Friday, June 9, 2023

LG To Unveil Highly Anticipated Laptops LG Gram Series Line-Up: A New Era Of Innovation!


* Scheduled to launch on 14th June on the official website, lg.com/in/lg-gram

LG, India’s leading consumer durable brand, is set to make waves with the upcoming launch of its highly anticipated laptops LG Gram series. Designed to deliver exceptional performance, ultra slim design, and uncompromising portability, the Gram series is set to become synonymous with excellence in the world of laptops.

The LG Gram 13th Generation series launch is scheduled for the 14th of June 2023, and it will be a momentous occasion for tech enthusiasts and consumers alike. The unveiling will take place exclusively on LG's official website, lg.com/in/lg-gram, where visitors will have a front-row seat to witness the next evolution of LG's renowned laptop series. This eagerly awaited launch will introduce consumers to the next level of LG's acclaimed laptop series, promising to redefine the boundaries of performance, portability, and usability.

Commenting on the same, Hak Hyun Kim- Director- Home Entertainment, LG Electronics India, said, “We are incredibly excited to introduce the highly anticipated Gram series, meticulously crafted for a seamless user experience. The launch would signify a new era of excellence in the realm of laptops, pushing the boundaries of what's possible. This new series surely embodies our unwavering commitment to innovation.”

LG's commitment to revolutionising home entertainment industry is evident in every aspect of the Gram series, promising a laptop experience like no other. The official launch event on the 14th of June 2023 is sure to leave a significant mark on the diverse consumer segments. By visiting lg.com/in/lg-gram, consumers will have the chance to delve into the intricate details of the Gram series and witness first-hand the advancements that LG has incorporated into its latest models and series.

About LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd               

LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. (LG Electronics), a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc, South Korea was established in January 1997 in India. It is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics - Home Entertainment, home appliances*, HVAC, IT hardware. In India, LG Electronics has earned a premium brand positioning and is an acknowledged trendsetter in the industry. LGEIL's manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon; Pune can manufacture LED TVs, air conditioners, commercial air conditioning systems, washing machines, refrigerators, and monitors.

*Home Appliances include- Refrigerator, Washing Machine, AC, Water purifier, Microwave, Fan, Dishwasher & Air purifier.

AISATS Introduces India’s First, Innovative And Sustainable Aircraft Dry Washing Solution - AeroWash


~Collaborates with AeroTech Support Services Pvt. Ltd to bring India’s first robotic cleaning technique~

Air India SATS (AISATS), a leading airport services management company, is proud to introduce India's first Robotic Dry Wash Service for aircraft exterior finish. AISATS launched this revolutionary cleaning technique - 'AeroWash' in collaboration with AeroTech Support Services Pvt. Ltd. a globally renowned name in implementing sustainable aviation solutions. This milestone signifies AISATS' commitment to embracing innovative technologies and sustainable practices that contribute towards development of a sustainable aviation future.

The AeroWash system harnesses advanced robotic technology to offer mechanized and efficient exterior cleaning for aircraft. With its wireless remote control operation and lightweight, flexible brush, AeroWash ensures superior cleaning results while maintaining the utmost safety for the aircraft and operators. The comprehensive washing program guarantees time efficiency thus reducing ground time, minimum human intervention and safety of critical areas that are not covered under manual cleaning process, offers a holistic solution for maintaining aircraft cleanliness and appearance.

With the introduction of AeroWash, AISATS aims to provide significant cost savings for airlines while aligning with India's vision of sustainability. The advanced cleaning capabilities not only contribute to reduced aerodynamic drag but also result in increased fuel savings and a decreased carbon footprint.

Commenting at the launch of the innovative solution, Mr Sanjay Gupta, CEO at AISATS, said, "We are delighted to introduce AeroWash, using dry washing solution, in collaboration with AeroTech Support Services, to the Indian aviation industry. The absence of standardized procedures and heavy reliance on manual cleaning systems have posed significant challenges in India. AeroWash will transform aircraft cleaning practices, ensuring higher efficiency and reduced resource consumption. The new addition in our service, exemplifies AISATS' dedication to sustainability and our relentless pursuit of advanced and eco-friendly solutions in the aviation industry."

Dr. Ashwani Khanna, AeroTech Support Services, said, “We are delighted to collaborate with AISATS a leading airport service management company to introduce a state-of-the-art technology “AeroWash” equipment; along with Dry wash Process; to the Indian aviation industry offering an innovative, efficient, and environmental friendly solution. This represents a remarkable leap forward in the way aircraft exterior cleaning will be viewed as a sustainability tool in India. By incorporating AeroWash  equipment at periodic intervals as part of exterior cleaning operations, airlines can achieve significant fuel savings, lower carbon emissions, enhances brand image for the airline and improve their overall profitability. AeroWash cleans beyond naked eye visibility and leaves a polished finish which reduces skin friction drag on the aircraft”

AISATS has introduced multiple sustainable solutions to the Indian aviation sector. It recently unveiled a pioneering towable solar-powered passenger ramp bridge at Hyderabad and Delhi airports. Additionally, the company deployed EV buses at Bangalore airport, furthering its commitment to environmental sustainability.

About Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd (AISATS)

AISATS is a 50:50 joint venture between Air India Limited (TATA Group entity), and SATS Limited, a leading gateway services and food solutions provider in Asia.  As part of the Indian Government's initiative to upgrade its airports to world-class facilities and attract more airlines to fly into India, AISATS was formed with the vision to provide world-class airport services in ground and cargo handling that exceed customers’ expectations.

Since the start of its operations in 2008, AISATS has provided hassle-free and comprehensive solutions to its customer airlines in international airports at Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mangalore and Trivandrum. Currently employing over 12,000 staff, AISATS offers end-to-end ground handling services such as passenger and baggage handling, ramp handling, aircraft interior cleaning, load control and flight operations, and cargo handling services for general, perishable, transshipment, express courier and special cargo.

Sony India Introduces HT-S2000 5.1[i] ch Dolby Atmos® Soundbar That Delivers A Cinematic Surround Sound Experience With Powerful Bass


1.    Enjoy an immersive cinematic experience with Dolby Atmos/ DTS:X, S-Force PRO Front Surround and Vertical Surround Engine

2.    Experience Three-dimensional surround sound with the newly developed upmixer 

3.    A compact soundbar with X-Balanced Speaker delivers clear dialogue, powerful rich bass with built in subwoofer

4.    Introducing the new Home Entertainment Connect (HEC) app for easy guide through the settings

5.    Upgrade home cinema experience with optional subwoofer (SW3/SW5) and rear speaker (SA-RS3S)

6.    Easy setup and operation with HDMI and optical connectivity

7.    New designed remote control

8.    Sustainability in mind

Sony today announced its newest Dolby Atmos soundbar, the HT-S2000. This 5.11 channel Dolby Atmos® / DTS:X® soundbar delivers cinematic surround sound by Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO Front Surround. Thanks to a newly developed up mixer, this soundbar delivers a three-dimensional surround experience even when playing stereo content. The centre speaker ensures clear dialogue, while the built-in dual subwoofer delivers deep bass. This soundbar will also be the first compatible device for the new Home Entertainment Connect app.[ii]

1.    1. Enjoy an immersive cinematic experience with Dolby Atmos/ DTS:X, S-Force PRO Front Surround and Vertical Surround Engine.

With Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO Front Surround, the HT-S2000 creates cinematic surround sound that lets consumers enjoy the thrill of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. With the virtual surround technology, the soundbar can position sound in vertical space. S-Force PRO virtually reproduces the surround sound field, with audio coming from both sides. Entertainment lovers can enjoy rich, cinematic surround sound without cluttering their living space.

2.    Experience Three-dimensional surround sound with the newly developed upmixer   

With the newly developed upmixer, users can experience three-dimensional surround sound not only with surround sound format content, but also with stereo content, like streaming video or music services. Analysing the track in real time the new algorithm extracts individual sound objects depending on their localisation and reallocates them resulting in three-dimensional surround sound.

3.    A compact soundbar with X-Balanced Speaker delivers clear dialogue, powerful rich bass with built in subwoofer

The soundbar include a dedicated centre speaker for clear dialogue and built-in dual subwoofer for punchy bass. They work together to deliver clear and wide range of sound throughout the room. The X-Balanced Speaker unit is the key technology to achieve louder sound pressure with less distortion and greater vocal clarity.  

