Showing posts with label online advertisement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label online advertisement. Show all posts

Monday, August 24, 2020

Godrej Locks Introduces Contactless Key, Arm-Operated Door Handle and Foot-Operated Door Openers, e-Commerce on Amazon India



Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems, the 123-year-young leading manufacturer of innovative locking solutions, announced its foray into the contactless products segment with an innovative contactless safety access range for the post COVID-19 world. The company has launched four new products in the range including Universal Brass Key, Arm-Operated Door Handle and two variants of Foot-Operated Door Opener. The company has launched this range exclusively on e-commerce and is currently available for purchase on Amazon India.

In the new normal, people are concerned about the surfaces they touch with their hands. They want to avoid any direct contact to keep themselves safe from germs, bacteria and viruses. Godrej Locks addresses these genuine concerns of people with its new contactless safety access range. These new products are designed proficiently for homes and commercial spaces like hotels, restaurants, malls, retail stores, hospitals, etc., ensuring people don’t have to touch surfaces directly with their hands. 

Godrej Universal Brass Key ensures that people do not touch any contaminated surface directly with the hands. The Universal Brass key provides a wide range of applications such as to pull door handles in public and private places, press pin pads, open and close bathroom doors, turn on/off electrical switches, carry groceries, among others. This key has antimicrobial properties since brass kills germs and bacteria and avoids spreading of viruses.

Godrej Arm pull handle is an arm-operated door opener that works on any latch-less wood, or metal door. Similarly, Godrej Foot Pull is a foot-operated door opener that can be used to open any kind of doors. Be it opening washroom door, internal & main residential door, hospital door, office door, commercial spaces or retail stores, both these hands-free solutions ensure one can open doors without touching them with hands. This makes Godrej Arm pull handle and Foot Pull a reliable solution to avoid transmission of germs and bacteria. These products can be installed easily on doors, without the help of a carpenter.

Commenting on the launch, Shyam Motwani, EVP and Business Head, Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems, said, “With the outbreak of COVID-19, the world has seen people take proactive measures for better health and hand hygiene. As concerns over the spread of the virus through contact or shared surfaces continue to threaten the world, the segment of contactless products is becoming the preferred choice for people, be it for home or commercial spaces. Hence, looking at this current need of people, we have launched a contactless safety access range offering them a unique solution to go touchless.”

He further added, “We have opted for an exclusive e-commerce launch as we will be able to reach out to a wider audience across geographies within India. We are confident that these high grade contactless solutions will ensure the safety and well-being of our customers.”

The entire contactless safety access range is very affordable keeping in mind the interest of people. Godrej Universal Brass Key comes at a price of INR 299 only. Godrej Arm pull handle and Godrej Foot Pull is available for INR 499. These products are currently available on Amazon India. Godrej Locks is likely to partner with other e-commerce platforms to make its innovation contactless solutions available for customers.

About Godrej Locks and Architectural Hardware & Fittings

Godrej Locks & Architectural Hardware and Fittings is a 123-year-old leading manufacturer of innovative locking devices. Since its inception in 1897 by Ardeshir Godrej, the name ‘Godrej’ has become synonymous with trust, protection and integrity. From the first Anchor branded lock in 1897 to the first ever spring less lock in 1907, to the iconic 'Navtal' in 1954, and to the postmodern biometric locks, Godrej has set every benchmark in the locks industry. Over the years, Godrej Locks and Architectural Hardware & Fittings have changed in form, function and scope of application. But one thing still remains the same – the solid stamp of trust and reliability. Godrej Locks adhere to global quality norms and hold ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications.

With their locks reaching several countries around the world over a period of time, the brand has come a long way in delivering world-class smart locking solutions, therefore revolutionizing the very perception of a locking device from a mere functionality at an entry and exit point, to a proud pause at the doorstep, a moment to take in the significance of how far they have come.

Friday, August 21, 2020

Aakash Emerges as Leading Offline to Online Players, Registering Tremendous Online Engagement Post Lockdown

 According to a recent study conducted by SimilarWeb, a global web analytics market intelligence firm, Aakash Educational Services Ltd. (AESL), the national leader in test preparation services, has emerged as one of the leading O2O (Offline to Online) players to chronicle remarkable online engagement as a major offline service provider. 

The report titled “Understanding the Impact of Coronavirus on E-learning”, released recently, took into consideration 35 top e-learning Indian websites to gauge the growth of ed-tech space over a period of one year. AESL website aakash.ac.in has featured in the Top Ten post lockdown performers in the last 28 days by registering a 2.96% share of online website traffic.  

Commenting on the findings of the report, Mr. Aakash Chaudhry, Director and CEO of Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL), said: “We are proud to be recognized as one of the foremost O2O players to register a tremendous and significant online engagement post lockdown. We are the pioneers who predicted the need for digital learning and started tailoring courses according to the requirement of the students. Without ever compromising on the pedigree of learning while upholding the position of providing best educational services on both the offline and online platforms.” 

The SimilarWeb report finds that during the lockdown period, India has seen the maximum searches for online courses post lockdown, showing a realisation of upskill among others.  

Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) 

Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) provides comprehensive test preparatory services for students preparing for Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, School/Board Exams and Competitive Exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads. AESL believes that the “Aakash” brand is associated with quality coaching and a proven student selection track record in various Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, Scholarship exams & Olympiads. 

With over 32 years of operational experience in the test preparatory industry, the company has a large number of selections in Medical & Engineering Entrance Exams and several Foundation level Scholarship exams/Olympiads, a pan India network of 200+ Aakash Centers (including franchisee), and a student count of more than 250,000. 

Kastle Universal Banking Included in Global Banking Platform Deals Survey by Independent Research Firm


3i Infotech Limited (BSE: 532628, NSE: 3IINFOTECH), a global Information Technology company, committed to accelerating business transformation, has been recognized as a Solid Player and a Base and Regional Player in the combined and new deals categories respectively, for its banking product – Kastle, in the Forrester’s Global Banking Platform Deals Survey 2020. 

Speaking on the recognition, Mr. Padmanabhan Iyer, Managing Director and Global CEO, 3i Infotech said, “3i Infotech is honoured to have Kastle Universal Banking included by a prestigious institution like Forrester. We believe that this recognition reinforces our commitment of delivering next-gen products to our customers across the globe. By constantly upgrading our comprehensive set of IP based software solutions & IT services solutions, we have re-invented ourselves to address the dynamic requirements of BFSI industry.” 

“Kastle Universal Banking Solution is an end-to-end banking solution catering to the entire spectrum of banking across Lending, Islamic Finance, Core Banking, Treasury, Trade Finance, Integrated Risk Management, Digital Banking and Analytics. AMLOCK (Financial Crime Detection and Management Solution) coupled with Kastle Universal Banking Solution is a force multiplier for banks and financial institutions to be digitally equipped and be future-ready to meet their business goals. Multiple combined deals is a testimony to Kastle Innovative Banking Solution by banks and financial institutions across the globe. We are honoured by this recognition by Forrester,” said Krish Narayanaswami, President and Global Banking Head, 3i Infotech. 

