Quest Global Reinforces Commitment To Encourage India’s Future Engineers, Concludes 11th Edition of Ingenium In Kochi

* Winners will receive an all-expense paid educational trip to an Alstom facility in Europe

Quest Global, one of the world’s leading engineering services firms, has concluded the 11th edition of Quest Global Ingenium 2023 in Kochi, Kerala. The contest is a platform that offers engineering students a chance to bring their unique tech solutions to life, further strengthening Quest Global’s belief that innovative engineering solutions are significant in building pathways to a brighter future.

India’s brightest young minds from top engineering colleges took part in the contest. There were 1800+ submissions from across the country in the 11th edition of Quest Global Ingenium, reflecting the widespread appeal of this innovative platform for aspiring engineers. The jury selected the team from Jayawantrao Sawant College of Engineering, Hadapsar, Maharashtra as the winners of the 11th edition of the contest. The team focused on multipurpose EVs and worked on an innovative solution intended to make commuting easier for elderly and disabled. The group comprised of Surana Sanyam Nilesh, Ankit Sahal, Abhinandan Jain and Aditya Malapure.

The winning team will visit the Alstom facility in Europe, and experience first-hand cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions developed by the company. This educational trip will provide students with valuable industry exposure and insights into rail signalling systems and next-generation trains. The mentorship and networking opportunities that come with this visit will prove to be a great asset for the students, helping them build relationships and contacts that will benefit them in furthering their careers as engineers.

Speaking at the occasion, Lakshminarayanan Ramalingam, Chief Operating Officer, Quest Global said, “Quest Global is in the business of engineering solutions for the real world, but what we’re really building is a brighter future. We believe engineering has the unique opportunity to solve the problems of today that stand in the way of tomorrow. Quest Global Ingenium is a platform that brings innovation in engineering to the forefront and has the potential to internalize revolutionary ideas and find solutions across industries. I take this opportunity to congratulate all the winners. Seeing various innovative ideas from the young engineering talent was undeniably remarkable.”

He added, “We thank Alstom, for their support and encouragement in making this contest a success. Due to their support, we can provide experiential learning to these young engineers. Our shared vision of fostering innovation and providing a platform to the young talent leaves me excited for the future, where I will witness this level of creativity from the next generation of engineers.” 

The team from School Of Engineering And Technology Jain University Bangalore, emerged as the first runner-up. They prioritized artificial intelligence and developed a project that proposes to be a unique platform to detect and prevent diseases in plants. The team was comprised of Diksha Chakravarty, Aakash Rajaraman, Yashas S, Nishtha Jain. Meanwhile, the second runner-up was the team from Chandigarh University, which focused on carbon emissions. Their project aims to improve air quality for the future generation. The team was composed of Abhilash Gaurav and Abhigyan Pal.

Quest Global Ingenium, in the past, has impacted the lives of many talented students by offering a pathway to their dreams through proper mentorship and global exposure. With an objective to make students industry-ready, the contest is designed to let the participants get a first-hand experience from industry leaders. Quest Global, as an organization, strongly believes in nurturing talent to drive innovative solutions to modern problems. Through these events, the company wants to help the next generation of engineers explore their innovative side, addressing the industry's acute talent shortage.

About Quest Global

We are Quest Global. We’re in the business of engineering, but what we’re really building is a brighter future. It’s not just what we do, but why we do it that makes us different. We believe engineering has the unique opportunity to solve the problems of today that stand in the way of tomorrow. For 25 years, we have strived to be the most trusted partner for the world’s hardest engineering problems. As a global organization headquartered in Singapore, we live and work in 17 countries, with 56 global delivery centers & offices, driven by 17,000+ extraordinary employees who make the impossible possible every day.

Quest Global brings deep industry knowledge and digital expertise to deliver end-to-end global product engineering services.  We bring together technologies and industries alongside the contributions of diverse individuals and their areas of expertise to solve problems better, and faster. This multi-dimensional approach enables us to solve the most important and large-scale challenges across the Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Energy, Hi-Tech, Healthcare, Medical Devices, Rail, and Semiconductor industries.

iCreate Announces iTERF, A Global Fellowship Programme To Promote Research In Tech Entrepreneurship During Startup20 Sikkim Sabha

* iTERF is an essential component of the Startup20 Engagement Group that encompasses countries within the G20.

* Each research fellow will receive USD 1000 per month for 12 months and lifetime recognition as ‘iTERF Fellow’.

iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology), India's leading technology innovation-based startup incubator, today announced the launch of a one-of-its-kind global research fellowship programme, iTERF (??iCreate Technology Entrepreneurship Research Fellowship). Aimed at initiating interdisciplinary inquiry into technology entrepreneurship, the iTERF programme is an intrinsic part of the Startup20 Engagement Group of G20 countries, under the Indian Presidency in 2023. iTERF will present an opportunity for selected researchers to become part of the engagement activities of the Startup20.

Commenting on the launch, Avinash Punekar, CEO, iCreate said, “We are thrilled to launch iTERF which has been part of our charter and a fond wish of our founder, Late Dr. H. Anil Kumar. We believe that it will facilitate the creation of a strong knowledge ecosystem that will serve the common objective of iCreate and Startup20, which is fostering innovation and supporting emerging entrepreneurs. By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives, we hope to develop a holistic understanding of the technology entrepreneurship landscape, and this will become a vital input in building, nurturing and growing innovation ecosystems. We look forward to welcoming researchers from diverse backgrounds and from across the world, and supporting them in their pursuit of new ideas and insights.”

With iTERF, iCreate and Startup20 seek to initiate interdisciplinary inquiry into technology entrepreneurship using lenses that range from anthropology, economics, engineering, management, philosophy, psychology, sciences, sociology, and technology, among others. Areas of inquiry would be on the following themes:

Startup ecosystem harmonization, institutional mechanisms & G20

Startup funding & ecosystem wealth creation

Startup ecosystem in the context of inclusion & sustainability

Startup ecosystem & effects on global culture

Startup ecosystem, economy development & global outlays

According to iCreate, while the iTERF programme aims to democratise research in the rapidly evolving domain of innovation and entrepreneurship, a rigorous evaluation process has been put in place to ensure that the research output is world class. Following a stringent screening and selection process, the two winning proposals will be announced at the Startup20 Summit, scheduled on 3rd July 2023, at Gurugram. The researchers would be reviewed quarterly and given a lifetime recognition as ‘iTERF Fellows’ on completing their research project.

About iCreate

Winner of the National Award for Technology Business Incubator 2020, iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology) is an autonomous centre of excellence of the Government of Gujarat and is India’s largest institution for transforming start-ups based on tech innovation into successful businesses. Located in a state-of-the-art 40-acre campus at Dev Dholera in Ahmedabad, it has supported over 544 innovations and 47 patents with a ‘high-touch, entrepreneur first model’, connecting them with mentors, markets, and money. Embedded systems and IoT are a focus area for iCreate, in domains like electric vehicles, agritech, smart cities, health tech, industrial automation, and renewable energy, among others. It is home to Cisco's largest Innovation Lab in India and has partnerships with leading institutions in the US, Israel, and other countries. It has a strategic partnership with CSIR, India's apex organisation for science and technology, and with leading institutions worldwide.

Zomato And Simpl Conclude Zomaland’s Season 3 With A Bang In Bengaluru

* Simpl partners with Zomato to power Zomaland’s 3rd season with its 1-tap checkout

* Zomaland concludes with Bengaluru being the 7th city after a successful season

The eventful season 3 of Zomaland, India’s grandest food and entertainment carnival by Zomato reaches its final destination, Bengaluru on March 18 and 19. After a successful season debut in Pune, Zomaland continued a thriving run with sold-out shows across six prominent Indian cities, covering Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. Simpl, the preferred payments partner for Zomaland, enabled a swift ticket-buying experience throughout the season. The Bengaluru edition of Zomaland will take place at Embassy International Riding School for which people can buy tickets using Simpl.

Win an All-Expense Paid Luxury Trip to Dubai with Simpl at Zomaland

Participants at Zomaland in Bengaluru can also win an all-expense paid 2-day/3-night trip to Dubai. The lucky winner gets couple tickets to fly with Emirates to Dubai and stay at the Burj Khalifa. They will also enjoy a royal dining experience at a Michelin Star Restaurant in Dubai. For more details, visit the Simpl Zone at Zomaland.

Bengaluru, get ready to savour the best in food and entertainment

The 2-day Zomaland carnival in Bengaluru will host an array of delectable fare from over 50+ of the best food and restaurant brands, including Brik Oven, The Filter Coffee, Tibb’s Frankie, Theka Coffee, Nizaam Rolls, Sweet Factory, Mojito Shack, and many more.

Artists’ lineup for the Bengaluru leg of the Zomaland season 3 includes King, The Yellow Diary, Divine, Lucky Ali, Gaurav Kapoor, Mitraz, and many more.

