Microsoft Adds Five Indian Languages to Microsoft Translator to Help Break Communication Barriers

Highlights

* Brings in the power of Artificial Intelligence and Deep Neural Networks for real-time translation across 10 Indian languages in all
* Enables organizations to conduct business across the country and globally in their native languages with Microsoft Translator text API

Microsoft India has announced that Microsoft Translator will now offer real time translation in five additional languages viz., Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam and Punjabi.

This takes the total number of Indian languages supported to 10, including Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.  With this, the service will now allow over 90% of Indians to access information and work in their native/preferred languages, making computing language-agnostic and more inclusive in the country.

Language translation is a core part of Microsoft products and services. Users can avail the benefits of AI and Deep Neural Networks-enhanced, real time translation in all these languages while using Bing and the Microsoft Translator website, as well as the Microsoft Translator App for Android, IOS and Windows. The Microsoft Translator app can recognize and translate languages from text, speech and even photos. Microsoft is also rolling out support for these languages in the Microsoft Office 365 and the Swiftkey keyboard.

For organizations of all sizes, Microsoft provides APIs on Azure that they can use in their products to conduct their business across the country and globally in different languages. Businesses can easily integrate the Microsoft Translator text translation API into their applications websites, tools, or any solution requiring multi-language support, including e-content translation, e-commerce product catalogues, product documentation and internal communication among others. The Microsoft Translator service  is part of the Azure Cognitive Services API collection of machine learning and AI algorithms.

Sundar Srinivasan, General Manager, Microsoft India(R&D) Pvt. Ltd.,  said, “We’re committed to empower every Indian and every business in India by bringing the power of AI into their daily life. Microsoft celebrates the diversity of languages in India and wants to make the vast internet even more accessible. We have supported Indian languages in computing for over two decades, and more recently have made significant strides on machine translation across languages. With this release, we are bringing in cutting edge machine learning tech to democratize access to information for everyone in India,”

Bringing Deep Neural Networks to language translation

Since early 2000s, Microsoft has been pioneering the traditional Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) paradigm to translate global as well as Indian languages. The incorporation of Deep Neural Networks into translating complex Indian languages brings more accuracy and fluency to translation. While SMT is limited to translating a word within the local context of a few surrounding words, Deep Neural Networks has the capability of encoding more granular concepts like gender (feminine, masculine, neutral), politeness level (slang, casual, written, formal), and type of word (verb, noun, adjective). Microsoft continuously iterates the translation models keeping in mind tech advancement and usage, and releases newer and improved versions to all its users in a transparent manner.  You can learn more about Microsoft Translator here.

Microsoft and Local Language computing: Microsoft has been consistently working to provide local language computing in Indian languages for over two decades since the launch of Project Bhasha in 1998, allowing users to input localized text easily and quickly using the Indian Language Input tool. Microsoft also announced support for email addresses in multiple Indian languages across most of its email apps and services. Through its global Local Language Program (LLP), Microsoft provides people access to technology in their native language.

3400 Ration Kits Handed Over to the Chitradurga District Administration By Vedanta - Iron Ore Karnataka Business

In line with Vedanta philosophy of care and community welfare, Vedanta Ltd - Iron Ore Karnataka Business today handed over 3,400 ration kits to the District Administration for better preparedness during the pandemic. These ration kits were hand delivered to the District Administration Committee by Vedanta-Iron Ore Karnataka Business CSR team.

The company has set up a team to provide relief to the vulnerable and most needy sections of society, who have been harshly impacted by the pandemic and have faced significant disruption in their livelihoods.

Today, Mr. Krishna Reddy, Director- Vedanta Iron Ore Karnataka Business said, “In the current situation where Chitradurga is going through a tough phase in view of the pandemic, these 3400 ration kits are contribution by Iron Ore Karnataka Business to the District Administration to be well prepared  to combat the deadly Coronavirus. Our company has always had a symbolic relationship with the community of Chitradurga and today in this critical situation, we are working towards the same line of community welfare. I would request every citizen in Chitradurga to stay safe and act responsibly.”

