Saturday, November 19, 2022

Innovate, Develop New Tech & Set Up Companies For A Strong Self-Reliant ‘New India’: Rajnath Singh At MAHE's - 30th Convocation Day


Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) saw an illustrious assembly of guests grace the opening day of the Institution of Eminence’s 30th Convocation Day on Friday, November 18, 2022. Leading the high-profile list was the chief guest—Minister of Defence, Government of India, Shri Rajnath Singh, who delivered the convocation address rallying students to empower the nation through their learnings and youthful enterprise.Lt Gen(Dr) Madhuri Kanitkar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd.), Vice Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, was the guest of honour.

‘Youth Education and Nation Building’ was the crux of the honourable minister’s message to the graduating students. Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has called upon the youth to innovate, develop new technologies, and set up companies, research establishments & start-ups in the country to realise Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a strong and self-reliant ‘New India’. Addressing the convocation ceremony of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) , Manipal Shri Rajnath Singh stated that “the world is acknowledging the power of the country’s young, ignited minds, with major companies such as Google, Microsoft, Adobe, and IBM hiring Indians at respectable positions. The Raksha Mantri lauded the Manipal Group of Educational Institutions for their contribution to education and research. He congratulated the graduating students, encouraging them to move forward despite hurdles to create a better future. He extended special congratulations to the girl students, exuding confidence that they will be the pillars of a strong and prosperous ‘New India’. 

Dr Rajnath Singh also added, ”Manipal Academy of Higher Education is a highly reputed institution for research and innovation around the world. Manipal’s group of educational institutes succeeds and reflects Dr TMA Pai’s values. He is a legendary institutional builder. He was ahead of his time and a visionary personality. Other successes of Dr. TMA Pai are Manipal (MAHE) and the Syndicate bank he founded. Manipal gives emphasis on education and the employability of its students. Mr Satya Nadella is one of the examples of this institute. He is leading Microsoft. I want to see hundreds of Satya Nadella’s from this institution to lead India and the world. Institutions like Manipal have important contributions to the nation”

Shri Rajnath Singh also inaugurated the new building for Manipal School of Architecture and Planning (MSAP) during the visit to MAHE, Manipal. With all modern technology and state of the art facilities, MSAP is totally a GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) compliant energy-efficient Campus

Students were feted for their achievements amidst a host of university dignitaries at KMC Greens, including, Pro-Chancellor Dr H.S. Ballal, Dr Ranjan R Pai, President, MAHE Trust & Chairman Manipal Education & Medial Group(MEMG), Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, Dr Venkatraya Prabhu, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dr Dilip G Naik, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dr Pragna Rao, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Dr Narayana Sabhahit, Registrar and Dr Vinod V Thomas, Registrar, Evaluation.

The gold medal winners facilitated on day one were Himanshu (Kasturba Medical College, Manipal), Vinita Rosa Monis (Manipal College of Nursing), Satish Nayak (Manipal School of Information Sciences), Shah Diya Hemantkumar (Manipal Institute of Technology), and Aahana Bhambhani (Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration).

Speaking at the occasion, Lt Gen (Dr) Madhuri Kanitkar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd.),  Vice Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, said, “The pandemic has challenged teachers and students with physical limitations, changing the very fundamentals of learning. It has taught us resilience, and students have adapted and learnt beyond their books. Graduates are now ready to face a future built on sectors we’re discovering in response to the pandemic’s outcomes and the planet’s other concerns. Students with a positive mindset, a qualified skillset, and a curious attitude will succeed, while educators must focus on aligning education to the needs of society.”

Dr HS Ballal, Pro-Chancellor of MAHE, added, “The past few years have been especially difficult, but arriving at this occasion is a testament to our students’ grit and spirit. Our graduates truly deserve this moment—they have been exceptional alongside our teaching staff and college administrators. We’re excited to see how they will apply their learnings and impact society and beyond.”

Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE, said, “It is a moment of immense pride to celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments and acknowledge them as they set out to change the world through their dreams, verve, and expertise. We cherish the fact that we’ve been able to mentor and work with this fine group of individuals and watching their development at close quarters has been hugely satisfying and gives us the belief that the future is in good hands.”

Presenting the vote of thanks, Registrar Dr Narayana Sabhahit thanked all the dignitaries present at the occasion and extended heartfelt gratitude to parents, students, and esteemed press and media representatives.

Bengaluru Tech Summit Positions Beyond Bengaluru Emerging Tech Clusters As The New Power Hub To Drive Digital Economy Of The State


* The flagship summit drives deep tech, agritech, cybersecurity, ESDM, fintech, healthtech, as anchor industries across the emerging tech clusters

* Beyond Bengaluru Initiatives To Put Karnataka On The Global Map For New Age Innovation, Technology, access to talent, ease of doing business & pro industry policy

 On the occasion of 25th anniversary of Bengaluru Tech Summit, Government has committed to drive efforts to position emerging tech clusters on the digital global map. Concerted efforts to drive anchor industries across the 3 clusters in Phase 1 with the help of the industry & academic partners is the road map.

Mysuru: Cybersecurity & ESDM

Hubballi – Dharward – Belagavi – Agritech, ESDM, AI

Mangaluru: Fintech, Healthtech

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) being the enabler and pro industry is working towards getting all stakeholders together to achieve this goal. By 2030, Beyond Bengaluru will contribute 2.5% of Karnataka’s GDP. State will contribute more than USD 250 Billion toward the digital economy goal of India by the year 2026.

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) held Beyond Bengaluru Tech Summit to bring out the current strengths of the emerging tech clusters and put together a strong road map till 2026. As part of this summit Hon’ble IT Minister Dr C. N. Ashwath Narayan felicitated 33 companies who have expanded & started their business across these 3 emerging tech clusters in the last 12 months.

BV Naidu, Chairman of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, shared his thoughts on the project’s recent milestones: “The past year has been filled with highlights as we catalysed several start-ups in conducive environments. We’ve overseen a GCC Spoke-Shore Strategy & startup grid initiative that saw around 33 companies begin/expand operations in Beyond Bengaluru clusters, generating employment for over 10000 people. We launched future digital jobs in AI and cybersecurity in Mysuru, Hubballi, Dharward, Mangaluru, Kalaburagi, and Belagavi with 2,000+ job opportunities. We will build on this and look to expand our vision, taking technologies and opportunities to other parts of Karnataka. Our academic & training partners are also geared up to meet the industry demand for skilled and employable workforce across the anchor sectors to start with. Plus Beyond Bengaluru is a step in the right direction in our aim to drive 10,000 start-ups by 2030.”

Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, added, “KDEM’s focus is on promoting these clusters by maintaining constant dialogue between companies, investors, and the broader global ecosystem. Last 12 months we have got into 13+ industry MoUs to drive the Beyond Bengaluru mandate that will help us reach our 2026 goals. One of our key initiatives is the Start-Up Grid—that connects various tech-related start-ups across multiple sectors in the digital economy. We already have more than 400 start-ups on the grid, allowing each to access services like infrastructure and customised partner products. We are further planning to incentivise start-ups outside Bengaluru with cluster seed funds, dedicating INR 75 Cr towards all three clusters. We believe these positive actions will attract more investors and entrepreneurs with scalable ideas from both India and abroad.”

About Karnataka Digital Economy Mission Pvt Ltd.:

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission is a Section 8 organization designed to function as the knowledge bridge between the Government of Karnataka and industry with a view of accelerating the growth and investments of the IT, BT, and S&T sectors in Karnataka. The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission promises to harness the unlimited potential of the digital economy of Karnataka to transform the lives of the people in the state. The IT ecosystem not only uplifts the lives of professionals in the industry but also powers millions of other ancillary jobs across other industries.

Blue Dart On An Expansion Spree With The Launch of “25 Retail Stores” Across India


On the occasion of its 39th anniversary on 19th Nov ’22 Blue Dart, South Asia's leading express air, integrated transportation & distribution company announced the opening of 25 retail outlets in Tier I & II towns as part of its expansion plans.  It already has a wide spectrum of solutions, and the company continues to also drive omni-channel growth. These stores are located in Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat. 

