BITS Pilani WILP Becomes Employee Education & Upskilling Choice For Tech Company Mphasis

* BITS Pilani WILP to offer an M.Tech. Degree programme to 250 Mphasis employees beginning from Academic Year 2022 

The Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP) Division of BITS Pilani has entered into a collaboration with Mphasis, a leading technology company. The collaboration will begin with enrolling 250 Mphasis employees for an M.Tech. Programme offered by BITS Pilani’s WILP, a trusted ally of the Indian Industry to develop future skills talent. The Mphasis employees will be able to pursue their M.Tech. Programme while pursuing their jobs and without taking any career breaks. The collaboration will commence in Academic Year 2022 and the number of enrolled employees will likely increase in subsequent years based on business requirements.  

This M.Tech. Programme has been built to provide learners with a sound foundational knowledge of Software Engineering and allied subjects, and apply that in their projects at work seamlessly, and develop world-class software solutions for Global clients. With the constantly changing industry needs, the company resources also need to keep up with the change in demands.  

Talking about this collaboration, Prof. G. Sundar Director Off-Campus Programmes & Industry Engagement, BITS Pilani, said, “We are pleased to initiate a collaboration between BITS WILP and Mphasis an organisation that prioritizes investing in a range of programmes specifically created for the well-being of the employees. Through our WILP Division, we work with organizations to transform working professionals in a manner that while meeting their learning aspirations, also facilitates career growth by aligning with the organization goals, and meeting evolving industry needs” 

Speaking with Chief Human Resource Officer of Mphasis Srikanth Karra said, “As a Hi-Tech, Hi-Touch, Hi-Trust organisation, we are looking for ‘geeks’ who have engineering in their DNA. BITS Pilani seems the right partner for the cohort. We are excited to on-board young talent who have the hunger to learn, a flair for agility, and are keen to solve higher-order client challenges.”  

Businesses and various industry sectors must upskill & reskill their human resources to offer domain expertise, creativity, and swiftness to stay ahead in a digitally changing environment. BITS Pilani WILP has been offering professional learning programmes for over 40-years now, equipping more than 97,000 working professionals in industries such as IT, Automotive, Manufacturing, Pharma, and Chemicals, Metals & Mining to propel their careers forward. To meet the upskilling requirements of the twenty-first century, the industry, institution, and enrolled employees, all need to work together and create a workforce of future-ready talent. 

About BITS Pilani Work Integrated Learning Programmes: 

India has a large and qualified professional workforce, which must and will continue to grow in size, complexity, and quality. Given the nature of modern professions, and the acquired reputation of Indian professionals in these roles, continual learning and higher educational qualifications are necessary tools for the nation to succeed within, and compete globally. Work Integrated Learning Programmes of BITS Pilani (WILP) are degree/diploma/certificate programmes which are developed and conducted by BITS Pilani in association and jointly with organizations representing various industry sectors.  

About BITS Pilani:  

BITS Pilani is an Institution of national repute, known for providing technical education of the highest standards and is well recognized for its innovations, and strong links with industry. It is consistently ranked as the best private engineering & technology institution by leading ranking agencies and publications. MHRD, Govt. of India, in August 2018 announced BITS Pilani as one of the first six Institutions of Eminence in the country. It is one of the few universities that has created an institutionalized framework for achieving a vibrant environment that successfully inculcates an ambience for experiential and cooperative learning and education. BITS Pilani views education as a continual engagement and experience, and ensures that the learning experience is integrated seamlessly not only across its classrooms and laboratories, but also in the industry, as exemplified by its Practice School, and Work Integrated Learning Programmes 

Big Ear Hole? Now Get Non-Surgical Auroplasty Done In Bangalore!

Ear holes can become big for various reasons and can affect women of all age groups. Hitherto, surgery has been the only answer to closing the hole and piercing a new hole. 

Now you can say goodbye to painful surgery. Dr Poonam Sharma's Auroplasty is a simple non- surgical procedure where you can walk in and walk out in just 2 to 3 hours with the new hole. 

In an exclusive interview, she talks about the procedure and the cost involved. Dr Poonam will be performing the procedure in Bengaluru on Jan 7& 8, 2022.

