII).  

Bagging the award for the second time, DCBL has become the only organisation to receive the coveted prize that celebrates pioneers in Climate Action in the nation’s cement sector. The CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development, in association with DSM, initiated the CAP 2.0° in 2018 to help companies prepare scenario analysis, implement Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations, and calculate internal carbon pricing.  

Commenting on the win, Dr. Arvind Bodhankar, Executive Director & CRO, DCBL said “At Dalmia Bharat, we are paving the way for a sustainable future by surpassing global benchmarks and introducing innovative climate action endeavours. All our efforts are aligned with our corporate vision of being a leader in building materials and evoking pride in all stakeholders through customer-centricity, innovation and sustainability. We take pride in receiving this accolade from CII and look forward to mitigating climate change through our consistently innovative sustainable practices.” 

Some of the key efforts solidifying Dalmia Bharat’s sustainability drive include promoting and incorporating the philosophy of ‘Waste to Prosperity’ to move from a grey to green reality. The company has been engaging with waste generators, policymakers, civil society and its employees to maximize waste utilization in its cement plants. Nearly 18% of the heat provided in its cement kilns is attributable to Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and industrial wastes including non-recyclable plastic, pharma, etc. 

With a total installed capacity of 37 MnT, Dalmia Bharat is the first cement group committed to becoming carbon-negative by 2040. The organisation serves as a climate catalyst for the global cement industry with a carbon footprint of 467 kg CO2/ton of cement (Q2, FY 23).  

Today, nearly 40% of the total raw materials consumed by Dalmia Cement are industrial wastes (the highest globally at this scale within the cement sector) and 80% of its product portfolio is blended cement. The company is India’s largest manufacturer of Portland Slag Cement which is the lowest carbon footprint cement available in the country. The company plans on becoming a 100% blended cement producer with an investment of over 6,000 crores in a couple of years. 

About Dalmia Bharat: 

Founded in 1939, Dalmia Bharat Limited (DBL) (BSE/NSE Symbol: DALBHARAT) is one of India’s pioneering cement companies headquartered in New Delhi. With a growing capacity, currently pegged at 37.0 MnT, Dalmia Bharat Limited is the fourth-largest cement manufacturing company in India by installed capacity. Spread across 10 states and 14 manufacturing units, the Company is a category leader in super-specialty cement used for oil well, railway sleepers and airstrips and is the country’s largest producer of Portland Slag Cement (PSC).  Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, a subsidiary of Dalmia Bharat Limited, prides itself at having one of the lowest carbon footprints globally in the cement world. It is the first cement company to commit to RE100, EP100 & EV100 (first triple joiner) – showing real business leadership in the clean energy transition by taking a joined-up approach. Visit us at https://www.dalmiacement.com/.  

Goa Institute of Management’s “Make-The-Case” Initiative Chosen As Good Practice By UN Office of South-South Cooperation

“Make-The-Case”, an initiative by Centre for Social Sensitivity and Action (CSSA) at the Goa Institute of Management has been chosen as good practice by the United Nations Office of South-South Cooperation and has been included in the compendium entitled ‘Good Practices in South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable Development – Volume 4’.  

In 2020, the ‘Make the Case’ competition was introduced. It was developed and put into action by the Goa Institute of Management's Center for Social Sensitivity and Action (CSSA), Commitments Accelerator for Plastic Pollution (CAPP), Ocean Recovery Alliance (ORA), and Indian Plastic Institute (IPI). The competition's goal was to raise awareness of plastic waste in India and to encourage discussion on its solutions. The objective was to persuade young people to become interested in issues of sustainable development and to make them green crusaders of their respective institutes. 

Dr. Ajit Parulekar, Director of GIM shares, “I am very happy to note that the collaborative effort of CSSA has been recognized by UNOSSC as evidence-based good practice for SDG 12. The volume released showcased over 130 development solutions that have demonstrated cross-boundary cooperation and knowledge transfer between countries of the global South and which are highly adaptable to local economic and social conditions.  I am pleased to know that from India, we are probably the first Business School who have been recognised for our effort by a UN entity”.  

The ‘Good Practices in South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable Development publication series documents the incredible work that is currently happening in the global South. Two seasons of the Make-The-Case competition have been held so far. Instead of concentrating on completely fresh start-up concepts, the competition in Season 1 (2020) focused on programmes and innovations that have already been implemented and have the potential to be scaled. In total, 165 teams signed up for this contest. Moving this initiative to a national platform, students from across the country had the opportunity to participate in season 2. 

CSSA Chairperson Professor Divya Singhal communicated that “Make the Case competition was launched in 2020.  The objective of the competition was to generate awareness about and discuss ways to tackle plastic waste in India. The aim was to nudge youth to take an interest in issues related to sustainable development and make them the green crusaders in their respective institutions”. 

The competition is distinctive because it involves knowledge creation, knowledge transmission, and action. The competition's lessons have successfully demonstrated that plastic waste significantly affects public health. 

More Motoring Pleasure, Lower Emissions: Vitesco Technologies’ Hybrid Concept Adds “e-Power And New Driving Functions To Motorcycles”

*Next development stage to be presented at EICMA 2022  

* Additional 48-volt electric drive significantly boosts performance, agility, and safety 

* Electric start-up without clutch actuation and electric reversing enabled 

* Up to 75 percent CO2 savings in current WMTC 

* Vitesco Technologies is presenting its two-wheel innovations in Hall 13, Booth C57 

Vitesco Technologies, a leading international supplier of advanced powertrain technologies and solutions for e-mobility, is advancing the hybridization of motorcycles: at EICMA 2022 (November 10-13, press and trade visitor days on November 8/9), the company will present the next development stage of a hybrid motorcycle with an additional electric drive that significantly reduces CO2 emissions. And that’s not all: this development stage increases motoring pleasure and enables new driving functions for greater comfort and safety. These include fully electric start-up without clutch actuation and an electric reverse gear. The concept is designed for motorcycles with a displacement of over 125cc and comprises a 48-volt electric motor, an automated manual gearbox and, as the “control center”, a Powertrain Domain Control Unit (PDCU), the so-called Master Controller. 

Vitesco Technologies presented the first development stage of the hybrid concept at EICMA last year. “For medium-sized and large motorcycles with combustion engines, we expect that future exhaust emission limits can only be met by using hybridization in combination with an automated manual transmission. With this aim in mind, our development focus was initially entirely on reducing CO2,” says Torsten Bellon, head of the 2-Wheeler & Powersports product line at Vitesco Technologies. “Over the past twelve months, we have adapted the technology, which originated in the passenger car segment, to meet the specific requirements of motorcycles, developing many additional functions that are only possible with an electrified powertrain. During our development work, it became increasingly clear that our hybrid concept opens up completely new possibilities for making motorcycling more dynamic, more comfortable and safer. We exploited these options and are now in a position to support manufacturers with an easy-to-implement, low-cost and highly effective system.” 