“Simpl is delighted to be in the ‘Silicon Valley of India’ Bengaluru as the official powered-by partner for Zomaland season 3. Reaching its last destination with terrific performances by splendid artists and huge variety of food stalls, Zomaland is prepared to give Bengaluru an experience of a lifetime. As Zomaland’s preferred payment partner, Simpl not only lets you book tickets to the carnival, but you also get to shop from over 26K+ brands available on our Simpl network.” said Nitya Sharma, CEO & Co-founder, Simpl.

“It's been a long time now, we have been partnering with Zomato as a checkout partner. Customer centric approach and ensuring a frictionless consumer experience, are the common focal points which we share. So, it made sense for us to extend that collaboration and sign up as Zomaland’s preferred partner for this year’s edition. Now, as the season comes to an end, we are glad that we had this stellar partnership with Zomato and look forward to more such collaborations with them in the future,” he further added on the partnership with Zomaland.

Simpl is hosting a ‘Simpl Zone’ with games such as mini golf and lots more. Winners get to enjoy goodies from Papacream where people transacting through Simpl app would get an ice cream at just Re 1. The experiential Simpl Zone has something for everyone!

“We’re thrilled to bring Simpl to Zomaland as our preferred payment partner. As a customer and digital-first platform, we always strive to create a world-class experience for all our users. With Simpl’s pioneering product, we are glad to offer our attendees a flexible and hassle-free way to experience the carnival and empower our restaurant partners,” said Nishant Taneja, Business Head, Zomato Live.

About Simpl

Simpl is India’s foremost 1-tap checkout network, making payments invisible and money intelligent. Simpl is on a mission to empower merchants to build trusted relationships with customers, one transaction at a time. With over 26,000 available merchants and millions of users pan-India, Simpl envisions creating a frictionless and inclusive digital payments experience for India that empowers and fosters trust between merchants and their customers.

Simpl is a consumer experience platform providing a full-stack solution for e-commerce conversion. It enables merchants to give customers 1-tap checkout, buyer protection, and a pay-later facility to feel safe and trusted when shopping online. Through Simpl, merchants can provide consumers with an easy, safe, and intuitive user experience.

About Zomato

Zomato's mission is better food for more people. Started in 2010, Zomato, a tech-first company, offers services like restaurant search & discovery, reviews, ordering and home delivery of food, online table reservation, and digital payments when dining out. It also works with restaurant partners to provide tools to engage and acquire more customers while empowering them with a last-mile delivery service and a one-stop procurement solution - Hyperpure, for ingredients and kitchen products.

Apart from this, Zomato has been focusing on providing transparent and flexible earning opportunities to its delivery fleet and contributing towards a more sustainable society through its collaboration with Hunger Heroes, a not-for-profit - Feeding India.

TrafficGuard Takes Part In Ad:Tech 2023 At Gurgaon From March 15-16

Ad:tech New Delhi was all about what’s trending in the digital ecosystem. An unparalleled marketplace where marketing, technology, and media communities come together to share trends, insights, and disruptive technology that’s shaping the digital economy. The AdTech 2023 witnessed Industry Leaders discuss the evolving role of marketing and what markets must avoid in current times. Attendees at this year’s Ad:Tech 2023 were invited to an insightful conference. 

The theme of Ad:tech 2023 was Marketing in 2023 - Driving Business Growth, which emphasizes increasing efficiency in customer journeys while addressing economic challenges, and increasing costs of technology, CAC, and data privacy.

The two-day conference, which was held at The Leela Ambience Hotel, Gurgaon from 15-16th March, had 120+ speakers, 6000+ marketing professionals, 25+ sponsors and partners, and publishers waiting to greet them. The conference and exhibition brought together brands, agencies, publishers, and technology service providers to explore the future of marketing. 

Himanshu Nagrecha (Vice President of South Asia & India) appeared alongside other industry tech experts to discuss what’s trending in the digital ecosystem. 

“Across the globe, ad fraud poses a significant challenge, and India is no different. As the digital economy rises and brands increase their ad spend, ad fraud tactics will become more sophisticated, resulting in more ad spend being lost each year. Additionally, Google PPC, mobile user acquisition, and affiliate campaigns all generate between 5 - 25% invalid traffic on average. Apparently, for performance marketers who want growth and user acquisition, an independent ad fraud solution is necessary to prevent these bad actors from infiltrating the campaign and ensure high-quality traffic - a combination of real, genuine users that convert as well as clean data that can be optimized.” said, Himanshu Nagrecha, Vice President of South Asia & India, Traffic Guard.

“Meeting marketers at Ad tech this year helped us confirm our belief that ad fraud and wasted marketing dollars are a major concern for them. They are continuously evaluating solutions which are foolproof and work across the funnel i.e PPC, Mobile app UA, Web affiliate, and social.”

About the brand:-

TrafficGuard is a global advertising verification company that helps advertisers to avoid wasted spend and unlock the best outcomes. Powered by the immense scale of data and the expertise behind the universal advertising verification suite, TrafficGuard drives superior search advertising performance by verifying advertising engagement as they occur, proactively blocking invalid traffic from infiltrating search campaigns – helping ad spend to reach more real users and protecting the integrity of data that marketers, agencies, designers and developers rely on day in, day out to drive performance improvements.

TrafficGuard is based in Australia and headquartered in Perth. The company also has offices in Singapore, and has staff presence also across the UK, Brazil, India and the US, serving over 3000 customers globally.

TrafficGuard is part of Adveritas, listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX: AV1)

For more information, find us at www.trafficguard.ai

Karnataka Minister Dr. Murugesh R. Nirani Inaugurates The 1st Edition of IIJS Tritiya In Bangalore

·        The show features more than 800 exhibitors and over 1,500 stalls

·         GJEPC is supporting the Jewellers Association Bengaluru in setting up a Jewellery Park in Karnataka

India’s apex body, The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) presents India International Jewellery Show - IIJS Tritiya – in Southern India at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) from 17th to 20th March 2023 – a month prior to Akshaya Tritiya, the auspicious gold jewellery-buying festival. IIJS Tritiya follows the stupendous success of IIJS Premiere - Bengaluru 2021, which revealed the latent potential of Southern region.

The inauguration of IIJS Tritiya 2023 was graced by Dr. Murugesh R. Nirani, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, Government of Karnataka (Chief Guest); and Shri T. S. Kalyanaraman, Managing Director of Kalyan Jewellers (Guest of Honour); along with Shri Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC; Shri Kirit Bhansali, Vice Chairman, GJEPC; Shri R. Arulanandan, Director of the Department of Commerce; Shri Suresh Kumar Ganna, President, Jewellers Association Bengaluru; Shri Nirav Bhansali, Convener, National Exhibitions, GJEPC; Shri Sabyasachi Ray, ED, GJEPC along with others.

GJEPC and Jewellers Association Bengaluru (JAB) also signed a MoU during the inauguration with an objective of working towards the enhancement and development of jewellery manufacturing and trade in Karnataka.

Dr. Murugesh R. Nirani, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, Government of Karnataka, said, “Karnataka is one state with multiple opportunities and possibilities and Bangalore is the epicenter of South India’s domestic and international trade. After establishing leadership position in technology, IT services, software, electronic manufacturing services, mobile phone handsets and semi-conductors, we are now aspiring to enhance our gem & jewellery business as this industry contributes significantly to India’s exports.  The upcoming gem & jewellery park in Karnataka will become a significant hub of South India and generate more than 1 lakh jobs.”

Guest of Honour Shri T. S. Kalyanaraman, Managing Director of Kalyan Jewellers, said, “The gem & jewellery business undergoes constant evolution and participating in IIJS shows regularly has helped in keeping us updated with the times. IIJS Tritiya is a great opportunity for South Indian entrepreneurs in the gem & jewellery business to make their mark and connect to international and domestic buyers. I remember how I started off as a third-generation entrepreneur three decades back and have finally reached this stage today thanks to the support and initiatives of GJEPC.”  

Mr. Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC said, “IIJS Tritiya is poised to act as a catalyst for further advancement of the gem and jewellery industry in Karnataka, benefiting both manufacturers and retailers. We are already witnessing a surge in exports from this state. From April 2022 to February 2023, the gem and jewellery exports from Karnataka experienced a remarkable growth of 169%, reaching USD 150.33 million, as compared to last year. The show presents exporters from southern India the opportunity to take their business to the next level. Currently India’s overall gem & jewellery exports account for USD 40 billion and our goal is to reach USD 75 billion exports by 2030.”

“This exhibition not only offers exhibitors a chance to showcase their products but also provides them with invaluable insights into the diverse markets and their ever-changing tastes and trends,” added Mr. Shah. 