Q. What are the reasons for the ear hole to become big? Is it age related?

Dr Poonam: There are multiple reasons for ear hole to become big, major being 

a. Soft Skin

b. Accidental pulling

c. Constant wearing of large ear-rings

d. Fungal infection

e. Sleeping on sides

Age is definitely a factor, with growing age skin loses its elasticity and thinning of lobes is common in elderly patients 

Q. What is Auroplasty? 

Dr Poonam:In simple words, Auroplasty means ear lobe repair.

We close the existing hole completely without any stiches and make a new hole in one seating.

Few of its advantages are: 

No pain

Permanent

Reliable

No side effects

No burning

Quick

Safe

Economical

No medication required

Q. Since when have you been performing auroplasty? How many patients have you seen across how many cities?

Dr Poonam: I have been practicing Auroplasty since 1998 in Mumbai.

In 2006, we started with our first outstation clinic in Delhi.

Currently we are present in 14 cities across India and more than 30000 patients have been benefitted 

Q. Is the procedure painful? What are the precautions a patient needs to take pre and post procedure?

Dr Poonam: It is not a painful procedure. I have completed it for small children (due to accidental pulling) also for elderly patient aged 93 Years. 

There are no precaution to be taken before procedure apart from having a hair wash, since you won't be able to do it post procedure for 7 days :)

Post care in short is to keep the area dry and clean. Detailed Post care instructions will be provided post procedure and are also available on www.earholerepair.com   

Q. Can people with tendency of keloids undergo auroplasty?

Dr Poonam I Personally do not suggest this for keloids patient. Keloids patients may get keloid on new hole or may not get, but taking a chance is not worth. They can use support tapes and continue to wear ear-rings. 

Q. How much is the cost of the procedure?

Dr Poonam : Cost for closing is Rs. 5000 for one hole and Rs.7000 for both. This excludes cost of ear-ring towards the new hole, that starts Rs. 500/- onwards.

Q. When will you be performing in Bangalore? 

Ans: Every 6-7 weeks - January 7, 2022.

IIFL Finance Offers Gold Loan At Lowest Rate Of 0.54% Per Month

IIFL Finance, one of India’s leading non-banking financial companies (NBFC) has launched gold loan products with interest rates starting from 0.54%, which is one of the lowest interest rate offered by a gold loan NBFC. The scheme is available in more than 2200 branches of IIFL Finance. 

IIFL Gold Loan offers longer tenure which extends up to 24 months, allowing customers to manage cash flow better. In addition, it offers flexible interest repayment - monthly, bimonthly, quarterly and half-yearly options - to customers based on their requirements.

A customer can walk into IIFL Finance branch and receive the loan within 30 minutes. The company offers 5 days of grace period for interest repayments, which is a novelty in this segment.

Mr. Saurabh Kumar, Business Head - Gold Loans, IIFL Finance said: “IIFL Finance has a loyal customer base with over 70% customers choosing to do business with us again. Our customers include farmers and small entrepreneurs, who have used gold loans to meet their capital needs. They appreciate our lower interest rates, longer tenure, grace period and easy digital repayment options.” 

IIFL Finance believes in honest and transparent dealing or #SeedhiBaat and has launched a campaign around the same in association with star cricketer Rohit Sharma.

IIFL Finance caters to over 60 lakh customers with Home loan, Gold loan, Business loan and Microfinance products. IIFL Finance has widened its pan India reach through an extensive network of over 2,200 branches across 600+ locations. IIFL Finance continues to expand its footprints in tier 2 – tier 5 cities with aim to fulfil credit needs of underserved and unbanked customers.

Garmin India Introduces The All New TACX BOOST An Indoor Trainer Designed For Cyclists Of All Levels

The easy-to-use Tacx Boost includes several key training features:-

* Magnetic brake allows cyclists to apply resistance or lighten it to get the most of their indoor ride

* Resistance can be adjusted manually up to 1,050 watts with 10 levels

* Flywheel generates authentic and smooth pedal stroke while the closed resistance unit reduces noise

* Speed sensor provides cyclists with an affordable way to track speed, distance and virtual power

In a quest to make cycling experiences more immersive, Garmin India, a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced the launch of the power packed indoor training devise, the Garmin TACX BOOST that provides a realistic ride-feel to the cyclists and is ideal for training the year-round.

