Saturday, March 25, 2023

Brakes India Launches Brake Pads For Luxury Car Range


* Quieter braking with advanced friction technology

Designed with a unique abrasive film for higher performance, TVS Apache, a friction brand of Brakes India, launched Platinum brake pads for the luxury car range which have been designed for comfort and a pleasant driving experience. The brake pads cater to both front and rear requirements of premium vehicles.

Brakes India with over six decades of technology expertise in Brake systems, is a leading player in the passenger car friction market. “We are unveiling Platinum brake pads with advanced friction technology and expanding our range to cater to the premium segment. In the first phase, it is introduced for select luxury car models and the range will be expanded in the coming months,” said Sujit S Nayak, Vice President of Friction and Aftermarket Business, Brakes India.

Sujit further added that the brake pads are engineered for global specifications with premium formulation to deliver quiet and high-performance braking without compromising on life. The front brake pads are environmental friendly with premium copper free formulations to meet the global specifications and meeting the highest N compliance level as per SAE J2975.

About Brakes India: 

Brakes India was founded in 1962 and is a leading supplier of braking systems in the Indian market and a global supplier of ferrous castings, for passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles & tractors. Promoted by the TSF Group, whose heritage dates to 1936, the company has a strong in-house R&D capability that includes state of the art test facilities and a high-speed test track built to international standards. Brakes India has world-class manufacturing operations with a reputation of providing high quality products and an expansive supply chain, serving marquee OEMs across the globe. The world-renowned iron foundry produces over 180,000 tons of safety critical castings from India and Oman. Its trusted brands TVS-Girling, TVS-Apache and TVS-Sprinter are leading names in the spare parts segment. With revenues in excess of INR 5,000 crore, the company wears numerous feathers in its hat such as National Awards for Energy conservation; Leadership and Excellence Award in Safety, Health & Environment, TPM Excellence Award and the prestigious Deming Application Prize to name a few. 

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Announces Assured Buyback Scheme For Its Iconic Lifestyle Utility Vehicle – The Hilux


Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced an exciting offer for its iconic lifestyle utility vehicle, the Hilux. Customers looking to buy the Hilux can now choose attractive low EMI option starting from Rs. 32,886/- or opt for an assured 70% buyback after 3 years, from the date of purchase of Hilux, which are made available exclusively through the Toyota Financial Services. These rollouts have been specially designed keeping in mind the customers’ convenience to own the much-celebrated Hilux in the lifestyle vehicle segment.

In line with Toyota’s Customer First philosophy, aforesaid buying options are curated with an aim to provide an enhanced value proposition for the prospective consumers who desire to purchase the Toyota Hilux, thereby ensuring low cost of ownership. Needless to mention, since its launch, the Hilux had gained enormous appreciation for its great styling and driving comfort.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Atul Sood, Vice President of Sales and Strategic Marketing – Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “With the recent announcement of restart of Hilux bookings opening, we are once again overwhelmed with the good customer response. Owning the globally acclaimed Hilux has now become easy & more exciting with best finance options of low EMI or 70% assured buyback after three years from the date of purchase of Hilux. We strongly believe that this scheme will cater to our discerning customer preferences to own and experience the legendary Toyota Hilux with enhanced convenience, thereby giving them the complete peace of mind. For many of our loyal customers, this new offering will be a step up in their journey with Toyota and get to enjoy the Quality, Durability, and Reliability which is associated with Toyota products.

We are confident that Hilux will continue to set new standards with its unmatched toughness & powerful performance, creating new experience to ‘Live a Fuller Life’ be it business or family”.

Toyota Hilux is aimed to fulfil the needs of customers seeking an awesome lifestyle utility vehicle that is best suited, not only for off-roading adventure drives on tough terrains, but also for everyday city use. Furthermore, this versatile vehicle is perfectly suited for multiple purpose usages that can cater to new emerging business customers be it campervan, farming, defense, mining, construction, rescue van, etc. With its powerful powertrain system of 2.8 L Four Cylinder Turbo-Diesel Engine, the Hilux is available in option of 6- Speed Automatic and 6-Speed Manual Transmission. All the variants of Hilux are equipped with 4X4 drive capabilities along with many first-in-segment features such as 8” Infotainment system, Connected features (such as Emergency Call [e-Call], Vehicle Security, Remote Check, Smart Watch enabled, Vehicle Static Location, Geofence & Speed alerts and more), Dual Zone AC, Tire Angle Monitor & Front Parking Sensors for a smooth drive.

In addition to a variety of remarkable features coupled with a robust engine, the Hilux also offers exceptional endurance, low maintenance cost, and great practicality for a variety of usage purposes. Furthermore, the Hilux's water wading capability of 700mm makes it suitable for driving through Indian trails, setting new standards in its off-road capability.

To know more about these finance schemes of Toyota Hilux, we urge the customers to visit their nearest Toyota touchpoints to discuss customized financial package as per individual needs. Customers can make their bookings online on www.toyotabharat,com or through Toyota dealerships. With Toyota’s virtual showroom, now the customers can seamlessly get a 360-degree external and internal views, check out all the available variants and colors and experience the key features as well.

MAHE-ISAC Centre of Excellence For Cybersecurity Unveiled To Equip Students With Comprehensive Education In Cybersecurity


As an indication of the significant commitment of MAHE to providing students with a comprehensive education in cybersecurity, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to tackle the complex challenges posed by today's rapidly evolving threat landscape “ MAHE- ISAC Center of Excellence for Cybersecurity” was inaugurated on 23rd March 2023 at 12.45 PM. The center was unveiled  by Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, Govt of Karnataka, who graced the occasion virtually. Additionally, he was accompanied by Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), Govt of Karnataka, who also graced the function virtually. The esteemed guests were joined by Group Captain P Aanand Naidu (Retd), representing ISAC.

The function was presided by Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor of MAHE Manipal. Other notable representatives from MAHE for the event were Dr. Narayana Sabhahit, Pro Vice Chancellor – Technology and Science MAHE, Dr. (Cdr.)  Anil Rana, Director MIT Manipal, and Dr. Somashekara Bhat, Joint- Director MIT Manipal. The dignitaries inaugurated the function by lighting the lamp. The function was attended by HoDs, HoIs , Associate Directors and faculty and staff of different disciplines in Manipal Institute of Technology.

The Director of ISAC, Group Captain P Aanand Naidu (Retd) gave an innovative introduction to the collaboration of MAHE and ISAC to promote advancements in the field of cybersecurity. He spoke about the MoU the ISAC has with AICTE to establish various centres of excellence in the domain across India and the relevance of IoT defence systems for the future of digital India.

Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, Govt of Karnataka, began his speech highlighting the government’s ambitious goals for digitization of India and India’s current stand in it. He then exemplified the recent cyber-attacks of our times and how such centres can make a change in these sectors by promoting and equipping students’ and researchers’ interest in finding effective solutions in the domain. He congratulated MAHE and ISAC for successfully establishing this centre to promote cybersecurity among the youth. He wished the centre the best and hoped it can achieve all the goals planned in the near future.

Dr. Smitha Prabhu, Mrs. India 2021, brand ambassador of ISAC congratulated the team on this momentous occasion. She urged in her talk to promote courses like ethics in the workplace in all institutions. She further spoke on the importance to create cyber-aware netizens and a National security database. She concluded her talk by pledging her support to all the center’s endeavours.

Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), in his speech, along with congratulating the team, shared the growth of the Mangalore sector over the last few years in the field of IT and the need for such a center in this sector. He hoped the center improves the skill set of the manpower in this sector in the field of cyber security.

(Cdr.) Dr.  Anil Rana, Director MIT Manipal stated that there is a long way to go in working with ISAC closely to equip the student and staff of MAHE in the various courses and the essential skills needed to combat cyber threats.

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor of MAHE Manipal, stated that the "MAHE- ISAC Center of Excellence for Cybersecurity" is a feather in MAHE's cap, as the center plays a vital role in providing its students with a comprehensive education in the field of cyber security, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to tackle the complex challenges posed by today's rapidly evolving threat landscape. He expressed the management’s happiness in the establishment of such a center and gave the center his best wishes.

Mr. Rohit Bhat, a notable technical expert and entrepreneur from the Udupi region also graced the occasion virtually and conveyed his best and his support to all center’s endeavours.

Mr. Akshay KC Assistant Professor – Senior Scale, Department of Information and Communication Technology, MIT Manipal concluded the inauguration function by thanking the gathering and technical support for their immense support throughout the function.

The function was mastered by Ms. Divya Rao, Assistant Professor – Senior Scale, Department of  Information and Communication Technology, MIT Manipal. Dr. Balachandra Professor, Department of Information and Communication Technology, MIT Manipal and Coordinator MAHE-ISAC Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity welcomed the gathering.

