NCR Unveils Select Edition Small Footprint ATMs for Remote, Underserved Locations

NCR Corporation, a global leader in omni-channel solutions has unveiled its SelfServ Select Edition (SE) Cash and SE Recycle ATMs, that will help financial institutions (FIs) to expand their reach and serve the more than 19% unbanked population in India. This new, small-footprint ATM technology from NCR is designed to enable banks to offer access to cash in remote, previously underserved locations.

India remains overwhelmingly a cash economy with more than 50% of all retail transactions completed using cash – an estimated 18.5 billion will be withdrawn from ATMs in 2018 alone. That number is estimated to reach 26 billion by 2022. Powered by NCR’s intuitive CxBanking software, that unlocks amazing consumer experiences across physical and digital banking channels, the Select Edition ATMs will enable FIs to easily connect consumers with cash while providing greater levels of security, improved uptime and ease-of-use. Additionally, the Biometric recognition feature ensures easy and secure consumer authentication in rural areas facing literacy challenges.

“Financial inclusion is emerging as a new paradigm of economic growth that plays a major role in driving away poverty from the country by reaching and serving the undeserved,” said Jose Resendiz, vice president & general manager, NCR Financial Services. “The new ATMs will allow financial institutions to modernize their ATM network, improve customer experience and extend their reach to serve areas where cash demand is strong.”

The addition of NCR SE Recycle ATMs, together with NCR OptiCash cash management and forecasting solution, will help Financial Institutions to improve ATM availability and optimize costs by reducing cash replenishment visits, as well as lower cash handling costs and reduce the amount of ‘idle’ cash. In addition, the new recycling ATM will enable consumers and small business to make accurate and secure real-time cash deposits.

#BeThereBeFree at Vh1 Supersonic 2018 from February 9–11 at Laxmi Lawns, Pune

Calling all music lovers to Pune, Vh1 Supersonic powered by Budweiser is all set to transform into a multi-genre international destination from February 9–11. Every year, the festival just keeps getting bigger and better. In this edition, as the youth capital of India turns into the nation’s ‘music and party capital’ there is something for everyone in the fifth edition of Vh1 Supersonic!

Here's all the excitement this edition of Vh1 Supersonic promises to offer from rock and indie music to future bass and driving techno and a heady mix of artists in the Super Line-Up. The artist lineup for this year comprises over 70 artists with multiple headlining acts. Starting with the American Rock Legend - Incubus, one of the most popular Rock bands and coming to India or the first time, Brandon Boyd from Incubus will be joining none other than the legendary Dancehall Rapper Sean Paul as he sets the stage on fire. The bass-heavy electronic dance music producer Marshmello along with some the most popular musicians such as Major Lazer, Alt-J, Dillon Francis, Ookay, Joseph Capriati and many more.

Commenting on what’s in store for Vh1 Supersonic 2018, Saugato Bhowmik, Business Head, Integrated Network Solution & Consumer Products, said, “We wanted to celebrate our fifth Anniversary edition of Vh1 Supersonic with our fans. To do that, we are bringing back the iconic trio Major Lazer and keep our promise to fans that have been eagerly waiting for the gang. We have always brought the most loved and talented artists to our festival and we are extremely delighted to bring Major Lazer back. We will continue to make our Superfans happy.”

The 2018 edition of the festival will not only see some of the biggest names from the world of dance music but will have five stages including the techno ensemble The Awakenings. The hottest addition is the new Live Stagewhich will feature rock music legends.

As the festival goers enjoy the epic artist line-up across three days, the festival will surprise them with numerous experiences to enjoy along with the music. From the delicious food market – #SuperGrub to a shopper’s paradise - #SuperFlea to world class art at #Art@Supersonic to release the inner kid in you at Action Central. Unwind at the beautiful beer garden or the De-stress Tent or just chill out and enjoy the Happy hours as Vh1 Supersonic is where the party never stops!

Vh1 Supersonic is open to all and special arrangements are made for the specially-abled in association with Enable Travel, from volunteers to elevated platforms and ramps. To show that we support WomenPower, the festival has women only bars equipped with an essentials booth and a women safety squad watching over the festival grounds. Because we care for the environment, we trade trash for goodies!