The Tacx Boost indoor trainer comes with a wide range of features. It is integrated with ten different levels of adjustable resistance and can deliver up to 1,050 watts via the lever attached to the handlebar. Cycling enthusiasts can apply resistance or lighten it with the magnetic brake to maximize their indoor riding experience.

The flywheel installed in the indoor training devise simulates a realistic pedal stroke, while the closed resistance unit helps to reduce noise, which allows cyclists to ride anywhere without being heard. The speed sensors which comes in separately enables the cyclists to track their pace, distance and virtual power using apps like Tacx Training, Zwift, and TrainerRoad.

Speaking on the launch of Tacx Boost in India, Mr. Ali Rizvi, Director, Garmin India, said, “Garmin always thrives to enhance user experiences with quality and world-class technology. The Tacx Boost is designed and developed by the in-house R&D team to cater to the needs of cyclists of all levels and support them in enhancing their performances. It is further laden with advanced features and multiple applications that make it the most trusted partner while training".

The set-up of the Tacx Boost is quite simple. The cyclists only required two simple clicks to get it started. In addition to ensuring a comfortable cycling position, the front wheel support also serves as a handle to carry the trainer.

Price: The Tacx Boost Indoor Trainer comes with a speed sensor and is available in a bundle version for INR 29,990.

Availability: Pro Bikers (Chennai), Cyclofit (Bombay), The Bike Shop (Gurgaon), Mastermind (Bombay) and Rajesh Cycles (New Delhi).

For more information about Tacx Boost, visit:-https://www.garmin.co.in/mobile/products/intosports/tacx-boost/

Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for runners, cyclists, swimmers and athletes of all levels and abilities. Committed to developing technology that helps people stay active and elevate performance, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday.

About Garmin International, Inc. Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin is a registered trademark and Index S2 and Garmin Connect are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.

ideaForge Offers Microlearning To Its Drone's Pilots To Reinforce Safe Practices And Enhance Skills

To accelerate the learning curve of pilots operating ideaForge’s drone and to reinforce safe practices, ideaForge has on-boarded Rapl, a microlearning platform. This is in line with its vision to increase the adoption of unmanned aerial systems. With Rapl, ideaForge will be able to introduce reinforced learning for each of the pilots of its drones, allowing them to operate their drones more safely and effectively.

ideaForge, as a market leader, is also eager to increase system adoption by assisting the operators of its drones, i.e., Pilots, in a thorough and convenient learning mechanism. This approach helps make our skies more secure from inadvertent errors. With one ideaForge drone flying every 6 minutes in India, ideaForge has over 3000 pilots operating its drones and have completed over 200,000 successful missions.

Operators/pilots can benefit from an interactive platform such as the one provided by Rapl by enabling continuous learning and engagement even after the excellent training provided at the time of inducting of the system in a customers’ workflow. ideaForge assists pilots in focusing on their weak areas and avoids concepts in which they are confident, allowing them to optimise their learning and shorten the learning curve.

Vishal Saxena, VP of Business says, "At ideaForge, we have been singularly focussed on delivering successful missions to our customers. We are also at the forefront of innovation: be it tech, business models, or operations. Building on this, we are introducing a microlearning platform for our customers, especially pilots, to train via micro "bite" sized learning that is engaging (gamified, scenario based) and simple to use, is personalised and adaptive. This will inculcate a continuous learning culture which is further amplified with actionable analytics which will help ideaForge recommend appropriate interventions to these pilots.” 

The pilot for the last 3 months has yielded successful results with a great adoption and engagement rates, it is now rolled out to all the pilots. We believe this journey of empowering pilots is the key for successful missions for our customers. 