On World Tuberculosis Day, India Health Fund And ACT For Health Come Together To Support Swaasa®


India Health Fund, a Tata Trusts initiative, is collaborating with ACT, a non-profit venture philanthropy platform, to support Salcit Technologies in piloting Swaasa® - an AI-led solution that can revolutionize the detection and early treatment of tuberculosis in India.

Active case finding (ACF) is an established measure for the systematic screening of infectious diseases like TB in high-risk populations by frontline health workers, who are the first point of contact for under-served communities. In 2021, out of 2.23 Cr patients screened for TB through government programs, 73,772 patients were identified through ACF. However, there has been a lack of affordable, rapid response and sensitive screening tools that can help find the millions of active TB cases that often go undiagnosed. Currently used ACF methods are visual inspection, patient questionnaires, and assessing exposure to TB-infected individuals, but these have limited clinical application due to the subjectivity in understanding patients’ symptoms and systematically deducing test results for identification and differentiation of different lung infections. This leads to about 64% of symptomatic TB patients who are unable to seek appropriate care at the right time.

Addressing this need, India Health Fund and ACT For Health will co-fund the development of Swaasa® - an AI platform by Salcit Technologies that records cough sounds from suspected TB patients using a phone’s microphone and analyzes them to decode unique cough signatures to detect the possible presence of pulmonary tuberculosis using a proprietary AI algorithm and give a report in just a few seconds.

Madhav Joshi, CEO - India Health Fund, said, “We believe that actively finding undiagnosed TB cases quickly and connecting them to treatment will bring us closer to the elimination of the disease. To achieve this, what’s lacking are easy-to-use, affordable, non-invasive screening tools that can be used by patients and by healthcare workers in the most remote areas of the country. Swaasa® applies the latest advances in Artificial Intelligence to address this very need and holds the potential to transform TB care.”

Salcit’s non-invasive innovation can run on any smartphone, requires no additional equipment/consumables and offers the key advantage of being used by patients themselves in the confines of their households, without the risk of infection spread or the need for trained staff. It can also be easily used by frontline health workers in low-resource and remote settings and thus, promises to be easily scalable to enable early detection of the disease.   

The grant by IHF and ACT For Health will aid Salcit Technologies in the technical validation of the Swaasa®’s AI algorithm - the six-month long project will include the collection of cough sounds from about 5700 subjects (TB and Non-TB), the technical validation of the platform across 6 public health centers and the enhancement of the platform to reach an accuracy of 90% for detecting the likely presence of TB.

Says Neetha Joy, Director - ACT For Health, “Although we have made great strides in identifying and treating TB patients with innovative policies and aggressive testing, we still miss millions of TB patients who are not caught by the public healthcare radar. This is primarily due to the lack of access to affordable and scalable screening tools at the periphery. We’re excited to see Swaasa®’s potential unfold and believe that our support to Salcit Technologies will help this platform supplement and strengthen existing Active Case Finding (ACF) in low resource settings.”

Unlike other cough screening algorithms coming to the market, Swaasa® is a multi-focus platform that can be used for screening of various lung ailments including Covid-19, for which it is currently undergoing clinical trials. Swaasa® is also registered with CDSCO, is HIPAA and ISO27001 certified and has two granted patents and three publications backing its technology and use.

“With the support and funding from India Health Fund and ACT For Health, we aim to stay true to our mission of serving the underserved by taking our AI-powered tool to the communities. Swaasa® holds the promise not only to screen TB non-invasively and instantaneously but also to enhance the capacity of healthcare workers and strengthen the health system, including the public and private networks.” says Venkat Yechuri, CEO - Salcit Technologies.

Salcit’s proprietary combination of audiometric analysis and AI technology will undergo two more development phases post the review of the first phase by an external panel of technical experts representing Central TB Division, ICMR and WHO-India, among others.

About India Health Fund:

India Health Fund is a not-for-profit organization that was set up as a collaborative initiative of Tata Trusts and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

IHF’s mission is to help reduce preventable deaths from communicable diseases and other public health risks. IHF does this by de-risking the development of promising technology and science-led solutions that have the potential to make a significant difference in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of these diseases. IHF collaborates with the public and private sectors to facilitate the development, adoption, and scaling of these solutions. IHF’s aim is to improve health outcomes, with a focus on primary care and in low resource settings.

About ACT

ACT is a non-profit venture philanthropy platform that was born in 2020 in response to the COVID crisis and is built upon the premise that an entrepreneurial mindset, technology & innovation and collective action have the power to create meaningful social impact at scale. The organization is driven by a bias for action to catalyze social change through collaboration across the board - VCs, startup founders, donors, NGO’s, expert advisors, government stakeholders as well as the public at large.

ACT For Health aims to improve access to quality and affordable healthcare in the areas of primary care, diabetes, cancer, tuberculosis and mental health by supporting digital/medtech/deeptech innovations in these spaces

About Salcit Technologies:

Salcit Technolgies Pvt. Ltd. was founded in 2017 by Narayana Rao Sripada who quit his corporate career to embark upon a journey to bring the highest quality respiratory care to millions worldwide – where the need is the greatest - remotely and asynchronously. Through an evidence-based approach, the company has introduced Swaasa® Spirometry in the pocket® and disease identification modules through audiometric analysis of solicited cough sounds. The company is on course to introduce Swaasa® X-ray in the pocket® & Swaasa® CT-scan in the pocket®.

Salcit Technologies collaborates with the top academic and research institutions across the world such as AIIMS-Delhi, CMC-Vellore, Andhra Medical College-Visakhapatnam and University of California–San Francisco to test and validate its products and technologies. The results are published in the top scientific journals including Nature Scientific Reports.

About Tata Trusts:

Since inception in 1892, Tata Trusts, India’s oldest philanthropic organization, has played a pioneering role in bringing about an enduring difference in the lives of the communities it serves. Guided by the principles and the vision of proactive philanthropy of the Founder, Jamsetji Tata, the Trusts’ purpose is to catalyze development in the areas of health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, livelihood, digital transformation, migration and urban habitat, social justice and inclusion, environment and energy, skill development, sports, and arts and culture. The Trusts’ programmes, achieved through direct implementation, partnerships and grant making, are marked by innovations relevant to the country.

South African Tourism Showcases Its MICE Offerings By Organizing A Corporate Think Tank In Bangalore


~Aims for a 35% increase in Indian MICE travellers in 2023~

Reiterating its commitment to the Indian business and MICE travel segment, South African Tourism concluded the second edition of its in-person Corporate MICE program at ITC Gardenia, Bangalore. The first edition of this highly engaging program proved to be a major success for the tourism board. The program became a powerful platform to explore business and corporate event opportunities for South Africa.

Engagement programs like Corporate Think Tank sessions assist in setting the ground for quick recall and are particularly aimed at capitalizing on the growing demand for MICE tourism. It serves as an add-on to the tourism board’s well-developed strategy and allows them to directly communicate with the decision-makers responsible for their company’s corporate travel purchasing and address their needs. Organized by OptiMICE Events Pvt Ltd, these sessions have been specifically curated to be interactive and encourage a healthy free flowing exchange of ideas amongst the attendees and South African Tourism.

Bangalore has emerged as the start-up capital of India over the past decade and is progressing rapidly. Home to several leading multi-national companies from across the world, the city serves as an important market to South Africa’s ambitions of increasing MICE tourism from India. In 2022, Bangalore ranked as one of the fastest growing source-cities for outbound travel. Led by Ms. Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – Middle East, India and South-East Asia, South African Tourism, the interaction focused on exploring latest opportunities within the destination for hosting MICE travellers. Further, it provided an in-depth understanding of the overall MICE market, an evolved sense of purchaser needs and expectations, and most importantly helped educate the decision-makers on various business-oriented facilities that the destination has to offer.

Moderated by Ms. Kamal Gill, Director, OptiMICE Events Pvt Ltd the discussions covered a wide range of subjects including the upcoming employee engagement cycle, USPs of South Africa for MICE groups, the support offered by the tourism board as well as the activities that can be explored by potential MICE groups in the new era.

Ms. Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – Middle East, India and South-East Asia, South African Tourism said, “Corporate India’s increasing interest in hosting global meetings, key conventions and important exhibitions in South Africa is a testament towards the world-class business facilities the country has to offer. The Rainbow Nation has evolved as a destination with winning combination for India’s business and MICE travellers owing to the affordability and available engagement opportunities. It is heartening to see more and more corporate houses choosing South Africa as the preferred destination for addressing their business needs.”

