Genpact Social Impact Fellowship Set to Transform the Social Sector

Genpact, a global professional services firm focused on delivering digital transformation for clients, today hosted a leadership forum with EdelGive Foundation - the philanthropic arm of Edelweiss Group, to discuss how companies can join forces to transform the non-profit sector. The event featured Genpact Social Impact Fellowship (GSIF) as a successful, scalable program that serves as a model for many other organizations seeking to make a lasting difference in the social sector.

The year-long fellowship program in partnership with EdelGive Foundation deploys process excellence experts to work on high-impact projects in India to bring a systemic change in the social sector.

“By bringing together the best of Genpact and EdelGive, Genpact Social Impact Fellowship has transformed leading non-profits in India and demonstrated how solving the biggest problems needs the best minds to work together,” said Tiger Tyagarajan, CEO, Genpact. “Our fellows created process-efficient solutions for the non-profit organizations, leading to an amplification of their social impact targets. We are excited to see the program grow and touch many more lives in India.”

“This is a great platform and we are sure that it will benefit many people across the country. Corporates are now coming together for a better India and we would want to further encourage more companies to be part of such an initiative,” said Rashesh Shah, Chairman and CEO, Edelweiss Group.

The first batch of six GSIF Fellows collaborated with three leading non-profit organizations working in the education sector in India. Using Genpact’s Lean Six Sigma and process excellence skills combined with EdelGive’s sector knowledge, they created the following impact:

·      Partnering with Teach For India (TFI), GSIF fellows, Anuj Chopra and Shreya Khedia designed a model for increased operational efficiency for the Teach for India fellows. This allowed for increased teaching time which will help 10,000 students get 100 more learning hours in a year.

·      In a unique project with Kaivalya Education Foundation (KEF), GSIF fellows Tulsi Sahu and Seban Babu transformed processes for the delivery of scholarships, mid-day meals, and distribution of textbooks to help 55,000 students receive their books and scholarships on time.

·      GSIF fellows Pankaj Bhatia and Samarendra Patra standardized Udayan Care’s existing process framework by creating a playbook that will enable the non-profit to double its impact by 2020 and improve the lives of 9,000 underprivileged girls.

The second batch of the fellowship was launched in July 2017 with 16 fellows working with leading non-profits such as Kaivalya Foundation, United Way, Teach for India, Magic Bus and NASSCOM Foundation. Through GSIF, Genpact aims to “partner for good” with more companies and build high impact social programs that can transform the communities where they operate.

JetSynthesys Unveils - Where’s my Kitty Cat? Game Now Also in India

JetSynthesys, a leading digital entertainment and gaming company has launched “Where’s my Kitty Cat?” a mobile game for iOS users who are cat lovers and puzzle enthusiasts. This exciting and quirky game promises to fulfil the player’s fun quotient as he/she tries to find KITTY, the naughtiest cat ever! Kitty could be anywhere, hiding under cars, over the dining table, in the bath tub, on the neighbour’s porch, in the fish market; the world is her playground. The player needs to use the hints given and logic to solve the different puzzles and find Kitty.

Some features of the game include:

• 160+ levels
• Explore unique locations
• Enjoy unpredictable moments

On the occasion of this launch Roopak Nair, Vice-President, Product and Marketing, JetSynthesys said,“After the successful run of our sports and Bollywood games, we now tap into a more casual gaming audience with the launch of our newest game, “Where’s my Kitty Cat?”. We are confident that this new game will resonate with avid gamers looking for a fun experience, inspiring us to continue experimenting and developing vibrant and exciting games for everyone.”

In “Where’s my Kitty Cat?”, the player will have his/her own cat who needs to be found through various adventures and collect toys for her to play with along the way. This intellectually challenging yet fun game is now available on iOS.

This sweet little cat has the power to steal everybody's heart and she will definitely become the player’s favourite friend.

Inauguration of Bangalore Chapter of ‘Skillathon’ to Boost Skill Development in Karnataka

To continue with the journey to boost skill development in Karnataka, ApnaDesh, an NGO in association with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) brought ‘Skill on Wheels’ to Bangalore after their successful launch in Mysore.

The occasion was organized at BMS College of Engineering Auditorium and was attended by Anantkumar Hegde, Minister of State, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship; Ravi Subramanya, MLA, Basavanagudi; and B.N. Vijay Kumar, MLA, Jayanagar.