Speaking on the collaboration with Jewellers Association Bengaluru, Mr. Vipul Shah said, “GJEPC is supporting the Jewellers Association Bengaluru, in setting up a Jewellery Park in Karnataka. Discussions are underway with the state Government regarding the allocation and finalisation of land for the project.  This initiative aims to offer efficient assistance to jewellery manufacturers and traders seeking to expand their operations in the state of Karnataka. The project is expected to generate 1 lakh additional jobs in the sector for the people of Karnataka.”

Mr. Kirit Bhansali, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, said, “GJEPC is grateful to Dr. Murugesh R. Nirani, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, Karnataka, for his vision and support to increasing gem & jewellery exports. Since its inception 38 years ago, IIJS has surpassed its role as a conventional exhibition and has become the primary national platform for the Indian jewellery manufacturing industry to network with global retailers.”

Mr. Nirav Bhansali, Convener, National Exhibitions, GJEPC, said, “IIJS, as a B2B platform, has been instrumental in promoting and developing the gem & jewellery business in India. IIJS Tritiya along with Signature and Premiere, are likely to generate business of over Rs. 1 lakh Crore in 2023. We are also targeting to plant 1 lakh trees this year under the “One Earth” initiative towards our ultimate aim of making all our shows carbon-neutral.”

IIJS Tritiya, the third exhibition under the IIJS banner, features more than 800 exhibitors and over 1,500 stalls spread across Halls 4 and 5, covering an area of 45,000 square meters.

The event is expected to attract over 15,000 trade visitors from 600 cities and will showcase a wide range of products, including gold and gold CZ studded jewellery, diamond, gemstone and other studded jewellery, silver jewellery, artefacts, and gifting items, loose stones, lab-grown diamonds, as well as laboratories and educational resources. Based on the feedback from visitors and exhibitors, IIJS Tritiya show timings have been adjusted from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Innov8 Talks, a knowledge exchange forum, will feature a range of topics including a masterclass for quality management titled Kaizen Practitioner; the power of story telling; Cyber Crime- The New Threat to your Business. New features at IIJS Tritiya 2023 also include LaunchPad exclusive product launch area.

IIJS Tritiya boasts several notable features, including affordable five-star and budget hotels, self-operated touch screen information kiosks, mobile charging stations, shuttle services to and from official hotels, metro stations, and airports, buggy services within the venue, and cafeteria, specially designed cafés, etc.

About The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)

The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), set up by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India (GoI) in 1966, is one of several Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) launched by the Indian Government, to boost the country’s export thrust, when India’s post-Independence economy began making forays in the international markets. Since 1998, the GJEPC has been granted autonomous status. The GJEPC is the apex body of the gems & jewellery industry and today represents 8800 members in the sector.  With headquarters in Mumbai, GJEPC has Regional Offices in New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Surat and Jaipur, all of which are major centres for the industry. It thus has a wide reach and is able to have a closer interaction with members to serve them in a direct and more meaningful manner. Over the past decades, GJEPC has emerged as one of the most active EPCs and has continuously strived to both expand its reach and depth in its promotional activities as well as widen and increase services to its members.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GJEPC

Instagram: www.instagram.com/gjepcindia

Youtube: www.youtube.com/gjepcindia

Twitter: www.twitter.com/GJEPCIndia 

Photocaptions: Dr. Murugesh R. Nirani, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, Government of Karnataka (Chief Guest) inaugurates IIJS Tritiya at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre in the presence of Shri Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC (to the Minister's right); Shri Kirit Bhansali, Vice Chairman, GJEPC (to the Minister's left); Shri Nirav Bhansali, Convener, National Exhibitions, GJEPC (extreme left,

SANY India Strengthens Its India Presence, Opening Its “New Dealership” In Karnataka

SANY India, a leading manufacturer of construction equipment comes up with “new dealership” in Bangalore (Karnataka) in association with Masany Infra Equipments LLP and further strengthens its presence in the region taking the total count of touch points to 15 in Karnataka. The new state of the art dealership will offer sales, service, and spare parts to all esteemed customers in the region. 

This dealership will play role of frontline office of Sany India in Bangalore offering excavators and motor graders for our customers and will also prove to be a crucial connect between the company and customer and further strengthen the service delivery of SANY India. 

Masany Infra Equipments LLP will also cater to territories of Chamarajanagar, Chikballapur, Chikkamagaluru (Chikmagalur), Hassan, Kodagu, Kolar, Mandya, Mysuru (Mysore), Ramanagara, Tumakuru (Tumkur).  

The inauguration took place in presence of Mr. Deepak Garg, Managing Director, SANY India  & South Asia along with Mr. Dheeraj Panda, Chief Operating Officer (COO) (Sales, Marketing & Customer Support) SANY Heavy Industry India Pvt. Ltd. and Mr. Sachin Raj P K, Managing Director, Masany Infra Equipments LLP. The new dealership will cater to a large potential customer in the region. This new facility will offer more opportunities to the company for enhancing their future scalability plans.  

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Deepak Garg, Managing Director, SANY India  & South Asia said, “We are delighted to inaugurate the new dealership office in association with Masany Infra Equipments LLP. We hope that this new facility will pay a role of catalyst in pushing our market presence towards leadership position in the region and for which we will extend our complete support. And also, with this new 3S office, SANY India  tends to provide loftier support and service to its customer who have shown their trust for the brand.” 

Mr. Sachin Raj P K, Managing Director, Masany Infra Equipments LLP, Said, “We are extremely happy to inaugurate our Head office in Bangalore, the new facility will offer  SANY India ’s best in class products equipped with global technology We are pleased to have SANY India ’s support which will help us to capitalize this opportunity and grow as an organization.  

This Ugadi, Welcome The New Year With Rare And Precious Platinum Jewellery

Ugadi is a significant Hindu festival that marks the beginning of a new year, and it has its roots in the ancient Sanskrit language. The word "Ugadi" is derived from the combination of two Sanskrit words, "yuga" and "adi," which symbolize the start of a new era. The festival is celebrated with immense joy and devotion, primarily in the southern states of India including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.

Ugadi, the festival of new beginnings, calls for a gift that's as precious and timeless as the occasion itself. And what could be better than the gift of pure and precious platinum? This rare and valuable metal has its origins in the stars and is renowned for its ability to withstand daily wear and tear without losing its luster or shape.

With a purity level of 95%, its durability and versatility, platinum jewellery is an ideal choice for those looking to purchase or gift jewellery on the occasion of Ugadi.  These very attributes make platinum a symbol of enduring love and commitment. Whether it's a pendant, a ring, or a bracelet, the gift of platinum is sure to leave a lasting impression on your loved ones.

Commenting on this auspicious occasion, Vaishali Banerjee, Managing Director, Platinum Guild International-India said, “Festivals in India bring a renewed sense of energy and spirit to consumers, who celebrate with great enthusiasm and excitement. These occasions mark new beginnings and positivity, with consumers increasingly looking for meaningful purchases to commemorate the occasion. We have seen a significant uptick in demand for platinum jewellery during these festivities. The upcoming festivities offer a positive outlook for sales, setting the stage for a great footfall in the next quarter for our retail partners.”

Alukkas Varghese Joy, Managing Director, Joyalukkas India Ltd, “Ugadi marks the onset of a new year and envelopes the country in a warm festive embrace. We foresee a positive consumer outlook for platinum jewellery it makes an ideal choice to celebrate this auspicious festival symbolising prosperity”.

John Alukkas , Managing Director, Jos Alukkas India Ltd,“ Ugadi holds a symbolic significance as a festival of new beginnings and a harbinger of prosperity. It is viewed as an auspicious occasion to purchase gifts for the family and loved ones.  We have seen that platinum makes for an ideal gift to commemorate this festival, especially among younger consumers. We are optimistic that Ugadi will create a positive momentum that will carry forward through the festive season”.

Rajesh Kalyanaraman Executive Director of Kalyan Jewellers, “As we welcome the new year with a positive outlook and the festive spirit of Ugadi, we are witnessing a positive buying sentiment for platinum jewellery. The increase in footfall across stores is expected to translate to a significant rise in sales volume. We are optimistic about the upcoming festive season and expect to begin this new year on a high note.” 

G.R. ‘Anand’ Ananthapadmanabhan, Managing Director, GRT Jewellers, “Ugadi marks the beginning of a new year and offers an opportunity for a fresh start. There is a strong sense of positivity felt among our consumers as they get ready to celebrate this festival with much fervour and excitement. We anticipate strong demand for platinum jewellery to mark this important festival. We continue to see a growing preference for trendy, daily wear, platinum jewellery driven by the younger segment and expect this trend to accelerate through the season.”

G. R. Radhakrishnan, Managing Director, GRT Jewellers, “Ugadi marks the beginning of a new year in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Karnataka and is celebrated with huge fanfare. Being a festival of prosperity and abundance, people indulge in jewellery for self-purchase as well as gifting.”