“The strengthening economic ties between both the nations presents us with a great opportunity to capitalise on the increasing demand for MICE tourism. Keeping in mind the ever-growing size of the Indian economy, we are aiming for a 35% growth in MICE travellers from India in 2023”, she added.

Post the pandemic, India moved up two spots to become the 6th largest international source market for South Africa. In 2022, the Rainbow Nation witnessed over a 200% surge in travellers from the country and welcomed nearly 50,000 Indians till November. With over 1 in 4 Indian arrivals to South Africa motivated by MICE, the country continues to remain amongst the top-3 focus markets for South African Tourism.

Raising its targets for this year, the tourism board is aiming for a 35% increase in MICE travellers from metros and tier-2 markets in 2023 and will continue to interact with potential audiences through such highly engaging events. In line with its corporate engagement schedule, the tourism board successfully concluded its corporate MICE programs in Bangalore along with Delhi, Mumbai, Pune in the previous weeks.

About South African Tourism: South African Tourism is the tourism marketing arm of the South African government. Simply put, their job is to promote the country domestically and internationally, whether for leisure, business or events tourism.

As a government body, they are committed to meaningfully contributing to the South African government's objectives of inclusive economic growth, sustainable job creation, and redistribution and transformation of the industry.

Website www.southafrica.net

Transformation Is The Need Of The Era Says Venu Kondur


Lobb logistics who participated in the #Umagine Chennai the Asia’s largest Tech Summit today, speaking at a panel discussion on the advent of technology and its changing forms Venu Kondur Lobb CEO said, “how companies have transformed in the last ten years is mind boggling. He went on to say that it is the sole responsibility of the new age startups to create robust digital platforms, with the right kind of technology with perfect understanding of business needs strategically. Consumers keep looking at better products which add value to their experiences”.

The panel discussion was on “Digital start-ups Vs Analog Organisations transforming to digital”. While digital technologies are becoming ubiquitous today across both digital native startups & incumbent organisations that are reinventing themselves with technology. The sessions covered opportunity, impact & relative challenges across this spectrum of companies.

Lobb enables transporters & truckers to “Connect, Discover & Transact Freight” in a frictionless manner by leveraging the best of technology and building innovative solutions ground-up, that are relevant at a global scale.

The Indian logistics industry has over 10 million long-haul trucks, most of them owned by small truck owners struggling to find the right loads on time. We aim to empower them through our proprietary Truck Discovery Model, by creating a unique network of fleet, routes, and nodes aligned to demand supply and move to a machine-based matching engine.

Trucks in India run only 13-15 days in a month vs an optimal 23-25 days. This is largely due to opaque demand and supply availability. Demand and supply traditionally are done through calls in an inefficient manner. Lobb through its digital freight brokerage app is able to help logistics companies hire trucks on demand.

Current Scale of Business:

Trucks: 30,000 +

KMs Covered: 3 Crore KMs +

Tonnage Covered: 1 Million Tonnage +

Locations: 20+ Cities Like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Ahmedabad etc

Logistics Partners: 1000+

Fleet Owners: 5000+

In next 12 months:

Trucks: 1 Lakhs Trucks

Locations: 100+ cities

Two products – Lobb Truck – This is for fleet owners & Lobb FTL – for transporters.

BMW Motorrad GS Experience 2023 Thrills Adventure Seekers In Bengaluru


* Learn to maximise the thrill of riding the BMW GS.

* Two-day adrenaline-pumping GS riding experience for motorcycle enthusiasts by BMW Motorrad Certified Trainers.

* #BMWMotorradIndia #BMWMotorrad #MakeLifeARide #GSExperience #Adventure #Biking #Training #Riding #GSExperienceIndia #GSExperience2023

BMW Motorrad commences its most awaited training program – GS Experience 2023 in Bengaluru. GS Experience will offer riders a unique opportunity to experience the exceptional capabilities of BMW Motorrad’s class-leading legendary GS range in its natural habitat. The two-day curated training sessions are designed exclusively for BMW adventure motorcyclists and will be held at Adventure Riders Den Enduro Park, Harohalli, Bannikuppe, Karnataka on 25-26 March 2023.

BMW Motorrad will host this two-day immersive brand experience for GS enthusiasts across 11 cities – Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Kochi, Bengaluru and Lucknow.

Designed exclusively for BMW GS owners the two-day level 1 program will help riders to master basics of off-road riding. The day 1 training program is for BMW GS owners of 650 cc and above GS bikes. While the day 2 is for BMW 310 GS riders. The training includes basic familiarity of the motorcycle, understanding of correct rider position, enduro steering and other exercises such as gravel riding, emergency stops on slope, emergency braking and riding on inclines. Riders automatically qualify for level 2 training upon successful completion of level 1.

The GS Experience training also preambles the nationwide search for ‘Team India’, a trio of GS riders forming a team to contest the coveted International GS Trophy. BMW Motorrad recently announced the next destination for the International GS Trophy 2024 as Namibia.  BMW Motorrad India will hold the GS Trophy qualifiers later this year.

The GS Experience showcases the dynamic qualities of each GS model in real-world conditions and techniques to enjoy the Spirit of GS while ensuring highest safety. Each session includes a briefing and demonstration by certified BMW Motorrad Trainer that will take riders through the impressive array of technologies available on the GS range of motorcycles. The sessions offers riding experience on a combination of bitumen and off-road under expert supervision.

IndusInd Bank Appoints Vikas Muttoo As ‘COO & Head Member Services’ Of Its 100% Subsidiary ‘Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd.


IndusInd Bank today announced the appointment of Vikas Muttoo as ‘COO and Head Member Services’, of its 100% subsidiary Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd. (BFIL).

Vikas is a veteran banker with over 27 years of experience across the banking & financial spectrum including Microfinance, Retail banking, Consumer Finance and P&L management. He has been previously associated with ANZ Grindlays, Standard Chartered, ABN Amro, RBS, including a very successful stint with BFIL, as its Chief Business Officer. His most recent stint has been with RBL Bank, where he was the MD & CEO of its Microfinance Business.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Sumant Kathpalia, Managing Director & CEO, IndusInd Bank, said, “We are extremely pleased to have Vikas join back into the fold and we believe his inclusion will bring further strength to the BFIL team. His proven prior experience across the banking and financial space especially microfinance will be a driving force and a great value addition to the business of BFIL. We welcome him to the BFIL team and wish him success.”

About IndusInd Bank:

IndusInd Bank Limited commenced its operations in 1994 catering to the needs of consumer and corporate customers. Since its inception, the Bank has redefined the banking experience for its customers including various government entities, PSUs and large corporations. As on December 31, 2022, IndusInd Bank has a customer base of approx. 33 million, with 2384 Branches/Banking Outlets and 2894 ATMs spread across geographical locations of the country and covering 1,34,000 villages. The Bank has representative offices in London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Bank believes in driving its business through technology that supports multi-channel delivery capabilities. It enjoys clearing bank status for both major stock exchanges BSE and NSE and settlement bank status for NCDEX. It is an also an empaneled banker for MCX. IndusInd Bank was included in the NIFTY 50 benchmark index on April 1, 2013.   

RATINGS   

Domestic Ratings:     

CRISIL AA + for Infrastructure Bonds program/Tier 2 Bonds   

CRISIL AA for Additional Tier 1 Bonds program   

CRISIL A1+ for certificate of deposit program / short term FD program    

IND AA+ for Senior bonds program/Tier 2 Bonds by India Ratings and Research   

IND AA for Additional Tier 1 Bonds program by India Ratings and Research   

IND A1+ for Short Term Debt Instruments by India Ratings and Research  

International Ratings:      

Ba1 for Senior Unsecured MTN programme by Moody’s Investors Service   

Visit us at https://www.indusind.com/  

Twitter:  @MyIndusIndBank  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialIndusIndBankPage  

Friday, March 24, 2023

Rajeev Chandrasekhar Launches Skill Hub Portal In Bengaluru


* 15 lakh young Kannadigas to get Industry ready employable future ready skills over the next 3 year: MoS, Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Portal Invites all colleges/universities to be a part of Skill India Network and ensures ease of access to skill training for students across all Districts in India
The future economic growth & prosperity will be driven by energy, capability, and determination of Young Kannadigas. This is the future of Nava Karnataka: MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar

As part of the efforts to provide industry ready employable Skills to young Indians in all districts of India, Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar today launched the Skill hub portal.  The portal invites all colleges and universities to be a part of Skill India Network. 

Addressing a gathering of academicians & leaders from the industry, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the Government under Honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has always emphasized on the importance of industry-ready and future ready skills for young Indians.  

“Till 2014, there was a backlog of around 30 crore unskilled Indians in the workforce. That means almost 3/4th of every Indian who had a job didn’t have skills or access to skills. Moreover, there were around another 1.9 Cr joining the workforce without skills. Such was the legacy that our Hon. Prime Minister had inherited when he took over,” Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar said. 