Forrester’s Global Banking Platform Deals Survey 2020 is an independent survey conducted annually by Forrester. The research is published to guide decision-makers at financial institutions around the world. Forrester surveyed 35 key banking platform vendors about their 2019 deals and published the results from the survey in their report, The Banking Platform Market Remains Stagnant, Though Smaller Banks Are Turning To Fintechs - Forrester Report Link.

About 3i Infotech 

Headquartered in Mumbai, India, since inception in 1993, the Company has been committed to driving business value across multiple industry verticals and has a strong BFSI presence. The company has over 5500 employees in 31 offices across 12 countries and over 1200+ customers in more than 50 countries across 4 continents. With a comprehensive set of IP based software solutions and a wide range of IT services, 3i Infotech has successfully transformed business operations of customers globally. The Company has a very strong foothold and customer base in geographies like North America, India, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and South Asia.  

Its flagship products include Kastle™ (Universal Banking Solution), AMLOCK™ (Financial Crime Detection and Management Solution), MFund™ Plus (Asset Management Solution), Premia™ Astra (Core Insurance Solution) and Orion™ (Enterprise Resource Planning Solution). 3i Infotech provides IT Services across Mobility, Data Analytics, Block Chain, Cloud Life Cycle Management, Testing Services, Infrastructure Management, Application Development & Maintenance, Professional Services, IT Consulting and BPO. 

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Launches ABSLI Assured FlexiSavings Plan in Indian Market

 Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (ABSLI), the life insurance subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital Limited (ABCL), today announced the launch of its new plan ABSLI Assured FlexiSavings Plan. It offers fully guaranteed benefits and allows policyholders an instant access to their money by giving them the flexibility to make unlimited withdrawals from their policy. The flexibility to make unlimited withdrawals is hitherto unseen in the insurance market- making it a market differentiator for this product. Besides life cover, it aims to provide guaranteed benefits to provision for future goals while empowering customers with liquidity at hand, to fulfil short term goals or unplanned money needs.

ABSLI Assured FlexiSavings Plan is a fully guaranteed, non-linked non-participating life insurance plan. This plan provides annual Income to the policyholder which is accumulated for 10 years or 12 years till the end of the policy term. These annual incomes grow with a 5% Income Booster added every year to augment savings, provided it is not withdrawn. Additionally, the specialty of this plan is that it provides flexibility to withdraw the accrued amount as and when needed, with no restrictions or charges on withdrawals. Moreover, the plan returns 110% of total premiums paid, back to the policyholder during policy maturity. It also offers a one-time loyalty addition on the accumulated amount under the policy.

Commenting on the launch, Kamlesh Rao, MD & CEO, Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance said, “During unprecedented times, most people become risk averse, while enhancing their liquidity provisioning. This results in customers taking a conservative approach, which leaves them with limited options of saving and growing their hard-earned money. ABSLI’s Assured FlexiSavings Plan aims at locking in the benefit of long-term guaranteed returns while unlocking the flexibility of withdrawals or liquidity, as and when required. Guaranteed tax-free returns with liquidity along with life cover, will enable customers to continue achieving their financial milestones in a break-free and stress-free manner”.

ABSLI Assured FlexiSaving Plan provides four benefits-

1. Upto 105% of annual premium added every year (depending upon the premium payment term chosen by the policyholder)

2. 5% Income booster annually which enhances the accrued amount further

3. Upto 25% (depending on the premium payment term and policy term chosen by the policyholder) loyalty addition on the total accrued amount is added to the policy at the end of the policy term

4. 110% of total premiums paid is additionally paid as maturity benefit in addition to the accrued amount under the policy

ABSLI Assured FlexiSaving Plan is designed for customers who are looking for guaranteed wealth and ease of liquidity, while protecting their loved ones during the time of uncertainties. Besides offering guaranteed returns and an instant access to money, it also provides protection with a comprehensive life cover across the policy term, additional riders and a variety of Premium Payment Terms.

SBI General Insurance Launches "Shagun – Gift an Insurance" Policy

 Highlights

* Covers personal accident insurance 

* Can be gifted to anyone 

* Premiums valued at 501, 1001, 2001 

SBI General Insurance, one of the leading general insurance companies in India announced the launch of first-of-its-kind offering, ‘Shagun – Gift an Insurance”, a unique gift of Personal Accident policy. This product was filed by SBI General under Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority’s (IRDAI) Sandbox regulations. The key differentiating feature of the policy is that it can be gifted to anyone you want, which means it is not necessary for the policy buyer to be related to the insured.   

Shagun covers personal accident insurance which provides complete financial protection to the insured person against uncertainties such as accidental death and partial or total disabilities, and permanent as well as temporary disabilities resulting from an accident. 

On the launch of the product, Mr. P.C. Kandpal, MD and CEO, SBI General Insurance said, “Shagun is a unique offering by SBI General. In our Indian culture, we often celebrate our milestones or auspicious occasions by gifting either something or an envelope of money. This gesture is synonymous with well wishes and good luck. At SBIG, we ideated “Shagun” as a valued gift of security to be positioned for such kind of gestures. The premium of the product has also been designed at Rs. 501, 1001, 2001. Thus, not just the name “Shagun” but also the premium amount has a touch of our Indian tradition.” 

He further added, “Shagun can be gifted to anyone viz your family, friends, extended family and even domestic helpers, drivers, cooks etc., and on any occasion like passing an exam, buying a new car, new home, birthdays, marriage, anniversary, buying a new bike, college admission, etc.” 

Shagun-Gift an Insurance, a unique gift of Personal Accident can be purchased on SBI General’s website www.sbigeneral.in, with a very smooth buying journey in just 3 steps.   

About SBI General Insurance Company Limited:  With the strong parentage of SBI, we, at SBI General Insurance, are committed to carry forward the legacy of trust and security; and to become the first choice for every Indian’s general insurance needs.  

Ever since our establishment in 2009, from 17 branches in 2011, we have expanded our presence to around 123 branches pan-India.  

We follow a robust multi-distribution model encompassing Bancassurance, Agency, Broking and Retail Direct Channels. Today, our distribution family includes over 22,900 IRDAI certified advisors including the State Bank Group employees, and over 12,000 Agents to make insurance easily available even in the remote areas of the country.  

On the distribution network front, we have strong distribution partners adding up our reach to every nook and corner of India, with SBI’s over 22000 branch network, other financial and digital partners. Our current geographical exposure covers 125+ cities pan-India with a presence of another 350+ locations through satellite resources.  

We currently serve three key customer segments viz. - Retail Segment (catering to Individual & Families), Corporate Segment (catering mid to large size companies) and SME Segment; and are future-ready to serve the growing needs of Indians with new age-processes and services at affordable prices.  

