ICICI Bank Stands in Solidarity with Karnataka Government to Fight COVID-19 Pandemic

Details

* Provides protective equipment to district administrations, municipal corporations and police forces
* The list includes 66,000 surgical masks, 2,300 litres of sanitisers and 52,500 gloves

ICICI Bank stands in solidarity with the Government of Karnataka by providing protective equipment to the state government, hospitals and police forces for their tireless efforts to safeguard citizens of the state in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

ICICI Bank is working actively with the authorities on this front. The Bank has donated protective equipment like 66,000 of three-ply surgical masks, 2,300 litres sanitisers, 52,500 gloves and 15,000 kg of bleaching powder to the Deputy Commissioners of Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru, Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Chitradurga and Udupi among others. This initiative is part of the Bank’s nation-wide drive of contributing various protective gears to aid the front-liners to combat the pandemic.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Saurabh Singh, Head- Government Banking, ICICI Bank said, “ICICI Group has a legacy of supporting the development of the nation as well as providing support in times of natural calamities and disasters. Taking this legacy forward, we are standing in solidarity with various state governments, police departments and health professionals in their tireless efforts to treat and safeguard citizens of the country in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Our support to the various authorities in Karnataka is part of these activities.

The doctors treating the COVID-19 suspects / patients and the police and paramilitary forces managing orderly implementation of the lockdown are at the frontline of this combat. We have focussed our efforts to reach out to the government hospitals and the forces in the state. Despite supply chain challenges, we are providing them supplies in the form of sanitisers, surgical masks, N95 masks, gloves, personal protection equipment, etc. We are also providing equipment like thermal scanners and non-invasive category ventilators.“

Havmor Ice Cream Partners with Dunzo for Delivery Services in 8 Cities

Havmor, one of India’s leading ice-cream brands has partnered with on-demand e-commerce platform, Dunzo, to deliver its range of ice cream products to the consumers. It has been launched as “Havmor Ice-Cream Xpress” store on the Dunzo delivery app. The delivery service is being operationalised in 8 cities including Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mumbai and Pune in the next few days.

Keeping in mind the current shift of consumers’ preference towards home consumption, the brand has associated with the online delivery platform, Dunzo, to ensure smooth delivery of the products. Havmor being a consumer-driven brand wants to deliver a lot of happiness and joy to its consumers through its products.

Consumers will have the option of over 35 of Havmor’s award-winning products to choose from and order. The list includes bestselling products such as Cookie and Cream, Mango Magic, Zulubar, Matka Kulfi, Nutty Belgian Dark Chocolate, Sandwich Ice Cream, American Nuts, Black Forest Ice cream cake, Alphonso Mango, Cookie Cream, Butter Scotch to name a few. Other than this, products from Havmor parlours will also be available. The brand is also working towards creating an exclusive range for the consumers of Havmor’s online channel which will be specifically available on Dunzo. The ordered products will be collected by a Dunzo delivery partner from Havmor’s delivery locations in each city and will be delivered to the consumers taking all precautionary safety and hygiene measures as advised by the Government of India.

Commenting on this initiative, Mr. Anindya Dutta, MD, Havmor Ice-cream said, “In this current scenario, it is imperative that we reach out to the consumers directly to their homes and Dunzo is a great platform to be associated with. It allows us to ensure that consumers can order their favourite ice creams from home and Dunzo delivers it and hands it safely right to their doorsteps.”

Kabeer Biswas, CEO & Co-Founder, Dunzo said, “These are extraordinary times and delivery partners like Dunzo partners are braving the streets to ensure the city’s essential needs are met. During this time, we are taking extra measures to ensure the safety of our users, partners, and merchants with safety checks across every touchpoint. As summer approaches, we believe this partnership with Havmor will add another dimension of delight for users as they enjoy Havmor Ice Cream while staying safely home.”

India Takes a Giant Leap Towards the Future on National Tech Day

On National Technology Day, that marks India’s progress in the field of science and technology,  AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems Pvt Ltd, introduced the home model of their Atmospheric Water Generator, AKVO Pod.

