Progressive Infotech, a leading IT Managed Services company, headquartered in the National Capital Region (NCR), India has earned Microsoft Azure Expert MSP recognition. The new program is designed for partners who hold in-depth expertise across cloud, DevOps, & automation and helps customers realize their business value with seamless operations and optimizations.
As customers move to the public cloud with increasing pace, they need partners with a deep level of cloud expertise and experience to guide them. Inclusion in the Microsoft Azure Expert MSP program is awarded to the partners who meet a stringent set of requirements, including verified proof of excellence in customer delivery and technical expertise, and the successful completion of an independent audit of their managed services, people, processes, and technologies. Only the most high-fidelity cloud managed service providers earn Azure Expert MSP status, intended to give customers the desired confidence while selecting a partner to meet their digital transformation goals.
“Progressive’s recognition as an Azure Expert MSP stands as a strong testament of its commitment to investing in cloud practice. With extensive experience in deploying customer solutions on Azure and a strong bench of trained and certified technical consultants, we will continue to elevate customer experience and contribute towards their success. I'm truly humbled by the recognition.” – said Prateek Garg, Founder & CEO of Progressive Infotech.
In terms of its breadth of services and technical capabilities, Progressive does a laudable job of delivering managed hybrid IT services to SMB & enterprise clients. Azure Expert MSP recognition now extends their services to a global community.
“Progressive has shown a dedication to invest and advance in the capabilities required to earn the status of Azure Expert MSP. We are delighted to have them onboard as an Azure Expert MSP,” said Gavriella Schuster, Corporate Vice President, One Commercial Partner at Microsoft Corp.
The auditor noted that the size of the organization and positioning provides inherent capabilities for agility, a deep focus on developing & executing a strategic roadmap, and capitalization on the burgeoning cloud services market growth potential. Progressive Infotech has established itself as an innovation-driven IT player since its inception in 1998, pivoting from Value Added Reseller (VAR)/ System Integrator (SI) to become a Managed Services Provider (MSP).
BEML Ltd. a Public Sector Undertaking, under Ministry of Defence and Larsen & Toubro, India’s leading engineering, technology, and construction conglomerate today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly capitalise on the emerging opportunities in the domestic and export markets for defence products and systems.
The cooperation between the two organisations is aimed to leverage on ‘Make in India’ initiative for increased value addition within the country in development/manufacturing and long-term support for defence and export business in identified areas/projects/programs, thus synergising their combined strengths.
On the occasion, Deepak Kumar Hota, Chairman & Managing Director, BEML said, “PPP model is the way forward to meet the growing demands of the Defence Industry. With the vast experience and expertise in Defence Sector of BEML and L&T, I am confident that together we can address the needs of the Indian Defence Market as well as explore export markets of various Products/ systems of mutual interest.”
Jayant D. Patil, Whole-time Director (Defence) and Member of L&T Board, said, “This MoU paves the way for Public-Private sector partnership between two industry leaders. By synergising capabilities of each other in system design and integration, manufacturing and marketing, the companies look forward to enhancing product range, evolve new products and improve business prospects.”
BEML and L&T have collaborated and partnered on co-development and production of significant sub-systems involving complex technologies and advanced engineering equipment such as Sarvatra Bridging Systems and various other vehicular platform-based systems for the Indian MoD.
European aerospace giant Airbus announced deals with Chinese, Indian and Taiwanese airlines today, kicking off the Farnborough airshow in Britain on an upbeat note despite concerns about the effects of Brexit.
China's Sichuan Airlines said it will be buying 10 A350 long-haul planes with a list price of USD 2.8 billion (2.4 billion euros), while India's Vistara signed a letter of intent to purchase 13 single-aisle A320neo aircraft.
Taiwan's Starlux Airlines, which is developing a network across Asia and North America, said it had signed a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of 17 Airbus planes -- 12 A350-1000s and five A350-900s.
The Airbus deals announced at Farnborough, southwest of London, would add up to more than USD 17 billion at catalogue price for the planes if all orders are confirmed and prior to large discounts traditionally handed to purchasers.
Airbus's US rival Boeing also announced a series of impressive deals including 14 777s to DHL for USD 4.7 billion, 30 737 MAX for Jackson Square Aviation for USD 3.5 billion.
"We continue to see the aerospace market grow very strongly," Boeing's chief executive Dennis Muilenberg said on the eve of the Farnborough show, echoing similar comments by Airbus.
But Farnborough is taking place in the shadow of a looming trade war between China and the United States as well as Britain's stalled negotiations to exit the European Union.
Airbus, which employs some 15,000 people in Britain, has warned it would reconsider investments in Britain if it crashes out of the European Union next year with no deal.
