Axis Bank Partners with Bayer’s Better Life Farming Initiative in India

* ‘Better Life Farming’ is a global multi-stakeholder partnership to support smallholder farmers in developing economies to earn sustainable farm incomes

* In India, the partnership includes Bayer, IFC, Netafim, Yara Fertilisers, DeHaat, AgriBazaar, BigBasket, Tata Trusts and now Axis Bank 

* Axis Bank will offer holistic and cost-effective financial solutions to smallholder farmers and rural farming communities

Axis Bank, India’s third largest private sector bank has joined Bayer’s Better Life Farming initiative in India to provide enhanced and holistic financial solutions to smallholder farmers and rural farming communities. Through the partnership, Axis Bank will offer a wide range of end-to-end financial solutions and services like affordably priced loans, deposits, withdrawals, payments etc. Digital financial solutions and doorstep delivery of these services will be an integral part of the Bank’s offering to ensure convenient and hassle-free transactions. These solutions will be offered through Bayer’s Better Life Farming centers which are owned and operated either by a Farmer Producer Organization (FPO), Federation, agri-graduate or a local farmer/entrepreneur.

Better Life Farming (BLF) is a global, multi-stakeholder alliance, which works with partners across the agri-value chain to support smallholder farmers in developing economies to increase crop yields and farm incomes. Launched globally in April 2018, the BLF alliance has global partners that include – Bayer with its expertise in seeds, crop protection and agronomy; IFC, the development finance institution for impact assessment; and Netafim for drip irrigation technologies. In India, the BLF alliance works with additional local partners including Yara Fertilisers for soil and nutrient management; DeHaat, AgriBazaar and Big Basket as off-takers;[1] and Tata Trusts for improving rural livelihoods and promoting self-reliant agri-entrepreneurship.

BLF has set up small centers across villages to offer farming advisory to the communities. Each BLF center consists of a group of 500 farmers from five to six nearby villages where an agri-entrepreneur provides smallholder farmers with access to agri-inputs, crop advisory, irrigation best practices and new technologies. The centers also support aggregation and sale of farm produce and operate model farms to share good agricultural practices around crop nutrition, micro-irrigation technologies, mulching etc., and demonstrate safe handling of seed & crop protection products. Additionally, BLF has also helped create local employment opportunities, supported doubling of farmers’ incomes and empowered rural youth to be a part of the agri value chain.

“Since the launch of Better Life Farming in 2018, we have continuously identified various need-gaps faced by smallholder farmers and roped in partners who can strengthen our offerings to them. Affordable farm credit, farmer financing and digital banking solutions rank as high priorities for rural farming communities. Bayer’s partnership with Axis Bank will help deliver last mile connectivity and create a more inclusive agri eco-system where all smallholder farming needs ranging from agri-inputs, agri-advisory, knowledge & capacity building, market linkages and financial solutions are taken care of under one roof,” said D Narain, MD & CEO, Bayer CropScience Limited and Global Lead for Bayer’s Smallholder Farming initiatives. 

Speaking about the partnership, Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, Axis Bank, said, “Axis Bank has made significant investments and commitments to empower rural communities and smallholder farmers. To strengthen these objectives further, Axis Bank has partnered with Bayer to combine forces and work together in addressing the diverse challenges faced by these communities. We have invested in providing end-to-end financial solutions for the agrarian and rural population, which have been built on the backbone of sound digital and technology capabilities to deliver secure financial products and seamless services. This partnership achieves multiple goals including promoting rural entrepreneurship and delivering holistic financial solutions under one roof, at the doorstep of the rural community.''

The BLF initiative has led to a doubling of crop yields and tripling of farm incomes among participant farmers in India. It has also created price transparency in the marketplace, increased the bargaining power of smallholders and promoted clusters of rural agri-entrepreneurs running their own Better Life Farming centers. The BLF initiative is supporting these agri-entrepreneurs to operate like business owners, thereby increasing their sales, revenues and profitability. Through its gender-smart approach, the BLF initiative has integrated women smallholders into mainstream farming operations by economically and socially empowering them as producers and entrepreneurs.

Currently 150+ Better Life Farming centers are operational in India in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar with plans to expand to West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. By 2025, the BLF initiative aims to empower 2.5 million smallholder farmers in India by providing them access to modern agri-inputs and improving their standard of living. These smallholder farming communities will be served by 5,000 agri-entrepreneurs across horticulture, corn and rice.

