Remote Working Technologies to Protect its Employees from the Coronavirus Outbreak'

“COVID-19 or Coronavirus, a global pandemic, has disrupted the day-to-day processes of businesses. Organizations are now focusing on the safety and well-being of their employees, and rightly so. Instead of halting operations, however, businesses can choose to shift towards remote working methods. According to a report by Gartner, 54% of HR leaders have cited that poor technology and/or infrastructure for remote working is the biggest barrier to effective remote working.  This is where the robust services of CloudConnect Communications come into the picture.

Mr. Gokul Tandon, Executive Chairman, CloudConnect Communications said, as India’s first licensed B2B Virtual Network Operator, CloudConnect Communications offers a collaborative platform that allows companies to overcome this threat while maintaining seamless business continuity and optimum employee productivity. We offer a secure, robust, reliable, scalable and trackable mobile-first unified communication infrastructure that aids remote teleworking so that businesses can continue operating even under any unforeseen circumstances. We are looking forward to helping your businesses thrive and emerge victorious from this unprecedented challenge.” 

Kannada Film Director Prashant Hires 15 Students from LISAA & CREO for Upcoming Film Gully 7

Fifteen students of LISAA School of Design, a premier fashion school  & CREO Valley have been selected by Director Prashant Ranganath from Bakeflicks for the upcoming debut movie Gully 7  during a campus placement drive at LISAA School of Design today.  The film is about the story on Vinayaka, ayoung man who walks with a dream to make cricket and its spirits felt across the globe. He drives inspiration from his mentor/coach to achieve many milestones.

“Bakeflicks is coming up with a film based on cricket. Being an ardent follower of cricket and an educationist, I am delighted to see the zeal  which students have appeared for campus recruitment opportunity offered by Bakeflicks,” says Girish Keswani, Director, LISAA School of Design. He further added, “With the technical and conceptual skills we impart to our students I am confident these students willadd lot of value to the  Gully 7 film during pre-post and during production of the film.The fact that the film is based on cricket has definitely created a buzz on our campus!!” Avi Keswani,Director, LISAA School of Design, says “We have always been confident of our curriculum and pedagogy at CREOValley School of Film and Television and LISAA School of Design. It's great tosee that Mr. Prashant from Bakeflicks has expressed keen interest in not only Film Making but our Design students as well.”  “It is days like these we at CREO Valley school of Film and Television always look forward to, where we have an opportunity to put our students’ in front real world production requirements and see how well they grab the opportunities. It is heartening, to see a good number of students being picked for various production roles for the upcoming production of Bake Flicks, the "Gully7", says Mr. Rajiv Ganesan, Headof Department, LISAA Film Making.

“Though the curriculum at CREO Valley is very comprehensive, there are some skills that can be acquired only by exposing the students to an actual production that has deadlines and deliverables. We are very happy to collaborate with Bake flicks in giving students the valuable exposure and wish to thank Mr. Prashant and his team for choosing CREO Valley for this collaboration,” he added.

Prashanth & Ashwin , Bakeflicks Entertainment LLP said, “Lissa, Creo Valley and Bake Flicks Entertainment is a collaboration which can better the film industry. An institute which is focused on bringing industry ready young talent and we as a production house are excited with this vision. We hope to create meaningful content which the whole industry takes pride!” About LISAA School of Design LISAA School of Design is a premier Design institute over 35 years of existence in France. The aim of LISAA School of Design is to nurture their students to become not only technically professional but also be sensitive tothe aesthetics, culture and spiritual ethos of the society for whom they design. Spread across 11 locations globally, LISAA School of Design is built on heritage, excellence and opportunities.

