Boeing Marks a Decade of Research and Technology Presence in India

Boeing marks the 10th anniversary of its research and technology presence in India. Boeing Research & Technology-India is playing an important role in Boeing’s technological advancement. The center, in addition to building internal capabilities, has also been working closely with Indian R&D organizations, driving innovation and contributing to the aviation industry.

Using home-grown Indian technical talent, Boeing Research & Technology-India (BR&T-India) has been pursuing research and development in areas of aerodynamics, structures, materials, manufacturing, communication networks and artificial intelligence. Its researchers and engineers partner with Indian academic and research organizations such as Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian Institutes of Technology, to create value through high quality engineering, advancing aerospace technology, and creating digital solutions.

“Celebrating 10 years of BR&T-India is an exciting milestone that signals the importance of Boeing’s partnership with the Indian aerospace, ecosystem,” said Salil Gupte, president of Boeing India. “BR&T India is building and enhancing the aerospace capability in the country by bringing the best of Boeing to India and the best of India to Boeing.”

Boeing Research & Technology-India is leading a solid foundation of collaborative research projects in India. The team has set up labs for manufacturing & materials and value engineering. In these labs, scientist and engineers work to improve the design, materials and manufacturability of aircraft parts, in order to make them more reliable and create opportunity for sourcing them from Indian manufacturers.

Over the past ten years, Boeing Research & Technology-India has delivered commercially viable solutions for Airplane Health Management (AHM) and Air Traffic Management (ATM).  Its ATM experts are currently working with Airports Authority of India to develop a roadmap for modernisation of air traffic management in the country. Today, the research center is using artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve quality of wide body airplanes that Boeing delivers. Using Internet-of-Things (IOT) technologies, its engineers are finding ways to improve passenger experience during air travel.

“The BR&T-India team continues our legacy of creating and collaborating with research and development partners in India to provide innovative solutions to the aerospace industry's toughest challenges,” said Dr. Naveed Hussain, vice president and general manager of Boeing Research & Technology. “What started as a four-employee venture in 2009, today has grown to a team of over 100 researchers, delivering innovative technical solutions and collaborative research projects in India. BR&T-India has also been influential in the launch of the Boeing India Engineering and Technology Center, which is a testament to Boeing’s long term commitment to India.”

Yes Bank Launches YES Fintech Developer, India’s Largest Banking API Developer Platform

Highlights

* Sandbox platform hosts more than 50+ APIs, highest in the Indian Banking Sector  - the platform will host 100+ APIs by the end of FY20
* Wide array of APIs enabling corporate partners, startups and individual developers to discover relevant APIs, and test banking integrations for their apps in a secure environment
* Also plans to conduct a series of hackathons – registration opens on November 13, 2019

YES BANK, India’s fourth largest private sector Bank announced the launch of YES Fintech Developer, India’s largest API sandbox with 50+ virtual APIs at Bengaluru today, marking the evolution of the Bank’s technologies to Open Banking. This is in line with the Bank’s strategy of keeping customers at the core while ideating and co-creating solutions. YES BANK was the first Bank in India to launch APIs that allowed integration with the technology systems of corporate clients.

The sandbox builds on the Bank’s strategy of using API banking as an enabler to customize digital solutions for its clients. This will not only help corporates, MSMEs and startups to identify ‘best-fit’ APIs based on their sectors but also allow them to test the APIs with their app in a secure environment. The sandbox will enable clients across sectors to visualize multiple banking use cases, customized for their application and understand possible integrations & functionalities of the Bank’s APIs.

YES Fintech Developer, also provides a boost to the Bank’s effort of co-creating innovations with Fintechs, startups and the developer ecosystem to enhance customer experience. While API suites from banks have helped such partnerships, it is often difficult for Fintechs and startups to experiment with live APIs to build new features and capabilities. The YES BANK sandbox will ease these concerns by providing a secure virtual environment to test, train and develop solutions with banking integrations. Developers can complete integrations in the environment and mimic how their solutions would work in a ‘live’ environment. Once they are comfortable, they can move to subscribing the APIs.

Commenting on the launch, Ritesh Pai, Chief Digital Officer, YES BANK said, “YES Fintech Developer sandbox will create a perfect collaboration opportunity with startups to test emerging solutions such as alternative data-driven banking models, gamified solutions to nudge user behavior and more. Along with this, the platform would showcase our API suite – functionalities, responses with corporate and MSME clients and help them to understand full attributes of our API stack, while enabling faster integration with the Bank’s APIs.”