Turbostart Founders Discuss How Their Start-Ups Thrived During Economy Slowdown

Turbostart, a sector agnostic, pan-India programme which felicitates the top 25 start-ups in the country announced the launch of their second Cohort. The winners of its first Cohort not only secured funding but also had tailored growth programmes in place which included product and market validation, business model strategies with mentorship from industry stalwarts and customer/industry connects. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Turbostart has helped these diversified start-ups to accelerate their businesses into strong ventures along with adding value in terms of growth through continuous support and mentorship provided by the Turbostart’s Board of renowned specialists. 

Doqfy, a legaltech startup and Pichain Innovations, a Regtech startup bring cutting edge solutions to enterprises, financial institutes and are ready to deep dive into the market and conquer their market positioning. Doqfy is an online platform that provides legal ancillary services, and empowers users to create and customize their crucial legal documents saving more than 200 person days of manpower per customer per month with 80% improved turnaround time. Customers can use Doqfy’s platform to create automated contracts and agreements integrated with eStamping, eSigning, Franking and Notarial services.  The platform offers easy accessibility to more than 1200 customisable templates that clients choose from at affordable prices. Turbostart’s Advisory Board has supported and assisted Doqfy in building strategy, analysing and targeting the go-to-market, helped in building the organisational and advisory board structural framework, digital marketing, tech roadmap validation, brand positioning, and UI/UX.

Pichain Innovations is an ISO-certified Regtech platform providing automated AML (Anti-money Laundering) compliance solutions, KYB (Know Your Business) solutions and FATCA/CRS (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act/Common Reporting Standard) solutions for banks, financial institutes and fintechs by leveraging the combined strengths of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Blockchain technology. They research and develop deeptech systems that can proactively work with compliance and regulatory professionals to make better decisions along with assurance of 93% reduction in false positives. Pichain has witnessed growth in revenue since Turbostart started supporting them with business strategy and modeling. 

Talking about the startup success journey, Ganesh Raju, Founder & CEO, Turbostart said, ”Post the success of Cohort I, we are overwhelmed to share the entrepreneurial journey of the early startups amid the slowdown caused by the pandemic and celebrate their success. We also encourage start-ups to participate in the upcoming edition and upscale their business with Turbostart’s guidance. We are here to help start-ups that aim to grow their business and gain market visibility with capital facilitation; and offer 360 degree guidance to achieve the milestones in their business. We have decided to launch Cohort II amid the pandemic and shall continue to support Cohort I founders with scalability and industry support.”

Turbostart continues to provide solutions to the new age business start-ups and help them achieve their organisational goals efficiently.

Cohort I portfolio start-ups span multiple sectors - EdTech, Fintech, Regtech, Health/BioTech, MediaTech and a host of other sectors including social impact.   

For those interested, apply at www.turbostart.co to be a part of one of the largest business acceleration programmes and work with some of the sharpest minds guiding start-ups today. Last day to receive applications is 30 September 2020.

About Turbostart: 

Turbostart is a sector agnostic, pan-India business acceleration platform that will unearth the 25 most promising start-ups, twice a year. Run in a competition format, it enables pre-Series A start-up founders to rapidly validate, scale and amplify their businesses. The vision of the programme is to build a strong start-up ecosystem by creating a clear path of success for entrepreneurs and eliminating the tedious task of dealing with market hurdles and non-core activities. 

Applications to the second edition of the Founders’ Fellowship close on September 30, 2020.  

Laxmi Remote India Celebrates 25 Years of Manufacturing Excellence

* Started operations in 1995, Laxmi Remote (India) Private Limited (LRIPL) is a leading Indian OEM, ODM & EMS company

* The company is India’s largest remote control manufacturing company and has increased manufacturing capacity of remote controls to more than three million per month

* Laxmi Remote India is expanding its product line with internet-based category products for the Broadcast & Cable Industry

Laxmi Remote (India) Private Limited (LRIPL), one of the largest remote control manufacturers in India, celebrated its 25th year of operations today. Started manufacturing in 1995 with humble origins, LRIPL has emerged as a leading OEM, ODM and EMS company, establishing itself amongst the major Indian electronics manufacturers.

The company enjoys about one-fourth of the Indian market share in the overall remote control manufacturing space, catering to 25% of demand in the industry. With its rapid progress, LRIPL aims to become an INR 500 crore company in the next five years while generating employment opportunities for 1000 more people.