Powerful, efficient and cost-effective 

The electric engine of the hybrid concept is a standard belt-driven starter generator from the passenger car sector, where Vitesco Technologies has been using 48-volt hybridization since 2016. The Master Controller, also from the passenger car segment, is responsible for the control strategy, which is particularly demanding in hybrid systems. It controls the 48-volt engine, communicates with the M4C engine control unit of the combustion engine and decides when to switch to electric drive, when to drive “conventionally” and when to use a combination of both drive types. The automated Smart Transmission is equipped with a centrifugal clutch and an intelligent actuator. While driving, the Master Controller can change gears independently without clutch actuation at the best time for economic fuel consumption. 

The 12 kW electric motor and a removable 1.5 kWh battery enable the concept to travel a distance of up to 30 kilometers and at a speed of up to 60 kilometers per hour in pure electric mode. The combustion engine in the hybrid concept has an output of 32 kW and a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour. In this configuration and in combination with the current WMTC (World Motorcycle Test Cycle) the hybrid concept reduces the motorbike’s CO2 emissions by up to 75 percent. The system increases the overall weight by only approx. 20 kilograms. At 170 kilograms, the concept is lighter than a fully electric motorcycle with a similar performance – and is also considerably cheaper. Unlike in the passenger car sector, where hybridization can be significantly more expensive, Vitesco Technologies’ motorcycle system can already be integrated at an additional average system cost of less than 1,000 euros. 

Automotive technologies and profound understanding of motorcycles  

In the development of motorcycle solutions, Vitesco Technologies has the significant advantage of access to in-house automotive products. However, it is the company’s two decades of expertise in two-wheel vehicles that enables Vitesco Technologies to optimally adapt these technologies and components for use in motorcycles. This know-how is required, among other things, to develop the algorithms, which cannot be adopted directly from the passenger car sector. 

“Our development teams know exactly what counts when riding a motorcycle and always have the various different user groups in mind,” says Christophe Genin, head of the hybrid concept project. “For example, for novice riders who have switched to a motorcycle, the biggest challenge is operating the clutch. This was one of the things that motivated us to develop the electric start-up function. This means that when travelling at a speed of up to 20 kilometers per hour, clutch operation and the risk of stalling are no longer an issue, increasing both comfort and safety, especially in stop-and-go traffic.” Electric starting is enabled by the electric motor and the smart transmission. “But like all the new functions of our hybrid motorcycle, developing the corresponding control strategy for the Master Controller was the key aspect here,” says Genin. 

Impressive e-boost, easy maneuvering and more 

Opening the grip also delivers a real aha effect. For one thing, the drive responds more agilely thanks to the instantly available e-power. Secondly, the electric motor provides impressive power delivery, especially in the lower engine speed range: Thanks to the additional e-boost, the torque reached here is up to 60 Nm (maximum torque without e-assist: 37 Nm at 7,000 rpm). This means that the medium-sized hybrid motorcycle (displacement: 401 cc) can generate more punch than a conventional bike with a 1000 cc engine. And thanks to the powerful electric drive, the thrust is available not just for a few seconds, but over minutes.  

The hybrid-concept also sets new standards in maneuvering. In addition to purely electric start-up, the electric drive also allows the vehicle to be driven in reverse. This convenient function is extremely helpful, especially in tight or downhill parking spaces. The hybrid concept also offers a number of other advantages. For example, the electric motor can compensate for the short torque interruption that occurs during gear changes to keep the wheel torque as constant as possible when shifting up and down. The generator function of the electric motor, used to charge the battery, can be used as an additional engine brake so that the mechanical rear brake is only needed if the motorcyclist needs to decelerate sharply. In addition, the hybrid concept’s energy management can be linked to the navigation system to ensure that the battery is fully charged, for instance before entering a city or before a long hill climb (so-called predictive ride function). A hybrid motorcycle also offers great flexibility in route planning: At around 260 kilometers, the Vitesco Technologies concept has a greater range than comparable electric motorcycles – and can be swiftly refueled at any gas station. 

Volvo Car India Starts Delivery of India’s First Locally Assembled Full-Electric Luxury SUV – XC40 Recharge

* First XC40 Recharge gets delivered in Gujarat

* Around 100 more cars expected to be delivered before year-end 

* The XC40 Recharge is only sold online directly by the company 

Volvo Car India has commenced the delivery of its full electric XC40 Recharge in the country. The first car was delivered today in Gujarat by Mr. Jyoti Malhotra, Managing Director, Volvo Car India. Volvo XC40 Recharge is India’s first Locally Assembled Luxury Electric SUV. The company is assembling the cars in their facility based at Bangalore, Karnataka.

“It is indeed a milestone for all of us at Volvo to have the first of the India assembled pure electric XC40 Recharge luxury SUV delivered.  This delivery is historic as this not only marks the beginning of our journey towards becoming an all-electric car company by 2030 but also will be the first car which is being delivered under our ambitious Online Direct Sales model. The response to the XC40 Recharge has been really encouraging with 150 car orders received online within 2 hours of opening bookings. I am delighted to announce that we already have close to 500 advance orders with us, and we will be delivering around 100 of them before the year-end. Rest of the customers will get their cars during the next year.” said Mr. Jyoti Malhotra - Managing Director, Volvo Car India.

The XC40 Recharge was launched on July 26th this year at Rs 55.90 lakh ex-showroom with a hassle-free ownership package. Volvo’s first electric SUV garnered an overwhelming response from luxury car buyers in India, with the business registering online bookings of 150 cars within a few hours of starting bookings on July 27th. The XC40 Recharge has a phenomenal range of upto 418 kilometres* on a single charge as per WLTP. This feature has increased consumer confidence and addressed common misconceptions regarding EV range.

All XC40 Recharge owners will also get 2 year membership of the exclusive Tre Kronor program. Tre Kronor membership offers benefits and services designed exclusively for Volvo XC40 Recharge car owners, keeping their satisfaction and comfort in mind.

By 2030, the company wants to offer exclusively purely electric vehicles and phase out all vehicles with internal combustion engines, including hybrids. This is aligned with the Company's worldwide climate plan, which aims to minimize the life cycle carbon footprint per car through tangible action on a consistent basis.

