Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MoS for Electronics And IT, Cites Contribution of Digital India In India’s Progress At TechGig Geek Goddess Podium

* Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology and Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, presided over the 8th edition of TechGig Geek Goddess and invoked the ethos of Digital India and the role of technology in the country’s progress 

* TechGig Geek Goddess is India’s biggest coding competition for women programmers

* Overall, five winners were awarded prizes worth Rs 10 Lakh and merit certificates 

Who would have known Hathras a while ago? Today, this sleepy city from west Uttar Pradesh, is the proud home of India’s top woman coder. Yes, Hathras-based, IIIT-Una student Muskan Agrawal beat 69Thousand women coders to claim the title of ‘Top woman coder’ and Rs 1.5 Lakh prize at TechGig Geek Goddess 2022. Her coding expertise helped her win India’s biggest coding competition and make her mark in the coding history. 

Geek Goddess is an annual coding competition for women, instituted by India’s biggest technology community - TechGig. It brings talented women engineers and technology companies together to celebrate their coding genius and innovations at a national level. 

The 8th edition kicked off on August 23 this year and invited women programmers to share unique coding submissions in 54 coding languages for problems statements. Top five programming languages for submitting codes were Python3, CPP14, Java8, Java and C. Similar to the last year, most participants belonged to Hyderabad, Pune and Bengaluru. 

TechGig Geek Goddess celebrated its 8th edition this year with 69Thousand registrations and 7 corporate partners. This year’s edition was presented by American Express India, for the fifth successive year. Other corporate partners included Synchrony, Goldman Sachs, EY GDS, Persistent, Wipro and Logitech.  

From all the code submissions, the complete and valid ones underwent a crucial scrutiny. The top 500+ participants made it to the final round. This round was held virtually on November 19 where finalists coded non-stop for 4 hours to submit their winning programming solutions. Simultaneously, Geek Goddess participants attended a virtual career fair where participating companies American Express India, Synchrony, Wipro, Persistent and Goldman Sachs recruited for open tech positions.   

Geek Goddess 2022 concluded with its flagship TechGig's Women Disruptors' Virtual Conference on November 23. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology and Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, presided over the event as its chief guest and delivered the special address. Speaking here, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, lauded the efforts of all 69Thousand participants. “Technology can be a great enabler and a great change agent for our society,” he said. Reiterating the vision of Digital India launched in 2015, Rajeev Chandrasekhar added that technology can help bring transformational changes in jobs, skill and entrepreneurship among other aspects. “As envisioned in Digital India, technology can empower young people to build platforms, devices and products that could be consumed globally. This invested interest in technology helped India brave the COVID-19 crisis better than any other country. This focus on technical superiority will lead India to become the master of upcoming decade, indeed it will be India’s techade” 

This year’s conference was attended by women business and technology leaders from Deloitte, Cognizant, Intel, Wipro, Synchrony, Goldman Sachs, EY GDS, HCL Technologies, Thoughtworks and American Express India. The event hosted a series of panel discussions and fireside chats where these leaders decoded the nuances of tech careers for women software engineers. Overall, the event garnered more than 35 Million impressions on the internet with about 5 Thousand+ mentions for its hashtag #SheTheInnovator. 

Congratulating the winners of Geek Goddess 2022, Sanjay Goyal Business Head, TechGig said, “Geek Goddess is our flagship event to promote the participation of women engineers at tech workplaces. It is an annual celebration of diversity at tech workplaces and also a prominent reminder of how we need to be on the course to make technology a 50:50 playing field for all engineers. Over these eight editions, it has helped 3.3 Lakh women engineers polish their tech skills, realize their coding potential and connect with over 50+ progressive technology companies.”

“Whether coding with advanced programming languages, or applying the latest tech to solve real-world problems, women technologists are continuously making their mark,” said Ruchika Panesar, VP and head of technology for American Express in India and APAC. “American Express proudly backs women in tech and we congratulate all the Geek Goddess competitors for raising the bar once again.”

All details for the event are available here. The winners’ tally is: 

Geek Goddess 2022 champion: Muskan Agrawal 

1st runner up: Battul Bohra

2nd runner up: Rinki 

3rd runner up: Radhika Patwari 

4th runner up: Mahiyat Tanzim

Energy Transition And Climate Change – The Race For Our Planet’s Survival

By Padma Bhushan, Shree Shyam Saran, President, India International Center, Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

Many recent research warns of the possibility of ecological destruction on account of environmental damage. We are already close to the point when ecological destruction induced by climate change will make the earth’s ecosystem catastrophic and degraded. To tackle this rising rate of destruction, the world should make an accelerated transition from economic activities on fossil fuels to those based on renewable sources of energy such as solar energy and nuclear energy. The accumulated greenhouse gases due to the burning of fossil fuels, carbon emissions, and modern economic activities since the dawn of the industrial age majorly attribute to global climate change.

Energy transition and energy security are at the heart of looming the threat of global climate change. Following the logic of historic responsibility, established economies that contribute in bulk to the environment-threatening accumulations in the garth of the earth’s ecosystem should adopt sustainable habits that lead to the ultimate transformation of energies. Preliminary economies and industrial communities should build a robust pattern of transitioning economic activities based on renewable sources of energy and cleaner nuclear energy. However, this transition phase surfaces vulnerability since two different energy systems co-exist and interact which paves the way to unprecedented disruptions affecting the energy security and delivery of energy services to consumers. Similarly, as we experienced in the Ukraine war, the natural gas supplies were disrupted from Russia to Europe and created a spurt in coal, oil, and gas prices thereby reviving the demand for the same in countries such as India, Japan, Germany, and China making them move away from relying on coal-based power.

As rightly pointed out by the World Economic Forum’s report on the energy transition index – A series of systematic shocks over the past three years and their implications on the energy system highlight the challenges in pursuing long-term targets while responding to short-term emergencies. This indicates the need for well-functioning and efficient use of fossil fuels for the energy transition. It should be recognized that the rapid renewable energy is leading to higher demand for certain critical minerals - Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, and Copper. The dependency on oil and gas is well replaced on critical minerals. Although this transition will not proceed at a pace necessitated by the climate change imperative if it leads to unaffordable energy, diminished access, and rising inequalities.

Renewable energy capacity has been steadily increasing over the past decade. International Energy Agency observed that renewable energy capacity in terms of solar and wind generation set a record of 290 MW in 2021. However, this is well below the increased capacity required to be added annually, 960 MW from now to 203, if there is a likelihood of meeting the target of net zero or carbon neutrality by 2050. There is no realistic possibility of being able to ramp up renewable energy capacity by this order of magnitude during the next decade. IEA emphasis improving energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It points out the potential of improving energy efficiency to drive a 40% reduction in emissions to achieve net zero by mid-century.

The G-20 declaration has a considerable portion devoted to energy security, in particular, to –global clean energy transitions, which must be sustainable, just, affordable and inclusive. -A Ball Energy Transition Road Map for guiding energy transitions leading up to 2030 was also endorsed in the Declaration. This Road Map is Focused on 3 priorities: securing energy accessibility, scaling up smart and clean energy technologies, and advancing clean energy financing. In this context, it calls for the adoption of "low emission pathways" which implies that fossil fuel use will continue though there could be a role in the energy transition for relatively cleaner fuels such as natural gas. COP 27 has adopted a Sharm el-Sheik Implementation Plan which reiterates the resolve to pursue further efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C.  The Plan has a section each on Energy and Mitigation which may be worth noting. These recognize, for example, that "limiting global warming requires rapid, deep and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions of 43% by 2030 relative to the 2019 level. This is in line with the latest 6" Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). However, the implementation Plan has omitted reference to another key finding by the IPCC, that in order to limit average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, there is a need to peak global emissions by 2025-only 3 years from now on the way to a 43% reduction by 2030. The implication of this, according to the Plan, is the "urgency to rapidly transform energy systems to be more secure, reliable and resilient, including by accelerating clean and just transitions to renewable energy. Just energy transition partnerships and other cooperative action.