At one hand, when the world is in the grasp of a vicious disease and is grappling for its survival, it is also peak summertime in the country which means acute water scarcity. To help ease the struggle, AKVO has come up with a remarkable solution through AKVO Pod. It is ideal for homes, offices and small businesses. This unit can make up to 50 litres of pure drinking water per day. The AKVO Pod features a superior filter system that delivers clear and healthy drinking water.

AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems is a pioneer in producing India’s first indigenously manufactured atmospheric water generator. AKVO provides safe and pure drinking water using the AWG (Atmospheric Water Generator) technology which replicates the natural process of condensation by simulating a dew point, which allows it to make water continuously, even in low humidity conditions. AKVO works on a simple plug and play method and consumes one unit of electricity to run for an hour. AKVO has now become India’s largest AWG manufacturer with over 200 machines sold in India and Gulf countries. Moreover, this water is cheaper than any RO/UV or bottled market water. While the RO/UV filtrated water wastes 4 litres of water for just 1 litre of drinking water, AKVO has zero water wastage. The bottled mineral water which is marketed is available anywhere between INR 4.50 to INR 5.00 per litre and always has the cleanliness suspicion tag attached with it, while ours costs only INR 1.75 to INR 2.00 per litre.

The AKVO Pod has been priced at INR 99, 000 plus GST as applicable and the pre-booking starts from 11th May 2020.
Customers can pre-book an AKVO Pod for an initial sum of Rs. 5,000 during the inaugural launch period which will last till Customers pre-booking an AKVO Pod, have an added advantage of availing a discount of Rs.15,000 on the machine will also be applicable. AKVO Pod will be delivered within 45 days of the booking and comes with a 1-year warranty.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Navkaran Singh Bagga, Founder and CEO AKVO Atmospheric Water Systems Pvt Ltd stated, “Although being home to nearly a sixth of the world’s population, India only gets 4% of the Earth’s fresh water. It has been our endeavour to change the dynamics by bringing water supply to the Indian masses at a very cost efficient and sustained manner. 70% of Indians have poor or no access to safe drinking water and 22% of Indians do not have water reaching their homes. With only 60% of water available for consumption by 2030 we are alarmingly marching towards a crisis that will require human intervention right away otherwise we will stare at a third world war and this time over water. We had always received a demand from our patrons for a unit that was suitable for their homes and offices. AKVO Pod is an answer to that requirement. We hope, with this, we can reduce some of our dependency on groundwater and make ourselves future ready.”

Water scarcity reports have become the norm across the globe. Our country is not far behind on the trend. 12 per cent of India’s population is already living the 'Day Zero' scenario, thanks to excessive groundwater pumping, an inefficient and wasteful water management system and years of deficient rains. According to the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) report released by the Niti Aayog in 2018, 21 major cities (Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and others) are racing to reach zero groundwater levels by 2020, affecting access for 100 million people. The Chennai water crisis of last year gave an experience of the seriousness of the issue. The CWMI report also states that by 2030, the country's water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of millions of people and an eventual six per cent loss in the country's GDP. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that an individual requires around 25 litres of water daily for meeting his/her basic hygiene and food needs. The world and our country need an immediate and long-term solution to the water issues.

While the entire country is under lockdown and manufacturing processes have halted all across, AKVO is ready to bring AKVO Pod in the market. They had been working on building this machine for a year, especially, keeping in the mind the Chennai Water Crisis of 2019 that made global headlines. Chennai has been one of the biggest markets for AKVO in the country with over 50 machines sold.

IPRS to Host a Webinar on ‘The Future of Paid Online Concerts’ in Association with Music Plus

These are unprecedented times across the world and we all know that businesses are going to be adversely impacted. None more so than the live music business which has been the prime revenue generator for artists, musicians and event companies alike. Additionally, with the shutting down of establishments that play music during lockdowns, the composers, authors and publishers also stand to suffer substantially. Rakesh Nigam, CEO of IPRS in conversation with Brian Tellis, Director of Fountainhead Entertainment, Atul Churamani, MD of Turnkey Music & Publishing and renowned performer Manasi Scott.

However, will adversity bring opportunity? Will necessity again become the mother of invention?

The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd (“IPRS”) in association with Music Plus will be hosting an engaging panel discussion on ‘The Future of Paid online concerts in India’ on Thursday, 14th May 2020 at 4:00 pm. The session will be LIVE on Music Plus and IPRS social media handles. The forum will discuss the changing dynamics of concerts worldwide and whether the world will now see the rise of paid online concerts.