4.   4. Introducing the new Home Entertainment Connect (HEC) app for easy guide through the settings

Setting up and using the soundbar is easier than ever with the Home Entertainment Connect (HEC) app1. It can guide the user through initial settings, assist with troubleshooting, and give full control of volume, sound fields and more right from their smartphone. It also offers the user useful information such as recommendation of features, new software updates and more.

5.    5. Upgrade home cinema experience with optional subwoofer (SW3/SW5) and rear speaker (SA-RS3S)

The optional wireless subwoofer (SA-SW5 / SA-SW3)[iii] will add rich bass sound. For even more thrills, add the optional wireless rear speakers (SA-RS3S)2 for cinematic surround sound. Paired with a compatible BRAVIA XR television soundbar sound settings automatically appear on the BRAVIA quick settings menu for easy control.

Wireless subwoofer (SA-SW5 / SA-SW3)  Wireless rear speaker (SA-RS3S)

6.    6. Easy setup and Operation with HDMI and optical connectivity

The soundbar setup can be done in seconds, it is almost ready to go straight out of the box. Simply connect the television with an HDMI cable and plug in. To connect the optional rear speaker and subwoofer simply download the home entertainment connect app and follow the pairing steps in the app itself.

7.    New designed remote control

A simple remote control combines a pleasing, hand-fit design with easy, intuitive operation. Convenient features include dedicated buttons for adjusting the volume and sound settings.

8.    Sustainability in mind

The home audio products from Sony are designed not only for an excellent sound experience but also with the environment in mind. Sony is committed to using less plastic in our products and packaging. The HT-S2000 uses specially developed recycled plastic[iv] in several parts of the product, which enables Sony to reproduce superb acoustic performance with recycled plastics. Approximately 95% of the packaging is made from recycled paper and paper-based materials to minimise the use of plastic.

Pricing, Availability and Launch offer:

HT-S2000 soundbar is available across Sony retail stores (Sony Center and Sony Exclusive),  www.ShopatSC.com portal, major electronic stores and other e-commerce website in India from 9th June 2023 onwards. Customers can also avail Rs.14,990/- off on purchasing rear speaker with soundbar and subwoofer and additional Rs.4,000/- off on purchase of HT-S2000 with BRAVIA 108cm (43) and above televisions..

Bengaluru Is #goingplaces With Mokobara. Iconic Travel & Lifestyle Brand Opens Its Retail Store In Phoenix Marketcity, Whitefield


After spending three years getting ‘super liked’ on Instagram, and selling on multiple ecommerce platforms, Mokobara has launched its first retail store ever. The store opened its doors on the 16th of May, 2023 on the 1st floor of Phoenix Marketcity, Whitefield, Bangalore.

“It’s only been a couple of days, but the response has been extremely positive. Our new store really helps us focus on elevating the customer journey. We want shopping to move from being transactional to an experience that offers real travel insights and expert tips on building the right travel uniform for each customer”, says Apoorv Sharma, Head of Retail at Mokobara.

This launch is only the first of many stores to come for Mokobara. The premium travel and lifestyle brand that was founded in early 2020 is now ready to open up 25 new stores in the next 18 months. Mokobara is also set to open its second retail store in Indiranagar; right in the heart of Bangalore.

With a strong online presence built up in a mere three years, Mokobara is now omnichannel and aims to focus on engaging with their community IRL. In the three years they’ve been around, Mokobara has managed to build a community of like minded travelers and engage with them online. By opening up our retail stores, Mokobara aims to take the next step and help them interact with their products directly.

“Each Mokobara is thoughtfully designed to breathe magic into your journey in subtle ways. Our retail outlets provide a great opportunity for our community to experience this”, quotes Rumman Rizvi, Head of Brand and Customer Experience at Mokobara.

To celebrate the launch with their community, Mokobara is also running a giveaway wherein the winner stands a chance to win Rs 20K one-way ticket to anywhere!

Since its inception in 2020, the brand has rapidly expanded its product portfolio as well. Best known for their iconic luggage and backpack designs, the brand has championed everything from work bags to wallets to premium travel accessories like packing cubes and neck pillows. With the launch of their new retail outlets, the brand is seizing the opportunity to build an experience around new category launches.

“Our retail outlets will serve as an excellent space to experiment with multiple new category launches. Come September, we’ll be foraying into the handbag category. Curating an experience offline only makes it all the more exciting”, says Sangeet Agrawal, Founder at Mokobara.

Mokobara is a premium travel and lifestyle brand on a mission to elevate the joy of travel for people #goingplaces.

“Everything we do, from our luggage to travel accessories, is designed to capture the excitement of traveling. When it comes to our design philosophy we always say ‘less but better’. We start out with clean, minimal designs and then knit-pick over the smallest details to see how we can breathe magic into it. Everything is functional. That goes without saying. Everything is designed to solve real travel problems”, says Navin Parwal, Co-Founder and CMO at Mokobara.

Bank of India Wins Awards And A Nomination For The Highest Enrollment Of Atal Pension Yojana accounts In FY2022-23


* Bank of India Enrolled The Highest APY Average Account Per Branch Of 129 In FY2022-23

Bank of India achieved 162% of the annual target and was nominated for the Annual APY Exemplary Award of Excellence (FY2022-23) for enrolling the highest Atal Pension Yojana (APY) average of 129 accounts per branch in FY2022-23.

Bank of India has also been awarded the Numero UNO Award as the “Best Performer Bank in PSB” category for campaigns such as ‘Beat the Best & Be the Best’, ‘Shine & Succeed’, ‘Old Age Financial Freedom’, APY National Championship Cup and Exemplary Award of Par Excellence In ‘Circle of Excellence’ campaign as the “Best Performer Bank in PSB” category. Bank of India including its 3 RRBs also won Numero UNO Award for best performer Bank for ‘APY National Championship Cup’ campaign

Formerly known as Swavalamban Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana is a pension scheme introduced by the Government of India in 2015 after its announcement in the 2015-2016 Budget. APY aims to create a universal social security system for all Indians, especially the poor, the underprivileged and workers in the unorganized sector.

Atal Pension Yojana is for people in the 18-40 years age group. APY guarantees a minimum pension of Rs1,000/-, Rs2,000/-, Rs3,000/­, Rs4,000/- or Rs5,000/- per month, depending on the pension amount opted for and the contributions made by the person. The pension begins after the subscriber attains the age of 60 years.

The total enrolment under APY crossed the 26.61 lakh mark on 31 March 2023. Of this number, Bank of India enrolled more than 6.83 lakh new subscribers in FY2022-23 against 4.78 lakh in FY2021-22, indicating a growth of more than 42%..

IDPL (Formerly Known As Zee Digital) In An Exclusive Collaboration With NKN Media Expands Its Global Reach In The MENA Region


IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited (IDPL), formerly known as Zee Digital and one of India’s largest Digital entities,announced its exclusive digital sales partnership with one of the leading Global Media Advertising Networks- NKN Media. This partnership will whet the appetite of brands, marketers and advertisers who are constantly seeking opportunities with IDPL across the MENA region.

NKN Media will facilitate brand partnerships and also offer advertising solutions (spot and on-demand advertising) over 32 digital properties of IDPL. It has witnessed more than a billion page views per month and looks forward to innovating and crafting customized content, thus creating better affinity for the brand. The strategic move on joining hands with NKN Media, comes in at a time when IDPL has been consistently garnering a fast-paced and highly engaged audience in terms of branding, open doors to video ads across its digital channels.

Highlighting the evolving market demand and content-driven audience, Mr. Devadas Krishnan- CEO, IDPL said, “Investments in Digital Advertising are growing. With an expected market spends of $7.9 billion in 2024, MENA is an important market for IDPL. Today, brands and companies are able to engage consumers more specifically and effectively in the digital space than in any other medium. Companies across industries reallocating a higher share of their advertising spends to digital channels. IDPL, being one of the world’s largest digital news and information publishing conglomerate and serving 300 million plus unique users every month, is the right partner for brands to reach their target audiences more effectively.

Shridhar Mishra, CRO, IDPL,said “We have been successful in building a strong digital presence in the last few years. On-boarding NKN media as our exclusive digital sales partner will surely cater to the needs of our audience, taking our digital engagement to a whole new level.”