Through the sandbox, YES BANK will grant access to APIs across four usage categories including account management, payments, cards and CRM with operations such as –

ü  Accounts: Account Opening; Account Management; Customer Portfolio

ü  Payments: Beneficiary Management; Fund Transfer; Bill Payment;  Recurring Payment

ü  Cards: Credit Card; Debit Card

ü  CRM: Lead management; Customer Service

ü  Partner APIs: Sandbox APIs of partner organizations across sectors (to be launched soon)

The launch event hosted in Bangalore, was attended by 100+ clients including market leaders such as Swiggy, PhonePe, Blackbuck, Myntra and Razorpay among others who are already using the platform for banking functions like instant cashback, in-app fund transfers, customer authentication and custom database management among others to develop innovations.

YES BANK will work with its clients, the start-up ecosystem and the developer community to continually expand portal’s functionalities and the virtual APIs it offers basis feedback.

The sandbox is open to all developers, startups and corporate partners, who are invited to register their interest at www.yesdeveloper.in. Upon registration, once an email verification is completed, they will have access to all APIs in a development sandbox, thereby enabling them to test their ideas in a secure environment.

To fuel co-development of innovations, the Bank will also conduct a series of virtual hackathons and developer jamming sessions on the sandbox platform. Registration opens for the virtual hackathon on November 13, 2019 at www.yesdeveloper.in for an exciting 72 hours of brainstorming and coding.

YES BANK had also conducted a detailed study and released a report on 'Open Government, Open Data – Re-imagining India’ last year. The study was undertaken by the Bank, in support with Digital India, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).The study can be accessed at https://www.yesbank.in/beyond-banking/knowledge-reports/technology/open-government-open-data-reimagining-india.

Accenture Expands Cybersecurity Capabilities with Network of “Cyber Ranges”

Accenture has expanded its cybersecurity capabilities with the opening of three “cyber ranges” to help industrial companies — including those in the oil and gas, chemicals, utilities and manufacturing industries — practice their response to cyberattacks across their most critical assets.

The cyber ranges are controlled, interactive and hyper-realistic environments for cybersecurity training and software development used to assess network and other technical vulnerabilities of industrial control systems (ICS). These systems are commonly used to automate processes in critical infrastructure industries such as utilities, petrochemicals, oil and gas, and industrial manufacturing.

Featuring live-fire, multi-vendor capabilities, the three cyber ranges are located in:

Houston, Texas ‒ Housed within one of the company’s innovation hubs, this cyber range focuses on the oil and gas industry, from upstream exploration, midstream into downstream refining and retail. 
Washington, D.C. ‒ Focused on the utilities industry from electric transmission to distribution, this cyber range is in Accenture’s Cyber Fusion Center in Washington, D.C.
Essen, Germany ‒ This cyber range, in one of the company’s Industry X.0 Innovation Centers, is dedicated to the utilities and chemicals industries focused on electric distribution networks and chemical plants.

“We tailor security solutions to our clients’ industries and help them build resilience across their entire value chains,” said Jim Guinn II, who leads Accenture’s cybersecurity business for the energy, utilities, chemicals and mining industries. “Our ICS cyber ranges are designed to help pressure-test and improve the security posture of organizations so they can innovate safely and grow their businesses with confidence.”

Accenture is also in the construction stage of its first ICS Cyber Fusion Center opening early next year to help clients better protect their industrial networks, including field level and plant assets. Located in Accenture’s Innovation Hub in the heart of Houston’s business district, the new ICS Cyber Fusion Center will bring together world-class threat intelligence and vulnerability assessment services leveraging a dedicated team of ICS and industry security analysts. The center will be part of Accenture’s global network of Cyber Fusion Centers, joining others in Washington, D.C.; Bangalore, India; Prague; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Tokyo.

“The energy industry has the largest installed base of industrial control systems around the world, and the cyber risk has never been greater,” said Luis Luque, ICS cybersecurity global lead at Accenture Security. “Securing and defending these large and complex industrial systems requires not only improving processes and tools, but also adopting cybersecurity practices for operational maintenance and resilience programs. With the expansion of our ICS cybersecurity capabilities, we can deliver the most comprehensive security solutions tailored across the ICS environment, delivered by people who understand the zero-loss time imperative our industry expects.”