This retail expansion is a milestone in the company’s ongoing journey to further strengthen its connectivity, as over 100 stores have been added in a very short period of time and also plans to set up about 100 new stores in the near future. The expansion will also act as an advantage for customers to ship anywhere in the Blue Dart Country, which now serves over 55400+ locations & covers 99% of the country’s GDP. With over 700+ retail stores with DHL across India, Blue Dart offers the most reliable, resilient, and responsive service, providing a quick turnaround time and an enhanced direct reach to all pin codes in the country. 

Ketan Kulkarni, Chief Commercial Officer, Blue Dart, says, “We are celebrating our brand’s establishment date with the launch of 25 stores on November 19th. Blue Dart has grown exponentially over the last 39 years, and the most delightful part has been building long-term relationship with our customers, who continue to trust us as the brand of choice. As pioneers in Express Logistics and the nation’s trade facilitator, we understand the country's expanding logistical needs, particularly now that the world is focusing on India as an industrial powerhouse. Blue Dart’s store expansion will increase accessibility for our customers and expand our network. To strengthen last-mile logistics to the farthest reaches of the nation, we will continue to locate in new areas and broaden our reach."  

Since its founding in 1983, Blue Dart has effectively established itself as the provider of choice for logistics solutions in India. This is credited to the company's unwavering commitment to customer centricity and ongoing innovation. Customers visiting Blue Dart stores will also receive specially designed giveaways and much more. 

About Blue Dart Express Ltd: 

Blue Dart Express Ltd., South Asia's premier express air, integrated transportation & distribution logistics company, offers secure and reliable delivery of consignments to over 55,400+ locations in India. Blue Dart is a provider of choice for its stakeholders due to its customer centric approach and aims to further strengthen this partnership. As part of Deutsche Post DHL Group’s DHL eCommerce Solutions division, Blue Dart accesses the largest and most comprehensive express and logistics network worldwide, covering over 220 countries and territories, and offers an entire spectrum of distribution services including air express, freight forwarding, supply chain solutions, customs clearance etc. 

CarDekho Group Pledges To Become “Carbon Neutral By 2050 Under United Nations framework”


* The first Indian unicorn to join the exclusive league of climate action companies on UNFCCC  

* CNN (Climate Neutral Now) Pledge  

CarDekho Group, one of India’s leading and most prominent technology unicorns, has announced that it will be a carbon-neutral company by 2050. It has taken the pledge by signing up on CNN (Climate Neutral Now)of UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).  To meet its targets, the company is developing a robust   ESG strategy to achieve climate action goals along with focus on Social & Governance aspects also.  

The organization’s strategy is to motivate and support all stakeholders to achieve its net zero goal. Through improved disclosures, the company is committed to enhancing business resilience and lowering climate risk. The organization believes in the power harnessed by adopting ESG Philosophy in its day-to-day operations. Growth is not only about revenue numbers but about resilient business continuity and conducting operations in a sustainable manner. 

CarDekho is the first Indian unicorn to take decisive action with a UNFCCC –CNN Pledge to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve net-zero emission targets. 

The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Everyone, including all individuals and corporations, must do their part to avoid the unthinkable consequences of inaction. CarDekho group runs on the ethos of building large businesses by solving customer needs on the foundation of sustainable and environment friendly approach. Towards this goal, CarDekho is addressing the risks posed by climate change through a comprehensive strategy that involves lowering emissions, implementing new sustainability practices, and creating cutting-edge technology and products that are better for the environment,’’ said Mr Amit Jain, CEO and Co-founder of CarDekho Group. 

It is noteworthy that the founders of the company Mr. Amit Jain & Anurag Jain have offset their family’s annual carbon footprint on UNFCCC carbon offset platform on a Solar Project based in Rajasthan. This emphasizes the importance on climate action from the top of the management at CarDekho Group. 

The group will promote climate action through its communication channels as a participant in the CNN - Climate Neutral Now initiative. The goal is to raise awareness about the importance of achieving climate neutrality. A person or organization’s “carbon footprint” is the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that they emit each year because of their actions. Governments across the world aim to limit temperature increases to 1.5°C, by 2050.  

Cummins India Limited Wins The Prestigious “Golden Peacock Sustainability Award 2022”


Cummins India Limited bagged the prestigious “Golden Peacock Sustainability Award 2022” in the engineering sector. The award was presented at the Institute of Directors’ 2022 Annual London Global Convention on Corporate Governance and Sustainability. Celebrating 60 years of remarkable presence in India, the company won the award for actioning a robust sustainability strategy and commendable performance across sustainability initiatives.  

His Excellency Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the UK gave the inaugural address for the convention at the House of Lords, UK Parliament, Westminster, London. The Baroness Sandip Verma, Global Chair, Advisory Council, Institute of Directors, India, and Chair, UN Women UK and former Minister International Development and Energy & Climate Change, Government of UK; and The Lord Johnson of Lainston CBE, Ex Minister of State for Investment in Cabinet Office and the Department for International Trade, UK, presented the award to Rajat Kumar, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Leader, Cummins India and Amol Pawar, Risk Leader Environment, Cummins India at the award ceremony held on November 10, 2022, in the presence of eminent business and industry leaders, subject matter experts, and policymakers.  

On receiving the award, Shubhankar Chatterji, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Cummins Indiasaid, “Cummins India is honored to receive the acclaimed Golden Peacock Sustainability Award. Our PLANET 2050 sustainability targets give clear insights of the organization’s commitment towards climate change. Cummins’ priorities include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, volatile organic compound emissions, water consumption and waste of all kinds. 2030 goals based on scientific studies are clearly laid out as part of this commitment. Cummins India has made significant progress against the 2030 sustainability goals and this award is a testament of our efforts. Cummins’ ESG performance starts with an expectation for excellence in all environmental, social, and corporate governance matters. We are fully aware of the crucial social and environmental factors that present opportunities for better relationships with people and planet, both internally and in the communities the company serves. We aim to be conscientious corporate citizens, committed to serving all our stakeholders. This award is also dedicated to our employees, whose excellence powers us towards our PLANET 2050 targets.” 

Rajat Kumar, HSE Leader, Cummins India also presented Cummins Sustainability Strategy insights with the gathering during one of the sessions at the event. He elaborated on how Cummins had a consistent strategic orientation across the decades, and HSE partners with leaders, employees, and key stakeholders across the organization to continuously and proactively work toward sustainability goals.  

Cummins India has a mature Environment Management System and related operational controls, with all manufacturing sites being ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified. Environment risks are identified through a structured aspect impact assessment and these risks are managed well through risk hierarchy controls. Robust systems are placed for internal environment impact management which includes evolved procedures like, pollution prevention, storm water management, fluid management, water management, wastewater management and waste management.  

Employees are a driving force and share equal responsibility to advance the sustainability goals at Cummins India. Cummins has a PLANET 2050 influencer program, which encourages employees to Scan QR Code and participate in environment projects. A dedicated Environment Champion Training is also in place to create environment leaders from within the organization. Every year, environment month is celebrated in the month of June to build awareness around a safer, greener, and cleaner environment. Environment campaigns are regularly organized, and horizontal deployments of best practices are monitored very closely. All this is reviewed by the senior leadership through monthly reviews and capital mapping.  

Cummins is committed to making people’s lives better by powering a more prosperous world which includes stronger and healthier communities, robust business, and environmental sustainability.    

Happiest Health Unveils New Happiest Home At Koramangala In Bengaluru


* The health and wellness knowledge enterprise base is located in St. John’s Research Institute (SJRI), with the capacity to house over 250 people

Differentiated global health and wellness enterprise, Happiest Health has moved to a new office campus in Bengaluru, scaling operations to meet newer demands in a modern, luxurious space that embodies the company’s ethos of excellence. Located within the St. John’s Research Institute (SJRI) campus in the start-up hotspot of Koramangala, the new office will aid Happiest Health in accomplishing its vision of providing in-depth, credible health and wellness knowledge. Happiest Health is part of Mr. Ashok Soota’s recent investments in health.

The new office was inaugurated on November 18, 2022, by Rev. Dr. Paul Parathazham, Director - St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences.

