CBSE and Microsoft to Build Capacity for AI Learning for Schools

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced that it will conduct Capacity Building Programs for high school teachers in association with Microsoft India with an aim to integrate cloud and AI-powered technology in K12 teaching.  Meant for teachers of grades 8-10, the program will be conducted in 10 cities across the country, starting September 11, 2019.

AI and intelligent technologies are becoming all-pervasive today, transforming organizations across sectors and redefining the way we work. To equip the workforce of tomorrow, it is critical to the ramp up the institutional set-up and build capability among educators as well as integrate advanced technologies into the teaching process.

This program will provide teachers better access to the latest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools and help them to integrate technology into teaching in a safe and secure manner, thereby enhancing the learning experience and 21st century skills of all students. The 1000 teachers nominated by CBSE will undergo a 3-day project-based training for practical, hands-on knowledge of Microsoft 365 tools such as OneNote, Flipgrid, Teams, Outlook & Minecraft and Paint3D Microsoft.

They will also learn about digital story telling; creation of personalized learning experiences for diverse learners; use of Teams for virtual lessons and how to leverage Artificial intelligence tools to create BOTS and demystify concepts around Artificial Intelligence. The program will also offer them the opportunity to become Microsoft Innovative Educators. With this they will have access to free resources, tools and software; as well as mentoring sessions and discussions with global educators. Please read more here about it here: http://www.cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Circulars/2019/48_Circular_2019.pdf

In the next phase the program will be extended to cover skilling workshops for 400 CBSE School on the Microsoft K-12 Education Transformation Framework. . https://info.microsoft.com/ww-landing-Transforming-Education-eBook.html

Manish Prakash, General Manager, Microsoft India said, “AI has become a strategic lever for economic growth across nations around the world. Through this initiative, we are empowering institutions, educators and students of India to acquire early education/skills in new technologies like AI and cloud to lead that growth in that rapidly changing world.  We are excited at the opportunity to partner with CBSE, as our very first endeavour in any country, to transform the education eco-system with the power of AI and cloud.”

Microsoft works closely with schools throughout the entire transformation journey – from research and planning to creating tailored solutions and implementing the technology.

TKM, Toyota Group of Companies Employees Pledge One-Day Salary Towards Karnataka Chief Minister’s Relief Fund

Key Highlights

* Showcasing joint efforts by Toyota Group of Companies: Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts, Toyota Industries Engine India, and Kirloskar Toyota Textile Machinery collaboratively contribute towards Karnataka Chief Minister’s Relief Fund
* Extends support towards rehabilitation and rebuilding of lives affected by the unprecedented rains and landslide in several parts of Karnataka

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) and Toyota Group of Companies handed over contributions to the Karnataka Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for rebuilding cities affected by the recent floods and landslides in the state. A cheque worth ₹ 3,72,07,674 was handed over to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri B. S. Yediyurappa by Mr. Shekar Viswanathan, Vice Chairman & Whole-time Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Mr. K. G. Mohan Kumar, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts and Mr. T. R. Parasuraman, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Industries Engine India Pvt. Ltd.

This voluntary initiative by Toyota and its employees amassed strong support for the swift relief activities currently being undertaken by the authorities.

Further to the assessment of the on-ground realities and magnitude of the devastation, Toyota Kirloskar Motor jointly with its 6,000 plus employees, initiated a collection drive, where the employees wholeheartedly came forward to donate a day’s salary contributing to the betterment of the lives affected by the aftermath caused by the floods in Karnataka. The companies made a matching contribution to the employees contribution for the relief fund.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Toyota has always been at the forefront of supporting the society in addressing critical social issues. The company made some key contributions to rebuild lives in the affected regions of Kodagu District (Karnataka) and Kerala, post the floods and landslides last year. Furthermore, as part of its employee voluntary initiative – ICARE, TKM employees came together to provide ‘Emergency Relief Kits’ to the families affected by the aftermath caused by Cyclone Fani in Odisha, earlier this year.

