Toyota Kirloskar Motor Promotes Holistic Approach To Green & Clean Vehicle Mobility In The “Ethanol Pavilion” At Auto Expo 2023

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is taking part at “Ethanol Pavilion” in Auto Expo’23, emphasising the significance of multiple energy pathway approach towards achieving carbon neutrality. The Pavilion organised by The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) aims to promote awareness and accelerate the adoption of ethanol as an alternative fuel thereby helping the sector lower its dependence on fossil fuels.

The pavilion was inaugurated by Shri. Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs and Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Hon’ble Minister of State of Power and Heavy Industries – Government of India. 

As champions of sustainability, globally, Toyota is committed to Carbon Neutrality by 2050 and aims to achieve Net Zero Carbon in Manufacturing Operations by 2035. Toyota is advancing greener mobility solutions with greater agility by introducing and supporting multiple clean technologies considering various factors such as India’s energy mix, its unique consumer profile and needs, infrastructure readiness, and the Government’s diversified efforts towards becoming ‘Atma Nirbhar’ in energy by 2047.

Sharing his expert views, Mr. Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “Toyota will continue its relentless efforts and contribute to future innovations by sharing sustainable technological advancements in the green mobility space. Toyota believes that ‘carbon is the enemy’, and hence continues to offer wider choices to customers with various vehicle powertrain technologies, including Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (SHEV), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), Fuel-cell Electric vehicles (FCEV), Flex-fuel as well as Flex Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FFV-SHEV), and other bio-fuel vehicles.  Given the Indian context, we foresee a huge potential for ethanol as it is an Indigenous and clean energy source, that can significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption. 

We are thrilled to be a part of the Ethanol Pavilion at Auto Expo 2023. Engaging in this inclusive initiative underlines the robust efforts by the Government and various key stakeholders in finding practical solutions that are best suited to promote energy security and green mobility in the country.” He added further.

As one of the most appropriate options, ethanol holds tremendous potential for India as it is an Indigenous and renewable - clean energy source, that can significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption, the energy import bill and carbon emissions. Being agriculture based, higher use of ethanol as fuel will also increase farmer incomes and create new jobs, thereby boosting the agrarian economy besides increasing revenue for the Government. The Government also recently launched second-generation technologies for producing ethanol from agricultural residues like Agriculture waste (parali), which is currently otherwise burnt.

India has already achieved 10% ethanol blending five months ahead of schedule. The implementation of 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025-26 is expected to substitute 86 million barrels of Gasoline, thereby leading to forex savings of Rs. 30,000 crores for India, as well as reducing 10 million tons of carbon emissions. Given the huge potential of ethanol production that exists up to and beyond E20, these benefits can increase multi-fold with the introduction of Flexi Fuel Vehicle (FFV) technology, that can flexibly use higher ethanol blends from 20% to 85%.

In India, Toyota recently launched the pilot project on Flexi-Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FFV-SHEV) Technology and signed an MOU with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. The initiative marked Toyota’s efforts to promote and create awareness on Ethanol as an important indigenous, carbon neutral energy pathway, along with the advanced Flexi-Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle technology that can help India achieve true self-reliance and contribute towards the national target of Carbon Net-Zero by 2070. The collected data will be shared with the prestigious Indian Institute of Science, for conducting a deeper study about the well-to-wheel carbon emissions of FFV / FFV-SHEV in the Indian context.

At display, at the Ethanol Pavilion, is Toyota’s Flex-fuel Vehicle (FFV) offering. In addition, the Flex-fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FFV-SHEV) is also being displayed at Stall Number 10 at Auto Expo, 2023. We welcome one and all to visit the Toyota Booth at the Auto Expo 2023 and Ethanol Pavilion for an awesome experience with array of green and clean initiatives.

The Indian automobile industry being one of the key contributors to India’s energy security mission, represented at the Ethanol Pavilion with significant participation by leading OEMs, top industry leaders and experts. This important conference also witnessed the presence of various ethanol producers, world-renowned technology providers including Brazil and the United States. The pavilion also represented the special efforts by Government of India towards accelerating the clean energy goals.

On the side-lines, today, a day-long conference themed “International Symposium for Thriving Eco-Energy in Mobility (ISTEM)” was organised to bring together experts and various think tanks deliberate over the benefits and opportunities of ethanol, along with discussing the readiness of automotive ecosystem for decarbonization. Sessions also included experts sharing experiences on the holistic pathways adopted globally aimed at realising energy dependence, economic benefits of a widespread ethanol ecosystem, energy security through biofuels and thereby contributions to long-run sustainable growth.

Air India Announces Cancellation, Rescheduling Of Flights During Republic Day Week In Compliance With NOTAM

* Domestic flights to be impacted from 19th to 26th January, 2023

* No cancellation of international flights; Only schedules being altered

Air India, India’s leading airline and a Star Alliance member, today announced the cancellation of domestic flights across some routes in accordance with the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Delhi Airport. In view of the Republic Day preparations by the Indian Air Force, the airspace will be restricted for nearly three hours every day for one week in the run up to the 74th Republic Day. Thus, Air India has taken appropriate measures to cancel as well as reschedule flights while minimising disruptions.

For 2023, the NOTAM has been issued for 19th -24th January and 26th January from 1030 to 1245 IST. To adhere to NOTAM, Air India will be cancelling all flights operating to and from Delhi across the 7-day period during the time range as mentioned above. This has been done without causing disruptions on other routes. Flights operating earlier or later than the prescribed time range will continue to operate as usual.  

As far as international operations are concerned, Air India will be realigning the same with either a one-hour delay or advancement. Due to this, ultra-long haul, long-haul and short haul international operations from five stations, namely LHR (London), IAD (Dulles), EWR (Newark), KTM (Kathmandu) and BKK (Bangkok), will be impacted due to advancement or delay by one hour. There are no cancellations of international operations during this period.

Domestic or international passengers arriving at/departing from IGI Airport, New Delhi, are requested to check their flight status to avoid any further inconvenience.

For more information, please visit www.airindia.in 

About Air India:

Founded by the legendary JRD Tata, Air India pioneered India’s aviation sector. Since its first flight on October 15, 1932, Air India has an extensive domestic network and has spread its wings beyond to become a major international airline with a network across USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Far-East, South-East Asia, Australia and the Gulf. Air India is a member of Star Alliance, the largest global airline consortium. After 69 years as a Government-owned enterprise, Air India and Air India Express were welcomed back into the Tata group in January 2022. The present management at Air India is driving the five year transformation roadmap under the aegis of Vihaan.AI to establish itself as a world-class global airline with an Indian heart.

Vihaan.AI is Air India’s transformational roadmap over five years with clear milestones.  It will be focussing on dramatically growing both its network and fleet, developing a completely revamped customer proposition, improving reliability and on-time performance. The airline will also be taking a leadership position in technology, sustainability, and innovation, while aggressively investing in the best industry talent. Vihaan.AI is aimed at putting Air India on a path to sustained growth, profitability and market leadership.

About the Tata Group:

Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1868, the Tata group is a global enterprise, headquartered in India, comprising 30 companies across ten verticals. The group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents, with a mission 'To improve the quality of life of the communities we serve globally, through long-term stakeholder value creation based on Leadership with Trust’.

Tata Sons is the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata companies. Sixty-six percent of the equity share capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts, which support education, health, livelihood generation, and art and culture. In 2020-21, the revenue of Tata companies, taken together, was $103 billion (INR 7.7 trillion). These companies collectively employ over 800,000 people. Each Tata company or enterprise operates independently under the guidance and supervision of its own board of directors. There are 29 publicly-listed Tata enterprises with a combined market capitalisation of $314 billion (INR 23.4 trillion) as on December 31, 2021. Companies include Tata Consultancy Services, Tata

Mahindra Lifespaces Acquires 4.25 Acres Land Parcel In Bengaluru

Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited, the real estate and infrastructure development arm of the Mahindra Group, today announced that it has purchased 4.25 acres of land in Singasandra, South Bengaluru. The land is estimated to have a developable potential of approximately 4.6 lakh square feet of saleable area and a Gross Development Value of approximately Rs 400 crore primarily comprising premium residential apartments.

Arvind Subramanian, Managing Director & CEO, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd., said, “Bengaluru is a key growth market for our residential business, and we are happy to add this new project to our portfolio. This will be our third project in Bengaluru and comes on the back of the overwhelming response to the launch of Mahindra Eden, India’s first Net Zero Energy residential project. This latest acquisition is aligned with our strategy of further strengthening our presence in India’s IT capital and deepening our presence in key micro markets there.”