Speaking on the occasion, Ashok Soota, Chairman of Happiest Health said, “I am delighted that we have created an energising, cheerful, and bright environment for our Happiest Healthians. This will enable creativity, productivity, happiness and good health. We hope that this modern office, complete with audio and video recording studios, will contribute towards our goal of being amongst the top 2 knowledge enterprises in the world in the health and wellness space.”

Rev. Dr. Paul Parathazham said, “We are pleased that Happiest Health has chosen St John’s R&D complex as their new home and created a beautifully renovated building. Happiest Health is a knowledge enterprise that will fit very well into the setting of our research centre. Their presence here will enhance our collaboration. I am happy to learn that Happiest Health has plans to pursue carbon neutrality within 12 months of occupying the facility. This will add to the ambience of our green R&D Centre. We wish Happiest Health success, happiness and peace.”

The office is spread over 12,500 sq. ft and can accommodate over 250 people, with the provision to expand to 350 persons. The workplace has been designed around Happiest Health’s carbon neutrality goal. It comprises several sustainable features that bring the facility on par with contemporary standards, equally exuding class, comfort, and an environmental sensibility.

Ravi Joshi, Chief Editor, Happiest Health, said, “Home is where the heart is… happiest. 

After around nine months of planning and meticulous execution, Happiest Health is moving into its new home. The location — St John’s Research Institute — is very strategic as it will allow free flow of knowledge from this esteemed institution to the world outside. I would like to thank everybody at St John’s who helped shape this dream and supported and guided our efforts, and Happiest Healthians who shared their inputs for this beautiful office that we will now call home.”

IFMR GSB At Krea University Opens Admissions For The MBA Programme 2023


* IFMR Graduate School of Business (GSB) at Krea University has opened admissions for the intake of the MBA cohort of 2023-25. 

IFMR GSB brings to the fore IFMR’s powerful legacy of 50+ years as Asia’s first and foremost Finance training and research institution with a robust history in training 50,000+ professionals across 500+ organisations in 25+ countries worldwide. While also combining it with the fresh thinking and agility of Krea University, steered by eminent leaders from the world of finance and economics. IFMR GSB has been ranked amongst the top 50 B-schools in India as per the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India and is also accredited by SAQS (South Asian Quality Assurance System). It is governed by the UGC norms and is also part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Programme. 

The two-year residential MBA Programme offers electives across Data Science, Finance, Quantitative Finance, Marketing, Operations, Human Resources and Strategy. The teaching is led by faculty members who come with fine academic pedigrees or have been industry leaders in the corporate sector. 

The curriculum at IFMR GSB at Krea University enables professionals to shape business practices through inventive, sharp thinking and cutting-edge research. Apart from the MBA programme, IFMR GSB also offers PhD, Executive MBA and customised programmes for executives from corporate organisations across the world.  

IFMR GSB promises an excellent history of near 100% placement with students in 2021-22, clinching promising futuristic roles across sectors in major firms across Consulting, Finance, and Technology including the Big 4 (Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers). The institution also prides itself of its 5000+ global alumni network which consists of trailblazing entrepreneurs, top CXOs, noted international academics, and impactful researchers who also mentor and network with existing students through various events and sessions.

Speaking about the MBA programme at IFMR-GSB, Dean Lakshmi Kumar says, “In the ever-evolving business landscape, disruption is an everyday term. The shifts in the industry constantly require us to seek leaders who are skilled, adaptable, and flexible but also responsible, ethical, and resilient. We are hoping to nurture a generation that addresses challenges through the lens of the interwoven and comprehends problems while also understanding the ethos of interconnectedness between the planet, people and profit. Our curriculum that is relevant and dynamic merges core business functions with innovative interdisciplinary courses in communication, design thinking, and ethics and our knowledge lessons are backed by research and contemporary case studies, and are facilitated by an excellent set of faculty members.”

Admissions Process 

The admissions process at IFMR GSB is tailor-made for aspirants, both fresh out of college and working professionals. Fresh graduates as well as candidates with work experience are eligible. Applicants who meet all eligibility criteria will be considered for personal interview in the rank order of merit. The writing skills of applicants will be assessed using their scores on the relevant sections of the qualifying examination (CAT/XAT/NMAT/CMAT/GRE/GMAT) as well as the quality of writing displayed in their application forms.

IFMR GSB recognises candidates of academic excellence in UG programme who have graduated from the top educational institutions in the country as recognised by the NIRF and have been placed within the top 20 ranks of their degree programme. Such applicants are exempted from competitive exams and not required to submit a score from any of the competitive exams.

To apply and for more information, head to -https://krea.edu.in/ifmrgsb/application-screening/

About IFMR Graduate School of Business:

Propelled by the 50 years strong legacy of IFMR and in line with Krea University’s ethos of re-imagining education, IFMR Graduate School of Business is preparing impactful and effective business leaders who can solve the problems of the future. IFMR GSB offers a full-time MBA programme, executive and management development programmes for experienced professionals and a PhD programme. IFMR GSB is located in a sprawling 40-acre residential campus in Sri City, an industrial base near Chennai. The campus is fully-equipped with requisite modern infrastructure.

Over 20 years, IFMR GSB has built a robust network of 5000+ eminent alumni across the spectrum of industries who bring in valuable insights and expertise to the students while the illustrious Academic Council provides deep insights and direction to IFMR GSB’s teaching, design curriculum, research, and related activities. The Governing Council, Executive Committee, and Board of Management at Krea University include eminent leaders from the world of finance and economics such as N Vaghul (former Chairman of ICICI Bank Ltd), Raghuram Rajan (the 23rd RBI Governor), R Seshasayee (former Chairman of IndusInd Bank), Raghu Sundaram (Dean of NYU Stern School of Business), S Mahalingam (Former Chief Finance Officer. & Executive Director. Tata Consultancy Services), and Esther Duflo (Nobel Laureate and Co-Founder and Co-Director at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), among others.

ITC’s Sankhya In Bengaluru Becomes The World’s First Data Centre To Be LEED® Zero Carbon Certified


* The data centre is equipped with efficient cooling systems, sensor-based lighting, energy-efficient power backup systems, and an intelligent network cabling system.

ITC Limited’s Sankhya in Bengaluru has become the world’s first data centre to be certified as LEED® Zero Carbon. The facility has been awarded the certification by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), which recognizes net zero carbon emission from a building over a period of 12 months. The certification is valid for 3 years, with the requirement of net zero report to be submitted every year.

ITC Sankhya has earned this global distinction six years after being certified as the world’s first LEED® Platinum (v4.0) data centre by USGBC. It is a recognition towards its efforts to save 25%-30% energy, as compared to any other data centre, as well as reduce overall carbon emissions through reducing travelling of the employees and other measures.  The USGBC recognition is based on a comprehensive calculation that accounts for net zero carbon emission after deducting CO2 emission avoided / offset from CO2 emitted through electricity/fuel consumption and transportation.

ITC’s large-scale efforts in decarbonisation will make a meaningful contribution to the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of India transitioning to a net zero economy by 2070.

Commenting on the centre’s exemplary achievement, Mr B Sumant, Executive Director, ITC Limited said, “ITC has been strengthening its contribution to climate positive, sustainable and inclusive growth. As part of our accelerated decarbonisation efforts, we have spearheaded multi-dimensional interventions to lower our carbon footprint including expanding our renewable energy and green buildings portfolio.  The Company has been carbon positive for over 17 years. We take pride that the ITC Sankhya is today an icon of environmental stewardship. We embarked on this mission of transforming the data centre into a LEED® Zero Carbon building in 2016. Towards this, focussed initiatives were implemented including re-engineering the facility’s design, introducing efficient cooling systems, sensor-based lighting, establishing an active Building Management System, energy-efficient power backup systems, an intelligent network cabling system, etc. All of this contributed to optimizing energy consumption”.  

Effective and vigilant operation and maintenance of the unit with SOPs and KPIs aimed at improving the energy performance of the building further as compared with the designed parameters kept pushing the conservation bar higher. Additionally, the power required for the unit was fully fed through wheeling of renewable energy sources.  