Airbus chief executive Tom Enders last month said the government had "no clue" over its Brexit plans. After Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled more conciliatory proposals last week for Britain to retain strong trading ties with the EU after Brexit, Enders, however, said that the government was now "going in the right direction".
He urged EU negotiators in Brussels and other European countries to be "similarly pragmatic & fair". Organisers also warned that aircraft could stop flying if May fails to clinch an adequate Brexit deal with Brussels.
"Our worst case scenario is genuinely -- and it is not alarmist or scare mongering -- that aircraft will not fly," said Farnborough International chairman Paul Everitt, who is also head of aerospace, defence and space trade body ADS.
May sought to play down concerns with an optimistic message in her inaugural speech at the show.
"We're leaving the European Union and forging a new future for our country and, as we do so, want to ensure that the UK remains one of the best places in the world for aerospace companies to do business," she told participants.
She said Britain wanted to "continue as world leaders in innovation" and announced 343 million pounds (USD 456 million, 389 million euros) in public-private investment in innovative research and development, including new electric aircraft technology.
Zebra Robotics, a world-class robotics and coding center, today announced the grand opening of its first robotic school in Bengaluru with an aim to bring quality curriculum, content and approach to kids in India. Located at Jayanagar, Bengaluru, the Canada-based organization will open its doors for classes on August 1st, with an open house event scheduled on July 14, 2018 from 1-3 PM.
Founded in the year 2014, Zebra Robotics has taught over 1000 students in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. “What merely started as casual sessions to teach robotics to our family friend’s children quickly transformed into a multi-location evening, weekend and summer camp program in the neighbourhood”, said Sharmila Govindarajan, co-founder of Zebra Robotics, while talking about the inception of the company.
Zebra Robotics plans to open 5 centers in Bengaluru by the end of this year, and 20 centers across various regions of India next year.
“We have always thought about coming back to India, and we are finally ready to give local kids easy access to robotics and coding classes. Zebra Robotics India has been made possible due to countless hours put in by JV partners, Collatrix Technologies Private Limited, friends and family members. While we have a long way to go, we have definitely taken our first step in the country,” she added.
"Learning should be hands on and fun. Especially when it comes to something so fascinating like robotics, kids should work together to solve a challenge in a friendly atmosphere without feeling pressurised,” co-founder Satish Thiyagarajan stated while stressing on the importance of a fun-filled environment in a classroom.
The unique approach of Zebra Robotics has proved to be truly essential for its students who have not only participated in but also won several competitions, awards at provincial and national levels. Some students have also represented Canada in the World Robotics Olympiad, which adds another feather in their cap.
Rise in the number of vehicles and emissions created from diesel generators are top contributors to air pollution, a recent WHO study confirms. With 14 cities ranked among the world’s top 20 most polluted cities, it’s a state of air pollution emergency across India. As a part of its efforts to promote sustainability and create awareness on the issue, Dell, today organized an experiential event at the Rangoli Metro Art Center, MG Road, Bangalore. Dell has partnered with the Chakr Innovation which converts diesel soot into ink (POINK) through their retro-fit emission control device for diesel generators.
The event saw popular cartoonist N. Ponappa take a humorous take on the issue by sketching live cartoons depicting the harmful impact of diesel emissions on our health. Budding designer, Tahera Peeran showcased her stunning collection curated with khadi fabric and hand painted with diesel ink (POINK) to encourage the audience to use recycled products and adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Speaking about the event, Rajeev Kapoor, India Vice President and CSR Champion, Dell said, “Environmental responsibility is much more than creating eco-friendly products. It's about incorporating sustainability into every practice. Innovative thinking and eco-friendly designs are the first steps in minimizing the impact on the environment. We support inventions which solve larger problems and are glad to partner with Chakr innovation to address the issue of rising levels of air pollution in the city and initiate a positive dialogue around the issue.”
Adding to this, Kushagra Srivastava, CEO, Chakr Innovation said, “Our aim is to curb air pollution by recycling it. Our product, Chakr Shield helps reducing air pollution by converting diesel soot from generators into inks and paints which can be safely reused. We are proud to partner with Dell which not only promotes but also practices various sustainable methods across its functions. It’s encouraging to see that Dell has been using poink for packaging and printing products at its manufacturing facility in India. We hope to amplify the partnership to capture the air pollution at its source and create a beautiful and greener tomorrow for everyone around us.”
The technology can capture over 90% of the particulate matter emissions from the exhaust of diesel generators without causing any adverse impact on the diesel engine.
