KIAMS Organizes “Talent Acquisition in the Digital Age” - HR RoundTable 2019 in Bengaluru

Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies (KIAMS) organised a National level HR Round Table Conclave on 26th Feb 2019 at The Chancery Pavilion, Bangalore.

Theme of the event was “Talent Acquisition in the Digital Age”     

The event was the brainchild of Mr Balachandar N, Group Director - HR, Coffee Day Group and Prof. Pankaj Roy Gupta, Director Corporate Relations & Business Analytics.

The Conclave focused on:

1.   Talent acquisition in the digital age
2.   Leadership hiring for the digital era
3.   Winning the war for talent-HR & CEO debate
4.   New age digital tools-Leveraging HR Tech for improved productivity in hiring
5.   Leverage technology  On-Boarding
6.   Diversity hiring.

Speakers and panelists at the conclave included eminent HR leaders from Coffee Day Group, Qikpod, Kloudq Technologies, Intelligent Community Management Private Limited, Heidrick & Struggles, Swiggy, Qwik Cilver Solution Pvt. Ltd, Infosys, Siemens Technology India, Exide Life Insurance, Kirloskar Pnuematic Co. Ltd, JobForHer, CGI, Harman International and Workplaceif.

These experts are alumni of IIT’s, IIM’s, BITS Pilani, XLRI and Harvard Business School with varied sectoral experience in Consultancy, FMCG, Retail, Banking, BFSI, AI, IT and ITES.

Thrust of the discussions during the conclave highlighted the challenges faced by companies in acquiring, managing and retaining talent in the digital era. The need for diversity in talent as well as technology for improving employee productivity were also critical issues debated.

Attendees hailed from companies across the country including IBM, United Sports, Sical Logistics, Samasta Microfinance, Adeccco Group, Times of India Group, Astrazeneca to name a few.

We are grateful to our sponsors- JobsForHer and Kloudq Technologies

We are humbled by the support of all Kirloskar Group Companies-

1.Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd
2. KirloskarPneumatic Company Ltd
3. Kirloskar Chillers Pvt. Ltd
4. Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Ltd
5. Kloudq Technologies Ltd
6. C4i4 Lab

Skill India Gets a New Boost as NSDC Signs MoU with Singapore Polytechnic & Terra Orient Skills Academy

Reinforcing its commitment towards creation of a world-class workforce in India, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) organised ‘Aero Skills Seminar 2019’ at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bangalore. The seminar was graced by the presence of by Rajesh Aggarwal, DG- DGT, MSDE; Mr. Prakash Sharma, CFO, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Mr. Soh Wai Wah, CEO & Principal, Singapore Polytechnic, Mr. Suresh Ramanathan, Chairman, Terra Orient Pte Ltd.

One of the key highlights of the seminar was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NSDC, Singapore Polytechnic and TerraOrient Skills Academy, to establish Centres of Excellence for Advance Skilling in India. Marking a unique public-private partnership between the three organisations, these Centres of Excellence will provide training and certification drawing from Singapore pedagogy and standards, in priority sectors under ‘Skill India’ and ‘Make in India’ programs that require a large workforce, equipped with higher-level technical skills. These centres will act as regional hubs for the training of India’s youth for domestic and overseas placements.

Terra Orient Skills Academy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based investment holding company, Terra Orient Pte Ltd., will also support establishment of an ‘Aerospace and Aviation Centre of Excellence in Advance Skilling’ in Bangalore.

Speaking at the seminar, Shri Rajesh Agarwal, Director General of Directorate General of Training, MSDE said, “Aerospace and Aviation are amongst the most dynamic sectors that will spearhead the technological charge of the future, leading to a demand for qualified and trained workforce who can cater to this growing need.”

Exchanging the MoU, Mr. Prakash Sharma, Chief Financial Officer, NSDC said, “NSDC’s strategic alliance with Singapore Polytechnic and Terra Orient is aimed at building a strong workforce that will drive growth in sectors which demand high-technical skilling such as aviation and aerospace. These centres of excellence, equipped with modern infrastructure and technology, will drive best-in-class framework for vocational training and quality assurance.”