ITC’s flagship hotel properties including ITC Grand Chola (Chennai), ITC Gardenia, ITC Windsor and Welcomhotel Bengaluru, Welcomhotel Chennai, Welcomhotel Coimbatore, Welcomhotel Guntur and ITC Mughal (Agra) are the first 8 hotels in the world to receive the LEED® Zero Carbon certification. In yet another remarkable feat, ITC Hotels and Welcomhotels have achieved, much ahead of time, the 2030 carbon emission targets envisaged in the COP21 Paris agreement.

As many as 40 ITC properties including offices, manufacturing units, hotels, residential complexes and the data centre are LEED® Platinum rated green buildings. Around 42% of its energy requirements are met from renewable sources.

Friday, November 18, 2022

LTIMindtree Inaugurates Its Digital Experience Centre In Hyderabad


LTIMindtree, a global technology consulting and digital solutions company, has further expanded its Hyderabad operations by setting up a new, state-of-the art digital experience centre in the city.

This new, 100,000 sq. ft. centre will have the capacity to accommodate more than 1,000 professionals. Designed as a modern agile workplace to provide a superior, collaborative working experience, the centre will drive cutting-edge research and innovation in leveraging the power of digital to help LTIMindtree’s global clients deliver unique customer experiences. Equipped with the latest technology and automation capabilities, the centre will enable clients to rapidly envision, prototype and implement disruptive digital solutions that meet the needs of tomorrow.

Shri K. T. Rama Rao, Honourable Minister of IT, Industries, MA & UD, Government of Telangana, said: “Congratulations on the merger of LTI and Mindtree to create the 5th largest IT player in India. I extend my thanks to LTIMindtree for their continued commitment to invest, grow and create more technology jobs at a record pace in Hyderabad. Telangana government remains focused on its efforts to make Hyderabad the most preferred hub for technology companies and LTIMindtree is a true example of how these efforts are paying off.”

Nachiket Deshpande, Chief Operating Officer & Executive Board Member, LTIMindtree said: “Our new digital hub in Hyderabad will provide further impetus to our endeavour to innovate, solve complexities and deliver simplified, yet seamless solutions to our customers. Hyderabad is one of India’s leading entrepreneurial, industrial and R&D hubs with robust educational infrastructure, rich talent pool and a forward-looking work ethic. We remain committed to leveraging our presence in the city to build cutting-edge digital solutions and foster innovation to help our clients get to the future, faster. We are thankful to the Government of Telangana for their vision, focus and support in enabling companies such as ours to bring their vision to life.”

Located in HITEC City, the centre highlights the rich culture, heritage, and modern outlook of Hyderabad. The company employs over 16,000 employees in the city and has more than doubled its headcount in the city in the last one year alone.

About LTIMindtree

LTIMindtree is a global technology consulting and digital solutions company that enables enterprises across industries to reimagine business models, accelerate innovation, and maximize growth by harnessing digital technologies. As a digital transformation partner to more than 750 clients, LTIMindtree brings extensive domain and technology expertise to help drive superior competitive differentiation, customer experiences, and business outcomes in a converging world. Powered by nearly 90,000 talented and entrepreneurial professionals across more than 30 countries, LTIMindtree — a Larsen & Toubro Group company — combines the industry-acclaimed strengths of erstwhile Larsen and Toubro Infotech and Mindtree in solving the most complex business challenges and delivering transformation at scale. For more information, visit www.ltimindtree.com. 

Cashfree Payments Launches ‘UniFi’ At Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022


Dr Ashwath Narayan C N, Minister of Higher Education, IT and BT, Sci and Tech and Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Former Dy CM, Government of Karnataka and Ms. Meena Nagaraj, Director Electronics, Information Technology and Biotechnology, Govt of Karnataka on Thursday launched ‘UniFi’, a first of its kind, revolutionary product offering by Cashfree Payments at the Bengaluru Tech Summit. UniFi, which comes with bank-grade security, is an innovative, single platform, where businesses can undertake their banking operations across banks and track their financial business transactions.

Canadian Wood Hosted Seminar At Their Experience Center In Mumbai


* Canadian Wood hosts a seminar on “Reman projects in Canadian Wood” with prominent speakers such as Ar. Salil Ranadive, Ar. Pravir Sethi & Mr. Vinoo Naik from the industry

The British Columbia (B.C.) provincial government's crown corporation, Forestry Innovation Consulting India Pvt Ltd, popularly known as Canadian Wood, hosted a seminar on November 16, 2022, on ‘Re-man Projects with Canadian Wood’

The Canadian Wood campaign, which promotes using legally manufactured, responsibly harvested wood from British Columbia, Canada, has resumed after a two-year suspension brought on by the pandemic. This includes seminars and other activities that were previously halted. The session began with a welcome note and introduction by Mr. Pranesh Chhibber, Country Director, Canadian Wood, to set the tone, followed by presentations from distinguished speakers. Ar. Salil Ranadive, Principal Architect of SR+A Architects, was the second to take the stage and spoke on "Looking Back and Looking Forward. Ar. Pravir Sethi, Founder of Studio HINGE, took the stage next and shared his thoughts on designing with wood. Finally, Mr. Vinoo Naik, the founder of Interscape, shed some light on his various projects in Canadian wood throughout India. The session was closed by Mr. Gajanan Patankar, Assistant Director, Business Development, with a thank you note to the audience. The seminar was moderated by Dr. Jimmy Thomas, Assistant Director, Technical Services.

Pranesh Chhibber, Country Director, Canadian Wood, shared his insights on the current trends in the Indian construction industry, "Wood imports have a long history in India. Every year, India imports approximately 700 cubic metres of wood, 90% of which is used for re-man applications. One of the many reasons why manufacturers and architects like Canadian Wood is that we provide well-seasoned and uniformly sized wood when it is delivered, eliminating the need for the manufacturer to sort the wood before use. More and more builders and architects are requesting certified wood from sustainably managed forests as the market for structural applications and re-man increases in India."

Ar. Salil Ranadive, Principal Architect, SR+A Architects, spoke about the ethics of building with wood. "As an architect, I support safeguarding the environment and people for the greater good. One of the reasons I prefer doing business with Canadian Woods is their attention to the environment and ethical business practices. They take the initiative to replant trees that they harvest to preserve the forest cover and at the same time offer certified wood from sustainably managed forests."

Speaking on his association with Canadian Wood, Ar. Pravir Sethi, Founder, Studio HINGE, said, "I like Canadian Wood over local wood because of their strict quality control, standardization, and customization. They provide us with precisely sized and graded wood while taking the environment into account."

Sharing his insights, Mr. Vinoo Naik, Founder, Interscape, said, "People in the southern portion of India are more likely to build using wood since it has long been ingrained in their culture. In fact, we are utilising western red cedar from British Columbia to construct a 1200-foot home for a customer in southern India. Building with wood has, in my opinion, started to become more popular once again. Due to its dynamic character, people in the northern parts of India have started to adopt this trend as well."

About Canadian Wood:

Forestry Innovation Consulting Pvt. Ltd. (FII India) better known as Canadian Wood is a crown agency of the government of British Columbia (B.C.) - the westernmost province of Canada, with a mandate to promote its wood products in offshore markets. It focuses on promoting five distinct wood species in India, namely: 1) Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF), 2) Western hemlock, 3) Douglas-fir, 4) Yellow cedar and 5) Western red cedar. These species have unique properties making them suitable for various reman and structural applications. Canadian wood (lumber) is sourced from sustainably managed and certified British Columbia forests and is available duly seasoned, sized and graded, almost ready to use across India through a network of 40 stockists in all major towns.

Fulcrum Digital Is On A Hiring Spree In India, And Global Locations For Platform And Digital Technology Roles


-         Plans to hire 450 technology specialists in India

Fulcrum Digital, a leading business platform and digital services organization, plans to scale its India Global Delivery Center by adding 450 employees. The open positions include data engineers, reliability engineers, full-stack developers, Magento developers, solution architects, business analysts, and program managers. These hirings are backed by multi-year digital transformation programs with marquee customers in India, the US, UK, and rapid growth in new markets.