Based on the trends and projections, the lEA expects the share of fossil fuels in the global energy mix to fall from.80% currently to just above 60% by 2050. Global carbon emissions fell more slowly from a high point of 37 billion tonnes per year to 32 billion tonnes by 2050. It should be noted that this level of carbon emissions corresponds to a rise of 2.5 degrees C in average global temperature by 2100, far above what is required by the more ambitious goal of 1.5 degrees put forward in the Implementation Plan. Unless there is a dramatic departure from current trends, the probability is that we shall be unable to avoid the even more catastrophic impacts of climate change than what we are experiencing currently. Even if the more ambitious goals are accepted how is this transition is to be financed? For limiting the global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century, GHG emissions must be reduced to a total of 23 gigatonnes by 2030 and zero by 2050, the year of net zero. For the 2030 target, it is estimated that each year from now to 2030, investment in clean energy must be maintained at $1.3-1.4 trillion annually. Thereafter to 2050, it would rise to $4 trillion annually. If we take the figures of investment in renewable energy by the top 20 countries over the years 2010-2019, we get an annual average of US$200 billion. Is it realistic to expect a 6 or 7-fold increase in this over the next decade? Given the more challenging economic situation faced by both developed as well as developing countries, this appears unlikely.

Firstly, climate change cannot be dealt with in isolation as a singular domain. It is part and parcel of the wider ecological challenge that confronts our planet. The continuing loss of the earth's rich biodiversity through the destruction of pristine forests, the pollution of our rivers and water sources by runoff from heavy use of chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides, the dumping of plastics and other hazardous materials into our oceans and the mountains of waste and garbage which our production and consumption patterns generate, all these interact with climate and intensify its adverse consequences. For developing countries like India, climate change is not merely an issue of reducing carbon emissions. The development process is integrally interlinked with the drivers of climate change. Thus, it is by adopting an alternative, ecologically sustainable strategy of economic development, one which is resource frugal, which does not treat Nature as a dark force to be harnessed but as a source of nurture and well-being and one which is always sensitive to respect for inter-generational equity, that the challenge of climate change can be addressed. It is estimated that at today's consumption and production patterns, the world needs one and a half if not two planets to survive. We take pride in our cultural attributes.

One of the key initiatives announced by the Prime Minister at COP 26 in Glasgow was LiFE, or Lifestyle for the Environment, which seeks to launch a worldwide movement for "mindful and deliberate utilization instead of mindless and destructive consumption." These include ideas of a circular economy, recycling, and zero waste but these are not reflected in economic strategies which continue to aspire to the lifestyles of western countries. The Indian sub-continent is a single ecological unit and the impacts of ecological degradation and climate change do not respect national or regional boundaries. The melting of glaciers or the ravaging of the river systems unless all countries collaborate.

It is a paradox of our times that precisely when the salience of cross-national, cross-domain challenges has increased, demanding collaborative responses, we are witnessing the upsurge of narrow nationalism and lack of international solidarity. Despite the recent Covid-19 pandemic being a global challenge, respecting no national boundaries, how "vaccine nationalism" prevailed instead. That experience does not work well for the prospects of meeting the even bigger challenge of climate change through an accelerated but carefully choreographed energy transition leading to a fossil-free world. There is an urge of political leaders and decision-makers to locate India's interests in the frame of a larger humanity.

Tata Motors Joins Hands With HDFC Bank For Electric Vehicle Dealer Financing Program

Key Highlights:

First-of-its kind Electric Vehicle Inventory Financing program for Tata Motors’ dealers

Limits extended towards EVs will be over and above regular dealer finance limits for Internal Combustion Engines (ICE)

Attractive special pricing linked to REPO rates

Additional limit in peak seasons; can be extended 3 times in a year

In a bid to increase EV adoption in the country, Tata Motors, India’s leading automotive manufacturer has joined hands with HDFC Bank, India’s largest private sector bank, to offer an Electric Vehicle Dealer Financing solution to its authorized passenger EV dealers. Under this scheme, Tata Motors will provide its dealers additional inventory funding over and above their ICE finance limit with attractive pricing linked to Repo Linked Lending Rate (RLLR). The repayment tenure will range from 60 to 75 days. Furthermore, the bank will also offer additional limit to cater to high demand phases, which will be available to dealers 3 times in a year.

The MoU for this partnership was signed by Mr. Aasif Malbari, Chief Financial Officer, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. and Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. and Mr. Arvind Kapil, Group Head -Retail Assets, HDFC Bank.

Commenting on the rollout of this finance scheme Mr. Aasif Malbari, Chief Financial Officer, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. and Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. said, “We are extremely delighted to associate with HDFC Bank, India’s largest private sector bank, for this financing programme for our authorized electric passenger vehicle dealer partners. Our dealers have provided constant support to us for faster adoption of EVs, and this association with HDFC Bank will further help us in our vision of achieving green mobility. We are optimistic that through this tie-up, we will make the EV buying experience much easier for our customers and this will positively impact their overall buying experience of Tata cars.”

Speaking of this partnership, Mr. Arvind Kapil, Group Head-Retail Assets-HDFC Bank said, “We at HDFC Bank are delighted to be associated with this programme. This will help us tap new consumer segments through a customised financing programme as well as promote the EV culture in the country. This is one more step in our journey towards  becoming carbon neutral by 2031-32.”

Tata Motors has been revolutionizing the Indian automotive market with its pioneering efforts and is leading the e-mobility wave in India with a commanding market share of 89% in FY’22, with over 50,000 Tata EVs produced till date in personal and fleet segments.

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 liaisoning 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 the company exercises significant influence.

Fabindia Launches The Largest Experience Centre In The Country

Fabindia, India’s leading homegrown brand for handmade products made by artisans using traditional craft techniques for a modern-day living has just unveiled their largest Experience Center to date in India. Located in the Bengaluru’s Hebbal area, the 21,000 sq. ft. new store is a state-of-the-art experience centre sprawled across three floors to make this experience a memorable, enjoyable shopping journey that makes them want to stay loyal, spread the word and come back for more. This store has been designed to be convenient, communal, curated, and immersive with true lifestyle-led categories and services available for your needs.

Commenting on the new store launch, Dipali Patwa, the Group Head of Brand, Community and Digital at Fabindia Limited says, “In-store retail is still the dominant retail channel and part of our customer journey. Our Fab Ambassadors who are available on the shop floor are our key asset to reinventing experiences and attending to our customers in a personalized fashion. Fabindia Experience Centers are more than a destination to shop. It’s for our fab family and community to have a unique experience and gain memorable moments with family and friends weaving in and out of our lifestyle offerings and experiences and ultimately making it a destination to refer to other friends and family and become part of our growing community. Our new and largest experience center to date in Bengaluru offers just that and more and is laser focused to provide an elevated experience for our community and making it an enjoyable shopping journey across all our product categories leading with Home and Lifestyle, Apparel, Personal Care and Wellness. Fab Interior Design Studio is also located at this experience center offering free design consultations as well as furniture and linen customization with a variety of choices to suit your style.

Our mission has evolved from logic of transaction to logic of relationship. Delivering memorable experiences to our fab family customers in modern ways enhanced by technology, delivered with personalization and brought to life with our in-store experiences that our customers will want to repeat again and again is our goal.”

The store has been designed keeping the multifaceted lifestyle product categories that Fabindia offers in mind that are handmade and curated using traditional techniques and skills of our 55,000+ artisans and 12000+ farmers pan India. In addition to the brand’s signature offerings across home décor and lifestyle, furniture, bedding and bath by Fabhome; Apparel, Organic Food and Wellness Products by Organic India and Personal Care by Fabessentials; this Fabindia Experience Centre houses the largest home and lifestyle store format in the country, spread across 14000 sq. ft. with an experiential format and a complete product range of universal assemble-to-order beds, dining and wardrobe category that is spread across 7000 sq. ft. With an extensive collection of wall art, area and accent rugs, lighting, kitchen and dining as well as a dedicated section for fabkid’s collections and first time ever – a gifting section with an exciting assortment of pre-packed gift sets, and physical fabgift cards will also be available at the store.

The store has an Interior Design studio which has a team of expert designers that are available to help visualize and customize your home with your choice of window treatments, handcrafted curtains and blinds with a wide array of fabrics and colours. Customers can also get free consultations for home makeovers. Amplifying the customer experience across the buyers journey and winning our consumers over with thoughtful curation of products and experiences is our intention.