Volvo Cars in India

Swedish luxury car Company Volvo established its presence in India in 2007 and has since then, worked intensively to market the Swedish brand in the country. Volvo Cars currently markets products through 25 dealerships in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi NCR – South Delhi, West Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Indore, Raipur, Jaipur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ludhiana, West Mumbai, South Mumbai, Pune, Raipur, Surat, Vishakhapatnam and Vijayawada..

Bollywood Star To Be Recognised With Top University Honour

The award-winning Indian singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan, described as one of the greatest Bollywood vocalists alive, is to receive an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University (BCU) for his outstanding contribution to music and the arts. 

Speaking at a trade mission event in Mumbai, West Midlands Mayor Andy Street made the announcement on behalf of the University, before the globally acclaimed playback singer and member of the celebrated Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy song writing trio in Mumbai was formally invited to receive the University’s highest honour at a ceremony in 2023. 

The announcement follows a BCU India and West Midlands India Partnership-organised visit by Mr Mahadevan to BCU’s £400m campus featuring state-of-the-art creative industry facilities and schools, including Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC). 

The Bollywood star toured RBC with fellow Indian musicians including Zakir Hussain earlier this year, meeting with students, staff and partners, and committing to exploring links and opportunities between the Bangalore-based Shankar Mahadevan Academy and the Conservatoire. 

Shankar Mahadevan said: “This is truly a special moment for me. It’s something new and take some time for me to digest this feeling. When I started my career, never did I expect that one day I would be awarded a doctorate for music.

“I am looking forward to some amazing music being created between Indian musicians whom I represent and musicians from the West Midlands. We’ve heard musicians from the Conservatoire perform especially for us at our visit and it was just outstanding – I saw a beautiful collaboration that will happen.”

An accomplished engineer-turned-musician, Shankar Mahadevan’s melodious singing and compositions have captivated audiences in India and around the world for over three decades. His repertoire encompasses Indipop, film, folk and spiritual music as well as Indian classical music, jazz and world music.  

The musician has performed at prestigious music festivals around the world and was invited to the United Nations Assembly, where he represented India twice. At home, Shankar had the unique honour of performing at the Rashtrapati Bhawan for former Presidents of India, the late Dr. APJ Kalam and the late Pranab Mukherjee. 

At the Mumbai trade mission event, BCU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Julian Beer, via video link, formally invited the music industry figure to receive the award at a ceremony in 2023. 

Professor Beer said: “I am delighted to have extended the invitation for Shankar to come over to Birmingham in the New Year to receive his Honorary Doctorate in person.

“We have had the pleasure of him visiting our Royal Birmingham Conservatoire previously, and we look forward to his return so we can build on our relationship with him and strengthen our already strong ties with India further.”     

The honorary doctorate announcement underlines BCU’s commitment both to their strategic partnership work in India as well, reflecting a recent call to urge policymakers to place greater emphasis on the value of the Creative Arts in higher education and recognise the role universities play in strengthening the sector’s growth and innovation. 

BCU leaders have also called on industry and government to commit to increasing diversity in the arts and media industries to ensure equality and true representation, and a need to drive forwards the STEAM agenda – bringing together the Arts with STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) disciplines. 

The West Midlands trade mission, led by Mayor Andy Street, seeks to cement existing economic ties between India’s sub-regions and the West Midlands. Senior representatives are exploring potential partnerships in areas including emerging digital technologies, low carbon mobility and data-driven healthcare, with the common objective of creating more prosperous communities in both the UK and in India. 

Andy Street said: “Given the strength of the Indian diaspora in our region, it’s wonderful to celebrate the ‘living bridge’ between India and the West Midlands by honouring Shankar Mahadevan - a titan of film and music. I hope it will encourage greater cultural and educational collaboration in the months and years ahead.”

Birmingham City University will confer an honorary doctorate on Shankar Mahadevan at a ceremony in 2023, and the singer and composer will lead on several collaborative projects at the University’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and STEAMhouse creative hubs.

Swedish Higher Education And Research Delegation To Visit Three Indian Cities

Students from across India who are looking to study abroad will have an excellent opportunity to explore their options for studying in Sweden during the visit of a Swedish higher education and research delegation in India, a series of ‘Study in Sweden’ fairs to be held in India from 23-25 November 2022.

The fairs will present Indian students, especially undergraduates, with various prospects for pursuing advanced studies in Sweden. Students will have a chance to get first-hand information from representatives of leading Swedish universities, e.g., KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Jönköping University, about the programmes they can attend. Students can avail of a free counselling session and receive information regarding scholarships, visa opportunities and student life in Sweden.

The consecutive education fairs are being organised by the Embassy of Sweden in India, the Office of Science and Innovation in New Delhi, in collaboration with and the Nordic Centre India. The Swedish Alumni Network India will also participate and enable prospective students’ engagement with Swedish alumni in India.

The delegates will also meet with premier Indian research institutes such as the Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru, Indian Institute of Technology Madras and University of Hyderabad to explore research collaboration and institutional partnerships.

Welcoming the upcoming education fairs, Mr. Jan Thesleff, Ambassador of Sweden to India, said, “At a time when international collaboration is more important than ever, the Swedish higher education and research delegation will create exchange opportunities for students and researchers from Sweden and India, and foster innovations that benefit both nations.”

Sweden allures thousands of international students every year and is truly a welcoming destination. Sweden holds a rich and proud history of academic excellence. Despite its comparatively small population, Sweden is a home to a number of the world’s best universities. The complete Swedish higher education system is ranked at second position in the world, and it holds the first position in relation to GDP. Most of the Swedish universities are ranked by the Times Higher Education and the Academic Ranking of World Universities as being among the world’s top education providers.

“At Blekinge Institute of Technology we deeply value our strong relationship with India and recognise the nation’s vital importance to Sweden’s higher education and research sector,” said Deputy Vice Chancellor Andreas Larsson.

The interest for studying in Sweden is global, with students coming from over 117 countries, with the biggest representation of students from Finland, India and China. When asked why they chose to study in Sweden, a majority of the over 10000 international students surveyed by the Swedish Institute, pointed out the country’s lifestyle and the open, progressive values. The focus on equal rights, LGBTQ-rights and sustainability are as important as excellent education at an affordable cost. Over the last few years, Sweden as a study destination has become more and more appealing to young people all over the world, being a safe and modern country with a unique work-life balance, as unique as the lack of hierarchy and sense of equality, which is often reflected in classrooms.