Fulcrum Digital is a front-runner among business platforms, digital engineering, cloud solutions, and technology services providers. The company is a preferred partner for enterprises across banking and financial services, insurance, higher education, consumer products and services, and e-commerce industries.

With over 20 years of global expertise in digital transformation, and by leveraging cutting-edge technologies, including composable architecture, AI/ML, data science, and reliability engineering, the company has transformed into a next-gen composite platform and digital engineering services company.

Speaking about the company’s hiring plans, Dhana Kumarasamy, CEO of Fulcrum Digital, said, “As a rapidly growing company, our expansion strategy lies in strengthening our India Global Delivery Center (GDC). Our Pune GDC supports global clients with business platform engineering and implementation, digital engineering, cloud integration, consultancy, and managed engineering services. By scaling our India operations, we aim to play a pivotal role in supporting our clients growth strategy by delivering top-notch technology services to them globally”. 

About Fulcrum Digital:    

Fulcrum Digital is a leading business platform and digital engineering company. We partner with global companies from diverse industries: financial services, insurance, higher education, consumer products, food services and e-commerce.

Founded in 1999, Fulcrum Digital supports 100+ global clients from its facilities in the US, LATAM, Europe and India. With expertise in digital transformation, machine learning and emerging technologies, we offer a consulting-led, integrated suite of enterprise-grade software solutions.

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore Sunil Kumar Appointed Tufts University’s Next President


·        Provost and senior vice president at Johns Hopkins University, Kumar will begin as Tufts’ 14th president on July 1, 2023

Sunil Kumar, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Johns Hopkins University, has been named the next president of Tufts University by the Board of Trustees. An expert in operations management with a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, Kumar was previously dean of the University Of Chicago Booth School Of Business.

He will succeed President Anthony P. Monaco next summer. Monaco announced in February that he would step down in 2023 after serving 12 years as the university’s leader.

“Sunil Kumar brings to Tufts a lifelong commitment to excellence in higher education and an exceptionally strong record as a leader, teacher, and colleague,” said Peter Dolan, A78, A08P, chair of the Board of Trustees and chair of the presidential search committee. “He will be an outstanding successor to President Monaco, who has strengthened Tufts in so many ways in the past 11 years. Sunil’s commitment to research and learning, along with civic engagement and innovation, will help bolster Tufts’ mission to improve the world.”

As provost at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Kumar oversees the academic mission of the university’s nine schools, and has focused on increasing interdisciplinary research and education, enhancing the student experience, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

“During the search process, I was very impressed with Dr. Kumar’s leadership style,” says Bree Aldridge, associate professor of molecular biology and microbiology at Tufts University School of Medicine and a member of the search committee. “He is a perceptive listener and analyst. He is humble and will have you laughing in no time when you talk with him. His work demonstrates his commitment to the execution of transformative ideas. I am so excited that he is joining our community and look forward to working with him in the coming years.”

Johns Hopkins President Ron Daniels says that Kumar “has been an extraordinary partner to me and the entire Johns Hopkins community as provost, bringing an ethos of collaborative leadership and an uncompromising commitment to excellence in everything he pursues. In Sunil, Tufts gains a seasoned academic leader devoted to enhancing the research enterprise, building an exceptional student experience, and ensuring that every member of the community has the opportunity and the supports they need to pursue their aspirations,” he says.

“We were so fortunate to have someone of Sunil’s unique analytical capability and profound humanity to help bring us through the challenges and upheavals of the pandemic, and I can think of no one better suited to lead Tufts into the future,” says Daniels.

Ellen Mackenzie, dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, adds that Kumar “is an amazing academic leader who has been a champion for the university and its academic divisions. As dean, I have had the privilege of working with him closely and benefiting from his sage advice and wise counsel.”

Seeing the Big Picture

Kumar, whose father was a police officer, was born and raised in India, graduating in 1990 with a bachelor’s in engineering from Mangalore University. He received a master’s degree in 1992 in computer science and automation from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. While there, he met a visiting professor from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who recruited him for a doctoral program in electrical engineering. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1996.

“Tufts is extremely well positioned to educate students to directly address the challenges of the future,” says Sunil Kumar. “We cannot afford to step back from society’s problems today but must fully engage in them.”

Kumar began his academic career teaching at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was later the Fred H. Merrill Professor of Operations, Information and Technology. After a dozen years at Stanford, he was named dean of the University Of Chicago Booth School Of Business. In 2016, he became provost and senior vice president at Johns Hopkins.

When he was a young assistant professor at Stanford, he says, he was struck by the fact that he was getting paid to do what he loved. “I’ve never lost that kind of awe and wonder about the academic enterprise, and I’m happiest in it,” he says.

Peter Dolan, chair of the Tufts Board of Trustees Says “Sunil’s commitment to research and learning, along with civic engagement and innovation, will help bolster Tufts’ mission to improve the world.”

As part of his research in operations management, he builds mathematical models of systems and examines “how one can influence those systems to achieve societally valuable outcomes,” he says. “Problems can be very hard, but if you’re willing to settle for an almost-best outcome, the problem becomes a lot easier,” he says. “I have built tools that are guaranteed to find the almost-best solution in many problems.”

What’s important in these issues, he says, “is how to abstract away from details to get to the big picture. Mathematical modelers tend to learn that quickly in their careers, and that’s helped me a great deal.” Another foundation of his work is “a firm reliance on evidence.”

Education for All

Kumar was attracted to Tufts because of its mission to serve “not only the people within its confines—its students, faculty, and staff—but society at large,” he says. When he was interviewing with the presidential search committee, which consisted of 18 people from across the university, he noticed that they “had a quiet confidence about them,” he says. “They wanted Tufts to genuinely be the light on the hill, and somehow it felt like a perfect fit.”

“Sunil has been an extraordinary partner to me and the entire Johns Hopkins community as provost, bringing an ethos of collaborative leadership and an uncompromising commitment to excellence in everything he pursues,” says Johns Hopkins President Ron Daniels. Photo: Courtesy of Johns Hopkins University.

As he looks ahead to taking up the presidency of the university on July 1 next year, he is focused on “how to make the Tufts experience available to more people, and how to make sure the experience is even better.” He also wants to increase the impact of research done at the university and ensure that it helps society even more “in the here and now.”

Tufts, he says, already has a reputation that is "kept high and soaring by its alumni and faculty," noting that the university “is extremely well positioned to educate students to directly address the challenges of the future. We cannot afford to step back from society’s problems today but must fully engage in them.”

Madeline Fabela, E23, a member of the search committee, says that she thought Kumar was the best candidate for the presidency for many reasons. “I’d highlight his ability to solve problems, engage with others, and even his sense of humor,” she says. “As a student, it was difficult to know exactly what a candidate needed to be successful in the job, but he made it easy to make a clear decision.”

One of Kumar’s priorities will be to develop ways “to ensure that we have even more resources to make Tufts as affordable as we possibly can,” he says.

He knows the value of financial aid in higher education. For his graduate studies at the University of Illinois, he received generous financial support. “It would not have been possible for me as a son of a police officer to do anything else,” he says. “Affordability is not a theoretical concept for me. I hope I represent an example of somebody who benefited from an institution opening its doors wide and I would like even more people to have the same opportunity.”

“Sunil knows our broad intellectual terrain—from engineering and business to the health sciences to the arts, humanities, and social sciences. His personal history gives him a global perspective that is important to us. And his warmth, humor, and humanity will win over the Tufts community very quickly.” Says James Glaser, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences

It’s not just financial aid that is crucial, but also “investments in student support, in curriculum development, and in what at Hopkins we call life design, which is our way of thinking about how best we can launch our students on their future careers.”

Indispensable Values

Kumar says that “diversity and inclusion are indispensable values. They don’t need to be justified on utilitarian grounds.” That said, he notes that the diversity of the student body is “extremely valuable to all the students.”

The first person of color to lead Tufts University, Kumar says that “on the diversity and inclusion front, it is not enough to talk the talk. We also have to make sure that we operationalize our values, and sufficiently resource them so that we can execute on those values and make sure that Tufts is indeed as inclusive as it can be.”

