Infosys, A.S. Watson Group Partner for Technology and Digital Transformation Initiatives

Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology and next-generation services, today announced a strategic partnership with the A.S. Watson Group (ASW), the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer, to accelerate ASW’s digital transformation initiatives. Infosys has been appointed as an Official Technology Partner by the A.S. Watson Group to provide technology services across Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. This collaboration is part of ASW’s Technology Partnership Program, which is aimed at developing strategic partnerships to support the company’s long term goals.

The partnership is aligned with ASW’s customer strategy, DARE – to be Different, Anywhere, build Relationships and offer unique Experiences. Infosys’ solutions, services and technologies will accelerate ASW’s next-generation digital marketing platform, build robust AI and Machine Learning frameworks for ASW’s customer centric analytics, optimize operational efficiencies, improve scalability and reusability across business units.

Malian Ngai, Group Chief Operating Officer of A.S. Watson Group, explained why the company introduced the partnership approach, “We believe every technology partner whom we have chosen to work with is more than just a vendor. Traditional client-vendor relationships are short-term, lack transparency and continuity. The Partnership Program is designed to transform the short term contractual relationship to a longer term strategic relationship to create a win-win for both parties. The appointment of our first batch of worldwide Tech Partners shows our determination to accelerate our digital transformation, enabling the A.S. Watson Group to build on our solid retail foundation to fuel further growth through a smarter and more efficient organization. Our purpose of putting customer first and putting a smile on their faces continues. We recognize that our customers are changing rapidly and technology has become an ever more critical ingredient to deliver our purpose.”

Ravi Kumar S, President and Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Infosys, said, “It is imperative that companies embrace digital technologies if they want to stay relevant and it is inevitable especially in the highly competitive and dynamic retail industry. We are pleased to partner with the A.S. Watson Group in their digital transformation journey. We will leverage our vast experience in the retail industry, our deep understanding of global markets as well as our extensive digital capabilities to help the A.S. Watson Group achieve its objectives.”

Brookside by Hershey’s, Tinder, Jal and Panzani Come on-Board as Associate Sponsors for SulaFest 2018 in Nashik

Hear hear! Ardent travelers, music enthusiasts and foodies – there’s a lot brewing at the plush green vineyards of Sula this February! SulaFest, the first world class culture event of the year, is all set to send its fest-goers on an adventure-coaster with a two-day bonanza of world music, gourmet food, and wine and spirits from across the globe.

Nestled amid scenic mountainsides in the gorgeous setting of the Sula vineyards, the contemporary Indian music festival is ready to chisel this year’s festivities, in a bid to make way for bigger and better engagement on-ground.

Not only will SulaFest be presenting more than 100 artists from different and distinctive parts of the world, but the specially curated food menus and a large, ambrosial wine and spirit menu is sure to make a global fair out of the Indian music festival! Some of the celebrated artistes who will be seen sending the crowd into a tizzy include Gypsy Hill, Crystal Fighters, Parov Stellar, and Amit Trivedi. From oriental and Mughlai food to burgers, Indian, Italian cuisines and more, popular gourmet houses such as Mainland China, Hungry Monks, Burger Barn, Makaloo, Konkani Rassa, Maroosh and Urban Spice to name a few, will take fest-goers on a delectable journey at SulaFest. Moreover, wine and spirit brands from countries far and wide such as Beluga, Hardys, Mud House, Kumala, Asahi, Pittu Cachacha and more will be available to fuel the excitement further!

Now in its 11^th edition, the mega music festival has also roped in some of its biggest partners to provide fest-goers with an experience like no other! Tinder, the world’s leading app for meeting new people will add an extra dose of coolness to SulaFest 2018 with a bunch of exclusive activities including grape-stomping and fun games. In addition, “Camp Tinder” at SulaFest Tent City will feature an exclusive series of intimate after-hours acoustic sessions with some amazing artists, all taking place next to a cozy bonfire. SulaFest’18 also welcomes back Brookside by Hershey’s with their stores at the festival, they will be seen sampling and retailing their pomegranate, Blueberry and Raspberry chocolates. Jal- the hydration partner - will set up its stores as well as Panzani pastas which will be paired with Sula Wines at the tasting room. The associate sponsors will create unique experiences on-ground for all consumers!

Fest-goers can look forward to some entertaining, interesting and interactive activities that include exclusive opportunities to meet and hang with your favorite artists performing at the SulaFest tent city, a distinctive grape stomping event at the vineyard, after-hours acoustic guitar and bonfire, treasure hunts, exquisite wine and food pairing sessions among so many others!

So if you’re the kind of person who enjoys basking under the Sula sun with some good music, food and fine wines, head to Sula Vineyards this February 3^-4 to witness a one-of-a-kind weekend getaway with SulaFest 2018!

ZAKK Brings Revolutionary Bluetooth Headphones ZAKK TWINS

ZAKK brings to you its latest offering in headphone category called ZAKK Twins, a pair of Bluetooth headphones which is phenomenal in design and functionality.