The site is strategically located just off Hosur Road and offers access to well-developed social infrastructure with educational institutes, healthcare facilities, and retail avenues in proximity. In addition, the land is in close proximity to India’s largest IT and Electronics hub - Electronics City – and approximately 25 minutes away from Koramangala. Mahindra Lifespaces expects to launch the first phase of the project within the calendar year 2023.

About Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd.

Established in 1994, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd. (‘Mahindra Lifespaces’) brings the Mahindra Group’s philosophy of ‘Rise’ to India’s real estate and infrastructure industry through thriving residential communities and enabling business ecosystems. The Company’s development footprint spans 32.14 million sq. ft. of completed, ongoing and forthcoming residential projects across seven Indian cities; and over 5000 acres of ongoing and forthcoming projects under development/management at its integrated developments / industrial clusters across four locations.

Mahindra Lifespaces’ development portfolio comprises premium residential projects; value homes under the ‘Mahindra Happinest®’ brand; and integrated cities and industrial clusters under the ‘Mahindra World City’ and ‘Origins by Mahindra’ brands respectively. The Company leverages innovation, thoughtful design, and a deep commitment to sustainability to craft quality life and business growth.

The first real estate company in India to have committed to the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), all Mahindra Lifespaces’ projects are certified environment friendly. With a 100% Green portfolio since 2014, the Company is working towards carbon neutrality by 2040 and actively supports research on green buildings tailored to climatic conditions in India. Mahindra Lifespaces® is the recipient of over 80 awards for its projects and ESG initiatives.

Learn more about Mahindra Lifespaces® at www.mahindralifespaces.com

o9 Solutions Grows Annual Recurring Revenue By 84% In 2022

o9 Solutions, a leading enterprise AI software platform provider for transforming planning and decision-making, today reported that its annual recurring revenue (ARR) added in 2022 grew over 84% year-over-year. During Q4’22, o9 set a new record for ARR added in a single quarter as the company saw broad growth driven by new clients and expansions at existing clients. A significant portion of the growth during 2022 was driven by expanded usage of o9’s AI-powered Digital Brain platform at dozens of existing clients that are realizing the accelerated benefits of a unified connected enterprise planning platform. These expansions more than doubled year-over-year in 2022.

During 2022, o9 implemented 74 go-lives at numerous well-known brands across sectors,  including soft lines, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, consumer electronics and more. Twenty-five of them were completed in Q4’22 alone, highlighting o9’s accelerating capability to support clients in their efforts to digitize their end-to-end planning and decision-making. o9’s cloud-based planning platform supported nearly 150,000 monthly active users during the year across a variety of industries and planning use cases, underscoring its widespread adoption.  The company’s worldwide talent pool also grew to more than 2,400 throughout the year.

“The massive value-generating power of an integrated business planning platform like the o9 Digital Brain and urgent need for intelligent and resilient supply chains is the force that’s driving our strong year-over-year results and momentum heading into 2023,” said Chakri Gottemukkala, Co-founder and CEO, o9 Solutions. “We anticipate that the importance of investing in o9’s AI-powered platform to digitally transform the world’s largest and most complex supply chains will only continue to increase.”

Igor Rikalo, President and COO of o9 Solutions, said, “o9’s results in 2022 showcases our ability to execute across diverse industries, regions and markets. I’m extremely proud of what o9 accomplished in 2022, both from a growth perspective and also what we’ve achieved through our social impact initiatives to support the communities we serve. I look forward to continued success in 2023 and beyond.” 

Other notable highlights of Q4’22 include:

The new IPA EffWorks report by o9 Solutions reveals 4 key decisions to take to drive increased ROI in short, medium, and long-term

o9 Solutions named as Collaborative Supply Networks Leader by Forrester Wave

o9 Solutions and Samsung SDS launched the o9 Digital Brain Platform as a mobile app

Eckes Granini, the High Performance Metals Division of voestalpine,  Godfrey Phillips India, and Indofil Industries announced plans to use o9 Solutions’ Digital Brain platform to digitally transform their supply chain operations

o9 Solutions and Supply Chain Insights with LKQ Europe revealed significant supply chain planning improvements following the first-ever pilot to test outside-in planning

o9 Solutions ranked No. 396 on the 2022 Deloitte Technology Fast500™ and was named a  Food Logistics 2022 Top Software & Technology Provider

o9 Solutions joined the Climate Pledge

The o9 integration for Microsoft Dynamics 365 became available

o9 Solutions and project44 accelerated their partnership to support enterprises with enhanced end-to-end supply chain planning

About o9 Solutions, Inc.

o9 Solutions is a leading AI-powered platform for integrated business planning and decision-making for the enterprise. Whether it is driving demand, aligning demand and supply, or optimizing commercial initiatives, any planning process can be made faster and smarter with o9’s AI-powered digital solutions. Bringing together technology innovations—such as graph-based enterprise modeling, big data analytics, advanced algorithms for scenario planning, collaborative portals, easy-to-use interfaces and cloud-based delivery—into one platform. For more information, visit www.o9solutions.com.

HCL Technologies Ltd; Software Business Drives Performance Upbeat

BUY

CMP: Rs1072 

Target Price: Rs1125

HCLT posted operating performance beat in Q3 due to better-than-expected strength in the software business. Revenue grew by 5% CC QoQ because of strong performance in the software business (30.5% CC QoQ), while the services business (2.2% CC) delivered broadly in-line performance. Growth in the services business was steady despite higher-than-usual furloughs in financial services (-1.7% CC QoQ), ramp-down by clients under stress in retail (-0.6%), and impact from furloughs and spending optimization by clients in technology and services (0.1%). Deal intake remained healthy at USD2.35bn in Q3, led by IT operating model transformation, cloud adoption, and large vendor consolidation deals. Management expects revenue growth in Q4 to be weak QoQ due to seasonality in the software business. However, management remains confident about the medium-term growth outlook due to market share gain, strong deal intake, and deal pipeline. HCLT has narrowed its overall revenue growth guidance to 13.5-14.0% CC (earlier 13.5-14.5%) and EBITM guidance to 18.0-18.5% for FY23 (earlier 18-19%). HCLT has also narrowed down its services revenue growth guidance to 16.0-16.5% CC for FY23 (earlier 16-17%), implying 1.0-2.5% QoQ growth in Q4. We raise our earnings estimates by 1.4-1.8% for FY23E-25E, factoring in Q3 performance. We maintain BUY with a TP of Rs1,125/share at 17x Dec-24E EPS (earlier Rs1,100).

Results summary: Revenue grew by 5.3% QoQ to USD3.24bn (5% QoQ/13.1% YoY CC), above our estimates, due to strong performance in the software business (30.5% CC QoQ). EBITM expanded by ~160bps QoQ to 19.6%, 70bps above our expectations, due to increased contribution from the software business. The services business’s EBITM grew by ~10bps QoQ to 17.7% due to pyramid and cost optimization (+40bps), better realization (+30bps), currency movement (+70bps) negated by salary hike for middle management (-70bps), and impact of furloughs (-60bps). Net profit stood at Rs40.97bn, higher than our estimate, due to better-than-expected operating performance. HCLT signed seven large services deals and 10 software deals with total new deal TCV of USD2.35bn in Q3. What we liked: Revenue and margin beat, healthy deal intake, and strong performance in the software segment. What we did not like: Weakness in financial services, retail and CPG, and technology.

Earnings call KTAs: 1) HCLT signed three large deals in Q3 in which the bulk of work is in the nature of transformation and attributable to vendor consolidation, transition from struggling service provider, and realignment of the product operating model. The share of cost takeout deals is growing in the unqualified deal pipeline, which may lead to a higher share in booking in future. 2) Growth in Europe was led by large deal ramp-up in a telecom client in the past two quarters. Growth was partly offset in the reported communication vertical due to the decline in another large telecom client. 3) BFSI growth is expected to improve in Q4, while weakness in retail and CPG is expected to persist. Technology is likely to remain stable, as the impact from spend optimization would be negated by vendor-consolidation opportunities. 4) Management aspires to return to the 19-20% EBITM trajectory. Lower backfilling costs with moderating attrition, flattening employee pyramid, better utilization, improved realization, and higher offshoring/nearshoring remain key margin levers. 5) IT services LTM attrition moderated to 21.7% in Q3FY23 vs. 23.8% in Q2FY23. 6) New deal intake TCV grew by 10% YoY to USD2.35bn (ACV up 1.9% YoY; 13% YoY in 9MFY23). HCLT hopes to sustain 10%+ ACV growth on a TTM rolling forward basis. 7) The company announced an interim dividend of Rs10 per share.