“Dell’s key focus on the PC business is evident with the establishment of Dell India’s manufacturing unit at Chennai, which has been using the diesel ink to package and print, a range of client solutions including the award-winning desktop portfolio - OptiPlex. Our customers care about sustainability more than ever, and we constantly look for ways to design our waste and innovate with materials. It’s part of our global commitment to putting our resources and technology to work where it can do the most good “added Navneet Kejriwal, Sr. Director Manufacturing, Dell.
By Santhosh Kumar, Vice Chairman – ANAROCK Property Consultants
For a very long time, real estate developers and investors focused almost exclusively on the metros and tier 1 cities, as these were considered the safest bets for sales and returns on investment. After all, these cities were generating the most employment and therefore inward migration.
As a result, the metros and tier 1 cities across India are currently experiencing the immense pressure of overpopulation due to urban migration in search of better livelihood and enhanced quality of life, thus resulting in an inadequate infrastructure for the citizens.
The Smart Cities Mission, launched in 2015, aims to tackle the escalating problems being faced in urban areas with regards to transportation, energy supply, governance, basic urban infrastructure services and overall quality of life. Although the mission is trying to address these issues to a certain extent, the challenges of remodelling India's tier 1 cities into smart cities are considerable, as many of them have reached their saturation point.
Tier 2/3 cities stage a comeback
As a result, more and more real estate demand and supply are now drifting down towards tier 2 and tier 3 cities of the country. It is estimated that the country will have 104 tier 2 cities and 331 tier 3 and 4 cities by 2030, and only 155 tier 1 cities by 2030.
This shows the strong rise of tier 2, 3 and 4 cities in the future, and many tier 2 and tier 3 cities are now showing a strong resurgence.
Two of the driving factors behind this resurgence have obviously been increased economic activity and infrastructure development, which have served to divert migration to the larger cities.
These smaller cities also offer the important advantage of cheaper real estate prices and a lower cost of living. Their reappearance on developers' and investors' radars is helping to spread real estate development and demand more uniformly across the country, also decreasing the pressure on the overly-burdened metros and tier 1 cities.
Smart Cities - snail-like progress
One of the most important drivers of new real estate demand for many of these smaller cities has been their inclusion in the Government of India's ambitious Smart Cities program, which - at least in theory - bodes very well for their real estate markets. While many of the bigger cities have also managed to enlist themselves under the Smart City scheme, it is, in fact, the smaller city contenders who have managed to show any visible progress.
Overall, it can safely be said that the Smart Cities program has not really unfolded as was initially expected and hoped for. As of now, only 2% of the ₹9,943 crore released under the smart city mission have been utilized, and only 5% of the proposed projects are completed. This does raise questions about whether the development of smart cities by 2020 is a realistic expectation.
To be fair, there are various bottlenecks preventing the speedy implementation of these projects. Similar projects are implemented at a much faster speed in developed countries. Some of the challenges in India are doubtlessly related to hard issues such as land acquisition, buy-in from resistant stakeholders, and so on. However, there is also the factor of political will to back up the vision.
Apart from the slow implementation, it is also a fact that smart citizens are – at least in theory - an integral part of the smart city ecosystem. With more active citizen participation in such Government initiatives at the implementation and not only end-user level, the pace of Smart City development in India could theoretically be faster.
The tier 2/tier 3 Smart City advantage
As an interesting adjunct to this state of affairs, it has been the smaller cities that have shown faster progress on the Smart Cities map. This could have any number of reasons:
They have more to gain
They face fewer challenges in terms of resistance to change
They have less densified urbanization patterns to work with
There are fewer challenges when it comes to land acquisition.
Many have the advantage of stronger local political will.
The recent smart city rankings by the Ministry of Urban Development, also vouchsafe this trend. The tier 2 smart cities of Nagpur (score: 259.96), Vadodara (score: 195.31) and Ahmedabad (score: 190.59) topped the charts, leaving behind tier 1 cities such as Pune, Chennai and many others.
The rankings included 87 cities out of the 99 smart cities (the remaining 12 were not evaluated due to the recentness of their inclusion into the smart cities mission list) and were made based on parameters such as project implementation, expenditure, and performance of civic bodies in the past 4 years.
As already mentioned, smaller cities have more to gain from the Smart Cities program, and a strong, determined local Government can push the necessary reforms much more expediently in these smaller cities than those in the metros. Of course, the larger cities are invariably already massively congested, thereby presenting huge roadblocks to the deployment of the requisite Smart City ingredients.
However, it is also a fact that political elements may be heavily invested in maintaining the status quo. This is especially true in cities which have large slum areas.
In short
Smaller cities have fewer challenges to overcome on the road to becoming Smart Cities, a lot more to gain from the generous funds that have been deployed for the select cities and may have the benefit of more progress-oriented local governing bodies which are truly invested in the betterment of their cities.