Owing to the success in the last four years, this edition of Vh1 Supersonic has received support from its sponsors with Gionee has come on board as a Title sponsor and the festival is powered by Budweiser. The festival has sponsors across various sectors such as Ecommerce, Lifestyle Consumer, Electronic Retailer and FMCG, to name a few.

Gear up to transcend yourself with the 5th edition of Vh1 Supersonic 2018 on February 9 –11  in Pune!

SulaFest 2018 Wraps Up its Successful 11th Edition- A Spectacular Celebration of Global Music, Food and Wine

With an aspiration to break boundaries and set new milestones as India’s leading Gourmet World Music Festival, SulaFest 2018 was the 11th edition of the two-day music, food and wine extravaganza. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Sula’s own lush vineyards the festival gave audiences a unique experience of the best from the worlds of music, food and wine. The vineyards were brought to life with culinary and cultural experiences that left fest-goers with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

This year fest-goers swayed to the tunes of over 100 artists including Bollywood sensation Amit Trivedi who set the stage on fire and wowed his rapt audience. Electrifying performances by internationally celebrated artists including Gypsy Hill, electronic-folk band Crystal Fighters,Austrian music producer and performing artist Parov Stellar and vocal groove band Bauchklangalso left the audiences spellbound.

Whilst music enthusiasts had their passion satiated by performances on the 2 stages, food and drink connoisseurs indulged their senses and taste buds with some of the finest flavours from across the world.

The gourmet food spread gave fest-goers the chance to gorge on a range of scrumptious cuisines including Oriental, Mughlai, Indian and Italian amongst others. In addition to award-winning wines from Sula (including their 3 recent Indian Wine Consumer Choice Awards 2018 gold medal winners), brands such as Beluga, Hardys, Mud House, Kumala, Asahi, Cointreau, Highland Queen and Pitu Cachaca added to global soul of the festival

Sprinkling a little glitz and glamour on the event celebrities, socialites and industrialists such as Shibani Kashyap, Siddharth of ‘Rang De Basanti’ fame, Sonali Sehgal of ‘Pyaar ka Punchnama’, Prahlad Kakkar, Suchitra Pillai, Kashmira Shah and Mansi Scott, amongst others, were spotted grooving to the tunes at the festival.

Rajeev Samant, CEO & Founder of Sula Vineyards was once again delighted with the festival and said overjoyed with the success of the festival saying: “What an incredible weekend! Fantastic to see the vineyards packed with fest-goers yet again.  It is always such a delight to open our doors for SulaFest and seeing so many people having such a great time makes it all worthwhile!  I am immensely grateful to all our partners and the artists for the part they play in SulaFest but of course it is the audience that makes it such a great experience. I am sure they have all gone away with more SulaFest memories just as I have”

Speaking about SulaFest 2018, Ken Pritchard, Senior Vice President, Marketing & International Sales, Sula Vineyards said, “What a great weekend! Another fabulous SulaFest which everyone enjoyed. A huge thank-you to all our sponsors and partners, we couldn’t do it without you!  The ultimate measure of success is happy fest-goers and I saw many thousands of those over the 2 days.  The second decade of SulaFest has arrived!"

In addition to the finest food, wine and music, some of the highlights of the festival included specially curated experiences, such as grape stomping sessions and games hosted by Tinder. Giving audiences the perfect weekend getaway, “Camp Tinder” featured bonfire sessions with exclusive acoustic performances by spectacular artists. Taking forward the successful association from the last edition, Brookside by Hershey’s sampled their pomegranate, Blueberry and Raspberry chocolates at the fest whilst Jal, the SulaFest hydration partner kept the audience cool in the glorious sunny weather. Some of the activities that took the crowd by storm included exclusive meet and greet sessions with the artists performing at the SulaFest tent city, treasure hunts and exquisite wine and food pairing sessions. The SulaFest Bazaaroffered a selection of unique, funky items that added to the festival experience, especially for all the shopaholics!