Abdul Khan

Abdul Majid Khan, CEO & Managing Director, NKN Media, further added “We, at NKN Media, are confident that the exclusive digital sales partnership with IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited (Formerly known as Zee Digital), will result in a phenomenal growth of both entities. Our strategic vision will help in tailoring offerings as per the demand of IDPL’s widespread audience in different countries catering to digital consumers and capturing the full value from digital offerings.”

About IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited: IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited (formerly Zee Digital) is one of the largest digital media publishing companies in India. IDPL’s distinctive digital Products are amongst the fastest-growing websites and applications worldwide, with over 32 digital properties.

About NKN Media: NKN Media, a Subsidiary of Global Media Network is a 360 Degree Communication Agency which was established in 1999, with offices in India, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada and Kingdom of Bahrain. Having a distinguished reputation as a “Sole Concessionaries”, it offers comprehensive Media Spectrum that comprises Television, Print, Travel Media, Digital, Radio, Cinema and OOH.

Disney+ Hotstar Goes Free To View For All Mobile Users Foe The Asia Cup And ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup


- More than *540 million smartphone users across India will have the opportunity to watch the Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for free

Disney+ Hotstar today announced that the Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup tournaments being held later this year, will be made available as free-to-view to all mobile phone users accessing Disney+ Hotstar.

The move to lift the paywall for mobile-only viewers of both, the Asia Cup and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, is aimed at further democratizing the game of cricket and making it accessible to as many mobile users in India as possible for the duration of the season.

“Disney+ Hotstar has remained at the forefront of the rapidly evolving OTT industry in India and the various innovations we have introduced to continue enhancing the viewer experience has allowed us to delight our audiences across the region. Making the Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup available to a wider audience, we believe, will help us grow the overall eco-system,” said Sajith Sivanandan, Head of Disney+ Hotstar.

Disney+ Hotstar has created strong viewership momentum for cricket properties, with successful tournaments including the Asia Cup 2022, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023. The recently concluded India vs Sri Lanka, India vs New Zealand as well as India vs Australia tournaments also fared well for the platform.

Source: *FICCI E&Y Report

About Disney+ Hotstar

Disney+ Hotstar is India’s leading streaming platform that has changed the way Indians watch their entertainment - from their favourite TV shows and movies to sporting extravaganzas. With the widest range of content in India, Disney+ Hotstar offers more than 100,000 hours of TV Shows and Movies in 18 languages and coverage of major global sporting events.

Bringing BGMI’s First Major 2023 Tournament: Loco And Skyesports Partner For The Highly Anticipated ‘Skyesports Champions Series’


Loco, the world’s leading independent esports and live streaming platform, is thrilled to announce its partnership with Skyesports, South Asia’s leading esports tournament organizer, to host the Skyesports Champions Series 2023. This remarkable partnership is well known for its record-breaking esports content. In 2022, Skyesports and Loco achieved a milestone by setting a new record of 159K peak concurrent viewership. The duo is back yet again poised to captivate gaming enthusiasts nationwide. This year, Loco will host the livestream for the epic 10-day BGMI tournament, scheduled from June 9th to June 18th, 2023, featuring an impressive prize pool of INR 25 Lakhs.

This reunion promises an unparalleled experience for players and fans alike, building upon their legacy of delivering exceptional tournaments and pushing the boundaries of esports in India. The Skyesports Champions Series will consist of six maps per day with the last three maps of each day being exclusively streamed on Loco.  Loco users will be able to enjoy high-quality streams, action-packed gameplay and an unparalleled entertainment experience. Allowing fans to closely follow every exhilarating moment in real time, ensuring they don't miss out on any of the excitement.

The Skyesports Champions Series promises to be an intense competition, featuring some of the most skilled teams in the country. A total of 18 invited teams, renowned for their expertise and accomplishments, will go head-to-head with six new teams that secure their spots through qualifiers. With a semi-final lineup of 24 exceptional teams, including Soul, Blind esports, Godlike, 7Sea, the tournament guarantees an epic battle for supremacy. The Skyesports Champions Series is set to showcase the pinnacle of skill and strategy in the esports world on Loco.

“We are excited to reunite with Skyesports to broadcast the Skyesports Champions Series 2023, which also marks the return of BGMI to the esports scene.” Said, Loco founder, Ashwin Suresh. “Since the beginning, Loco has hosted over 90% of all BGMI tournaments including physical LAN events. Our previous partnership with Skyesports was marked by groundbreaking achievements and record-breaking content. The Skyesports Champions Series 2023 represents another milestone in our journey, as we continue to push the boundaries of Indian esports. We have laid consistent focus on broadening the scope of esports in India and delivering our dedicated community with exceptional content. We are confident that users and fans on Loco will enjoy a captivating and engaging viewing experience and witness the intense battles unfold in real time between top-tier teams on the platform.

Commenting on the partnership, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports, said, "Our past collaboration was marked by remarkable achievements and unforgettable moments. We are delighted to join forces once again, and we guarantee an extraordinary tournament that will captivate players and fans alike. Loco's dedication to the gaming community aligns perfectly with our vision for the tournament. We look forward to delivering an unforgettable experience for all."

About Loco

Dedicated to democratizing gaming entertainment, Loco is the World’s leading independent esports and live streaming platform. Viewers can enjoy game streaming and esports content streamed by India’s leading streamers and esports teams on Loco. Users can also stream various games themselves. Popular game categories on the platform include BGMI, Call of Duty Mobile, Valorant, GTA 5 etc. Having partnered with giants such as Krafton, Activision, Ubisoft, Riot Games, Red Bull and NBA 2K League and Logitech - G, the platform brings unmatched entertainment experiences to the Indian gaming audiences. Loco is currently available on Android, iOS, and the web.

About Skyesports

Skyesports is a leading esports and gaming venture based in Chennai, renowned for hosting major esports tournaments. Founded in November 2018 by Shiva Nandy, Skyesports has quickly grown to become one of the largest esports companies in South Asia. Skyesports has an impressive range of original IPs, which include the Skyesports Championship, Skyesports League, Skyesports Grand Slam, Skyesports Skirmish Series, and more, through which Skyesports has touched millions of gamers across South Asia and beyond. Skyesports is a part of the digital entertainment and technology company, JetSynthesys.

For more information, visit https://skyesports.in/

Kellogg’s And HERSHEY’S Collaborate To Launch New ‘Kellogg’s HERSHEY’S Chocos’ With An Integrated Campaign


Kellogg’s and HERSHEY’S, two globally loved iconic companies, have teamed up to launch the new Kellogg’s HERSHEY’S Chocos®. Through a strategic licensing partnership with HERSHEY’S, Kellogg India is introducing a co-branded Chocos® cereal variant to provide consumers with a new chocolatey experience.

Kellogg’s HERSHEY’S Chocos® is a heart-shaped chocolate-dipped cereal made with wheat that turns milk into a yummy chocolatey treat. Kids will love having it with milk for breakfast or can enjoy it as a delightful anytime snack. Mornings will now be more fun-filled with Kellogg’s HERSHEY’S Chocos®.

The launch TVC of Kellogg's HERSHEY'S Chocos® revolves around a young kid and his dog friend, who together express their excitement and love for the new Chocos® variant through an engaging conversation. The launch is being supported by a Pan-India campaign that will span over two months.

Sharing insights on the launch,?Vinay Subramanyam, Senior Director, Marketing, Kellogg South Asia, said, "With schools set to reopen, homes across the country will witness the age-old morning rush as kids hurry to get to school and parents hurry to get them ready. During such times, a new offering such as Kellogg’s HERSHEY’S Chocos® will be warmly welcomed by both children and parents. The product promises to be ‘too much chocolatey fun’, making the idea of breakfast with milk even more exciting. In a one-of-a-kind collaboration, Kellogg’s Chocos® and HERSHEY’S, two legacy brands, have come together to create an irresistible chocolatey experience that kids will love! We believe that this new delicious breakfast cereal will provide kids with a satisfying boost of energy in the morning before embarking on their school day adventures. It might even find its way into their school bags as a yummy snack.” 

Commenting on the partnership, Ankit Desai, Director Marketing, Hershey India said, “We are thrilled at the prospect of bringing together two iconic brands that have long been the choice for millions of consumers. Through this launch, we aim to combine Hershey’s much-loved premium, chocolatey experience with the crunch of Kellogg’s Chocos®. We will be bringing this association live across multiple channels and stores, bolstered by an endearing campaign with an intent to bring smiles to millions of consumers.”