Walk through the visualisation of our offerings and get inspired to transform your home.

“Run Freely Again”- Theme Logo of 15th Edition of PhonePe Bengaluru Midnight Marathon 2022 Unveiled

* Bengaluru Midnight Marathon, the Country’s Only Midnight Marathon For all Age Groups and All Running Enthusiasts, to be held on December 10/11, 2022, at KTPO Grounds, Whitefield

* India’s 3,000m Steeplechase Champion Avinash Sable Named as the Brand Ambassador of 15th Edition of PhonePe Bengaluru Midnight Marathon 2022

* Key Events include Wissen Fast 5K - Timed Run, Wissen 5K IT City Fun Run, Akamai Open 10K Run, Agriplast Half Marathon, PhonePe Full Marathon, Airbus Corporate Relay, Prime VP FittestStartupChallenge Relay, Everest Group Govt. Schools Relay and MyGate Community Relay

* Register @  www.midnightmarathon.in or https://registrations.indiarunning.com/bmm-2022

Run Freely Again- the Theme logo of Bengaluru Midnight Marathon (BMM) 2022 was unveiled at a Press Conference held in the city today. BMM- the country’s only midnight marathon is a member of AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races), and has over the last 14 years grown into a marathon of international repute. This year is its 15th edition and today is one of the leading Marathons run in the world, with participation of over 11,000+ runners. Organized by Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor (RBITC) as its key annual fundraising event, thousands of professional runners, international athletes, supporters, corporates and NGOs are expected to run in this year’s BMM which will be held at KTPO, Whitefield, Bangalore on Saturday, 10th. December 2022.

The Press Conference was jointly addressed by Dr. Seemanthini Desai- President of Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor 2022-23 (RBITC), Mr. Viraf M Sutaria- Chairman of BMM 2022 and Mr. Gul Mohammed, Race Director-BMM. Also present at the event was Youth Ambassador Swapnil Sanjay Patil, International Para Swimmer and Silver Medalist at the Asian Para Games 2018. Guest of Honour - 94-year-old Marathoner, NS Dattatreya, graced the occasion. The event also witnessed the official announcement of Avinash Sable, India’s 3,000m Steeplechase 9 times National record holder and the silver medalist at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2022, as the Brand Ambassador of the 15th Edition of PhonePe Bengaluru Midnight Marathon (BMM) 2022.

The highlight of this year’s BMM is the introduction of the Fast 5K Run (timed) and introduction of the Virtual Marathon in association with India Running to reach out to the larger audience who can’t be physically present at the event.

A running event for all - PhonePe BMM 2022 has all the right ingredients for those looking for some serious running experience and also for those who want to better their timing - whether it is 5K or 10K or the Half/Full Marathon. BMM is also the perfect platform for those who want to experience the fun of participating in a Midnight Running event. The theme for this year’s BMM is aptly chosen as “Run Freely Again.” After two years of the Pandemic controlling most of our lives, it’s time to celebrate the spirit of freedom, the freedom to ‘BE.’

President of Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor (RBITC) Dr. Seemanthini Desai shared, “BMM is the flagship fundraising event for RBITC’s social service projects which are focused on Education, Healthcare and Environment, with a strong focus on Women and Child Development. We have over the last 15 years completed projects valued at INR 25 crores+. The funds raised over the last 14 editions have been used to extensively bring about transformational impact on the underprivileged through innovative solutions that are self-sustainable and replicable”.

Commenting on the partnership with BMM 2022, Ramesh Srinivasan, Director of Brand Marketing at PhonePe said, “We are excited to be the title sponsors of the country’s only Midnight Marathon for the 3rd year in a row. Headquartered in Bengaluru, we are thrilled to be investing in the community’s health and fitness by encouraging people to run. The idea of partnering with prestigious organizations such as the RBITC and AIMS for this fund-raising event of international repute resonates with our philosophy of giving back to the society we operate in.”

Speaking about the partnership with India Running, Mr. Viraf M Sutaria, Chairman, BMM 2022 shared, “We are excited to be partnering with India Running, by fitpage, for this edition of BMM as our Registration and Training Partner. Through this partnership, we hope to reach out to a larger audience and also provide the much-needed training support for our professional and amateur runners. The highlight for this year will be the introduction of the Fast 5K Run, which will create the momentum for Runners to graduate towards longer distances”.

Added Mr. Sutaria, “We are honoured to have Avinash Sable as the Brand Ambassador for this year’s edition of BMM. He is an inspiration for today’s generation and shows us that nothing is impossible if you have the courage to believe in yourself.”

“I am extremely pleased to be part of an event like Bengaluru Midnight Marathon that not only provides a platform for athletes and running enthusiasts but is also deeply involved in socially relevant causes. I am looking forward to this new experience and seeing all the participants on the event day,” said Avinash Sable in a statement issued by RBITC.

The online registrations for all the events have been announced and participants can register online by logging onto www.midnightmarathon.in

Marathons have come to be known and well established as one of the largest community sports events in the nation, for some years now. Every year, hundreds of thousands of runners have been actively participating in Marathons across the country for creating awareness on various social and charitable causes. Bengaluru Midnight Marathon has the distinction of being one of them and is the key fundraising event for RBITC’s various charitable activities. Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor has been successfully conducting the Bengaluru Midnight Marathon since 2007 and has over the years attracted 80,000 plus runners from across the world in celebration of the city, its people and to create awareness about living healthy. The first edition of the BMM was held on May 19th, 2007.

More on the Race at www.midnightmarathon.in

Honda Cars India Signs MoU With “IDBI Bank To Offer Attractive Finance Schemes”

- In line with HCIL’s commitment to offering customers with the best ownership experience  

Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL), leading manufacturer of premium cars in India has entered into a MoU with IDBI Bank, a leading private sector Bank in India, to offer host of finance schemes for its customers. This collaboration between HCIL and IDBI Bank will facilitate customers to avail hassle free affordable financing options & schemes on purchase of Honda Car models. The association reaffirms commitment of HCIL and IDBI Bank to provide the best service to its customers. 

Elaborating on the partnership, Mr. Kunal Behl, Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd. said, “The collaboration with IDBI Bank is an initiative to provide all Honda customers with convenient financing solutions along with the best ownership experience and assistance. We are constantly striving to innovate and improve the customer experience at Honda Cars India, which begins right at the first touch point - the purchase experience. We look forward to welcoming new customers into our Honda family and sharing the joy of owning a Honda car.” 

IDBI Bank MoU with HCIL will enable offering of quick financing solution to a large number of Honda customers across the country. The benefits will include attractive interest rates, minimum processing charges, maximum loan amount and maximum re-payment period. The partnership will ensure providing a better customer experience in terms of product and procedures.” 

About Honda Cars India Ltd. 

Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL), a leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, was established in December 1995 with a commitment to provide Honda’s passenger car models and technologies, to Indian customers. HCIL’s corporate office is based in Greater Noida, UP and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is located at Tapukara, District. Alwar, Rajasthan.  

The company’s product range includes Honda Jazz, Honda Amaze, Honda WR-V, Honda City and the recently launched Honda City e: HEV catering to the diverse needs of its discerning buyers across different  

segments. Honda’s models are strongly associated with advanced design and technology, apart from their established qualities of durability, reliability, safety, and fuel efficiency. The company has a strong sales and distribution network spread across the country.  

Besides the new car business, Honda offers a one-stop solution for buying and selling pre-owned cars through its business function Honda Auto Terrace. The Honda Certified Pre-owned cars come with an assurance of quality and peace of mind that caters to the diverse and burgeoning needs of pre-owned car buyers across the country. 

About IDBI Bank Ltd. 

IDBI Bank Ltd. has been operating as a commercial bank since October 2004. The Bank is one of the leading private sector banks in India, offering comprehensive financial solutions to its customers from all the walks of life. The Bank has inherited a rich legacy from its predecessor entity – Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) - the apex Development Financial Institution (DFI) in the industrial and the infrastructural space set up in July 1964. Complementing its wide network of physical branch and ATM network pan-India with technology and service-oriented approach, the Bank focusses on making banking easier and convenient for its customers. Drawing upon its brand identity of ‘Bank Aisa Dost Jaisa’ (i.e. a Bank just like your friend), the Bank remains committed to its vision of emerging as the “most preferred and trusted Bank enhancing value for all stakeholders.” Towards this end, the Bank would continue to focus on helping in the fulfillment of the aspirations of its customers as also endeavor to support the community at large with the objective of shared socio-economic progress.  