Highlighting the skilling achievements of the Government, the Minister said vast network of Skilling network has been created post 2014 and by 2022 a total of six crores Young Indians have been Skilled and certified. 

He said the issue relating to 1.9 Cr workforce that used to join workforce without skills has been addressed through National Education Policy. “No Young Indian will be without Skills. NEP gives multiple entry and exit options,” he said, adding that along with education they should be encouraged to equip themselves with some industry-specific, future ready skills.  

Regarding the Skilling plans in Karnataka, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in view of expansion and diversification of the economy, there is going to be demands for skills. “Hence, district wise skill mapping has been carried out and unique District Skill Development Plans have been prepared by Government of India for each district of Karnataka,” he stated.

Reaffirming that the Government’s determination is to help15 lakh young Kannadigas get Industry ready, employable, future ready skills over the next three years, the Minister said, “The future economic growth & prosperity will be driven by energy, capability, and determination of Young Kannadigas. This is the vision of Nava Karnataka.” 

Emphasizing on educational institutions to register on the Skills hub portal, the Minister said, “Every college, university, ITI, Jan Sikshan Sansthan etc. can sign up and become a part of India’s skill network. We would encourage them to compete against each other to become an institute of skill training par excellence and students would naturally choose the best skill training center.” 

PMJ Jewels Flagship New Store Launched In Jayanagar, Bengaluru


~The new flagship store at Jayanagar which is spread over 20000 sft with 4 floors will be hosting more than 10000+ never-seen-before handcrafted designer wedding jewellery in diamond, gold and polki designs~

~The store will also host a special collection of the ‘Largest Bridal Collection’ ever witnessed by Bengaluru from 24th March to 30th March ~

PMJ Jewels, South India’s most loved fine jewellery brand, today launched its new flagship store at Jayanagar, Bengaluru. Ms. Usha Thulasiram (Director, Lahari Music) along with celebrity influencer- Mithali Sagar (House of MISU),  Dr Shruthi Gowda, Dr. Sailaja Vallabhaneni, Shri Kushal Kumar Jain – Chairman, PMJ Jewels and Mr.Manish Borundia- PMJ Jewels Director – South inaugurated the new store. This is PMJ’s 27th store in South India and the 4th store in Bengaluru, as part of the brand’s aggressive expansion plans.

The new flagship store at Jayanagar, Bengaluru promises to be an iconic landmark destination for high-end jewellery, offering designs ranging from Heritage to Contemporary Diamond to Traditional Temple jewellery. The new flagship store at Jayanagar which is spread over 20000 sft with 4 floors will be hosting more than 10000+ never-seen-before handcrafted designer wedding jewellery in diamond and gold designs. The store will enthral jewellery enthusiasts as an 'Experience Centre' and a place where creative thinking and innovative jewellery ideas are translated into exquisite pieces of jewellery that are combined with high-quality and craftsmanship.

Jewellery at PMJ has always stood as an epitome of classic glamour, a significant fashion essential and carry generations-worth of sentimental value while making for distinct markers of love and tradition. Resonating an inimitable charm of its bridal jewellery collection, PMJ Jewels, new flagship store in Jayanagar, Bengaluru will include a wide range of collections that was never witnessed by the people of Garden City.

The store is also displaying the ‘Largest Bridal Collection’ ever witnessed by Bengaluru from 24th March to 30th March. The display will have exclusively crafted designs across diamonds, gold, solitaires along with exclusive Polki collection, and special wedding jewellery ranging from extravagant to simple, traditional to modern and also everyday light wear creations with a focus on region specific jewellery keeping in mind the discerning jewellery enthusiasts of Bengaluru.

Speaking at the new flagship store launch Ms. Usha Thulasiram, Director, Lahari Music said, “I am very happy to be part of the launch of this iconic flagship store. PMJ Jewels have a huge variety of collections in diamond jewellery, which is hand-crafted. The people of Bengaluru will definitely witness a superior craftsmanship with designs from delicate pieces to extravagant along with jewellery subjected to top-notch quality and precision at PMJ jewels.”

Special Guest Mithali Sagar – House of MISU, celebrity influencer sharing her thoughts at the new flagship store launch said, “I feel extremely delighted to be part of this new store launch of PMJ Jewels. An unwavering commitment to crafting world class jewellery rooted in Indian Tradition has made PMJ Jewels the most loved jewellery brand. People from every corner of Bengaluru with different cultures and traditions also will surely love the collections at the new flagship store of PMJ”.  

Expressing their joy at the inauguration of the store Shri Kushal Kumar Jain – Chairman, PMJ Jewels & Mr.Manish Borundia- PMJ Jewels, Director – South said, “We are honoured today by the august presence of Ms. Usha Thulasiram, Dr. Shruti Gowda and Ms. Mitali Sagar. We thank the guests who have blessed up and launched our new flagship store. We will also be hosting a unique bridal exhibition from 24th March to 30th March at the store which will be the ‘Largest Bridal Collection’ Bengaluru might have ever witnessed. We invite all the brides, bridesmaids, the relatives and all jewellery lovers who should visit this beautiful display of latest collection at our newly launched store. We strongly believe every visitor who comes to the store will love our latest and exquisite designs and we promise a wonderful experience to cherish.”

The always-happening city of Bangalore will definitely witness an extravagant new range of collections in diamond jewellery. The eye-feasting collections are going to attract working employees to occasional shoppers. The wedding jewellery collection is going to be one of its kind in Bangalore.

About PMJ Jewels

PMJ Jewels is a bespoke luxury fine jewellery, with a reputation of providing enduring quality, personalized service and expert guidance to customers looking for unique and exquisite gifts of love. With fifty-plus years of brand legacy, PMJ has been the family jeweller for Hyderabad’s royals and elites, for generations.

Known for its unmatched range in diamond wedding jewellery, PMJ is known to craft the finest and most unique jewellery pieces for our clients that become part of the family heirloom. PMJ is present in 20+ stores across the South of India and our flagship store – The House of PMJ on Road no. 10, Jubilee hills, is now a milestone in Hyderabad's landscape.

Reminisce Your Childhood Memories With The Taste Of Mother’s Recipe “Summerwala Sharbat”


* Launched five flavours in the beverage category 

Mother’s Recipe one of India's leading food brands known for its expansive product portfolio, has launched a new product category Sharbat for this summer season. The tradition of having sharbat in summer always strikes nostalgia. In Indian households, making sharbat is a family affair, with everyone pitching in to help prepare the drink. Grandmothers are often the ones who pass down their traditional recipes and techniques for making sharbat. In the summer season, tea gets replaced with sharbat while welcoming guests. Sharbats are offered as a thirst quencher to beat the scorching summer heat. 

Sharbat is a refreshing drink but also a cultural symbol in India. It is often served to guests as a sign of hospitality and warmth and an essential part of Indian tradition that brings families and communities together. Keeping this in mind and in a bid to strengthen its product portfolio Mother’s Recipe one of India's leading food brands has recently announced the launch of its new product category range called the “Summerwala Sharbat” with a new tagline ‘Swad Jo Dilaye Bachhpan ki yaad’. 

Mother’s Recipe sharbat has launched five new range refreshing flavours Mango Panna, Rose Sharbat, Jeera Masala, Khus Syrup and Lemon Ginger. Rose sharbat, made with rose syrup and water, is a classic flavor and is often used as a base for other sharbat flavors. Khus sharbat, made with khus extracts syrup, is a fragrant and cooling drink. Lemon sharbat, made with lemon juice and sugar syrup, is a tangy and refreshing drink. Mango sharbat, made with mango pulp and sugar syrup, is a sweet and fruity drink. With the rising temperature, it is very important to keep our bodies cool and hydrated. Khus, Lemon, Rose, and various ingredients in the sharbat are known to offer various health benefits too such as improving digestion & cooling. The sharbat can be served chilled and can be garnished with mint leaves, lemon slices, or can be turned into a fancy mocktail or a faluda.   

Speaking on the new launch announcement Ms. Sanjana Desai, Executive Director, Mother’s Recipe said “We at Mother’s Recipe always strive to provide consumers with an enriching experience through our product offerings.  We believe in pushing boundaries when it comes to introducing consumers to new products, tastes and experiences and with our Summerwala Sharbat we aim to do the same.  In India, the beverage category has witnessed a paradigm shift in consumption patterns, from regular soft drinks to better and healthier options. To address the ever-evolving consumer demand we decided to expand our product portfolio with Sharbat. We are confident that the product will soon emerge as the preferred beverage choice across all age groups”.  