In line with the core principle of making SulaFest synonymous with ‘The World Gourmet Music Festival’, organisers of Sula plan to include diverse new experiences in years to come making the next editions even bigger and better. SVP Marketing and International Sales adding: “We aim to make SulaFest the best festival experience in India, so look out for some great new experiences in 2019!”

MIT’s Hat-Trick of Wins at IIM Bangalore Cultural Fest

Manipal Institute of Technology, MAHE students emerged with flying colours at the just concluded IIM Bangalore cultural fest, Unmaad. It was a hat-trick of wins for MIT at the fest, which was held from February 2 to 4, 2018. The students excelled in a number of literary and dramatics events to clinch the overall championship.

The MIT contingent comprised students from first year to the fourth. The performance this year was better than the previous years and what was encouraging was the fact that many first year students prevailed over more seasoned seniors from other colleges.

Aaina Dramatics of MIT managed to clinch the much coveted Curtain Call event, while also bagging the Best Direction and Best Actor awards. Members of MIT’s Literary, Debate and Quiz Club swept most of the literary events, with Amandeep Singh Kalsi claiming the ‘Best Literary Award’ in addition to his many accolades.

While MIT’s students also shone in the Hindi poetry event, Nishit Singh Chauhan and Vidushee also claimed the elusive titles of Unmaad and Unmaad respectively.

Toyota’s Yaris Enters the Indian B-High Segment with its World-Class Sedan

Toyota Kirloskar Motor has added to the excitement of Auto Expo 2018 with the unveiling of Yaris – one of the most anticipated launch this year. With Yaris the leading auto manufacturer marks its entry into the highly competitive B-segment in India. Built on Toyota’s renowned philosophy of QDR (Quality, Durability & Reliability) this world class sedan is as advanced as it is luxurious. Under the Development concept of “the New Value Pioneer” Yaris offers distinctive design, spaciousness, quality and comfort comparable to higher class vehicles.

Yaris, named after the Greek goddess Charis who embodies Beauty and Elegance, dons a premium fascia. The model has gained international reputation for its five distinctive attributes - advanced and emotional design, expansive comfort, superior ride quality and quietness, dynamic efficiency and class-leading safety and technology. 

Sharing his thoughts on how Toyota is ushering in a new motoring experience in the nation, Takatomo Suzuki - Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation said, “We are delighted to mark Toyota’s entry in the B-high segment in India with the Yaris - “The New Value Pioneer”. We see Yaris as a model that will introduce new customers to brand Toyota in the country. We have developed our new sedan without compromise to embody the Indian car buyers’ overarching desires for a premium and high-performance vehicle. We are certain that the design concept of Yaris, which is inspired by actual customer needs rather than traditional ideas will exceed expectations. Our focus has been on creating a distinctive, superior car with intuitive functions that is set to lead the next generation of B-High segment and simultaneously drive an emotional connect with the Indian customer base.”

Also present at the unveiling Akito Tachibana, Managing Director - Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “At Toyota, we always strive to evaluate the evolving customer expectations & dynamics of the market. The Indian economy which is growing at a faster pace witnesses customer lifestyle transformation with higher disposable incomes. We see high market potential with growing population of Indian middle class families aspiring for more advanced features, safety, space, luxury, style and comfort.  We truly understand and value the expectations of the consumers to deliver ever better cars with our renowned best-in-class Technology, Safety and Innovation. 

Our successful & leading models in India – Innova Crysta & Fortuner, have been a great learning experience and we are here today to take this learning ahead with the most celebrated world class sedan, the launch of Yaris for the desirous Indian consumers at focus.  Toyota Yaris has already established itself as one of the most acclaimed model around the world giving a strong competition to other global models in the segment. With unique features customized for Indian market and a CVT option, we hope the vehicle will strongly appeal to Indian families especially the women drivers in India.”