“KTH has deep and longstanding connections with Indian institutions and scholars. Our researchers collaborate with colleagues in India on projects across various sectors. There are opportunities to further expand these collaborations, working with Indian partners to address global challenges such as green transition and digital transformation,” said Rajeev Thottappillil, Director of India Relations at KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

Sweden offers over 1000-degree programmes in English. Some of the most popular subjects are Engineering and IT, Life Sciences and Business. Sweden also has a strong reputation in Design and areas such as International Relations and Human Rights. The Swedish Government offers scholarships and financial grants to some international students to take up their higher education in Sweden. After graduating international students can stay for an extra six months to look for employment in Sweden. After obtaining a job the graduate can apply for a work permit.

Sweden’s higher education and research ties to India are already strong. Since 2018, Sweden and India have a Joint Innovation Partnership for a sustainable future. A total of 44 projects have been funded since the signing of the partnership, and 13 more will be funded this year.

Study in Sweden fairs –

 ·         23 Nov – Hotel Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru – 14.00-16.00

·         24 Nov – Hotel Trident, Chennai – 13.00-15.00

·         25 Nov – Hotel Le Meridien, Hyderabad – 13.00-15.00

CoinSwitch Appoints Shiva Tadikonda As New Chief Compliance Officer

* Shiva Kumar Tadikonda Joins CoinSwitch With Over 35 Years of Experience Across leading international and Indian banks, including DBS Bank India Ltd and ICICI Bank.

CoinSwitch, India's largest Crypto investing company, has appointed Shiva Tadikonda as the Chief Compliance officer. The appointment is in line with the company's continued efforts to strengthen its legal and compliance structures to create a compliant wealth-tech platform.

Tadikonda brings over 35 years of expertise in Compliance, Banking, Credit Analysis, Commercial Banking, Credit Risk, and Management Information Systems (MIS). Before this, he was the Senior Vice President at DBS Bank Limited, a Singapore-headquartered multinational banking, and financial services organization.

"CoinSwitch is committed to building a compliant investing ecosystem that investors and regulators can trust. Shiva's experience across large regulated financial institutions will strengthen our contribution towards shaping a progressive regulatory framework for Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) and ensure ethics and compliance as we evolve into a preferred wealth tech destination," said Ashish Singhal, Co-founder and CEO, CoinSwitch.

"I am delighted to join CoinSwitch and contribute to our mission to make money equal for all. As VDAs continue to gain popularity, regulations will have to keep pace as this cutting-edge technology finds new dimensions to help innovators and investors to participate meaningfully," said Shiva Tadikonda, Chief Compliance Officer, CoinSwitch.

The CoinSwitch leadership team is composed of people with a variety of backgrounds spanning technology, Crypto, and financial services - in established and startup environments. Earlier this year, the company announced the appointment of former WhatsApp India executive Ashish Chandra as the General Counsel, former Myntra executive Ramesh Bafna as the Chief Financial Officer, and former MakeMyTrip executive Venkatesh R as the Policy Head.

Founded in 2017 by Ashish Singhal, Govind Soni, and Vimal Sagar Tiwari, and backed by blue-chip investors including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Tiger Global, Sequoia Capital, Ribbit Capital, Paradigm, and Coinbase Ventures, CoinSwitch is evolving into a wealth-tech destination for every Indian.

ELGi Concludes Its Largest-Ever #WhatsYourFinishLine Global Fitness Challenge

* Employees of ELGi and Channel Partners across the globe participated in the 4th edition of the #WhatsYourFinishLine Challenge 2022 in a bid to spread awareness about fitness and the need for a healthy lifestyle

Elgi Equipments (BSE: 522074 NSE: ELGIEQUIP), one of the world’s leading air-compressor manufacturers, concluded the fourth edition of the annual #whatsyourfinishline challenge. The 21-day-long challenge, which culminated on the 6th of November 2022, saw 1874 employees and distributors across the globe come together for a common purpose; to improve overall wellness, spread awareness about physical fitness and mental well-being, and emphasize the need for a healthy lifestyle.

This year, 1874 participants from 27 countries, divided into 124 teams, clocked over 85648 miles running, walking, or jogging. Several daily mental and physical fitness challenges, such as meditation, cycling, and squats, were introduced to promote overall wellness.

Elgi Equipments will also power the 2022 Coimbatore Marathon scheduled on 11th December, with over 1700 employees and their families expected to participate. This is the 10th edition of the Coimbatore marathon, and ELGi has been a sponsor since 2013. All proceeds from the marathon support the Coimbatore Cancer Foundation in its efforts to spread cancer awareness among the masses.

About ELGi: Elgi Equipments Limited is a global air compressor manufacturer with a broad line of innovative and technologically superior compressed air systems. ELGi has consistently ensured that its customers achieve their productivity goals while keeping the cost of ownership low. ELGi offers a complete range of compressed air solutions from oil-lubricated and oil-free rotary screw compressors, oil-lubricated and oil-free reciprocating compressors, and centrifugal compressors to dryers, filters and downstream accessories. The company's portfolio of over 400 products has found wide application across industries. For further information on the organisation and its products, visit http://www.elgi.com

Working Beyond Borders Comes To Hyatt Centric, Bengaluru On November 9

* With a spotlight on the challenges of remote hiring, the first pitstop of season two set the context for Employer of Record (EOR)

The second season of Working Beyond Borders kicked off at Hyatt Centric in Bengaluru on November 9. With a spotlight on the challenges of remote hiring, the first pitstop of season two set the context for Employer of Record (EOR).

Working Beyond Borders was conceived as an invite-only event designed to provide in-depth analysis and insights for organizations prioritizing global expansion in a rapidly evolving payroll landscape. After traversing five cities across four continents in season 1, the Bengaluru pitstop was headlined by Priyanka Mitra, Practice Director, Everest Group, and Paneerselvam Madanagopal, VP & Chief Innovation Officer, T-Hub, which was followed by a panel Q&A.

As the event was aimed at organizations aspiring to leverage global talent, Priyanka Mitra’s session was about enabling the future of work through EOR. There was a spotlight on disruptions in work and the key trends impacting the future of work. The need to leverage the global talent pool was highlighted by Paneerselvam, who also shed light on the strategies to be adopted by start-ups.

Vivek Khanna, Chief Client Partner, Neeyamo, said, “Global expansion is a priority for high growth tech start-ups, unicorns, and aspiring enterprises. EOR becomes a critical tool for organizations looking to onboard talent abroad while saving time on HR admin. The Bengaluru pitstop of Working Beyond Borders highlights organizations' challenges and provides solutions that afford them complete control over managing their extended workforce.”