Protean To Hire And Train 100 Engineering Graduates From Across Indian Market

Protean eGov Technologies Limited (formerly NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited), a pioneer and leader in universal, citizen centric and population scale e-governance solutions, has announced plans to hire and train around 100 engineering graduates across India under its recently launched ‘FutureFIT–Tech Engineers Program’.  

Protean is partnering with leading technology training institutes and colleges in the country to nurture talent and help them acquire the right job-specific skills. As part of the selection process, all the candidates will have to go through a three-step online evaluation process that will include an online test, technical interview and a final HR interview followed by formal on-boarding. The selected engineering graduates will undergo a two-month boot camp, where they will be trained in acquiring deep skills in latest technologies. 

Applications are open for all B. Tech or B.E. graduates who have passed in the year 2021-2022. Applicants can be from the CS (Computer Science), IT (Information Technology), and ECE (Electronics and Communication Engineering) streams, and should have scored a minimum of 60% in their key academic years. 

Protean eGov Technologies Managing Director and CEO, Suresh Sethi said, “In today’s world, organisations are fast adopting advanced & emerging technologies to stay competitive and ahead of the curve. Given the increasing impact of new-age technologies on business and everyday life, we plan to hire and train ‘Change Engineers’ who are passionate about technology and have a desire to make an impact and contribute to the society. The FutureFIT–Tech Engineers Program is a step in realizing our vision to create strong e-governance interventions by using common foundational digital building blocks and leveraging open source technology.” 

About Protean 

Protean eGov Technologies Ltd., is one of the key IT enabled service providers companies in India engaged in conceptualizing, developing, executing nationally critical, and population scale greenfield technology solutions. The company has extensively collaborated with the government over the last 25 years in creating digital public infrastructure and developing innovative citizen centric e-governance solutions. The company’s core strength lies in not just enabling technology, but also providing the necessary interventions for ecosystem creation and adoption of new technologies and business models. 

In these two-and-a-half decades, the company has created effective e-governance interventions impacting multiple sectors of the Indian economy and touching various aspects of a citizen’s life - modernizing the direct tax infrastructure, providing a tax identity to citizens and corporates (issuance of PAN card), strengthening the old-age social security infrastructure (National Pension System & Atal Pension Yojna ), promoting financial inclusion by contributing to the India Stack by enrolling citizens for National Identity and enabling the BFSI sector by providing Aadhaar-based identity authentication and e-Sign services.  

The Company is actively supporting open digital building blocks for use-cases across sectors like mobility, healthcare, agriculture and education, while extending its service stack to provide a comprehensive set of APIs to enable end-to-end digital on-boarding and data verification capabilities.  

Godrej Properties Acquires 60-Acres Land Parcel In Chennai

* The project will have a developable potential of approximately 1.6 million square feet

Godrej Properties Ltd. (GPL), (BSE scrip id: GODREJPROP), one of India’s leading real estate developers, today announced that it has purchased 60 acres on an outright basis in the fast-developing micro market of Oragadam Junction, Chennai.

Spread across ~ 60 acres, the proposed project is estimated to have a developable potential of approximately 1.6 million square of saleable area, comprising primarily of residential plotted development.

The site is strategically located in between Grand South Trunk road (GST road) and NH-4, just off Oragadam Junction (on the 6-lane SH-48) offering access to other parts of the city via Chennai Bypass Road, Chennai Tiruvallur High Road and Red Hills Road.

Gaurav Pandey, MD & CEO, Godrej Properties, said, “We are happy to add this land parcel to our portfolio. It fits with our strategy of deepening our presence across India's leading cities. We will aim to build an outstanding plotted development project in Chennai that creates long term value for its residents.”

Oragadam Junction is recognized as one of the fastest-growing business and largest industrial corridors of Chennai, with manufacturing facilities of 22 Fortune 500 companies spread across the industrial belt stretching from Sriperumbudur to Oragadam. The area is well-connected via road and rail and offers good civil and social infrastructure consisting of schools, colleges, hospitals and retail outlets.

About Godrej Properties Limited: 

Godrej Properties brings the Godrej Group philosophy of innovation, sustainability, and excellence to the real estate industry. Each Godrej Properties development combines a 125-year legacy of excellence and trust with a commitment to cutting edge design, technology, and sustainability. In FY 2021, Godrej Properties emerged as the largest developer in India by the value and volume of residential sales achieved. Godrej Properties has deeply focused on sustainable development. In 2010, GPL committed that all of its developments would be third party certified green buildings. In 2020,2021 and again in 2022, the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark ranked GPL #1 globally amongst listed residential developers for its sustainability and ESG practices. In 2017, GPL was one of the founding partners of the Sustainable Housing Leadership Consortium (SHLC), whose mission is to spread sustainable development practices across the Indian real estate sector. In recent years, Godrej Properties has received over 300 awards and recognitions, including the Porter Prize 2019, The Most Trusted Real Estate Brand in the 2019 Brand Trust Report, Builder of the Year at the CNBC-Awaaz Real Estate Awards 2019, and The Economic Times Best Real Estate Brand 2018. 

L&T Technology Services To Acquire Smart World & Communication Business Of L&T Ltd.

·         LTTS to strengthen global reach across Next-Gen Communications, Sustainable Spaces and Cybersecurity through this acquisition

·         Acquisition is a continuation of LTTS’ 6 Big Bets strategy in 5G, Sustainability and Digital Products & AI

L&T Technology Services Limited (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS), a global leading pure-play engineering services company, today announced that it has agreed to acquire the Smart World & Communication (SWC) Business of L&T, enabling LTTS to combine synergies and take offerings in Next-Gen Communications, Sustainable Spaces and Cybersecurity to the global market.

Smart World & Communication was founded in 2016 to cater to the demands in smart cities, address opportunities and provide smart solutions in the areas of end-to-end communications, city surveillance and intelligent traffic management system for the Government as well as enterprises. It has an employee base of over 700 engineers from diversified technology domains and has crossed an annual revenue of INR 1,000 Crores.

The coming together of the LTTS and SWC teams will address the entire gamut of digital offerings including design, architect, build & operate, effectively catering to the portfolios encompassing Next-Gen Communications, Sustainable Spaces and Cybersecurity.

SWC’s strong expertise in the area of Next-Gen Communications has been instrumental in the network design, planning, implementation and management including Network Operations Center (NOC), OSS, Datacenter, Cloud/Private 5G of over 25,000 locations across India. It has assisted multiple state governments in India with network operating centers and network management systems while establishing end-to-end network connectivity projects such as TANFINET and Telangana Fiber Grid. SWC has created gEDGE data centers with a lot of innovation resulting in up to 40 percent reduction in power consumption and up to 30 percent savings in capex.

LTTS has been an early mover in the global communications domain, identifying 5G as a Big Bet in 2020. Today, LTTS’ 5G offerings and services have resulted in the company taking complete ownership of 10+ Labs-as-a-Service for customers, 5G network assurance with over 100 use cases for clients, and more than 100 product families developed for OEMs globally.

5G is expected to have a global impact of $1.3 trillion by 2030 and LTTS with SWC believes that together, it is in a stronger position to continue to win and execute large scale transformational programs in India and globally in this segment.

In Sustainable Spaces, SWC brings capabilities around public safety, smart cities, critical infrastructure and smart metering along with L&T Fusion Platform and Integrated Command and Control Center (IC3). Implementation of mega public safety projects were completed in Mumbai,

Hyderabad and Nagpur where tens of thousands of devices including cameras and network equipment have been rolled out for city level projects. Another notable measure of success is the Prayagraj Smart City program, an AI based crowd management project which has successfully managed over 250 million people. SWC has also implemented smart metering in states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to the tune of 6 million meters.

LTTS brings smart building and experience management capabilities through its i-BEMS platform that has been deployed in the ‘world’s smartest office campus’ in Israel with over 14,000 sensors. Together, LTTS and SWC will address a larger market of $390 billion globally for sustainable spaces.

In Cybersecurity, SWC brings Full Lifecycle Threat Management capabilities, with offerings in risk assessment, threat monitoring, security architecture, design, and DevSecOps.

LTTS has been offering Cybersecurity services to its OT and product customers globally.

The joint team of LTTS and SWC would provide Security Operating Centers (SOC), full lifecycle threat management, OT cybersecurity and product security credentials and address the demands of the projected $376 billion cybersecurity market.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. S. N. Subrahmanyan, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Larsen & Toubro Limited remarked: “Smart World & Communication has created a niche for itself in the communications and smart spaces domain across developing markets. By combining with a global engineering services player like LTTS, its offerings across next-gen networks, smart spaces, and cybersecurity will help unlock new synergies across the technology spectrum. LTTS is well-positioned to take these capabilities to the global market, cementing its robust leadership in the engineering and technology domain.”