About ideaForge:

ideaForge is India's largest manufacturer of drones for defence, homeland security, and industrial use. The organisation, founded in 2007 by IIT-Bombay alumni, has a consistent market share of more than 90% in the Security & Surveillance segment. The organization is a Ministry of Defence (MoD) approved licensed manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

ideaForge is the first organisation in India to develop and manufacture vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs. It is India's UAV industry pioneer, with over 20 patents to its name, including the then lightest world's autopilot in 2009. Currently, the organization has deployed over 1000 systems and has trained over 3000 pilots in services including Indian Army, Navy, Air-Force, all CAPFs (CRPF, BSF, NSG, etc), State Police Forces, Indian Railways, Survey of India, TAFE, NTPC, DRDO, L&T and many more. For more information, visit www.ideaforge.co.in 

Transport Department Of Karnataka Inaugurates Inspection & Certification Center In Dharwad, Karnataka

* With I&C functional in the state, the government can effectively track quality of their vehicle population and modify future infrastructure plans

Transport department of Karnataka kicked off the New Year with the inauguration of I&C Center in Dharwad West RTO in Rayapur Industrial Development area, Karnataka. Mr. B. Sriramulu, Minister of Transport Department and Tribal Welfare of Karnataka, MLA Arvind Bellad, NWKRTC Chairman VS Patil, KSRTC MD Shivayogi Kalasad inaugurated the I&C Center and graced the occasion with their esteemed presence.

In the wake of increasing pollution, the Karnataka government decided to align with the I & C Center and regulate the existing vehicle population as well as the new ones. I & C Center bridges the gap between visual inspection and finalising complete road worthiness of the vehicle. The advanced and automated I & C Centers inspect the vehicles providing them with the certification as per road and safety vehicle measures. Most importantly, smart-card based vehicle registration and certificate issuing organisation Rosmerta Technology, headquartered in Delhi, won the tender to supply equipment and resources for the newly inaugurated I & C Center.

With Implementation of the Inspection & Certification (I&C) regime across the country will support the road safety policy of the Government, reduce accidents, promote safer vehicles, and clean environment. The greatest potential benefit of roadworthiness testing is that it will prevent personal injuries due to accidents. Vehicles that are regularly and adequately maintained and verified to be in optimal working condition last longer. Inspections will reduce the costs of repairs and replacement, maximizing your vehicles’ value and extending their life. Not only this, the other significant benefit of preventative maintenance is preventing small problems to grow into bigger (and costlier) ones. Vehicles might get damaged to a point beyond repair. Giving attention to Vehicles will also help decrease their downtime.

Commenting on the inauguration of I&C Center and addressing the gathering. . Mr. B. Sriramulu, Minister of Transport Department and Tribal Welfare of Karnataka, said, “ The Transport Department is mulling replacing the old buses with new CNC and electric – powered buses in state. He further added, The union government has suggested replacing the old buses with CNG and electric-powered buses in the state and hence these buses will start appearing on the roads soon.”

He also announced that automated driving test track would be established in all the districts. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has allocated a fund of Rs 2,500 crore towards the salary of the staff of the transport cooperation. The government is is reinstating the employees who were sacked for participating in the strike just before the second wave of the COVID-19.

The newly inaugurated I&C Center will also minimize harmful exhaust emissions and protect the environment i.e. high air quality, Enhanced resale value for Fit vehicle and  Improve Fuel Efficiency and saving of money is ensured through periodical inspection at I&C centre. This I&C Center will also increase employment opportunities for the citizens in the field of vehicle inspection.

About Rosmerta Technologies

Rosmerta Technologies Ltd. is a young, zestful and vibrant company that represents the modern age companies in India. Incepted in 2006, the company believes in innovation, agility, new opportunities and outstanding execution skills. Rosmerta has only one focus area- to add Shareholder Value through superior Return on Capital, accompanied with free cash generation. Engaged in the business of applying smart card-based technology to various paper-based applications that affect the common man in his daily life, Rosmerta enforces tested technologies to uncover new and innovative fields of application that simplify the lives of people across the nation. With a widespread presence, Rosmerta is by far the largest player for e-governance and transport solutions in India. In its short history, Rosmerta has been able to win prestigious projects for issuing Hybrid Optical Strip Smart Card Technology-based Vehicle Registration Certificates ("VRCs") and Driving License ("DLs") to different states of India. Successful implementation of these projects with near-flawless execution - almost 35 million VRCs/DLs issued/supplied, bear testimony to Rosmerta's outstanding multi-mode capabilities, ranging from winning business to successfully executing, all within reasonable cost and time. Rosmerta operates from 300 nationwide locations, giving it a national footprint that further enhances its appeal to its customers. 

