MG Developer Program & Grant 2.0 Unveiled, to Provide Platform to Auto-Tech Start-Ups

In a bid to promote innovation while strengthening India’s urban mobility space, MG Motor India has now commenced the second phase of its initiative - MG Developer Program & Grant 2.0. The initiative is aimed at identifying and endorsing new-age solutions that improve customer experiences as well as the efficiency of the automotive sector.

MG Developer & Grant is conducted in partnership with global technology leaders including Adobe, Cognizant, SAP, TiE-Delhi NCR, Unlimit, and MapMyIndia. It is further open to external developers – such as students, startups, innovators, inventors, and tech enterprises – as well as internal teams of MG Motor and its channel partners.

The program, which focuses on ground-breaking innovations in Connected Mobility, Charging Infrastructure, Electric Vehicles and Components, Car Buying Experiences, AI & ML, Batteries and Management, Voice Recognition, Navigation Technologies, Customer Experiences, and Autonomous Vehicles, is expanding its scope in the second phase with a wider ambit including new categories such as Sustainability, Ease of business and Innovation in times of Covid19.

Speaking on the occasion, Gaurav Gupta Chief Commercial Officer, MG Motor India, said, “Innovation has been the core focus of the MG brand since its birth in 1924. As a strong pillar for the brand MG, innovation has always been encouraged by us in the auto-tech start-up space with our entry in to the Indian market. We need innovative solutions that can change paradigms and address the real-world needs of today. MG, as a brand, calls upon all ignited minds of India to brainstorm solutions that drive meaningful impact within the automotive space.”

The MG Developer Program & Grant was launched in 2019 and received more than 320 entries in its first leg. Out of them, 60 teams were shortlisted by MG and its partners who received personalized mentorship by 25 experts. A total of 9 startups were also selected for the grant including Driftly Electric, Innvolutions Healthcare, Voxomos, Highway Delite, Incabex, CamCom, ClearQuote, Meeseeks and Socialcore. These startups have also been aligned with MG to improve their viability and go-to-market strategy as well as time.

The details and important dates of the program are available on MG Motor India website. All applications can be submitted starting today. 

About MG Motor India 

Founded in the UK in 1924, Morris Garages vehicles were world-famous for their sports cars, roadsters, and cabriolet series. MG vehicles were much sought after by many celebrities, including the British Prime Ministers and even the British Royal Family, for their styling, elegance, and spirited performance. The MG Car Club, set up in 1930 at Abingdon in the UK, has thousands of loyal fans, making it one of the world’s largest clubs for a car brand. MG has evolved into a modern, futuristic and innovative brand over the last 96 years. MG Motor India has its car manufacturing plant at Halol in Gujarat.

Arthroplasty: A Step Ahead To Bring Back Quality Of Life

Back in 1996, 12th October was declared ‘World Arthritis Day’ by Arthritis and Rheumatism International (ARI) to raise awareness around this condition. It was necessary because arthritis is often neglected and affects the patient’s mobility, causing severe pain. One of the best solutions for dealing with a disorder like this is arthroplasty, more commonly known as joint replacement surgery. However, only an expert can give the best advice regarding surgical treatments.

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints, causing pain and stiffness that can worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time. Osteoarthritis can damage any joint, but the disorder mostly affects joints in your knees, hips, spine and hands.

If we talk about osteoarthritis in India, then according to the data, by 2025, India is expected to become the chronic disease capital of the world with 60 Mn people suffering from osteoarthritis. In India, among the population >70 years of age, 28.1% male and 31.6% female are suffering from osteoarthritis. 

The symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain, stiffness, loss of flexibility, swelling, crackling sound from the joint, formation of extra bits of bone, which feel like hard lumps around the affected joint. The presence of any such symptom calls for immediate attention from a doctor, without any delays. Additionally, a person suffering from obesity is at a higher risk of osteoarthritis because heavyweight adds stress and pressure on the joints. Elderly people are also prone to osteoarthritis and those whose occupations require them to kneel, squat, and do the heavy lifting.

Osteoarthritis is a disease that can make daily tasks difficult. To bring back the quality of life, patients must look at arthroplasty surgery (joint replacement surgery) as an option. Arthroplasty is a surgical procedure to restore the function of a joint. Patients who undergo arthroplasty may experience improvement in joint pain, ability to perform activities, and thereby an improved quality of life.