SBI General Insurance closed the financial year 2019-20 with a Gross Written Premium of Rs. 6840 cr at a YoY growth of 45%.  

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Manipal Hospitals Launches Plasma Bank for COVID-19 Care Through Online Platform Amber Health


Emerging evidence on the optimal management of COVID-19 suggests that the plasma of a recovered patient contains antibodies that help fight the virus. This plasma extracted from recovered patients, when injected in a moderately ill patient can help boost immunity and prevent further COVID complications. Plasma therapy is being used widely in India, ever since its first successful human trial in May 2020.

The key objective of this drive is to make plasma therapy readily accessible to all COVID 19 patients seeking treatment in Manipal Hospitals and registered through AMBER HEALTH. To support the cause, Manipal Hospitals, Old Airport Road urges all COVID recovered patients to come forward and help those in need to win this battle against the pandemic.

Dr C Shivaram, Head-Transfusion Medicine, Manipal Hospitals, Old Airport Road said, “Plasma therapy has turned out to be the shield of defence that can fight COVID and is a good supplement to treatment modalities in use. To qualify as a plasma donor, a patient must be free from COVID 19 symptoms for at least 14 days.  Patients need not worry about their antibodies during donation as we collect only a small portion of the antibodies.  Additionally, in case of a re-infection by the COVID virus, the body can make antibodies very quickly within hours, because of the memory White cells (B cells) in the blood”.

Dr Ambuja, Associate Consultant Transfusion Medicine, Manipal Hospitals Old Airport Road Bangalore opined, “In the absence of a facility to test for neutralizing antibodies in the country, blood centres use indirect methods of IgG antibody estimation in a patient recovering from COVID about 14 days after infection”.

No other treatment suits all in the management of COVID 19. With no vaccines and specific treatment in sight, plasma therapy appears to be safe and promising treatment option for many patients suffering the global pandemic. However, research is still ongoing regarding its absolute benefit in severely ill patients.

To know more on Amber Health, log on to :  http://amberhealth.in

Phoenix Marketcity Introduces Curbside Service & Phoenix @Doorsteps for Seamless Shopping Experience


Embracing the ‘new normal’, Bengaluru’s favourite shopping and lifestyle destination, Phoenix Marketcity has introduced Curbside service for its customers who may want to shop at the mall at the comfort of their homes. Curbside service ensures comfort and convenience to consumers by offering a seamless retail experience designed with safety in mind. The mall has set up a Curbside pickup desk keeping in mind minimal interaction and trouble-free experience to get the shopping orders picked. Another modest initiative is Phoenix @ Doorsteps which is basically a home delivery service where customers will get their shopped bags delivered at their doorsteps.  

Phoenix Marketcity is now offering these concierge services for its patrons where they can place their shopping orders through the Whatsapp application platform, which will direct customers to select merchandise and products from their catalogues or through assisted virtual shopping. Customers can shop from the favourite brands and make payments online while easily enquiring about, timings and delivery with a chatbot to respond to frequently asked questions and connect with individual stores for brand related queries at the same time. The orders would be ready for contactless a Curbside pickup at an allotted time. 

Speaking on the launch of Curbside service, Mr. Gajendra Singh Rathore said “Curbside service is being introduced to keep the interest of customers alive with a hassle-free experience and smart shopping. The initiative has been introduced with an understanding towards the needs of the consumer and the changing scenario. We intend to offer seamless access to products and a process with minimal human interaction ensuring safety”. 

Other than this, the mall is taking utmost care of the safety of all with mandatory temperature checks at entry points, sanitisation, social distancing and limiting the number of people on the escalator to four at a time.  

Curbside Service: Steps to Follow  

SHOP ON THE GO – CURBSIDE PICK-UP 

Step 1- Send a Hi message on our WhatsApp number +916366940002. You will be assigned a Personal Shopping Assistance  

Step2: Select Merchandise/products from the Catalogue we share with you, or through assisted virtual shopping. 

Step 3: confirm your order and pay online securely 

Step 4: Choose a time slot to collect your safely packaged items from Curbside Pick-up 

Step 5: Drive to the curbside Pick-up point at your designated time. Your shopping bags will be placed in your car or Opt for home delivery  

Monday, August 17, 2020

Hiring in India Picks Up 35 percent from April to June: LinkedIn


LinkedIn, the world’s largest online professional network, today announced findings of the ‘Labour Market Update’, a monthly update on hiring trends and insights based on LinkedIn's Economic Graph, a digital representation of the Indian economy.

While the world continues to navigate different stages of the coronavirus, LinkedIn’s Economic Graph team has been closely monitoring the pandemic's disruptive impact across the global labour market. These findings are crystallized into the LinkedIn ‘Labour Market Update’, which highlights the hiring rate in India, overall hiring sentiment across industries, competition for securing jobs, and the top jobs and skills in demand. Findings show that there has been a significant hiring rebound as the country started 'unlocking' and more people returned to work. However, the pace of these gains are expected to slow down given the continued economic uncertainty.

1.    Between early-April to end-June, hiring increased by 35 percentage points: In India, hiring declines reached a low of below -50% year-on-year in April, before starting to slowly recover.  The hiring sentiment stands at -15% year-on-year as of the end of June. As risks of second-wave of infections emerge, some states have imposed lockdown measures again. Given this uncertainty, the recovery is expected to remain fairly flat in the coming weeks. 

*The analysis looks at the year-on-year changes in hiring rate, which is a measure of hires divided by LinkedIn membership. The analysis was conducted for the period of 11th Feb to 30th June 2020. 

Data also suggests that the gap between hires for males and females has narrowed from about 40 percentage points in February to around 30 percentage points in June.

This trend is observed across all sectors except for Manufacturing, Finance and Software & IT.

2.  Competition for jobs is heating up: Competition for jobs has doubled compared to 6 months ago, with the average number of applications per job posted on LinkedIn increasing from around 90 in Jan 2020, to 180 in June 2020.

3.  Recreation & Travel and Retail professionals are more likely to look for jobs in a different sector, compared to pre-COVID period: Compared to the pre-COVID period, data suggests that job seekers who are currently in the affected sectors (such as Recreation & Travel) are 6.8 times* more likely to look for jobs in a different sector, compared to pre-COVID times. Data further suggests that those in the retail sector are 2.4 times* likely to apply for a job in a different sector. The analysis looks at how job seekers in different industries are adapting to changes and adjusting their jobs search strategy. 

*The measure here calculates the likelihood that a member in a certain sector has applied for a job in a sector different to their own in June 2020 (post-COVID) compared to June 2019 (pre-COVID). A score of 2 here would suggest that a member in Industry A is twice as likely to apply to a job in an industry outside of Industry A. 

4.  The demand for disruptive skills tops the charts in June 2020: The Labour Market Update also highlights roles that are in demand today and are expected to remain relevant in the near future. These roles have the greatest number of job openings on LinkedIn, have seen steady growth over the past four years, pay a liveable wage, and require skills that can be learned online.