About Neeyamo

Neeyamo is a leading technology-enabled global payroll and EOR solutions provider for multinational and micro-multinational corporations worldwide. With an extensive team of professionals serving clients across 190+ countries, Neeyamo leverages its unique service based model and functionality-rich, next-generation HR & payroll products portfolio to help organizations enable agile and scalable business. To know more, visit www.neeyamo.com

Zoho Announces New R&D Investments And $1 Billion In Revenue

"At Zoho, we have always believed that technologists should practice more humility," said Sridhar Vembu, CEO and Co-founder, Zoho Corp. on the sidelines of Zoholics India, the company's annual user conference. "After all, we cannot code more food, nor compile new energy. Unfortunately, recent developments in our industry amidst a backdrop of rapidly deteriorating global economic outlook, are a rude reminder of our own limits as technologists."

"Fundamentals matter now more than ever, and our industry has to learn to lower the friction of technology, so that technology becomes far more affordable," added Vembu. "We have also crossed an important milestone of $1 billion in annual revenue. While growth has slowed down quite a bit in 2022 over 2021, our diversified product portfolio and the fact that we save money for customers has helped us so far. We hope to continue to serve our customers by bringing the highest quality offerings at very affordable prices."

The Chennai-headquartered global technology company, also announced today that it plans to open 100 network PoPs (point of presence) around the world in the next five years for providing users with faster network, and also double investment for technologies such as blockchain and AI (artificial intelligence). Zoho, which spends three times its marketing spend on R&D and has received 25 patents in the last three years, attributes its growth to: strong R&D capabilities across categories and markets, its diversified portfolio, and to businesses choosing unified offerings over single products.

The company, known for its prudent spendings, has surpassed USD 1 billion in revenue, with India leading the growth. India's annual revenue increased by 77% in 2021. The company is seeing uptake of products across different categories, with the top five offerings in India being Zoho One (the operating system for business), CRM Plus (customer experience platform), EX offering—led by Zoho People (human resource management platform) and Zoho Workplace (enterprise collaboration platform), and the finance suite led by Zoho Books (GST-compliant accounting software).

By offering unified solutions across various categories (customer experience, employee experience, marketing, collaboration, etc), that also integrate well with third-party solutions, Zoho is witnessing increased adoption from mid-and-large size businesses as well, especially in India. While there's an uptake of Zoho CRM Plus, Zoho People Plus and Zoho One amongst mid-large sized businesses, Zoho Books and Zoho Workplace are seeing mass market adoption.

Building technologies from the ground up

Zoho has built its technology stack from scratch—from apps and platforms to network and datacenters. The stack is horizontally, vertically, and contextually unified. In order to offer unparalleled value and user experience across the tech stack, Zoho invests in developing core R&D capabilities, apart from product development. These capabilities can be categorised into: data, database and datacenters.

Data: For better processing of data, Zoho is focussing its AI development around statistical machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing (NLP). The technology developed by the central R&D team is utilised by products for different use cases. For example, receipt digitisation in Zoho Expense (expense management tool) utilises optical character recognition (OCR) technology while Zoho Analytics utilises mathematical techniques for analysing data and Zia (Zoho Intelligent Assistant) utilises NLP for conversational AI. Zoho's AI technology translates into optimised processes, increased ease of use, and maximised revenue for the users.

Zoho’s AI models are built with privacy at the core, whereby accurate results can be generated with less data and without personally identifiable information (PII). This lowers the barriers for even smaller businesses that have less amount of data to utilise AI technology, while large organisations can gain insights securely without violating the privacy of their users. Zoho's AI capabilities can be used through APIs with the help of Catalyst (Zoho’s serverless platform).

Database: In order to improve data processing, Zoho utilises proprietary technology that runs on Graphic Processing Units (GPUs). This allows Zoho to process data on its database servers up to 50 times faster. This results in reduced latency period for users, who can now get business insights pulled from data across different Zoho apps, quickly.

Datacenter: Zoho runs its own data centers—currently, 12 around the world, including two in India. It has around 14 network PoPs that run its proprietary software. The software is focussed on accelerating network access, which in turn results in faster connectivity for users who get real-time updates. This is particularly critical in communication and collaboration applications that are a necessity in a hybrid work culture. Zoho also has over 150 monitoring PoPs that enable users to monitor functioning of their websites.

"Our R&D focus in the coming years is to further unify our technology stack so that we are able to elevate the user experience," added Sridhar Vembu. "We will add 100 more network PoPs around the world in the next five years for enhancing network access. We are also working on adding Indian language support for our AI and blockchain technology for universal validation. Our focus will be on technologies that businesses–regardless of their size and location–will be able to use securely."

Customer Quote

"We were using multiple apps for different purposes and over time, running the business became very chaotic because the apps didn't integrate well with each other, leading to data silos. Pandemic led to a 'moment of truth' when I realized that the only way to scale up is to move to a unified software solution. That's when we decided to move to Zoho One. We replaced more than 10 apps overnight. It made sense because the apps talk to each other. For example, as a startup, we were able to gain insights [into] our sales, support and marketing efforts through Zoho Analytics. Access to critical information like ARPU, user engagement, retention stats, and other ratios were readily available throughout the year. It makes all the difference. I'd say it's made us at least 50% more efficient as an organisation," said Tejas Khoday, CEO and Co-founder, Fyers.

Privacy Pledge

Zoho respects user privacy and does not have an ad-based revenue model in any part of its business, including its free products. The company owns and operates its data centers, ensuring complete oversight of customer data, privacy, and security. More than 80 million users around the world, across hundreds of thousands of companies, rely on Zoho everyday to run their businesses, including Zoho itself. For more information, please visit: https://www.zoho.com/privacy-commitment.html

About Zoho

With 55+ apps in nearly every major business category, Zoho Corporation is one of the world's most prolific technology companies. Headquartered in Chennai, India, Zoho is privately held and profitable with more than 11,000 employees. For more information, visit: www.zoho.com/

Great Learning To Upskill 700+ Employees Of Wipro In Cybersecurity

* The specialized learning solution by Great Learning was created in collaboration with Wipro’s L&D and Business Unit Heads to upskill its employees and help drive business goals.

* The unique learning journey provides an in-depth understanding of various cybersecurity topics such as threat intelligence, vulnerability management, digital forensics, and more.

* The 100% customized enterprise solution will make the employees business-deployable for clients’ projects upon program completion.

Great Learning, a leading global edtech company for higher education and professional training, is now working with IT major Wipro to train 700+ employees in cybersecurity. This specialized upskilling course, designed in collaboration with Wipro’s L&D and Business Unit Heads, features high-quality content curated by several cybersecurity experts. The program is carefully crafted for Wipro’s business considerations, covering threat intelligence, vulnerability management, firewall configuration and management, digital forensics, and more.