ABOUT PLATINUM GUILD INTERNATIONAL (PGI)

Platinum Guild International (PGI) is a marketing organisation with the vision to develop the global platinum jewellery market as a new demand source for platinum. It was formed in 1975 with specialist teams dedicated to growing the global platinum jewellery market through consumer and trade-facing programmes in the four key jewellery markets of China, India, Japan and USA. Since then, jewellery development has demonstrated a strong track record in delivering results. Through various programmes, both direct-to-consumer and in collaboration with Jewellery retailers and manufacturers, PGI creates consumer ounce demand by first identifying opportunities for platinum in jewellery, and then developing them with partners. It also aims to build an enduring commitment to platinum in jewellery.  PGI’s consumer marketing and educational programmes are focused on developing awareness and an appreciation for platinum’s unique properties as a precious metal for fine jewellery.

In addition, PGI works globally with collaborative partners running extensive marketing programmes in the four main platinum jewellery markets of China, Japan, USA and India. These markets are staffed with experts in strategic planning, marketing, retail, design and business development. Since 2015 PGI has been headquartered in Hong Kong. PGI is funded by the leading platinum producers of South Africa, as well as through co-funded programmes with the jewellery industry. 

PURITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM

PGI has partnered with TUV India Pvt Ltd to implement a robust audit programme to ensure the purity of platinum under its programme. TUV is one of the country’s first certification bodies and has been closely associated with the quality revolution in India. Under Platinum Guild India’s quality assurance programme, each individual piece of Jewellery has an assured purity as high as 95%. And as a proof of this assurance, every piece is stamped ‘Pt950’ and comes with a tamper-proof quality assurance card that distinguishes authentic platinum from other jewellery. A Unique Identification Number is also stamped on the jewellery in addition to the detailed description of the piece you choose for yourself. Our quality assurance programme is in place to ensure transparency and that the platinum the consumer buys is of the highest quality. After all, that is what true value is all about.

Wiley & Manipal Academy Of Higher Education Sign Open Access Agreement In India

* The agreement aimed at promoting open access represents Wiley’s first in India

The Wiley, one of the world’s largest publishers and a global leader in scientific research and career-connected education, announced an open access agreement with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). Beginning in 2023, this agreement will be in effect with MAHE, an institute of eminence.

The agreement, which represents Wiley’s first in India, provides authors affiliated with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education with access to Wiley’s journal portfolio and enables participating researchers to publish articles open access in nearly 2,000 hybrid and gold open access journals, including those published by Hindawi.

Commenting on the partnership, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) MD Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, MAHE said, “Both Manipal Academy of Higher Education and Wiley have formed a partnership to foster an open science culture among stakeholders. Through this collaboration, the aim is to promote the dissemination of MAHE's research outcomes to researchers worldwide, without any access barriers. This will facilitate the advancement of science and encourage greater collaboration among researchers.”

Mr. Ritesh Kumar, Country Lead for Wiley in India, said, "We are delighted to announce our new agreement with Manipal Academy of Higher Education. We are also excited as this is Wiley’s first open access agreement in India. Our collaboration with Manipal Academy of Higher Education will ensure that research created by the academic community in the institution is accessible to a broader audience. By enhancing opportunities to publish open access, we aim to maximize the impact of research and support greater engagement and collaboration among research communities.”

Wiley has strong momentum in delivering open access agreements globally, having signed partnerships with over 2,200 institutions spanning 23 countries. Every one of Wiley’s transformational agreements, whether for hybrid or gold journals, includes read access, which allows researchers at participating institutions full access to content published within its portfolio of journals.

About Wiley

Wiley is one of the world’s largest publishers and a global leader in scientific research and career-connected education. Founded in 1807, Wiley enables discovery, powers education, and shapes workforces. Through its industry-leading content, digital platforms, and knowledge networks, the company delivers on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About MAHE

Founded in 1953, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is a globally engaged institution with active partnerships with more than 250 leading universities around the globe. MAHE is synonymous with excellence in higher education and therefore conferred the status of Institute of Eminence (IOE) by Govt. of India. Research has always been an area of paramount importance at MAHE. The experts at MAHE are taking meticulous and meaningful steps to build reservoirs of intellectual wealth and academic excellence. In the process, MAHE has created some of the country’s best institutes and schools across several diverse streams like medicine, dentistry, nursing, engineering, pharmacy, hotel management, allied health, architecture and design, communication etc. Visit us at www.manipal.edu . Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Linked

Cleartrip Is Your One-Stop Travel Destination This Summer; Launches Bus Services In 90+ Cities And The First Edition Of #NationOnVacation

Ahead of the upcoming summer holidays, Cleartrip, a Flipkart company, announced the launch of bus services on its app to ensure greater travel connectivity. Currently, it has an inventory of 10L bus connections and plans to build the largest bus network in India. The company has partnered with multiple State Road Transport Corporations and private bus operators nationwide.

The new bus booking business will address critical user needs through unmatched flexibility and transparency. Some of the key features include a 24*7 voice helpline, no hidden costs, quick refunds, and easy cancellation. As part of the launch offer, users can enjoy benefits like ‘zero convenience fee’ and a flat 10% off on all bus bookings until 31 March 2023. 

As a bonus, the company has also unveiled India’s largest summer travel sale - #NationOnVacation. Packed with industry-first offerings on hotels, flights, and buses, this first edition of Cleartrip’s marquee IP, which will be an annual affair, promises to make travel affordable like never before.

Speaking on the exciting development, Prahlad Krishnamurti, Chief Business Officer, Cleartrip, stated, “Every decision we make at Cleartrip is to empower our users with choice, clarity and control and the launch of buses is no different. This new endeavour will help strengthen our position as a trusted and integrated travel partner, deepen our customer engagement, and simplify travel.”

Adding to the #NationOnVacation, he stated, “Summer holidays hold a special reverence across age groups and geographies. With the launch of #NationOnVacation, we want to celebrate India’s love for summer and travel. With these deals, travellers can plan without last-minute hassles, take advantage of the best prices, and enjoy a superior travel experience.”

Starting on 22 March 2023, #NationOnVacation is a 9-day travel extravaganza with domestic and international flights beginning at INR 999 and INR 4999 and specifically curated offers for popular tourist destinations.

Cleartrip has onboarded 40+ airline partners and 80000+ domestic and  4L+ international hotels to ensure the biggest collection of options for users. Some of the high-value offers include:

CT Flex only at Rs.99 and CT FlexMax at Rs.499 

Domestic flights to Goa, Kochi & Pune at INR 999

International flights to Bangkok at Rs.4999, Maldives at Rs.6499, London at Rs.27999 and Paris at Rs.24999 only

Hotels starting at INR 199

50% off on domestic hotel bookings (Flash sale: Tatkaal - noon daily)

5-star hotels starting from Rs.2499 only & 4-star at INR 1499

15% off on all bus bookings

Cleartrip will continue to invest in industry-first and customer-centric propositions during the course of the year to make travel accessible to a larger demographic.

About Cleartrip

Launched in July 2006, Cleartrip Pvt Ltd., a Flipkart company, has emerged as India’s fastest-growing online travel technology company. In April 2021, Flipkart acquired 100% of Cleartrip’s shareholding, and subsequently, Adani Enterprises acquired a significant minority stake in Cleartrip in October 2021. With an aggressive plan to emerge as a leading innovator in the industry, Cleartrip is on its way to building a differentiated value proposition for its customers looking for end-to-end travel solutions. With industry-first offerings such as ‘CT Flexmax, CT Flex, and CT Upgrade’, Cleartrip has a clear vision to disrupt the OTA segment. Combining intuitive products with a customer-centric approach and a wide selection of flights and hotels, Cleartrip brings a unique selling point to the market, offering its customers convenience, choice, competitive prices, and exclusive content.

Moneyboxx Secures Term Loan Worth INR 20 Crores From Maanaveeya (Oikocredit) To Further Boost Its Financial Inclusion Efforts

Moneyboxx Finance Limited, a BSE-listed NBFC that focuses on impact financing by providing business loans to micro entrepreneurs in Tier-III cities and below, secured INR 20 crores term loan from Maanaveeya Development & Finance Private Limited (Maanaveeya), an Indian subsidiary of Oikocredit, a 40-year-old Global Development Financing Institution that responds to the needs of businesses that create jobs and income for disadvantaged people. The Company will utilize the funds for onward lending to the micro entrepreneurs.

Moneyboxx is supported by 24 lenders, including leading banks (State Bank of India, IDFC First Bank, DCB Bank, AU SFB) and NBFCs and impact funds and has raised cumulative debt of close to INR 400 crores. With planned equity raise and continuous support from lenders and co-lending partnerships, the company aims to transform lives of micro entrepreneurs in India and is targeting AUM of about INR 1,000 crores by FY24 from current AUM of INR 290 Crore as of Feb 2023. The Company plans to increase its branch network to 100 by FY24 from current 56 branches.