It was set up in India in 2013 with state-of-the-art infrastructure and campus in Bangalore. LISAA - Bangalore is owned and operated by CREO Valley, the school of creativity and innovation recognized by Qualifications & Assessments International (QAI), UK, Federation of European School (FEDE) and Jawaharlal Nehru Technical Education - Council of Skill Development (JNTE) in higher education. LISAA School of Design has a multidisciplinary approach to design education that promotes both creativity and experimentation, studying and learning in this environment helps the students to develop a unique perspective. LISAA Bangalore is recognized by the University in Bangalore to offer Degree Courses in Fashion & Textile Design, Interior & Product Design and Graphic & Web Design. It also offers Student Exchange program with more than 7 other locations in France. About the Director Prashanth is also the Founder & CEO of Tingg Creation. Prashanth’s association with theatre, television & cinema goes back to 2004.

He started off co-directing TV shows, managed complete production for theater plays, was part of the pre-production phase for a few films & promotional stage for several others. As a passionate pursuer of cinema, he completed his masters in Mass Communication from Mysore University & represented one of the leading universities in the country as part of a study tour to Universal Studios, USA.He was a part of the acclaimed event ‘100 years of Indian Cinema’,where he & his team launched a magazine about various facets of movie production. He moderated a panel discussion & set the tone for the discussion on ‘Future of digitization in Films’ in the ‘10th Bengaluru International Film Festival 2018’. After the valuable learnings fromUniversal Studios & priceless experience in the media industry, he is devoted to producing quality cinema.

Women's Car Rally Held on March 8, at Orion Avenue Mall to Mark International Women's Day

Women’s Car Rally organised by Orion Avenue Mall to mark International Women’s Day. Popular Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi gave away the prizes to the winning teams.

ACT Fibernet Upgrades Internet Broadband Speed and Data Limit to Facilitate Work from Home for Customers Amidst Virus Outbreak

ACT Fibernet, one of India’s largest wired ISPs (Internet Service Provider), today announced the roll out of its upgraded media streaming device – ACT Stream TV 4K to all its today announced its unique initiative to offer additional speed and data to facilitate seamless work from home experience for customers recognizing the emergence of the fatal virus pandemic in India.

Current situation requires employees at large to continue their operations from the confines of their houses, ACT will be turbo charging internet connections to 300 Mpbs speed and provide 300GB additional data, to encourage customers to continue work from home without any interruptions and limitations.

Under this plan, customers will be able to receive turbo speed boost for INR 1300 and additional data boost for INR 600. Customers can avail this plan through the app, after which their internet speed will be increased, and the additional data will be added within 24 hours which will be valid till 31st March 2020.

Commenting on the plan, xxx says “With the emergence of the new threat, individuals have been advised to work from home to reduce exposure and ensure that the virus does not spread further. As a company, we are encouraging this practice and we would like to do our part in facilitating and ensuring that our customers do not face any problems while taking up their work from home. This initiative is not only a channel to augment speed and data usage, but also a means for people to stay connected and work without any inconvenience”.

ACT Fibernet will be providing this performance boost for all customers who have higher end routers to access uninterrupted and unlimited high-speed internet and data for their work needs.

Ashok Leyland Delivers Modular Platform Vehicles with BS VI Technology in Bengaluru

Ashok Leyland, flagship company of the Hinduja Group and India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, today delivered the first batch of vehicles built on its new modular platform with i-Gen6 BSVI technology to its customers at Bengaluru. The modular platform is first of its kind in the Indian CV industry with multiple options of axle configuration, loading spans, cabins, suspensions, drivetrains on a single platform for range of Trucks, Tippers and Tractors.  This helps customers to configure vehicles based on their application and business needs.

The Modular platform will enable customisation of the product which in turn will deliver better operational economics to its customers. The company has also worked on providing improved safety and comfort in the product. The aggregates have also been improved in this platform which will ensure higher reliability and durability. These vehicles are supported by next Gen i-alert fleet management system with remote diagnostics.

Mr. Anuj Kathuria, Chief Operating Officer, Ashok Leyland, said, “We are excited to introduce the innovative modular platform, which will help our customers to improve Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) including best in class operation and maintenance cost. The modular range can be customised to individual customer’s needs - load, terrain, application and operational requirements. We are introducing these vehicles much before the launch to establish the product superiority and enable the customer to get the benefits of higher performance and productivity.”