Amit Chadha, CEO & Managing Director, L&T Technology Services said “The acquisition of SWC is a progression of LTTS’ 6 Big Bets strategy with a direct bearing on 5G, Digital Products & AI, and Sustainability. SWC’s capabilities will enhance LTTS’ differentiation in the exciting field of next-gen communications with cutting edge solutions around 5G networks, sustainable spaces, along with a full stack of cybersecurity solutions to our global clientele. The combined team of LTTS and SWC will take these offerings incubated in India to the World while bringing best practices to Indian and global customers. On behalf of all employees at LTTS, I express my gratitude to the L&T management for putting their confidence in us and extend a warm welcome to all our colleagues at SWC. Look forward to doing exciting transformational programs together”.

The acquisition is subject to customary closing and approvals.

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/

Aegon Life Insurance Launches “iTerm Prime For Self-Employed Customers”

* Self-Employed Customers To Get Special 10% Discount On 1st Year Premium 

Important Features 

Life cover starting from ?25 lakhs 

Flexible premium payment options 

Fully online buying process - no paper process or document uploads required 

‘Special Exit Value’ – get all premiums back with this option 

Additional riders to cover Critical Illness and Accidental death available 

Aegon Life Insurance, Digital India's life insurance company, has launched the “iTerm Prime Insurance plan” for self-employed customers. The company is offering a special 10% discount to self-employed customers and a 5% online discount for all other customers, for buying iTerm Prime life insurance. This discount is applicable on 1st year premium. iTerm Prime offers a minimum sum assured of ?25 lakhs. There is no upper limit on the sum assured. The policy can be purchased on Aegon Life’s website (www.aegonlife.com) and through its partners. Online policy buying process is simple. There is no need for paperwork or document scan and upload required. 

iTerm Prime is a famous life insurance plan by Aegon Life. The product also offers a ‘Special Exit Value’ option that allows the policyholder to get all premiums back when they turn 55 years old.  

“iTerm Prime is made to meet the requirements of self-employed population in Emerging India. There are crores of self-employed people in India, but a lot of them do not have life insurance. This is because of difficult paper process for buying insurance. Aegon Life’s policy buying process is fully online. There is no paper process required. To purchase our insurance, the buyer only needs is his/her PAN, Aadhaar, or drivers license. We have made this simple online process so that customers can buy our life insurance policies in a few clicks on their computer or mobile. For iTerm Prime, we are giving a special discount and flexible payment options to make the product more affordable for the end consumer,” said Satishwar B., MD and CEO of Aegon Life Insurance. 

Term insurance is essential for every household. If an earning member dies, the financial benefit from the term insurance policy helps the family. Term insurance is very affordable also. For e.g. a 30-year-old youth buying the iTerm Prime can get a Rs.1-crore life cover for just about Rs. 39 a day, and a 50 lac life cover costs just Rs. 22 a day. In case the policyholder dies an untimely death, his/her family can use the life cover benefit to pay off loans, fund their child's education and even their marriage. 

Aegon Life has a high claim settlement ratio of 99.03%.  With all these benefits, Aegon Life’s iTerm Prime is a very important term insurance policy for every household in emerging India. 

About Aegon Life: 

Aegon Life is Digital India’s life insurance company and pioneered the online Term Insurance plan in India. As India’s only 100% digital life insurance company, it’s building innovative solutions to financially secure every Indian household and provide greater clarity, transparency, and superior consumer experience.  

https://www.aegonlife.com/ 

Over 456 Persons Rescued Along Goa’s Beaches During 2022

~ 109 missing children traced on Goa’s beaches in 2022  

~ Calangute had the highest number of incidents this year with 162 incidents ~ 

~ October witnessed the highest rescues at 118~ 

~ Over 6000 lives have been saved since Drishti commences operations in 2008 ~ 

Drishti Marine, Goa's state-appointed lifesaving and rescue organisation, rescued 456 persons along the coast from January to December last year. Persons in the age bracket of 26 to 35 years accounted for 153 rescues, the highest number of rescues across various age categories.  

The rescues cover water-based rescues, medical situations and administration of first aid. Several of the water-based rescues included saving more than one person at a time. Unfortunately, all through 2022, four persons also succumbed to the waters. 

The month of October, which marks the formal beginning of Goa’s tourism season, witnessed the highest rescues with 118 rescues reported in the month, followed by 67 in December and 63 in May last year.  

Of the total number of individuals involved in rescue incidents, 585 were Indian citizens including residents from the state, while 45 foreigners were rescued in the previous year.  

Navin Awasthi, the operations head of Drishti Marine comments on the high incident rates among the age demographic, he says “The highest number of individuals involved in beach-related incidents were from the age group of 26 to 35 years which accounted for 153, followed by the age group of 19 to 25 years which accounted for 129 and ages below 12 years accounted for 124.” 

The Drishti lifesaving team is also the first responder to any medical emergencies which arise on the state’s coast. In the year 2022, 112 people were assisted in recovery from medical incidents, while first-aid was administered to 40 individuals across the designated beaches where the Drishti  lifesavers are deployed.  

“From January to December, there were 109 cases of missing children, where young ones wandered away from their families, forcing frantic parents and family members to reach out to the lifesavers for help, Drishti’s alert team has successfully closed all reported missing children cases, reuniting them with their parents.” said Navin Awasthi.  

Calangute beach which received a large number of footfalls had the most missing children incidents at 45 cases, followed by Baga with 35 and Colva with 11. 

Calangute was witness to the highest number of incidents this year too with 162 incidents reported so far, followed by 109 in Baga, 45 in Arambol while Candolim accounted for 33, Morjim reported 30 incidents, and Vagator accounted for 27, respectively. Meanwhile, Ashwem accounted for 12 while Miramar and Sinquerim reported 12 incidents respectively. In South Goa, Palolem reported 30 incidents and Colva reported 21 such incidents  

Drishti began operations in Goa in 2008. A total of 200 drowning cases occurred in 2007, the previous year which prompted the state government to take immediate measures and put together an efficient system. The service has led to a 99% reduction in deaths due to drowning and significantly improved the tourist experience in Goa. Over 6,000 lives have been saved since then, due to intervention rescue operations     

Syska Personal Care Announces The Launch Of Armour Beard Trimmer HT450 In Indian Market

* Syska Armour Beard Trimmer HT450 Has Been Engineered To Excellence

Syska Personal Care Appliances, a leading name in the personal care grooming segment has announced the launch of the Syska Armour Beard Trimmer HT450. Adding to its extensive collection of personal care, the company is back with another innovation for the beard grooming lovers. Built to offer a hassle-free experience to the consumers, Armour Beard Trimmer is the ideal trimmer that enables users to take charge of their grooming regime.

The trimmer is a perfect grooming tool for every men as it can be customised to match a user’s specific grooming tastes, enabling them to maintain or refresh their grooming routines at any time and from any location. Featuring a premium camouflage coated body, the trimmer has a flexible, ergonomic design making it look more premium while providing a comfortable experience using it.

Commenting on the introduction of the Syska Armour Beard Trimmer HT450, Mr. Gurumukh Uttamchandani, Executive Director, Syska Group said, "Syska is known for meaningfully redefining grooming through its unique and disruptive product line. We are very excited to introduce the trimmer, which combines the best of functionality, technology, and user experience to enable customers to create their own highly customised beard styles. Consumer requirements are at the heart of every product we design. Syska aims to enrich the lives of the grooming-conscious tribe through purpose-driven and meaningful innovation with this latest addition to our male grooming portfolio. With this flagship launch, we hope to build on our strong equity in the men's beauty and personal care category by achieving significant growth in the male grooming segment."

Key features of Syska Armour Beard Trimmer HT450:

Rototech Technology : The advanced technology incorporated in the trimmer helps prevent injuries

Working Time : One has the flexibility to operate the trimmer using a cord or cordless (lasts up to 90 minutes) depending on personal choice and comfort

Premium Blades : The trimmer has movable titanium blades & stationary stainless steel blades for to glide against user’s skin smoothly

Charging Time : The Syska trimmer with long battery life takes approximately 1.5 hours to charge

Cutting Length : The trimmer offers a 10mm cutting length to fit every consumer’s unique styling needs

Precision Length Setting : Syska trimmer offers 0.5mm length setting for a perfectly groomed look

Stubble Comb : The trimmer comes with a lock jog dial that helps in accurate cutting of the beard

Charging indicator : The Syska trimmer has been incorporated with indicator for charging guidance

Comfortable Grip : The trimmer is designed for Easy Handling and to provide more control and comfort

 The trimmer has a warranty period of two years from the date of purchase and is available in two colours ‘White’ and ‘Green’. The trimmer can be purchased from Flipkart at an exclusive launch price of Rs. 499/-.