Photo Caption:  Mr. Kunal Behl, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Honda Cars India and Dr. Kumar Neel Lohit , Chief General Manager - Structured Retail Assets, IDBI Bank Ltd. during MoU signing ceremony. 

Brazil Has Highest Probability Of Winning The “2022 FIFA World Cup”

* Serasa Experian's DataLab uses machine learning to predict that Brazil has a 20.9% chance of winning the FIFA World Cup this year 

Brazil has a 53.4% ??chance of reaching the semifinals and a 20.9% chance of winning this year's FIFA World Cup, according to DataLab, Serasa Experian's innovation laboratory. DataLab’s data scientists used machine learning techniques to predict the results of the World Cup qualifiers and winners.  

The graph below indicates the probability of the countries that are most likely to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, based on the countries that won the last ten World Cups: 

Brazil is most likely to win the World Cup at 20.9% 

Argentina’s probability is 14.3% 

France’s probability is 11.4% 

Spain’s probability is 9% 

Germany’s probability is 3.4% 

A machine learning model was created based on data from the last three football World Cup cycles. Using similar algorithms used by streaming platforms to recommend shows to users, DataLab set up a machine learning system that predicts the probability of the result of each match between two countries.  

Teams most likely to qualify for the knockout stage 

Considering the groups of these five major teams, the data also predicts the chances of qualifying for that stage to enter the knockout stage: 

Brazil has the highest probability at 97.48% (Group G) 

Argentina has a 96.1% probability (Group C)  

France has a 93.4% probability (Group D) 

Spain has an 89.6% probability, while Germany has a 69.6% probability (both are in Group E) 

Methodology 

A data set containing all the results of the last three World Cup cycles was used: countries involved in the match, dates, type of competition (friendly, qualifiers, regional, and world cups, etc.), and the result.  

The information was processed with recommendation systems and deep learning (matrix factoring and autoencoders) using a similarity metric that indicates how much two teams are similar based on the history of match results. We incorporated this data representation and used a boosting model to train a machine learning system to be able to predict the probability of the outcome of each match considering the current scenario, that is, the period before the championship. 

About Experian 

Experian is the world’s leading global information services company. During life’s big moments – from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers – we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly and organisations to prevent identity fraud and crime. 

We have 20,600 people operating across 43 countries and every day we’re investing in new technologies, talented people, and innovation to help all our clients maximise every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. 

The President of India Conferred National Florence Nightingale Award To Dr Elsa Sanatombi Devi of MAHE

Dr Elsa Sanatombi Devi,  professor & QMR  at  Manipal College of Nursing and FAIMER faculty at MFIIPLIPE, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), was presented with the National Florence Nightingale Award 2021 by President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu on 7 November 2022  at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

The historic National Florence Nightingale Awards have been presented to outstanding nursing personnel, honouring their meritorious services. The awards, formed in 1973, are a significant recognition of individuals’ efforts in the field. Dr Elsa was the sole winner from a private organisation for 2021.

Dr Elsa said of her win, “I am beyond honoured; it is a moment of deep personal satisfaction and professional pride to be acknowledged among the other outstanding winners of this prominent award. I am indebted to several people, not least my students, who have continuously inspired compassion and warmth. I am immensely grateful for the recognition and am already looking ahead to more exciting chapters as an educator and learner. I am grateful to MAHE for providing all the support & right environment to excel in my profession”

Dr Elsa boasts of several academic and societal contributions, including those towards COVID-19 counselling under StepOne and ICMR projects for the government of India. Dr Elsa is the first nurse to receive the FAIMER fellowship at the International FAIMER Institute in Philadelphia, USA, is a renowned trainer, and has initiated the first “Manipal Coloplast HEAL Academy”—an industry collaboration to develop and train MBBS and nursing graduate wound managers. She is currently invested in her dream project of training dementia caregivers in Udupi, Karnataka.

Dr HS Ballal, Pro-Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, said, “Dr Elsa’s accomplishments are a credit to her professionalism, exemplary skills, desire to learn, and selfless attitude. It’s been incredible watching her rapid growth over the past two decades, and we’re all very proud of what she’s done and the impact she’s achieved. Her recent win is well deserved, and MAHE remains committed to supporting Dr Elsa in bringing positive change to healthcare.”

Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, praised Dr Elsa, saying, “Dr Elsa’s academic acumen and skills in research and leadership have opened opportunities for students and university affiliates to explore practical training and closely understand the nursing industry. Her efforts within and outside MAHE command deep admiration, and this award cements her legacy as one of the finest educators the country has to offer.”

Ashraf Motiwala’s ‘Faith Collection’; At Sublime Galleria, India’s First Mid-Air Art Gallery

Sublime Galleria, India’s First Mid- Air Art Gallery recently announced its exclusive association with the fourth-generation legacy jeweler Ashraf Motiwala. With this partnership, AS Motiwala is announcing the arrival of their new jewellery collection ‘FAITH’ with Luke Coutinho, Lifestyle medicine practitioner. The exhibit will take place from 25th to 27th November 2022 at Bengaluru's perfect venue.

Founded by Ms. Uzma Irfan in 2009, Sublime Galleria is the perfect platform to display the brand’s unique creativity and showcase rich culture.  Similarly, Faith is a collection curated with the intention to create something that would last with its wearers for a lifetime. A selection of contemporary bijoux, Faith consolidates women with their true selves from noon to moon, boardroom to brunch.

The curated collection of priceless pieces is instilled with a powerful message. Empowering words have been selected to guide, encourage, heal, and comfort you on your quest toward holistic living. Each word has been chosen wisely after a great deal of care to reflect what we firmly believe in. Love, Hope, Believe, Abundance, Gratitude, Peace, and Faith form an integral chapter in the betterment of your life.

During the journey of discovery, Ashraf chanced upon the universally recognized symbol – Ens?, which became the perfect introduction to the creation of India’s first Affirmation Accessory. 

“My team and I searched for the perfect symbol to represent our new signature brand. The Ens? contains the perfect and imperfect; that is why it is always complete. This symbolism resonated for both of us as the circle signifies unity and completion. Perfect balance. But what makes the Ens? more intriguing is that it is not perfect at all. It is rough, messy, and at times not even complete,” said Ashraf Motiwala.

Ms. Uzma Irfan, Founder of Sublime Galleria said, “Bengaluru is a city that always had an edge to recognise and showcase unique creative talents. Therefore at Sublime Galleria, we constantly try to share the opportunity to offer a glimpse of unique, creative & one of a kind projects.  Through our gallery and the many programmes it offers, we work to preserve and make society more receptive to the vital role that art plays in our diverse culture. The Faith exhibition is one such opportunity that will reflect our special association, and synergy and display a beautiful range of exquisite collections.”

With these Affirmation Accessories, we intend to create something that would last with its wearers for a lifetime. It can also be passed down through generations allowing this legacy of positivity to continue forever. With this Affirmation Accessory, we invite you to join our movement toward holistic living.

Mother Dairy Pledges 101,000 Glasses Of Milk To Celebrate The 101st Birth Anniversary Of Dr. Verghese Kurien

~The Company has rolled a digital game #OneGlassMilk, encouraging consumers to step forward and contribute towards achieving the goal.~

Mother Dairy, India’s leading dairy player, has pledged to distribute 101,000 glasses of milk to the underprivileged on the occasion of National Milk Day 2022, marking the 101st birth anniversary of Dr Verghese Kurien, also known as the father of India’s White Revolution.

The birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien, the Father of White Revolution in India, is celebrated as the National Milk Day every year across the country. His "Billion-Litre Idea" – Operation Flood – is the world's largest dairy development programme that made dairy farming as India's largest self-sustaining industry and the largest rural employment provider. It made India the world's largest milk producer from a milk- deficient nation. Mother Dairy was established in 1974 during this noble initiative of Operation Flood, under the able leadership of Dr. Kurien. 

