Adani School Children Present Handwritten Letters on Mother’s Day

On the Mother’s Day, thousands of children in Adani Foundation-run schools across India got innovative to express their love. They got down writing it down on a piece of handwritten letter each on how they felt about their mothers.

A total of 2217 students from five schools took part in the exercise. Adani Vidya Mandir Ahmedabad, Adani Public School Mundra (Gujarat), Adani Vidyalaya Kawai (Rajasthan), Adani Vidya Mandir Surguja (Chhattisgarh) and Adani Vidyalaya Tiroda (Maharashtra) took up this innovative way to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Children were free to choose a language of their choice and comfort as the love for a mother is universal and it transcends any barrier of languages.

Deliberately, children were not influenced or briefed on how to articulate their feelings. The objective was to allow them express their genuine love in their own unique ways.

Students from class 3 to 8 participated in the campaign.

A few children had brought photographs of their mothers, which they pasted on the top of blank papers and then started penning down their feelings.

After the exercise, the children went home with the letters to show it to their mothers as a unique way to express their gratitude and love on the Mother’s Day.

“Mothers are superwomen but often it is difficult to express our love and gratitude in simple few words. Hence, celebrating Mother’s Day in such an innovative way is a great opportunity for our students to show gratitude to their mothers. It also teaches them the charm of handwritten expression which is becoming a lost art in today’s digital age,” said Ms. Shilin R. Adani, Trustee, Adani Foundation. 

Amit Kumar Entertained Audiences at Omkar Music Fest 2019 in B'lore

Omkar Music Festival, a 2-day musical extravaganza concluded today at the MLR Convention Centre in Bengaluru. The second day of the musical festival was titled ‘Aati Rahenge Baaharein - Unparalleled Jugalbandi’ and featured performances from Shri Amit Kumar, celebrated Bollywood singer, son of playback legend Kishore Kumar along with Classical Vocalist and founder of Omkar Music Trust - Pt. Imam Das.

Audiences also witnessed Smt. Sromona Chakraborty, renowned singer from Satyajit Ray movies, daughter of the proclaimed Indian actress Smt. Ruma Guha Thakurta pair up as the female vocalist with Pt. Iman Das to deliver a few melodious tunes, along with RJ Swagata adding a touch of nostalgia by narrating stories behind each song.

This edition of the music festival was in aid of Elderly Care, with proceedings from the event going towards ‘Omashram Trust’, an organization dedicated to supporting and nurturing the elderly.

Omkar Music Festival was co-sponsored by YouthPhoriya and Manipal’s American University of Antigua, College of Medicine with the venue MLR Convention Centre being sponsored by Celebrations Senior Living, Brigade Hospitality. Marriott International, Whitefield were on board as the Hospitality Partner to host celebrity artists - Amit Kumar as well as Ustad Sabir Khan and his sons. Manasum Retirement Homes and Portea Home Healthcare joined the bandwagon as Gold Sponsors. The Hindu – Metroplus, Radio Fever FM and TV5 showed support by becoming the media partners in their respective capacities. Bogineni Coffee a premium coffee experience zone, Indian Music Experience Museum and Cupcake Noggins offered their generosity to be the gift partners for the artists and guests. Silver Talkies chipped in to be the Elderly Care Partner by anchoring the event and moderating the panel discussions on both days of the festival. The creative materials were the result of dedicated efforts by digital promotion partner BrewMyBrand.

The festival was promoted, marketed and put together by Shilpi’s Voice & Visuals along with Omkar Music Trust. SVV is an organization that endeavours to promote performing arts and support social causes. SVV aspires to promote Indian arts, artists as well as bridge the gap between artists and philanthropists.

LG Electronics Organizes ‘Blood Donation Drive’ Across Country

On the occasion of LG Electronics India’s 22nd anniversary, the company is extending its commitment towards the nation by organizing a mega blood donation drive across 47 cities today.

The CSR initiative is led in association with National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India. The blood bank partners are Army Command Hospitals, Red Cross Society of India, Rotary, Lion’s, Govt. hospitals and others.

