Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital Launches its Seventh Facility in Bengaluru at Koramangala

Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, a renowned eyecare chain with dozens of eye hospitals spread across India and abroad, today launched its new super-specialty eye care center at Koramangala in Bengaluru, taking the number of its facilities in the city to seven.

Noted actor Jayaram Karthik inaugurated the new state-of-the-art facility in the presence of senior officials of Dr. Agarwal’s Group of Eye Hospitals, including Kiran Narayan, Vice President, Supply Chain, and Dr. Amod Nayak, Regional Head & Medical Services Director. The aim of the new center is to offer one-stop-solution for all kinds of eye ailments to the people of Bengaluru.

Congratulating the hospital chain for the addition of a new facility to its already vast network of 77 hospitals spread across the Globe, Actor Jayaram Karthik said, “I am delighted to inaugurate this new center of Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital. A facility like this is a welcome addition to the healthcare infrastructure of Bengaluru. Eyesight is perhaps the greatest gift one person can give to those who cannot see. On this occasion, I also pledge to donate my eyes so that I can make a difference to people’s lives. I would like to take this opportunity to request every individual to come forward to pledge to donate their eyes.”

Said Kiran Raju Narayan, Vice President, Supply Chain, Dr. Agarwal’s Group of Eye Hospitals: “We have always been committed to providing the best possible services for our eye patients. Keeping this in mind, we always ensure that we have the latest technologies available at all our eyecare centers. Opening of our Seventh center in Bengaluru is a big achievement for all of us. It will help us address the growing needs of eye patients in the city who are looking for state-of-the-art treatment at competitive costs. We are deeply committed to the people of Karnataka and will continue to extend our geographical footprint across the state.”

Added Dr. Amod Nayak, Regional Head & Medical Services Director, Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals, Bengaluru: “There is overwhelming demand from the people of Bengaluru for quality eyecare with personalized services. The new center spread across 6,000 sq.ft. in Koramangala will offer the best of eye specialists and treatment for eye ailments and diseases. Some of the significant offerings of this facility include state-of-the-art modular operation theatre, precision-enabled diagnostic center, a dedicated cataract operation theatre and well-planned doctor chambers to reduce patient wait-time.”

Samsung’s First Triple Camera Smartphone Galaxy A7 Debuts in India Available from September 27-28, 2018

Samsung, India’s most trusted brand, today launched Galaxy A7, with a stunning design, powerful Rear Triple Camera, striking new colours and superior performance. 

Galaxy A7 has been developed based on the consumer insight that nearly half of the Indian millennials use their smartphone cameras daily and their rear camera twice as much as the front camera. In the new triple camera set up, there is an additional 8MP 120° Ultra-Wide Lens, which has the same viewing angle as the human eye. This allows users to capture unrestricted wide-angle photos exactly like what one can see.

The 24MP primary and selfie cameras also feature a new technology – Pixel Binning that allows the device to intelligently detect low light conditions and combine four pixels into one ‘Super Pixel’ for crisp and clear shots in the dark. The 24MP primary camera coupled with 5MP depth lens powers Live Focus feature that controls the depth of field by allowing users to adjust the effect both during and after clicking photos.

Built on the insight that more than 40% of millennials edit their images prior to using them on social platforms, Galaxy A7 is also power packed with exciting intelligent features. Galaxy A7 camera gets a scene optimizer that automatically detects any of 19 different scenarios such as food, flower, or sunset, etc. and optimises each shot for the best picture composition. Consumers can enhance their instant messaging experience by creating customized avatars using the ‘AR Emoji’ feature by taking a picture of themselves with the selfie camera or a friend with the rear camera. They can choose from a set of GIF images for a more fun and emotive experience. The 24MP selfie camera also has a ‘Pro-Lighting’ feature where images can be edited with multiple lighting settings to deliver a distinct and professional look akin to a studio photo shoot.