Toyota stands with the state of Karnataka in this time of crisis caused by the floods and landslides, claiming unprecedented loss to lives and property, and prays that life in the affected regions take a speedy return to normalcy.

Singapore Airlines Partners Condé Nast Traveller & Himalayan to Create Culinary Magic

For the first time, Singapore Airlines is collaborating exclusively with the Condé Nast Traveller and Himalayan India’s Top Restaurant Awards 2019 to bring India’s finest gastronomy to its First and Business Class passengers.

The results of the 3rd edition of the Top Restaurant Awards will be announced in November. At the same time, one restaurant from the Top 50 list will be chosen to work with Singapore Airlines in Singapore to recreate a dish to be served in-flight from April 2020.

A special jury will select the winner from the Top 50 list. On the panel are:

Senior management of Singapore Airlines
Sanjeev Kapoor, celebrity chef, part of Singapore Airlines’ International Culinary Panel
Divia Thani, Editor, Condé Nast Traveller India
Kuttiah KS, Vice-President & Head of Marketing, NourishCo Beverages

The chef and team of the winning restaurant will have the exciting opportunity to travel to Singapore and experience the state-of-the-art in-flight kitchen facilities used by the airline, to understand the challenges and nuances of cooking for air travel, and to recreate a signature dish in this environment. The dish will be served to First and Business Class passengers for one month starting April 2020.

Singapore Airlines has always strived to offer exceptional gastronomical experiences and has tied up with eight world-renowned chefs to create new dishes inspired by their cultures and experiences. These award-winning chefs of global stature form the airline’s International Culinary Panel. Set up in 1998, the panel works closely with the carrier’s own chefs to specially create the unique selection that is available for Singapore Airlines passengers.

The panel of internationally celebrated chefs currently includes:

Alfred Portale - New York, USA
Carlo Cracco - Milan, Italy
Georges Blanc - Vonnas, France
Matthew Moran - Sydney, Australia
Sanjeev Kapoor - Mumbai, India
Suzanne Goin - Los Angeles, USA
Yoshihiro Murata - Kyoto, Japan
Zhu Jun - Shanghai, China

Singapore Airlines Senior Vice-President (Customer Experience) Yeoh Phee Teik says, “We are delighted to partner with Condé Nast Traveller & Himalayan Top Restaurant Awards 2019 to recognise the best culinary talent in India and showcase a flavour of their offerings on board Singapore Airlines. Taking the winning dish to the skies demonstrates our continued efforts to bring top-quality dining to our customers.”

Divia Thani, Editor, Condé Nast Traveller India, says, “We are delighted to announce this unique partnership with Singapore Airlines, which is a testament to its commitment to excellence in the skies. Singapore Airlines’ in-flight meals truly reflect the cultures and experiences of its superlative line-up of international chefs—something exceptionally difficult to manage in the air. It is also a true recognition of India's Top Restaurant Awards, which is only two editions old and already the new benchmark for excellence in the premium dining space in India. Our Top 50 list is the list that matters most to the F&B industry and to consumers across India, and thanks to this new partnership with Singapore Airlines, it will receive a well-deserved global spotlight. Our restaurants across India deserve word recognition, and this is a great step. We have always believed that travel and food are inextricably linked, and this is an alliance we can all be very proud of.”

Launched in 2017, the Condé Nast Traveller India and Himalayan Sparkling Top Restaurants Awards list is already the most revered in the Indian culinary world. Voted for by more than 100 of India’s top tastemakers and influencers, the property is a definitive list of the 50 finest premium restaurants in the country. Indian Accent took the top spot in 2017, followed by The Bombay Canteen in 2018.