Zepto Shotz 2022: From Milk And Bread To Ganga Jal, India Rode The 10-Minute Delivery Wave In Full Swing

In 2022, everyone must’ve tried a number of new things and adopted some of them into their daily routines. Among everything else, what urban Indians truly enjoyed and got used to was the idea of getting their everyday needs delivered to their doorsteps – that, too, in no time. 10-minute grocery delivery app Zepto had Indians living a life of ease and convenience in 2022. From over 120 orders for indulgences like chips, ice creams, and soft drinks dispatched per minute, to hundreds of healthy orders for juices, salads, and organic food per minute – all of India’s needs were delivered by Zepto, no matter the preferences. In fact, a Zepto user from Mumbai placed as many as 1,988 orders last year. Fans of quick delivery were also very generous in their feedback and appreciation for riders and consistency in experience.

From midnight cravings to monthly supplies, Indians are turning to Zepto

Zepto has become the go-to for people to call for groceries whether to whip up a quick meal or plan their health chart for the rest of the week. Not only are people ordering snacks and beverages for untimely hunger and spur-of-the-moment party plans, but also are planning ahead and stocking up their kitchen needs for weeks to avoid the hassle of shopping for essentials every now and then.

The prospect of free deliveries for orders above 149 has also encouraged customers to buy groceries in bulk, as well as prompted an overall surge in high-value orders. In 2022, the highest value of a particular order from Noida peaked at over 23,000, while a customer from Mumbai cumulatively spent close to 9 lacs on Zepto orders around the year.

Aadit Palicha, Co-founder and CEO, Zepto, says, “2022 has been a thrilling year for Zepto. We are proud to have delivered every customer promise with excellence- be it consistency in delivery times, product and tech experience, the quality of our assortment, and introducing new categories and products that excite and cater to every big or small customer need. We are truly grateful to our rider community for their relentless trust and support in making Zepto’s last-mile experience seamless and efficient. In 2023 and the years to come, our endeavor will be to further champion quick delivery and continue to fearlessly and prudently disrupt the category.”

It’s not just groceries that India is demanding in under 10 minutes

While groceries continue to be the most ordered category by Zepto customers, there’s been a steady growth in orders for other everyday essentials, too. Zepto’s assortment of 5000+ products across categories of home utility, hygiene, self-care, and electronics, among others, has been received supremely well by customers, who are now ordering everything – from birth control to self and babycare – on Zepto. In fact, customers also placed orders for items that took even Zepto by surprise (We’re glad, anyway):   

“Our customers are paramount to the success of our business, and to have won their trust in our service is immensely encouraging and rewarding. We’re leaning into our customers’ needs and adding to our capacities accordingly. We’re also focussing on making their entire experience – right from placing orders to receiving the deliveries – as seamless as possible. It is humbling to see so many Indian customers make the best use of Zepto’s offerings through orders for all their needs – no matter how distinct,” says Amritansu Nanda, Chief Marketing Officer, Zepto. 

Infosys Dec’22 Quarter Results – Revenue Growth Exceeded Expectations; FY23 Revenue Growth Guidance Raised To 16-16.5%

Actual vs. expectations

Revenue above expectations, while EBITM was tad below our/consensus expectations

Likely stock reaction

Neutral to positive

Key positives: Revenue beat, large deal intake of USD3.3bn, FY23 revenue growth guidance increased to 16-16.5% CC, LTM attrition moderated by 280bps QoQ.

Result Summary

Infosys reported revenues of USD4.66bn, up 2.3%/9.6% QoQ/YoY (CC 2.4%/13.7% QoQ/YoY), above our expectations of USD4.59bn. (TCS Q3FY23 revenues was US$7.07bn, 2.2% CC QoQ).

EBITM was flat sequentially at 21.5%, 20 bps below our expectations. (TCS IT services EBITM grew ~50 bps QoQ at 24.5%).

Adj. Profits at Rs65.9bn (9.4% QoQ, 13.4% YoY), above our expectations of Rs63.7bn due to higher other income.

FY23 outlook: Infosys raised its revenue growth guidance to 16-16.5% CC (earlier 15-16% CC), implying -1.1% to 0.5% QoQ growth in Q4, and retained its EBITM guidance to 21-22%.

TCV of deal intake stood at USD3.3bn (strongest in last 8 quarters) vs USD2.7bn in Q2FY23.

Growth by Verticals (all in CC terms)

Financial Services: 5.5%YoY ( V/s 11.5% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

Manufacturing: 36.8%YoY ( V/s 45% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

Retail:  12.7%YoY  ( V/s 15.4% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

ECS: 25.9% YoY( V/s 24.3% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

Communication: 12.7% YoY( V/s 18.4% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

Hi Tech: 10.4% YoY( V/s 9.9% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

Life sciences: 5% YoY( V/s 10.3% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

Growth by Geographies (all in CC terms)

US: 10.5%YoY ( V/s 15.6% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

Europe: 25.3%YoY ( V/s 28.5% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

ROW: 11.9% YoY( V/s 11.9% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

India: -5.4% YoY( V/s 36.4% YoY in Sep’22 quarter)

Manpower details

Total Headcount: 346,845, up 1,627 QoQ

LTM Attrition: 24.3%, V/s 27.1% in Sep’22 quarter and 28.4% in Jun’22 quarter. Management expects attrition to decline further in coming quarters.

Mahindra Logistics On-Boards Women e-Bike Riders For Its Last-Mile Deliveries

Mahindra Logistics Ltd. (MLL), one of India's leading providers of integrated logistics and mobility solutions, is committed to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in its workforce. MLL announced today that it has partnered with women e-bike riders for its last-mile deliveries in an effort to achieve true equality. The initiative aims to bring about a significant change in the logistics industry by empowering women and ensuring their inclusion across all functions. MLL intends to make an impact in the logistics industry by providing women with equal opportunities, even in non-traditional logistics roles, allowing them to become self-reliant.

With this objective, MLL has appointed a total of 11 women riders for last-mile delivery across Mumbai, Bangalore and Nagpur in the first phase of this initiative. To make the process more efficient, Mahindra Logistics is working actively towards a robust execution of this initiative. Furthermore, the company is providing comprehensive training to the women candidates for safely riding e-bikes, operating last-mile delivery, and soft skills.

The organization stands by safety of its women drivers by deploying vehicles integrated with GPS tracking which enables MLL to trouble-shoot any concerns of prolonged stoppage or diversion from the designated route.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Rampraveen Swaminathan, MD & CEO, Mahindra Logistics, said: “We are delighted to be leading the way in hiring women e-bike drivers for last-mile delivery, as part of our commitment to promoting gender diversity in the workforce. We believe that equal opportunities create a more productive and successful workplace, and we are proud to be at the forefront of progressive initiatives that are enabling the logistics industry to transform. As a part of our expansion plans, on-boarding more women drivers, fleet owners and other transporters will be a major focus for us at MLL. We remain committed to our larger RISE purpose, by actively working towards creating an environment where women can thrive and contribute their unique skills and perspectives to our organization and the society as a whole.” 

About Mahindra Logistics

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

For more information, visit www.mahindralogistics.com

BluSapphire Appoints Industry Veteran Luis Curet To Lead Revenue Generation

Full-stack cyber security platform, BluSapphire Cyber Systems, has appointed industry veteran Luis Curet as Vice President–Sales to lead its revenue generation in the US.

BluSapphire is an industry-first, purpose-built, cloud-native, beyond XDR™ platform powered by AI and Big Data analytics. BluSapphire enables organisations to quickly transform their cybersecurity posture, resulting in faster time to value and allowing faster cyber breach detection and mitigation, thereby reducing the organisation’s overall business risk posture.

Luis comes with 25+ years of experience in the technology industry, primarily in computer networking and cybersecurity. He has served in multiple go-to-market (GTM) executive roles, leveraging his experience in sales, marketing and customer success. 

Commenting on the appointment, Kiran Vangaveti, Founder and CEO, said, “Luis is highly reputed in the industry and has a proven record of building long-term business relationships with customers in North America. His strong market presence and relationships are assets that will complement and enhance BluSapphire’s ability to meet the needs of our customers. We are thrilled with his appointment and wish him success with Team BluSapphire."