On the occasion of the Sliver Jubilee celebrations, Vijay Kumar Sachdeva, MD & CEO, Laxmi Remote (India) Private Limited says, ”For the past 25 years, it has been a tremendous journey for LRIPL. Our entire existence resonates with the vision of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat missions led by our Hon’ble PM.  We have achieved the 25-year anniversary milestone with relentless support of our employees, customers, dealers and all the stakeholders who have believed in us through the thick and thin of times. Today, Laxmi Remote India’s core strength lies in offering consumers the best-in-class quality products with the best-in-class services whether its remote control, set-up box or mobile chargers.” 

Known for achieving consistent superior operational excellence in the past two decades, the company plans to upgrade its system with the next-gen technologies, while expanding its business overseas by foraying into the export segment in the near future. Amongst the International markets that are high up on LRIPL’s list are USA, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Argentina along with the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, etc.

Sharing about its expansion plans, Sachdeva further added, “We are planning to strengthen our facilities and targeting 20% production growth in the near future. We have spent past 25 years building a challenging reputation for technical innovation, manufacturing excellence and quality. Looking ahead, our future product line will be an outcome of focussed investment on innovation and technology which will ensure that go past our competitors and deliver our customers world class technology at a competitive price.”

With the vision to maximize India’s electronics manufacturing potential, LRIPL aims to lead OEM remote control business. The expansion of product portfolio and the adoption of leading innovation and technologies are amongst the other main focus areas for the company. Supported by its state-of-the-art R&D centre in Hyderabad with sound experience and a leading name in STB manufacturing, the company has announced plans to expand its product portfolio by foraying into internet-based category products for the Broadcast & Cable industry such as IPTV, Hybrid Box, Android box & other products in the same categories. LRIPL is also working on technologies like RF, touch screen, voice control along with Bluetooth technology in the category of remote controls.

In its 25 years, LRIPL has witnessed an exponential growth, with manufacturing facilities spreading across over 5 Acres with best in class equipment and services. Witnessing an incredible journey and sustained success, LRIPL has evolved from a just a single office to two fully operational manufacturing units located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. With a clientele of over 60 companies, LRIPL has partnered with big enterprises such as Daikin, Blue Star, Voltas, Havells, Orient Electric, Bajaj, Luminous, Livpure, Whirlpool, Lloyd, Amber, Usha, Halonix, Carrier Midea, Ricoh , SUN TV amongst others. The strong customer engagements and services have been a testimony to LRIPL’s 25 years of manufacturing excellence.

India is the biggest market for LRIPL, and in line with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, LRIPL has decided to strengthen its foothold further by bolstering its local production and manufacturing of remote controls to more than three million per month. Right from development of moulds to building sophisticated cabinets, design & development of PCBs to assembly and to manufacturing the final products, after an appropriate stringent quality process, LRIPL controls the entire production process.

About Laxmi Remote (India) Pvt Ltd (LRIPL)

Started its operations in the year 1995, Laxmi Remote (India) Private Limited (LRIPL), has out grown into the state of the art-modish facility within a span of 25 years. LRIPL is an established OEM,ODM & electronic manufacturing service company in India with 2 manufacturing plants rendering manufacturing services, located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The company is specialised in manufacturing remote controls, SMPS Power supplies, set top Box, Mobile chargers, LED TV Boards, Door Bells, lighting solutions and capable of manufacturing other electronic products too. Laxmi Remote has in-house Design & Development unit, PCB unit, Injection Moulding plant, Tool Depot, SMT Plant, Spring Manufacturing Department, Sticker Printing Department. Testing & Service Centre which have best of the industry people to take on any job assigned to them.

Live a Heart Healthy Life On This World Heart Day Across India

September 29 is observed as World Heart Day to spread awareness about cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart disease and stroke. In the time of COVID-19, people are faced with a double-edged threat. Not only are they more at risk of developing severe forms of the virus, but they may also be afraid to seek ongoing care for their hearts. The population of cardiovascular patients is rising rapidly, and the disease is afflicting younger people at their peak. In India, half of all reported heart attacks are caused due to cardiovascular diseases in people under the age of 50, and 25% of those occur in people below 40.Over the last few months, there has been a revival of interest in alternate methods of fitness and well-being accompanied by correction of diet and lifestyle.               

A healthy heart is imperative for healthy living. Thus it is important to understand what it takes to live a heart healthy life and to act on that knowledge, changing your behaviour for better quality of life now and in the future. In line with the campaign of World Heart Federation, #Useheart to beat cardiovascular diseases, Ms. Anjali Malhotra, Chief Customer, Marketing, Digital and IT Officer, Aviva Life Insurance suggests some easy ways to live a heart healthy life.