Shahrukh Irani, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy India expressed excitement about unveiling a unique TV commercial for the new variant. He said, "How do you convey that Kellogg's HESRSHEY's Chocos® is so much chocolatey fun to have? You let the dog do the talking! The cute banter between the boy and the dog drives home that point and is sure to be too much fun for the kids.”

The new variant is available in a 325gm pack and priced at Rs. 235. It is available for consumers to pick from the shelf from stores across MT, GT and e-commerce platforms. As an exciting launch offer, more than a million-trial size pack of Kellogg’s HERSHEY’S Chocos® will be given free along with Kellogg’s Chocos® boxes packs and all its other variants, so that consumers get a chance to taste the new product and keep coming back for more.

Link to the TVC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AJ761Z39-w

About Kellogg India Private Limited 

At Kellogg Company, our vision is a good and just world where people are not just fed but fulfilled. Our trusted brands in India, such as Kellogg’s Corn Flakes®, Kellogg’s CHOCOS®, Kellogg’s® Muesli, Kellogg’s® Chocos® Fills and Kellogg’s® Oats, are loved by millions of consumers.

Kellogg’s cereals, made in India in two manufacturing units (Maharashtra & Andhra Pradesh), are consumed in the country and exported to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh & Maldives. We also established a Research and Development Centre in India that caters to the demand of the South Asian markets for Kellogg.

Through Kellogg’s® Better Days, our purpose platform globally, we aim to Nourish the Great of our consumers and communities in India.  Our CSR and sustainability programs, such as Bright Start, provide underprivileged children with fortified cereals and milk to ensure they start their day on a healthy note.

To learn more visit https://www.kelloggs.com/en-in/home.html

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania and is an industry-leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to doing the right thing for its people, planet and communities. Hershey has nearly 20,000 employees in the U.S. and around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, high-quality products. The company has more than 100 brand names in approximately 80 countries worldwide that drive more than $10.4 billion in annual revenues, including Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat®, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers, and fast-growing salty snacks including SkinnyPop, Pirate's Booty and Dot's Homestyle Pretzels.

For more than 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. The candy and snack maker's founder, Milton Hershey, created Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed through equitable access to education.

To learn more visit www.thehersheycompany.com   

Thursday, June 8, 2023

Validated By Q-Max Test, Magnicool Luxury Mattress Helps You Beat The Heat Wave


To combat the relentless and oppressive summer heat, Magniflex India has recently introduced the Magnicool mattress, which facilitates better relaxation and superior sleep quality. This revolutionary mattress effectively lowers the temperature and provides an instant feeling of freshness upon contact with the skin. Magnicool holds certifications from OEKO-TEX® and ACA and is validated by the Q-Max test, a globally reliable method for evaluating the instant sensation of freshness a fabric provides. The Japanese fabric utilized in the mattress is designed to regulate temperature by promoting optimal air circulation, ensuring a consistent microclimate between the body and the mattress.

Commenting on the Magnicool mattress, Dr Shankar. S. Biradar, MBBS, Medical Director, Trust -in Hospital, Bangalore, said, "Our body temperature plays a crucial role in the quality of our sleep. Certain mattresses can increase core body temperature, leading to restlessness and sleep disturbances. To ensure a good night's sleep, it is important to manage core body temperature. The fabrics used in Magnicool mattresses function as thermostats, helping regulate body temperature and providing an immediate feeling of freshness. With its innovative technology, the mattress provides optimal relaxation and revitalization, offering unparalleled comfort and the essential therapeutic advantages that your body needs for a truly rejuvenating sleep experience."

Magnicool is made of quilted memoform material with a massaging system, super soft fiber, and hypoallergenic fiber padding, which offer greater comfort and adapt to your body contours. The fabric incorporates thousands of micro-particles of silicate materials that are meticulously distributed among the fibers, effectively lowering the temperature. This mattress possesses a temperature regulating feature that makes it suitable in any climate and weather conditions.

Franklin C, a customer, who has been using the mattress since last month, expressed satisfaction with Magnicool, saying, "Earlier, I used to have problems falling asleep due to the extreme heat. The mattress I had before made me sweat profusely and constantly interrupted my sleep cycles. Since, I started using Magnicool, my sleep has significantly improved. The mattress helps regulate my body temperature, preventing excessive heat build-up and providing an instant cooling sensation. Now, I can fall asleep more easily and enjoy uninterrupted sleep cycles throughout the night.”

One can avail the benefits of Magnicool through the recently introduced Magniflex Investment Plan (MIP). This strategic initiative by Magniflex India aims to encourage consumers to prioritize their health through quality sleep. The MIP offers EMI options to purchase the company's products across categories.

Happiest Minds’ CRPP Solution Wins ‘Best Security Operation Centre Of The Year’ At The CISO Summit & Awards 2023


Happiest Minds Technologies Limited (NSE: HAPPSTMNDS), a ‘Born Digital. Born Agile’, Mindful IT Company, today announced that its Cyber Risk Protection Platform (CRPP) is honored with the "Best Security Operations Centre of The Year" at the Annual India CISO Summit & Awards 2023. The India CISO Summit & Awards 2023 by Synnex brings together top technology Leaders from the fraternity. The summit witness’s cybersecurity leaders from the world’s largest enterprises hear and discuss strategies to secure their organizations in a hyperconnected world.

Speaking about the win, Ms. Priya Kanduri, SVP & CTO, Infrastructure Management & Security Services, said, “We are honored that our CRPP solution - Happiest Mind’s cutting edge technology lead MSS platform - is recognized as the ‘Best Security Operation Centre of The Year 2023’. We thank the Jury and Synnex Group for this recognition and honor. It’s been great interacting with fellow cybersecurity professionals during the event! We look forward to more such prestigious wins in the future.”

Happiest Minds’ Cyber Risk Protection Platform (CRPP) is a cohesive and integrated approach to cyber security – one that leverages multiple technologies working in tandem to effectively address cyber security risks through the entire threat defense lifecycle: detection, protection, and prevention. CRPP leverages multiple security technologies, providing deeper analytics and insights for an integrated approach to handle the overall threat lifecycle, address cyber security risks holistically, and stay ahead of the curve

About Happiest Minds’ CRPP solution:

The Cyber Risk Protection Platform (CRPP) is a cloud-hosted platform that provides complete security posture visibility based on risk, identity, data, and environmental awareness. To provide deeper analytics and insights, CRPP is built by leveraging multiple security technologies, including SIEM, next-generation network and endpoint security, identity management, and data security. It all adds to a highly effective, integrated, and holistic approach to addressing the threat lifecycle.

To learn more about Happiest Minds Technologies’ CRPP,  visit: https://www.happiestminds.com/solutions/cyber-risk-protection-platform/

About Happiest Minds Technologies:

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

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

PayMate Accelerates Expansion In CEMEA And APAC To Capture The USD 68 Trillion B2B Payment Opportunity


* CEMEA – After successfully going live in the UAE and announcing its foray into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, PayMate incorporates its entity in the Sultanate of Oman and South Africa

* APAC – Gearing up to launch soon in Singapore, the company has incorporated its entities in Malaysia and Australia

PayMate India Limited (“PayMate” or the “Company”), a leading digital business-to-business (B2B) payments and services provider today announced that the Company multiplied its footprint across more regions in Central Europe, the Middle East, Africa (CEMEA), and the Asia Pacific (APAC); in addition to India and the UAE. The move comes six months after the Company announced its foray into Singapore, Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. PayMate has incorporated and registered its entity in four more markets – the Sultanate of Oman, South Africa, Malaysia and Australia. In Australia and South Africa, the company has incorporated under the trade name DuNoMo as a wholly-owned subsidiary of PayMate India Ltd.

PayMate will offer its B2B payment automation solutions to small and medium-sized (SMBs) as well as Large Corporate customers and enable them to use their bank-issued corporate credit cards towards their Accounts payables (AP) including supplier payments, bill payments & statutory payments. This will help them to make better utilization of their working capital for strategic business growth.

B2B Payments made in this manner will be settled directly into suppliers’ bank accounts, thereby opening wide acceptance of corporate credit card usage as most of these suppliers don’t accept card payments. The PayMate platform will further enable corporates with configurable approval workflows to give full control and visibility into cashflows with detailed reports, reconciliation and APIs for ERP integration with existing legacy systems.