A University of Wisconsin–Madison alum, Luis has worked with IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Morgan Stanley, Texas Instruments, Philip Morris, and many government agencies. He has also been part of the executive management team at multiple technology startups that have had successful exits, including Rainbow Technologies (acquired by SafeNet), M86 Security (acquired by Trustwave) and Securly (acquired by Golden Gate Capital). 

Luis Curet, VP–Sales, North America, BluSapphire, said, “The XDR market is growing at greater than 20%. BluSapphire's unique approach to solving the cybersecurity challenge for enterprise organisations positions us to capture a significant percentage of this opportunity. I was impressed the first time I saw their solution and look forward to building their team and scale business in the US."

In 2022, BluSapphire Cyber Systems raised $9.2 million as part of its Series A round. The round was led by Barings Private Equity India, with participation from cross border VC firm Dallas Venture Capital, Binny Bansal-backed xto10x, RPG Ventures, and Merisis Venture Partners.

About BluSapphire:

BluSapphire, a Gartner Cool Vendor, is a hyper-growth cybersecurity SaaS platform. Founded in 2017 by Kiran Vangaveti, the platform solves the industry gap in security operations and visibility space. The full-stack AI and predictive analytics platform enables clients to prevent sophisticated cyberattacks across cloud, on-prem and hybrid work environments. https://www.blusapphire.com/ 

BenQ Launches GV11 - LED Smart Wireless Portable ‘Comfy Corner Home Theatre’ Projector With Android TV 10 For Endless Entertainment

BenQ, the No.1 Portable Projector Brand in India, today announced the launch of its LED wireless smart portable projector, GV11 an ideal personal entertainment appliance which offers unlimited enjoyment for modern lifestyles with space and time constraints. GV11’s 135- degree rotating lens and automatic vertical keystone offer an incredible range of angles for projecting onto walls, screens, or ceiling for laid-back viewing and 3000 MAH battery-powered portability.

With the convenience of Google-certified Android TV 10, the GV11 takes convenience and portability to the next level and access to the Google Play Store provides content from over 5,000 streaming apps including Prime Video, YouTube, and more. With full-flexibility in mind, the GV11 also provides several connectivity options like built-in Bluetooth, HDMI, and USB-A inputs. Equipped with a 270-degree 5W sound system with treVolo-tuned audio modes and bass-extending sealed enclosure design to offer best audio experience. Unlike other budget projectors, GV11 provides glitch-free movies, shows, sporting events, and music without the hassle of additional streaming equipment.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Rajeev Singh, Managing Director, BenQ South Asia, said, “BenQ is the No. 1 portable projector brand in India with 54% market share in Q3 ‘22 and the launch of GV11 is to further cement BenQ’s position as the market leader and at the same time provide the best possible entertainment on the go beyond the limitations of space to the young generation, GV11 is embedded with BenQ’s DLP and display technology expertise, custom-built for today’s new generation of busy digital natives and first-time projector buyers which has full support for Apple Airplay and Google Chromecast that makes getting stuff from phones and tablets super easy, wired or wireless.

GV11 comes with everything needed to stream endless entertainment, cast from any device, play music in a neatly integrated all-in-one device with a seamless interface and Voice Assistant has no need for other streaming dongles to instantly access unlimited entertainment.

BenQ’s GV11 will be available on Amazon and Flipkart at a special introductory price of Rs. 37,990 for a limited time period. The company offers complete peace of mind with a 2 Years warranty on the projector & 2 years or 2000 hours whichever is earlier on LED Lightsource.

About BenQ Corporation:

Founded on the corporate vision of “Bringing Enjoyment ‘N’ Quality to Life”, BenQ Corporation is a world-leading human technology and solutions provider aiming to elevate and enrich every aspect of consumers’ lives. To realize this vision, the company focuses on the aspects that matter most to people today – lifestyle, business, healthcare, and education – with the hope of providing people with the means to live better, increase efficiency, feel healthier and enhance learning. Such means include a delightful broad portfolio of people-driven products and embedded technologies spanning digital projectors, monitors, interactive large-format displays, and lighting solutions. Because it matters.  

About BenQ Group:

The BenQ Group is a $25+ billion powerhouse comprised of nearly 20 independent companies operating in over 30 countries across numerous industries with a combined workforce of over 100,000 employees.  Each Group member is a recognized leader in its own field, contributing to the BenQ Group’s vast resources, broad R&D, and distinct strategic strengths.  By leveraging each company’s vertical specialization to create true scale across horizontal markets, the BenQ Group controls a highly efficient value chain with the unrivaled ability to deliver critical components and world-class solutions in the following industries: TFT-LCD, green energy, fine chemicals, and advanced materials, lighting, IC design, precision components, system integration, branded business, and service.  The Group is committed to profitable and sustainable businesses that share its long-standing vision of Bringing Enjoyment ‘N’ Quality to Life.

The BenQ Group companies are BenQ Corporation, AU Optronics Corporation (world’s top manufacturer of large-size TFT-LCD panels), Qisda Corporation, Darfon Electronics Corporation, BenQ ESCO Corp., BenQ Materials Corp., BenQ Guru Corp., BenQ Medical Center, BenQ Medical Technology Corp., BenQ AB DentCare Corp., BriView Co., Ltd., Daxin Materials Corp., Dazzo Technology Corp., Forhouse Corp., Lextar Electronics Corp., LILY Medical Corp., and Raydium Semiconductor Corp.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Enthralls With The Concept Of “Thrill & Joy Of Moving Together” At Auto Expo 2023

* Reinforces global commitment to Carbon Neutrality by 2050 with a robust line up of xEVs and Green alternate fuel technologies

* Showcases segment leading products – Innova Hycross, Fortuner, Legender, Vellfire, Camry Hybrid

* Captivates the audience with modified extreme off-road concept of Hilux, All New Landcruiser LC 300 and the modified Cool Glanza

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has displayed its exciting range of products and technologies at the Auto Expo 2023 aimed at meeting the aspirations and evolving needs of customers and to deliver ‘Mass Happiness to All’. Based on the theme of Thrill and Joy of Moving Together, the Toyota stall situated in Stall No. 10 is conceptualized on three distinctive themes of Technology Zone, Emotional Zone & Sustainability Zone.

Over its 25 glorious years of operations in India, Toyota has been working to meet mobility needs of esteemed consumers. With its robust focus on customer satisfaction, the company has won the trust of families of over 2 million Toyota customers. At display across the zones are:

Technology Zone – showcases an array of advanced electrified and green alternate fuel technologies - a direction to carbon neutrality and greener future. Exhibits include:

o   The newly launched Innova Hycross, which is the perfect vehicle catering to family needs, with a masculine stance and the spaciousness of an MPV. The Innova Hycross is powered by 5th Generation Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric System with TNGA 2.0 Litre 4-cylinder gasoline engine, a monocoque frame, with many first-in-segment features

o   The Urban Cruiser Hyryder, which marked the entry of Toyota’s globally acclaimed Self-charging Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SHEV) technology in the mass segment in India, fueling Toyota’s efforts of ‘Mass Electrification’ while delivering exemplary performance and best in class fuel efficiency

o   The bold, fearless & magnificently distinctive Vellfire, which defines sustainable luxury, indulgence and status. Equipped with a 2.5L gasoline hybrid engine & coupled with dual motors, the vehicle delivers optimum performance, ultimate luxury and superior fuel efficiency

o   The Camry Hybrid, which carries forward the legacy of powerful performance, environment friendliness, highest safety and luxury with enhanced exterior and interior features – an amazing amalgamation of power and luxury that has been designed to provide seamless driving experience

o   Other exhibits also include Pure Electric (BEV) Vehicles like the bZ4X, the first model to use the new e-TNGA electric vehicle architecture developed in collaboration with Subaru. Hydrogen based vehicles like Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV), Corolla Cross H2 Concept, Fuel Cell System Module and other  Electrified Vehicle (xEV) technology vehicles like Prius Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and Corolla Altis Flexi-Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FF-SHEV).

·       Emotional Zone - Connects with consumer aspirations and thrill of driving a Toyota

The All-new lifestyle vehicle Hilux, renowned for extreme toughness and boldness across terrains & continents, with its trademark combination of performance, power & sophistication. The Hilux displayed is an extreme of road concept vehicle.