According to doctors, patients generally avoid surgery due to fear and anxiety. Delay in arthroplasty can lead to irreparable damage to not just their joints but also other complications in their daily lives. Performing arthroplasty at an early stage can help patients recover sooner and bring back quality of life. Today, arthroplasty is considered as one of the most successful and cost-effective procedures in end-stage arthritic conditions. Patient-reported outcomes are shown to improve dramatically with respect to pain relief, functional restoration, and improved quality of life. Millions of patients around the world have been benefited by arthroplasty.

If you or anyone in your family suffer from any of the symptoms listed above, you can consult your doctor.

Abbott Launches Duphalac Bears in India: Supporting Children’s Digestive Health and Helping Them Live Healthier

* A healthy digestive system is essential to obtain nutrients for the body to function, grow and repair itself[1]

* The prevalence of childhood constipation ranges between 0.7%-29.6%, with peak incidence occurring during the age of toilet training (2-3 years)[2]

* Duphalac Bears is a new product featuring fruit-flavoured gummy bears containing the prebiotic lactulose suitable for children aged 3-14 years[3]

* This safe, child-friendly food supplement addresses an unmet need in child gut health

Abbott announced today in India, the launch of Duphalac Bears, a new product featuring fruit-flavoured gummy bears designed to support children’s digestive health, helping them live healthier lives. DuphalacTM Bears launched in strawberry fruit flavor is a food supplement and meets FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) regulations. It provides the advantages of a trusted prebiotic and encourages the growth of good bacteria in the digestive system while reducing levels of unfriendly bacteria.[4] These gummy bears are easy to take for children and promote healthy intestinal balance as well as bowel regulation.[5] 

In addition to helping raise levels of good bacteria in the gut, Duphalac Bears contains lactulose, a prebiotic derived from milk, which helps to increase the absorption of calcium, helping children grow strong and healthy bones.[6] The prevalence of childhood constipation ranges between 0.7% & 29.6%, and most cases tend to occur during the age of toilet training, when children are two to three years old.[7] A healthy digestive system plays a vital role in good nutrition, by breaking down food effectively and ensuring that essential nutrients are properly absorbed, to help children thrive.[8] Moreover, almost 70% of the human body’s immune system is active in the gut, making a well-functioning digestive system essential for better immunity and health.[9] Tasty, chewable lactulose-based gummies can help relieve the symptoms of childhood constipation by softening stool and facilitating regular motion.[10]

“Multiple factors can trigger childhood constipation, including rushed morning routines, difficult toilet training periods and poor diets.[11] Though it can be treated effectively, our research shows that only 30% of parents consult a doctor on time. Pediatricians also observe that children undergoing treatment frequently have a relapse, usually due to non-adherence,” said Dr. Srirupa Das, Medical Director, Abbott India. “A healthy digestive system is paramount to children’s physical growth and mental development. The launch of Duphalac Bears is an important and innovative step in supporting children’s digestive health, so that they can thrive and take part in activities they enjoy doing,” she added.

Commenting on the need for a long-term gut health solution for children Dr. Vandana Rao, The Children's Clinic, MICO Layout, Bangalore, said, “Despite the fact that about one in three children face constipation during toilet training, child gut health can often go unaddressed. In my experience, parents report child constipation late, and usually continue with home remedies for a month or two before seeking help. Timely and sustained treatment is important to establish consistent and healthy toilet habits. Palatable child-friendly prebiotics can not only help relieve constipation, but also promote better long-term digestive health in kids.”

The digestive system is home to trillions of bacteria, some of which are a key part of digestive health as they can help process food.[12] These “friendly” bacteria are nourished by prebiotics such as lactulose,[13] which promotes a healthy intestinal balance for children.

Emirates Skywards Hits the 20-Year Mark with Over 27 Million Members

Emirates Skywards, the award-winning loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai, has marked 20 years of excellence, innovation and unmatched rewards. Over the past two decades – the loyalty programme has continued to grow its membership base by offering value and rich, personalised experiences to its members around the world.

The programme has continually invested to diversify its brand partnerships, and utilise innovative digital technology, so that it can offer its members across the globe with more ways to earn and enjoy rewards, conveniently and via new touchpoints.