Featuring a 6.0-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display, Galaxy A7 along with Samsung’s signature Infinity Display allows users to make the most of uninterrupted, immersive viewing. The True FHD+ display is powered by a Trust Zone technology processor that enables Widevine L1 certification, thus ensuring all popular streaming apps allow HD content to stream seamlessly on Galaxy A7. In order to make this device a true audio-visual delight, it also supports Dolby Atmos® immersive sound technology that brings true HD content to life. Galaxy A7 is an absolute style statement with a 2.5D glass back design, 7.5mm slim body, and a side fingerprint sensor where the sensor has been integrated into the power button for a clutter-free design. 

“There is innovation and something new in every facet of the Galaxy A7 starting with the triple camera lens to power ultra-wide shots and intelligent features that ensure the best picture composition. The True FHD+ display with Super AMOLED Infinity Display and Widevine L1 certification delivers a superlative viewing experience.  The bold new colours and a side fingerprint sensor deliver a refreshed design. We are confident that with this device, we will capture the imagination of the Indian millennial and be able to add to the celebrations during the festive season,” said Aditya Babbar, General manager, mobile business, Samsung India

Galaxy A7 will further strengthen Samsung’s leadership in the mid-range segment, which has been bolstered by the recent launch of Galaxy J6+ and Galaxy J4+. The devices come in just ahead of the festive season, thus adding to the consumer delight.

Galaxy A7 also packs a punch when it comes to performance. Galaxy A7 is powered by a Samsung Exynos 7885 2.2GHz Octa Core processor. The device will be available in 6GB RAM/ 128GB ROM and 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM variants. This can be enhanced with a 512GB expandable memory and Samsung’s industry-first ‘Install Apps to Memory Card’ feature. The device is powered by a 3,300mAh battery and runs the Android Oreo operating system.

Offers, Price and Availability

Galaxy A7 range will be priced at INR 23,990 (4GB/64GB variant) and INR 28,990 (6GB/128 GB variant) and will be available in stylish colours– blue, black and gold.

Consumers can avail exciting cash backs worth INR 2,000 when they make a payment through HDFC bank credit and debit cards.

The highly anticipated Galaxy A7 is slated to launch by September end across over 180,000 outlets. In order to give consumers early access, the device will be available on September 27 and 28 for a special preview sale on Flipkart, Samsung e-shop, and at Samsung Opera House in Bengaluru.

SpiceJet Now Connects Amritsar with Bangkok & Goa from Nov 6, 2018

SpiceJet, the country’s favourite carrier, today announced the launch of two new flights from Amritsar connecting Bangkok and Goa. The airline is the first and only carrier to offer daily direct connectivity on the routes of both Amritsar-Bangkok-Amritsar and Amritsar-Goa-Amritsar. The new flights will be effective from November 6, 2018.

Bangkok is the second international destination after Dubai that SpiceJet will be connecting via a direct flight from Amritsar. Bangkok is one of the most preferred international destinations for Indian tourists with every year record number of tourists visiting the Thai capital. Goa is also one of India’s favourite travel destinations. Earlier passengers from Amritsar had to travel to Delhi to board flights for both the destinations. The new flights will enhance customer convenience manifold.

The announcement was made in the august presence of Capt. Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab. On the occasion, Kamal Hingorani, Chief Customer Service Officer, SpiceJet handed over the first ticket to Capt. Amarinder Singh, thereby marking the formal announcement of the launch of the new flight service.

Shilpa Bhatia, Chief Sales and Revenue Officer, SpiceJet said, “Both Bangkok and Goa are among top picks for leisure travelers and we see immense potential in these routes. SpiceJet is proud to be the only Indian carrier to offer direct connectivity from Amritsar to Bangkok and Goa. We are constantly scaling up our network in both domestic and international markets and we will continue to eye new growth markets offering enhanced convenience for our customers.”