ICAT is Organizing NuGen Mobility Summit – Disruption Unveils from Nov 27-29, 2019 at ICAT Centre-II, IMT Manesar, Haryana

International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), a premier Government of India automotive Research & Development and Testing agency, has been in the forefront of creating the required knowledge, competences, R & D and testing facilities for new emerging auto technologies, including for electrification technologies. As an ongoing part of its efforts, ICAT is organizing the “NuGen Mobility Summit – Disruption Unveils” from 27th - 29th Nov 2019 at ICAT Centre-II, IMT Manesar, Haryana.

NuGen is being preceded by technology appreciation workshop for Government agencies on 8th Nov’19, at ICAT Manesar. This will include inauguration of new testing and development facilities by Hon’ble Minister of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises along with a session on electrification technology appreciation wherein the strengths, benefits, and unique challenges to electrification, specific to Indian conditions will be presented. During this event ICAT will also share the performance results of various xEVs on Indian conditions tested in Lab as well as ‘On road’.

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS, New York) has Honoured Dr. K. Ullas Karanth

The award is named after WCS’s Dr. George Schaller, considered to be one of the greatest wildlife scientists and onservationists globally. The WCS George Schaller Lifetime Award in Wildlife Conservation Science has been created to honour WCS colleagues for outstanding contributions to saving wildlife and wild places. Dr. K. Ullas Karanth is the first recipient.

Dr. George Schaller said “It has been my honour and pleasure to know Ullas since 1988 and mentoring his early career with the Wildlife Conservation Society. No one, anywhere, has done better research and conservation on large carnivores than Ullas."

Dr. Karanth was honoured by the WCS Board of Trustees on 29th October in New York. He was presented with the award by WCS President and CEO Cristián Samper and WCS Board Chair Alejandro Santo Domingo.

“Dr. Karanth has set the bar for excellence in science and field research,” said Dr. Samper. “His leadership on tiger conservation is recognised across the globe, but his influence extends even beyond tigers. Today, there is not a species of big cat that is not better studied and conserved because of Ullas’s rigorous and conservation-focused science. It has been a great honour to work with Dr. Karanth.”

Dr. Karanth joined WCS in 1988. He was inspired to become a wildlife biologist by the work of Dr. Schaller. Dr. Karanth’s research is often described as pioneering and groundbreaking. He has focussed on the ecology of tigers, sympatric predators and other large mammals, predator-prey population ecology, and mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts. He has provided research expertise to projects across the world including in Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Lao
PDR, Myanmar, Indonesia, Russia, as well as in Africa and Latin America. He has published hundreds of scientific papers, authored many books and written popular articles in various journals of international repute.

A recipient of several other honours including the Sanctuary Asia Lifetime Achievement Award (2007), the J. Paul Getty Award for Conservation Leadership (2007), the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award (2010), and the Padma Shri (2012), Dr. Karanth is currently the Director of Centre for Wildlife Studies. 

Hero Motocorp Launches India's First BS-VI Motocycle Priced at Rs. 64,900 (Ex-Showroom Delhi)

In keeping with its concerted efforts towards bringing innovative and technologically advanced products for customers, Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, today launched India’s first BS-VI compliant motorcycle – the new Splendor iSmart.

The Splendor iSmart is being launched in the market within a few months of Hero MotoCorp becoming the first two-wheeler manufacturer in the country to receive the BS-VI certificate from iCAT.

In addition to featuring India’s first BS-VI compliant (110cc) FI engine, the new Splendor iSmart delivers an added punch with its higher torque, at a higher fuel efficiency. The new motorcycle is designed to take on every challenge with its an all new diamond frame with increased front suspension travel, higher ground-clearance to take on any road and longer wheel-base for greater stability.

The new contemporary and youthful Splendor iSmart also offers a best-in-category value proposition to the customers who are seeking more with every ride. The next generation of Hero’s iconic brand – the BS-VI Splendor iSmart – draws inspiration from the core brand attributes of innovation, tech-excellence, style and trustworthiness, which have established a strong connect with customers the world over.

The retail sales of the Splendor iSmart - attractively priced at Rs. 64,900/-*, is expected to commence at Hero MotoCorp dealerships in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) within the next few days. The motorcycle will gradually be available at the Company’s dealerships across the country over the next few weeks.