At Johns Hopkins, he helped lead an effort to “improve us as a university on all dimensions of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” he says. He led the effort to bring to fruition the Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative, which sought to increase the number of Ph.D. students from underrepresented groups in STEM fields. Another effort he spearheaded was the Fannie Gaston-Johansson program, which helps recruit small groups of faculty in specific topic areas to significantly add to diversity in those areas.

“The search committee was so impressed with Dr. Kumar. He has had great success working in complex universities,” says James Glaser, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, professor of political science, and a member of the search committee.

“He knows our broad intellectual terrain—from engineering and business to the health sciences to the arts, humanities, and social sciences,” Glaser says. “His personal history gives him a global perspective that is important to us. And his warmth, humor, and humanity will win over the Tufts community very quickly.”

As a young engineering student, Kumar received an excellent education, he says, but not one “designed to produce well-rounded individuals.” When he moved to Illinois, he discovered through the library what he had missed by not having a liberal arts education.

Now he continues to try to round himself out intellectually, for instance by reading a recent book on the Italian Renaissance and the foundation of academic humanities. He has what he calls an amateur’s enthusiasm for the humanities.

At Johns Hopkins, he’s tried to strengthen the humanities, he says, for example by helping build out the expansion of the Miller Department of Philosophy.

It is “essential that there be a liberal arts component to all education,” he says. “What matters is to develop the mind and to strengthen the heart. And for that liberal arts education is essential.”

About Tufts University

In the spirit of our motto, Pax et Lux (“Peace and Light”), Tufts faculty and students work together as active global citizens, illuminating each other and the world. Centered in the vibrant academic landscape of Greater Boston, Tufts is the best of all worlds: a close-knit community with the resources of a major research university, welcoming campuses near big city opportunities, and a global network of accomplished alumni. Since 1852, Tufts has prepared exceptional students in diverse fields for lives of learning and leadership. Our commitment to the liberal arts, vital research enterprise, and collaborative, interdisciplinary culture combine to spark curiosity and create resounding global impact.

L&T Technology Services Inaugurates Digital Manufacturing And Electrification Prototype Centers In Peoria, USA


* Center to focus on digital manufacturing, electrification, embedded software; hire over 500 engineers

L&T Technology Services Limited (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS), a global leading pure-play engineering services company, today announced the inauguration of two new design and prototyping centers in Peoria, Illinois, USA, to support the digital engineering programs of customers. The two centers of excellence (CoE) will complement the existing LTTS flagship design center in Peoria.

The new centers- 1DigitalPlace and Electrification & Prototyping Center- will offer services in digital manufacturing and next-gen electrification solutions across the transportation, medical, and hi-tech domains.

The 1DigitalPlace Center of Excellence leverages next generation manufacturing technologies to enable customers redefine their product journeys – from concept development through launch. It will help drive innovative solutions across the digital manufacturing spectrum, in key areas including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, 3D-vision systems, and connected machines. With a focus on delivering cutting-edge Manufacturing Execution Systems and enabling next-gen digital twins, the CoE’s turnkey offerings will combine insights from the voice of the customer with LTTS’ state-of-the-art design, simulation, proof of concept and prototyping capabilities.

The Electrification & Prototype center is a state-of-the-art turnkey design facility providing services across the value chain. Powered by the latest in production automation technologies, LTTS’ newest CoE is capable of enabling the entire spectrum from conception through schematics, to physical prototype harness development in HIL test benches. It is helping expand and deepen our industry-leading expertise across electrification, UAV’s, marine engineering solutions, and autonomy for end-to-end support. The CoE’s rapid turnaround time, global engineering teams, ISO9001-certified quality and testing capabilities, and no Minimum Order Quantity requirement will help drive a significant reduction in customer lead times and deliver enhanced project outcomes.

The fundamental objective of setting up the new centers is to develop a strategically located team capable of designing, constructing, and implementing manufacturing, quality operations processes and systems. LTTS’ customers stand to benefit from an enhanced experience paradigm focused on next-gen manufacturing technologies. As part of the planned expansion of the Peoria design center, LTTS plans to hire more than 500 engineers over the next 36 months.

LTTS’ expanded Peoria engineering hub will serve as a platform to provide services for all embedded software and hardware-based solutions, besides enabling next-gen process analytics solutions leveraging the best of AI, ML, Preventive & Predictive Maintenance capabilities. The center will act as a hub to attract and hire local engineers to fulfill existing and future customer requirements.

The Electrification and Prototype Center was unveiled by Mr Tim Graham of Caterpillar, Mr Darin Morman of Collins Aerospace, Mr John Kahl – Mayor of East Peoria, Mr Pari Natarajan of Zinnov, Mr Amit Chadha, Mr Bhanu Gopalam and Mr Robert Martin of LTTS. The 1DigitalPlace was inaugurated by Mr T. D. Bhutia, Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of India, Chicago, Mr. William Strnad of Polaris, Mr Rajeev Gupta, Mr Alind Saxena and Mr Rodney Duran of LTTS.

Commenting on the inauguration, Congressman Darin LaHood, U.S. Rep. for the State of Illinois said, “Our community is excited to hear the announcement by LTTS to expand in the City of Peoria, which will help further boost our technology ecosystem and also help create more jobs and opportunities in engineering and allied fields. Thank you for your investment in Central Illinois and promoting innovation and technology across our region.”

John Kahl, Mayor of East Peoria said, “It is heartening to see engineering and technology providers like LTTS setting up their base in Peoria and further cementing the region’s reputation as a technology and innovation hub. On behalf of the People of Peoria, I Congratulate LTTS on the establishment of the new digital centers and look forward to a fruitful engagement with them, benefiting the local economy and community.”

His Excellency Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to the United States commented, “I would like to congratulate L&T Technology Services for the new engineering facilities in Peoria, Illinois. This is an exciting moment for LTTS and the engineering & technology sector in Illinois. LTTS’ contributions in U.S. demonstrates the power of Indian companies to add value, competitiveness and skills in the US as well as enrich the local community. I wish LTTS all success!”

Amit Chadha, CEO & Managing Director, L&T Technology Services said, “We have set-up our two new facilities with an endeavor to serve our global clientele more closely located to their base locations. The center will leverage LTTS’ domain expertise in areas like Digital Manufacturing, Electrification and Sustainability and play a vital role in creation of new offerings, innovations and technologies for global customers.”

About L&T Technology Services Ltd

L&T Technology Services Limited (LTTS) is a listed subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Limited focused on Engineering and R&D (ER&D) services. We offer consultancy, design, development and testing services across the product and process development life cycle. Our customer base includes 69 Fortune 500 companies and 57 of the world’s top ER&D companies, across industrial products, medical devices, transportation, telecom & hi-tech, and the process industries. Headquartered in India, we have over 21,400 employees spread across 20 global design centers, 28 global sales offices and 90 innovation labs as of September 30, 2022. For more information, visit https://www.ltts.com/

Nikon India Forays Into The Indian Healthcare Sector


* Nikon enters in India’s healthcare sector through the System Product Microscopy business

* Nikon’s AXR Point scanning confocal microscope provides the “World’s largest Field of View” of 25mm in one single shot

Nikon India Private Ltd., one of the world's leading suppliers of products and solutions based on advanced opto-electronics and precision technologies has announced its foray into India’s healthcare sector through System Product Microscopy business. Nikon, which has had a presence in the Indian market for over 4 decades through distributors plans to enter India’s healthcare sector through System Product Microscopy business; and aims at facilitating direct sales, service, and distribution for their Microscopy Solutions. The product is targeted at premier research institutes, research centers funded and established by the Govt of India, academic educational institutions, clinical centres i.e.- Hospitals and Medical Research institutes, etc to boost research and development in medicine.  

Nikon’s newly launched product AXR Point scanning confocal microscope speaks its capability itself which provides “World’s largest Field of View” of 25mm in one single shot which gives strength researchers to generate most accurate statistical data while imaging. Nikon AX Point Scanning confocal is the “World’s fastest Confocal system in the industry”, which helps researchers to perform fast Dynamics studies.