To celebrate the launch of the new routes, the airline has also announced an introductory promotional fare of INR 9399 (all inclusive) for Amritsar-Bangkok, INR 9999 (all inclusive) for Bangkok-Amritsar, INR 5599 (all inclusive) for Amritsar-Goa and INR 5699 (all inclusive) for Goa-Amritsar.

SpiceJet will be deploying its Boeing aircraft on both the routes. SG 89 operating on the Amritsar-Bangkok route will depart from Amritsar at 04.00 am, whereas SG 90 operating on the route of Bangkok-Amritsar route will depart at 11.10 am. Operating on the Amritsar – Goa route, SG 281 will depart at 6.20 pm, whereas SG 282 operating between the Goa-Amritsar sectors will depart at 9.40 pm.   

Hyderabad Metro Rail from Ameerpet to LB Nagar Flagged Off Today by Governor ESL Narasihman

L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited is happy to announce the commencement of commercial operations between Ameerpet to LB Nagar stretch. The flag-off was done by ESL Narasihman, Governor of Telangana State & Andhra Pradesh, in the presence of KT Rama Rao, Minister, MA & UD, GoTS, Dr SK Joshi, IAS, Chief Secretary, GoTS, Arvind Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, MA & UD, GoTS, NVS Reddy, IRAS, MD, HMRL, KVB Reddy, MD & CEO, L&T Metro Rail (hyderabad) Limited and other dignitaries. All the dignitaries travelled from Ameerpet to LB Nagar covering a distance of 16 kms.

This stretch is a part of Corridor 1 – Miyapur to LB Nagar (Red Line). Ameerpet to LB Nagar stretch with 16 stations covering a distance of 16 kms that adds on to the existing 30 kms (Miyapur – Ameerpet – Nagole) of operational corridor launched in November 2017. This 16 kms stretch completes the 29 kms of Corridor I – Red Line, from Miyapur to LB Nagar covering 27 stations.

16 stations – Panjagutta, Irrumanzil, Khairtabad, Lakdi-Ka-Pool, Assembly, Nampally, Gandhi Bhavan, Osmania Medical College, MGBS, Malakpet, New Market, Moosarambagh, Dilshuknagar, Chaitanyapuri, Victoria Memorial and LB Nagar.

His Excellency Governor ESL Narasihman stated “I have travelled in many metros around the world and Hyderabad Metro is one of the best metros in the world. I hope that Hyderabadis will make full use of this world class facility and I am sure Hyderabad will scale greater heights in the years to come.”

Expressing his happiness K T Rama Rao, Minister, MA & UD, GoTS, thanked the His Excellency Governor ESL Narasihman for flagging off the Ameerpet – LB Nagar Metro train services and for spending his valuable time for this function.

On this jubilant occasion, Sri NVS Reddy stated, “Hyderabad Metro, which is India’s second longest metro network after Delhi, is the world’s largest metro rail project in PPP mode. It’s a robust mass transit system and which is also used as an opportunity to convert an Indian city into a people friendly green city. It’s a game changer which will catapult Hyderabad to the next level of development.”

Speaking on the occasion, Sri KVB Reddy, MD & CEO, L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited said, “Hyderabadis have been eagerly waiting for the inauguration of this stretch and we are proud to start Ameerpet to LB Nagar  commercial operations today. Public have welcomed Hyderabad Metro Rail services overwhelmingly and we are thankful to each and every one for their patronage. L&T is synonymous with large scale infrastructure projects that are not only iconic but also serve towards nation building.”

“Today, with the inauguration of this additional 16 kms stretch of this prestigious project, we have reached another significant mile stone in our endeavour to create world-class infrastructure for Hyderabad. We are grateful to His Excellency Governor Sri ESL Narasihman to accord such importance to this project which has transformed Hyderabad into a modern and commuter-friendly-city. Hyderabad Metro Rail marks the beginning of seamless commuting in Hyderabad.” he added.