The panelists of the session include industry stalwarts Rakesh Nigam, CEO of The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd (IPRS) and Brian Tellis, Director of Fountainhead Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. along with the popular performer Manasi Scott, singer, songwriter and actress and will be moderated by Atul Churamani, MD of Turnkey Music & Publishing. The panelists will talk about the future of the Indian music industry, the options of alternate revenue streams, the financial and technical requirements and opportunities of virtual concerts and the critical role a society like IPRS would play in this changed world.

Rakesh Nigam, CEO, IPRS said, “After receiving a positive response to the previous session, we are glad to partner with Music Plus once again to host this webinar on “The Future of Online Paid Concerts”. We strive to help our music fraternity in all possible ways and this webinar is a step towards that. We are hoping that this session will help us emphasize the importance of people paying for concerts to encourage creativity among artists and simultaneously support them in these challenging times.”

Brian Tellis, Director of Fountainhead Entertainment commented, “There will be a change around the live entertainment industry. If virtual concerts go the paid route, this may fulfill the needs of musicians, but the sustainability of technicians then comes into question. We will delve into the issue and address factors that will be determining the industry’s future course of action.”

Ms. Manasi Scott, singer, songwriter and actress said, “My heart breaks when I think of not being able to experience an open-air concert in the near future! The world as we knew it is rotating into a new world order. Concerts are sheer magic, when 1000s come together to be united by music. Yet there’s excitement in this new way forward. Where thousands were physically present in one place, now millions can connect and watch from across the world in real time. The west always had the concept of massive ticket sales and have converted that into paid virtual concerts beautifully. I have faith in the Indian audiences too. My job is to create quality, online content and present my virtual shows with the same larger-than-life way I do onstage and I’m sure audiences here will support me and other artistes and pay for this pleasure!”

Mr. Atul Churamani, MD of Turnkey Music & Publishing mentioned, “The challenges this pandemic has thrown up are horrific. Yet I believe that our passion for music will drive innovation and India will be able to use technology to bring about significant change to the economics of music watching. I’m honoured to be part of this discussion which promises to be an eye opener for everyone.”

Toshiba is Committed to Support India During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since Toshiba's establishment in 1875, the company is ‘Committed to People, Committed to the Future’. These words express Toshiba Group's mission and convey the values that the company shares, and emphasize on value creation and contributions to society.

As per Mr. Tomohiko Okada, Managing Director, Toshiba India Pvt. Ltd. “Toshiba Group is responding to the global corona virus pandemic with measures that prioritize the safety of our employees and their families, and of our customers and business partners. We continue to monitor the situation in India and to follow Indian Government guidance and instructions, while doing all we can to ensure business continuity. Pursuant to our basic commitment “Committed to People. Committed to the Future”, Toshiba group companies in India have donated approximately INR 1.95 crores during the current crisis, towards the fight against the pandemic as well as other CSR activities approved by Government of India”.

Toshiba’s relationship with India dates back close to 60 years. Toshiba has identified India as a hub for its manufacturing operations and export base with an aim to ‘Make-in-India’ and ‘Export-from-India’. Toshiba group companies in India are committed to adhere to the Government of India’s policies during the ongoing pandemic and to honour our commitments towards all our stakeholders.

As a responsible corporate entity, Toshiba group in India is contributing to disaster relief funds of state governments to support these governments towards the fight against the pandemic as well as other CSR activities approved by Government of India, to help Indian society at large during this time of unprecedented crisis. A total of approximately INR 1.95 crore have been donated as per below during this period, the contributions include voluntary salary contribution by Toshiba employees as well as contribution from Toshiba group companies namely Toshiba India Pvt. Ltd. (TIPL), Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt. Ltd. (TJPS), Toshiba Transmission & Distribution India Pvt. Ltd. (TTDI), Toshiba Software India Pvt. Ltd. (TSIP), Toshiba Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (TWS) and Toshiba Johnson Elevators (India) Pvt. Ltd. (TJEI) in India.