These are the top 5 in-demand jobs and skills:

1.    Jobs: 

·         Software Engineer

·         Business Development Manager 

·         Sales Manager 

·         Business Analyst

·         Content Writer

2.     Skills:

·         JavaScript

·         SQL 

·         Sales Management 

·         Team Leadership 

·         Recruiting

Friday, August 14, 2020

SBI Further Empowers Farmers with YONO Krishi; Introduces Kisan Credit Card Review on the Platform

Kisan Credit Card (KCC) 

* Bank introduces KCC Review feature on the YONO Krishi platform which has been witnessing great response from farmers

* YONO KCC Review to enable farmers access their KCC limit on YONO in just four clicks

* YONO KCC Review to benefit more than 75 lakh farmers

* YONO KCC review will empower farmers to embrace digital technology and make them future-ready

* YONO Krishi platform offers a one-stop solution to all farmers’ agricultural needs

Country’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) continues to empower its farmer customers by offering them technology backed agricultural solutions with YONO Krishi. The recently launched platform that caters to all the requirements of farmers – from sowing to harvesting and then selling – has been receiving significant traction from the farmers. In the current unprecedented times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SBI is set to make lives easier for its farmer customers by introducing the KCC Review option on YONO Krishi. With this added feature, farmers will no longer need to travel the distance to visit the bank branch to apply for a revision in their KCC limit. KCC Review option on YONO Krishi will help farmers apply for the same in just 4 clicks from the comfort of their homes without any paperwork.

Recognizing the fact that not all farmers may have access to smartphones, SBI has also streamlined the KCC review process at its branches. KCC Review on YONO Krishi is expected to benefit more than 75 lakh farmers having KCC accounts with SBI. The feature of paperless KCC review will not only help farmers save costs and effort involved in applying for revision of the KCC limit, but also make the process quicker for them especially during the harvesting season.

Rajnish Kumar, Chairman, SBI said, “Introduction of YONO KCC Review on YONO Krishi is SBI’s yet another initiative to make our farmer customers, future-ready by offering them constant digital innovations pertaining to their agricultural needs. This new feature has been added keeping in mind millions of our valuable farmer customers’ convenience and safety. We believe that they will now be experiencing hassle-free application process for their KCC limit revision. With a Digital-First approach, it is SBI’s continuous endeavor to provide innovative digital banking solutions to all our diverse set of customers across the country.”

Apart from KCC Review, the multi-lingual YONO Krishi platform - which is bringing-in technology to farmers in more than 10 vernacular languages - is offering services such as YONO Khata, YONO Bachat, YONO Mitra and YONO Mandi to its farmer customers. These unique offerings facilitate farmers with Agri loan products, an online marketplace to buy and rent agricultural inputs and equipment, customized farming advisory, investment, and crop insurance products, instant agri gold loan, upgrade to scientific farming practices, and much more. With YONO Krishi, SBI has opened the doors of digital agriculture to farmers. In just one year of its launch, YONO Krishi has disbursed more than 14 lakh Agri Gold loans and has seen more than 15 lakh clicks on YONO Mandi and YONO Mitra

YONO itself has grown by leaps and bounds over the last two and a half years since its launch. It has seen more than 58 million downloads with over 26 million registered users. YONO has partnered with over 80 e-commerce players in more than 20 categories. The bank’s flagship banking and lifestyle platform – YONO is also tasting success in international markets such as the UK and Mauritius.

Brigade Group Announces India’s 1st Virtual Property Expo from August 15-16, 2020


 Brigade Group today announced conducting the first Virtual Property Expo by a developer on 15th and 16th August 2020. While we have conducted many online exhibitions in the past, this virtual expo will be different from the regular online exhibitions. This will be the first of its kind by any developer in the country, where the experience of going through an Expo will be simulated virtually with specific stalls for our various projects, similar to an on-ground event.

The Virtual property Expo will showcase our 30+ residential properties across Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Chennai. Various offers like flexible payment plans, free interiors and price protection specifically address the current situation of uncertainty and at the same time give the discerned buyers an opportunity to own a dream home, from a trusted developer like Brigade. Also, every customer who books a home during this Expo will get an assured Gift worth Rs.40,000.

Commenting on this event, Mr. Rajendra Joshi, CEO Residential, Brigade Group, said, “Brigade has been at the forefront of innovation and we are happy to bring to you India’s first virtual property Expo by a developer. We believe true freedom is having a home of your own and the aftermath of the pandemic has established that owning a home is better than dealing with the uncertainties of living in a rented accommodation. We invite you to choose your dream home during these two days”

The Virtual Expo event will be held on 15 &16 August 2020 and will be open to buyers between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on the two days.

Thursday, August 13, 2020

MyCaptain Unveils Free e-Learning Classes on its Seventh Anniversary

 


MyCaptain, an India-based online learning platform, today announces the ‘freemium’ version of its mobile application and website which will allow users to take Free Live Sessions, micro-courses and demo classes covering 40+ number of Potential careers and subjects, such as Photography, App Development, Music Production and Novel Writing, to name a few. 

With over 100,000 paid users, the parent company, Climber Knowledge & Careers Pvt. Ltd. completes seven successful years of operations in online learning and mentoring in India. On this occasion, MyCaptain wanted to go an extra mile by providing a platform to each and every individual who wishes to explore their passion, which will help them evolve in their career as well as personal lives. In this endeavour, the company decided to launch an unpaid version of its Live Online Courses for the first time ever. 

Commenting on this initiative, Mohammed Zeeshan, Co-founder & CEO, MyCaptainsaid “From the very beginning, our motive has been to bring a societal mindset shift when it comes to Careers in India and all across the World. With the launch of our new app which offers all such free features, we aim to reach a larger audience, penetrating through different corners of the country, to provide them a peek into the world of alternative careers and online learning. We want students to learn from the best in the Industry.”

Along with the launch of free e-learning classes, MyCaptain has entered into a rebranding phase that aligns with its anniversary theme ‘Evolution’. The company has come up with a new logo which is a more modern version of the older logo, and has been designed keeping in mind the archetype of its primary user: Creator.

Ruhan Madni Naqash, Co-founder & Chief Marketing Officer, MyCaptain said“Over the past 10 years, the youth has changed, what mattered to the youth has changed as well. We have seen this need to adapt, transform, and evolve in our target market, and we want to reciprocate that need and feel through our rebranding.” 

In the following year, MyCaptain is looking to acquire 300,000+ more paid customers, begin international expansion and have more than 3000+ Top Educators onboard. Additionally, the company is aiming to host 2000+ Free Live Sessions for students to get a taste of each field and learn from the best minds in India. 