Underlining its push towards sustaining its impressive growth momentum, Cybage, a leading global technology consulting organisation specialising in outsourced product engineering services, has recently appointed Greg Butterfield to its Board of Directors. The move follows close on heels of the appointment of Walter Mastelinck to the Cybage board and marks another major milestone for the company, which has been bolstering its ranks with highly-experienced and successful business leaders. Greg will be responsible for guiding the long-term vision, strategy, and business growth at Cybage.
Greg has several major accomplishments to his name. He joined Altiris in February 2000 as its Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO, guiding the company to eight consecutive years of revenue growth and profitability before being acquired by Symantec. By the time of the acquisition, Altiris’ annual revenues had grown by around 100 times to exceed $300 million, from $3 million in 2000.
While at Altiris, he was also the driving force behind eleven acquisitions and completed a successful IPO in 2002 in the face of a large-scale economic downturn, following it up in August 2003 with a successful secondary offering. In the same year, Greg was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. He was invited to the 2006 World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer. Greg joined Symantec through the company’s acquisition of Altiris in April 2007, serving as the Group President for Symantec’s $4 billion Server and Storage business units. Greg has also served as the CEO of Vivint Solar, a leading full-service residential solar integrator.
Speaking on the appointment, Arun Nathani, CEO & MD, Cybage, said, “Greg is highly regarded in the entrepreneurial circles for his ability to identify and nurture high-potential ventures into market leaders. We are excited to have him on board, along with his impressive wealth of business experience that he has amassed over his career. By bringing onboard such a distinguished business leader, we aim to further strengthen our business operations and build on our market success. We are confident that, with Greg amongst those guiding its vision and strategy, Cybage will be able to accelerate its growth trajectory and unlock unparalleled success in the future.”
Currently serving as the Founder and Managing Partner at SageCreek Partners, Greg has an extensive track record of building and nurturing successful companies. Under his able leadership, Sage Creek Partners has helped more than 100 companies realise their business potential by extending end-to-end operational, networking, human capital, and technological support; several SCP clients have gone on to have successful IPOs and establish themselves as leading players in their respective domains. Greg has also served as the Chairman of the Board of the Utah Information Technology Association.
Speaking on joining the board at Cybage, Greg Butterfield said, “I have always been drawn to businesses which demonstrate a strong future growth potential and have the capability to scale swiftly without comprising on their profitability. As a domain leader in the technology and product engineering space, I believe Cybage is perfectly positioned to leverage its cutting-edge technological capabilities and capitalise on the massive business opportunities that will arise in the near future. With the world undergoing a widespread digital transformation at present, I am looking forward to a long and fruitful association with Cybage and aim to help the company achieve its true potential.”
HDFC ERGO Launches Title Insurance Cover for Property Developers
HDFC ERGO, country’s third largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector has announced the launch of ‘Title Insurance Policy’, a first of its kind product in the private insurance segment in India.
This specialty insurance product provides Indemnity to property developers and the subsequent owners of the property against losses and risks related to defects in Property Title arising out of Third Party challenges not discovered prior to the commencement date of the policy due to the Title of Property belonging to someone other than the Insured, Descriptions & Plans in Historic deeds of the property being inadequate, Historic transaction being subject to an act of fraud or forgery by a third party that adversely affects insured’s rights over the title of the property, Title to the Property being subject to Unknown Burdens or Discharge of Burdens which may have been imposed in historic deeds executed prior to the commencement date etc.
Moreover, defence costs / Legal costs incurred are also covered under the policy. Also, certain known defects in the title, may also be covered under the policy by specific underwriting assessment for an additional premium.
The product has been developed stemming from the requirement of the Real Estate Regulation and Development Act 2016 (RERA), which mandates the purchase of Title Insurance for all new and ongoing property developments registered with the regulatory body.
Commenting on the launch of the new product, Anuj Tyagi, Executive Director & Chief Distribution Officer, HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, "We are always looking at opportunities to offer protection to the customers from any unforeseen financial losses. Title insurance is one such innovative product that will provide customers’ the peace of mind from Title risks related to the land on which the property rests. It is crucial and a must-have, for developers not only because it is mandatory but is as an effective risk transfer mechanism.”
This new Title insurance policy will prove beneficial to real estate developers, property investors and housing finance companies. The policy can be obtained by developers and is subsequently assigned to the association of allotees or allotees /members of the housing societies, who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the policy.
For more information on the policy and the full range of HDFC ERGO Insurance products please contact HDFC ERGO representative. In addition, for further details on risk factors, exclusions, terms and conditions please read the sales brochure before concluding a sale.