Toshiba Group is responding to the global corona virus pandemic with measures that prioritize the safety of our employees and their families, and of our customers and business partners. We continue to monitor the situation and to follow government guidance and instructions, while doing all we can to ensure business continuity.

·        Toshiba India Pvt. Ltd. (TIPL)

TIPL is making a donation of a total of INR 24,69,619 in following ways:

o    Donation of INR 18,00,000 to Akshay Patra Foundation for the mid-day meal of 1000 school children in the locations around Mohan Cooperative in Delhi for a period of one year starting from 15th March 2020 to 14th March 2021.

o    Donations of INR 6,69,619 to Prime Minister National Relief Fund

o    In addition, TIPL employees will make further donation by way of voluntary salary deduction from their May 2020 salary.

·        Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt. Ltd. (TJPS)

TJPS is making a donation of total of INR 25,00,000 in the following ways:

o    Donation of INR 5,00,000 to each five Chief Minister’s Fund of the states where TJPS Operations/ Project construction sites are located:

Ÿ   Gurugram Office (Haryana State)

Ÿ   Chennai Factory (Tamil Nadu State)

Ÿ   Harduaganj/Meja Project (Uttar Pradesh State)

Ÿ   Kudgi Project (Karnataka State)

Ÿ   Darlipali Project (Odisha State)

o    Total INR 25,00,000 donation from TJPS includes contribution of INR 9,17,496 from its employees

·        Toshiba Transmission & Distribution India Pvt. Ltd. (TTDI)

TTDI is making a donation of total of INR 25,00,000 in the following ways:

o    Donation of INR 22,00,000 planned to Foundations including Chief Minister’s Fund

o   In addition, TTDI employees will make further donation by way of voluntary salary deduction from their May 2020 salary.

·        Toshiba Software India Pvt. Ltd. (TSIP)

TSIP has made a donation of a total of INR 1,13,00,254 in following ways:

o    Donation of INR 33,00,000 to Akshaya Patra Foundation in Support of ‘Mid-day Meal sponsorship of 3,000 children in Bellary, Karnataka.

o    Donation of INR 10,00,000 to Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB) with the main objective to provide management education of high quality and to promote allied areas of knowledge as well as interdisciplinary studies.

o    Balance INR 70,00,254 to the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund.

·         Toshiba Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (TWS)

TWS has made a donation of a total of INR 4,67,498 by way of contribution from TWS employee’s salary.

·        Toshiba Johnson Elevators(India) Pvt. Ltd. (TJEI)

TJEI is making a donation of total of INR 5,00,000 in the following ways:

o    Donation of INR 5,00,000 planned to Chief Minister’s Fund
o    In addition, TJEI employees will make further donation by way of voluntary salary deduction

Acer partners with Indian Principals’ Network (IPN) for Smart Teaching Initiative

Details

* With exclusive discounts for teachers and students, special affordability programs and extended warranty teachers and students can now buy and use laptops and tablets to enable them to teach better and learn smarter
* Indian Principals’ Network (IPN) extensive reach and partnerships with over 4,500+ schools in India will help to drive this program

Acer, one of the largest technology brands in the world today announces the partnership with India’s leading Knowledge Network for School Leaders- IPN (Indian Principals' Network) to expand the accessibility of educational resources and help teachers teach better and smarter during the ongoing lockdown. Acer and IPN believe that unless teachers are equipped with the right set of tools to teach from home students cannot get the right educational experience. Acer brings out a comprehensive range of laptops and tablets solution for smart teaching from home backed by easy to own and easy to maintain offers for complete peace of mind.

The pandemic has ushered an era of e-learning to maintain social distancing this lockdown. With online learning rising exponentially it is important that teachers equip themselves to work in the new reality. India Principal Network India’s foremost platform of knowledge sharing for the enhancement of quality of education, resulting in wholesome development of education ecosystem plays a critical role to ensure schools and teachers are equipped to teach in the new normal

The program will commence from May 14th, 2020 with exclusive prices, offers like additional instant discount for teachers using special coupon code, 2 years extended warranty, 1 year of Accidental Damage Protection and more on a range of Acer laptops and tablets so teachers can choose the best device for the purpose and budget.

Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Consumer Business Head, Acer India on this announcement said, “We are excited to partner with IPN India which are the leading Knowledge Network in EdTech segment. During the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 situation, it’s extremely significant to design news ways to help students and teachers to continue with learning and educating. At Acer, we believe that in this unprecedented time, technology is everyday changing our lives and hence must make a mark in new paradigm shift towards education sector as well. This partnership will bring great opportunity for students and teachers to lead better performance with the availability of better educational resources.”

Speaking at the partnership, Mr. Gourava Yadav, Founder & Moderator, IPN India said, “We welcome our partnership with Acer India at the right moment. IPN stands committed towards ensuring it members are equipped with best tools and techniques in order to enable Indian Schooling system to be the best one and truly becoming a contributory in the growth of our country’s talent pool. With lockdown there is a sudden rise in e-learning setup, and to match up to the quality of education and our vision to deliver best learning and knowledge practices, PC solutions from Acer India will go an extra mile.”

Mrs. Seetha Murty, Director Education, Silver Oaks Group of Schools, India & President, Heads Association of IB World Schools, India “Schools are working hard to shift classes online for students and teachers in an urge to provide a well-adjusted education system. Along with that, we are ensuring a lot of preparation and demo classes with teachers in order to enhance the e-learning management system. Thus, we are delighted to see with Acer and IPN offering these great set of laptops and tablets which helps in progressive way of online learning”

Mrs. Tina Olyai, Director, LAHS Group of Schools, Gwalior (M.P) said, “We believe that we must find innovative ways for our teachers and students alike to connect virtually.  While this pandemic has created disruption amongst the entire education fraternity around the globe we cannot afford to let it hold back our gen next that is responsible to shape the future of the planet.  Therefore, we welcome the partnership between Acer and IPN on the e-learning front.”

“We believe that we must find inspiring and new ways for teachers and students to connect from a distance while this pandemic has created disruption among many around the world. We cannot afford to let it hold back the generation that will shape our future. This will also train and assist teachers to be ready for the New Normal which is definitely going to be a blend of offline and online teaching. Therefore, we welcome the partnership between Acer and IPN on e-learning front.” Amrita Burman, Deputy Director of the Sunbeam Group of Educational institutions, Varanasi (U.P).

Acer is Helping Each Parent to Equip their Child to Have a Laptop So the Learning Continues from Home

Information

* Customers can buy selected Acer laptops at Zero down payment and Easy EMI starting at INR 1,666
* Customers can also get free 1 year free platinum subscription content from EduThrill where gamified learning helps the student get higher marks
* Users will be entitled to a 6 months Entertainment package,
* 1 year standard warranty + 2 years of additional warranty makes it 3 years of complete peace of mind
* In addition users will be entitled to get a free PUBG + Gamer Sensei bundle worth INR 4,500 on purchase of select gaming laptops

Acer India, one of the largest technology brand in the world today announced its ‘Back to School’ campaign for 2020, primarily aimed at helping students and their parents to easily procure a new Acer laptop and to ensure that learning never stops.  In the newly launched scheme, Acer has partnered with EduThrill that uses gamification to deliver tests and assessment tools and unleashing more fun in learning and helps students score better marks compared to traditional way of learning.

Buying a new Acer laptop has never been this easier with zero down payment and EMI starting as low as Rs 1666/- per month along with peace of mind offer of 2 years additional warranty plus one-year Accidental Damage Protection absolutely free. And when the learning takes a break customers can make use of Amazon Prime, Zee5 and Gaana subscription to kick back and enjoy some entertainment.

In addition to these, Acer is also providing its consumers purchasing 9th Gen Intel i5 processor and above, a free PUBG game worth Rs 4500 plus Gamer Sensei coaching bundle.

The offer will run all the way from May 11th till June 30th 2020 and is applicable on Acer’s wide range of laptops so parents and students can get the best fit for purpose and budget.

Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Consumer Business Head, Acer India, on this announcement said, “In this unprecedented situation, there are multiple opportunities explored with the right technology, particularly helping the students expand their potential to grow and succeed. We believe technology is changing the way millennials learn. With class rooms moving to the living rooms the best investment any parent can make for their child is a laptop so their learning never stops. Our offers are designed in a way which will help buying, owning and enjoying the PC a great experience.”

The offer can be availed across the country from Acer’s authorized outlets and Acer’s E-store.