From a million members in 2005, to 27 million members in 2020

The loyalty programme has 27 million members worldwide, of which, more than 32,000 are founding members who joined the programme in 2000 and are still active. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Emirates Skywards is offering members double Tier Miles on any flight booked by 10 December, for travel until 31 March 2021,* while founding members can earn double Tier Miles and double Skywards Miles on any flight booked by 10 December, for travel until 31 August 2021*

Emirates Skywards members come from more than 180 countries, including: 3.5 million members in the United Kingdom, 2.7 million in the United States, 2 million in Australia, 1.9 million in India, and 1.9 million in the United Arab Emirates.

Offering more flexibility, choice, and ways to earn on the ground

Emirates Skywards has expanded its range of partners over the past 20 years to create new, exciting and exceptional value offerings for its diverse membership base. The loyalty programme currently has nearly 200 partners, including: 16 airline partners; more than 100 hotel partners; 33 financial partners, 22 retail and lifestyle partners, 7 car rental partners.

Earlier this year, the loyalty programme launched skywardsmilesmall.com – introducing over a thousand new ways to earn Miles while shopping online with popular UK and US brands. Expanding its financial partnerships, the loyalty programme has launched the Emirates Skywards Mastercard® in partnership with Barclays – its first Emirates branded credit card in the U.S allowing customers to accumulate even more Skywards Miles on their everyday spend and travel purchases.

‘My Family’ programme, which launched in 2018, has enhanced its features to now accept family members pooling up to 100% of all Skywards Miles earned, not just on Emirates flights - allowing customers to redeem rewards even faster than before.

Members can also earn thousands of Miles with Emirates Skywards Hotels at over 400,000 hotels, in over 900 destinations worldwide – and up to 2,500 bonus Miles per night, when using a co-branded Emirates Skywards credit card for payment.

Emirates Skywards’ introduction of personalised offers integrated within the booking flow is an industry-first loyalty benefit, whereby logged-in members can avail enhanced Cash+Miles redemption rates and discounted Miles Upgrades when booking flights directly on emirates.com and the Emirates app. These exclusive offers are tailored to suit each member’s preference – offering vast opportunities to save on travel costs.

Enhanced customer experience

Members can enjoy more personalised offerings at their fingertips through four Skywards apps – Emirates app (Skywards section integrated within), Emirates Skywards Go (offering dining and leisure offers in 160 destinations), Emirates Skywards Cabforce (booking taxis in over 100 cities in more than 25 countries), and Skywards Everyday (allowing members to earn Miles instantly when shopping at beauty and wellness stores, dining, groceries, luxury, leisure and entertainment outlets, as well as other services across the UAE). Members can download the Skywards Everyday app from the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.

Emirates Skywards also has a partnership with The Dubai Mall, rewarding members with Skywards Miles when shopping at over 1,300 brands, dining at over 200 outlets and visiting attractions at the world’s largest shopping destination.

Reassuring members during COVID-19

With continued travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Emirates Skywards is offering its members reassurance and flexibility during this difficult time.

Emirates Skywards Silver, Gold and Platinum members have had their tier review dates extended to enable an additional 12 months at their current status.

The loyalty programme has also extended the validity of any Skywards Miles due to expire from April 2020 until 31 March 2021. Members can also redeem Miles up to 11 months in advance for an extensive range of rewards.*

More than 50 industry awards in 20 years

As a pioneer in the industry – Emirates Skywards has scooped more than 50 awards over the past 20 years including Best Frequent Flyer Programme from Business Traveller Middle East (2019) and Middle East's Leading Airline Rewards Programme from World Travel Awards (2019). This year, Emirates Skywards was ranked top 10 Best Frequent Flyer Program by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice 2020 – recognised for its industry leading initiatives and innovative product offerings.

For more information, visit www.emirates.com/skywards.

*Terms and conditions apply 

About Emirates Skywards

Emirates Skywards offers four tiers of membership: Blue, Silver, Gold and Platinum, with each tier earning exclusive privileges. Emirates Skywards members earn Skywards Miles with partners ranging from airlines, hotels and car rentals to financial, leisure and lifestyle brands. Skywards Miles can be spent on an extensive range of rewards, including flight tickets on partner airlines, flight upgrades, hotel stays, tickets, hospitality at sporting and cultural events, tours and one-of-a-kind experiences.