Mr. Soh Wai Wah, Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Polytechnic said, “Singapore Polytechnic is privileged to bring our model of TVET education to India.  As much as we are ready to offer expertise, we know that we will also be learning from our experience in India.”

The collaboration has commenced with skill training of two candidates, winners in Aircraft Maintenance category at the India Skills National competitions in Oct 2018.  These two bright candidates – Archana Reddy and Ananda Sri Ganesha - will be undergoing a  30 day training program at Singapore Polytechnic’s Aero Hub, to prepare them for forthcoming WorldSkills International event in Russia. This programme is co-funded by Singapore investment holding company, Terra Orient Pvt. Ltd and is promoted by Aerospace and Aviation Sector Skill Council. 

The Aero Skill Seminar, titled ‘Skilling for Creating a World-class Workforce’, was held on the sidelines of the ongoing Aero India Show 2019.  NSDC, under the aegis of MSDE has also put up a Skill Pavilion at the event, which is witnessing participation of more than 20 partners, active in skilling, such as Indian Air Force, Bird Academy, MRO Association India, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, JetSetGo Aviation Services, Aerospace & Aviation Sector Skill Council, among others. 

Indian Students Showcase New-Age Tech at Virtual Reality Day Co-Organised by Facebook

In an initiative co-organised by Facebook and SV.CO, involving college students who want to a make a career in new-age technologies, 21 young developers showcased their products and skills, as part of the Facebook School of Innovation VR Demo Day on Saturday.

A collaboration of Facebook and Startup Village Collective (SV.CO), the maiden edition of the VR Day enabled 10 student teams, shortlisted after a pan-India selection process, to build a next-generation product idea using virtual reality.

The demonstrations, which were made to members of the Facebook team and an industry expert, concluded with the announcement of the National VR Student Developer of India, with team VR Bro’s from Rajasthan walking away with a prize for their VR Application on "Bails Down".

The VR Application by Mayank Bhutani and Koustubh Gupta from BITS Pilani institute focused on creating an immersive VR experience of a Street Cricket player becoming a successful and famous cricketer. The other participating teams are from 7 states.

Prior to their demonstrations, the teams participated in a 20-week program that included online and in-person learning sessions to develop their ideas, build a low and high-fidelity prototype and finally launch the product to customers. The developer training was conducted under the mentorship of five professionals, who are experts in the field of emerging technologies.

The purpose of the VR Programme, built in collaboration with industry partners like Scapic and Unity, will help to develop skill sets that are required to transform Virtual Reality ideas into next-generation, globally marketable products and services.

Satyajeet Singh, Head of Platform Partnerships for India and South Asia, Facebook, said, “With disruption being the new norm driving the Indian technology ecosystem today, we want to equip our budding entrepreneurs with the latest in emerging technologies and enable them to become problem solvers of tomorrow. The Facebook School of Innovation and the VR Day Program seeks to encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship in Indian students and impart them with relevant skill sets, to bridge the gap between academia and industry requirements.”

Speaking about the program, Suma Sundararajan, Programme Head and Chief Operating Officer of SV.CO, said, “Through the School of Innovation, we now have students who have transformed themselves from being enthusiasts in an emerging technology to become industry-ready, professional VR developers who are capable of building stand-alone VR applications. Students now have a choice to use their skills to take a job, build their own startup or go for masters in areas like Gaming or Machine Vision.”

During the course of the training program, the student developers engaged with the global best practices through multiple online sessions with global Virtual Reality experts. The students were given access to the Oculus GO VR Devices to build their applications and product prototypes.

These technological innovations were demonstrated at the School of Innovation VR Day, which was attended by an array of vice-chancellors, members from the state startup missions, fellow students and parents.