Speaking on this expansion, Ajay Adiseshan, Founder & CEO, PayMate says, “At PayMate, our mission is to create and offer more avenues for using commercial credit cards so that the collateral-free credit on them can be utilized in an effective manner. This helps corporates of all sizes to pay their suppliers and resolve cashflow challenges. Our existing customers in India and UAE are already using our Platform very effectively and with the success in these two geographies, we are now geared up to extend our solutions to businesses in more countries in CEMEA and APAC. The global expansion is part of our mission to consolidate our position as a global leader in B2B payments.”

Rakesh Khanna, Chief Commercial Officer, PayMate, adds, “In 2021, the global commercial payments volume was estimated at USD 120 trillion, with CEMEA contributing approximately USD 10 trillion, and APAC estimated at USD 58 trillion[1]. Therefore, in line with our strategy to capitalize on these opportunities and continue driving the PayMate B2B payment solutions in markets that are booming, we have incorporated in Malaysia, Australia, South Africa, and Oman. We are positive that the local businesses will be able to streamline their supply chain payments, reduce costs, and improve their working capital by using our solutions.”

About PayMate India Limited

PayMate is a leading B2B payment and services provider that digitises, automates, and streamlines business-to-business payments in supply chains. The PayMate platform provides an upgradation from traditional paper-based workflows to software-driven workloads with digital payment streams like digital invoicing and several complementary features. The Company has transacting customers in India and the UAE and has won awards such as ‘Best Fintech (Payments)’ awarded by Business Today and “BT-KPMG Best Bank and Fintech Jury Award in 2021. For more information, visit www.paymate.in or follow us on Twitter - @PayMate In.

LG Electronics CEO, Mr William Cho Visits New Delhi, India


The CEO of LG Electronics Inc., Mr William Cho visited India and reiterated the company’s continued focus on developing localized products based on consumer insights. During his visit, Mr Cho was at the New Delhi sales corporation and the home appliance production and R&D facility located in Noida to check ways to strengthen business competitiveness.

In a meeting with employees of LG Electronics India, the CEO highlighted the company’s focus on discovering new business opportunities for their advanced premium home appliances. This will be based on customer experience innovations and creating customized service strategies further to enhance the brand’s status in the local market.

LG Electronics India has completed its 26th year of continued cutting-edge innovation in the country and Mr. Cho during his visit stressed the importance of India as one of the fastest-growing markets and the company’s focus to expand its market share. Towards this, the company has increasingly introduced localized products that have been curated to suit India's climatic conditions, power infrastructure conditions, and lifestyle in which people enjoy watching movies and music.  

During the visit, Mr William Cho, CEO of LG Electronics, said, “We are happy to be a partner in India’s tech transformation journey for the last 26 years and we remain committed to creating more industry-leading localized innovations that address the need of our consumers. Moreover, we are progressively focusing on diversifying our offerings as well to cater to customers in the mobility and EduTech sectors with advanced electronic blackboards and IT solutions. This year, we will also amplify our investments to expand the production capacity of premium home appliances in Noida and Pune factories. We have a very robust plan for the Indian market but at the same time we’re also committed to doing it in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner.”

During his visit to the state-of-the-art facility in Noida, which is an eco-friendly smart factory, Mr. Cho shed light on the company’s pledge to convert 100% of the energy used by all overseas production subsidiaries to renewable energy by 2025. Currently, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, TVs/monitors. produced at these facilities not only cater to the local demand but are also exported to the Middle East and Africa.

The CEO added, “We are thankful to our customers for their continued trust in LG Electronics and we are confident to remain their preferred brand for elevating their health and lifestyle."

Meanwhile, Mr. Cho has been expanding the stride of global field management since the beginning of the year. In the first half alone, they visited 12 countries in North America, Europe, Central and South America, Asia, and the Middle East.

About LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd               

LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. (“LG Electronics”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, South Korea was established in January 1997 in India. It is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics, home appliances, HVAC, IT hardware. In India, LG has earned a premium brand positioning and is the acknowledged trendsetter for the industry. LGEIL's manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon; Pune has the capacity to manufacture LED TVs, air conditioners, commercial air conditioning systems, washing machines, refrigerators, and monitors.

Government of Meghalaya Extends 100% Subsidy In Premium For Crop Insurance To Farmers Of The State


The Government of Meghalaya is extending premium support to the extent of 100% towards the farmers of the State for both Kharif and Rabi seasons during 2023-24 under the Crop Insurance Scheme "Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)". The Scheme has been made applicable to all farmers of the State growing the notified crops in the notified areas upto 1 acre per crop per farmer. 

The vision of the State Government under the leadership of the Chief Minister is to take up a farmer-centric approach in devising a strategy to protect them from the risks of crop failure. In order to support the farmers of the State in stabilizing their incomes against the risks of crop failure, the Government of Meghalaya has decided to provide free premium support amounting to Rs. 4.4 crores, covering both Kharif and Rabi seasons during 2023-24, whereby the premium for the farmers shall be paid by the State Government to an extent of 100% of the premium amount. With over 80% of the population of the State dependent on agriculture, the assistance via premium provides the much-needed cushion to farmers in the case of crop failure. 

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was implemented in the State of Meghalaya since its commencement with effect from Kharif 2016. The main objective of the Scheme is to provide financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage due to unforeseen natural calamities and events. A farmer has to pay a 2% premium for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops and a premium of 5% for horticultural crops under this Scheme. Farmers have to pay the premium out of sum insured and the remaining premium is paid by the Government on sharing basis between Government of India and the State Government at 50:50 sharing basis. However, the sharing of the subsidy was made to 90:10 basis w.e.f Kharif 2020, in the revamped PMFBY. The Scheme is available to all farmers growing the notified crops in the notified areas including the sharecropper and tenant farmers. The Scheme was made voluntary with effect from Kharif 2020 season.  

Efforts to popularize the Scheme and ensure increased farmer enrolment is underway by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare in collaboration with the Implementing Agency, the Agriculture Insurance Company which is responsible to conduct awareness programmes from time to time as mandated by the Scheme. The estimated amount of premium support by the Government of Meghalaya of Rs. 4.4 crores is based on the enrolment target of 27,000 number of farmers for Kharif season 2023 and 10,000 number of farmers for the Rabi season 2023-24. The premium support guarantee by the Government of Meghalaya is expected to reverse the extremely low enrolled number of beneficiaries under the Scheme so far in the State and will relieve a significant section of farming households in the State of the risks of crop damage/crop failure. 

FADA Releases May’23 Vehicle Retail Data for the State of Karnataka


The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) released Vehicle Retail Data for May’23 for the State of Karnataka.  

May’23 Retails 

Commenting on how May’23 performed, FADA Karnataka State Chairperson, Mr Dharma Teja G said, 

“Karnataka continues on the growth trajectory for the CY 2023, except for a short bump in April 2023. We see good to robust growth across all segments with a growth of 14%, 180%, 22%, 6% and 5% for 2W, 3W, CV, PV and Tractor segments respectively. With a good monsoon, we hope this will continue for the rest of the year.”  

Fiserv Inaugurates First STEM Laboratory At The Patel Munichinnappa High School In Bengaluru


Fiserv, a global leader in financial services technology solutions and payments, launched its Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Laboratory Programme to provide experiential learning for students across ten public schools in Bengaluru. The project is supported by the Office of the Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI), Bengaluru, North and South and executed by Experifun through Fiserv’s Corporate Social Responsibility partner United Way Mumbai.

With an investment of INR 71 lakhs, Fiserv aims to bring benefits of STEM education to over 5000 underserved students across primary and secondary grades. This initiative focuses on designing and developing affordable curriculum-based STEM Laboratories that bring concept visualization, exploration, experimentation and an entirely innovative way of teaching and learning. The laboratory will be complimented by an e-learning Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Mobile application, ‘Tutor Support’ for the first year and a Programme Management cum Impact Assessment tool for quality control.

After delivering this project across public schools in Chennai and the National Capital Region, Fiserv has successfully enhanced its delivery to now cover Bengaluru. A pan India view of the project brings STEM education to nearly 18000 students spread across these cities, over the lifecycle of these laboratories.

““Empowering our communities where we live, and work is integral to fostering inclusive development. Through our initiatives towards promoting STEM education across the country, we hope to make experiential learning accessible to young minds from underserved schools. It is our contribution to the foundation of the national talent pool, and we shall continue to give back to our society in the best possible ways” said Srini Krish, President, Global Services at Fiserv.