Meditronic Launches First Pacemaker that Can Communicate Directly with Patients' Smartphones and Tablets

India Medtronic Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), today announced the launch of the Azure™ pacemaker with BlueSync™ technology – India’s first and only pacemaker that can communicate directly with patients’ smartphones and tablets. The latest addition to Medtronic’s Cardiac Rhythm & Heart Failure portfolio in India, Azure is designed to accurately detect and reduce the likelihood of atrial fibrillation. It offers improved longevity (up to 13.7 years), so patients potentially need fewer device replacements and allows patients to have MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans in either 1.5 or 3 Tesla (T) machines.

Azure features Medtronic-exclusive BlueSync technology, which enables automatic, secure wireless communication via Bluetooth Low Energy and remote monitoring via the Medtronic CareLink™ Network, providing more timely alerts of clinically relevant patient events that can be reviewed by a clinician at any time. Security controls implemented and validated on BlueSync enabled devices include access restrictions to protect integrity of device functionality and end-to end encryption to protect patient data.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an irregular, rapid heart rate that may cause symptoms like heart palpitations, fatigue, and shortness of breath. AF occurs when the upper chambers of the heart (atria) beat out of rhythm. As a result, blood is not pumped efficiently to the rest of the body, causing an unusually fast heart rate, quivering, or thumping sensations in the heart.

“The launch of Azure, our most advanced pacemaker, is testament to our commitment toward re-imagining innovation and delivering improved outcomes while reducing the burden on healthcare systems. The pacemaker communicates directly and securely with the MyCareLink Heart™ mobile app - an important advancement in the ongoing quest to constantly monitor patient condition remotely. Remote monitoring of heart conditions allows patients to receive expert medical advice from their physician while at home or traveling instead of making multiple trips to the hospital. It is a boon for heart patients and caregivers, especially in situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, providing peace of mind and freedom,” said Madan Krishnan, Vice President, India Medtronic Pvt Ltd and Minimally Invasive Therapies Group APAC.

About Medtronic

Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world’s largest medical technology, services and solutions companies – alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 90,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in more than 150 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Medtronic and the Medtronic logos are trademarks of Medtronic. All other Medtronic products are trademarks of a Medtronic company.

Raymond Appoints Joe Kuruvilla as the New CEO of Raymond Lifestyle

Raymond Limited today announced the reinforcement of its management team at Raymond Lifestyle with the appointment of Joe Kuruvilla as the Chief Executive Officer. Joe was till recently the Vice President - Digital Transformation, Media and E-Commerce for East Europe at Unilever PLC. The recently appointed Chief Operating Officer, Ganesh Kumar will report to Joe and work with Joe to execute the transformation agenda for the business as it emerges from the nationwide lockdown due to the global pandemic.

Raymond Lifestyle is the flagship division of the company which includes branded textile and apparel business including brands like Park Avenue, Colour Plus, Parx, ethnix and Khadi and one of the largest distribution network in the country. Joe will drive strategy, vision, and Product portfolio enhancement for Raymond Lifestyle. Global market development will also be a key area of focus for him. Further, he will be responsible for digital adoption, and alignment to emerging consumer needs while Ganesh Kumar will continue to focus on internal organization, omni-channel distribution, driving operational efficiencies and enhanced process alignment. Ganesh will also lead the Fabrics & Garmenting businesses.

Commenting on the development, Gautam Hari Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, Raymond Ltd. said, “We are charting a refreshed approach in our Lifestyle business as we emerge in the new normal. The strengthening of the management team with the addition of Joe Kuruvilla is an exciting development and in line with our commitment to invest in global talent to enhance the scale of our business. We keenly look forward to consolidate our leadership position in the market as also develop our recent offerings with comprehensive integrated digital first outlook.”

Joe has spent all his working career at Unilever PLC starting as a Management trainee.  He also been the Vice President - Marketing for Home Care and Beauty & Personal Care for East Europe region, leading Unilever’s fastest growing business in European Union. Joe, who has also worked in India in various capacities, is a Civil Engineer with an MBA in Marketing from Pune University and has done Executive Education from IIM (A) and Columbia Business School, New York.