In addition to the blood donation camps across the country, this initiative also aims in spreading the awareness about this noble gesture of donating blood. LG rolled out this initiative through radio, digital and on-ground activations at retail stores inviting Indian citizens to donate blood and become a proud life savior.

Ki-Wan-Kim MD LG Electronics India said, “We at LG understand the importance of good health. Certainly, there is a need to create awareness around blood donation and through such initiatives, we hope to bring a positive change in society. This is yet another gesture from us to showcase our deep commitment and care for the Indian society. I am thankful to all donors who came forward for this cause”.

Commenting on this initiative, Umesh Dhal, Director and CRO-LG Electronics India said, “The most valuable gift a human can give to another is Blood. We can create blood relation with other fellow citizens and build a strong bond with the nation, this gesture will make us Proud Life Saviors. This can bring real strength to our nation”.

Manoj Mohandas, Regional Business Head said, “We are extremely proud to organize this mega CSR drive in our region. Our 22 years long journey in India is a remarkable milestone. ‘Let’s create blood relations’ is a step towards sensitizing and motivating citizens for blood donation.”

This initiative further strengthens LG's core essence of 'Life's Good' and showcases brilliantly how the brand wants to reach out to those who are in need of such assistance. It allows individuals to witness the power in their hands and how collaborative efforts can help transform lives. LG is proud to initiate this droive across India. #bandwithnation

Reebok Hosted its First Night Marathon- Float-A-Thon in B'lore

A global pioneer in the running and fitness innovation space, Reebok organised its first ever night marathon - Float-A-Thon, the most exhilarating night run of the season in Bengaluru. In line with Reebok’s efforts to encourage consumers to make fitness a way of life, this innovative 5km and 10km night run was led by Reebok Running Squad and runners of the city to experience and explore a different side of Bengaluru.

Upping up the excitement quotient of the night, Float-A-Thon was graced by actors Kriti Kharbanda and Karan Tacker, who supported the attendees while participating and challenging their own limits. The event commenced with an energetic and fun Zumba warm up for the participants, followed by an adrenalin charged flag off of the night marathon.

Speaking of the night marathon, actor, Kriti Kharbanda, said, “Reebok’s Float-A-Thon was such an actioner. It was motivating to witness such great participation from Bengaluru and people eager to make fitness a lifestyle choice. I am glad to have been associated with such an exciting event.”

Sharing his experience, actor, Karan Tacker, said, “Running has been an essential part of my fitness regime. Reebok’s Float-A-Thon gave me an opportunity to share my passion with Bengaluru and it was nothing less than a spectacle.”

This unique initiative curated by Reebok brought together the fitness enthusiasts of the city to celebrate running as a choice that they have taken up along with Reebok’s Floatride- its most technologically advanced running shoe.

Driving a wave of fitness in the city, the night was an expression of fun, passion, empowerment and solidarity. Through this night run, Reebok offered an opportunity to boost and motivate the runners that brought out their boundless potential!

Canara Bank Records Narrow Losses of Rs 551 Crore Due to Lower Bad Loans During Q4, 2019

Canara Bank, India's leading PSU bank on May 10, 2019 said its net loss narrowed multi-fold to Rs 551.53 crore for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018-19, mainly driven by lower provisioning for bad loans. The bank had posted a net loss of Rs 4,859.77 crore during the corresponding January-March period of the preceding fiscal.

"Total income of the bank during the March quarter rose to Rs 14,000.43 crore, compared to Rs 11,555.11 crore in the year-ago period," said R.A. Sankara Narayanan, MD & CEO of Canara Bank.

Total income of the bank during the March quarter rose to Rs 14,000.43 crore, compared to Rs 11,555.11 crore in the year-ago period, Canara Bank said in a regulatory filing.

For the full 2018-19 fiscal, the bank has posted a net profit of Rs 347.02 crore. There was a net loss of Rs 4,222.24 crore in 2017-18.

Total income during the fiscal was higher at Rs 53,385.30 crore as against Rs 48,194.94 crore a year earlier.