Flipkart Acquires Israel-Based Real-Time Pricing Upstream Commerce

Flipkart, India’s largest e-commerce marketplace, ​has strengthened its innovation capabilities with the acquisition of Israel-based Upstream Commerce, a world leader in real-time pricing and product assortment optimization solutions. One of Israel’s leading technology startups, ​Upstream Commerce builds cloud-based, automated competitive pricing and product analysis solutions. ​These solutions will strengthen Flipkart’s ability to deliver insights to its sellers, helping them optimize their product assortment and pricing strategies and find gaps in the market to serve customers better.

Post the acquisition, the Upstream Commerce team, while continuing to work out of Israel, will become a part of Flipkart and become Flipkart’s one of the many global centers for future data science work.

The acquisition is in line with Flipkart’s vision to solve e-commerce challenges through technology innovations- both through in house efforts as well as inorganic route, and will help provide wider selection and better pricing for Flipkart customers.

“In the past decade, Flipkart has not only pushed for e-commerce growth in India but has also solved quintessential Indian problems through technology innovations and we will continue to be aggressive in building and getting global tech to solve for some of the hardest e-commerce problems. With the Upstream acquisition, we will now have tech and talent presence across Asia, US and Israel, some of the key global hubs for innovation. The team at Upstream Commerce is highly talented and as we welcome them to Flipkart we are also looking forward to making Israel one of our excellence centres to do cutting edge data science work,” ​said Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart.


“At Flipkart, we have ​helped get lakhs of small and medium businesses online and it is important for these businesses to price their products correctly. While ​we have been actively developing machine learning algorithms to further improve the selection and pricing parameters for sellers, ​we believe that through added capabilities from Upstream, we will be able to provide them with automated pricing and help plan better selection ​in the most accurate, timely, and profitable way. ​These capabilities will be a big addition for us and together with our ​inhouse AI capabilities, we will be able to share actionable insights with our sellers to help them make informed decisions on products and their pricing,” said Anil Goteti, Head of Marketplace, Flipkart.

Commented Amos Peleg, CEO Upstream Commerce​, “​We are excited to become a part of India’s largest e-commerce player. During our discussion, as we got to know more about Flipkart, we realized that we share the same passion for technology, and the same vision for the contribution of data science to the future and success of online retail. The choice and vision of Flipkart to establish its presence in Israel through acquiring Upstream Commerce is a significant vote of confidence in the company’s team, technology and domain expertise, and are looking forward to help growing the presence of Flipkart in Israel.”

Upstream Commerce was backed by YL Ventures as a leading investor from its inception to acquisition. Avendus Capital was the financial advisor to Upstream Commerce.

Saft Recharges its Commitment to India on the Eve of Centennial Milestone

Saft, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of advanced technology batteries for industry for a century, renewed its focus on India on the eve of its centennial celebrations. Saft completed the purchase of shares from its JV partner AMCO to establish Saft India to reinforce its partnership with Indian industries. 

“At Saft, we are exceptionally proud of our history. When we look at the past 100 years, we have always been at the forefront of creating the future technologies. Our batteries and systems have helped industries around the world with critical safety applications, back-up power and propulsion. We are increasing our focus on India now as Saft India to support the Indian government, the Make in India program and Indian industries. We look forward to accelerating our growth here,” said Franck Cecchi, Executive Vice President, Industrial Standby Division Chairman of the Board of Saft India.

Saft has been present in India from early 1900s through Stone, UK, which helped to build Indian Railway operations. In 2006, the company began manufacturing in India through a joint venture with AMCO.  Since then, Saft has been powering India’s critical space missions by ISRO, safe transportation through metros in Delhi, Uttar Pradhesh, Calcutta, Bangalore and Chennai, as well as building presence in telecom and standby power for industry. After 11 years of continuous growth in the Indian market with nickel-based technology, Saft acquired the remaining 49 percent of the joint venture company.