The ZAKK Twins incorporate the latest Bluetooth wireless headphones technology and design to ensure its users have an unforgettable experience. Its revolutionary high-speed data transmission software paired with its long life polymer li-ion guarantees that you will never miss a beat again.

Based on true wireless Bluetooth technology ZAKK Twins headphones comes with Stylish anti-drop ear hooks, Noise cancelling headset and microphone and are water resistant.

Anuj Chokra said, ''We are extremely elated with the consumer response in India and are constantly in the effort of surprising our customers with something fresh and new. The new ZAKK Twins are one of its kind device which is a perfect blend of true technology and upbeat design for the millennials.'' 

Specifications:

• Bluetooth Airoha V4.1+EDR

• Frequency range 2.4-2.48GHz

• Input DC: 5V/0.2-1.5A

• Battery 3.7v/ polymer li-ion battery

• Talk time approximately 6 hours

• Music time approximately 4.5 hour

• Standby time approximately 120 hours

HSIL Invests Rs 160 Cr in New Pipes Manufacturing Plant in Telangana; Launches TRUFLO by Hindware

HSIL, India’s leading Sanitaryware Company, and makers of the iconic brand Hindware have ventured into the household plumbing pipes segment with the inauguration of their manufacturing facility in village Isnapur, District Medak, Telangana. The move is aimed at providing integrated solution for home building, enhancing customer convenience, facilitating cross-sale and extending the existing building products distribution chain to the hardware channel distribution chain for the pipes sub-segment.

The HSIL plant in Isnapur, Medak is the first of its kind manufacturing facility in the state and currently has a total production capacity of 30,000 metric tonnes with plans to scale up the production capacity to up to 60,000 MT by 2020 in order to emerge as a key player in the CPVC and UPVC pipes and fittings segment. This plant is the epitome of the best manufacturing practices accumulated and market understanding from HSIL’s existing operations.

The plant will manufacture all types of CPVC and UPVC pipes and fittings, suitable for potable water transportation, water harvesting and sanitation applications, primarily in building construction segment. With the inauguration of the manufacturing plant, HSIL will be the exclusive company in India that offers integrated homebuilding solutions through product offerings such as plumbing, sewerage, sanitation, and underground drainage, besides the existing products in sanitaryware and faucets segments.

At the plant inauguration, Sandip Somany, VCMD, HSIL Limited said, “Venturing into pipes segment is a natural extension of our portfolio of bathroom product streams from ‘front of wall’ to ‘behind the wall’. We aspire to be among the top 4 brands in the country in the next 5 years and are confident of achieving this given that we plan to expand our pipes business by leveraging our current brand, sales and distribution network.”

Rajesh Pajnoo, President, HSIL Pipes Division, HSIL Limited, said “We are extremely excited to launch our manufacturing plant in Isnapur, Telangana.  To ensure product and technological supremacy we have entered into an alliance with Japan’s Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd. which is a 70 year old $9-billion turnover company, for supply of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) resin. We are confident that our legacy of over five decades and this strategic partnership will enable us to provide better quality heat-resistant pipes and fittings and offer best in class products to the Indian market.”

The Indian market size of the Indian PVC pipes and fittings is poised to grow at a double-digit CAGR over the period 2015-20 and is projected to reach an estimated Rs 327 billion by FY2020.   This remarkable growth is going to be driven by the expansion of housing sector and increasing water sanitary management. Rising demand from construction sector and increasing recognition among people regarding the benefits of PVC pipes will further fuel this demand.

With a cumulative investment of Rs 160 crores, HSIL Pipes Division currently employs more than 200 people in the workforce. The manufacturing facility is also compliant with the green building norms laid down by IGBC and is capable of providing higher yields over the prevailing industry benchmarks.

Navjit Ahluwalia and Jatin Khanna to Oversee Hilton’s Expansion, Performance in India

Hilton has announced the appointments of Navjit Ahluwalia as Senior Vice President and Country Head, India, and Jatin Khanna as Vice President and Head of Operations, India.

Effective immediately, Ahluwalia will oversee Hilton’s 33 hotels trading and under development, including the recently opened Conrad Bengaluru, while leading the company’s growth strategy in the country. Khanna, who assumes his position next month, takes over operations from Andre Gomez, who will be moving to a new role elsewhere in the company.

“India is swiftly becoming one of the fastest growing travel and tourism markets in the world. As we seek to rapidly expand in the country, there is a need to grow our leadership team to ensure we continue to deliver best-in-class hospitality, in addition to ramping up our pipeline,” said Alan Watts, executive vice president and president, Hilton, Asia Pacific. “Having recently joined Hilton myself, I am excited to embark on the next chapter of our journey in India with Navjit and Jatin, both industry veterans well-known for their accomplishments.”

Ahluwalia, an Indian native, brings to Hilton 30 years of hospitality experience, including over 13 years at Marriott International where he held key leadership roles, the most recent being senior vice president responsible for expanding the company’s portfolio in South Asia.