Cybersecurity has been a critical component of Wipro’s efforts in helping its clients achieve their digital transformation goals. Keeping the evolving digital economy and the need for robust cyber intelligence in mind, the company continuously invests in upgrading its talent to meet its customers’ requirements competently.

Speaking about the association Tony Buffomante, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Cybersecurity & Risk Services at Wipro Limited said: “With the rising demand for Wipro’s cybersecurity services, we needed to expand our pool of qualified cybersecurists to meet our clients’ demands. To achieve this, we joined hands with Great Learning to create a custom program that gives our learners a conceptual understanding and hands-on exposure to cybersecurity. We are satisfied with how the course combines theoretical and experiential learning to deliver the results we are looking for.”

Speaking about the program, Ritesh Malhotra, Enterprise Head, Great Learning, said, “We leveraged industry experience from experts to ensure a comprehensive curriculum that helps Wipro achieve its objectives. We have received great feedback from the first batch of trainees at Wipro on the course curriculum, interactive sessions, and mentorship. We continue to invest in bringing dedicated cybersecurity upskilling solutions for our enterprise partners.”

The course provides employees with an interactive and highly experiential learning journey involving commercial cybersecurity tools, unique virtual lab sessions, one-on-one mentor sessions, and multiple projects.

About Great Learning

Great Learning is a part of BYJU'S group and a leading global ed-tech company for professional training and higher education. It offers comprehensive, industry-relevant, hands-on learning programs across various business, technology, and interdisciplinary domains driving the digital economy. These programs are developed and offered in collaboration with the world's foremost academic institutions like Stanford Graduate School of Business, MIT Professional Education, The University of Texas at Austin, National University of Singapore, The University of Arizona, Deakin University, IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, IIT Roorkee, IIIT-Delhi and Great Lakes Institute of Management. Great Learning is able to leverage the highly qualified, world-class faculty at these universities together with its vast network of 5300+ industry expert mentors to deliver an unmatched learning experience for over 6.1 million learners from over 170+ countries around the world. The enterprise arm, Great Learning for Business, has partnered with 200+ clients across industries to create talent as key differentiators for improved business outcomes.

Motherhood Hospitals To Organize The Great Indian Magic Carnival 2022 Bengaluru To Celebrate Children’s Day

Proceeds of the event will be going towards Neonates Foundation of India (NFI) for the welfare of underprivileged neonatal babies

Bangalore 10th  November 2022: Motherhood Hospitals- the country’s fastest-growing chain of women’s and children’s hospitals, has taken the initiative to organize a unique event – “Great Indian Magic Carnival” on the occasion of Children’s Day. The Carnival will involve an enchanting magic and illusion show for children, and will also have exciting games, fun activities, and great food. The children will have the opportunity to explore their creativity while also helping each other learn new things.

For this event, Motherhood Hospitals has collaborated with the Neonates Foundation of India (NFI) a non-profit organization, that is dedicated to saving the lives of critical new-born babies from underserved communities. The proceeds from the Great Indian Magic Carnival 2022 will be which will be going to the NFI, supporting them in their efforts to reduce preventable neonatal deaths. Motherhood Hospital aims to contribute towards this noble cause and help the precious little fighters survive and thrive.

The Great Indian Magic Carnival will be held on the 12th of November 2022, Time: 10 am to 3 pm, Venue: Good Shepherd Auditorium, Richmond Town, Bangalore.

Visit this website for more information _ https://insider.in/the-great-indian-magic-carnival-nov12-2022/event

About Motherhood Hospitals:

Motherhood Women & Children’s Hospital network is India’s fastest growing single specialty hospital network with 18 hospitals in 8 cities and over 1000 leading gynecologist, paediatricians & neonatologists across the country associated with the hospital network. Recognized for its best-in-class clinical expertise and range of comprehensive women and child care services, the leading healthcare chain has pioneered managing high-risk pregnancies, complex gynae surgeries such as fertility enhancement or uro-gynae surgeries, management of new-borns with critical conditions and extremely low birth weight babies. With the largest network of over 200 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) beds in the country, Motherhood Hospitals are acclaimed as India’s best referral center for handling the most complex preterm births.

MY3DMeta Raises Over Rupees 10.5 Cr From The Chennai Angels, IIT-IIM Angels, And Others

MY3DMeta a 3D Modelling tech company, secured an investment of over Rs. 10.5cr from The Chennai Angels, Dholakia Ventures, AccelNest, Karn Nagpal, Badri Raghavan, IIT-IIM Angels, Hyderabad Angels, and others. MY3DMeta plans to utilize the fund for building tech, IP, and business development.

Founded in 2016, MY3DMeta is making cutting-edge progress in 3D modelling with the aim to enable humans to freely express themselves by enabling the creation of 3D characters, 3D NFTs, 3D digital humans, 3D objects as well as realistic and funky avatars. The company is building the world's fastest 3D modelling Technology Engine that will empower the creation of 3D assets around the globe.

Currently, MY3DMeta empowers both consumers and businesses in creating super realistic, life-like, and accurate next-generation 3D models of avatars for humans & pets in one-tenth of the industry average time, at a fraction of the cost.

Harsha P. Deka CEO & Founder - My3DMeta said "Over the last 6 years, we have been building our database of 3D assets. We now have the largest database of 3D models of humans, pets, and a massive database of objects. My3DMeta is currently leveraging its large database and designers' intuition in building a very powerful patent-pending ML platform to create, edit, store, manage, deploy, and distribute a plethora of realistic high-fidelity 3D models of humans, objects and characters created from any photo or just a description in natural language in real-time which can work on animation, gaming, web3, and the metaverse. The platform will even generate AAA characters for AAA games in real-time."

K Chandran, The Chennai Angels Lead Investor & CEO of SSN Incubation Foundation said “Be it animation, NFTs, web 3.0, video games, or even the Metaverse, 3D Modelling will be the essential requirement. My3DMETA presents a game-changing solution that addresses the existing shortcomings across gaming, design, and other creative industries. Moreover, it is time and cost-efficient with unparalleled accuracy. We at The Chennai believe that the team at My3DMETA has the drive and passion to scale and grow this futuristic tech business exponentially.”

About MY3DMeta

My3DMeta’s mission has been to provide Phygital identity that allows people to celebrate important moments in their lives. With the increased use of 3D in gaming, digital humans, NFTs & advent of metaverse & Web 3.0, they create cutting-edge progress in 3D modelling with the aim to enable humans to freely express themselves. My3DMeta is building an indispensable patent pending tech platform that empowers both consumers and businesses in creating 3D Models of characters, accessories, 

objects, 3D NFTs as well as super realistic, life-like, and accurate next generation avatars for humans & pets in real time and fraction of cost for the gaming, animation, 3D printing, web 3 and metaverse space. 