For the VR Day Programme, the engineering and design students who were shortlisted through a three-part selection process belong to some of the most well-known institutes of the country, such as: BITS Pilani, NIT Calicut, College of Engineering Pune, KIET Ghaziabad, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Kerala, Sri Sairam College of Engineering, Bengaluru, and Image College of Arts, Animation and Technology.

Of the pool of 21 participants showcasing their work on the platform, the shortlisting process was conducted via a series of workshops conducted by Facebook and SV.CO across India, which saw a participation of over 5,000 students, while the remaining 18 were selected from 1,191 applications received from across India.

Seagate Partners with Cyark to Digitally Preserve the Gateway of India in Photo-Real 3D Models

Seagate Technology plc, a world leader in data storage solutions, today announced a partnership with international non-profit organization CyArk to digitally preserve the Gateway of India, a historic arch monument in Mumbai. Digital scanning and archiving of the arch monument commenced earlier this month, with data and images from the field exercise being turned into photo-real 3D models for future generations of students, tourists and cultural heritage enthusiasts to experience the site virtually anytime and anywhere.

“Heritage sites are a significant part of humanity’s collective memory, but many of them are at risk from the ravages of time. This year, we are excited to continue our partnership with CyArk and participate in this significant journey of cultural preservation in India,” said Robert Yang, vice president of Asia Pacific sales at Seagate Technology. “We believe in the value data can bring both to the present and the future, which is why we have worked together since 2015 to digitally preserve some of the world’s most unique and historically significant locations. Our commitment is to provide the best data storage solutions to CyArk so they can securely store and protect the data they collect throughout a project, from capturing and processing to archiving, further enabling all sorts of new possibilities for future generations.”

The Gateway of India was selected by CyArk as part of their international programme for digital preservation through aerial surveys conducted with drones, terrestrial laser scanning known as LiDAR, and photogrammetry exercises. CyArk will provide 3D models and architectural drawings, which will be used as a baseline to monitor the monument’s surface for any future changes in its condition. Seagate is supporting CyArk both in the field and the office with its data storage solutions such as the LaCie® Rugged® Thunderbolt™ USB-C SSD, DJI Copilot, 2big Dock Thunderbolt™ 3, and Seagate’s Nytro® SSD, BarraCuda® Pro 10TB, as well as other high capacity, high performance drives. These devices ensure that the massive 3D capture data files from the field are safely backed up, centralised, and ready for processing to create detailed maps and architectural drawings that aid in the conservation of heritage sites. The stored data is also used to share the monument through exciting, interactive virtual reality experiences for citizens, residents, tourists and academics alike while helping to preserve the design and architecture of the monument.

“The proposed project of the 3D scanning of the iconic Gateway of India is truly beneficial for creating an easily accessible digital database of the monument, ensuring its enhanced protection and the formulation of comprehensive conservation policies,” said Dr. Tejas Garge, director, Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Maharashtra.

“We are grateful for Seagate’s support to complete our first project together in India. The Gateway of India is one of the most iconic landmarks in Mumbai and our digital documentation work will provide site managers with the tools they need to ensure the longevity of this incredible place,” said CyArk CEO John Ristevski.

Originally built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to the city in 1911, the Gateway of India was a symbol of the British Empire in India. Completed in 1924, it has since borne witness to almost a century of development in Mumbai, from its location immediately adjacent to the five-star Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, the first building in the country to receive intellectual property rights protection for its architectural design. The monument is now a reminder of the city’s rich colonial history as Bombay, and is the unofficial icon of the city.

Since 2003, CyArk has amassed high-tech digital records of over 200 heritage sites in 40 countries, including the Tu Duc Tomb and An Dinh Palace in the Complex of Hue Monuments in Vietnam, the Wat Phra Si San Phet in Thailand, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Experian Grows Innovation Footprint to Financially Enable India’s 190 Million Unbanked

Experian, the world leader in information services, is further expanding and investing in its innovation facility, Experian X Labs based in Singapore. The facility serves as Experian’s first incubator and collaboration centre for cutting-edge solutions, aimed at addressing pressing economic and societal issues in the India, such as financial inclusion. The Experian X Labs team, comprises of data scientists, product architects and industry innovators.