Fiserv Gives Back, the company’s Global Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, aspires to create a positive experience for the communities we live and work in across four major focus areas – Promoting Education, Environmental Stewardship, Inclusion and Health and Wellness. 

Schools covered under the initiative include:

Yediyur High School, Jayanagar, Bengaluru

Government Model Primary School, Kormangala, Bengaluru

Patel Munichinnappa High Hchool, Adugodi, Bengaluru

Government Higher Primary School Ejipura, Bengaluru

Government Urdu Primary school, Tank garden, Bengaluru

Government Model Primary School, Hunasamaranahalli, Bengaluru

Government Higher Primary School, Yelahanka, Bengaluru

Government High School, NH-7 road, Bengaluru

Government Primary school, BEML layout, Bengaluru

Government primary school, Agrahara, Bengaluru

About Fiserv:

Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) aspires to move money and information in a way that moves the world. As a global leader in payments and financial technology, the company helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation and excellence in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and the Clover® cloud-based point-of-sale solution. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500® Index and the FORTUNE® 500 and is among the FORTUNE World’s Most Admired Companies®. Visit fiserv.com and follow on social media for information and the latest company news.

Indian School of Hospitality And Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Announce Transformative Strategic Partnership


The Indian School of Hospitality (ISH), a renowned institution recognised for its distinctive approach to hospitality and culinary education is delighted to announce a strategic collaboration with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (WHR), a global leader in the hotel industry. The transformative collaboration is built on a collective vision of growth and innovation, uniting two formidable institutions, committed to nurturing talent and driving change within the hospitality and culinary domain.

The four-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the institutions will witness progressive initiatives including an annual scholarship opportunity by WHR for two meritorious students from Christel House Bangalore, an institution that supports economically disadvantaged students.

The selected students will be able to enrol in ISH's undergraduate four-year degree programs in BBA (Hospitality Management) and B.A. in Culinary Arts. These scholarships are designed to promote uniform educational opportunities and cultivate inclusivity among the students of ISH. They will also incorporate tuition and residence fee for each year of the program, allowing students to entirely devote their time in honing their skills in the hospitality segment.

Detailing his vision for the partnership, Kunal Vasudeva, Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer of ISH, stated, "we firmly believe in the transformative potential of quality education, regardless of one's socio-economic background. Our collaboration with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts further strengthens this belief, as it allows us to extend an unparalleled opportunity to these promising students from Christel House Bangalore, empowering them to pursue world-class business education in hospitality and culinary arts under the ‘Flourish’ initiative. This partnership will not only enable us to develop highly skilled professionals for the industry but also nurture conscientious leaders who will redefine the future of the hospitality landscape."

‘Flourish’ is a unique scholarship and financial aid initiative by ISH that has enabled hundreds of hospitality aspirants from diverse backgrounds to embark on a rewarding career journey in the sector. Designed to identify, nurture, and deliver assistance to promising talent, Flourish illustrates the institute's commitment to promoting inclusive access to high-quality education for all.

WHR will also facilitate tailored internship and placement opportunities at their properties and offices across Europe and the Middle East, offering ISH students hands-on experience and preparing them for the industry upon graduation. The partnership will pave the way for a jointly designed Management Development Program to offer mentorship and advanced training to WHR property-level managers, equipping them for future leadership roles.

Further underlining the significance of the partnership, Nikhil Sharma, Market Managing Director Eurasia at WHR, stated, "At Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, we view our investment in the bright, young students of Christel House Bangalore as a commitment to the future of hospitality. Additionally, we recognise the significance of continuous upskilling for our existing employees, training them for the forthcoming challenges. This strategic partnership with the Indian School of Hospitality, a distinguished institution in hospitality and culinary education will enable us to shape a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for the hospitality industry."

This collaboration marks a new chapter for both ISH and WHR, demonstrating their shared commitment to fostering an inclusive hospitality industry. Mike Reilly, Chief People & Operations Officer for Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa at WHR, stated “We have always believed that you can do well by doing good. As a hospitality company, service is in our DNA and we are proud to have teams and franchisees around the world that actively engage in their communities, generously giving in ways to enhance the lives of others. I am delighted to see this in practice through our partnership with the Indian School of Hospitality especially as it also recognises our long-standing commitment to supporting Christel House Bangalore.” 

SFC India Selects Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Works For Indigenization And Digital Transformation Of Wastewater Plants


•          The deployment helped in the seamless migration of data from pre-existing 2D design format to 3D design

•          Digitalization has reduced engineering time by around 50% and enabled faster time to market

•          Through Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Works, SFC India aims to improve process efficiency and minimize operational costs

•          3DEXPERIENCE Works offers a robust digital environment that facilitates enterprise-wide collaboration essential for delivering customized solutions

Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) today announced that SFC India, a global environmental technology company providing advanced indigenous technologies in the field of municipal sewage and solid waste treatment, has deployed Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Works portfolio of cloud solutions to advance its digital transformation journey across its design and development processes.

A long-time user of 2D design models, the company seamlessly transitioned to complex 3D designs, leveraging 3DEXPERIENCE Works on the cloud. Digitalization has enabled SFC India to focus on developing innovative indigenous technology solutions for wastewater treatment by simulating operational scenarios in real time. This collaboration is driven by the need to overcome product development and design and production related challenges such as data duplication of drawings and documents, lack of revision control, lack of a single platform for collaboration, and difficulty in tracking and retrieving old data for design revisions.

The use of 3DEXPERIENCE Works has reduced engineering time by half, allowing effective design validation with greater scope for incorporating changes. The portfolio offers unmatched modelling capabilities and revision control for cost optimization on the cloud, and makes it easy to retrieve engineering documents during audit and internal processes. The 3DEXPERIENCE Works portfolio enables secure data sharing and collaboration from anywhere, anytime on any device, allowing for extension of product development capabilities to solve problems faster. Furthermore, 3DEXPERIENCE Works facilitates improved product lifecycle management to keep track of design changes on a real-time basis and allows for better collaboration between members and the purchase department.

“3DEXPERIENCE Works can add value to the digitalization journey of any company. It offers a robust digital environment that facilitates effective design validation, simulation, data management and enterprise-wide collaboration essential for delivering customized solutions,” said Deepak NG, Managing Director India, Dassault Systèmes. “Our solutions offer SFC India an intuitive platform to design and develop indigenous sustainable technology solutions for wastewater treatment plants tailored to match the needs of the customers.” 

“3DEXPERIENCE Works has played an incremental role in accelerating our data migration journey from 2D to 3D design. Simulating operational scenarios in real time has helped us improve the efficiency of our wastewater treatment plants and significantly reduced operational costs. By leveraging the power of the cloud, enterprise-wide collaboration has become seamless. This has simplified our product lifecycle management process and significantly reduced market time,” said Lalit Motwani, Manager, Marketing & Proposals, SFC India. 

ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE® Company, is a catalyst for human progress. We provide business and people with collaborative virtual environments to imagine sustainable innovations. By creating virtual twin experiences of the real world with our 3DEXPERIENCE platform and applications, our customers can redefine the creation, production and life-cycle-management processes of their offer and thus have a meaningful impact to make the world more sustainable. The beauty of the Experience Economy is that it is a human-centered economy for the benefit of all –consumers, patients and citizens.  Dassault Systèmes brings value to more than 300,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com

© Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the 3DS logo, the Compass icon, IFWE, 3DEXCITE, 3DVIA, BIOVIA, CATIA, CENTRIC PLM, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, MEDIDATA, NETVIBES, OUTSCALE, SIMULIA and SOLIDWORKS are commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes, a European company (Societas Europaea) incorporated under French law, and registered with the Versailles trade and companies registry under number 322 306 440, or its subsidiaries.

Coca-Cola India Leads The Way By Launching Kinley Bottles Made From 100% Recycled PET


* The first company in India to launch 100% recycled PET bottles. This marks a significant milestone in achieving the company’s global commitment to help create a “World Without Waste” and moving towards a circular economy.

Coca-Cola India launched new bottles made from 100% recycled PET plastic material (rPET) in Andhra Pradesh. This is the first time in India that any bottle made with 100% rPET is being used for food/beverage.