Olectra-BYD Enables Financial Capital Expand its Fleet of Electric Buses; Continues its Efforts to Go Green

Leading the adoption of Electric Buses in Public Transport system in the country, Brihan Mumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) deployed 10 state of art 9-Meter (eBuzz K7) electric buses procured from Olectra-BYD - a leader in eBus mobility in the country - as part of its 40 AC & non-AC bus order on Gross Cost Contract basis. The deployment of this lot of buses follows the hugely successful trial deployment of 6 electric buses of 9-meter length (eBuzz K7) in November 2017 by BEST. The move to add 40 more eBuses by BEST is basis the extremely positive response it received from the passengers on a daily basis for the level of comfort, smooth ride and making every passenger feel proud for contributing to a greener Mumbai. These eBuses were deployed under FAME 1 (Faster Adoption and Manufacture of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles) Scheme of Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of India.

Olectra-BYD is also the first EV company to achieve the coveted milestone of crossing 5 Million KMs cumulatively driven by its eBuses under commercial operations in Himachal Pradesh, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kerala and Pune – a testimony to its quality and sturdiness.

The 10 new 9-meter electric buses (eBuzz K7) were flagged off by Mr. Uddhav Thackeray in the presence of high-profile dignitaries including Arvind Sawant, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Govt of India; Mr. Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, Mayor of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation; Dr. Surendrakumar Bagde, General Manager – BEST, Mr. Anand Swaroop, Chief Operating Officer – Olectra, amongst others from BEST office at Colaba, Mumbai. Post the deployment of all the 46 eBuses, BEST will transport around 1 Million passengers every month in this zero-emission public transport. In addition to these, BEST is also planning to procure 250 more electric buses to facilitate the commuters to travel in environment friendly electric buses.

On an average, running of the 46 eBuses will result in huge reduction in Carbon emissions to the tune of 1.2 Crore tons of CO2, avoids using 37 Lac liters of diesel saving significant costs on fuel each year by BEST and equivalent to planting 60,000 trees.

On the latest deployment under BEST, Mr. Anand Swaroop, Chief Operating Officer - Olectra Greentech said, “Olectra is committed to make zero emission Public Transport available for the commuters with an objective of curbing the alarming rate at which the Air pollution is increasing in the country. Olectra is introducing different models to suit the various requirements in various Indian cities. Our leadership in the segment is backed by continued expansion and innovation in eBuses that have proved their competency in functioning efficiently across varied terrains and geographies. As of now, Olectra has the largest market share in Electric Buses commercially operating on India roads.”

“In the long run, Electric Vehicles would play a significant role in not only preserving the nature but also in yielding macro-economic benefits including conserving the valuable forex for the nation due to reduced dependency on fossil fuel,” added Mr. Swaroop.

Deployed under BEST, the new fleet of 9-Meter Air-Conditioned and non-Air-Conditioned low floor buses, can travel up to 200 KMs in a single charge based on traffic conditions. The high-power fast AC charging system enables the battery to get fully charged within 2-3 hours. It has a capacity of 32+1 (Driver) seats with an electronically controlled air suspension to ensure a comfortable ride to the passengers. The buses are also equipped with 3 CCTV cameras with continuous recording of data offering enhanced safety to the passengers during the commute. The technologically advanced eBuzz K7 has a regenerative braking system which enables the bus to recover part of the kinetic energy lost in braking. eBuzz K 7 also provides protection from short circuit, over temperature function and lightening to ensure a safe ride to the passengers.

Gojek Launches GoGames to Address Needs of Gamers in Indonesia

Gojek, Southeast Asia’s leading mobile on-demand services and payments platform, today announced the launch of GoGames, the latest service available on the Gojek app in Indonesia, designed specially for gamers.

GoGames includes three key features:

GoGames Top-up, which allows gamers to seamlessly top-up gaming credits and buy virtual items for their favourite games using their GoPay balance. Gamers will also be able to access promotional information, discounts, gaming vouchers, and special offers from GoPay including cashback for game top-ups;

GoGames Recipe, which contains tips and tricks for gamers to improve their gaming techniques and the latest information on national and international gaming tournaments; and

GoGames TV, which features curated content from some of the biggest names in Indonesia’s gaming scene, including Belletron, Bigetron, and RRQ, as well as well- known gaming YouTubers like Afif Yulistian, BTR Zuxxy & Luxxy, and Frontal Gaming, who will share their perspectives on different games and gaming strategies.