BasicFirst Announces its ‘Doubt Clearing App’ for Students in India

With an aim to support the students in their academic pursuits amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, BasicFirst Learning OPC Pvt. Ltd. has come up with a new version of the BasicFirst Doubt Clearing App for students where the average response time for all queries is just 32 minutes via in-app chats. Teachers are available from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM, ensuring students can clear doubts whenever any query arises.

The Doubt Clearing App is India’s first platform to resolve doubts through live sessions with experienced teachers via in-app chatting. BasicFirst caters to students from classes 6th to 12th belonging to all Boards (including CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE and other State Boards such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Bihar) and major competitive examinations – IIT Main, JEE Advance, NEET, AIIMS, NTSE, Olympiads and more.

The BasicFirst Doubt Clearing App offers tailored packages to meet unique needs at a cost-effective monthly subscription. BasicFirst is also offering a 14-days free trial on all packages, post completion of which students can have their doubts cleared for as low as 0.75 Rupees to 3 Rupees depending upon the complexity of the question.

On the release of the app, Randhir Kumar, Founder, CEO & Chief Mentor – BasicFirst Learning OPC Pvt. Ltd said: “Due to Coronavirus, all educational institutions have shut down and exams have been suspended without a date in sight, the education system is in a limbo, where does this leave the students? Our duty is to provide the students with an interactive platform that helps them promote their academic goals efficiently by drastically reducing the time required in resolving doubts. We always put students first. Therefore, we want to ensure an entirely stress-free learning process.”

BasicFirst has also introduced a “Refer & Earn” system wherein students can earn referral points by inviting their friends to try the BasicFirst App. These points can be redeemed for various options. Furthermore, there is an option for students to donate these earned points to noble causes through the App itself. BasicFirst will donate the respective amount to NGOs, which can be viewed from the donation activities in the application.

Hyundai Motor India Hands Over Globally Proven - COVID-19 Advanced Diagnostic Testing Kits to ICMR

Hyundai Motor India (HMI), country’s first Smart Mobility Solutions Provider and largest exporter since inception, today handed over COVID-19 Advanced Diagnostic Testing Kits to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The globally proven Diagnostic Kits worth Rs 4 Crore have been imported from South Korea and offer high levels of accuracy, catering to the testing requirements of over 25000 individuals. These Diagnostic Kits are also being exported to USA, Europe and other countries.

Commenting on the Hand over, Mr. SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “As a socially responsible and caring brand, Hyundai is committed to the fight against COVID-19. To provide further assistance to the Government’s efforts, we have handed over Globally Proven – COVID-19 Advanced Diagnostic Testing Kits imported from South Korea. These highly accurate diagnostic kits can help the Government scale up the testing efforts in affected regions and arrest the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in India."

As part of Hyundai’s road map of giving back to the society, series of initiatives have been developed to assist the Government in the battle against COVID-19. The range of initiatives include:

Donation of Rs 5 Crore to Tamil Nadu Chief Minster Relief Fund
Augment the supply of ventilators and other respiratory aids such as the in-house developed Ambu Bag Actuator
Distribution of PPEs, masks and other safety kits
Distribution of dry rations to adversely impacted sections of society

Hyundai has also announced initiatives to support customers in these challenging times. Customers who were unable to avail vehicle’s Warranty/Extended Warranty/Free Service due to Health Emergency or Dealership shutdown in affected cities, HMI will offer extended support of 2 months. Customers (Doctors/Police/Bankers etc) who are in essential services are already being given Road Side Assistance by Allianz Partner/Dealers, in case of any emergency.