The Bengaluru-headquartered lender witnessed improvement in the asset quality with the gross non-performing assets (NPAs) falling to 8.83 per cent of gross advances at March-end 2019 compared to 11.84 per cent a year earlier, he said.

Net NPAs or bad loans stood at 5.37 per cent, compared with 7.48 per cent year ago.

In absolute-value, the gross NPAs were Rs 39,224.12 crore at March-end 2019, as against Rs 47,468.47 crore a year earlier. Likewise, the net NPAs stood at Rs 22,955.11 crore in the quarter under review, compared to Rs 28,542.40 crore.

There was also a reduction in provisioning requirement to the tune of Rs 5,120.85 crore in March quarter FY2019 as against Rs 8,762.57 crore parked aside in the year-ago period.

The overall provisioning and contingencies stood at Rs 5,523.50 crore, less than Rs 9,075.04 crore a year ago.

Canara Bank said, as per the RBI directive, it restructured as many as 41,602 MSME account as on March 31, 2019 with amount involving Rs 753.51 crore as a relief to them under Goods and Services Tax (GST).

During the quarter ended March 31, 2019, six fraud accounts were detected, amounting of Rs 704.06 crore, wherein the bank is required to provide Rs 429.87 crore, in addition to the provision of Rs 274.19 crore already provided up to December 2018, it said.

"The total amount provided during the quarter is Rs 107.47 crore, representing 25 per cent of the provision to be made. Further, the remaining unamortised provision amount is debited to other reserves, which will be amortised during first three quarters of next financial year," it added.

During the March quarter, the bank allotted 2 crores equity shares at Rs 186 each under Employee Share Purchase Scheme, the lender said.

Provision coverage ratio as on March 31, 2019 stood at 68.13 per cent, as against 58.06 per cent a year ago.

Shares of Canara Bank closed 3.21 per cent up at Rs 265.45 apiece on the BSE.

Seagram’s Royal Stag Unveils Limited-Edition Cricket World Cup Pack

Royal Stag, the official whisky partner of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, is truly making the cricket fever larger than ever with the launch of a new limited-edition Cricket World Cup pack.

The limited edition packaging has been conceptualised & designed by Ogilvy & is inspired by the actual ICC World Cup Trophy. The innovative packaging design represents elements from the sport of cricket along with iconic monuments from England & Wales. The pack truly embodies the spirit of cricket & has been launched just before the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 being held in England and Wales.

Commenting on the launch of new packaging, Kartik Mohindra, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard India said, “For Indian fans, The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 goes beyond the boundaries of a regular sporting event. The passion, madness, thrill, excitement and love for the sport can be seen in every devoted cricket lover. Our long-standing association with cricket bolsters our relationship with consumers across the nation. By introducing a limited-edition Cricket World Cup pack, we are giving cricket lovers a world cup memorabilia to hold on to & together celebrate the spirit of cricket. Additionally, the on pack contest offers consumers a chance to watch the ICC Cricket World Cup Live in England & Wales”

Speaking on the occasion, Kapil Arora, President, Ogilvy said, “Cricket and Royal Stag have been synonymous with one another for many years. However, when the brand decided to partner with the ICC Cricket World Cup, the world’s greatest festival of cricket - it deserved a special commemoration. The result is a limited-edition pack of Royal Stag that will give fans of the brand and cricket, an opportunity to collect a unique pack that celebrates and brings alive the spirit of the World Cup.” 

Emirates Group Records 31st Consecutive Year of Profit of US$ 631 million at 2018-19 Results

Key Highlights 

Group records 31st consecutive year of profit of AED 2.3 billion (US$ 631 million)

Strong business growth leading to a record revenue of more than AED 109 billion (US$ 29.8 billion)
Solid cash balance of AED 22.2 billion (US$ 6.0 billion)
Declares a dividend of AED 500 million (US$ 136 million) to the Investment Corporation of Dubai. 
Emirates reports a profit of AED 871 million (US$ 237 million), 69% down from the previous year