NSDC, in association with RiiiT, GSS and Dhatri foundations has come out with the innovative concept of ‘Skill on Wheels’  to reach out to the youth residing in rural India.  It aims to bridge the gap between the mentors and last mile candidates by spreading awareness about importance of skill development as a medium for  life transformation. The main object is to reach the principle part of potential job seekers who are at a distance and are inaccessible. The aim is to cover 500+ Institutions with approximately 3, 00,000+ job seekers.

Motivating the youth during the launch of “Skill on Wheels” in Bangalore, Shri Anantkumar Hegde, Minister of State for Skill Development and entrepreneurship said, “Today's youth are tomorrow's leaders. Education will give you certificate and skills will make you industry ready so that you can face life's challenges head on. Confidence had its foundation stone built on skills. We are here to provide training for skill development. We need to understand that skill is not just 'good to have' but is a 'must have' in the dynamic world we live in, marked by globalisation and cut throat competition. Look at successful people, they all have succeeded because of the skills they have. You are young and this is the right time to pave the path for the future you want. We are here to guide you. All I ask from you is commitment and everything else will fall in place. You will have self-satisfaction when you buy things with your own hard earned money. Each one of you is talented. You just need to identify your skill and nurture it. The Nation is ready to help you. Utilise the opportunity.”

Leading Asset Management Company in India Mandates 3i Infotech to Integrate its Business Functions

ORION 11j Contracting Suite from 3i Infotech Limited was recently chosen by a leading asset management company. The client, part of a NYSE listed company with revenues of US $24 billion, wanted to consolidate its business processes across project offices. The company required a standardised ERP solution to integrate business functions, attain real-time reports and manage subcontractors and suppliers. ORION ERP was chosen by the client as it met their diverse needs including effective evaluation of performance, maintaining tighter control over milestones and pay-outs. 

ORION 11j ERP solution will offer the client a holistic view of their business processes. ORION’s real-time management dashboards will offer greater visibility to stay updated and track the status of various projects and processes.  

Suryanarayan Kasichainula, EVP & Business Head (ERP), 3i Infotech said, “Some of the key benefits ORION 11j will bring to the client includes standardisation of business operations, real-time reporting and GST compliance in line with Indian tax reforms. It is the first ORION 11j Contracting Suite deal in India and we are proud to be associated with this NYSE-listed group. With the focus on the infrastructure economy in India, we hope this will act as a door-opener for further deals in this vertical.”

ORION ERP from 3i Infotech is an integrated, cost-effective and cloud-enabled industry solution for growing and mid-sized enterprises. Built on future-ready technology stack, it empowers organisations to optimise business processes and make informed decisions through anytime access to dashboards and analytics. ORION process packs are flexible and scalable solutions that cater to various industries. They facilitate rapid implementation enabling businesses to continuously improve on efficiency and reduce operational costs. Backed by robust service support, ORION ERP is a globally trusted partner to more than 800 customers with over 1,000 installations and 50,000+ users across multiple verticals.

Prione Partners with RASCI to Upskill SMBs in India

Prione Business Services Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between Catamaran Ventures and Amazon, along with the apex skill development council for the retail sector, Retailers Association’s Skill Council of India (RASCI), have come together to upskill small and medium sized businesses (SMB) in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The workshop focused on self-employed e-tailers and was facilitated by RASCI through its training partner where 30 SMBs from Indore participated in the training.

“The small and medium business (SMB) space is fast becoming a key driver of growth for India Inc. it is imperative that the sector is ramped up with adequate training and necessary wherewithal to scale up sustainably,” said Sandeep Varaganti, COO of Prione “With this partnership with RASCI we endeavor to bring in a wave of change by conducting a series of workshops that can unlock the vast SMB potential that exists in the country.”

Prione has an SMB base of over 50,000 sellers across the country and plans to organize similar sessions across India. These workshops enable small sellers in scaling up their business online by providing them training on pertinent topics related to the online marketplace. The sessions are aimed at helping SMBs grow their business and expand their customer base by informing them about the advantages of warehousing and use of marketing tools to enhance visibility.

RASCI is a section 25 company, not for profit organization set up under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). As a torch bearer of the Skill India Mission which aims to revolutionize the skilling landscape of the country, RASCI has taken progressive steps through its interventions in multiple areas like skill gap studies, development of Occupational Standards aligned to National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).

RASCI’s intervention with Prione’s SMB e-tailer base was done through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program, which was aimed at providing a platform to recognize and certify existing skills acquired by these sellers through formal, informal learning or experience to get equal acceptance as the formal levels of education aligned to (NSQF).