Get Your Dance Mode On with Remo D’Souza at Cure.fit Live Digital Fitness Offering

 


* Cure.fit to launch ‘Moves Like Remo’ with Remo D’Souza under its Cure.fit live digital fitness offering

* Audiences can learn Bollywood, Street Style and Remo Special in a 4-part series starting 14th August

In what will be a perfect mix of dance, fitness and entertainment, fans of Cure.fit’s hugely popular Dance Fitness format can now get their dance mode on like never before with one of India’s most popular dancers—Remo D’Souza. A new 4-part show called ‘Moves Like Remo’ will be launched on the Cure.fit app from 14th August onwards with explosive sessions taught by the best in the business.  

In this 4-part series, Remo will teach audiences dance fitness routines across 3 popular styles—Bollywood, Street Style, and Remo Special—which will culminate in a Finale Dance Party blending all three. Moreover, he will also share exclusive behind the scenes stories from the most popular dance numbers as choreographed by him for the best in Bollywood.

These special episodes will go live on the app at 6pm on 14th, 24th and 31st August with the Finale Dance Party airing on 7th September. Each session guarantees an energetic workout session in 50 minutes at the end of which Remo will also teach a “FitStep” or a signature dance step to the audience. Attendees also have a chance to get featured in a 3-minute dance video curated by Remo which will feature clips of various customers dancing to different parts of the song.

The launch of ‘Moves like Remo’ is another step forward in the Cure.fit live fitness journey and adds another renowned name to its growing list of celebrity trainers. Cure.fit started offering live fitness classes across its various formats once the lockdown commenced in mid-March. On 3rd April, Cure.fit also launched its Cure.fit live Masterclasses—a series of workouts by a stellar lineup of celebrities, athletes, sportspersons, and other famous influencers such as Mandira Bedi, Yasmin Karachiwala, PV Sindhu, Mary Kom, Jonty Rhodes, Nora Fatehi, and so on.

Commenting on the launch of this new segment, Naresh Krishnaswamy, Growth & Marketing Head, Cure.fit, said: “We are so happy to have Remo D’Souza join in on our Cure.fit live journey with this exclusive 4-part special. Our users really enjoy the Dance Fitness format because it makes getting fit extremely fun and cuts through the monotony of regular workouts. Learning some dance moves from a renowned dancer like Remo will surely generate excitement and interest from the audience.”

Speaking on this collaboration, Remo D’Souza said: "I am who I am because of my audience. After being a judge for several years on dance shows, I felt that my viewers needed a more personal one-on-one interaction with me. This association with Cure.fit gives me the perfect platform to offer a more connected experience to my audience in my original avatar as a dancer and a choreographer. I am really happy to be a part of this initiative."

About Cure.fit

Cure.fit Healthcare Pvt Ltd is a holistic integrated healthcare platform headquartered in Bangalore. Founded in 2016 by Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori, Cure.fit aims to address preventive healthcare through a combination of engagement, coaching and delivery using a mix of online and offline channels. Cure.fit caters to living a healthy life through four critical dimensions—eat.fit, mind.fit, cult.fit and care.fit. While cult.fit focuses on physical strength and fitness, eat.fit focuses on healthy and nutritive food, mind.fit on mental wellbeing and care.fit on integrated medical and lifestyle care. Cure.fit is an app-based service provider and is available on Android and iOS.

Yamaha Unveils Online Sales Through New Website with Virtual Store

 Highlights 

* The new website of Yamaha with Virtual Store will host an end-to-end online buying platform of Yamaha two wheelers

* The online sale will cover more than 300 dealerships pan India in 2020

* A class-leading customer experience at https://www.yamaha-motor-india.com/ and a hassle-free booking & purchase at https://shop.yamaha-motor-india.com/

The excitement of Yamaha is all set to get intensified as the company introduces the “New user friendly website with online sales facility” in India today, as a part of the brand’s continued effort to provide exciting experiences to its customers under its strategic campaign “The Call of the Blue”. 

In the current scenario, customers are preferring to stay indoors and they want to minimize their visit to showroom. Considering the convenience of the customers, India Yamaha Motor has introduced the online sales on its website with VIRTUAL STORE to enhance the buying experiences of its customers.

The new website will have all the latest features like the VIRTUAL STORE with 360 degree view of the products along with the specification comparison between Yamaha Products bundled under the Buyers Guide option on the website. The Yamaha dealerships will also provide their support in promoting the contactless delivery and use digital communication tools like WhatsApp etc. for communication with the customers. Through this website, customers can also opt for doorstep service for their purchase related enquiries based on his/her requirements.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Motofumi Shitara, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group of companies said, “Digital is future, and our new website with VIRTUAL STORE is ready to offer an enhanced buying experience and personalized customer services (One to one service) to the two-wheeler customers in India. Yamaha’s philosophy to offer excitement that goes beyond the customer expectations will unfold a new chapter with the new Yamaha website as we accelerate the digital transformation of Yamaha’s retail operations through a safe, reliable and engaging online portal. Bringing more innovation to the concept, in future our customers will also be able to purchase apparels & accessories on the same platform thus providing a ready solution with enhanced buying experience. Our existing after sales activities like extended warranty offers and roadside assistance will be an added advantage to the customers.”

Yamaha will start the online sales module from Chennai and will cover 300 dealerships across the nation by the end of 2020.

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Jawaharlal Nehru University Signs Strategic MoU with TechGig to Power Online Assessments for Faculty and Students


The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has recently collaborated with TechGig Assess Online – a cutting edge assessment platform – to facilitate its academic assessments. TechGig is India’s one of the largest technology community and is a part of India’s leading digital media conglomerate – the Times Internet Ltd.

Both JNU and TechGig have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to corroborate this alliance. JNU hosted a workshop on 10th August, 2020 for its faculty members to announce this partnership followed by a hands-on demonstration of the platform by the TechGig’s team.

Online is becoming the preferred medium to ensure learning and education continuity amid the COVID-19 situation. In such a scenario, this new-age talent assessment has been developed by team TechGig indigenously, keeping the Indian education scenario in mind.

While inaugurating the digital platform, Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, JNU expressed his optimism that Assess Online will be a big boon for students residing in the far-flung areas of the county. “We were concerned about the future of the students – specially the terminal students. These students need to complete their exams so that they can continue with their higher education or apply for jobs, thereafter. This is where online assessment platforms come very handy. At JNU we have a ‘continuous evaluation’ system and I hope that Assess Online will be much help there”. Its noteworthy that JNU was the first higher education institute to introduce remote ‘viva’ for its students, which helped many to take exams from their respective locations, without worrying about visiting campus for just one exam day.

Talking about the partnership with JNU, Sanjay Goyal, Business Head, TimesJobs and TechGig said, “We are thrilled to partner with one of India’s most reputable educational institute. Assess Online is India’s very own platform designed specifically to eliminate the struggles of Indian school/colleges teachers and students. It has advanced plagiarism detectors and remote proctoring measures to ensure a fair assessment. I am hopeful that JNU’s faculty and students will find it immensely helpful.” He also informed that Assess Online is already being used in 25+ colleges and 35+ schools pan-India. About 57,000+ assessments have been created and facilitated on Assess Online.