Mother’s Recipe Sharbat range is available in a 750ml PET bottle priced at Rs.180/-. The bottles are great for reusing, unbreakable and easy to store in the fridge cabinets. The product will be available across all e-commerce platforms like modern and all retail outlets. The launch of the products is a step forward in having a broader portfolio. Currently, the brand is among the leading FMCG companies with a range that includes a variety of products like pickles, cooking paste, chutney, papad, Ready to eat and Ready to cook.  

KSB Limited Acquires “Technology Of Bharat Pumps & Compressors Ltd. To Strengthen Its Pump Business” In India


KSB Limited, one of the world's leading suppliers of pumps, valves, and systems, recently announced the acquisition of technology from Bharat Pumps and Compressors Ltd. Naini, Prayagraj. With this acquisition, KSB Limited becomes the sole and exclusive owner and shall have rights to the Technology of the products manufactured by BP&CL. 

BP&CL is a major manufacturer of a wide range of products including reciprocating pumps, centrifugal pumps, reciprocating compressors, and high-pressure seamless gas cylinders. KSB Limited SupremeServ, a dedicated segment of KSB Limited for aftermarket services, will handle this newly acquired venture to undertake spare parts business and service around 5000+ BP&CL products installed in various industries and locations across India. 

Commenting on the acquisition, Mr. Farrokh Bhathena, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, KSB Limited said, “We are delighted to announce the technology acquisition of Bharat Pumps and Compressors. This acquisition will enable us to keep growing our pump business. This is a significant milestone in the company's history as we take a step further to strengthen the ‘Make in India’ initiative whilst continuing to serve industries of national importance such as oil and gas exploration, refineries, nuclear power plants and other projects." 

With this acquisition, KSB Limited would leverage its existing strengths and market potential to expand its product line in both the new pump and aftermarket markets by utilising BP&CL's technology.  

Purva Land Sells Plots With Sale Value Of Over Rs. 105 Cr. At Purva Oakshire Launch Over The Weekend


1.    Plots with sale value of over Rs. 105 Cr. sold over the weekend

2.    Purva Oakshire offers plots ranging between 1,000 and 4,500 sq. ft.

3.    The project is located on Avalahalli road, Rampura, Bengaluru

Purva Land, the plotted development arm of Puravankara Limited, one of the most admired real estate majors in India, has seen a massive response from consumers to its newly launched Purva Oakshire project, with most plots sold out on the weekend of the launch. The launch event recorded 250+ walk-ins and 100+ Expressions of Interest, demonstrating the project's worthiness, value-driven proposition, and customer trust in brand Puravankara.

Speaking on the occasion, Abhishek Kapoor, CEO, Puravankara Limited said, “We are happy to see the enthusiastic response to our latest offering of plotted developments, Purva Oakshire. Spread across 35 acres, this unique development comprises county-themed plots that integrate the regal ambience of Greater London into the contours of North Bengaluru. Our goal with this project is to provide our customers with a unique living experience that combines luxury, comfort, and convenience in a tranquil environment. Our team is committed to delivering a world-class development that will stand the test of time and become a true landmark in the community.”

The Oakshire project is an exquisite and thoughtfully planned county-themed residential development, situated in the prime location of Avalahalli road, Rampura in Bengaluru North. It offers easy access to the Bengaluru International Airport and is a 30-35 minute drive from key city hubs like Whitefield, MG road and Hebbal making it a centrally located destination. The project boasts well-designed plots that cater to the diverse needs of homebuyers. The plots range in size from ~1,000 sq ft to 4,500 Sq. Ft. Price starts from Rs. 81+ Lakhs for a 1,000 Sq Ft. plot providing ample space to build a dream home that meets the expectations of every buyer.

This London-inspired property is divided into three prestigious neighbourhoods, namely Mayfair, Kensington, and Paddington, and has more than 6 acres of open green space. The elegant resort, which offers more than 30 amenities, is surrounded by a dazzling array of flora and fauna.

About Puravankara

The Puravankara Group is one of India's most trusted realty majors, headquartered in Bengaluru with a pan-India presence. In the last 48 years, the company has established three distinct and successful residential brands – Puravankara Limited (PL), Purva Land, and Provident Housing Limited (PHL), catering to the entire spectrum of housing needs. As of December 2022, Puravankara has completed 80+ projects measuring ~45 million Sq. Ft. across 9 cities - Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Mangalore, Kochi, Mumbai, Pune and Goa. The company's total land bank is ~56 msft, and ongoing projects add up to ~25 msft.

Airtel 5G Plus Is Now Available Across 500 Cities In The Country


Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), India’s leading telecommunications services provider, today announced that its ultra-fast 5G service is available to customers in 500 cities in the country. Airtel added 235 cities to its network, making it one of the largest roll-outs to date. As the company continues to augments its network, Airtel 5G Plus is now available in every major city from the upper northern city in Kashmir to the southern tip of Kanyakumari.    

Commenting on the launch, Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel, said, “We are delighted to see the rapid pace of 5G adoption in the country. Airtel was the first to offer 5G services in October 2022, and today’s mega launch is our promise to connect every Airtel customer in the country with ultra-fast Airtel 5G Plus. We have already covered 500 cities and are adding 30 to 40 cities every single day. By September of 2023, we expect to expand our 5G footprint to all of urban India.” 

Airtel 5G Plus has three compelling advantages for customers. First, it runs on a technology that has the widest acceptance in the world with the most developed ecosystem. This ensures that all 5G smartphones in India seamlessly work on the Airtel network. Second, the company promises to deliver the best experience – between 20 to 30 times higher speeds than today coupled with a brilliant voice experience and super-fast call connect. Finally, the Airtel 5G Plus network is also kinder on the environment because of its special power reduction solution.

The company also launched unlimited 5G data for its customers with the view to encouraging them to experience the power of the Airtel 5G Plus network. Customers will now be able to experience ultrafast, reliable and secure 5G Plus services without having to worry about data exhaustion as the company removes the capping on data usage across all existing plans.  

In the last one year, Airtel has demonstrated the power of 5G with a host of powerful use cases that will change the way customers lead their lives and do business. From India’s first live 5G network in Hyderabad to India's first private 5G network at the BOSCH facility in Bengaluru to partnering with Mahindra & Mahindra to make its Chakan manufacturing facility, India’s first 5G enabled auto manufacturing unit, Airtel has been at the forefront of 5G innovation. 

About Bharti Airtel Limited

Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global communications solutions provider with over 500 Mn customers in 17 countries across South Asia and Africa. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its networks cover over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated communications solutions provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. Airtel’s retail portfolio includes high speed 4G/5G mobile broadband, Airtel Xstream Fiber that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps with convergence across linear and on-demand entertainment, streaming services spanning music and video, digital payments and financial services. For enterprise customers, Airtel offers a gamut of solutions that includes secure connectivity, cloud and data centre services, cyber security, IoT, Ad Tech and CPaaS (Airtel IQ). For more details visit www.airtel.com

Chalet Hotels Signs Definitive Agreements For The Acquisition Of The Dukes Retreat, Khandala


Chalet Hotels Limited (CHL), owner, developer, asset manager and operator of high-end hotels and resorts in India, marks its investment foray into leisure as it signs definitive agreements for the ‘ACQUISITION OF THE DUKES RETREAT’, an 80-room resort, spread over ~7.5 acres, surrounded by gorgeous waterfalls stunning views of the Western Ghats. A dominant player in the business hospitality space, Chalet is known for its legacy of creating asset value through creating high-end hospitality assets and offering exceptional guest experiences.

CHL has entered into definitive agreements to acquire The Dukes Retreat Pvt. Ltd. and Sonmil Industries Pvt. Ltd. for an Enterprise Value of Rs. 1,330 mn (to be adjusted for cash on books). The resort land is owned by Sonmil Industries Pvt. Ltd., while the hotel structure and its business are owned by The Dukes Retreat Pvt. Ltd. Upon completion of the transaction, Chalet will finalize its plans of expansion and up-gradation of the property to reposition it as an upper-upscale green, lifestyle resort.

The Dukes Retreat is strategically located at a comfortable drivable distance from both Mumbai and Pune. The 80-room resort includes 18 Deluxe Rooms, 54 Executive Rooms and 8 Cottages, and offers a gourmet experience at the in-house restaurant with panoramic views of the cliffs and valleys. Other facilities at the resort include an outdoor pool, play area for kids, spa, and a fitness center. This property has been a top destination for individual leisure travellers, weddings, and corporate events.

With this acquisition, CHL will further enhance diversification in its portfolio by expanding its owned asset portfolio in the leisure segment.