Urban Cruiser Hyryder Neo Drive with All Wheel Drive option has created substantial excitement to further reinstate Toyota’ presence in the coveted B-SUV segment in India with its several ‘best in segment’ features like the AWD (All Wheel Drive), Panoramic sunroof, 17” alloy, wireless charger, Heads Up Display (HUD) & 360-degree camera and connected DCM (Data Communication Module)

Fortuner, specially designed by Toyota Racing Development (TRD) for India, which boasts of a power-packed 6-speed Diesel and Petrol AT as well as MT engine, capable of turning mountains into molehills

The Legender, uniquely positioned as “Prestigious” to cater to the diverse needs of both performance enthusiasts and those seeking a luxury SUV, is a mighty combination of power, sophistication, and unmatched style

A treat for the young, sport enthusiasts is available through the display of the Glanza which gives a mileage of 30.61 km/kg through E-CNG technology. Toyota’s most affordable offering for Indian customers, this cool hatchback is perfect for those seeking a stylish, technology laden, safe and comfortable car

The New Landcruiser LC 300 a global legend, well known for its unmistakably tough features and a power packed performance was a show stealer.

 Sustainability Zone – showcases TKM’s efforts that go beyond vehicle tailpipe emissions and focuses on green products manufactured in a green plant highlighting Toyota’s commitment towards a sustainable future:

At display is a scale model of the plant, videos on Toyota 2050 challenge and actions from TKM that is a true reflection of the company’s vision, philosophy and commitment for a sustainable future by achieving harmony between its manufacturing activities and the environment.

 We welcome you all to the Toyota stall to experience the entire range of product line and advanced technologies aimed at meeting the diverse mobility needs of the Indian market while moving towards “wiser choices for a greener tomorrow”.

Four Eminent Personalities To Be Honoured At “New Year Awards 2023”

Academy of General Education (AGE), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG), Manipal Media Network Ltd & Dr. TMA Pai Foundation Manipal, will honour eminent personalities from different fields for their distinguished services during the “New Year Award 2023” function.?

Mr. Mahabaleshwara M. S. Managing Director & CEO Karnataka Bank, Mangalore. 

Dr. Pushpa G. Kini, Professor. Dept of Paediatrics, KMC, Manipal & Former Director-Student Affaires MAHE, Manipal. 

Dr. Pangal Sripathi Rao, Former Dean & Professor of Orthopaedics Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. 

Amai Mahalinga Naik, a well-known farmer, Kepu Adyanadka.

All the renowned personalities will be conferred during the award ceremony scheduled on Saturday, 14th Jan 2023 at Manipal. The award is being given every year to eminent personalities from different fields for their distinguished services and immense contributions to society.

Dr. Ranjan R Pai – Chairman-MEMG, President – MAHE, Registrar- AGE &; Dr H S Ballal, Pro Chancellor - MAHE & President - AGE; Mr. T Sathish U Pai – Executive Chairman - Manipal Media Network Ltd. & Vice President-AGE; Sri T Ashok Pai, President, Dr TMA Pai Foundation, Manipal will grace the occasion. 

The award ceremony will be broadcast Live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJUzepGvfpo  

Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland Bags ‘IIB Best Start Up Award 2022’ At IIB Business Conclave 2022

A trailblazing farmland project in India, Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland based in Hosur won ‘IIB Best Start Up Award 2022’ in the category of ‘Sandalwood Farmland Developers & Promoters.’ for its Return on investment (ROI) & nature conservation business model while its heavenly sandalwood farmland projects demand several breaths to be taken. Starting only in December 2021, the project witnessed an uptick in sales bolstered by the aesthetic aspects of the project.

One of the prestigious awards in the country, presented by Icons of Indian Business Magazine, a Bangalore-based publishing house. IIB Business Conclave 2022 concluded successfully recently at Goldfinch, Bangalore which witnessed several business leaders from a diverse spectrum of industries in India.

The Nominations to the IIB award were judged by a jury of leading industry experts in the country based on the landscape design, aesthetical appeal and sustainability-driven farming innovations.

Delighted with recognition, Ajay, Managing Director of Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland commented, “Our one of a kind investment based farmland is gaining popularity in the country. The unwavering focus on our farms and our client's needs attribute to our success. With over hundreds of nominations, Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland has earned the title as the Best Start-Up for the year 2022. I respect each and every nomination. I'm looking forward to redoing this again."

As seen in recent years, Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland has received a substantial amount of investments on an unparalleled scale, from hundreds of buyers from across the country. The Sandalwood farmland based in Hosur is regarded to be the only Gated Community Farm Project in India that yields significant returns while the owner enjoys his stay in the farmhouse.

The investment in the farmland is highly anticipated to double in the next 5 years owing to the close proximity of Bangalore & Hosur’s industrial developments while big developments are already being made in the locality of Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland at a blistering pace by the Government of Tamil Nadu.

The returns to the investor range between 1.5 crores to 1.8 crores when harvested. Sandalwood is known to be the 2nd most expensive wood in the world and the price per kg today is estimated at INR 16,000 for heartwood and INR 4500 for Sapwoods as per the price today.

The farmland incorporates 4-star resorts & sports arenas within the community and in-house experts take care of the complete maintenance of the farmland. The owner will be offered a 50% discount on the 4-star resort that extends over 8 acres and the large sports arena can be used for more than 150 activities.

Located 1 hour from Electronic city, Bangalore & 1 hour and 30 minutes from Koramangala, Bangalore, and extending over 360 acres, Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland offers plots where an individual can purchase a minimum of 10000 sq ft in multiple and 70% of the land is subject to be leased back to Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland for sandalwood plantation and the owner will earn revenue for the next 15 years while the remaining 30% will be the owner's magical farmhouse with a spectacular view of sandalwood plantation, the 2nd most expensive wood in the world. The entire process from the plantation, maintenance, and harvesting will be taken care of by Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland. Sandalwood trees are known to be the most sacred trees and are widely regarded to bring high returns.

Embellishing the house, the owner will be offered 15 fruit plants as complimentary, of which 4 will be Coconut trees and the remaining 11 will be planted as per the choice of the owner on the 30% land while the entire maintenance will be taken care by Sanvi Sandalwood Plantation. The perfect recreation for an owner to visit the farmhouse covered by a lush green garden and watch the plants prosper and grow which leaves a beautiful imprint in the memory.

Monthly income returns, capital appreciation on land, free maintenance that saves 15,000 per month, and Long-term returns on harvesting sandalwood plantations are some of the unique features of Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland. Owning a farmhouse like the one of  Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland, an owner has significant benefits like connecting with nature, the perfect weekend getaway destination, earning profits through crops harvested, staying away from pollution, hedging against inflation, high returns through long-term investment, and more.  Moreover, Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland offers additional services such as caretakers, horticulturists, Geologists, and engineering of the farmhouse as per the need of the client.

Taal Airport, the airfield owned by the renowned Taneja Aerospace, 45 mins from Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland, has been announced to be the domestic airport with land extending 1500 acres. Hosur to Denkanikottai & Hosur to Thally road is expected to be widened as 4 ways lane, the main access to TAAL airport. Denkanikottai to Panchapalli road is expected to be developed as a 60 feet road very soon. The industrial hub of Hosur which is home to the TVS factory, Ashok Leyland, Titan, GMR SEZ, Hosur Sipcot 2, and many more are located 1 hour from the farmland.

Reportedly, there has been a surge in the demand for farmlands owing to the trends of Work From Home (WFH), online studies, retirement paradise, and more. The owner will also have an option of renting the farmhouse to the 4-star resort operator for the guests which yields an additional income on the investment.

The first project to offer revenue-based farmhouses in the country,  Sanvi Sandalwood Farmland is touted as the ideal farmhouse with a tailor-made proposition where one can enjoy the luxurious lifestyle of 4-star resorts within the community while also growing colorful fruits and veggies.

Tata Motors Showcases Wide Range Of Safer, Smarter And Greener Mobility Solutions At AutoExpo 2023

Highlights of the Tata Motors pavilion at Auto Expo 2023:

·     Envisions the future as Moving India – Safer, Smarter, Greener

·     Transforms mobility with 26 aspirational, future ready passenger & commercial vehicle concepts

·     Leads ‘zero emission mobility’ with widest range of smart and green technologies in multi-fuel options

·     Sets new benchmarks in safety, design, capacity, and comfort for an Aspiring India

·     Offers immersive engagements for visitors to experience and celebrate the future  

At the prestigious Auto Expo 2023, Tata Motors, India’s largest auto and mobility solutions company, today unveiled its future ready range of safer, smarter and greener vehicles and concepts, designed to transform personal mobility, people mobility and cargo transport. Building on its fundamental strengths of engineering and innovation, its immense passion for ‘made in India’ and by embracing a human centric, hi-tech approach, Tata Motors is Moving India forward towards new dimensional innovations by providing holistic solutions and richer experiences to its customers.