Speaking at the announcement, Mr. Sajjan Kumar, Managing Director of Nikon India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Our legacy of manufacturing microscope dates back to 1917 and is more than 100 years old. Today, Nikon microscopy is known in the industry for its precision and the best quality of optics manufactured, right from lens manufacturing to the finished product. This segment offers huge potential, and we are extremely upbeat about its growth prospects. We plan to install AXR system in a few research institutes in India namely IIT Bhilai, IIT Mumbai, ACTREC Mumbai to name a few. Our expected annual turnover for FY 22-23 will be around 5% of Nikon’s India operations and we anticipate it to grow 10% plus by end of next year”. Nikon Healthcare business in India has exceeded our budget and we hope this growth trajectory continues in future.”

Nikon’s core Microscopy Software NIS Elements provides the perfect solution for researchers by supporting third party products. Additionally, the introduction of “Artificial Intelligence” in the software takes care of many challenges from researchers while saving time. Nikon’s healthcare Product Range consists of General Microscope, IVF Station and System Microscope Solutions.

In India, the microscopy market is expected to grow at a rate of 7-10% during the same period.

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) Hosts Foreign Delegations In Talks To Drive Cross-border - Technology, Talent And Trade


* KDEM and Berlin Partner’s discussion detailed how start-ups and organisations based in Berlin and Karnataka can access each other’s markets

* Team from The Hebrew University- Israel spoke about the need for jointly skilling and upgrading talent

* EU-India InnoCenter, an EU-funded programme, discussed soft-landing for European start-ups and building significant long-term partnerships 

* Swiss is looking to work closely with us in the areas of deep tech, infra, IT and Beyond Bengaluru 

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) hosted three foreign delegations who’d arrived in the country under the backdrop of the 25th Bengaluru Tech Summit. KDEM greeted a team from Berlin Partner and also held discussions with dignitaries from The Hebrew University, Israel, and the programme head of EU-India InnoCenter - an initiative funded under the Horizon 2020 scheme by the European Commission to explore, enter, and scale unique high-impact Series-A funded tech start-ups with the Indian market.

KDEM is focused on harnessing Karnataka’s huge digital economy. As such, one of its primary objectives is moving Beyond Bengaluru and opening investment opportunities throughout Karnataka. KDEM aids global companies and investors with potential business prospects along with our partner ecosystem for soft landing into our State. Our industry friendly policies, ease of doing business, access to supply chain, access to key business stakeholders, skilled talent availability & much more makes the State best option for these businesses.

Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, was enthusiastic about developments: “We’ve managed to open important avenues of business in Karnataka, and not just in Bengaluru, and we’re now taking our mission to the world stage. Our core objective will all country partners is to drive 3Ts- Technology, Talent and Trade. We are glad to host these delegations this time and look forward to building global network in the coming months. With Berlin both our start-ups got access to investor base, Hebrew University will help us launch next set of global management programs in State, EU will continue to bring their start-ups to India.”

Markus Facklam, Koordinator International & Area Manager, Africa & Europe, Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH, looked forward to future discussions and said, “Our eventual goal is to welcome talent, people, knowledge, perspectives, innovations, and technologies from each side. We have a lot in common and will meet again to speak about specifics concerning individual industries.”

Itay Friedjung, Managing Director of The Hebrew University Business School Executive Education, said, “We believe in developing partnerships with institutions and people outside our country so that we’re not limited in our vision. Our collaboration with KDEM will help Israeli innovation and the Bangalore ecosystem, two of the most important innovation hubs in the world. Through this association, we hope to be able to bring our learning and development solutions here and provide assistance to organisations while learning in return.”

Juliane Frömmter of EU-India InnoCenter said, “We believe that our start-ups will transfer tech and know-how to the country while manufacturing and hiring local talent to scale in the Indian market. Karnataka has been expanding its horizons in the emerging-technology sector, thus making it a good fit for our first in-country flagship Demo Day called the Blue Carpet Night - Showcasing European Innovation. Additionally, the event line-up of the Bengaluru Tech Summit, followed by the Micelio Community meet-up, added in the favour of our present cohort’s sector focus of clean-tech, mobility, logistics, enterprise tech, etc. The meeting with KDEM became an essential part of our trip to India as we gained high interest from the ecosystem in embracing such innovative technologies. Our interactions with the local ecosystem will help foster strategic partnerships between India and Europe.”

The Bengaluru Tech Summit will address cross-border trade driven by KDEM’s initiatives and enterprise. KDEM works in close association with the state government to increase growth in the IT, BT, and S&T sectors. Its focus areas include start-ups, promoting emerging clusters outside Bengaluru, talent acceleration, Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM), IT Products & Services, BPM and GCC Promotion.

About Karnataka Digital Economy Mission Pvt Ltd.:

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission is a Section 8 organization designed to function as the knowledge bridge between the Government of Karnataka and industry with a view of accelerating the growth and investments of the IT, BT, and S&T sectors in Karnataka.  The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission promises to harness the unlimited potential of the digital economy of Karnataka to transform the lives of the people in the state. The IT ecosystem not only uplifts the lives of professionals in the industry but also powers millions of other ancillary jobs across other industries.

Range Rover And Range Rover Sport Awarded Five-Star



·       Refined safety: New Range Rover and Range Rover Sport have achieved maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety ratings

·       Protection and security: Award-winning Range Rover scored 87 per cent for Child Occupant protection, while Range Rover Sport secured 85 per cent for Adult Occupant protection

·       ADAS system: Both models given 82 per cent rating in the Safety Assist category, with a suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) available

The New Range Rover and Range Rover Sport have both been awarded maximum five-star ratings in the latest Euro NCAP safety tests. The luxury SUVs draw on more than 50 years of expertise in delivering exceptional breadth of all-terrain capability, refinement and safety.

The new models are the latest in a long line of Range Rovers to gain a five-star rating under the stringent Euro NCAP star rating safety protocols introduced in 2009, stretching back to the Evoque in 2011.

Both models are based on a new mixed-metal, flexible Modular Longitudinal Architecture, which provides solid foundations for a suite of state-of-the-art driver assistance technologies to work in harmony for a responsive and refined drive. New Range Rover, which is available with four-, five- and seven-seat configurations, is up to 50 per cent stiffer than its predecessor while the Range Rover Sport is 35 per cent stiffer than before.

The award-winning New Range Rover scored 87 per cent for Child Occupant Protection and 72 per cent for Vulnerable Road Users, while the Range Rover Sport achieved an 85 per cent rating for Adult Occupant Protection. Both SUVs obtained 82 per cent for Safety Assist.

Thomas Mueller, Executive Director Product Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “These excellent Euro NCAP results are a direct result of the hard work and expertise that goes into designing, engineering and manufacturing vehicles that have combined safety, capability and luxury for more than five decades. Our strong, mixed metal MLA-Flex body architecture provides solid foundations for a suite of cutting-edge active safety systems that combined, work in harmony to protect occupants and other road users. These Range Rovers are a technological triumph.”

New Range Rover and Range Rover Sport share a range of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) designed to support the driver and protect occupants, including:

3D Surround Camera and ClearSight Ground View – the surround camera system provides a 3D, 360-degree view around the vehicle and can display several views simultaneously on the touchscreen display when manoeuvring – giving the driver detailed information about their surroundings. ClearSight Ground View allows drivers to see the hidden area directly ahead of, and beneath, the bonnet on the central touchscreen display.

Driver Condition Response – brings the vehicle to a halt and initiates the hazard warning lights if the driver fails to respond to a series of audio-visual prompts.

Pre-emptive suspension – the suspension automatically switches to Dynamic mode when the Forward Collision Warning system detects a collision risk, assisting the driver if evasive manoeuvres are required by delivering the most agile responses.

Adaptive Cruise Control and Steering Assist – Adaptive Cruise Control maintains a set cruising speed for the vehicle. The vehicle’s speed automatically reduces if a slower-moving vehicle is detected in the lane ahead. Steering Assist helps the driver keep the vehicle in the centre of its lane by making minor steering adjustments.

Park Assist – detects available parking spaces and manoeuvres the vehicle into parallel and perpendicular spaces. Park Assist controls the vehicle during a manoeuvre using the steering, acceleration, gear selection and braking.

Alongside the active safety systems, New Range Rover and Range Rover Sport make use of technologies that aim to improve driver alertness and reduce the potential for distraction.