Calling out for participation of its consumers and well-wishers, Mother Dairy has also rolled out a digital game – #OneGlassMilk Game, which can be played on https://www.motherdairy.com/OneGlassMilk/. Through this, Mother Dairy is calling out everyone, seeking support from across the country, to join them in the movement and help them achieve the goal.

Talking about the initiative, Mr. Manish Bandlish, Managing Director, Mother Dairy said, “We are indebted to Dr. Kurien for his vision and making India the largest producer of milk. His contribution to the growth of the Indian dairy industry cannot be expressed in words. We began this initiative in 2019 with an aim to spread the importance of milk and milk products, urging public-at-large to promulgate the practice of offering one glass milk as a source of nourishment.”

Mother Dairy will distribute 101,000 glasses of milk in collaboration with leading NGOs – The Akshaya Patra Foundation and Apna Ghar – across Delhi NCR.

About Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd.

Mother Dairy was commissioned in 1974. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). It was established under the initiative of ‘Operation Flood’, world's biggest dairy development program launched to make India a milk sufficient nation. Today, Mother Dairy is a leading dairy player which manufactures, markets & sells milk and milk products including cultured products, ice creams, paneer, ghee, etc. under the ‘Mother Dairy’ brand. The Company also has a diversified portfolio with products in edible oils under the ‘Dhara’ brand and fresh fruits & vegetables, frozen vegetables & snacks, unpolished pulses, pulps & concentrates, etc. under the ‘Safal’ brand. Mother Dairy, through its brands, has a national footprint across all major cities in India, offering a delectable range of products to its consumers.

Lava Launches Blaze NXT With Premium Glass Back And Octa-Core MediaTek Helio G37 Chipset

·         The Blaze NXT features a 16.55cm (6.5 inch) display with 4GB of RAM which is expandable by 3GB additionally

·         It comes with octa-core MediaTek Helio G37 chipset with clock speed of up to 2.3 Ghz

·         Blaze NXT is equipped with a 13MP AI triple rear camera and an 8MP camera in the front for selfies

·         For a superior after-sales consumer experience, a ‘free service at home’ will also be provided to the customers wherein customers can avail service at their doorstep within the warranty period

Lava International Limited, an end-to-end mobile handset and mobile solutions company based in India, today announced the launch of the Blaze NXT smartphone. Priced at Rs 9,299, the Blaze NXT is a successor to the original Blaze smartphone launched earlier this year.

Speaking about the product, Tejinder Singh, Product Head, Lava International Limited, said, “The Blaze NXT has been launched keeping in mind consumer feedback and aligns with Lava’s vision of introducing hi-tech smartphones at an affordable price point. With the new smartphone, which is reasonably priced and has a great design, camera, and user experience, we hope to improve our customers' overall experience. The Blaze NXT comes with Glass Back and is the classiest entry-level smartphone to meet the demands of next-gen consumers.”

The Blaze NXT features a 16.55cm (6.5 inch) display with octa-core MediaTek Helio G37 chipset with clock speed of up to 2.3 Ghz, featuring 4GB of RAM which is expandable by 3GB additionally, enabling the users to carry out multi-tasking seamlessly. The budget phone offers 4GB of RAM expandable up to 3GB additionally with internal storage capacity of 64GB.

Blaze NXT is equipped with a 13MP AI triple rear camera and an 8MP front camera for selfies. The camera has various features allowing users to make countless memories and explore the world in new ways by creating time lapse, slow motion videos, GIFS and even intelligent scanning of documents. The smartphone also has beauty mode features like smoothening, slimming, whitening and eye enlarger.

For a superior after-sales consumer experience, a ‘free service at home’ will also be provided to the customers wherein customers can avail the service at doorstep within the warranty period.

The smartphone comes packed with a 5000mAh battery. It is available in three colour variations: Glass Blue, Glass Red and Glass Green, and also, has a premium appearance with glass back and rear fingerprint sensor. The device also supports anonymous call recording.

Blaze NXT will be available across Lava’s retail network starting from today. The smartphone will go on sale on Amazon.in and Lava’s e-store on 2nd December, 2022. To get notified, click here: Link

About Lava International Limited

Lava International Limited is a leading end-to-end focused mobile handset and mobile handset solutions Company based in India, with growing international presence. With the vision “to empower people to do more, to be more”, the Company was established in the year 2009. Lava International Limited’s corporate office and its manufacturing and repair facility is located in in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. As of August 31, 2021, the manufacturing facility had an aggregate production capacity of manufacturing 42.52 million feature phone equivalent handsets per annum.

Nykaa Pink Friday Sale Delivers 75% Growth, Recording Over 400 Orders Every Minute On Day 1

* Pink Friday kicked off with a bang, drawing a 12x jump in revenue on day 1 of the sale

* Luxury brands saw a 20X jump in sales compared to regular days

* Makeup, Skincare and Haircare were the top three categories on Day 1

Nykaa’s flagship and inarguably the biggest beauty sale in the country, Pink Friday, is currently live until 28th November on the website, app and Nykaa stores. The omnichannel consumer-tech company, and India’s most preferred beauty and lifestyle retailer today announced that on Day 1, they recorded 8 lakh orders, that is over 400 orders every single minute, a growth of 40% from last year’s Pink Friday.

Bringing a vast and diverse assortment of Indian and international beauty brands to the sale, this year’s Day 1 of Pink Friday saw more than 10 million visits, a growth of 37% from last year’s Pink Friday.

A slew of unmissable brand offers led to Nykaa clocking a growth of 34% in unique visitors from 4.3 million on last year’s Day 1 to 5.8 million this year. Among categories that did well compared to regular days, purchases of make-up, skincare and haircare rose dramatically by 14X, 12X and 9X respectively.

57% of the purchases were made by shoppers from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities collectively, reaffirming our confidence in the growing appetite for beauty in that market. Besides metros, the highest orders came from Lucknow, Chandigarh, Ghaziabad, Jaipur, Guwahati and Jammu.

A Nykaa spokesperson said, “The phenomenal consumer response to our Pink Friday sale on Day 1, right after a successful festive season, reiterates our leadership in beauty. Along with unique deals, our unparalleled curations and interactive experiences such as Watch and Buy have driven extremely high engagement. Amplified by the enthusiastic shopping for the ongoing wedding season, the sale saw luxury brands and make-up scooped off our endless aisles at a significantly higher rate than non-sale days. Overall, we are observing that our offers are being received well by consumers and we are looking forward to offering them the best deals throughout Pink Friday.”

For those who are yet to shop during Pink Friday, the sale is live until 28th November. With jaw dropping discounts, budget buys and deals on global labels, we are ensuring that all beauty needs of our consumers are met! With deals across categories offering up to a whopping 50% off on top brands, Nykaa also has exciting price drops and flash sales every day.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Launches All New Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle - Innova HyCross

-          Uniquely designed vehicle, that combines the proportions & poise of an SUV with the spaciousness of an MPV

-          Latest 5th Generation Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric System built on Toyota New Global Architecture(TNGA) platform providing best in class fuel efficiency of 21.1 km/l * quick acceleration, easy maneuverability, and high ride quality as part of Toyota’s multi-pathway offering towards its diverse customers in India

-          Safety package includes the TOYOTA SAFETY SENSETM (TSS )**, which is  first for any Toyota model being sold in India

-          New Exterior colors with Blackish Ageha Glass Flake

-          New Interior colors with Chestnut & Black Dual tone, Dark Chestnut

First in segment features include Paddle shift, Powered Ottoman 2nd row seats,  

     Front Ventilated seats, Air conditioner (Dual zone – front and rear zone), Rear 

     Retractable Sunshade, Electrochromic Inner Rear View Mirror (EC IRVM), Power

     Back Door and Dual Function Daytime Running Light (DRL)

-          Wheelbase of 285 cm (longest in the segment)

Key features of Innova HyCross

Performance features

A Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric vehicle that comes with a TNGA 2.0-Litre Engine with  Toyota Hybrid System (THS) & e-drive transmission, delivering combined max power output of 137 kW (186 PS)

The Gasoline grades comes with a TNGA 2.0 Litre engine delivering an output of 128 kW (174 PS)

2.   Exterior features

Panoramic Sunroof

Front grille with Gun Metal Finish

Automatic LED Headlamps with Auto High beam

First in segment Dual Function Daytime Running Light (DRL)