Financial inclusion is a significant challenge for economic progress in India, a region that is home to more than 190 million people without access to formal financial services[1]. Fostering greater financial inclusion, through financial access and education, will lead to more opportunities and economic growth. The Experian X Labs team leverages alternative data, advanced analytics and partnerships with industry organisations to develop technology solutions that will bridge the gap between India’s unbanked and financial service providers. The recently expanded Experian DataLabs[2] plays an integral role in the facility, providing a compliant and secure environment for experimentation with data and collaborative research.

Mohan Jayaraman, Regional Managing Director, Decision Analytics and Business Information Services at Experian Asia Pacific, said: “Responsible innovation is the driving force behind our work at Experian. Matching major societal issues with localised solutions, the data science and technology experts at Experian X Labs are tapping on data generated from alternative sources to provide valuable insights into a person’s credit worthiness. Data generated through the region’s rapidly growing internet penetration and mobile usage rates, for example, can help build financial identities for Asia’s unbanked. In the Indian context, this also translates into harnessing various initiatives in the India tech stack and the vibrant data economy to look at opportunities for boosting financial inclusion.”

Solutions that are currently in development at Experian X Labs include Experian X Score, a credit-scoring system based on alternative data, aimed at helping the new-to-credit population in India strengthen their financial identities and progressively gain access to a wider set of financial services. To achieve this, Experian India has partnered with multiple local entities in the digital payment processing and personal finance space. These developments will follow Experian’s previously launched Prove-ID in India[3], an automated identity and address verification service that helps over 7 million marginalised Indian citizens gain access to government and financial services. Prove-ID gathers key consumer insights from multiple data sources and helps banks verify customers at a faster and more efficient rate.

Experian X Labs provides the organisation with a platform to collaborate with start-ups, fintech providers, related businesses and academic institutions in the region. The team is also working to seed and develop APAC-wide solutions aligned with Experian’s core areas of expertise around financial inclusion, digital payments and consumer enablement through advanced data analytics, research and development. In addition to developing innovative technology solutions, the Experian X Labs will continue to play a central role in Experian’s efforts to build digital financial marketplaces in the region, better matching financial solutions with people who need them.

Adani Group Set to Scale New Heights in Indian Defence & Aerospace Capabilities

In line with its vision of nation building, Adani Defence and Aerospace is proud to participate in Aero India 2019, Asia’s premier airshow to be held at the Yelahanka Air Force Station, in Bengaluru from 20th to 24th February 2019. The exhibits will be showcased in Hall B across the stalls 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 3.8a and 3.11b. Adani Defence & Aerospace has one of the largest presence amongst the Indian private sector organizations in Aero India 2019.

The Adani Group is committed to the national security agenda, and to help transform India into a destination for world-class defence manufacturing, aligned with the Make in India initiative. Efforts have been raised to enhance India’s defence and industrial capabilities by focusing on platforms and technologies of critical importance to meet emerging security challenges.

Ashish Rajvanshi, Head of Adani Defence & Aerospace commented.  “We have put our might behind the small and medium enterprises in the country and invested in their differentiated capabilities and future growth. All our initiatives have been driven by the belief that India needs to have an ecosystem of capabilities, to enable true indigenization and help achieve the ultimate goal of self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Today, with our Group companies, we have amalgamated world class skills and capabilities across carbon aero-structures, metal aero-structures, transmission gears, systems & avionics, engine components etc. which are being showcased at Aero India 2019. With these capabilities, Adani defence & aerospace is well positioned to transition to system integration of larger platforms including UAVs, Rotary-wing and Fixed-wing aircrafts.”