Aligned with its global commitment of creating a ‘World Without Waste’, the company has set a goal of using at least 50% recycled content in its packaging by 2030; working towards using more recycled content in its packaging. The company has been working towards this goal for years and has made consistent progress in reducing the use of virgin plastic across its value chain globally. Currently, 90% of the company’s packaging is recyclable while 15% of PET used is recycled (rPET) across the globe.

rPET bottles are made from food grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). When PET bottles are recycled, the plastic is recycled as per the technologies that are approved by US FDA and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for food grade recycled material, and reformed into new PET bottles, reducing the need for virgin plastic for producing PET Bottles. The use of rPET bottles not only conserves natural resources but also reduces the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the larger ecosystem.

The new rPET packaging is available for the company’s packaged drinking water brand, Kinley, in 1-liter bottles. The new bottle features a unique label displaying, ‘100% made from recycled food grade plastic, marking a major milestone for Coca-Cola in India in realizing its circular economy endeavours. This was possible only after the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) approved the use of recycled PET in food packaging, subject to adherence to their guidelines, after a thorough review of food safety.

Enrique Ackermann, Vice President, Technical and Innovation, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia said, “Aligned with our vision of creating a World Without Waste, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and contribute towards creating a circular economy. We are proud to be the first beverage company in India to offer our consumers a sustainable choice of packaging, by launching Kinley bottles made from 100% recycled PET. Our new bottles made with food-grade rPET have value beyond their initial use, as they are fully recyclable and can be repurposed into new bottles. This is also an endeavour on our part to complement the Government of India’s ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ initiative.

Dr S B P P Rammohan, Managing Director, Sri Sarvaraya Sugars Limited, Franchise Bottling Partner of Coca-Cola in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana said, “This move towards using recycled PET in packaging, aligns with our government’s vision of sustainable plastic use, and we are proud to be associated with the Coca-Cola System in India as the first movers in this sustainability initiative.”

Utsav Dixit, Head of Sustainability at ALPLA India, PET Preform Supply Partner of Coca-Cola said, “In addition to enabling Coca-Cola’s vision of creating a World Without Waste, the launch is aligned with ALPLA’s Global Sustainability targets. In 2018, ALPLA, as partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, signed a Global Commitment. Our mission by 2025 is to produce 100% recyclable packaging with 25% recycled content on average, and this launch is a big step in that direction in India. We are proud to be associated with Coca-Cola and will continue to do everything it takes to enable a World Without Waste.”

In December 2022, Coca-Cola Bangladesh launched 100% rPET bottles, making it the first market in the Southwest Asia (SWA) region to introduce Kinley water bottles in 2-liter packages. The Coca-Cola Company now offers 100% rPET bottles in more than about 40 markets.

About Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola in India is one of the country’s leading beverage companies, offering a range of high-quality and refreshing beverage options to consumers. The company in line with its vision of ‘Beverages For Life’ offers a wide portfolio of products which includes hydration, sports, sparkling, coffee, tea, nutrition, juice and dairy based products. In India it’s beverage range includes Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Charged by Thums Up, Fanta, Limca, Sprite, Maaza, Minute Maid range of juices. The Company also offers hydration beverages including Limca Sports, Smartwater, Kinley, Dasani and Bonaqua packaged drinking water and Kinley Club Soda. Premium products constitute Schweppes and Smartwater. In addition, it offers Costa Coffee range of tea and coffee. The Company is constantly transforming its portfolio, from reducing sugar in its drinks to bringing innovative new products to market.

The Company along with its owned bottling operations and franchise bottling partners has a strong network of close to 4 million retail outlets through which it refreshes millions of consumers across the country. It seeks to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable agriculture initiatives and carbon emission reductions across its value chain.

Globally together with its bottling partners, The Coca-Cola Company employs more than 700,000 people, helping to bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.cocacolacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Renault India, Delivers First lBS6 step 2 Complaint KIGER AMT To Vani Ananth Rao In Bangalore


Renault India, the leading European brand in India, is pleased to announce the first delivery of Renault KIGER AMT compliant with the BS6 step 2 in Bangalore. Mrs. Vani Ananth Rao has become the proud owner of the first enhanced Renault KIGER AMT. The delivery took place at the Trident Auto dealership, marking a significant milestone for Renault India in the state of Karnataka. Renault KIGER AMT range, with enhanced class leading safety features starts at INR 8.47 lacs ex-showroom Delhi.  

The entire range of Renault KIGER come with innovative and advanced safety features as part of the Human First Program which is designed to minimize the risk of accidents and improve overall safety for occupants and pedestrians alike. As part of this program, Renault has upgraded and introduced new and enhanced safety features across all its product range in India, that are designed to minimize the risk of accidents and improve overall safety. Under the Human First Program, Renault India’s product line-up boasts of innovative and class leading safety features such as Electronic Stability Program (ESP) for enhanced control on curvy roads, catering to both amateur and experienced drivers, Hill Start Assist (HSA) which prevents car roll-back when starting uphill after braking, Traction Control System (TCS) that identifies wheel speed irregularities, automatically reducing spins to maintain grip on slippery surfaces and prevent accidents and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) which provides real-time alerts for under-inflated or punctured tyres in the vehicle. 

Renault KIGER, an outcome of a collaboration between the design teams in France and India, has been instrumental in driving India among Renault’s top five global markets. Powered by world-class 1.0L Turbo petrol & 1.0L Energy Petrol engine, Renault KIGER offers enhanced driving experience and comfort with XTronic CVT & 5 Speed Easy-R AMT transmission. Renault KIGER is one of the most affordable offerings in the compact SUV segment with cost-effective maintenance. Kiger not only offers more performance and a sporty drive, but also boasts best in-segment fuel efficiency of 20.62 KM/L.  

Renault KIGER has also been awarded with the 4-Star Safety Rating for Adult occupant safety by Global NCAP, the foremost global car assessment programme. For driver & front passenger safety, the Renault KIGER comes equipped with four airbags – front and side along with seatbelts with pre-tensioner and load-limiter (for driver occupant).  

As Renault India commences deliveries of BS6 step 2 compliant KIGER AMT range, the company remains committed towards offering products that delivers the highest global standards of safety to the Indian customers. Renault has achieved a significant milestone of having over 9,00,000 satisfied customers across India. 

Customers looking to own the sporty, smart, and stunning Renault KIGER, can book the car through the authorized Renault dealerships present across Karnataka, ensuring a seamless and hassle-free experience. 

ABOUT RENAULT  

Renault India Pvt. Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Renault S.A.S. France. Renault India cars are manufactured in the manufacturing facility located in Oragadam, Chennai, with a capacity of 480,000 units per annum. Renault India also has a widespread presence of 450+ sales and 530 service touchpoints, which include 250+ Workshop on Wheels locations across the country, with benchmark sales and service quality. 

Adani Group Is The Leader In Infrastructure Business


Adani Group, India’s largest critical infrastructure developer today released a compendium of its ESG FY23 performance. The compendium states how the portfolio of the companies are emerging as the leaders by setting higher standards in ESG across all its businesses. 

Adani portfolio of companies are committed to sustainable growth, capitalising on unprecedented opportunities. This growth is being shaped and influenced by the highest standards of responsibility across various aspects of our operations. The complement of outperformance and responsibility has enhanced stakeholder respect, confidence, engagement, valuations, and business sustainability.

The various recognitions by the top global ESG evaluators, are the result of group’s commitment to Environment, Society and Governance.

Business-wise Key Highlights:

Adani Enterprises Ltd. (AEL)

·         The group’s incubating company focussed on establishing diverse new businesses has pledged to grow 100 million trees by 2030 which is the largest 1t.org pledge in India so far and is amongst the most ambitious corporate pledges globally.

·         Adani Solar won the ‘Aegis Graham Bell’ Award in the category for Innovation in Manufacturing

·         Achieved IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) Platinum certification for ‘Data Centre’ facility in Chennai and ‘Solar business’ building in Mundra.

·         MIAL (Mumbai International Airport Ltd) won the Best Sustainable Airport at the ASSOCHAM 14th International Conference and Awards for Civil Aviation, 2023

·         Adani Airports has converted all company owned vehicles from diesel to electric across all its operational sites.

·         44% reduction in operational emissions in Adani Airports.

Adani Ports & SEZ Ltd. (APSEZ)

·         The largest port developer and operator in India has been accorded the first position in global rankings for ‘Transport & Logistics’ sector among emerging markets by Moody’s ESG solution.