3.      Interior features / Comfort and convenience

-       First in segment  features include Paddle Shift, Powered Ottoman 2nd Row Seats,  

       Front Ventilated seats, Air conditioner (Dual Zone – Front and Rear zone), Rear

       Retractable Sunshade, Electrochromic Inner Rear View Mirror (EC IRVM) and Power   

       Back Door

      Other key features

Large TFT Multi Information display

-       Driver Seat Memory and Slide Return and Away Function

-       Indirect Blue Ambient illumination

Infotainment system

-       Connected 25.65 cms (10.1”) connected display audio with premium, JBL 9 speaker

        (Including subwoofer)

-      Toyota Connected car technology - iConnect

Safety features

-      TOYOTA SAFETY SENSETM (TSS)**  that includes safety features like (Dynamic Radar

        Cruise Control, Lane Trace Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitor, ^Pre-

        Collision System, Auto High Beam)

-      6 SRS Airbags

-      Rear Disc Brakes

-      Vehicle Stability Control(VSC) and Hill Start Assist

-      Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Hold

-      Antilock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)

-      Panoramic View Monitor with Dynamic Back Guide

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today ushered a new era in Innova’s journey by unveiling the Innova HyCross, a Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SHEV). Based on Toyota New Global Architecture(TNGA), the latest Innova celebrates Toyota’s globally recognized Quality , Durability and Reliability backed by advanced technology, to appeal to the Indian customers.

The new Innova HyCross is powered by  5th Generation Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric System with TNGA 2.0 Litre 4-cylinder gasoline engine and a monocoque frame with an e-drive sequential shift delivering a max power output of 137 kW (186 PS), providing rapid acceleration and best in segment fuel economy. The vehicle also comes with the option of a TNGA 2.0 Litre 4-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a direct shift CVT in select grades delivering an output of 128 kW (174 PS).

Designed for family needs, the feature laden new Innova HyCross is a vehicle for every occasion delivering glamor, toughness, comfort, safety, and advanced technology. Drawing inspiration from Toyota’s rich global SUV heritage, the new Innova HyCross features a muscular and tough design with ample space that provides flexible and comfortable seating for all. This versatile vehicle is aimed at families wanting a vehicle that can handle rough roads and provide a seamless, fatigue-free drive.

Present at the launch in Mumbai, Mr. Hideki Mizuma, Chief Engineer, Innova, Toyota  said, “Innova has become an iconic vehicle in India’s mobility journey and is a household name. Today we are happy to launch the all new Innova HyCross for our Indian customers. The Self-charging Strong Hybrid Electric vehicle, with the spaciousness of an MPV and proportions and poise of an SUV, is loaded with features to meet the aspirations of Indian customers. This feature packed vehicle is intended for those who seek safety and comfort while travelling and would love to be a part of the new Innova HyCross family. The latest 5th Generation Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric System, built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) 2.0 Litre Gasoline Engine, provides exceptional fuel efficiency, performance, and quick acceleration, is sure to be a game-changer in this segment.”

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Vikram Kirloskar, Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “It has been an amazing year as we celebrate 25 glorious years of Toyota in India. At TKM, sustainability continues to be at the core of our business and with an unprecedented increase in carbon emissions  globally, we firmly believe that its HY time to shift gears for a greener future. In this direction we have adopted clean and green solutions across all our operations and value chain, so that the green products that we offer to our customers are also manufactured in green factories. Additionally, we are relentlessly working towards  creating a local manufacturing eco-system for green technologies not only for India but also for the world. With the launch of the new Innova HyCross, we are redefining the paradigm and redrawing boundaries of technological and product excellence, while taking customer experience to a new HY like never before.”

Also present at the event, an elated Mr Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said “Ever since our inception , TKM has focussed on complete peace of mind for our customers. One of our biggest success stories here has been the iconic Innova, that keeps finding continued appreciation and love, across the country. Being the undisputed leader of the MPV segment the Innova has found its home in more than a million households in India reflecting our core DNA of Quality, Durability & Reliability, made possible through highly skilled global competitive manpower. Our customers’ trust in the brand has motivated us to make ever better ‘fun to drive‘ cars and bring in latest global technologies to India thereby bringing ‘mass happiness to all’. We are confident that the new Innova HyCross will carry forward the brand legacy and take customer delight to a new HY.”

Being a Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SHEV), the Innova Hycross is capable of running 40% of the distance and 60% of the time in electric(EV) or zero emission mode.***

The new Innova HyCross features a tough, muscular exterior design and is sure to catch your eye. The raised bonnet line, a large Hexagonal Gunmetal finish grille, Automatic LED Headlamps, super chrome alloy wheels, and a wider bumper further enhance its sophisticated and rugged look. Also complementing the muscular look are the bigger tires with shorter overhangs, along with a more curved rear to augment the SUV stance of the new Innova HyCross.

The interior design expresses seamless luxury and comfort. Keeping in mind the unique needs of Indian customers, the new Innova HyCross prioritizes interior comfort features. The styling ushers improved cabin aesthetics, with dark chestnut quilted leather seats along with soft-touch leather and metallic decorations lining the cabin. The cockpit is modeled in horizontal tones to give a sense of space, while vertical tones are used for the central cluster and door decor to mirror the powerful exterior.

The new Innova HyCross provides unmatched comfort and convenience through a raised eye point and the newly introduced Ventilated Front Seats that take care of the hot Indian summers. For the second row, the 25.65cm (10.1?) Connected Display Audio with JBL premium 9 speaker system(including subwoofer), segment-first powered Ottoman 2nd Row Seats and Multi-zone A/C, combine to offer unmatchable luxurious experience. The unique Flat Floor Design, wheelbase of 285cm (longest in the segment) and Platform Width Enhancement further ensure a spaciousness for extended family and friends to travel together. Indian customers believe in no compromises; therefore, the Power Back Door and Tilt-down Seats ensure maximum space utilization and enhanced luggage space.

Safety is a high priority for Toyota, and this vehicle has a host of safety features. The new Innova Hycross brings the  TOYOTA SAFETY SENSETM (TSS)**  which is introduced first time in India for Toyota vehicles to further enhance safety and provide peace of mind to all customers. The safety package features Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Trace Assist (LTA), Auto High Beam (AHB),  Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) systems, ^Pre-Collision System and Rear Cross Traffic Alert systems. Other features include six SRS airbags, Electronic Parking Brakes, Rear Disc Brakes, Vehicle Stability Control, Hill-start Assist, a Panoramic View Monitor with a Dynamic Back Guide, and Front & Rear Parking Sensors.

The new Innova HyCross is available in Super White, Platinum White Pearl, Silver Metallic, Attitude Black Mica, Sparkling Black Pearl Crystal Shine, Avant Grade Bronze Metallic and an exciting new color Blackish Ageha Glass Flake. Interiors in Black and with two new colors Chestnut & Black and Dark Chestnut, reflecting advanced and premium impression.

The new Innova HyCross offers the renowned Toyota experience through a warranty of 3 years/100,000 kilometers and an option of extended warranty of up to 5 years/220,000 kilometers, 3 years free roadside assistance, attractive financial schemes and 8 yrs/160,000 kilometers warranty on the Hybrid battery.

Bookings are to begin today for Rs 50,000. Customers can make their bookings online at www.toyotabharat.com/online-booking/ or by visiting their nearest Toyota dealership. For more details, customers can simply log on to www.toyotabharat.com.

*Under the process of certification under Rule 115(18) of CMVR 1989.

** The driver is always responsible for paying attention to the vehicle surroundings & driving safely as there are limitations to degree of recognition and controlling performance that this system can provide

*** Under specific test conditions for Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle

^ This function is activated only for vehicles and is also activated when the vehicle's speed is within the range of approximately 5 to 180 km/h.  The system assists in  mitigating damage. However, the braking ability  varies  on road and driving conditions.

CM Naveen Patnaik Inaugurates Happiest Minds Development Centre At Bhubaneswar

Happiest Minds Technologies Limited (NSE: HAPPSTMNDS), a ‘Born Digital. Born Agile’, Mindful IT Company, announced the inauguration of a new Development Centre at Fortune Towers (5th Floor) in Bhubaneswar, taking forward its long-term investment plans for further expansion in the state in alignment with the Make in Odisha focus of the state government.