Deepak Aggarwal, Co-Founder, Moneyboxx said, “We are excited and thankful to Maanaveeya for this vote of confidence in our extremely successful and unique phygital business model, wherein we not only provide growth capital to micro entrepreneurs, but also supplement this with significant beyond-lending initiatives. The loan from Maanaveeya will help boost our efforts in fostering financial inclusion by addressing the unmet and growing need for credit in the INR 1-10 lacs small business loan segment. With a robust and highly scalable business model in place, backed by an entirely digital process and risk analytics capabilities, we are poised to create a greater positive impact on small businesses across small towns.”

Moneyboxx is driving financial inclusion by catering to the unmet credit needs of micro entrepreneurs in Tier-3 and below regions. With cumulative disbursements of over INR 471 crores up to Feb’23, it has transformed lives of over 28,300 borrowers, of which 53% were women and 35% new-to-credit. The company has engendered sustainable and transformational changes in borrowers' lives through various impact initiatives such as free vet consultation service for livestock borrowers and free plantation of fruit-bearing trees for its borrowers who own agricultural land, thereby providing them with an alternate source of income.

About Moneyboxx Finance Limited

Beginning operations in February 2019, Moneyboxx currently has 56 branches spread across 6 states – Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Moneyboxx provides unsecured and secured business loans ranging from INR 100,000 to INR 700,000 to individual borrowers for income generation purposes in essential and important segments (livestock, kirana, traders as well as micro-manufacturers) in Tier-III and below towns.

Indian EV Brand EVeium Launches Its Newest EV Dealership Showroom In Mangalore, Karnataka

* The EV showroom will operate under the dealership name West End Automotives

EVeium Smart Mobility- The Indian Brand of Elegant and premium EVs has launched its newest EV dealership showroom in Mangalore, Karnataka on 16th March 2023. The showroom is an experience center showcasing the wide range of smart electric scooters of the EVeium brand. The EV showroom will operate under the dealership name West End Automotive.

The Showroom cum experience hub is situated in the city at the prime location of Gold Palace Onyx, Pumpwell. The showroom was inaugurated in the presence of Honourable chief guest U.T. Khader—Deputy leader of the opposition Karnataka legislative assembly & M.L.A. Mangalore constituency,and Mr. Rohan Monteiro, Founder and Chairman of Rohan Corporation Mangalore;Mr.Mansoor Ahmed, Managing Director of Azad Group Mangalore and Sameer Moidin, Owner of West End Automotives—also graced the occasion, congratulating the EVeium team on their vision for green India.

One the occasion of the showroom launch, Mr.Sameer Moidin Co-Founder, EVeium Smart Mobility affirmed “We are thrilled to unveil our new dealership showroom in Mangalore with the ambition to provide the best experience and assist ordinary Indians chase their dreams by delivering the smart everyday mobility requirements more sustainably. Through an industry-leading practice of setting up a best-in-class showroom with all the necessary tools and machinery, we are also ensuring top-notch after-sales service experiences for our valued customers. Moreover, receiving positive reviews from our well-wishers strengthens our belief as we plan to continue expanding our presence with more showrooms and products.”

At the launch, Mr.A.H.Shanawaz, Managing Director of West End Automotives said “When it comes to accelerating the framework of EV two-wheelers in India, we share the same spirit and optimism with EVeium Smart Mobility. We are confident that this EV showroom will be a game changer in introducing electric vehicles into every Mangalore household. We look forward to this collaboration and to capitalising on the region’s growing EV demand.”

The showroom, under the dealership of West End Automotives, features all 3 premium Electric Scooters from the brand, which include:

*  Cosmo – Top Speed – 65 Kmph; Range – 80 km on a single charge; Price – Rs. 1,39,200

* Comet – Top Speed – 85 Kmph; Range – 150 km on a single charge; Price – Rs. 1,84,900

* Czar – Top Speed – 85 Kmph; Range – 150 km on a single charge; Price – Rs. 2,07,700

All prices, Ex-showroom, India.

The showroom will not only provide customers with a one-of-a-kind EV purchasing experience, but it will also serve as a platform to raise awareness about EV adoption in the region. Besides that, the showroom will function as a one-stop shop for all EVeium clients’ EV-related requirements. While EVeium intends to expand into both established and emerging markets, the startup promises to do so by being an important player in reducing carbon footprints and making India a cleaner and greener place for coming generations.

About EVeium Smart Mobility

EVeium Smart Mobility is an electric 2-wheeler EV brand under the Ellysium Automotives. At EVeium Smart Mobility, our vision is to create clean energy and a sustainable ecosystem for easy adoption of a futuristic and safe way of electric commuting. Since the day we marked our journey, we have committed ourselves to ensuring that our products are environment friendly. EVEIUM is dedicated to offer a smart electric vehicle, as demonstrated by the optimal and smart battery, the choice of materials to offer durability, and they are designed to be truly sustainable!

Brand Website -www.eveium.in

Instagram:@eveiumindia

LinkedIn:EVeium

Twitter:@EVeiumdigital

Facebook:EVeium

About West End Automotives

West End Automotives is a local Mangalorean brand of Automotives that is working towards sustainable commute initiatives. They cater to the demands and requirements of the local areas and have an impeccable quality record.

WinZO Partners With Amaha For Employees” Mental Well-Being, Building Empathetic Products

* With this, WinZO will provide confidential therapy, psychiatric support and medication. Amaha will also conduct a series of workshops to help drive heightened empathy while building innovative products 

WinZO, India’s largest vernacular social gaming platform, announced its partnership with Amaha, the country’s leading tech-led omnichannel mental health platform. The collaboration aims to provide WinZO’s employees with access to top mental health consultants and online counselling and therapy services, as well as to organise workshops to improve their understanding of user behaviour and build better products for its 100MM+ users. 

Through the partnership, WinZO employees will have 24x7 access to 100% private and confidential online and offline consultations, including psychiatric support, diagnosis and medication, and self-help tools. These services are not traditionally covered by health insurance but have become increasingly important in the post-Covid era, as mental health has emerged as a key focus area to quality of life, workplace productivity and culture. 

Amaha will also conduct a series of workshops to help drive heightened empathy and understanding of the psychology of the user while building innovative products that address the deeper needs and emotions of the users.  

WinZO’s app, which has over 100 games, is highly personalised and adaptive to the user's needs. It uses data and machine learning to create tailored experiences that respond to the user's preferences, behavior, and context. With the aid of Amaha’s expertise, the company will also focus on integrating billions of data points available with WinZO with the psychological models to create personalised gaming experiences for its user which will take into consideration the motivations and aspirations of the user from the platform.   

“The world post covid era has been very challenging to most. The world outside had survival threats to self and loved ones. The norms of society changed every few weeks and many of us were isolated, a way of life we are not used to. This only followed with many businesses going through an unstable cycle and lay-offs everywhere. If you are innovating, you need to perceive the environment you operate in as psychologically safe. A startup in itself is challenging because you are swimming against current. Lastly, we want our teams to understand this for themselves and for the consumer - an insight into feelings can be hugely enabling,” says Saumya Singh Rathore, co-founder, WinZO and Masters in Psychology.   

Applauding WinZO’s focus on employee mental health, Dr Amit Malik, Founder & CEO of Amaha, said, “We are glad that WinZO has shown its trust in us and has partnered with Amaha for this fast-emerging and much-needed initiative that will ensure that WinZO employees get the support they need to truly feel better, get better, and stay better. Our integrated mental health ecosystem offers treatment, care and support for a range of mental health concerns. We’re working closely with the WinZO team to understand and support the needs of their employees in a deeper and a more scientific way.”  

According to Deloitte’s 2022 survey titled, “Mental health and well-being in the workplace,” 80 percent of the Indian workforce has reported mental health issues in the previous year. WinZo has taken proactive steps to track the health of its employees. The company aims to promote mental health awareness among its employees by checking in regularly with the employees, keeping communication lines open, offering coping training and extending comprehensive health insurance that covers psychiatric and psychological treatments. 

WinZO is a Great Place to Work certified company. 

RFPIO Joins Hands With AIC Raise To Help Young Start-Ups From Tier-2 Cities Scale And Grow

* “Leaders from RFPIO provided go-to-market and scaling strategies for founders and aspiring SaaS entrepreneurs during the event.”

RFPIO, the leading response management platform, supported an event organized by AIC RAISE Startup Incubation center (established under the prestigious Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog, Govt. of India) in Coimbatore. “The Talk with Experts” session’ focus was to provide information on how to turn ideas into viable SaaS-business and manage growth and value creation through the right go-to-market strategies for prospective entrepreneurs in the city.

AIC Raise aims to provide innovative start-ups with suitable infrastructure, knowledge support, market information, training, critical networking, and more. “The Talk with Experts” session with RFPIO was organized as part of its expert mentoring and business planning support initiative. Ganesh Shankar, chief executive officer and co-founder of RFPIO, along with Michael Londgren, chief marketing officer, and Jeff Santelices, chief revenue officer, addressed the gathering.