Assess Online is an easy-to-use platform that lets the teachers create the desired assessments using multiple tools. Its ‘auto-evaluation’ reviews students’ performance automatically, offering a lot of time for teachers to focus on enriched learning.

JNU plans to train its faculty members as well as the students through series of training programs to equip them well with state-of-the-art technological knowledge to enable them to deal with the present pandemic situation.

Revive Both Demand and Supply Drivers Say FAITH Bodies to Ministry of Tourism

 - Dual task forces strategy

- Safe gatherings learning from holy temple site templates

- Focused multi - language social media product advertising spurts

- Free E visa across categories

- Uniform quarantine policies

- Create consumer confidence, dispel fear

Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality, the policy federation of all the national associations representing the complete tourism, travel and hospitality industry of India (ADTOI, ATOAI, FHRAI, HAI, IATO, ICPB, IHHA, ITTA, TAAI, TAFI) had an inter association meeting with ministry of tourism.

FAITH and its 10 member associations in a multi association meeting with Ministry of Tourism proposed multi-step strategies for revival of tourism. These issues were identified to enhance tourism demand while protecting tourism supply in India.

Tourism encompasses multiple ministries and happens across states. It thus requires a coordinated approach across all the ministries at the central government level and between centre and state. FAITH Associations have proposed a dual task force strategy. An inter- ministerial task force at the central government level and an inter- state task force. These two task forces need to be empowered and need to be agile to fast track decision making as tourism will be the last sector to revive.

To stimulate domestic tourism FAITH associations recommended dispelling consumer fear and confusion by ensuring uniform inter-quarantine air & land border policy across all states. This will provide confidence and give knowledge to bath business and leisure tourists.

FAITH 10 associations proposed incentivising two segments domestic conferences and domestic consumers to travel within India by creating structured tax breaks.

As travel bubbles have started between India and international countries, FAITH associations proposed a multi-year e-visa holiday for all visa categories as and when till inbound demand to India stabilises. This needs to be complemented by publicising widely the revised 96 hour RT PCR policy for COVID testing and ensuring standardisation across all airports.

They also discussed holding the Indian Tourism Mart for international tour operators to establish confidence and showcase the incredible Indian tourism products in the first or the fourth week of November.

Marketing communication of tourism should be kickstarted which should focus on positivity & safety of Indian tourism while weaving these messages around different product segments, destinations, and incredible concepts of Indian tourism.

These could be multiple series of social media ads each with different versions of Indian and international languages to help stimulate both domestic & international tourism

Tourism demand can truly be activated if the tourism supply and value chain is healthy and doesn’t break down anywhere across travel agents, hotels, tour operators, tourist transporters or restaurants. Faith associations recommended multiple support and revival strategies for the same.

Tour operators and travel agents recognised by tourism ministry should be allowed to operate tours for adventure, religious, or education purposes which are recognised as LTC enabled agents & operators.

For the tourist hinterlands, remote last mile air connectivity must be enabled through a hub & spoke system under the Udaan policy with increased state support till private demand picks up. To ensure best practices in adventure, satellite phones and helicopter search and rescue needs to be enabled for adventure tours across the beautiful Indian adventure spots.

The meetings segment has to begin its revival process and FAITH associations said guidelines must be  considered to be revised upwards by allowing 300 indoors and upto 500 in open areas. A fine example of safe gatherings is the inauguration of the holy temple site by the honourable PM which can be showcased as a role model gatherings format. Meetings segment must now formally also include, recognise and officially support all forms social gatherings and movie shoots and virtual meetings. It is also critical for IGST to be enabled for hospitality industry which will enhance cross-state Indian meetings industry movement with companies getting gst credit while using hotels for meetings tourism in other states

FAITH Associations have requested Delhi Hotels to be unlocked as Delhi is the gateway of North India. They have also requested for all states to support hospitality by giving a statutory waiver on all fixed liabilities power costs, liquor permits, property cesses and so on. They have suggested that GST be rationalised for hotels above ₹7500 to be brought down to 12% from 18% which will stimulate domestic travel.

FAITH Associations to revive restaurants also requested for the GST option with full setoff made available for restaurants and restaurant GST be delinked from hotel tariffs.

To financially protect the tourism companies, till the resolution plan is set in motion by the RBI, FAITH Associations proposed extension of the moratorium of tourism & hospitality companies. They have also requested for automatic extension of all tourist transport and tour operators  permits , liquor licenses and other extensions.

The Indian travel agents are key enablers of the travel distribution. FAITH Associations requested for an even more healthy partnership approach between Indian travel agents, IATA & Air India. Travel agents and consumers also need to insured against airline payment defaults of their advances and cancellations and mechanisms need to be put in place.

FAITH spokesperson said that the FAITH Associations are hopeful that the demand generation measures and supply protection measures for tourism will be implemented quickly to kick start Indian tourism and express their gratitude to Tourism Ministry for initiating this exercise.

 About FAITH: FAITH, Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality, is the National Federation of the 10 National Tourism, Travel and Hospitality organisations of India. These associations are ADTOI, ATOAI, FHRAI, HAI, IATO, ICPB, IHHA, ITTA, TAAI & TAFI.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

HATCH 2020 Online Event by St.Francis College, Koramangala on August 12, 2020


 * Online meeting of the Global Learning Community to discuss ‘Educating the Next’

* Release of the Publication ‘Hatch 2020 – Educating the Next’ with over 100 Educational Institutes & Thought Leaders across the globe.

St. Francis College, Koramangalawill release the debut publication ‘Hatch 2020 – Educating the Next’ together with a panel discussion featuring thought leaders from across the globe on the 12thAugust 2020 from 10 to 12 noon via an online webinaraligned with the UN International Youth Day.

The publication is a step forward to unite and collaborate with the global learning community under once platform to shape future leaders and most importantly sustain a positive mindset during the period of Covid-19. It is also a platform to share best practices, insights and how educationists can come together and further the cause of education.

The publication will be released by noted personalities such as:

* BomanIrani – Indian theatre & film actor

* T. R. Parasuraman – President of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce& Whole Time Director – Toyota Industries Engine India Pvt. Ltd.

* Dr. Joseph V.G -  Honorary Consul General, Republic of Maldives – Bengaluru & Chancellor, Garden City University

* IndrajitLankesh– Indian Film maker & producer and publisher of LankeshPatrike.

* Prof. J Philip – Founder & Chairman , Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship (XIME)

* FarzanehMajed – CEO & md, Partner Transform Alliance, UK

* Ashish Ballal - Former Indian Hockey Captain, Asia Game Gold Medalist, & Olympian

* RaginiPrajwal – Kannada Film Actor with recent movie hit ‘Law’

* Augustus Azariah – IBM India Pvt. Ltd

* Jalal ElNasser – Reginonal Manager – UTS Insearch University, Sydney, Australia

* RJ RiazBasha - Anchor, TV presenter, Big Boss contestant

* Ibrahim Khalil – Up by Levels – Dubai & Saudi Arabia

*  DJ Ivan - A DJ, music composer and host on a radio show Hotmix in Bangalore

* Samie – Alchrafi- Award-winning speaker, author and podcaster. Author of Business for Humanity.