Curefoods Acquires 5 Food Brands; Aims To House Multiple Brands & Build Strong D2C Platform

* Curefoods aims to expand to 20 cities encompassing 200 outlets in 2022

* Curefoods will provide scaling, capital, and technological assistance to acquired brands along with branding and marketing strategies

Curefoods, one of India’s largest cloud kitchen companies operating brands like EatFit, announced the acquisition of five D2C food brands going into the new year. With a view to become a powerhouse of the best food brands in the country, Curefoods will be doubling down on scaling and amplifying its footprint significantly in 2022 to become one of the largest players in this segment.

With the five food brands now on board, Curefoods has more than 20 brands in its portfolio and is looking to house a total of 25 brands by mid-2022, notably strengthening its D2C offering. The company is on an ambitious road to expand its presence in the coming year and obtain a geographical spread across 20 cities with 200 locations.

Curefoods’ scale expertise and technological know-how in the food business will help the acquired brands create better efficiency and output around a common tech and analytics platform. Under Curefoods’ purview, these brands will also see greater expansion - within their base city or to newer cities - and capital infusion as and when required to grow business.

Curefoods will also be supporting them with branding and marketing strategies that will in turn positively impact revenue.

The newly acquired brands include the following –

Juno’s Pizza - a deeply loved legacy pizza brand based out of Mumbai.

In a 100% acquisition by Curefoods, this brand will now see greater scale and expansion in western India.

Cupcake Noggins - a Bengaluru-based cupcake brand and a leading player in this category. Curefoods will be merging this popular bakery into its CakeZone operations and is eyeing expansion across Bengaluru within the next six months.

Organic ice cream brand, Iceberg is one of the fastest growing brands in this segment currently serving 25 flavours across Bengaluru and part of Andhra Pradesh. Under Curefoods, it will witness pan-India growth with expansion to 15+ cities.

Delhi-based Nomad Pizzas is one of the fastest growing pizza delivery startups serving gourmet pizzas from around the world. Curefoods aims to take this highly rated pizza offering to multiple outlets in Delhi and other parts of the country.

White Kitchens - a one-of-its-kind multi-brand cloud kitchen company based in Jaipur. Currently it serves three to four unique cuisines. The acquisition of White Kitchens will be instrumental to Curefoods’ Tier 2 expansion strategy.

In October last year, Curefoods had announced acquisitions of seven food brands, featuring the likes of ChaatStreet, Parathabox, and CakeZone. Alongside these acquisitions, Curefoods had also signed exclusive online rights for Aligarh House, Yumlane, and Sharief Bhai. These partnerships have been instrumental in growing Curefoods’ footprint across 10 cities and triggering revenue growth of 50% quarter-on-quarter. To continue treading along the successful model, Curefoods will be looking to onboard 5-7 more such brands in the coming quarters which will bring greater value to its D2C portfolio and the food ecosystem at large.

Commenting on the acquisitions, Ankit Nagori, founder at Curefoods, said: “We are excited to kickstart 2022 with five new brands on board making us a powerhouse of 20 odd leading food brands. India’s online food delivery marketing is estimated to touch ~$8 Bn this year and we are eager to play a huge role in shaping this segment. To cater to multiple eating occasions, cuisines, flavour profiles and regional nuances, we are bringing on a plethora of such companies - each a strong contender in its space with great products to offer. Our goal is to equip them further with our tech and business expertise to enable them to continue serving up some great dishes for customers.”

Gokul Kandhi, Business Head, Curefoods, said, “We are seeing great results from the brands we have already acquired and predict a $100 Million ARR for the coming year. With more brands on board and few more in the pipeline, we are well on our way to become a leading contributor to India’s fast-growing cloud kitchen ecosystem. We look forward to working with our partners and building a great platform that serves India exactly what it wishes to consume across diverse geographies and markets.”

About Curefoods:

Curefoods is a leading cloud kitchens operator in India. It commenced its operations in 2020. It operates brands like EatFit, Yumlane, Aligarh House Biryani & CakeZone. It has over 75 kitchens across ten cities in India.

Additional information on Curefoods is available at https://curefoods.in