TKM Introduces Unique & Comprehensive ‘Restart Manual’ to Resume Business Operations Post Lockdown

Taking into account the complete shut-down of operations due to the COVID 19 pandemic and the possibility of restart of manufacturing post 20th April in light of Government directives, during the intervening period Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has used its years of rich knowledge, expertise and access to global best practices to devise a comprehensive ‘Restart Manual’ as a guide for industries to follow post the lockdown withdrawal. As a proactive measure, with an intent to support the manufacturing sector, TKM management had put together a team of cross functional experts to go into minutest details of various operations and create a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) that would ensure the safest possible restart to manufacturing by securing the workers from any health hazards. This manual is in consonance with the broad Government guidelines that have been issued and will be used by TKM, its suppliers and has also been shared as a reference document with all Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) members. TKM also intends to share it with wider segment of Industry through industry association platforms like CII.

TKM’s Restart Manual is an all-inclusive guide for reorganizing and safely resuming business operations to near normalcy after the lockdown is lifted. This initiative will aid the Government, stakeholders and the community at large by creating detailed reference document for the industries to safeguard and ensure the health, well-being and safety of all their employees thereby also enriching the lives of the communities. TKM has already shared the Restart Manual with not just Toyota suppliers but also with ACMA, other suppliers in the industry and is planning to share this manual with other industry players as well.

Sharing his thoughts on this one-of-a-kind initiative, Mr. Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “Today, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and safety of people across the globe. We are witnessing demand, supply, market and liquidity shocks, decline in real GDP growth rates, and so many setbacks. It’s our prime responsibility to ensure health and safety of employees, families and all our stakeholders. We need to safeguard business continuity and economic recovery as well by ensuring ‘Safety & health First’ approach. In this perspective, this ‘Restart Manual’ is prepared not only for our use but also for the benefit of government, industries and stakeholders. I would like to congratulate our TPS (Toyota Production System) experts who have worked hard to create this manual.

Post Covid-19, we will witness a new normal and change will be inevitable. We must adapt and remember that change is always for the better and can herald tremendous progress. We need to stop jobs that do not fit the needs, change procedures or the way we work and continue to navigate in these turbulent times. Let us work together as “One Team, One Goal” with greater speed and intensity.”

Appreciating the Restart Manual, Mr. Deepak Jain, President, Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) said, “At the outset of this initiative, we would like to thank the TKM management for bringing out a very valuable and pertinent ‘Restart Manual'. Needless to say that this manual is reflective of the very humane and caring culture at Toyota. The safety measures to be adopted at each function are indeed very well described and explained through appropriate graphics. We are confident that this manual would be of immense value to all ACMA members in ensuring that we have a safe, secure and sustainable restart post the lockdown. Further, we are also very grateful to Toyota for allowing us to use this manual as a reference guide for all ACMA members.”

As a committed corporate, TKM has been studying and observing the evolving situation in the country and is determined to devise simple and practical solutions to arising problems in hopes to help the country and the industry recover from the inflictions of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Australian e-Learning Platform Matific Forays Across Indian Market

Highlights

* Aligned with school curriculums of ICSE, CBSE boards with the most updated content
* Award-winning e-learning platform offering annual plans for just INR 210 per month, with a 7 day free trial for students
* Matific solutions are proven to help improve student’s math test scores by 34%
* Matific Galaxy has hundreds of adaptive and intuitive maths activities that focus on core maths skills

Matific, an online Maths resource for kids from primary to Grade 6, has ventured into the burgeoning ed-tech market in India, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. To address the gap in teaching Maths, Matific has launched its award-winning solution Matific Galaxy, for the India home market at an affordable price.  The solution has been designed by mathematics professors and curriculum experts for parents looking for the most updated and engaging solutions that are aligned to their child’s school curriculums. 

Matific Galaxy features hundreds of engaging maths activities aligned with school curriculums of ICSE, CBSE boards. Matific’s home product aims to provide a solution to conventional home-schooling and ensure that kids are well prepared for the future and up to pace until the lockdown period ends. This top-rated app features hundreds of fun maths games covering maths skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. Matific’s evidence-based content has been proven to help improve students' math results by 34%. The program provides parents with access to a dashboard where they can keep track of their child’s mathematics achievements and progress.