* Br.Sayimon(Director)& Ms. Sameera Fernandes – (Director – Strategic Planning), St. Francis College, Koramangala

The panel discussion is moderated by Shekhar Vijayan.

Commented Br. Sayimon, Director, St. Francis College, Koramangala, “Our objective is to encourage the global learning community to come out with innovative ways to shape our future leaders. With plentiful insights into the publication, I am sure this can be a useful toolkit when framing policies and practices on the education front”.

Commented Ms. Sameera Fernandes, Director – Strategic Planning & Dean, St. Francis College, Koramangala, “SFC-publication is an ideal avenue for the learning community across the world to come together and contribute their ideas on the theme educating  next. The culture of inclusivity and collaboration is what the education sector should strive for moving forward.

Quite a few partners too have come forward which includes Talent 2 International Education Consultancy, Indigo Music, Bangalore Chamber of Industry &Commerce, Ecosol Global, India Today, Arivupro, Threadworks, Xavier Board of Higher Education in India and Catholic Club.

HATCH 2020 is an in-house e-publication aims at creating a new tomorrow with the global learning community. The publication brings together the highly valuable insights from principals, faculty and students in the form of articles and interviews.

Together with the learning community, we can build strong and safe world to live in. Watch us live on You tube, Face book, Instagram to support, enjoy and make a difference.

Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezyg76bWnpT9PWReAKLVsFwPG0hBeFNKGU9BhtTiJQ47z7Pw/viewform or log on to our website www.stfranciscollege.net

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Sameera Fernandes

Director – Strategic Planning & Dean

St. Francis College, Koramangala

Mobile: 97400 66551

Email: dean@stfranciscollege.net



ABB Unveils eMart, its B2B & B2C Online Marketplace in India


 ABB India, today announced the launch of eMart, an online marketplace portal, which will offer more than 6,000 products from its Electrification Business for home and industrial buyers.

This unique B2B & B2C platform will be the first of its kind in the industry, owing to its dynamic, price-transparent model. It aims to provide an equally fair and favorable experience to both ABB distributors and customers, further boosting the agenda of the country’s Digital India program.

ABB eMart also provides a dynamic model to empower partners to set their own competitive pricing for the products they sell on the platform, while simultaneously providing customers with a choice of the best deals to suit their specific needs.

Customers will be able to access technical specifications as well as interactive product images for each item at their fingertips. They can select their best-suited option by referring to the product and seller reviews on the portal. ABB has partnered with authorized distributors with a digital presence from across the country, and is enabling them to expand their reach by offering products and solutions on eMart for home as well as industrial customers.

eMart hosts a wide range of products, which ranges from digital circut breakers, contactors, Molded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB), modular swtiches, Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB), Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB), home automation, medium voltage relays and related products. With this move, ABB India aims to further expand its reach in untapped markets while strengthing its presence in the existing sector, maximizing the changing customer buying preferences with a seamless digital experience.

“At ABB, we are committed to creating avenues that fast track the digital transformation journey for our customers and partners. The eMart is another achievement in the same direction, aiming to to create a reliable yet distinct customer experience with digital solutions. It aims to build a digital ecosystem and infrastructure between the manufacturer, the partners, and the customers and provide impetus to the business climate and the Digital India program,“ said CP Vyas, President, Electrification business, ABB India. “This platform will be another stream for business enhancement for our partner and distributors and provide the next level of customer experience,“ he added.

As the world adapts to the new normal, ABB recognizes that online buying experiences and a one-stop access to immediate product requirements are increasingly the need of the hour. Designed for a user-friendly experience, eMart has been optimized with easy navigation for desktop and mobile browsers, and curated results for each type of buyer. The platform allows for order queries to be addressed online and is supported by secure payment methods including net banking, eWallets, and UPI, also abiding by General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in terms of customer data.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 110,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com


Hyundai CRETA Sets a New Benchmark Crosses 500 000 Sales in Domestic Market

 Summary 

* HMIL Leads the UV Segment with 4 Super Performer SUVs – All New CRETA, VENUE, TUCSON and KONA Electric Registering Sale of 34, 212 Units (April~July, 2020)   

* ALL New CRETA Leading the SUV segment in July 2020 with sales of 11,549units

* All New CRETA remains Best-selling SUV for three consecutive months (May,   June and July 2020) 

* All New CRETA receives a great response with more than 65 000 bookings since it’s  launch in March, 2020

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), country’s First Smart Mobility Solutions provider and the largest exporter since inception announced an impressive feat for Hyundai CRETA achieving the 500 000 domestic sale milestone.

Commenting on the achievement, Mr Tarun Garg, Director (Sales, Marketing & Service), Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “Hyundai CRETA has been the blockbuster model in the Indian Automobile industry ever since its launch in 2015. Redefining the SUV landscape in India, CRETA’s supremacy transpires from Hyundai’s technological prowess and innovation, outperforming the industry benchmarks in all aspects. With the  500 000 sales mark, the CRETA has set yet another benchmark in the industry, reaffirming a legacy of leadership in the SUV segment. At Hyundai Motor India, we are continuously strengthening our portfolio with the best-in-segment features and technologically advanced products to make our customers’ life a happy life.”

He further added, “HMIL has also contributed strongly in the UV Segment with 4 Super Performer SUVs – All New CRETA, VENUE, TUCSON and KONA Electric registering sale of 34 212 Units (April ~July, 2020) showcasing customer acceptance of SUVs in the Hyundai portfolio leading to higher brand affinity.”   

The All New CRETA has been the Best-selling  SUV for three consecutive months of May, June and July, 2020. Further, the all new CRETA has received over 65 000 bookings since launch in March 2020. The contribution of Diesel in the All New CRETA bookings continues to soar and is now at 60% indicating a strong demand for Hyundai’s advanced and globally proven Diesel BS6 Technology. 

Additionally, The Made-in-India, All new CRETA, has created waves across 88 countries and cemented its position in the global market as well.

Hyundai CRETA continues to be on top of experts’ mindshare and has championed India’s Most Respectable Awards and accolades to its credit.

All new CRETA is powered by new BS6 engines - 1.5 L MPi Petrol (6MT/ IVT), 1.5 L U2 CRDi Diesel (6MT/ 6AT) and Powerful 1.4 L Kappa Turbo GDi Petrol (7DCT). To enhance the Driving Experience, All New CRETA comes with 3 Drive modes (Eco, Comfort & Sport) and Traction Control Modes (Snow, Sand & Mud) that optimise the driving comfort across different terrains.