Following the announcement, Mr. Sanjay Sethi, MD & CEO at Chalet Hotels Limited said, “‘The Dukes Retreat’ is a unique resort with stunning views and a strong emotional connect with large number of families from Mumbai and Pune. We welcome the guests and the associates of the Resort to the Chalet family. Chalet Hotels Ltd is positioned in a sweet spot with several of its capex projects approaching commercial opening in the next few months. The Dukes Retreat is the new addition.”

About Chalet Hotels Limited:

Chalet Hotels Limited (CHL), is an owner, developer, asset manager and operator of high-end hotels and resorts in India. CHL portfolio comprises of seven operating hotels, including a hotel with a co-located serviced residence, which are situated across the markets of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Pune. The hotels are branded with globally recognized hospitality brands and are in the luxury, upper upscale and upscale segments. CHL uses its experience to actively manage the hotel assets to drive performance. In addition, CHL has developed commercial assets, co-located with the hotels under a mixed-use strategy. These are at strategic locations, generally with high barriers to entry, and in high-density business districts.

Information Technology: ACN’s Q2 Results’ Read-Through: In-Line Q2, Record-High Bookings; Narrows FY23 Guidance


Steady Q2 operating performance: Accenture’s (ACN’s) revenue grew by 5% YoY to USD15.8bn (9% in LC) in Q2. Revenues, after adjusting for forex, were closer to the upper end of the guidance (6-10% in LC), driven by broad-based growth across all markets, with over 50% of the 13 industries growing in double-digits in Q2. ACN continues to gain market-share (growing >2x the market). Q2 also saw ACN posting strong double-digit growth in Song and very strong double-digit growth in Cloud, Industry X, and Security. Strategy and Consulting reported a mid-single-digit decline, while Operations and Technology logged double-digit growth. Consulting revenue declined by ~1% YoY to USD8.28bn (up 4% in LC), while revenue for Managed Services/Outsourcing grew ~12% YoY to USD7.54bn (16% in LC). New bookings were at a record high in Q2, standing at USD22.1bn (up 13% YoY, 17% in LC; book-to-bill at 1.4x). Consulting bookings stood at USD10.7bn (down 2.4% YoY; book-to-bill at 1.3x) and Managed-Services bookings clocked USD11.4bn (up 32% YoY; book-to-bill at 1.5x). Adjusted operating margin increased by 10bps YoY to 13.8% in Q2. Quarterly annualized voluntary attrition moderated to 12% in Q2 vs 13% QoQ. The company added 484 employees in Q2, taking the headcount to 738,143 (0.1% QoQ/5.7% YoY).

Broad-based growth across verticals and geographies: Growth in Q2 was driven by Resources (16% YoY in LC), Health & Public Services (15%), Financial Services (10%), and Products (9%), while CMT was flat YoY. Geography-wise, North America grew by 5% in LC, led by public services and health & utilities, and partially offset by the decline in CMT; Europe grew by 12%, led by industrial, banking & capital markets and public services; and Growth markets saw a 14% rise, led by banking & capital markets, chemicals & natural resources, and public services.

Management narrows FY23 guidance: ACN narrowed its revenue growth guidance to 8-10% in LC for FY23 (earlier 8-11%), assuming inorganic contribution of 2% now compared with 2.5% earlier. The guidance prices-in a negative 4.5% (earlier at negative 5%) foreign-exchange impact on USD revenue. ACN expects operating margin to be 14.1-14.3% (earlier 15.3-15.5%). Adjusted for one-off business optimization costs of ~USD800mn in FY23, it estimates operating margin at 15.3-15.5% (10-30bps expansion from FY22). ACN expects Q3FY23 revenue at USD16.1-16.7bn, assuming a negative 3.5% foreign-exchange impact (3-7% YoY in LC). The company now expects OCF and FCF to clock at USD8.7-9.2bn (earlier USD8.5-9bn) and USD8.0-8.5bn (earlier USD7.7-8.2bn), respectively.

Earnings-call KTAs: 1) Clients are seeking compressed transformation amid uncertainties, in order to achieve lower costs, more agility and greater resilience; thus, managed services has become increasingly important as companies are looking to increase pace, for leveraging digital platforms and talent. 2) Company is experiencing growing demand in application modernization & maintenance, cloud enablement and managed security services. 3) ACN has signed deals worth >USD100mn with 35 clients in Q2 (vs 24 clients in Q1). The company highlighted that it is seeing traction in the bigger transformational projects. 4) Clients are laser-focused on costs and prioritizes projects with shorter RoI. 5) After record-high bookings in Q2, ACN expects bookings growth to be softer in Q3. The mix is currently skewed towards managed services; however, Mgmt highlighted that consulting has a strong pipeline. 6) ACN does not have significant exposure to regional banks and primarily caters to larger banking institutions. 7) It has initiated actions to streamline operations and transform non-billable corporate functions to reduce costs, and anticipates departure of ~19k employees (~2.5% of the workforce – over half in non-billable corporate functions) over the next 18 months. It expects total business optimization costs of ~USD1.5bn (USD0.8bn/0.7bn in FY23/FY24), which comprise ~USD1.2bn of employee severance and other personnel costs. Additionally, it expects to incur USD300mn in costs related to the consolidation of office space; majority of these will be recorded in FY23. 8) Company highlighted that pricing has remained relatively stable in Q2. 9) It expects flattish headcount addition in Q3, with some addition in Q4.

Read-through for Indian IT peers: ACN’s Q2 revenue growth was closer to the upper end of its guidance, although it came in short of the outperformance seen over the last few quarters. Company has retained the mid-point of its organic revenue growth guidance for FY23 (6-8% vs earlier 5.5-8.5%). The consulting business has seen moderation in both, deal intake and revenue growth, while managed services sustained its strong growth momentum (revenue/deal bookings grew 16%/37% CC YoY in Q2; book-to-bill at 1.5x). Deal booking remained strong in Q2 driven by large transformational deals, while clients are turning cautious amid macro uncertainties, leading to delay in decision-making and pause in smaller deals – this could lead to increased volatility in quarterly deal bookings and likely to narrowing of the growth differential between Tier-1 and Tier-2 companies. Demand has moderated due to weakness in consulting, softness in the flow of smaller deals and slower decision-making amid macro uncertainties; nevertheless, demand remains resilient and should alleviate any concerns of a sharp fall. We prefer large-caps over mid-caps, considering shift in the deal-mix and relative valuations. Our pecking order is INFO, WPRO, TECHM, HCLT and TCS in the tier-1 space; and ZOMATO, FSOL, ECLX, MPHL, BSOFT, and PSYS among mid-caps.

TECHLUSIVE.in Goes Live - IDPL’s Tech Platform Aims At Engaging Technophiles With Unbiased Reviews, Information And Insights


The Internet is a vast ocean made up of cluttered sources of information. Finding the right information in a comprehensive manner is a challenge to users. Once you find the information its credibility and bias is a big question. Enter TECHLUSIVE.in, the new technology platform from India’s largest Digital organization, IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited (IDPL), a Zeecompany.

IDPL announced the rollout of TECHLUSIVE.in, setting a curtain-raiser to the 4thBollywood Life Awards, held on 24th March 2023. The new platform is here to provide technophiles and netizens with comprehensive and unbiased insights into personal technology.

Keeping true to its credo of providing “well-rounded coverage of technologythrough unbiased updates, analyses and expert commentaries”, TECHLUSIVE will provide a personalised tech experience through user-friendly features such as product guides and reviews about the latest smartphones, gadgets, gaming, appsetc.

Catering to the Englishand Hindi audience, the tech platform comes in a fresh, user-friendly interface and presents well-researched content divided into varied sections of the website, including NEWS, MOBILES, GAMING, REVIEWS, PHOTO GALLERY and VIDEOS. This allows netizens and technophiles to enter the world of the latest unbiased tech news, ratings, and reviews and empowers them to make informed decisions. It also aims to resolve all tech-related queries related to finding the best deals, telecom plans, and much more. 

TECHLUSIVE is not only about technology, but also focuses on users making their decision about their next buying devices or gadgets, by providing in-depth product information, specifications, pricing, user ratings & reviews.

Emphasisingon the key features of Techlusive.in, Mr. Devadas Krishnan, CEO, IDPL said, “Through Techlusive.in and other digital properties, IDPL is creating opportunities for the brands to showcase their product capabilities. We are enabling this using the best industry practices and our unique digital brand solutions opportunities. All this through our unbiased coverage of the technology industry, and keeping our 300 million plus unique monthly users informed of the latest trends and developments.” 

Mr. Roshan Tamang, CCO, IDPL added,“We look forward to primarily focusing on tech news and the latest developments that the user can use. With deeply-researched and authoritative content, Techlusive.in is among India’s top sources of tech newsand a technology category leader among early adopters, savvy technophiles and casual readers alike. To attract more eyeballs and keeping them engaged on the platform, we are taking the Video First approach, complemented by other multimedia surround sound, including voice, video, data stories and other engaging formats.” 