“Given the current environment, schools institutions are going online around the world as they send students home with no timeline for return. Matific’s solutions enable students to continue their learning process. Matific Galaxy is an award-winning unique platform offering online gamified Maths resources and engaging activities that promote conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills for kids from Nursery to Grade 6.”

“Matific Galaxy is backed by extensive research and designed by senior mathematics professors and curriculum experts, making it the most comprehensive online mathematics resource.

We want to ensure that all students in all areas of India have the opportunity to continue learning during this time. This means ensuring that the price is not an issue.” said Vibha Mahajan, VP, Matific India.

Matific Galaxy is offering an annual plan for just INR 210 per month, which is a practical choice considering its high-quality content and costly solutions in the education space. Matific also offers a 7-day free trial for students. Apart from offering the most advanced and relevant content at the most affordable price, Matific Galaxy works in offline mode as well, taking out the significant overheads of data consumption. 

Matific has several games and stimulating maths activities, each of which is equally gripping so that kids end up playing for hours, and learning maths in a process of self-guided discovery. Playful interactions, colourful characters, and gamification help ease math anxiety and boost math confidence amongst students.

Matific is present in over 45 countries with adaptability in 26 languages across the world and has proven to help improve student’s math test scores by 34%. Used by thousands of teachers worldwide, Matific provides relief to parents and enjoyable experience to children during a time of uncertainty. Every day over thousands of teachers and students log in for online teaching and learning.

Available both on Google Play and App Store, Matific Galaxy program can be accessed on desktop, tablets and mobile devices.

Tecno Joins Force with Channel Partners & Zomato To Help India's Low-Income Sections Amid COVID-19

Key Points

* Through its alliance with Zomato Feeding India & 100+ channel partners, TECNO is committed to reach out to 60,000+ people across 140 cities with ration kits till 3rd May

TECNO, the global premium smartphone brand takes necessary and relevant steps to support India’s fight against COVID-19. The brand has initiated multiple partnerships to provide meals to people of the low-income communities affected by the outbreak of coronavirus. Through its alliance with Zomato Feeding India and 100+ channel partners, TECNO will distribute ration kits to support more than 60,000 people across India.

Commenting on this noble initiative and unique on-ground collaborations with channel partners, Mr. Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, TRANSSION India said, “These are unprecedented and difficult times. Our Honourable Prime Minister, his leadership team, our doctors and health members work continuously to ensure our safety and well-being. The social distancing has been hard on everyone, and especially those who lack access to basic and essential provisions like food. We, at TECNO, are doing everything we can to support as many of them as possible; to ensure they have food on their plates and enough ration to sustain themselves and their loved ones.”

Through Zomato Feeding India’s ‘Feed the Daily Wager’ project, TECNO will distribute ration  kits to support 20,000 people from local communities in Delhi, Noida and Gurugram. Talking about the collaborative effort, Chandan Mendiratta, Head, Zomato Feeding India said, “These are trying times, and it's absolutely necessary for us to lend a helping hand to take care of the worst hit strata of our population. Zomato Feeding India's 'Feed the Daily Wager' initiative has been able to help 2.5 lakh households so far, and with support from Techno we are looking to enable another 20,000 in the National Capital Region. If you have not donated as yet or want to top up, go ahead and visit https://www.feedingindia.org/donate to make a difference."

Parallelly, TECNO in a unique on-ground combined initiative with its 100+channel partners’ will see both parties contributing equally to supply ration and food to about 40000 needy people affected across 140 cities during the lockdown period.

To begin with, TECNO alongwith its channel partners will inject Rs 60 lakhs in these efforts. The idea is to have all parties contribute to create a sizable pool of funds that can be used to put together an adequate stock of necessary food items required for supply.

Earlier, the company has also collaborated with key government institutions in the National Capital Region like Yatharth Hospital &  Noida police to supply masks and thermometers to healthcare and administrative workers who are at the frontline, helping India combat the pandemic.