While speaking about challenges when starting RFPIO, Ganesh Shankar, CEO and Co-Founder of RFPIO, highlighted the importance of bringing in the right talent - “It is always easier to get the first customer compared to getting the first employee. Convincing young talent to join a new company in the initial phase was a challenge.”

Ganesh Shankar also spoke about the importance of transparency and ethics - as a trust builder with employees. He further mentioned, “The key is to share the vision with employees without overwhelming them with information. Only if we communicate with people - they also will express themselves and absorb the culture and goals of an organization.”

Michael Londgren, Chief Marketing Officer of RFPIO, said, “To build the right marketing strategy, you must first understand and analyze who the target customer is and the problem your product is solving. Based on it, you can cull out the right strategy. It is important to remember that customers don’t buy products; they buy solutions to suit their needs” when sharing information about the need for building strategic marketing plans. 

As advice to the young entrepreneurs pushing to sell their products, Jeff Santelices, Chief Revenue Officer of RFPIO, said, "There will always be drop-offs. The art of converting a lead is in the way you speak and sense how the conversation is shaping. If you feel a lead sounds uninterested, it must be because they are; in that case, ask questions that will help them think.”

The event witnessed 60-plus aspiring start-up founders who posed their questions to seek directions in their early days of building a unicorn product.

About RFPIO

RFPIO is the market leader in Response Management software, with nearly 2,000 customers and 300,000 users globally. The company’s AI-enabled software platform is trusted by some of the world’s smartest companies to manage responses to RFPs, RFIs, RFQs, security questionnaires, and DDQs. Through robust and bi-directional integrations, with an open API, teams can connect their people and improve content quality and accessibility — enabling collaboration without boundaries. RFPIO supports response management for growing organizations of all sizes including Adobe, Atlassian, Google, Microsoft, Tenable, Zoom Video and others. For more information, visit rfpio.com or follow @rfpioinc on Twitter.

Namma Yatri Goes 100% Open And Calls For Citizen Participation

* Namma Yatri, Bengaluru’s open mobility app, directly connects drivers to customers

* It already has 4 lakh customers and 43000 drivers with good app ratings

* App is now 100% open to improve transparency, and enable citizen participation

Bengaluru-based auto booking app Namma Yatri has become the world's first 100% open-mobility app. Its vision is to create an open platform where both drivers and customers win together. The product's software, data and roadmap are open for public review and collaboration. Namma Yatri offers a cost-effective SaaS platform for drivers where they receive direct customer payment without any middlemen. Within a few months of its launch, the platform already has 43000 drivers and 3.9 lakh customers. The drivers own and promote the platform themselves. The customers love the app and have rated it 4.8 out of 5 in Google and Apple app stores.

Namma Yatri's open move will build trust within the community and provide collective support towards the product roadmap and vision. It will also enable collaboration with the experts and the larger ecosystem to build a sustainable transportation platform for Bengaluru. This city has over 2 million techies, designers, influencers and marketers who can all contribute to Namma Yatri in important ways towards this vision.

The Namma Yatri app and the tech platform are built by Juspay, which has worked on open initiatives like UPI and OCEN. Mr Vimal Kumar, CEO and Founder of Juspay, said, "Digital infrastructure for mobility is a population scale problem, especially when you see the future of transportation as a multi-modal, interoperable system. Hence, mobility networks should be open and community-driven, like the Internet. While Juspay is known for building user-friendly and large-scale tech products, Namma Yatri adds a new dimension to it - the human angle. Hence, we need to enable the driver community with products and principles to achieve customer-centricity at the level of the Mumbai Dabbawalas. We hope to collaborate with the Bengaluru drivers, citizens and city authorities to create an exemplary system that other cities can emulate.”

Drivers across the city have come together to support this product. Mr Rudramurthy, General Secretary of ARDU, said, "Namma Yatri will be a boon to Bangalore. It is liberating for us, the drivers, to serve the people directly with happiness. We feel the bonding is stronger without any middlemen. Namma Yatri drivers will focus on building people's trust. We are committed to citizens' safety, good service and affordable prices. We will work collaboratively with citizens to solve any existing problems."

Speaking about the initiative, Dr Pramod Varma, co-author of the Beckn Protocol and Architect behind India's digital infrastructure initiatives such as Aadhaar and UPI, said, "India has shown the world that digital innovations and open initiatives like UPI can be transformative. They improve efficiency and accelerate economic growth. I am glad that Namma Yatri, built on the Beckn open mobility initiative, is gaining traction. It has immense potential to improve the lives of both drivers and citizens. Any big change will have a few initial hiccups, and citizens' collective effort can solve it. Bangalore citizens have always been open, forward-thinking and inclusive. Namma Yatri needs their full support to make it big and impactful."

A city's mobility has to be collectively run by its service providers and citizens. A symbiotic relationship between them is crucial. If Namma Yatri is successful, Bengaluru can set a model for all cities to adopt a similar open mobility platform.

About Juspay: Founded in 2012, Juspay offers a technology platform that offers digital businesses and banks seamless, secure, reliable, enterprise-grade payments. Juspay is a key contributor to open and ecosystem initiatives like the BHIM App, UPI SDK, OCEN / GeM SAHAY, and Beckn / Namma Yatri.

About ARDU: Established in 1974, Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union (ARDU) supports the Driver community and educates them on their rights and responsibilities. ARDU strives to raise awareness and promote best practices amongst Drivers to provide good reliable service to commuters.

About Beckn Protocol: It is a set of open specifications consisting of APIs, data models, reference architecture, transaction mechanisms, and standards that enable the creation of decentralized networks. Such networks allow consumers and providers to discover, identify each other and perform transactions with each other without the need for a central intermediary.

Photo Caption: Auto drivers, Mr. Rudramurthy, General Secretary, Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union, Mr. Vimal Kumar, Founder, Juspay, at the Namma Yatri press conference in Bengaluru on March 16, 2023. Namma Yatri is Bengaluru’s open mobility app for Autos..

More Than Half Of India - 55% Indians - Pinpoint Mosquito Bites As The Key Factor For Disturbed Sleep: Goodknight Survey

*         1 out of every 2 adults on an average attribute mosquitoes as the leading factor for disturbed sleep

*        More than half of Southern India (53%) experience disturbed or lack of better quality of sleep due to mosquito bites and its humming sound 

Every year on March 17th, World Sleep Day is commemorated to raise awareness of the value of getting enough sleep and how it affects one's general health and well-being. While medical, lifestyle, or stress-related issues can cause sleep disorders, there are other external variables that causes discomfort but are frequently ignored. Factors such as uncomfortable mattresses/pillows, weather conditions and even mosquitoes can lead to a disturbed sleep. A survey by Goodknight, India’s leading household insecticide brand, reported that 55% Indians feel mosquito bites and buzz to be the foremost reason for disturbed or lack of better quality of sleep.

Goodknight, from the house of Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), commissioned a survey in association with market research and data analytics firm YouGov, to understand the impact of mosquitoes on sleep patterns. The survey was conducted with over 1,011 people across India.

The survey shows that close to 60% of the adults blame the ‘tiny menaces’ for causing sleep disturbances or lack of quality sleep. While the factor of ‘change in weather (too hot/cold)’ was a parallel contending factor, however, in terms of disturbance factor, the buzzing monster turned out to be the foremost contributor.

In terms of geographic clusters, 55% respondents from North and Central India region, 53% from South Zone and 50% from East and North East India pinpointed mosquito bites and buzz as a key factor for disturbed or lack of quality sleep. Interestingly, Western India, is the most affected with 61% people in the region attributing the cause of poor sleep to mosquito bites and its humming sound. On an average of 1 out of every 2 adults attributed mosquitoes as the leading factor for sleep disorders.  

Shekhar Saurabh, Category Head – Household Insecticide, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), added, “Among other reasons, the mosquito menace, is revealed to be one of the key reasons for sleep deprivation and its eventual impact on India’s health quotient. People are realizing it as a key contributor that is negatively impacting their health and well-being, as well as that of their loved ones. The findings of this survey reinforce the need for comprehensive mosquito control measures. As the market leader in household insecticides category, Goodknight understands the importance of an uninterrupted sleep and is committed to provide safe and affordable mosquito repellents to all Indian households.”

An uninterrupted sleep is essential for holistic wellbeing. Goodknight strives to provide the entire family with best mosquito repellents through its vast range of products. Recently the brand introduced Goodknight Mini, an affordable mosquito repellent device, democratising safe solution to all Indian households.

About Godrej Consumer Products Ltd: 

Godrej Consumer Products is a leading emerging markets company. As part of the 125-year young Godrej Group, we are fortunate to have a proud legacy built on the strong values of trust, integrity, and respect for others. At the same time, we are growing fast and have exciting, ambitious aspirations.