Exercise regularly

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, lives are becoming increasingly sedentary with people spending most of their time sitting in front of laptops, televisions or mobile screens with no physical activity or workout. Adapting healthy habits like walking around at home while working or taking online fitness classes will help in relaxing mind and body. Incorporating physical exercises such as walking, running, cycling and aerobics as part of the daily routine is beneficial for heart health.

Adopt healthy eating habits

Common heart diseases are caused due to high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. Therefore, it is important to consume a balanced diet. Including healthy food and an adequate amount of nutrients in the diet can protect heart diseases. Therefore, ensure enough intake of green and leafy vegetables, fibre-rich whole grains, fatty-fish, nuts, and exclude sugar and aerated drinks from the diet, and replace sweetened beverages with water.

Listen to your heart and go for regular screenings

Regular screening is essential for monitoring overall health. This becomes even more imperative with increasing age and one should not let COVID-19 stop from attending your regular check-ups. One way of healthy heart is to check if your heart is as young as you, with the help of Aviva Heart Age Calculator  which tells the actual age of your heart in few simple steps.

Get Enough Sleep

Adequate sleep is key to maintaining a healthy heart. Lack of sleep increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, despite maintaining other health habits. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, (NHLBI), one must get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep every day as it has the ability to optimize both mental and physical energy levels.

Be financially prepared to protect your heart

In today’s fast paced world, one should always be prepared for uncertainties. To attain a healthy heart and secured future, financial Planning is of utmost importance. Liquidity is another problem people are facing now so, one should invest in comprehensive insurance plans to protect oneself from medical exigencies. It is suggested to be futuristic in picking investment options and opt for insurance plans that offer coverage against cardiovascular conditions and allows lump-sum pay-out irrespective of the cost of treatment.

Focus on health and wellness

Apart from focusing on exercising and healthy eating habits, it is imperative to focus on overall wellness for healthy heart. In today’s times, happiness plays a key role in determining wellness and to ensure mental peace. Picking up a passion or hobby have a therapeutic effect on the mind and soul. Attaining a good work life balance helps one stay positive and focus on the larger aspects of life like leading a quality life, attainment of personal goals, and self-actualisation. This helps in better stress management and lead a healthy living.

Few Tips to Enjoy Dream11 IPL 2020 from the Comfort of Your Homes

For over 10 years, Dream11 IPL has been a constant source of entertainment for Indians. The fandom for the series has grown phenomenally with each passing year and viewers wait with bated breath for the next season. After multiple deliberations, Dream11 IPL is now set to make a comeback this month with its 13th season. The league will premiere on September 19th in the UAE.

While fans will miss out on the stadium energy and vibe, here are a few things that you can do at home to make this experience an equally enjoyable one. 

Upgrade to HD channels: The most important tip to start your Dream11 IPL 2020 season is to switch to the High Definition (HD) channels for your television, if you haven’t already. HD will give you enhanced clarity, sharpness and better graphics, making the overall viewing experience richer and comfortable. One might not be in a stadium, but the quality of the picture with HD channel will make you feel like you’re right there with your favourite cricket stars.

Get on a healthy diet: Stock up on healthy snacks while you enjoy the league. Eat clean and healthy food to stay fit and energetic.

Physical activity: To maintain the vibe of the stadium at home, stand up to cheer when your favourite player hits a 4 or a 6. Get up and walk around during breaks, jump up when a wicket falls. This will help you stay active throughout the match.

Family time: Enjoy watching every match with the family. To make the environment fun, pledge your allegiance to the team which is up against your sibling’s favourite team. After all, a family that cheers together, stays together.

Virtual meet-up with friends and colleagues: You might have not met your friends and colleagues in person in the past few months but this is the perfect opportunity to virtually connect with them to “chill” together and enjoy the Dream11 Indian Premier League 2020.

Reliance General Insurance Introduces New Offering Across India - "Insurance Giftcard"

Reliance General Insurance, a 100% subsidiary of Reliance Capital, has introduced first-of-its-kind offering, ‘Insurance Gift Card’, a smarter and never before opportunity of gifting ‘Insurance’. The product has been chosen as one of the few ideal and innovative offerings under the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) sandbox guidelines. The product is specially designed keeping in mind the gifting scenario in India during the festive season and is super easy to buy and gift. 