About The Chennai Angels

The Chennai Angels (TCA, www.thechennaiangels.com) is one of India’s most active Angel Investing groups. Founded in the year 2007, it is comprised of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders with a track record of starting and scaling large enterprises. Over the years, TCA has invested in over 75 start-ups. TCA portfolio companies benefit from the collective expertise and rolodex of its members.

Magnifi Joins AWS ISV Partner Path, Successfully Completes Foundational Technical Review

Magnifi, a video-editing SaaS platform, today announced it is now an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Technology Partner on the Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Partner Path and has successfully completed the AWS Foundational Technical Review (FTR). Adhering to AWS FTR guidelines, Magnifi can review projects against AWS FTR requirements adhering to best practices and ensuring the best possible customer experience.

The AWS ISV Partner Path grants AWS ISV Partners like Magnifi access to AWS resources and receives prescriptive guidance on how to build, market and sell solutions with AWS, along with training discounts to develop AWS-based skills and capabilities. Magnifi also has access to the AWS ISV Accelerate Program, which provides ISVs co-sell support and benefits to easily gain access to millions of active AWS customers by working with AWS sales teams globally.

“With consumer preferences shifting from long-form video to bite-sized content, the cloud ecosystem is growing in size and importance, particularly for content creators and broadcasters,” says Magnifi CEO and Co-founder Vinayak Shrivastav. "As an AWS Technology Partner,  Magnifi can offer content creators more cost-effective, high-quality video services than ever before. We recognize the potential of the video tech industry and strive to strengthen the ecosystem through our solutions that help customers create, enrich and edit their video content, which is why this is so invaluable.”

The AWS ISV Partner Path helps customers identify solutions that are reviewed by AWS. It pivots the focus from partners to solutions to better align with customers’ needs.

It also provides a new and simplified partner experience designed to accelerate the engagement ISVs have with AWS through curated programs, funding benefits and co-selling support. Among other benefits, the AWS ISV Partner Path removes AWS Partner Network (APN) tier requirements for ISVs, while retaining their eligibility for valuable programs such as AWS Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Factory, AWS Competency and AWS Service Ready. Magnifi can now directly access several AWS resources and participate in APN programs as they progress along the path.

The cornerstone of engagement with AWS ISV Partner Path starts with an AWS FTR, formerly known as the Technical Baseline Review, which also unlocks access to solution-level badging. The FTR enables AWS Partners to identify and remediate risks in their products or solutions based on AWS best practices related to security, reliability, and operational excellence. The FTR is created in alignment with AWS Well-Architected Framework pillars and is led by an AWS Partner Solutions Architect (SA) in a one-on-one-engagement.

As a forerunner in video development, Magnifi has created radical Machine Learning (ML) algorithms and a holistic video technology ecosystem that delivers dynamic video content in engaging and cost-efficient, easy-to-use formats. Magnifi provides a clear quantifiable value proposition to its users - reducing time to edit by 95%, reducing manpower costs by less than half and driving higher engagement up to 2-3x.

To learn more, visit: https://magnifi.ai/

About Magnifi:

Magnifi has found an extremely strong product-market fit in serving enterprises across numerous industries - OTT players, broadcasters, sports clubs and leagues, marketing agencies, e-gaming platforms, schools, colleges and more. Magnifi is building the next-generation video editing ecosystem addressing a broad range of use cases in the post-production process. The company started its journey on generating instant key moments and auto short-sized clips leveraging computer vision and AI capabilities, the sliver in which it is the current tech leader. Magnifi today has offices in the U.S., Europe, Israel and India and is expanding to Singapore and the Middle East by the end of this year.

India Based Frux Technologies, First Of Its Kind Venture Incubation Platform Expends Its Presence To North America

Frux Technologies, an India based incubation platform, today announced its expansion plans into North America.

Talking on this, Dalip Arora, Founder & CEO, Frux Technologies said, “We are bringing this unique platform to North American market, where every participating Vendors, Partners and Customers will have a unique proposition for themselves. Our decade long experience across various global markets, makes us an expert in creating successful partnerships for vendors, partners and customers.

We are excited to use our in-depth knowledge and exposure to bring niche technologies from around the globe to the North American channel community. Our aim is to bridge the gap between the technology creators, who are scattered across the world and the actual users in a defined geographies and to help customers and partners to adopt the technologies from the future in the present.”

“Frux Technologies has helped many niche technology vendors to establish themselves in various markets by providing them market intelligence, GTM strategy and support required in any local market to create new opportunities and build the business from scratch. Entering into a new market and expanding within the market is not a new thing for Frux Technologies. Our past experiences, strategies and learnings will help the company to capture the Market share quickly”, further added Mr. Arora.

Frux Technologies is a first of its kind Venture Incubation platform in the North American channel industry catering markets across North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and Middle-east. Founded by industry veterans with a combined experience of more than 100+ years in the field of Sales & Marketing Leadership and expertise in Channel Recruitment, Enablement and Channel Growth.

Frux offers a platform for niche technology players from different industries like Information Technology, Healthcare and Finance etc. to enter new markets or bolster their existing presence in the markets where they are operating by using well equipped and readily available channel partner base associated with Frux Technologies.

Visit our website www.fruxtech.ca  / www.fruxtech.com   to learn more about Frux Technologies and how we are helping vendors, partners and customers in different parts of the world to stay ahead of the Technology curve and take advantage of our platform.

NPCI Introduces ‘BHIM App Licensing Model’ Across Indian Market

·         With this initiative, NPCI will extend its BHIM App on an open source code license model to all regulated entities participating in the UPI ecosystem

·         BHIM licensing model will empower these entities to offer the benefits of UPI to their customers with a ready UPI application that will help reduce time, efforts, and costs for the entities

·         This initiative will boost financial inclusion in the country

In a step ahead towards attaining the goal of ‘Digital Payments for All’, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced the launch of BHIM App open source license model under which source code of BHIM App will be licensed to regulated entities participating in UPI ecosystem, who do not have UPI app of their own, to empower them to launch their own UPI app. Presently, many banks do not have their own mobile banking app and are missing out on extending the benefits of the country’s largest retail payment system – UPI, to their customer base. NPCI intends to bridge this gap by extending all the readily available features of UPI to these entities through this BHIM App licensing model which will be an economical and quick-to-market solution for these entities. Further, under this model new features that get launched on BHIM App in the future, will also be extended to these entities for them to continue accessing BHIM app’s latest features.