Today, our Group enjoys the patronage of 1.15 billion consumers globally, across different businesses. We rank among the largest Household Insecticide and Hair Care players in emerging markets. In Household Insecticides, we are the leader in India, the second largest player in Indonesia and are expanding our footprint in Africa. We are the leader in serving the Hair Care needs of women of African descent, the number one player in Hair Colour in India and Sub-Saharan Africa, and among the leading players in Latin America. We rank number two in Soaps in India and are the number one player in Air Fresheners and Wet Tissues in Indonesia.

But for us, it is very important that besides our strong financial performance and innovative, much-loved products, we remain a good company. Approximately 23 per cent of the promoter holding in our Group is held in trusts that invest in the environment, health, and education. We are also bringing together our passion and purpose to make a difference through our 'Good & Green' approach to create a more inclusive and greener India.

ICC And Nium Announce Global Hackathon Winning Idea Set To Improve The Digital Cricket Fan Experience

·         Winning submission focused on Augmented Reality

·         Hackathon to use technology to bring fans closer to the game

·         Assets for media to use rights free including video and images from Hackathon final and “Next In” infographic

The ICC and Nium, the global platform for on-demand money movement, today announced the winning idea for the first ever “Next In” global hackathon from over 9550 teams, with the aim of changing the way fans experience cricket and to engage a younger audience.

In an exclusive event held in Bengaluru, the winning idea was presented by team ‘Fanisko’. Their solution offers an enhanced live cricket viewing experience through 3D Augmented Reality, allowing users to play the game in real time from the comfort of their homes. The team’s solution is based on Web AR technology, can integrate within the ICC app and offers in-depth player insights, bringing cricket spectators closer to the action.

The event saw five passionate teams shortlisted, and invited to present their concepts and creations to a panel of prestigious judges including Hackathon Ambassador, Dinesh Karthik.

The other teams in the Finale explored various other aspects of digital fan engagement from a rewards based crypto solution to immersive metaverse experiences and a location based social media application catered around cricket events.  

The “Next In” Hackathon, kicked off in January and saw 12,500 individuals form over 9550 teams from 113 countries, including over 1000 registrants from the USA, a strategic priority market for both the ICC and Nium. Ideas were submitted across four key areas; Web3 & Metaverse, Fintech, In-stadia experience and Augmented or Virtual Reality (AR/VR).

From the concepts submitted 32% focused on improving the experience of a fan going to watch a match in the stadium, while 28% centred on the use of AR/VR technologies to create a fan engagement activity or game.

Throughout the idea-submission process each key area had a dedicated set of mentors, who are experts in their respective fields, guiding the teams to meet the below criteria:

·         Technically feasibility

·         Financial feasibility

·         Potential Business impact

·         Implementation and scalability

The registered teams were from a variety of different backgrounds including schools, colleges, corporate business and start-ups, with an average age of 26.

ICC Head of Digital, Finn Bradshaw said: The “Next In” Hackathon has been an incredible exercise in unearthing some of the most innovative solutions from the global tech community.  As we went through this journey for the first time with NIUM, what was really exciting was seeing fans from over a 100 countries engage with our sport. Today we are proud to have crowned Fanisko as winners and believe their prototype has the potential to become a favourite product for cricket fans.”

Team Lead for Fanisko, Venugopal Rajagopalan said: “We at team Fanisko are thrilled to have won this exciting Hackathon organised by the ICC in partnership with NIUM and Hack2skill. It took a ton of planning and lots of iterations to get it absolutely right as we faced a few unique challenges of being in different countries and time-zones. What helped was the common vision and understanding that we had about the process and the desired output. We would like to thank the ICC, NIUM and Hack2skill for providing this opportunity to us to display our capabilities. We really look forward to working with them and executing this idea in the coming few months.”

“All of the entries in the Next In Hackathon showed how technical innovation are flourishing in the global cricket community," said Jeremiah Glodoveza, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Marketing at Nium. "On behalf of the 1000 cricket fans at Nium working on the most-challenging problems in finance, thank you to all our participants and congratulations to the winners. The future of fan engagement is bright and I cannot wait to see some of these ideas become part of the game."

Hackathon Ambassador Dinesh Karthik said: Cricket has always embraced innovation, no matter what your role – broadcaster, player or fan. As broadcasters we rely heavily on technology to enhance the viewing experience & as players we’ve seen first-hand the benefits of performance & data analysis. But, today, as a fan, I am very much looking forward to what these ideas mean for the future of cricket experiences

Next In Hackathon Judges

Dinesh Karthik – Hackathon Ambassador

Finn Bradshaw – ICC Head of Digital

Jaya Kapur – Nium Vice President, Product Management

Joaquin Ayuso De Paul – Nium Head of Crypto & Web3

Unmish Parthasarathi – Picture Board Partners, Founder & Executive Director

Below is a video link -

https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwe.tl%2Ft-5f9laYzRN8&data=05%7C01%7CManav.Devaraj%40icc-cricket.com%7Cdc8f750826cc426676ba08db25ea7383%7C37cf766a64c34296849895f0705520b7%7C0%7C0%7C638145461112361186%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Mmj82FEwhHWYCFqigfbG9qeVbWRpbLQaMZyJ4olo0o4%3D&reserved=0

About Nium

Nium was founded on the mission to build the global payments infrastructure of tomorrow, today. With the onset of the on-demand economy, its single platform for global payments and card issuing is shaping how banks, fintechs, and businesses everywhere to disburse and collect funds instantly across borders. Its payout network supports 100 currencies and spans 190+ countries, 100 of which in real-time. Funds can be disbursed to accounts, wallets, and cards and collected locally in 35 markets.  Nium's growing card issuance business is already available in 34 countries. Nium holds regulatory licenses and authorizations in over 40 countries, enabling seamless onboarding, rapid integration, and compliance - regardless of geography. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, with regional offices in Singapore, London, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Bengalaru, and Chennai.

For more information visit www.nium.com

myTVS Drives Business Performance With Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications

* India’s largest automotive aftermarket digital platform consolidates finance and supply chain processes in the cloud

myTVS, India’s largest automotive aftermarket digital platform, and part of the US$2 billion TVS Mobility group, that operates manufacturing, automobile dealerships, distribution, supply chain solutions, and sales, service and automotive components, has selected Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications to unify operations and improve business efficiency. With Oracle Fusion Applications for finance and supply chain, myTVS can integrate and digitalize processes, enhance business insights, and improve decision making to support future expansion.

myTVS’ finance and operations data was dispersed across multiple siloed on-premises applications. It has selected Oracle Fusion Applications to improve financial insights and better match inventory with customer demand.

“myTVS is a leading digital aftermarket AI platform that provides a unique business model by decoupling customer value chain and delivers digital services to 3 million customers, 20,000 retailers and 25,000 garages across the country. We needed to integrate data across all our brick & mortar stores, and digital platforms to improve real-time insights, optimize business processes, and reduce costs. With Oracle Fusion Applications, we can standardize processes and create a single source of truth to improve the speed and quality of decisions and enable our organization to quickly respond to changes in supply and demand,” said G. Srinivasa Raghavan, Managing Director for myTVS.

With Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), myTVS will be able to increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve controls, while Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) will help to improve speed and accuracy in reporting, reduce the time to close the books, and help senior leaders make better decisions. Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM) will give its supply chain leaders real-time visibility into inventory across various distribution centres and in transit, streamline the procurement process, and significantly reduce the ordering cycle time.

“As an industry leader in the world’s fastest growing automotive market, myTVS is in a strong position to capitalize on growing demand for aftermarket services. With the depth and breadth of Oracle Fusion Applications and continuous quarterly updates, myTVS will be able to increase efficiency and reduce costs as it scales up operations to meet demand,” said Adrian Johnston, Senior Vice President, Cloud Applications, Japan & Asia Pacific Oracle.

Oracle Fusion Applications helps organizations take advantage of the cloud to break down organizational silos, standardize processes, and manage financial, supply chain, HR, and customer experience data on a single integrated cloud platform. With quarterly update cycles, Oracle Fusion Applications gives customers access to continuous innovation, as new features are added every 90 days, without downtime or business disruption.

The project was implemented by PricewaterhouseCoopers, a long-time Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) member. “myTVS is a digital business model. Our focus and endeavour has been to ensure that we digitalize the business processes and offer complete transformation leveraging Oracle Fusion Applications for myTVS to continue delivering on-demand services at every customer touch point.  At the same time, the platform has to integrate the large online-to-offline ecosystem to ensure all stakeholders benefit from it,” said Hirak Kayal, Partner Technology Consulting, PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited.

About myTVS

myTVS is India’s largest integrated multi-brand vehicle service (2 wheelers & 4 wheelers) provider, and part of ki Mobility Solutions, the largest player in independent automobile aftermarket business. myTVS aims at providing an innovative, technology based global service & parts delivery model to help manufacturers connect with customers, garages and retailers directly. Currently myTVS serves more than 3 million customers through its 1000 plus network across India.