This ‘Insurance Gift Card’ is like any prepaid card, available with denominations of ₹500 and ₹1000 and can be bought instantly from the reliancegeneral.co.in website. As soon as you buy the ‘Gift Card’ online, you will receive the voucher on your emailalong with instructions to redeem the voucher. You can then easily share that card electronically with the person you’re gifting it and the bearer can buy a health insurance protection. The gift card is available at a discounted rate of 10% for bearer of card or self for any personal lines of Insurance products. The transactions will be completely digital in nature which will bring convenience and transparency for customers. The usage period of the Gift Card would be 6 months from the date of purchase and is refundable if unused. 

Talking about this launch, Mr. Rakesh Jain, CEO, Reliance General Insurance said, “In India gifts are like blessings, a small token on every festive or celebratory occasion is a way to express care towards our loved ones. And this year with the pandemic around, people are more concerned about the health of their friends and family, so what can be more better than gifting a protection of health insurance. An health insurance cover bought from this ‘Insurance Gift Card’ will take care of their medical uncertainties, which prove to be a financial blessing in time of need.” 

The country is slowly and steadily opening to the ‘new normal’ and is getting into the festive mood with Dussehra, Diwali and the wedding season around and this ‘Insurance Gift Card’ comes across as a smart choice of gifting during this time. 

About Reliance General Insurance - Reliance General Insurance, a part of Reliance Capital, is one of the leading general insurance companies of India.  The Company offers a well-rounded and comprehensive bouquet of products including Motor Insurance,  Health Insurance, Travel Insurance, and Home Insurance, and offers customized solutions to meet the protection needs of each customer. Reliance General Insurance has a wide network of more than 40,000 intermediaries across 136 branch offices across India for offering its products and services to retail, corporates and SME clients   

Bayer’s Aflibercept Injection (EyleaTM) for intravitreal Use Receives DCGI Approval for Diabetic Macular Edema Indication

* Intravitreal Aflibercept is a highly targeted, evidence-based treatment administered via injection directly in the area of swelling in the eye.

* Diabetic macular edema is the most common cause of moderate vision loss in Indian diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy 

* This new indication for intravitreal aflibercept (EyleaTM) provides an additional treatment option for patients with diabetic macular edema in India

Bayer in India today announced that the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved a new indication for intravitreal Aflibercept (EyleaTM) injection solution to treat Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). The approval of Aflibercept injection for intravitreal use presents a new and alternative treatment option to currently available therapies, for patients with DME.

India is estimated to have the second highest number of diabetes cases in the world, with 77 million cases projected to grow to more than 100 million cases by 2030.[1] Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the most common cause of moderate vision loss in patients with diabetic eye diseases, and is expected to affect 22.4 million Indians within the next two decades.[2]

Explaining the magnitude of this disease burden, Dr. Shobhit Chawla, Sr. Vitreo-Retina Consultant, Lucknow and President, Vitreo-Retina Society of India  said, “Based on existing medical literature, we can estimate that diabetic eye disease is found approximately in every fifth person living with diabetes in urban India, and every tenth person living with diabetes in rural India.[3] However, very few diabetic patients get screened proactively. The current pandemic has exacerbated this situation, with many patients waiting until symptoms of vision loss worsen.

Manoj Saxena, Managing Director Bayer Zydus Pharma said, “India has a large and growing prevalence of diabetes, coupled with low levels of awareness and diagnosis of vision-related complications resulting from the condition. Since a significant number of people living with diabetes are under 50, are working and may have dependent families, the economic and social burden of such complications is high.[4] Intravitreal Aflibercept (EyleaTM) offers patients impacted by diabetic vision loss a new option to be proactive and stay ahead of the disease, thereby allowing patients to maintain their vision and to continue to participate in important daily activities such as reading, working and driving.”

He continued, “We are also ensuring this innovative and effective treatment remains accessible through our unique patient support program as well as financing partnership for patients. We look forward to extending our commitment to preserving healthy vision for patients in India, and continue to emphasize a proactive approach to disease management that best maintains and supports their journey to better health.”

About Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)

Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) occurs when high blood sugar levels damage capillaries that leak fluid into the retina, resulting in swelling and blurred vision. By targeting and stopping the release of the VEGF protein that causes fluid leakage and new blood vessel growth, anti-VEGF therapies like intravitreal aflibercept (EyleaTM) rapidly reduce swelling and restore central vision.   

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2019, the Group employed around 104,000 people and had sales of € 43.5 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to € 2.9 billion and R&D expenses to € 5.3 billion.