Speaking on the new offering N Raja, Deputy Managing Director, Sales & Service, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “It gives us immense pleasure to present our world class sedan to our Indian customers with unique presence and advanced features to deliver a true Toyota experience. Most Dependable family cars, premium MPV, popular off roaders, world class sedans to electrified vehicles we have introduced products in the Indian market keeping in mind evolving customer needs.  Yaris is built on the Toyota philosophy of QDR offering 12 first in segment features like Power Driver Seat, 7 SRS Airbags, Roof Mounted Air Vents, TPMS, Front Parking Sensors, All Wheel Disc Brakes. Yaris commands attention and connects emotionally with globalized young aspirational buyers with its cutting edge exterior design and state of the art interior design.  It is our aim to give customers in India a car that exceeds expectations. We would like to thank our valued customers for their loyalty and we hope that they will continue to show the same appreciation to this new product.”

Testament to its unbeaten safety features, Toyota Yaris recently received 5-star safety ratings from the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP).

The bookings open for customers from April 2018.

Genpact to Showcase the Enterprise of the Future on March 15, 2018 in New York City

Genpact, a global professional services firm focused on delivering digital transformation, will host a day of interactive experiences and demonstrations on how organizations are blending advanced technologies with real-world expertise. Genpact’s leaders will also discuss the company’s growth strategy and financial performance.

The event, which is open to investors and analysts, will be held at One World Observatory, World Trade Center, 102^nd Floor, New York.  Registration and breakfast begins at 8:00 am EDT, and all sessions, including lunch and networking with Genpact’s leadership team, will conclude by approximately 2:00 pm.

A webcast of the presentations will be made available on the day following the event through the Genpact Investor 

Tata Trust’s Begins Hunt for Innovators & Entrepreneurs, Invites Entries for “Social Alpha Energy Challenge”

In a first-of-its-kind nationwide search, Tata Trusts’ Foundation for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (FISE) – which supports technology-based solutions for social impact through their lab-to-market journey – has announced the “Social Alpha Energy Challenge” to find high impact innovations that could catalyze system change in the field of energy.

With a focus on cleantech, sustainability and energy efficiency, the Social Alpha Energy Challenge aims to discover next-gen technology innovations that promise to unlock new solutions to India’s energy challenges or make existing energy networks smarter, cleaner and more affordable. In this ambitious hunt, the Challenge is inviting entries from innovators across various stages of the energy lifecycle - generation, transmission and distribution, storage, and consumption, in multiple sectors such as households, farm, industry, infrastructure, building, utility and transport.

The winners will be assessed on select parameters such as the breakthrough nature of the innovation, business viability, environmental sustainability, social impact, and scalability potential. The winners of the Energy Challenge will form the first cohort of enterprises for Tata Smart Energy Incubation Centre (TSEIC) - an incubator and start up accelerator being built in partnership between Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited and Tata Trusts.

A maximum of 10 winners will be selected to receive complete incubation support that will include:

·  6-18 months of access to the upcoming Tata Smart Energy Incubation Centre in New Delhi

·         Access to state-of-the-art lab facilities and world class-infrastructure

·         Access to test beds on the ground for trials and field testing

·         Strategy and go-to-market (GTM) support

·         Mentorship by experts, specialists, and sector leaders

·         Gateway to a diverse and large investor ecosystem

Manoj Kumar,  Head of Innovation, Tata Trusts and CEO, Social Alpha, said,  “Two years back we created FISE as a key component of our Social Alpha architecture with a charter to catalyse innovation and entrepreneurship for impact. Tata Trusts’ continued commitment to sustainability and climate challenges has sharpened our focus further on creating a pipeline of high impact cleantech solutions that address the challenges of affordable energy access in complete convergence with our livelihoods and sustainability initiatives at the grassroots level. TSEIC is our dedicated incubation centre with a charter to solve various riddles of energy challenges using state of the art technology infrastructure and domain expertise.”

Praveer Sinha, CEO & Managing Director, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, said, “Tata Smart Energy Incubation Centre aims to bring innovation, domain and business expertise across the entire energy value chain to support scalable and sustainable solutions that helps to create new opportunities and nurtures societal value. T-SEIC will facilitate the vision to support and provide ecosystem for the start-up enterprises working to provide cost effective solutions. I believe, the TSEIC will go a long way for the development of Innovative and Cost Effective Technologies in India”.

The last date to submit applications is April 7, 2018. Entrants for the energy challenge can register here: http://socialalphachallenge.org/energy