Also an Indian native, Khanna holds over 20 years of operations experience, including with both IHG and most recently Marriott International, where he managed Marriott's full portfolio in Bengaluru city as vice president, Bengaluru and general manager for the Bengaluru Marriott Hotel.

“I am thrilled to join Hilton at such an exciting time for our economy and for the Indian hospitality sector. India will offer the greatest growth opportunities as our demographics come of age, giving a new fillip to domestic consumption and taking advantage of rising travel the world over,” said Ahluwalia. “As a sector, we will also contribute strongly to job creation and a global leader like Hilton is ideally positioned to create unique value. I look forward to expanding the Hilton footprint in the country and to working closely with Jatin to continue creating exceptional experiences for our guests.”

Both Ahluwalia and Khanna will be based in Hilton’s India regional office in Gurgaon.

Centre to Declare 2018 as ‘National Year of Millets’: Karnataka Government

Nutrient-rich millets have got a boost with the Union government deciding to declare 2018 as the ‘national year of millets’. This decision has been taken following a request by Karnataka, which is the country’s leader in the millet sector.

At the inauguration of the three-day international trade fair of organics and millets, Union Statistics and Programme Implementation Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said the Union Agriculture Ministry had already completed the formalities in this regard. Karnataka Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has been campaigning for declaring 2018 as national year of millets.

Good health, good business

According to experts, dedicating a year for millets will not only increase awareness about its health benefits, but also result in higher demand for these drought-resistant varieties, resulting in remunerative prices for poor and marginal farmers.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Gowda said that Karnataka is trying to promote millet cultivation ‘as we move towards climate-smart agriculture in the wake of frequent droughts’. He pointed out that the State had witnessed only three normal rainfall years from 2000 to 2017.

The State government had spent ?200 crore in the last four years publicising the health benefits of millets among consumers in a bid to trigger an increase in demand. The State had also appealed to the Centre to include millets in the mid-day meal scheme for school children and in the Public Distribution System, he said.

Meanwhile, 250 companies have set up stalls at the exhibition at the trade fair, which is said to be the biggest such event in the country that has brought stake-holders in organics and millets under one roof. About 150 companies are participating as buyers, besides various research organisations.

After inaugurating the event, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah remarked that he had bajra roti for breakfast, as he had switched over to millets in the interest of health.

The main attraction at the Fest

The main attraction for consumers was Khanavali (the food court), which serves a wide range of dishes made from millets. It also hosts the Food and Nutrition Forum, which is an international conference and exposition being held throughout the trade fair.

ONE Co.Work’s BlockLabs is India’s First Dedicated Co-Working Space for Blockchain Startups at Koramangala

Unlocking the doorway for blockchain-based collaborative R&D expeditions, ONE Co.Work, an innovation-driven co-working space provider in India, has announced the launch of BlockLabs, India’s first dedicated co-working space for blockchain-related startups. Himanshu Bindal, the Founder and CEO of ONE Co.Work, is one of the most ardent proponents of blockchain technology in the country and a founding member of Blockchain Foundation of India (BFI). With this move, Himanshu and ONE Co.Work aim to further bolster the thriving eco-system and allow blockchain-based startups to access a conducive environment ripe for innovation, collaboration and networking.

ONE Co.Work has earmarked twenty percent of its seats for blockchain-related start-ups at its state-of-the-art co-working space in Koramangala. The facilityhas several ultramodern features such as sleeping pods and gaming lounges in addition to essential services needed by today’s emerging startups. ONE Co.Workwill also be organising an event “Setting the Roots of Blockchain Technology in India: Launch of BlockLabs” in association with BFI (Blockchain Foundation of India) and Kryptomoney to mark the launch of the first dedicated co-working space for blockchain-related startups in India.

“Setting the Roots of Blockchain Technology in India: Launch of BlockLabs” has witnessed engaging panel discussions, networking sessions, and knowledge sharing sessions by keynote speakers on diverse topics associated with the bourgeoning space of blockchain technology. The event alsoobserved, participation of renowned authors, entrepreneurs, and other prominent personalities that are a part of the blockchain community of India, including the couple who has accepted Kryptocurrency in their wedding gifts.

Himanshu Bindal, Founder and CEO, ONE Co.Work said, “Blockchain is a promising technology that has the potential to completely revolutionize the current business ecosystem. The technology, which virtually is still in its embryonic state, has helped yield proof of concepts for across-the-board applications that range from the financial world to logistics and even public policies, and its use cases are increasing with every day that passes. With BlockLabs acting as a catalyst, our aim is to drive more innovation towards blockchain and enable budding entrepreneurs of India to become leaders inthe emergent technology on a global level.”

Bangalore is one of the hottest international hubs of innovation and is hailed as the world's second-fastest growing startup ecosystem. The city is home tobudding entrepreneurs and tech start-ups well-versed with the most advanced technologies. As a matter of fact, the cityis home to the largest section of IT professionals acquainted with blockchain technology. Through the launch of its dedicated space in Bangalore, ONE Co.Work aims to spur blockchain development in the region, and later carry it forward to other tech hubs in India.