“We would like to thank AMCO for their contribution to the growth of the joint venture, which has proven to be a successful partnership since 2006. Now, we are looking to strengthen our leadership position in India with an increased focus on rail, telecom and infrastructure. That is why we are increasing our investment in our plant, in both lithium-ion and nickel technologies This will allow us to continue to be more responsive to the needs of our Indian customers,” said Guy-Patrick de Broglie, GM Saft India.

2018 marks Saft’s 100th anniversary in business. For a century, Saft has designed, developed and manufactured battery systems to get energy to where customers need it - be that on land, at sea, in the air, or in space. Saft is a fully owned subsidiary of Total, a leading international oil and gas company and a major player in low-carbon energies. More than 3,000 industrial customers worldwide rely on Saft batteries for their long life and ability to function in the most extreme conditions. Today, Saft employs 4,300 people in 18 countries. The company has research centers in France and the US, where it has a particularly strong footprint, and 14 manufacturing sites and 30 sales offices across the world.

At 100 years: Saft is focusing on the battery technology of the future. Saft is working with partners on an ambitious program of research, development and industrialization for new generations of batteries focusing on advanced high-density lithium-ion and Solid-State technology. The seven-year innovation program addresses all market segments, such as electro-mobility (EV, e-Bus, Railway, Marine, Aviation), energy storage and specialty industries. These new generation batteries will provide performance, cost and safety advantages, compared to current lithium-ion products. The batteries, which will be perfectly integrated into their system environments, with digitalized functions and interfaces, are planned to be designed together with leading material suppliers. They will meet the most stringent standards for sustainable development.

KNOLSKAPE and CII-SNCEL Partner to Launch First Time Manager Certification Program

KNOLSKAPE, an end-to-end learning and assessment platform for accelerated employee development has partnered with CII to train first time managers.

As individuals progress in their careers, the shift from a team member to a team leader brings not just more responsibility, but a need for change in the way one manages different stakeholders. The First Time Manager Program by CII, powered by KNOLSKAPE, aims to help high potential employees to take on leadership roles, address challenges and worries during the transition, and preparing new managers for a smooth passage into their new role, helping them get off to a good start.

At the end of this program, learners will develop sufficient knowledge, comprehend, practice and apply the competencies they are expected to display as managers.

The pilot batch of the program launched on 6th September, 2018 at the CII – Suresh Neotia Centre of Excellence for Leadership in Kolkata with 20 participants from organizations such as PACCAR Industries, Narayana Hrudalaya, Voith Paper Technology (India) Private Limited, and Imerys Steelcasting india Pvt. Ltd. The four-month-long program, designed and delivered by KNOLSKAPE, is a combination of simulation-driven classroom sessions to be held in Kolkata and MCQ-based assessments addressing 8 competencies:

·       Master class 1: Influencing and Collaboration.
·       Master class 2: People Acumen, managing performance and coaching.
·       Master class 3: Managerial Communication and contextual leadership.
·       Master class 4: Building trust and relationship.

KNOLSKAPE will deploy its AktivLearn gamified learning and assessment platform for the four-month managerial training certificate program. The program will culminate in a graduation ceremony where learners will be awarded certificates to mark their readiness as managers.

Commenting on their partnership with KNOLSKAPE, Indrani Kar, Head - CII-Suresh Neotia Centre of Excellence for Leadership said “With the core purpose to serve as a facilitator for development of leadership skills, attributes and business processes within organization and the ecosystem through education, training, knowledge creation/dissemination, the CII-SNCEL has partnered with KNOLSKAPE to embark on a unique program for First Time Managers. This program is designed to support managerial capability building by focusing on skills necessary to graduate from an individual contributor to a team leader towards driving high performance. The program will also equip debutant managers with all the real-life skills necessary for managing the new age fluid team structures.”

Co-curating the managerial certificate program with CII, Rajiv Jayaraman, CEO and Co-founder KNOLSKAPE said “Our partnership with CII is a great forum to arm first time managers with collaborative managerial competencies and people skills. Through the platform we look forward to address and fulfill the skill gap for our first-time managers.”