Inaugurating the Tata Motors pavilion and unveiling its extensive range of vehicles, concepts and solutions, Mr. N Chandrasekaran, Executive Chairman, Tata Sons and Chairman, Tata Motors said, “We are leading sustainability, energy transition and digitalization led transformation in each of our businesses. With emphasis on zero emission powertrains, cutting-edge technologies, advanced design engineering and best-in-class services, Tata Motors is accelerating the adoption of sustainable mobility and ‘net zero’ carbon emission goals. At the Auto Expo 2023, we are proud to present our vision of the future and its manifestation through our new age vehicles, concepts and smart mobility solutions.”

With the largest display of vehicles, concepts and solutions for both people and cargo mobility at the Auto Expo 2023, Tata Motors is demonstrating its leadership, commitment and future readiness to holistically fulfil the evolving mobility needs of a rising India.

Highlights of the Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles display at Auto Expo 2023:

Tata Motors aspires net-zero emissions by 2045 for commercial vehicle business

Unveils 14 exclusive vehicles & concepts representing, India’s greenest, smartest, and most advanced range of logistics & mass mobility solutions

·     First in India:  Most comprehensive range of greener sustainable logistics and mass mobility solutions across CV segments, powered by natural gas, electric and hydrogen

·     Showstopper: Showcasing the decarbonization pathway concept for long-haul trucking, with 4 clean propulsion technologies integrated in the Prima range: Hydrogen ICE, Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV, Battery EV & LNG

·     Unique Hydrogen propulsion concepts:

*  Starbus Fuel cell EV- India’s first Hydrogen fuel cell bus for commercial application

*  PRIMA E.55S- India’s first hydrogen fuel cell powered Tractor concept

*  PRIMA H.55S- India’s first hydrogen ICE powered concept truck

·     Unveils:

*  Signa (28 to 55 T range), underpinned by the new generation, all-energy architecture and modern cabin for M&HCV segment

*  Azura (7 to 19T range), underpinned by the new generation architecture for I&LCV segment, with all new exteriors and interiors

*  Ultra E.9- Zero emission, smart logistics city truck for intracity high-capacity urban cargo transportation

*  Magic EV- Electrified version of India’s favourite last-mile passenger transport

*  Prima E.28K- Zero emission versatile tipper concept for Mining and closed loop applications

·     Displays:

*  Ace EV- Zero emission last mile distribution small commercial vehicle

*  Starbus EV- State-of-the-art, Zero emission, Urban public transport solution

·     Reveals: 

*  Yodha CNG & Intra V20 BiFuel (long range)- new CNG powered pick-ups

*  Prima G.35K- India’s first LNG Tipper for heavy duty applications

*  Winger: Premium version of popular Winger with luxurious interiors that re-defines the ride comfort

·     Exhibits: smart digital and connected vehicle offerings: e-Dukaan, Fleet Edge & Fleet Management Solution

Speaking about the future of mobility from the commercial vehicle perspective, Mr. Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors, said,” We are leading the global megatrend of sustainable, connected, and safer mobility in India. With our goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045, we are transforming mobility by re-imagining our entire product portfolio, value chain and operations. Today, we have unveiled India’s cleanest, smartest, and most advanced range of logistics and mass mobility solutions across all segments of commercial vehicles. Underpinned by the state-of-the-art propulsion technologies, we are uniquely positioned to offer in every segment multiple green fuel options- natural gas, electric, and hydrogen. Our commitment and proactive actions towards zero-emission technologies will enable customers to progressively and seamlessly transition to cleaner and commercially viable mobility solutions, both over the short and long term.”

Highlights of the Tata Motors Passenger & Electric Vehicles display at Auto Expo 2023:

Tata Motors aspires net-zero emissions by 2040 for passenger vehicle business

Presents 12 vehicles and concepts of India’s best designed, smartest and greenest range of personal mobility solutions

·     Showstopper: SIERRA.EV, a timeless design created with ‘Human Experience’ at its core

·     First in India: All-wheel drive electric SUV, HARRIER.EV, a Bold, Powerful, Intelligent vehicle developed on the Gen 2 architecture

·     Public debut: AVINYA concept, an expression of a pure electric vehicle built on the GEN 3 architecture - introduces a new typology of mobility that liberates enormous roominess and comfort

·     ICE version of the Concept CURVV, merges robust appeal of SUV with the perfect balance between elegance, performance and practicality

·     Disrupts CNG segment: full boot space in Altroz iCNG and Punch iCNG - revolutionary twin-cylinder technology delivers super space and performance

·     For performance enthusiasts: Sets pulse racing with the Altroz Racer and the sporty version of the Tiago.ev in their fun to drive avatars with gritty on-road presence

Speaking about the future of mobility from the passenger vehicles perspective, Mr. Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., said, “The Passenger Vehicle business has been focused on creating innovations and disruptions to constantly move India forward. With our ‘New Forever’ philosophy, we have refreshed and upgraded our portfolio with speed and agility, in line with fast evolving customer needs and lifestyles. We are creating India centric, new age personal mobility solutions by deploying smarter and safer technologies. We are investing in world class powertrains to deliver low emissions and superior performance. Today, we are unveiling design innovations in CNG that will disrupt established norms and are presenting modern body-styles with the concept Curvv in its ICE avatar for the aspiring Indians.

We are driving towards a greener future mandate which demands an urgent collaborative action to reduce carbon emission. With an aim to attain net zero emission by 2040, we are spearheading this mission on the back of our three-gen EV architecture strategy. With the Tiago.ev, we have disrupted the market by making EVs more accessible. Today, we have unveiled products across Gen 2 and Gen 3 architecture with the Avinya, Harrier.EV and our showstopper-Sierra.EV which will make EVs more aspirational. EV contribution in our portfolio is likely to increase to 25% in 5 years and reach 50% by 2030.”

NueGo Forms Strategic “Partnership With Paytm For Online Bus Ticket Booking”

* The agreement will facilitate ticket bookings of NueGo fleet across all routes pan India 

* Enables seamless and convenient booking experience for NueGo electric buses between Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Jaipur and Indore-Bhopal 

NueGo, India’s first premium electric inter-city coach services brand announced the strategic partnership with Paytm, India’s leading payments and financial services company and the pioneer of QR and mobile payments, launching a convenient bus ticket booking facility for its customers. This partnership would allow commuters to digitally reserve the seat of their choice in all NueGo buses across India, providing a seamless digital booking experience.  

Paytm will enable commuters to book tickets without being physically present inside the bus or at the ticket counter, making the travel experience even more seamless. The tickets can be bought using various digital payment methods including Paytm Wallet, Paytm UPI, net-banking, and credit/ debit cards. These tickets can be pre-booked as per the convenience of the commuters. 

NueGo, the flagship inter-city electric mobility coach brand of GreenCell Mobility is currently plying across India primarily on the Bhopal-Indore, Delhi-Chandigarh and Delhi-Jaipur routes. NueGo aims to provide exceptional ride quality and in-cabin experience for the inter-city travelers while ensuring a safer and greener ride. Aimed at the new age traveler, the association with Paytm will enable NueGo customers to avail the Paytm ticketing service across all operational routes delivering an augmented travel experience.  

Speaking on the occasion, Sumit Mittal, COO & Director Finance, GreenCell Mobility said, “We are happy to partner with Paytm, India’s leading payments and financial services company and the pioneer of QR and mobile payments, for online bus ticket booking service for NueGo. We at NueGo aim to create and endorse the mobility solutions that are future ready. We believe that digitizing the process will help us provide a holistic travel experience with our world class electric coach services. The digitalization will help us ensure and promote safe, seamless, contactless travel and reduced congestion on ticket counters”  

Paytm Spokesperson said, “For millions of users, Paytm is the go-to app for all their travel ticketing needs. Our endeavour is to enable convenient travel for our users and provide them with a wide range of bus service operators that they can choose as per their suitability. Now, with NueGo onboard, we can also offer our users sustainable travel options.”  

About GreenCell Mobility Pvt. Ltd: 

GreenCell Mobility (GreenCell) has been set up to become a leading pan-India shared electric mobility player by leveraging proven global experience, developments in e-mobility technology, and the Government of India’s strong push for electrification of transportation in India. GreenCell has been promoted by EverSource Capital, the fund manager of India’s pioneering climate impact fund. EverSource Capital is an equal joint venture between Everstone Group, one of Asia’s premier investment groups with assets in excess of US$6 billion across private equity, real estate, credit, climate impact investments and green infrastructure and venture capital; and Lightsource bp, a global leader in development and management of solar energy projects. 

GreenCell is building a platform to provide Electric Mobility-as-a-Service (eMaaS), initially using electric buses and delivering the core value proposition of cheaper non-polluting on-demand shared transportation, charging infrastructure, and enabling products for the e-mobility value chain. For more information,  visit www.greencellmobility.com