About IndiaDotcom Digital Pvt Ltd: IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited is one of India’s leading media technology companies with a strong presence in the news, information, and entertainment genres. It is India's second largest Digital Entity touching more than 300 million monthly users and owns 30 plus digital properties including India.com, Zee news, Zee Business, Zee Hindustan, WION news, Bollywoodlife.com and more. 

IndusInd Bank Goes Live On Direct Tax Collection System of CBDT


·         IndusInd Bank has been authorized for collection of Direct Taxes Under its Agency Bank Licence 

·         Direct taxes to be collected to include Income tax, advance tax, TDS and all other direct taxes that fall under the purview of CBDT 

IndusInd Bank today announced that it is now integrated with the lncome Tax Department’s recently launched tax payment platform “TIN2.0”. The Bank was appointed as an Agency Bank by the Reserve Bank of India and under this licence, IndusInd Bank customers can now pay their Direct Taxes in a fast, seamless and convenient manner through the Bank’s Retail or Corporate Net Banking platform or at any IndusInd Bank branch using Cash, Cheque or Demand Draft. 

Speaking on the development, Mr. Sumant Kathpalia, Managing Director & CEO, IndusInd Bank, said, “We take immense pride in commencing operations as an Agency Bank for the Central Board of Direct Taxes. This is yet another addition to IndusInd Bank’s product suite comprising innovative solutions powered by cutting edge digital capabilities. We are confident of being a ‘partner of choice’ for the Government and our customers alike and we stay committed to providing a superior experience as India’s most convenient Bank.” 

About IndusInd Bank:

IndusInd Bank Limited commenced its operations in 1994 catering to the needs of consumer and corporate customers. Since its inception, the Bank has redefined the banking experience for its customers including various government entities, PSUs and large corporations. As on December 31, 2022, IndusInd Bank has a customer base of approx. 33 million, with 2384 Branches/Banking Outlets and 2894 ATMs spread across geographical locations of the country and covering 1,34,000 villages. The Bank has representative offices in London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Bank believes in driving its business through technology that supports multi-channel delivery capabilities. It enjoys clearing bank status for both major stock exchanges BSE and NSE and settlement bank status for NCDEX. It is an also an empaneled banker for MCX. IndusInd Bank was included in the NIFTY 50 benchmark index on April 1, 2013.   

RATINGS   

Domestic Ratings:     

CRISIL AA + for Infrastructure Bonds program/Tier 2 Bonds   

CRISIL AA for Additional Tier 1 Bonds program   

CRISIL A1+ for certificate of deposit program / short term FD program    

IND AA+ for Senior bonds program/Tier 2 Bonds by India Ratings and Research   

IND AA for Additional Tier 1 Bonds program by India Ratings and Research   

IND A1+ for Short Term Debt Instruments by India Ratings and Research  

International Ratings:      

Ba1 for Senior Unsecured MTN programme by Moody’s Investors Service   

Visit us at https://www.indusind.com/  

Twitter:  @MyIndusIndBank  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialIndusIndBankPage  

IPRS Extends Wholehearted Support To Music Makers Through Its “Learn And Earn” Initiative


* As part of its pan-India campaign 'Learn and Earn,' the IPRS recently organized a knowledge workshop in Bengaluru. The aim was to educate and empower songwriters, composers, and publishers about music rights and the latest trends shaping the careers of those behind the music. 

* Renowned author,  composer, and IPRS Regional Committee Member Mr. Hamsalekha, Mr. Mayur Puri - screenwriter, lyricist, filmmaker, and IPRS Board Member, Mr. Rakesh Nigam, CEO, IPRS, the regional ARA Committee members and key members from the region, graced the event. 

Discussions focused on copyright in music, music licensing, emerging trends, technological advancements, and the role of copyright societies like IPRS in protecting creators' rights and their royalty rights. The Learn and Earn initiative is part of IPRS's ongoing efforts to support its members with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to succeed in the ever-changing music industry. 

IPRS has established itself as a crucial support system for the music industry in India. Since its new beginning in 2017 with a well-defined task in hand, led by the new board and Mr. Javed Akhtar as the Chairman, the organization has remained committed to promoting the causes of music creators and publishers. The amendments in the Copyright Act in 2012 opened the way for a fresh start, with IPRS growing from strength to strength to become the leading music copyright society in India, representing the authors, songwriters, and music publishers. In 2018, IPRS was readmitted as a Copyright Society in the apex Paris-based International Confederation of Societies of Authors & Composers (CISAC), leading to wider acceptance of IPRS as a top global copyright society.  

The following years saw IPRS signing strategic licensing deals with major International Digital Service Providers (DSPs) and significant players in the Indian music industry escalating the IPRS revenue from INR 46 crores in FY2017-18 to a whooping INR 314 crores in FY21-22. IPRS went on to be recognized as the fastest-growing music collection society in the world by CISAC. During the recent pandemic, the critical role of copyright societies like IPRS became even more evident when the regular sources of income from the music industry were severely hit. By distributing royalty amounting to INR 210 crores, along with regular grants and aids, IPRS has proven its pivotal role in the sustenance and welfare of the Music community. 

IPRS, under the leadership of CEO Rakesh Nigam, has been successful in safeguarding the rights of music creators and their rightful owners. Javed Akhtar, the IPRS Chairman, commended the organization’s initiatives to educate creators about their rights and the steps taken to distribute royalties and financial aid to struggling members during the pandemic. “Concerted efforts by IPRS at problem-solving in vexing matters have shown visible gains that have brightened the prospects of our members and stakeholders. For further progress and development, I hope our government will appreciate our efforts and give us a helping hand in building a more compliant music ecosystem, which we will always need,” he said.   

Commenting on the initiative leading author, music director, and IPRS Regional ARA Committee Member Hamsalekha said, “I thank IPRS for this great initiative. IPRS has been working tirelessly for music creators and publishers to educate them on their rights and abreast them on matters crucial to earn more from the music they make. Authors and composers are creative people engrossed in their world of music and creation. Many times unaware of their rights and rightful dues. Music copyright societies like IPRS thus play a vital role for the community of music makers. Apart from safeguarding our royalty rights, IPRS is also equipping us with the required information to help us make more informed decisions.” 

IPRS CEO Rakesh Nigam said: “The Indian music business has been rapidly expanding with music from across the country fuelling this rise with its popularity transcending borders and setting new benchmarks. The reservoir of brilliant creators and music from every region has contributed in a big way to this newfound success. While the industry scales new heights, songwriters and composers must be fully aware of their rights and how to gain more from their creations in this new era of music. Hence at IPRS, our new initiatives and pan-India workshops like Learn & Earn are aimed at upskilling and empowering our members through knowledge and know-how. Our primary goal at IPRS will be to expand opportunities for our members and to lay the way for a vibrant ecosystem that will propel them and the Indian music business to new heights.” 

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Electrolux Group Announces The Launch Of Its UltimateTaste Range Of Refrigerators


* The UltimateTaste range of refrigerators from Electrolux Group is available in four different variations; Top freezer refrigerators, Bottom freezer refrigerators, French door refrigerators and a Side by Side refrigerator

*      Armed with Electrolux Group’s cutting-edge technologies like TasteLockAuto to keep the vegetables fresh for a longer period, TasteSeal to keep fish fresh without freezing, TwinTechCooling to help preserve taste and texture, and EvenTemp to reduce temperature fluctuations

Electrolux Group, a leading appliance brand with more than 100 years of shaping living for the better, today announced the launch of its UltimateTaste range of refrigerators in the Indian market, further expanding its product portfolio. Electrolux refrigerators are built to impress, from the slick external contours and thoughtful interiors to the way the door handle functions. The Scandinavian design of Electrolux raises the kitchen's aesthetic factor and is offered in a variety of gloss/matte finishes and in dark or natural stainless-steel finishes. The entire range comprises four different variations including Bottom freezer refrigerators, French door refrigerators, a Side by Side refrigerator, and Top freezer refrigerators. In line with its “Swedish thinking. Better living.” principle, the Electrolux range of refrigerators aim to make your food last longer by preserving Taste, Texture and Nutritional value of your food and promoting sustainable eating habits.