As part of Gojek’s continuous efforts to listen closely to customer needs, GoGames is aimed at supporting Indonesia's rapidly growing gaming industry. In 2018, the number of mobile gamers in Indonesia reached 60 million and is expected to hit 100 million by 2020.1 This makes Indonesia the largest market for gaming in Southeast Asia.

Kevin Aluwi, Gojek Co-founder, said, “At Gojek, it is in our DNA to constantly innovate and bring more benefits to our users. This includes the gaming and esports industry that is quickly growing in Indonesia. The introduction of GoGames is the next step in our efforts to further build our ecosystem as we aspire to meet the daily needs and wants of all our users.

“As a gamer myself, I understand that the market needs easier access to gaming information and a more hassle-free way to pay for gaming credits. GoGames has been developed by gamers, for gamers, and I am so excited that it will bring a more seamless gaming experience to Indonesia.”

GoGames follows Gojek’s initial foray into gaming through GoPay’s partnerships with Codashop, Unipin, and Tencent, aimed at facilitating easy top-ups of gaming credits. Most recently, GoPay became the first e-money payment option on the Google Play store in Indonesia, enabling millions of unbanked Android users in Indonesia to easily access popular games and entertainment, without a credit card. Since the introduction of gaming top-up services one year ago, GoPay has experienced a 40% growth in monthly transactions.

Timothius Martin, Head of GoGames, said, “We have seen firsthand the growing demand for digital services such as gaming, with our initial efforts to enable a more seamless payment experience for gamers in Indonesia.

1POKKT, Decision Lab, Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), The Power of Mobile Gaming in Indonesia, 2018.

“There are still many problems faced by gamers that have not been solved, such as the difficulty of getting information on how to improve gaming skills and the limited payment options when it comes to topping-up gaming credits. This is just the beginning in our efforts to fill these gaps, as GoGames aims to be a leading mobile content, features, and payments platform for gamers in Indonesia.”

The content available on GoGames does not only aim to improve the skills of gamers, but also helps them better manage their time and spending when playing games.

Liona Lee (also known as BTR Lea), a professional gamer for Belletron, said, "We appreciate the innovations developed by Gojek for gamers like us. Following GoPay’s support for us in world-class competitions, the introduction of GoGames further demonstrates Gojek's commitment to the esports industry. We hope that GoGames will boost the enthusiasm level of game lovers across Indonesia.”

Medvarsity Online Partners with Singhania University to Enhance Patient Safety Training

Medvarsity Online Ltd., a leader in online medical education, partnered with Singhania University to provide in-depth knowledge and skills needed to improve healthcare quality and patient safety. The Master’s in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety course is intended to upskill students to effectively monitor and improve quality metrics, along with enhancing safety for both the patients and the staff of health centers.

At every level of caregiving, there are chances of inherent safety issues that linger. With numerous medical negligence cases, it has become more apparent that patient safety is not being given the due importance it needs.  The notion of patient safety should, therefore, be the core of any healthcare delivery system. According to JCI, the international patient safety goals emphasize on aspects like effective communication, reduced risk of healthcare-associated infections, improved safety of high-alert medications and others, which ensure optimum patient safety.

“Healthcare quality and patient safety has been a core focus for Medvarsity as a means of expanding our impact in healthcare. Through our students, we’re building healthcare systems which are established on the culture of safety and quality. Partnering with Singhania University gives us a unique opportunity of leveraging their reputation & values and combining it with our reach & content expertise to make a difference.” said Mr. Gerald Jaideep, CEO, Medvarsity Online Ltd. about the partnership.