·         It has been ranked 10 out of 297 companies in ‘Global Transportation & Transportation Infra sector’ in S&P global corporate sustainability assessment.

·         Kattupalli Port and Mormugao Port received the ‘Platinum Award’ for ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Environment Excellence’ respectively from Apex India Foundation during the Apex India Green Leaf Awards 2022.

·         By FY25, the company targets 100% renewable energy mix in the electricity consumption: along with 50% reduction in energy intensity and 60% reduction in emission intensity.

Adani Green Energy Ltd. (AGEL)

·         The largest renewable energy portfolio company in India, got certified ‘water positive’ by DNV for FY23, way ahead of its FY25 target.

·         Got conferred with ‘Platinum Environment Award by Grow Care India’ in recognition of highest level of commitment and concern in environment management.

·         Won ‘Leaders Award’ at the Sustainability 4.0 Awards, conferred jointly by Frost & Sullivan and The Energy Research Institute (TERI)

Adani Transmission Ltd. (ATL)

·         The largest private transmission and distribution company in India achieved a 30.04% renewable power mix in its subsidiary and leading distribution company Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd (AEML).

·         Targets 60% share of renewable power procurement by FY27

·         Already achieved ‘’Net Water Positive’’ status for 30 substations and 7 TL clusters under UNSDG 6

Adani Power Ltd. (APL)

·         The largest private thermal power producer in India scored 3.5/5 in FTSE ESG rating, much higher than the world utilities average score of 2.7/5

·         The Water Intensity performance of APL is 2.31 m3/MWh for FY 22-23 which is 34 % lower than Statuary limit for Hinterland plants (3.50 m3/MWh) & 7.6 % lower than stretched internal target of 2.50 m3/MWh

·         APL achieved ash utilization of 94.1 %

·         07 out of 09 APL operating locations certified with SUP Free certification, APJL & MEL SuPF target for FY 2023 – 24.

·         APL gets B Score for Fulfilling Climate Change and Water Security Commitments from CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) for 2022.

Adani Total Gas Ltd. (ATGL)

·         India’s leading private player in developing City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks completed water audit completed in 58 sites of ATGL, on track to become water positive in the coming years with focus on water consumption, meters & rainwater harvesting.

·         Rooftop solar capacity of 870 kW installed in 50 sites, Captive solar plant is being explored in FY23-24

·         ATGL has set up Adani Total Energies E-Mobility Limited (ATEEL) for E-mobility initiative to set up EV charging stations.

·         ATGL has set up 104 charging points. On track to install 4000+ EV charging points by 2024

Ambuja Cements Ltd.

·         TSR (Thermal Substitution Rate) has been improved from 6.62% during Jan.22-Mar.22 to 7.34% during Jan.23-Mar.23 by maximizing the usage of alternative fuels & Launching of “Geoclean“

·         Commissioned 38.4 MW of WHRS (Bhattapara L1 and L2 – 13 MW, Rauri– 11.4 MW & Marwar – 14 MW), 22.2 MW under commissioning at Bhatapara L1-5.3 MW, Suli 9.8 MW

·         Specific Electrical Energy has been reduced by 1.31% QoQ (Jan.-Mar.22 to Jan.-Mar.23) by taking various Energy Efficiency measures

Adani Wilmar Ltd. (AWL)

·         The no.1 edible oil company in India did successful solar power implementation at 8 plants out of 23 own units with plans to continue such installation across all plants in the coming years.

·         Efforts towards reducing water waste with ZLD installed at 9 major plants (2900 KL per day) (ZLD ensures recovery & reuse of water)

·         First Edible Oil Company to introduce recyclable packaging with 98% of packaging is recyclable.

About The Adani Group

Headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, the Adani Group is the largest and fastest-growing portfolio of diversified businesses in India with interests in Logistics (seaports, airports, logistics, shipping and rail), Resources, Power Generation and Distribution, Renewable Energy, Gas and Infrastructure, Agro (commodities, edible oil, food products, cold storage and grain silos), Real Estate, Public Transport Infrastructure, Consumer Finance and Defence, and other sectors. Adani owes its success and leadership position to its core philosophy of 'Nation Building' and 'Growth with Goodness' – a guiding principle for sustainable growth. The Group is committed to protecting the environment and improving communities through its CSR programmes based on the principles of sustainability, diversity and shared values. Further information at www.adani.com.

Federal Bank Introduces “Platinum Wealth” Builder Plan For Its Customers In Association With “Ageas Federal Life Insurance”


Federal Bank in association with Ageas Federal Life Insurance, India’s leading private life insurance company, announced the launch of “Ageas Federal Life Insurance Platinum Wealth Builder Plan”, a special offering for Federal Bank customers. A non-participating unit-linked life insurance plan, it offers life cover and market-linked returns that help you to meet your investment goals while financially securing your family’s future. 

Commenting on the specially-designed plan, Mr. Karthik Raman, CMO and Head – Products, Ageas Federal Life Insurance said, “We have introduced the Platinum Wealth Builder plan which is specially crafted for the customers of Federal Bank. As the name suggests, this unique plan is designed to build wealth with an attractive combination of life cover and investment options that help in generating returns while ensuring peace of mind knowing that your loved ones are protected.” 

Ms. Shalini Warrier, Executive Director, Federal Bank said, “Delivering unique, innovative and bespoke solutions to our customers is a key mantra for us in Federal Bank.  In line with that, and designed specially for our customers by our associate, Ageas Federal Life Insurance Company Limited, we are pleased to launch the Platinum Wealth Builder. This product is designed for customers of Federal Bank who are keen to invest in a solution that helps them to meet their financial goals while ensuring security of life.” 

Designed for discerning individuals, the plan offers a plethora of exclusive features. The policyholder can enjoy added security with the spouse cover option and as a reward for your commitment to the plan, you can earn wealth boosters and loyalty additions to your premiums paid, boosting your returns, and helping you achieve your financial goals even faster. Additionally, the plan returns all charges such as premium allocation charge, policy administration charge as well as mortality charge, on maturity. 

Platinum Wealth Builder Plan offers you flexibility in all aspects, whether it’s managing your investment, liquidity benefits or redeeming the maturity value. Since Ageas Federal Life Insurance Platinum Wealth Builder Plan is unit-linked, you can stay in complete control of your equity allocation depending upon your risk appetite by choosing from six investment fund o?erings. There are no limits on the number of switches or premium redirection done during the policy term and this does not attract any charges. 

The plan also offers a unique facility in Systematic Allocator which is a programmed investment solution in which the fund mix becomes more conservative as the investment time horizon approaches. The equity allocation for a typical 15-to-20-year policy term would be a maximum of 80 per cent which glides down gradually to 5 per cent as the maturity of the plan nears. The remaining portion at different periods, would get proportionately allocated to debt asset class. 

To help you fund your dreams at various stages of life, the Partial Withdrawal facility allows you to withdraw amounts up to a specified limit, any number of times and at any time after the fifth policy anniversary. Under this facility, you could also opt for Systematic Partial Withdrawal which allows you to set instructions to withdraw a pre-determined amount at a pre-defined frequency. 

When redeeming the Maturity Value, you may choose to opt for a Settlement Option whereby you have the option to take maturity proceeds in periodic instalments over a period of 2 to 5 years. 

Tax Benefits may be available on the premiums paid and benefits received as per the prevailing tax laws. It is advisable to consult your tax advisor for determining the tax benefits applicable to you. 

About Ageas Federal Life Insurance 

Ageas Federal Life Insurance is one of India's growing life insurance companies and offers a diverse range of wealth management, protection, and retirement solutions to individual and corporate customers. Ageas Federal Life Insurance Co Ltd is a joint venture of Ageas, a multinational insurance giant based out of Europe and Federal Bank, one of India's leading private sector banks. 

Having commenced operations in 2008, Ageas Federal was able to achieve breakeven within just five years; the Company's passion for innovation and growth helped it achieve this feat. Through a nationwide network of 3,200+ branches including partner bank branches, and a sizeable network of advisors, Ageas Federal Life Insurance has achieved presence across the length and breadth of the country. As of March 31, 2023, the Company has issued over 16 lakh policies with a sum assured of over ?1,37,632 crores. Ageas Federal Life Insurance has total assets under management of over ?15,129 crore and a robust capital base of over ?800 crores as of March 31, 2023.