About Raymond Limited

Raymond is India’s largest integrated worsted suiting manufacturer that offers end-to-end solutions for fabrics and garmenting. Over the years, Raymond has been synonymous with quality, innovation and market leadership. It has some of the leading brands within its portfolio – ‘Raymond Ready to Wear’, ‘Park Avenue’, ‘ColorPlus’, ‘Parx’, ‘Raymond Made to Measure’ amongst others. Raymond has one of the largest exclusive retail networks in the country with over 1,500 stores in more than 600 towns.

Raymond also has presence in FMCG sector through Raymond Consumer care that offers wide range of products in men’s personal grooming category and personal hygiene. The group also has presence in engineering and auto components across national and international markets. In 2019, Raymond has also forayed into the realty sector through the launch of its maiden project ‘aspirational district’ spread across 14 acres housing ~3,000 residential units.

Having enjoyed the patronage of over a billion consumers, Raymond as a brand has been consistently delivering world class quality products to its consumers over the past nine decades.

Microsoft India Announces Public Preview of Power Automate Desktop Solution to Help Businesses Accelerate Transformation with RPA

Microsoft India has announced the public preview of its Power Automate Desktop, a new desktop-based Robotic Process Automate (RPA) solution that expands low-code automation capabilities for organizations. Part of Microsoft Power Automate service, this solution enables coders and non-coders alike to automate processes and tasks across desktop and web applications with minimal effort from a single intelligent platform. From simple data transfers to complex business workflows, the solution helps businesses automate repetitive, manual tasks and focus on higher-value work to achieve more.

Power Automate Desktop’s intuitive design environment allows non-coders to automate processes quickly without writing a single line of code. It also provides complete control and flexibility for advanced users, programmers and developers in a scalable and secure environment. It further democratizes the RPA capabilities within Power Automate by providing a desktop automation option for citizen developers and business users.

Commenting on the announcement, Irina Ghose Executive Director - Cloud Solutions, Microsoft India, said, “Organizations and IT departments are seeking ways to quickly adapt to the unprecedented pace of change across every industry around the world. With Microsoft Power Automate Desktop, we aim to empower organizations automate tasks across the desktop and web, using an integrated platform to complete tasks at speed and scale. It enables businesses to free their knowledge-workers from time-consuming and repetitive jobs and focus on strategic tasks to deliver higher value to customers. Organizations can minimize human errors, simplify workflows, reduce maintenance effort and cost, and improve scalability while ensuring security. This will play a vital role in transforming and reimagining their  businesses in the new normal.” 

Power Automate Desktop handles both Attended RPA (repetitive tasks like front-office activities) and Unattended RPA (back-office processes) with equal efficiency. The advanced functionalities in the Power Automate Desktop environment enables organizations to:

Accelerate automation with an easy-to-use visual designer: Power Automate Desktop empowers all users to automate tasks or processes right from their Windows machines. The drag-and-drop visual designer and live debugging tool make it possible to automate processes by placing the steps in a logical manner, helping turn ideas into reality in a clear, simple way.

Simulate multiple scenarios with the web and desktop recorders: Users can automate their favorite web apps with the Web Recorder or capture on-screen elements for Windows apps with the Desktop Recorder. The recorders track keyboard and mouse interactions and translate them into a clear automation path that can be replayed across web apps and any Windows applications.

Automate between Windows applications with key actions: Users can automate both modern, Windows applications and legacy systems with a diverse set of actions—without making changes to their existing IT infrastructure. A single flow can support tasks across systems that include SAP, websites, and legacy terminals such as mainframes and AS/400, Citrix, among others

Reduce bottlenecks with flexible exception handling: The solution enables users to prepare handler errors at any point in the automation process. It ensures automations run with precision and speed by setting up safeguards such as retries, alternate execution or notifications when errors occur. Each action in the script supports no-code error and exception handling, and execution logs that include error details and screenshots to help with troubleshooting.

Power Automate Desktop is available worldwide in English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish. Earlier this year, Microsoft acquired Softomotive, a London-based RPA solutions provider, to expand low-code, robotic process automation capabilities in Microsoft Power Automate, strengthening the ability for anyone to automate processes. Microsoft Power Automate service is being used by more than 350,000 organizations worldwide to build and deploy custom, end-to-end business solutions using low-code solutions.