Healthcare systems have increasingly started to focus on the quality of care and patient safety to strengthen the effectiveness of treatments and improved patient satisfaction. Therefore, healthcare entities, who directly or indirectly provide care for patients, need to possess distinct skills and knowledge to elevate standards of patient safety. Effective involvement in patient care, skilled healthcare professionals, data to drive safety improvements and clear policies are some aspects which will ensure significant advancements in the quality and safety of healthcare practices. Keeping this in mind, Medvarsity has aptly identified the necessity to upskill healthcare professionals on multiple aspects of healthcare quality and patient safety, through their unique program of Master’s in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety.

Mr. Amit Yadav, Pro Vice Chancellor, Singhania University expressed his views by saying “At Singhania, we focus on better medical facilities for the community and improved training for clinical and non-clinical practitioners. By joining hands with Medvarsity, we are aiming to achieve excellence in healthcare quality and patient safety through advanced integrated learning for students.” about the partnership.

The Master’s in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety enables the students to:

* Apply various quality improvement tools, along with processes to measure, analyze and interpret healthcare quality and safety data
* Implement various national and international quality standards in healthcare settings
* Help healthcare organizations adopt a quality-driven and patient-centered culture
* Design, implement, promote, and evaluate the quality and patient safety initiatives in healthcare organizations

The course captures the proactive practices to improve patient safety, with multidisciplinary sessions that equip the students with in-depth knowledge on various aspects of patient safety and healthcare quality. The blended learning program includes 30-day practical training from leading tertiary care hospitals, along with intense online training to help gain a comprehensive coverage of the subject. Anyone with a bachelor’s degree in any stream is eligible to take up this course. It is also ideal for healthcare professionals looking to advance to leadership roles in healthcare quality or patient safety.

Close to 1000 New Jobs to be Created by Frontizo Business Services at New Contact Center in Panchkula

Frontizo Business Services (a JV between the Patni Group and Amazon Asia Pacific), today announced the inauguration of their state of the art new contact centre in Panchkula.

The new center will see Frontizo Business Services hiring up to 1000 people in different roles by the end of FY 2019-20. The center opens with 50 customer services agents, which will increase to 350 employees by Diwali and then be ramped up to close to 1000 employees by March 2020. The hiring would happen from the Hindi speaking regions around the center.

Frontizo will be servicing Amazon’s customers in Hindi from the Panchkula site thus enabling Amazon to service Hindi speaking customers who constitute a sizeable number of their customer base in India.

A highlight of the hiring would be the sharp focus on maintaining gender equality and ensuring diversity. Close to 40% of those hired would comprise of women.

Frontizo Business Services, which services Amazon customers, also will be offering many special benefits for all it’s employees including transportation, medical insurance as well as cafeteria facilities.

The setting up of the center in Panchkula would help in creating the required ecosystem of more people coming to live there, the establishment of more ancillary businesses like retail spaces, entertainment, food and beverage outlets and lifestyle requirements. …all of which together have the potential of creating yet more jobs in the area.

The mission of Frontizo Business services is to be the ‘gold standard on customer obsession by focusing on delighting the customers.’ This has been recognized by Amazon, which has awarded Frontizo with the Customer Obsession Award (given to the best service provider in the Amazon Global Outsourcing network) three times in 2018 and twice thus far in 2019.

Speaking on the launch, Mr Apoorva Patni, of the Patni Group (the key investor in Frontizo Business services) said, ‘It makes me proud that Frontizo is spearheading our mission of customer centricity with innovative solutions to serve the Indian consumer. I am also humbled to be a part of the promising future for the  Panchkula community and the impetus we are giving to it by this 1000 people center.

Mr Vinod Kumar, MD & CEO – Frontizo Business Services added, ‘Our vision is to transform how India buys. We at Frontizo will look at every opportunity to address customer needs in a fast changing environment. It is also a unique opportunity to help in the important area of job creation, and skill building. This center will set great new standards in customer service.’