In this new range, Electrolux Group has brought together its cutting-edge proprietary technologies, including Auto Humidity Management with TasteLockAuto for prolonged preservation of vegetables, TasteSeal for keeping fish and meat fresh without freezing, FlexStor to provides flexible storage options, and NutriFresh inverter compressor which maintains consistent temperatures to save energy while keeping food and drinks fresh. Additionally, the premium range of Electrolux refrigerators features TasteGuard to ensure freshness of the fridge and TwinTech cooling to maintain optimal temperature and humidity level.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sudhir Patil, Commercial Director said, “Ahead of the summer season, we’ve introduced our 2023 refrigerator line-up that has been designed in line with our “Swedish thinking. Better living” principle at Electrolux. The range is designed to address different key needs of consumers – making food last longer owing to an extensive feature-set, a beautiful exterior built to European standards that adds to the kitchen décor, and promoting sustainable eating habits. We believe our refrigerator range is a game-changer and will set a new standard for the industry.”

Key Features of Electrolux Refrigerators

TasteLockAuto

Auto Humidity Management of TastelockAuto maintains ideal moisture level inside the crisper compartment, ensuring farm fresh vegetables bursting with flavors for all week long. It eliminates the need of storing different type of vegetables separately along with the need for manual moisture management.

TasteSealFlex

The TasteSealFlex convertible compartment in the top end UltimateTaste 900 easily adapts to the desirable temperature, allowing the freedom to store everything from fresh vegetables to tender meat and fish, or cold drinks and ice-cream. Therefore, it’s easy to find the right space to keep food fresh and full of flavour by choosing one of the five temperature settings from -23°C to 7°C.

FlexStor

FlexStor allows to customize and reorganize the door bin space as per the user’s requirements. This is very helpful for accommodating different types of tall bottles, small jars and a vast variety of stuff that can be stored in the fridge.

NutriFresh Invertor Compressor

The Electrolux refrigerator range builds highly on the sustainability front owing to a NutriFresh invertor compressor which, by maintaining a consistent temperature, conserves energy and effectively preserves the freshness of food and beverages.

TasteGuard

The TasteGuard feature in Electrolux refrigerators ensures the fridge remains fresh, hygienic, and free from unwanted odours for a sustained period of time. The TasteGuard feature is employed in the whole range with the help of an in-built activated carbon filter.

TwinTech Cooling

The TwinTech Cooling technology is exclusive to the French door UltimateTaste 900 refrigerator range, which is a dual cooling mechanism that operates two separate systems simultaneously to ensure optimal performance of the refrigerator on a daily basis. While one system maintains a low temperature in the freezer, the other regulates the refrigerator's temperature and humidity levels to keep them stable.

EvenTemp

Available across the whole refrigerator range, EvenTemp technology reduces temperature variations to ensure that food stays fresh and flavorful while storing it across all shelves. All Shelves are individually cooled with smartly designed air vents for 360? cooling.

ChillRoom

Available in the Top freezer UltimateTaste 500 and 700 refrigerator series, a chillroom compartment is designed to keep items like meat, cheese and deli snacks in their prime condition.

Availability 

The Electrolux UltimateTaste refrigerator range is widely available in all Electrolux retail outlets across the Indian market. The premium range of refrigerators is available on Amazon as well.

Edureka Launches ChatGPT Programme; Offers Beginner To Advanced Certification


Brain4ce Educations Solutions Pvt Ltd (represented by the brand name Edureka), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Veranda Learning Solutions Limited (“Veranda”), a publicly listed ed-tech company (BSE: 543514, NSE: VERANDA), has announced the launch of a new programme - "ChatGPT Complete Course: Beginners to Advanced Certification Programme."

Even if one is not into artificial intelligence, it is time to pay attention to ChatGPT due to the impact it has made. ChatGPT has become the fastest-growing consumer application in history and has gained massive popularity across domains, after it was made public last November. So, one must make every effort to learn and benefit from this advanced language model.

The programme is designed to help learners gain skills that are required to keep pace with current technology trends. The curriculum will equip learners with skills like Natural Language Processing, Fine-Tuning Pre-Trained Language Models, Implementing GPT-3 model, Deploying and Integrating ChatGPT, Working with OpenAI API and Developing ChatGPT-Powered Applications.

Speaking about the new programme, Vineet Chaturvedi, CEO of Edureka, believes that investing in one’s self development is core to success in this century. “With new tech trends emerging in the market every few months, it is imperative that one stay up-to-date with current tech knowledge and skills. With this new programme, we are looking to help people master this viral chatbot, and also use technology in the right context,” he said.

Edureka is offering learners an opportunity to advance their AI knowledge and expertise through the ChatGPT certification training programme. Upon completion of the programme, one will be equipped with the knowledge and proficiency to effectively leverage ChatGPT for a wide range of use cases. As the name suggests, this programme is meant not just for professionals — it is equally amazing for beginners. The training curriculum includes components such as Using ChatGPT for Live Coding, Building, Optimizing, and Scaling Business Using ChatGPT, Using ChatGPT for Language Translation and Code Generation and Code Debugging with ChatGPT

For more information, visit https://www.edureka.co/openai-chatgpt-training-course

About Edureka

Edureka today offers 100+ online certification Courses in various domains, and as they say, they are ridiculously committed to bringing out the latest upskilling opportunities for tech enthusiasts. Their commitment to providing upskilling opportunities and bridging the skill gap by providing industry-relevant training and all about trending technology is commendable.

About Veranda Learning Solutions

Founded in 2018 by the Kalpathi AGS Group, Veranda Learning Solutions is a publicly listed ed-tech company that offers a bouquet of training programs for competitive exam preparation, including State Public Service Commission, Banking, Insurance, Railways, IAS, and CA, as well as a slew of professional skilling and upskilling programs in trending technologies. Veranda Learning Solutions aims at offering a robust learning platform riding on a network of strong mentors, educationists, and tech experts.

Veranda Learning Solutions’ platform combines technology, processes, and methodologies to provide high-quality, in-depth, personalized learning opportunities and content to learners across the country. Dedicated to creating an impact on students and delivering successful academic outcomes, Veranda adopts a multi-modal delivery system backed by a rigorous and disciplined learning framework.

The company provides services through its subsidiaries: Veranda Race, Veranda IAS, JK Shah Classes, and Edureka – the customer-facing brand of Brain4ce Education Solutions.

Uber Launches Airport-Friendly Features For Riders And Drivers In India


Uber announced a slew of new features to make airport travel a breeze for riders as well as drivers ahead of the busy summer travel season. This includes the option to ‘Reserve’ rides up to 90 days in advance. The ridesharing company has been working to create a seamless airport transit experience, and already has dedicated pick-up and parking slots at all major airports in the country. 

Here are the new features for riders to navigate their rides better at the airport: 

Directions To Pickup 

Allowing flyers to better utilise their time at airports, the Uber app now features a step-by-step wayfinding guide, assisting riders on their way from the gate all the way to the Uber pickup zones. The guide includes actual pictures from the airport, guiding passengers to seamlessly make their way to their Uber. The feature is being rolled out across 13 of the busiest airports in the country, catering to a vast majority of flyers. 

Additionally, riders at select airports will also see the approximate walking time from their gate to the pickup zone, helping them plan their journey accurately. 

Delhi Airport

Hyderabad Airport

Travel Integration to Pre-book Rides

With an aim to help people plan their travel to airports at the tap of a button, Uber has introduced a new feature where riders can opt to sync their travel plans with Uber via email integration. The new feature helps riders pre-book their rides, while being assisted with pre-filled dates and times on their Uber app, corresponding to their flight, saving them the hassle of booking a trip at the last moment. 

The new feature is an opt-in, and will require riders to sync their email IDs with their Uber app to be able to access it.  

Uber Reserve

Uber Reserve trips will be available to be booked up to 90 days in advance. This extension will allow for better planning when it comes to reserving a ride, including to the airport. This also gives driver partners the added advantage of being able to lock in their potential earnings, and plan their time better.

Uber Reserve rides, while being available for airport drop-offs, can also be booked for regular, planned travel, and are available through a range of options, including Uber Premier, Uber XL, Uber Intercity, and Uber Rentals. 

Boosting Driver Support for Airport Trips

For greater transparency and information for driver partners around airport trips, Uber has introduced an update for them too. The Uber driver app will now show the approximate waiting time at the airport before drivers can expect to get a ride, the number of cars in queue, and the number of expected flight arrivals over the next hour. These updates have been introduced with an aim to help drivers plan their airport trips better, and to offer them intel on the expected time for their next ride at the airport.

Uber recently announced a thorough revamp of its app, making it more intuitive, customized to the individual preferences of each rider, offering easy access to all services, consistent experiences, and smooth flows through the booking process. The launch of these new features for airport travel is part of the redesign to make airport experience seamless as travel bounces back globally.

About Uber: 

Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 10 billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer to where they want to be. Uber is available across 125 cities in India where people can book a ride on our app across two, three and four wheel products designed for their intracity and intercity travel needs. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.

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