Key showcases

Adani, along with its Israeli partner Elbit Systems, will showcase the HERMES 900 MALE at stall 2.7. The MALE UAV is being produced in India and offered by Adani & Elbit’s joint venture company under IDDM category of DPP 2016 to the Indian Armed Forces. Adani has established India’s first Unmanned Aerial Systems manufacturing facility for HERMES 900 MALE at Adani Aerospace Park in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Adani, along with its Group companies Alpha Design & Comprotech, and US partner Rave Gears will showcase their rotary-wing capabilities at stall 3.8a. It also includes carbon aero-structures and aerospace components, transmission gearboxes and gears, systems and avionics currently supplied to global OEMs. 

SASTRA University Signs MoU with SV.CO to Bring Facebook School of Innovation’s Virtual Reality Course

In a move to bridge the gap between academia and industry, SASTRA, a deemed-to-be university in Thanjavur, has signed an MoU with SV.CO, India’s first digital incubator for college entrepreneurs, to bring the Facebook School of Innovation’s Virtual Reality Elective for its students.

Ranked as a Grade 1 Category Institute by the University Grants Commission, the highest classification for Universities in India, SASTRA is empowered with the autonomy to create courses in partnership with industry, in order to bolster the central government’s Skill India and Startup India programmes.

As part of the programme, Foundation for Innovation & Research at SASTRA TBI (FIRST), the new Technology Business Incubator (TBI) supported by the Department of Science and Technology, has setup a modern VR Lab comprising of devices such as Oculus Rift, Oculus GO, HTC Vive, and other ultra-modern gaming laptops for its students.

A group of 40 students, shortlisted out of 100 applications, has been selected for the inaugural batch of the Virtual Reality course, part of the university’s academic degree launched as an elective for sixth-semester students. Students from various disciplines such as computer science, electronics, mechatronics &biotech have opted for the VR elective, indicating a broad acceptance across multiple branches for the Facebook-supported course.

Satyajeet Singh, Head of Platform Partnerships for India and South Asia, Facebook, said: “The School of Innovation programme is committed to support the creation of a robust innovation ecosystem in emerging technologies at universities and the course integration with SASTRA University is our first major step in this direction.”

The School of Innovation programme, co-created by Facebook and Startup Village Collective (SV.CO), is designed to help students work with emerging technology, build world-class products, under the mentorship of industry experts.

Speaking about the partnership, Suma Sundararajan, Programme Head and Chief Operating Officer of SV.CO, said: “SASTRA is laying a strong foundation to systematically move up in the ARIIA innovation rankings as all the key parameters like launching new courses, setting up of new infrastructure and guidance for students to build prototypes are an integral part of the course design.”

Launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Development, the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) ranks Indian academic institutions on their innovation rankings and catalyse the adoption of modern courses by academic institutions in the field of technology and entrepreneurship.

Elaborating on the VR elective’s USP, Sridharan Venkataramanan, CEO of Foundation for Innovation & Research at SASTRA TBI, said: “In this digital era, it is critical to develop young engineering workforce with emerging technologies such as VR, AR etc. This course is well designed with help of industry experts and makes SASTRA students ready to face the digital world as we embrace the Industry4.0 in manufacturing domain and overall Business4.0 across segments such as retail, banking, finance and so on. We are happy to collaborate with the School of Innovation. Our faculty team has been trained, and we have industry curriculum as well as support from industry professionals for course evaluations.”

Keeping in mind the practice of higher education syllabuses taking a long time to be updated, SASTRA has integrated the course in three weeks with the School of Innovation. According to Venkataramanan, an industry veteran, the elective will lead to a well-rounded industry learning experience and value for the students.

At the School of Innovation’s upcoming VR Day Programme, where 21 talented student developers will be showcasing their innovations in the field of virtual reality, SASTRA will also be sharing its learnings focusing on the new course.

The event, to be held on February 23 in Bengaluru, will offer the visiting academic institutes a glimpse of how the university integrated the emerging technologies course into its industry curriculum.

Academic institutions and students can access the details of the VR course at www.sv.co/sastra .