Under the ease of business initiative, the Odisha state government’s State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) granted approval to Happiest Minds to set up a software development centre at Fortune Towers located in Bhubaneswar. Happiest Minds has earmarked Rs. 265 crore investment towards this initiative.

Shri Naveen Patnaik, Honourable Chief Minister of Odisha, said, “Odisha has been taking giant strides in IT sector in recent years. The growth momentum is accelerating in IT space with growing confidence of IT companies on Odisha as an investment destination. Odisha is now fast emerging as a technology resource hub of India creating jobs for our youth.”

Ashok Soota, Executive Chairman, Happiest Minds Technologies said, “We are delighted to start the operation of our new development centre at Bhubaneswar. At Happiest Minds, we have always embraced our responsibility to create a mindful impact on our communities, and we are grateful to the Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik and the state government officials for their support in establishing this centre. We praise the new IT policy of the state and are optimistic that it will become one of the most preferred destinations for skilled talent, promoting greater employment opportunities for the youth.”

Venkatraman Narayanan, MD & CFO, Happiest Minds Technologies said, “The rise of Bhubaneswar as a destination of choice for businesses is on an ever-rising curve. This is the basis of the industry-supporting initiatives of the state government, duly complemented by the burgeoning talent pool available in the city and nearby regions. Aligned with the ethos of Happiest Minds, the new development centre (Smiles 7) will help us meet evolving customer needs, accelerating our growth and the overall development of the state.”

Founded in 2011, Happiest Minds has consistently gained recognition as among the best places to work in India and Asia. The company has won the Golden Peacock Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance 2022. The company recently acquired additional space to expand its presence in Bengaluru and extended its development facilities in Noida.

About Happiest Minds Technologies:

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

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

L&T Wins International Acclaim At The 2022 Infrastructure & Going Digital Awards

Larsen & Toubro’s Water & Effluent Treatment (WET) Business has won global acclaim at the 2022 Infrastructure & Going Digital Awards, London, for its water and wastewater project in Karnataka. The prestigious annual award recognizes infrastructure projects that leverage out-of-the-box digital tech.

L&T’s project for the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout Township in Bengaluru made it to the finals in the ‘water and wastewater’ category at the awards that was adjudged by an 11-member independent jury panel and was conducted by the Nasdaq-listed Bentley Systems, a global infrastructure engineering software company. The project will deliver potable water, collect sewerage, and lay a recycled water network through a piped system in the NPKL Township area in Bengaluru.

The project team has improved engineering productivity by as much as 25% with the help of digital technology and has saved 50% engineering manhours with standardized digital models. For sewer and water networks alone, using technology solutions saved the project 80% of engineering manhours and helped the team complete the engineering works in a record six months.

“L&T’s journey of digital transformation began about 3-4 years ago, and we have been adopting various digital solutions to improve productivity, reduce wastage, cut costs, reduce time of execution and enhance our overall operational efficiency,” said Mr. K Asok Kumar, Executive Vice President & Head, Water & Effluent Treatment on winning the award. “This award is due recognition of our leadership in India in the space of building defining water infrastructure and our constant thrust on digitalization.”

The WET project made it to the top three and was judged by the jury panel that selected the winning projects from across 12 award categories. The awards received 300 nominations from 180 organizations in 47 countries.

L&T’s WET business is a leader in the realm of constructing the entire gamut of vital water infrastructure covering urban & rural water supply, water treatment plants, industrial water supply and treatment plants for recycling and re-use, wastewater treatment and network, sludge management, lift irrigation projects, desalination plants, utility infrastructure for developing greenfield and brownfield areas, and uninterrupted optimized water supply with leak detection.

Background:

Larsen & Toubro is an Indian multinational engaged in EPC Projects, Hi-Tech Manufacturing and Services. It operates in over 50 countries worldwide. A strong, customer–focused approach and the constant quest for top-class quality has enabled L&T to attain and sustain leadership in its major lines of business for eight decades.

Castrol And ki Mobility Solutions Collaborate To Strengthen Indian Automotive Aftermarket Ecosystem

* Castrol India announces an investment of up to ?487.5 Crores in ki Mobility Solutions to create a co-branded service and maintenance network 

* Collaboration aims to create a strong B2C aftermarket network in India and enhance readiness for transition to electric mobility

* The alliance will offer potential for ki Mobility Solutions to globalize in select markets beyond India via its ‘myTVS’ digital platform

Castrol India Limited (CIL), one of India’s most valued lubricant players and ki Mobility Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (KMS), a leading Indian player in the independent automobile aftermarket business, have announced a collaboration to leverage each other’s strengths and expand the country’s automotive aftermarket ecosystem via ‘myTVS’, KMS’s digitally integrated multi-brand service platform for two and four wheelers.

CIL will acquire a 7.09% stake in KMS with a planned investment of upto ? 487.5 Crores, marking CIL’s largest all-cash deal till date. With this strategic investment, CIL aims to expand its presence in service and maintenance for both internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles (EV) and leverage myTVS’ digital and operational capabilities. This alliance will also offer potential for Castrol and KMS to collaborate and partner in select markets beyond India.

Vehicle owners will benefit from this strategic alliance through easy access to differentiated, digitally enabled service and maintenance offered by the myTVS platform whose reach includes 3 million customers across 1,000 garages in India. myTVS’ online-to-offline digital platform already offers quality, standardized and cost-effective services and parts to B2B and B2C customers through its owned outlets, franchise network, at home services and road-side assistance.

CIL’s existing presence in service and maintenance includes its rapidly expanding network of 220 Castrol Auto Service passenger car workshops in 110 cities across India and 42 Castrol Express Oil Change outlets that offer two-wheeler consumers swift and reliable oil change.

Sharing details about the collaboration, Sandeep Sangwan, Managing Director, Castrol India Limited, said, “KMS has a leading automotive digital platform, myTVS which is disrupting the Indian aftermarket. Castrol’s established brand equity and nation-wide footprint in India, combined with myTVS’ digital strength will bring structure to the currently fragmented automotive service sector and also accelerate business growth for KMS. In addition, Castrol will explore business and technology collaborations with KMS to enable readiness for transition to electric mobility. Indian consumers will reap the dual benefits of trusted brands and reliable services.”

Cheering the joint announcement, G. Srinivasa Raghavan, Managing Director, ki Mobility Solutions, said, “This investment by Castrol India Limited is testimony to the success of our unique online-to-offline business model. Our partnership with Castrol will significantly enhance the ownership experience for customers across the lifecycle of their vehicles. Besides, the coming together of two leading players will offer numerous synergy options like scaling-up of business offerings to electric vehicles, and the potential to expand our footprint beyond India.”

Dalmia Bharat Wins Award In Large Category At The “FICCI Indian Circular Economy Awards 2022”

~ Targets 100% low carbon cement in next 5 years~ 

Leading cement company, Dalmia Bharat Ltd. was announced as winner in the “Large enterprise” category at the 3rd Edition Indian Circular Economy Awards 2022 at the Inaugural session of the FICCI Circular Economy Symposium 2022.  Dr. Arvind Bodhankar, Executive Director, Dalmia Bharat Ltd. received the award on behalf of the cement major conferred by Dr. Michael Bucki, Counsellor and Head of Section Sustainable Modernization, Delegation of European Union.  The jury panel comprised of Dr. Mukund Rajan, Chairman, Ecube investments and former Chief Ethics Officer, Tata Sons; Ms.  Mridula Ramesh, ED Sundram Textiles Limited and Founder Sundram Climate Institute and Mr. Casper Mayland, Environmental Counsellor, The Royal Danish Embassy. 

Commenting on the way forward for circular economy especially for India, Dr. Arvind Bodhankar, Executive Director & Chief Risk Officer, Dalmia Bharat Ltd. comments “We must focus on the need for an ecosystem and legislative support for the development of circular economy in India. It is estimated that this will be an opportunity valued close to $0.5 Tn by 2030. As we delve further, it is also becoming clear that CE initiatives cannot be broad brushed. The exciting challenge will be to look at sector-specific technology roadmaps for the transition to decarbonization. Another important aspect will be the financing scope of climate transition and climate compensation” 

Dalmia Bharat targets to achieve 100% production of low carbon cement in next five years. It continues to lead and drive the industry’s shift towards a circular economy by investing in low-carbon technologies that enhance resources and energy efficiency within the overall manufacturing process. It has further worked to become a Total Waste and Plastic Waste Recycling Company. In FY22 it has switched to 0.4MT of alternate fuels, produced 9MT of alternate raw materials, utilized 9.4 MT of alternative green fuels and raw materials and recorded a 13% thermal substitution rate.  