Revenue increases by 6% to AED 97.9 billion (US$ 26.7 billion), supported by steady passenger and cargo performance
Airline capacity crosses 63 billion ATKM with a net addition of 2 new aircraft to the fleet
dnata makes record profit of AED 1.4 billion (US$ 394 million), which includes AED 321 million (US$ 88 million) gain from one-time sale of HRG stake

Revenue increases by 10% to AED 14.4 billion (US$ 3.9 billion), reflecting further business expansion with international business now accounting for 70% of revenue
Expands global footprint with acquisition of Qantas catering in Australia and 121 Inflight catering business in the Americas, adds new facilities and service capabilities across its airport operations, catering, and travel services divisions

The Emirates Group today announced its 31st consecutive year of profit and steady business expansion.

Released today in its 2018-19 Annual Report, the Emirates Group posted a profit of AED 2.3 billion (US$ 631 million) for the financial year ended 31 March 2019, down 44% from last year. The Group’s revenue reached AED 109.3 billion (US$ 29.8 billion), an increase of 7% over last year’s results. The Group’s cash balance was AED 22.2 billion (US$ 6.0 billion), down 13% from last year mainly due to large investments into the business, including significant acquisitions and payment of last year’s AED 2 billion (US$ 545 million) dividend. 

In line with the overall profit, the Group declared a dividend of AED 500 million (US$ 136 million) to the Investment Corporation of Dubai for 2018-19.

His Highness (H.H.) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said: “2018-19 has been tough, and our performance was not as strong as we would have liked. Higher oil prices and the strengthened US dollar eroded our earnings, even as competition intensified in our key markets. The uptick in global airfreight demand from the previous year appears to have gone into reverse gear, and we also saw travel demand weaken, particularly in our region, impacting both dnata and Emirates.

“Every business cycle is different, and we continue to work smart and hard to tackle the challenges and take advantage of opportunities. Our goal has always been to build a profitable, sustainable, and responsible business based in Dubai, and these principles continue to guide our decisions and investments. In 2018-19, Emirates and dnata delivered our 31st consecutive year of profit, recorded growth across the business, and invested in initiatives and infrastructure that will secure our future success.”

In 2018-19, the Group collectively invested AED 14.6 billion (US$ 3.9 billion) in new aircraft and equipment, the acquisition of companies, modern facilities, the latest technologies, and staff initiatives, a significant increase over last year’s investment spend of AED 9.0 billion (US$ 2.5 billion).

In February, Emirates announced a commitment for 40 A330-900s and 30 A350-900s worth US$ 21.4 billion at list prices in an agreement signed with Airbus, to be delivered from 2021 and 2024 respectively. The airline will also receive 14 more A380 deliveries from 2019 until the end of 2021, taking its total A380 order book to 123 units.

dnata’s key investments during the year included: the acquisitions of Q Catering and Snap Fresh in Australia, and 121 Inflight Catering in the US; the buy-out of shares to become the owner of Dubai Express, Freightworks LLC; and a 51% majority stakeholder of Bolloré Logistics LLC, UAE; the build of new cargo and pharma handling facilities in Belgium, the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, Singapore and Pakistan; the acquisition of German tour operator Tropo, and a majority stake in BD4travel, a company providing artificial intelligence driven IT solutions in the travel sector.

Across its more than 120 subsidiaries, the Group’s total workforce increased by 2% to 105,286, representing over 160 different nationalities, mainly influenced by dnata’s new acquisitions and its international business expansion.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “In 2018-19, we were steadfast with our cost discipline while expanding our business and growing revenues. By slowing the recruitment of non-operational roles, and implementing new technology systems and new work structures, we’ve improved productivity and retarded manpower cost increases.”

He concluded: “It’s hard to predict the year ahead, but both Emirates and dnata are well positioned to navigate speed bumps, as well as to compete and succeed in the global marketplace. We must continually up our game, that’s why we invest in our people, technology, and infrastructure to help us maintain our competitive edge. As a responsible business, we also invest resources towards supporting communities, conservation and environmental initiatives, as well as incubating talent and innovation that will propel our industry in the future.”