About NPCI

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) was incorporated in 2008 as an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. An initiative of RBI and IBA under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, NPCI was initiated for creating a robust payment and settlement infrastructure in the country. It has changed the way payments are made in India through a bouquet of retail payment products such as Bharat BillPay, RuPay card, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), BHIM Aadhaar and National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC).

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

ABP News-CVoter Opinion Poll Predicts A Neck-To-Neck Battle For Power Between BJP And INC In Himachal Pradesh

ABP News-CVoter’s (Centre for Voting Opinion & Trends in Election Research) third opinion poll predicts a close contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC) in the upcoming assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh.

As per the opinion poll, BJP is expected to lead the assembly elections with 31-39 seats. However, their vote share is likely to decline from 48.8% in 2017 to 44.8%. The INC is a close second and is predicted to win 29-37 seats and their vote share is expected to rise from 41.7% in 2017 to 44.2%. AAP is expected to win 0-1 seats with a vote share of 3.3% while Others are expected to win 0-3 seats and receive a vote share of 7.7%.

ABP News-CVoter also conducted a snap poll in Himachal Pradesh and one of the questions posed to the voters was who do they think is the most preferred candidate to be next Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh? In response to the question, 33.7 respondents said they were in support of Jai Ram Thakur (BJP), 19.7% respondents voted in favour of Anurag Thakur (BJP), 20.3% respondents voted for Pratibha Singh (INC), 2.4% people were in support of AAP candidate, 7.4% respondents were in support of Mukhesh Agnihotri (INC) and 16.5% respondents were in support of other CM candidates.

Another question posed to the respondents was, what according to them is the most important issue at the moment. 48.7% respondents identified unemployment as the biggest challenge, 13.6% respondents considered Electricity/Water/Roads, 5.5% respondents considered Government's performance during the pandemic to be the most important issue, 5.4% respondents considered farmers’ issue, 2.8% respondents identified law and order, 7.0% people said corruption in government works was the key issue, 2.9% people considered national issues, 6.3% people considered inflation while 7.8% respondents identified other issues as the biggest challenge.

Methodology:

This poll is based on surveys conducted in the second week of November and C Voter has made sure that the analysis is properly represented by statistically balancing the data to make it reflective of the local population according to the most recent census results. This survey is based on CATI interviews with respondents who are adults (18+) and represent all segments.

About ABP Network

An innovative media and content creation company, ABP Network is a credible voice in the broadcast & digital sphere, with a multi-language portfolio of news channels reaching 535 million individuals in India. ABP Studios, which comes under the purview of ABP Creations – the content innovation arm of the network – creates, produces, and licenses original, path-breaking content outside of news. ABP Network is a group entity of ABP, which was incorporated almost 100 years ago and continues to reign as a leading Indian Media Conglomerate.

Emirates And Gulf Air Launch Codeshare Partnership Globally

* Partnership offers Gulf Air customers with global connections across Europe, Africa, South America and the Far East with one convenient stop in Dubai

* The partnership is a significant milestone towards the growing relationship between Emirates and Gulf Air

Emirates and Gulf Air have today officially signed a unilateral codeshare partnership, starting this December*. The new agreement will offer easy connections and expanded choices for Gulf Air customers connecting to Dubai and onwards to a host of Emirates destinations across Europe, Africa, South America and the Far East. 

The agreement was signed on the first day of the Bahrain Airshow, signalling a growing relationship between both airlines following on the framework of cooperation established last year.  The agreement was signed by Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline and Gulf Air’s Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed Al Alawi in the presence of H.E. Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, Gulf Air’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. The signing ceremony was also attended by members of each airline’s executive management teams.

The expanded partnership will see Gulf Air place their marketing code “GF” on Emirates operated flights beyond Dubai to a selection of some of the most attractive global tourism hotspots, offering new holiday options for Gulf Air customers. Travellers will be able to connect to points including Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, Algeria, Tunis, Bali, Hanoi, HoChi Minh City, Taipei and Sao Paulo. 

The new codeshare agreement’s mix of unique points comes as travellers from the GCC have become more well-informed, value-driven and savvy, increasingly looking for new, diverse experiences and attractions beyond their traditional holiday destinations. 

The new partnership will also offer customers the convenience of combined ticketing and check-in, a unified policy and seamless transfers for baggage, and competitive single fares on a multi-airline journey when connecting on Emirates. Customers can book their travel on Gulf Air’s website, through Gulf Air point of sales and online travel agencies as well as with local travel agents. 

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “We are pleased to partner with Gulf Air to offer their customers greater access and strong connection opportunities to unique destinations on our network, complemented by Emirates’ signature in-flight service and hospitality throughout their journey from Dubai.  We look forward to working together and achieving more with Gulf Air in the near future, and further strengthening our relationship." 

Captain Waleed Al Alawi, Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer commented: “Our relationship with Emirates Airline has always been strong and today we are reaching a higher level of collaboration with many more opportunities in the horizon between the two carriers. This partnership will empower both of us to offer a more elevated experience to passengers and widen their travel options.”

Emirates currently has codeshare cooperation agreements in place with 26 airline partners and two rail companies around the world, expanding its network reach to over 300 cities.

*Subject to government approvals.

About Emirates

From its global hub in Dubai, Emirates serves customers on six continents, providing high quality air transport services that facilitate tourism and trade. The airline has earned customer recognition for its industry-leading services on the ground and in the sky, delivered by a passionate workforce representing over 160 nations. Emirates operates the world’s largest fleet of wide-body Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft, offering spacious cabins and iconic inflight features such as its A380 Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge, and its ice inflight entertainment system available in all seats across its fleet, which has topped "best in sky" awards for 17 consecutive years. Emirates is committed to environmentally-responsible operations and focusses on three areas: reducing emissions, consuming responsibly, and protecting wildlife and habitats.  For more information, visit www.emirates.com.

About Gulf Air

Gulf Air commenced operations in 1950, becoming one of the first commercial airlines established in the Middle East. The airline operates scheduled flights from its hub at Bahrain International Airport to cities in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian sub-continent and the Far East. Renowned for its traditional Arabian hospitality, Gulf Air is committed to being an industry leader and developing products and services that reflect the evolving needs and aspirations of its passengers. Gulf Air received the Skytrax Five Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating for flying safely throughout the pandemic and enhancing its airport and onboard protocols to combat the spread of COVID-19. Gulf Air is also rated Five Star Major Official Airline by APEX, a rating programme that is based solely on certified passengers’ feedback. Most recently, Skytrax awarded the national carrier with the “World’s Most Improved Airline” award for 2022. These milestones for Gulf Air are a testament to the success of its boutique strategy and the ongoing enhancements to its products and services.