Dalmia is also a founding member of FMC and UN Leadership Group for Heavy industry transition (LEADIT) and COP-26/27 Business Leader. 

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 footprint in the cement world globally. 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/. 

Home Credit India Strengthens Leadership With “Appointment Of Bhrigu Sehgal- As Chief Sales Officer”

- Bhrigu Sehgal will be responsible for accelerating the retail touchpoint business, build-up new categories and partnerships to create synergies across retail & distributor partner ecosystem 

As Phygital business model becomes more relevant today, Home Credit India, a local arm of the international consumer finance provider, in its efforts to further strengthen the evolving retail business ecosystem, has appointed a young & dynamic leader, Mr. Bhrigu Sehgal as the Chief Sales Officer. 

Bhrigu comes with a vibrant experience of over 16 years, having worked in the banking & financial services sector with brands such as Kotak Mahindra Bank and Yes Bank. His experience also includes stints with new-age Internet companies – Magicbricks.com & Quikr.com. 

Extending a warm welcome to Bhrigu, Mr. Ondrej Kubik, Chief Executive Officer, Home Credit India, said: “I am delighted to welcome a young & dynamic leader like Bhrigu at Home Credit India. As we focus on strengthening our phygital model of business in the evolving offline-to-online economy to have an omnichannel connection with customers and their needs, Bhrigu’s rich experience in financial services and with consumer internet companies will play a pivotal role, making him the right choice. I am confident that Bhrigu will unlock the next phase of our journey as one of the leading consumer finance companies and set up a solid foundation for future growth.” 

At Home Credit, he will be responsible for accelerating the Point of Sale (PoS) or retail touchpoint business, build-up new categories and brand partnerships to create synergies across retail ecosystem. He holds a PGDBM from IILM, Delhi and graduation from Delhi University. 

Speaking about his appointment in Home Credit India, Bhrigu said: “I am excited to begin a new journey with Home Credit India, at a point of time when they have completed a decade in India market. There are exciting times ahead for the consumer finance industry and Home Credit’s expansive growth in India is well-known. As Home Credit looks ahead to achieving bigger milestones in its next decadal journey, I am honoured to join and look forward to contributing to its renewed growth and success in fulfilling aspirations.” 

With a focus on enabling credit penetration and financial Inclusion in India, since 2012, Home Credit India has fulfilled aspirations of 15Mn borrowers through 50K+ PoSes across country. Home Credit’s strong digital transformation journey has helped customers & retailers embrace the online journey. Home Credit has been working on partner network expansion to meet customer needs by focusing on brand partnerships and tech-partnerships such as partnerships with Pine Labs and Flexmoney, an ecommerce aggregator. 

About Home Credit India: 

Home Credit India Finance Pvt. Ltd. is a local arm of the international consumer finance provider with operations spanning Europe and Asia and committed to drive financial inclusion in India. The company is committed to drive credit penetration and financial inclusion by offering wide financial solutions that are simple, transparent, and accessible to all. Home Credit India has an employee base of approx 5000 and has been consistently expanding operations since its entry in 2012, with its operations spread over 625 cities across India. The company has a strong network of around 53,000 points-of-sale (PoS) and is growing with a customer base of 15 million customers, driven by Pan-India expansion across major markets, a range of diversified and innovative products backed by superior customer experience.  

Abbott To Upgrade 75 Primary Health Centres Across India, Providing Quality, Accessible Care To 2.5 Million People

* Abbott has partnered with Americares India Foundation to upgrade 75 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) across nine states in India

Sixteen PHCs have already been upgraded 

* This will benefit over 2.5 million people annually across Maharashtra, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Jharkhand

 Global healthcare company Abbott has committed to upgrading 75 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) across nine States in India in partnership with Americares India Foundation, a health-focused relief and development organization. The HWC program, supported by an Abbott grant of about Rs 200 million (U.S.$2.4 million), will serve over 2.5 million people from under-resourced communities every year. These centres are vital to support the government’s Ayushman Bharat initiative, advancing access to affordable, quality healthcare equitably across the population.

The HWC program is part of Abbott’s commitment to further its global sustainability priority of innovating for access and affordability in health. Currently, Abbott and Americares have upgraded 16 PHCs across Maharashtra, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh as part of its first phase, serving over 500,000 people. They plan to upgrade the remaining 59 PHCs across the four mentioned states along with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand by early 2024.

HWCs strengthen India’s primary healthcare system to advance access to care and support local communities. This also will support and tackle immense health threats and lessen the country’s burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which account for roughly 61% of all deaths in India.[i]

The initiative has three core objectives – to upgrade local PHCs to HWCs, drive capacity building for healthcare workers, and improve community awareness around NCDs and infectious diseases. By expanding access to services across prevention, treatment and care, low-income populations can benefit from improved awareness of health and wellness, greater access and timely care, leading to better health outcomes.

Jasraj Virdi, Global Citizenship and Sustainability Director, Abbott, said, “In line with our 2030 Global Sustainability Plan, we intend to expand affordable access to healthcare by delivering innovative, decentralized models of care that advance prevention and early diagnosis, and provide quality treatment and care. Strengthening local health centres to be well equipped to meet community healthcare needs is a step in this direction. And these centres will also play an integral role in supporting the government’s health initiatives to ensure the delivery of quality primary healthcare that is affordable, equitable and sustainable.”

Shripad Desai, MD & Country Director, Americares India Foundation, commented, “Upgrading primary health centres to promote holistic health and wellness is critical today to support India’s Ayushman Bharat initiative and help improve healthcare delivery. Working with Abbott, we aim to continue shaping the future of quality healthcare and community building across the country.”

Strengthening holistic care and infrastructure with PHC upgradation efforts

PHCs often serve as the first point of contact for local communities within the nation’s health system. Upgradation to HWCs helps these centres better serve people’s healthcare needs throughout their lifetime. Upgradation efforts enhance reproductive, maternal and neonatal health service readiness.

Other key focus areas include NCD and infectious disease screening and management, emergency medical services, ophthalmology, disabled friendly services, and more. This ensures greater attention to holistic and preventive care. Abbott also aims to promote community-wide health-seeking behaviours like early diagnosis and treatment alongside lifestyle measures by improving awareness around key communicable and infectious diseases, and providing access to quality healthcare infrastructure.

The program will provide essential medical instruments including ECG machines and equipment for maternal, neonatal, respiratory and eye care, and will strengthen key infrastructure and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions. This includes enhancing access to safe drinking water and separate, clean toilets for males and females. WASH interventions are critical to safeguard the health of communities and prevent further infections.

Abbott and Americares India Foundation are also providing access to on-site training and capacity building for healthcare workers, village health sanitation, nutrition committee (VHNSC) members and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers on health and safety practices, including NCDs and infectious diseases.

Overall, this initiative can advance access to healthcare, provide and optimize needed resources, and help lessen the burden on healthcare facilities at the secondary and tertiary levels.

About Americares India Foundation

Americares India Foundation is a public charitable trust, registered in 2006. Americares India is a health-focused relief and development organization that responds to people affected by poverty or disaster with life-changing health programs, medicine and medical supplies. When disaster, poverty, disease, or policy causes health crises, we deliver medicines, medical supplies and humanitarian aid to a trusted network of NGOs, hospitals and health care providers across India. We also create and support programs that increase capacity, improve quality and provide access to health care for underprivileged populations across India.

Connect with us at and www.americaresindia.org , on LinkedIn at Americares India | LinkedIn on Facebook at Americares India - Home | Facebook and on Twitter at Americares India (@Americares_IN) / Twitter

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 113,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries. In India, Abbott was established in 1910, and is one of the country's oldest and most admired healthcare companies. With over 12,000 employees in the country, Abbott in India is helping to meet the healthcare needs of consumers, patients and doctors throughout urban and rural India.