(*Price ex-showroom Delhi)

Available in three vibrant tones – Techno Blue & Black, Sports Red & Black and Force Silver & Heavy Grey - the new Splendor iSmart makes a strong first impression. The motorcycle is available in two variants – Self Drum Cast and Self Disc Cast (added BS-VI onwards).

Unveiling the motorcycle here today, Malo Le Masson, Head - Global Product Planning, Hero MotoCorp, said, “The Splendor iSmart is a clear testimony to the immense progress we have made in scaling up our in-house R&D capabilities in a short span of time. This is the first BS-VI compliant motorcycle homologated in the country with a new engine family, and a new chassis design, completely designed and developed at our Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur. Conforming to stringent BS-VI emission norms, while improving the performance capabilities, style quotient and riding experience of the motorcycle is a remarkable feat. All these, under the successful Splendor franchise provide a highly appealing proposition for the customers. This marks the commencement of the transition of our product range to BS-VI norms.”

Sanjay Bhan, Head – Sales, After Sales and Parts, Hero MotoCorp, said, “The launch plan for our BS-VI products has been strategically developed keeping in mind the interest of our customers and the demographic dynamics of the market. The Splendor iSmart will be made available in a phased manner across the country as we steadily ramp-up production. The price of this motorcycle is a directional guidance of the price points of our upcoming BS-VI vehicles, which will be launched sequentially in the coming months. We will be rolling-out an exciting multimedia campaign for the new Splendor iSmart BS-VI to connect with our customers.”

Domino’s Launches a New Brand Campaign - ‘Dil, Dosti, Domino’s!’

Domino’s Pizza, the market leader in chained pizza segment in India, has unveiled its new campaign ‘Dil, Dosti, Domino’s’. The campaign aims to strengthen the emotional connect with the consumers by creating tasty and memorable moments of togetherness while capturing it in the new tagline “Dil, Dosti, Domino’s!”

Domino’s has been a progressive brand in many ways. The promise of ‘30 minutes or free’ a decade ago was well ahead of its time. Even today, the brand continues to stay connected with emerging consumer trends. The consumer today are seeking brands that are authentic, inclusive and engaging. So whether it was about acknowledging consumer feedback and launching ‘All New Domino’s’ product improvement campaign, offering great value to consumer with the ‘Everyday Value’ campaign, offering best in class digital ordering experience on the ‘Domino’s App’ or offering variety to the consumers through exciting launches like ‘World Pizza League’, Domino’s has always attempted to stay relevant to the new age consumer. 

Speaking on the launch of the new campaign, Mr. Kapil Grover, Chief Marketing Officer, Domino’s Pizza India said, “Today, relationships have evolved from what they were a few years ago, especially relationships between Friends and Families. Hierarchical parental relationships no longer bind families. There is a lot of mutual respect and friendship amongst kids and parents today. Similarly, with the family structures changing, friends have become your new support system and in fact an extended family for a lot of us. And if we recall these moments, good food has always been a glue for relationships, especially Domino’s Pizza being a shareable product has been at the centre of many such stories where “Friends Become Family and Families Become Friends.”

Shedding light on the storytelling, Swati Bhattacharya, CCO, FCB Ulka said, “Domino’s pizza is designed to be shared for people to gather around the "magic circle", pull at a cheesy slice and fight for the last bite. And in this very act of sharing and connecting, formality and boundaries get dissolved. Friends become like family, and family become like friends. Our campaign captures this essence of Domino’s and its role in the Indian consumer’s life.”

The campaign is live from 1st November, 2019 with a multi-media approach and will leverage all media channels including TV, digital and in-store collaterals.

TVC Credits

Creative Agency: FCB Ulka, Delhi
Creative Team: Swati Bhattacharya, Surjo Dutt, Arijit Sengupta, Manu Gupta, Vageesh Gautam
Planning Team: John Thangaraj, Kizzie Basu, Anuraag, Abhijit Kumar, Archita Ghosh
Account Management: Debarpita Banerjee, M.N. Damodaran, Ankit Garg, Ketaki Bihari
Film Department (FCB): Mazhar Khan
Director (of the TVC): Abhinav Pratiman
Exécutive Producer: Amarjeet Phukaan
Production House: Early Man Films Pvt. Ltd.