For more details, visit www.mytvs.in

About Oracle

Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com.

Trademarks

Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.

Photo caption: L-R: Adrian Johnston, Senior Vice President, Cloud Applications, Japan & Asia Pacific Oracle and G. Srinivasa Raghavan, Managing Director for myTVS.

Drip Fertigation Enhance “Crop Yield And Farmers Prosperity”: Lesson From Tarikere Community Drip Irrigation Phase II

The Tarikere Drip Irrigation Project Phase II farmers, using drip fertigation has witnessed enhanced water productivity and fertilizer use efficiencies. The technology led to significantly enhanced water productivity of 90 per cent, fertilizer use efficiency by 30 to 40 per cent while considerably decreased crop evapotranspiration by 9 -10 per cent, compared to farmers' practicing traditional irrigation by furrow or flood and fertilization by broadcasting. The technology also helps optimum moisture distribution for the crop to absorb nutrients. 

The technology uses plastic tubing to drip water and fertilizer at the base of plants in a regulated way and, thus, attain a high yield of almost 50 to 60 per cent. The win-win agriculture practice with less quantity of water and judicious use of fertilizer input has helped nearly 49% of the farmers with a cumulative 5100 Ha of the land to increase crop yield by 50 per cent. As of date, the company has installed a drip system in 5500 hectares of Tarikere Drip Community Irrigation Phase II. 

Mr Kumar, son of Jayamma from village Kallapura witnessed a 30-35 per cent higher yield (5.5 tons per acre) of Gherkin, whereas, without drip fertigation, he could grow only 4 tons/acre. Another farmer Mr Parappa from village Kallapura, has grown 14 tons / 0.5 acre of tomato with drip fertigation. Earlier, he used to yield only 10 tons /0.5 acre. Mr Ramesh from Garagadahalli village has grown 25 tons/ha watermelon with drip fertigation, 30 per cent more than the earlier crop yield. 

Commenting on the rationale of drip fertigation Mr Umesh, Sr. Manager of Agronomy, Netafim India said, "Improving irrigation and fertilization management for greater productivity is critical to address water scarcity. Drip fertigation can synchronize the water and fertilizer supply with crop demand, thus, offering the potential to increase productivity sustainably. The technology meets the nutrient demand of crops near the root zone and helps farmers save 15-25% on fertilizers as well as crop production costs. As compared to surface irrigation, drip fertigation greatly contributes to agricultural emissions, improves crop root growth, nutrient uptake, and controls Soil Salinization”. 

The ongoing project, once completed, will cover 13594 Ha of land, 42 villages and nearly 26,000 farmers. Predominantly the farmers associated with the project are growing vegetables, fruits, flowers and arecanuts. The project is likely to get completed by July 2023. 

NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams Set To Delight Delhi With New Store In Lajpat Nagar

NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams, the premium zero-preservative ice cream brand known for its innovative flavors, is expanding its footprint with a new store launch in Delhi. The Lajpat Nagar location marks the second company-owned store opening after the successful launch of their flagship store in Bandra, Mumbai.

The Delhi store launch is part of the company's ambitious plan to open 15 new stores in 2023. The company's growth strategy is driven by the increasing demand for premium ice cream experiences and the desire to bring their unique flavors to new customers across India. Their success of being present in more than 100 cities in India through online delivery apps is being carried forward in increasing their offline physical store presence as well.

"We are excited to bring NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams to Delhi and share our passion for honest and innovative ice cream flavors with our community with the launch of the physical outlet," said Sanjiv Indar Shah, Director, Walko Food Company Pvt Ltd. "Our commitment to quality and creativity sets us apart in the industry, and we look forward to introducing our delicious and unique ice cream flavors to more people offline as well."

The new store will feature the brand's signature range of flavors, including those inspired by traditional Indian sweets such as Pan, Gulab Jamun, etc. as also seasonal flavors which are based on different Indian occasions, for example, during Holi, NIC had launched Thandai ice cream and the regular favourites like Alphonso Mango, Tender Coconut, Mediterranean Sea Salt Caramel, Dry Fruit Overload, Mixed Berries to name a few, which are most loved by NIC’s customers across the country as well. 

With the company's focus on quality and customer experience, the new store is expected to offer an inviting, comfortable and a happy space for customers to enjoy their ice cream treats at the store and also can take some back home. In addition, customers can order online through food delivery platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, Swiggy Instamart, BlinkIt, Zepto and more for the ultimate convenience of enjoying their ice creams at home.

NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Cream's Delhi store opening is a testament to the brand's commitment to expanding their reach and providing their customers with one of the best experiences to enjoy their most loved ice creams. With their unique flavors and dedication to honest ingredients, NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams is poised to become a favourite among ice cream enthusiasts in Delhi and beyond.

About NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams:

NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams was founded in 2015 on the principles of providing uncompromising quality, innovation, and a superior customer experience. Honestly Crafted Ice Creams is not only their motto; it is also a promise that contains zero preservatives, no artificial flavors or coloring agents. NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams is the most popular ice cream brand on Food Tech platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato, with flavors ranging from fruit and dry fruit variations like Alphonso Mango, Roasted Almonds to international flavors such as Mediterranean Sea Salt Caramel, Madagascar Chocolate, French Vanilla, and those inspired by Indian sweetmeats such as Gulab Jamun, Sheer Khurma, Til gud, and Gajar halwa, to name a few. NIC is present in over 100 cities through 300+ food-tech delivery outlets across India.

Visit NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams at www.nicicecreams.com

Follow NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams on Instagram.

Subscribe NIC Honestly Crafted Ice Creams on YouTube.

Invesco Mutual Fund Launches Two New Target Maturity Index Funds

* § Invesco India Nifty G-sec Jul 2027 Index Fund

* NFO opens: 16th March 2023; Closes: 17th March 2023

* § Invesco India Nifty G-sec Sep 2032 Index Fund

* NFO opens: 16th March 2023; Closes: 24th March 2023

Invesco Mutual Fund, one of the leading asset management company, announces the launch of two Target Maturity Debt Index Funds – Invesco India Nifty G-sec Jul 2027 Index Fund (An open-ended Target Maturity Index Fund tracking Nifty G-sec Jul 2027 Index. A relatively high interest rate risk and relatively low credit risk) and Invesco India Nifty G-sec Sep 2032 Index Fund (An open-ended Target Maturity Index Fund tracking Nifty G-sec Sep 2032 Index. A relatively high interest rate risk and relatively low credit risk). The funds will invest 95% -100% of its net assets in Government securities. The objective of these open-ended, passively managed target maturity debt index funds is to mirror the underlying benchmark index and mature on a pre-determined date. Invesco India Nifty G-sec Jul 2027 Index Fund will mature on July 30, 2027 and Invesco India Nifty G-sec Sep 2032 Index Fund will have maturity on September 30, 2032.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Taher Badshah, Chief Investment Officer, Invesco Mutual Fund said, “With Central banks steering towards the end of rate hike cycle, Indian fixed income market has come to an inflection point with risk-reward turning favourable for investors. The sharp increase in interest rates over the past one year now warrants for increased allocation towards Fixed Income as an asset class that has the potential of generating meaningful income. We are thrilled to announce the launch of our target maturity index funds. These funds have been carefully designed to capitalize on the prevailing high interest rates in the market and are particularly suited to investors with a specific financial goal that aligns with the fund’s maturity timeline and superior asset quality.”

“At Invesco Mutual Fund, we are always looking for innovative ways to meet the evolving needs of our clients, and these new funds are testament to that commitment.”

Mr. Vikas Garg, Head of Fixed Income, Invesco Mutual Fund said “The market is offering attractive carry opportunities, as interest rates are approaching their peak and future rate actions expected to be more calibrated and data dependent. Global factors

could influence domestic policy actions, which could lead to some market volatility in short term. By remaining invested for the entire tenure of target maturity funds, investors can potentially realize the benefits of attractive carry opportunities without getting impacted by interest rate volatility and achieve their financial objectives.

Mr. Krishna Cheemalapati and Mr. Vikas Garg are the dedicated Fund Managers for both the Index funds.

Invesco India Nifty G-sec Jul 2027 Index Fund will be open on 16th March 2023 and closes on 17th March 2023 and Invesco India Nifty G-sec Sep 2023 Index Fund will open on 16th March 2023 and closes on 24th March 2023. The minimum initial investment in the funds will be Rs. 1,000/- and multiples of Re. 1/- thereafter.

Invesco India Nifty G-sec Jul 2027 Index Fund

Note: The product labelling assigned during the NFO is based on internal assessment of the Scheme characteristics or model portfolio and the same may vary post NFO when the actual investments are made.

Invesco India Nifty G-sec Sep 2032 Index Fund

Note: The product labelling assigned during the NFO is based on internal assessment of the Scheme characteristics or model portfolio and the same may vary post NFO when the actual investments are made.

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.