“The training workshop conducted by Prione and RASCI has helped strengthen my skills to manage business online and the certification is a great value add to my business. It was also a great opportunity to directly interact with the leadership team from Prione and experts at RASCI and discuss the nuances of online selling,” said Balmukund Patidar, who deals in healthy food products. “Such connects on a regular basis will definitely help us in getting a better understanding of the rapidly evolving e-commerce sector in the country, and adapt to the changing customer demands,” he added.    

The training program, which was a day long program, began with an orientation session for the sellers and was followed by an assessment of the sellers to test their skills. Participants who attended the workshop and passed the assessment will be awarded a Government recognized certificate.

Prione works towards empowering SMBs by assisting them to grow their business online in India. Prione helps promising businesses in India's small and medium-sized towns, to mark their presence in the e-commerce marketplace. With over 30 offices across 60 cities in 14 states, Prione has already enabled more than 50,000 SMBs in just its first three years of operations.

Mahindra Electric Unveils Virtual Reality Drive Experience for All-Electric e2oPlus

Mahindra Electric, part of the diversified US$19 billion Mahindra Group and a pioneer in the development and production of electric vehicles (EVs) in India, recently launched a Virtual Reality (VR) based drive experience for its smart and connected all electric vehicle, the e₂oPlus.

The experience, enabled through VR headsets, highlights the technical features and focuses on the key attributes of the e2oPlus. One of the main objectives of this initiative is to innovatively communicate all the technologically advanced features packed into the e2oPlus through an immersive experience of the vehicle, at select Mahindra dealerships. The campaign aims to expand the base of people who can experience electric mobility first hand, as well as delivering an advanced test drive experience to enable the faster adoption of EVs.

According to Mahesh Babu, CEO Mahindra Electric, “As the pioneers of integrated and electric mobility solutions in India, it has always been our endeavour to make electric vehicles more accessible across geographies and segments. We believe that new ways of leveraging technology and digital mediums to reach out to our customers is already making waves and will transform the market. The launch of this Virtual Reality based drive experience for the e2oPlus, is an important step for us on this journey. We are looking at this as an opportunity to deliver the electric mobility experience to a much wider audience while staying true to the technologically advanced nature of the product. Going forward, we intend to enhance this program even further, making it more immersive and experiential.”

The Virtual Reality based drive experience for the e2oPlus is currently available at select Mahindra dealerships https://www.mahindrae2oplus.com/pages/support/dealer-locator. The same is also delivered to customers before a door step test drive, which can be booked on the Mahindra e2oPlus website https://www.mahindrae2oplus.com.

The 2D, 360 degree version of the experience is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAdGe2lDMU8 (best viewed in 4K quality). However the best way to experience the drive is through VR headsets and it can be enabled via apps available on Android and iOS.

Newest Fintech Entrant HappynessFactory.in Achieves Rs 100 Crore AUM Within 3 Quarters

One of the newest entrants into the ever-booming Fintech space, HappynessFactory.in, achieved an impressive AUM of Rs.100 Crore within just eight months of being operational.

In line with its core philosophy of “Happiness is a great investment strategy”, HappynessFactory.in was launched on the International Day of Happiness on March 20,2017. 

Founded by Amar Pandit,CFA , HappynessFactory.in is a Goal Based Financial Planning solution that provides users with a personalized solution to bridge the financial gap between their aspirations and current reality. HF.in helps them achieve their financial goals through a world class client experience. Since their launch in March 2017, HappynessFactory.in has more than 1,500 registered users.

The past year has seen a plethora of Robo-Advisory platforms hitting the market, but Amar believes that it is their insights about delivering happiness, unparalleled client experience and personal care of clients that sets them apart. 

He says, “For us ‘Personal Finance’, is always more about personal than it is about Finance. Our solution tries to connect with a client at an emotional level by making them think about what is really important to them. This is done by giving our customer’s clarity on what they are really looking for and what their goals are. Through our goal based process, we make the customer think deeply, which translates into an emotional and trusting relationship.”

HappynessFactory.in is also building a partner network to expand its reach. For Amar, it’s not just about the technology. He says. “I believe that relying solely on technology isn’t enough to help people make prudent money decisions or help manage investor behavior in tough times. There is a need for some human touch as well.” He believes in a ‘Hi-tech, Hi-Touch Hybrid Model’ as it not only adds trust to the platform, but also guides people to invest in the right way and most importantly stick to a disciplined path of investing over one’s lifetime.

HF.in has got phenomenal appreciation not just from Indians but also NRIs, global product executives and opinion makers from the US Wealth Management industry.

Looking ahead, the founder and his team remain positive about hitting their next milestone of Rs.200 Crore of assets under management soon.