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Notebook Zero Hour India's Largest Online Inter-School Public Speaking Event from July 18, 2020

The new school year has seen students attending classes online due to the COVID restrictions. The limiting of engagement between the educational institutions and students has inspired Notebook, India’s first after-school learning app to launch the Notebook Zero Hour, the largest online inter-school public speaking event for school students. Powered by Stayfree®, India’s leading sanitary napkin brand, Zero Hour is the largest competitive public speaking event ever held for schools in India and abroad, where schools have a chance to pit themselves against the best speakers from other schools from India and across the world.

In its first edition this year, the online debates commenced from July 18 with 64 marquee schools from India and abroad ready to face off against each. Played in a league format, the initial face-offs will see 8 schools proceeding to the quarter-finals. The winners of the 4 quarter-finals will participate in 2 semi-finals and the subsequent winners will face off in the Grand Finale to be held on August 15, 2020 to mark India’s 74th Independence Day.

Manoj Gadgil, Vice President Marketing, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Division said, “We are glad to be associated with Notebook Zero Hour. With students stuck at home, the online debate competition offers the youngsters an opportunity to enhance their communication skills through fruitful interactions with their peers. It helps them overcome fear, encourages them to express their opinion and increases their self-confidence. Stayfree® has been driving safe menstrual health and hygiene education and adoption initiatives in schools and Notebook Zero Hour gives the brand a platform to continue to encourage young girls to be informed, feel confident, pursue their dreams and not let anything hold them back.”

The first online face-off on July 18th saw a scintillating debate between Orchids The International School Thane and Indian School, Al-Ghubra that was won by the team from the Muscat-based school. The quality of the debate and those that followed were indicative of the high level of preparation that the students had undergone with facts and figures backing the emotionally charged discussions.

Achin Bhattacharyya, Founder and CEO, Notebook said, “We at Notebook are extremely humbled at being able to host Zero Hour for students, powered by Stayfree® and also supported by Save the Children. Our Together for Education webinars for esteemed educators and parents have already been a huge success with more than 12,000 attendees from more than 50 countries during our last 27 sessions. Notebook Zero Hour is our effort to provide a platform to encourage young school-goers from across the nation and also from Middle East, Nepal and Africa to engage in meaningful discussions. It’s very important to encourage students during this hour of pandemic when they are confined  to their home for months, away from their schools, friends, and outdoor sports. Hence we wanted to connect all these isolated centres of excellence, to form a virtual community of like-minded educators and students through Notebook Zero Hour debates. We have been thrilled to have more than 300 schools registering, but could accommodate only 64 in the current format. We are very happy with the enthusiasm that we have seen in students and teachers who have worked hard to make this event a huge success. The art of public speaking is an indispensable asset in today’s fast paced world and irrespective of any profession that a student wants to pursue its role in ensuring career growth is unquestionable. Also debate, discussion and public discourse are at the heart of any vibrant democracy and hence it is very important that we encourage our future leaders to not only have articulate speaking skills but also tolerant listening skills and hence the format of the debate has been customised accordingly for rebuttals which also tests listening skills.”

The debate topics cover contemporary and relevant issues and range from online privacy to international trade that motivate the young students to research and widen their knowledge base while developing critical thinking skills. The debates will be moderated by Subhayu Roy, Co-founder, Notebook and judged by esteemed educators, eminent thought leaders and other luminaries from various walks of life.

For information on the team pools, schedule and leaderboard, please visit https://notebookzerohour.co.in/about/

About Notebook Zero Hour:

Inspired and encouraged by the phenomenal success of the Together for Education webinars, and on request from institutions to engage with students directly, Notebook now presents Zero Hour – India’s Largest Public Speaking Event for School Students. This is the largest competitive public speaking event ever held for schools in India,and schools have a chance to pit themselves against the best speakers from other schools from the farthest reaches of the country.

About Notebook:

Notebook is India’s first after-school learning app. Engaging audio-visual content is used to deliver lessons tailored to the school curriculum. Teachers have access to these videos in the classroom, using the content to introduce topics, build interest, and help students to better visualize concepts. At home, students access the same videos from their personal connected devices – smartphones, laptops, desktops and internet-enabled televisions – to revise topics, prepare for examinations and benefit from the freedom that on-demand lessons afford them.

Started in 2018, Notebook has now catered to over a million users across India and abroad. More than 10,000 videos cover topics from classes I to XII of the CBSE board, alongside vernacular-aided lessons for U.P. Board and W.B. Board. Over 250 professionals, experienced educators and creative artists work round the clock to ensure that curricular content is delivered to the students in the most engaging possible way.

At the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown, Notebook offered its content to all students free of charge, enabling schools to conduct online classes using Notebook videos. This has led to deep and meaningful engagement with schools, and empowered teachers to cope with the lockdown better. Notebook also conducts regular online training sessions for teachers to help them manage online classes with greater ease. Powered by Notebook videos, Ramakrishna Mission Schools in Gwalior, M.P. became India’s first school to announce a completely online academic session to ensure safety of their students.

Tulips Launches Bio-Degradable Cotton Ear Buds for a Sustainable World Across Indian Market

Summary

* 100% ecofriendly, make-in-India product innovation helps cut pollution, conserve biodiversity῀

Tulips, India’s most innovative personal hygiene care brand, today, announced the launch of fully biodegradable, cotton buds/ swabs. Softer and safer, the ECO-FRIENDLY COTTON BUDS are made from certified paper, and purest grade cotton fibre, in world-class production facilities. 

TULIPS is the 1st Indian company to introduce biodegradable Cotton buds on a national scale & make a serious initiative towards sustainable personal hygiene products. The stems are made using FSC certified paper. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council certification) means that this is a sustainable product & not made by depleting the natural forest cover. This is also in line with the Prime Minister’s call last year to reduce plastic content in single use products.

Speaking on the launch, Rahul Jain, Partner, Tulips said, “Out of a huge consumer base of Cotton buds, there are substantial number of people who are looking for sustainable, eco-friendly option. We plan to promote these Cotton buds strongly & make sure to reach to every part of the country. Being the industry leader, we will be advertising & taking lot of other initiatives to create a shift in the minds of the Indian consumer to adopt paper stick-based Cotton buds instead of plastic ones. We target to completely stop or minimise the production of plastic stick Cotton swabs by end of 2023, an informal deadline set up by our honourable Prime Minister”

The Paper sticks in TULIPS Cotton buds give the best user experience & never splinter during usage. The other available alternatives like wood or Bamboo should not be used by consumers, are they make the swab very hard & can also splinter easily during usage, both causing possible harm to the user.

As responsible citizens, we all need to change our behavior and lifestyles, to balance our need for plastic & effectively manage its waste. The 100% Biodegradable Cotton Buds/ swabs represent the company’s initiatives to bring about change in small yet impactful ways.

One of the largest producers of swabs – Tulips’ product line, currently one of the best worldwide in innovative hygiene cotton products and wipes, employs more than 400 workers. TULIPS is also the 1st & the largest manufacturer of low cost COVID-19 TEST SWABS in India, helping lower the cost of testing & saving millions of dollars for the country.

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