Both vehicles are also available with Cabin Air Purification Pro1, a pioneering system that takes interior air quality to the next level. Not only does the PM2.5 filtration and Nanoe™-X technology help to significantly reduce odours, bacteria and allergens, it enhances wellness and alertness by monitoring CO? levels inside and automatically introducing fresh external air when required. High concentrations of CO? contribute to drowsiness, so the system proactively contributes to optimum driver alertness.

Thursday, November 17, 2022

India Is Now Home To More Than 100 Space Startups, Says Somanath - ISRO Chairman



Over 100 plus startups  have registered with the space agency and are working closely in various domain, said S. Somanath, .Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Addressing a plenary session at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022 on 'R&D of India: Innovation for Global Impact,' he said that the ISRO has signed MoUs with companies to work closely which include hand-holding in space technology and building processes from start to finish.

Somanath said a significant number of companies have the potential to become big players in the space sector and ISRO is playing the role of facilitator and helping in building technologies, adding that out of the 100 startups at least 10 of them are working on developing satellites and rockets.

He also announced that Chandrayaan 3 mission will be in orbit in a few months adding that ISRO is working closely with NASA in space technology areas. He said the computer that was used in the rocket was made in India.

The ISRO chairman said that the agency is playing an important role in smart city projects and smart manufacturing processes. He said some of the areas that ISRO is working on include bringing back satellite technology, propulsion systems used in engine manufacturing which have been successfully tested, green and hybrid propulsion systems, nuclear propulsion, the launch of small rockets with the use of additive technologies, energy storage systems, functional materials, carbon fibre technology, electronic devices, robotics, drone technologies, quantum technology used in encryption and disruptive technologies.

Economic Survey 2022

The number of startups in the rapidly-growing Indian space sector has more than doubled over the past year, shows data from the Economic Survey 2022.

The total number of space startups in the country has crossed 100 with 47 space technology startups being established in the country in 2021, up from 21 in 2020. In 2019, there were only 11 new startups added in the space sector.

New policies from the Indian government in the space sector coupled with participation from the private sector have been the key factors behind the growth of space startups in the country, according to the Economic Survey 2022. “With these recently undertaken policy initiatives and private sector participations, the Indian space sector is expected to capture a larger share of the global space economy, which was close to $447 billion in 2020. At present, India accounts for only about 2 per cent of the space economy, much behind the major players--the US and China,” the survey adds.

Tata Motors Bags Major Order of 1000 Buses From Haryana Roadways


Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, today announced that it has bagged a prestigious order of 1000 buses from Haryana Roadways. Tata Motors will supply the 52-seater fully built BS6 diesel buses in a phased manner, as per the contract. Tata Motors buses offer superior passenger comfort, high fuel efficiency, reliability and low total cost of ownership. The e-bidding process was carried out through the Government tender process.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Navdeep Singh Virk, IPS, Principal Secretary to Government, Transport Department, Haryana said, “We are delighted to confirm the order of 1000 buses to Tata Motors. The modern and economical BS6 buses will provide benefits to all stakeholders alike, and offer unmatched comfort to the passengers. The induction of the new buses will help in making inter-state public transport even more efficient, allowing smooth commute across the state of Haryana.”

On the momentous occasion, Mr. Rohit Srivastava, Vice President, Product Line – Buses, Tata Motors, said, “We’re pleased to have won the largest and prestigious order from Haryana Roadways. The delivery of these buses will further fortify our partnership with State Government of Haryana and help in offering modern public transport to the citizens of the state. We are committed towards modernising public transportation in India and offer best-in-class comfort and efficiency with our buses.”

Tata Motors commercial vehicles are designed and engineered on the ‘Power of 6’ philosophy, which delivers unparalleled driveability, total cost of operations, comfort and convenience, and connectivity. Tata Motors also offers its flagship initiative, Sampoorna Seva, a bouquet of service offerings including Repair Time Assurance, Breakdown Assistance, Insurance and Accidental Repair Time, Extended Warranty, and other add-on services for vehicle maintenance and upkeep.

About Tata Motors

Part of the USD 128 billion Tata group, Tata Motors Limited (NYSE: TTM; BSE: 500570 and 570001; NSE: TATAMOTORS and TATAMTRDVR), a USD 37 billion organization, is a leading global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks and buses, offering extensive range of integrated, smart and e-mobility solutions. With ‘Connecting Aspirations’ at the core of its brand promise, Tata Motors is India’s market leader in commercial vehicles and amongst the top three in the passenger vehicles market.

Tata Motors strives to bring new products that fire the imagination of GenNext customers, fueled by state of the art design and R&D centers located in India, UK, US, Italy and South Korea. With a focus on engineering and tech enabled automotive solutions catering to the future of mobility, the company’s innovation efforts are focused to develop pioneering technologies that are sustainable as well as suited to evolving aspirations of the market and the customers. The company is pioneering India's Electric Vehicle (EV) transition and driving the shift towards sustainable mobility solutions by preparing a tailor-made product strategy, leveraging the synergy between the Group companies and playing an active role liasoning with the Government in developing the policy framework.

With operations in India, the UK, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa and Indonesia, Tata Motors’ vehicles are marketed in Africa, Middle East, South & South East Asia, Australia, South America, Russia and other CIS countries. As of March 31, 2022, Tata Motors’ operations include 86 consolidated subsidiaries, two joint operations, four joint ventures and 10 equity-accounted associates, including their subsidiaries, in respect of which we exercise significant influence.

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh To Inaugurate New Building For Manipal School of Architecture And Planning, MAHE


Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has carved a niche in the educational system with its liberal ideologies & strong vision over the decades. MAHE expands while launching a new building for the Manipal School of Architecture and Planning on the 18th of November 2022.The new building for the Manipal School of Architecture and Planning is being inaugurated by Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon Defence Minister.

The 1,45,000 Sqft built-up area structures built on a heavily contoured land of 3.9 acres are planned for approx. 1200 students and Faculties, from the field of Architecture, Design, and Fashion.  With state of modern technology and state of the art facilities, this is totally a GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) compliant energy-efficient Campus.

The buildings are stepped down with courts to have undisturbed views of the valley. These stepped courts are connected to the studio giving student’s opportunities to interact and exchange ideas, which forms the core of Architectural and Design Education.

The campus with all its features is designed as a structure stimulating future growth and creating a distinctive milestone.

Meta Appoints Sandhya Devanathan As New Head And Vice President of India


Meta today announced the appointment of Sandhya Devanathan as the Vice President of Meta India. Devanathan will focus on bringing the organization’s business and revenue priorities together to serve its partners and clients, while continuing to support the long-term growth of Meta’s business and commitment to India. She will transition to her new role on January 1, 2023 and will report to Dan Neary, Vice President, Meta APAC and will be a part of the APAC leadership team. She will move back to India to lead the India org and strategy.

As part of her role, Devanathan will spearhead the company’s India charter and strengthen the strategic relationships with the country’s leading brands, creators, advertisers, and partners to drive Meta’s revenue growth in key channels in India. 

Devanathan is a global business leader with 22 years of experience and an international career in banking, payments and technology. She joined Meta in 2016 and helped build out the Singapore and Vietnam businesses and teams as well as Meta’s e-commerce initiatives in Southeast Asia. In 2020, she moved to lead Gaming for APAC which is one of the largest verticals for Meta globally. She also brings a passion for developing women leaders in business and is the Executive Sponsor for Women@APAC at Meta as well as the global lead for Play Forward, a global Meta initiative to improve diversity representation in the gaming industry. She also serves on the global board of Pepper Financial Services.

On the appointment, Marne Levine, Chief Business Officer, Meta said, “India is at the forefront of digital adoption and Meta has launched many of our top products, such as Reels and Business Messaging, in India first. We are proud to have recently launched JioMart on WhatsApp, which is our first end-to-end shopping experience in India. I’m pleased to welcome Sandhya as our new leader for India. Sandhya has a proven track record of scaling businesses, building exceptional and inclusive teams, driving product innovation and building strong partnerships. We are thrilled to have her lead Meta’s continued growth in India.”

About Meta

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.