Earlier this year Ashok Leyland seeded the first batch of BS-VI compliant trucks to its customers in the Delhi-NCR region. The company has consistently relied on its in-house R&D talent and indigenous technology for leading innovations in the industry. In order to meet the BS-VI emission standard, the company has developed the innovative iGen6 technology that will ensure higher operating profits for customers.

IIMB, MSDE Welcome First Cohort of 74 Students to the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship Program on March 8

The Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme, launched by the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), with support from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, welcomed the first batch consisting of 74 students, in an orientation ceremony at IIMB on March 08, 2020. The first cohort comprises 44 per cent women candidates.

Programme Director Arnab Mukherji, faculty from the Public Policy  area at IIM Bangalore, explained: “The MGNF programme helps the Fellows to discover growth paths and associated skill development needs at the district level that can change the development journey in many parts of the country. At one level, it focuses on the district as the unit of economy activity and inverts the top-down process endemic to public policy. At another, it seeks to build bridges to enable go-to-market strategies and create value chains and skill growth pathways that start from the district and link to domestic and international markets. We hope the cohort will uncover a constellation of culturally appropriate pathways for sustainable incomes by creating inclusive skilling ecosystems.”

In his plenary address, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, said: “It is very encouraging  to see that IIMB has a clear and impact-oriented design and structure for the MGNF programme with an emphasis on field work.”

Reiterating his government’s commitment to skill development training, he observed that the State Skill Development Missions, especially those in Karnataka and Jammu & Kashmir, had launched their own initiatives in villages towards this end. “Unless we involve districts, which are the engines of growth in our economy, in the skill development drive, we cannot hope to achieve our goal of making India the skill capital of the world,” he said.

The minister recalled an incident from his days at Benares Hindu University when as general secretary of the student union, in 1977, he was instrumental in getting the then Prime Minister Morarji Desai to sanction Rs 22 lakh to BHU, from which all first-class MA, MSc and MCom students of BHU  would get a fellowship of Rs 300  -- “a princely sum in those days, especially because until then only students of medicine and engineering got financial support”.

He lauded the city of Bengaluru for providing a pipeline of talent to the country and the world, be it in the domains of science, technology, engineering, industry or entrepreneurship.

In his inaugural address, Pravin Kumar (IAS), Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India, observed that skilling of the youth is a key priority of the government so that the growing economy is not starved of manpower. “Skilling had become a supply-driven system. We are making it demand-driven with a focus on districts.”  He said he hoped to extend the MGNF programme to all districts in the country. “It is significant to launch the MGNF programme on International Women’s Day as the programme has 44 per cent women candidates,” he added.

Juthika Patankar (IAS), Additional Secretary, MSDE, Govt. of India, said she was delighted to welcome the 74 Fellows, selected after a rigorous process, to the MGNF programme. “Skill training has to encompass all sectors of the economy and all sections of society. The MGNF programme, we hope, will give everyone, in the districts and at the grassroots, an equal and good chance to earn a livelihood. MSDE is happy to partner with one of the most prestigious institutes in the country – IIM Bangalore. IIMB has given the idea of this fellowship, a definite form and shape. The focus, we hope, will be in providing skill training services required in villages for the development of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry etc.”

Dr. S. Selva Kumar, Principal Secretary, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihoods, Govt. of Karnataka, said he looked forward to the MGNF Fellows filling the skill gap training in the country. He said his department was keen on augmenting need-based skill training by also working with private firms and engineering colleges in the state. “Verticals in our department in the districts work in isolation. They need convergence. The MGNF Fellows could help in addressing this gap.”

Jayasudha Thiagarajan, Chief Operating Officer, SANKALP Cell, National Instructional Media Institute (NIMI). Ms Thiagrajan informed the Fellows about MGNF IT portal in a special session at the event. NIMI is the implementation partner for MGNF and will play a critical role in ensuring that the entire programme is successful, particularly the district module of the programme.

In his vote of thanks, Programme Director Sankarshan Basu, Professor of Finance & Accounting at IIM Bangalore, said: “MGNF looks to redefine the model of ideating about the developmental process by truly decentralizing the whole concept. Instead of a top-down approach, it seeks to create a bottom-up approach and can significantly help in the development landscape of the country as specific requirements will be highlighted. In some sense, it is an attempt o indigenize the ‘market town’ model of development in medieval Europe, suitably adapted to the current Indian ecosystem.”

Earlier in the morning, Professor Gopal Naik, Dean, Faculty, IIM Bangalore, set the context for the launch of the MGNF.

IIM Bangalore launched the MGNF in collaboration with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India (GoI), and State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs). The institute has undertaken this endeavour in support of the launch of Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) Project.

MGNF, a two-year academic programme, is a unique opportunity for young, dynamic individuals to contribute to enhancing skill development and promote rural employment at the district level. It aims to strengthen the district-level skill ecosystem for decentralized skill development governance. It will provide academic inputs and a field immersion component that jointly seeks to raise economic output and promote livelihood in rural areas.

The inaugural cohort of MGNF was selected through a gruelling process comprising written tests, personal interview and case analysis. MGNF Fellows were shortlisted from an eclectic mix of disciplines ranging from social sciences, business administration, law and engineering. These Fellows will be placed in 74 districts across the states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Upon completion of these components, the Fellow will be awarded a Certificate.

As Programme Directors, Prof. Arnab Mukherji, from the Public Policy area, and Prof. Sankarshan Basu, from the Finance and Accounting area at IIMB, will oversee the execution of the MGNF programme.

CSS Corp wins Outsourcing Provider of the Year 2020 at Stevie Awards

CSS Corp, a new-age IT services and technology support company, today announced that it has won the Gold Stevie Award in the ‘Contact Center & Customer Service Outsourcing Provider of the Year 2020’ category at the 14th Annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. The awards were presented to honorees during a gala banquet on Friday, February 28 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV.

CSS Corp was awarded for emerging as the premier outsourcing services provider at the awards.

Over the last few years, CSS Corp has been investing heavily in enhancing its capabilities as an end-to-end managed CX services provider, leveraging best-of-breed technologies, and has become a strategic partner of choice for global brands with its business transformation-themed services. Leveraging new age technologies like AI, automation, analytics and augmented-reality, CSS Corp has transformed customer support from an effort-led to an intelligence-led ecosystem. Customers of CSS Corp have been realizing tangible outcomes through CSS Corp’s differentiated outcome-based and gain sharing models which have helped them in their transformation journey.

Speaking on the occasion, Manish Tandon, Chief Executive Officer, CSS Corp said, “Global outsourcing brands look for partners that can synergistically bring together best-in-class technology, operational and people expertise, and flexible business models, to drive outcomes for them. I believe over the past few years, CSS Corp has positioned itself as a leader in partnering with reputed organizations and driving outcome-focused CX transformation for them. We are extremely proud to win the Gold Stevie award as the world’s leading outsourcing service provider, while surpassing some of the industry’s biggest names at the awards. This award is a testament to our continued pursuit of service excellence driven by our values of customer centricity, deep tech innovation and spirit of partnership with our customers.”

CSS Corp’s presence as a global leader in providing exceptional customer service has grown over the past two decades. It has built a world-class delivery ecosystem through digitally-infused operations, and an award-winning talent development platform. The company drives B2C and B2B customer experience and technical support services. In the last 2 years, CSS Corp has emerged as the industry’s most awarded mid-tier global services company with over 35 international awards.

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the world’s top honors for customer service, contact center, business development and sales professionals. More than 2,600 nominations from organizations in 48 nations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were evaluated in this year’s competition. Winners were determined by the average scores of more than 180 professionals worldwide on seven specialized judging committees.