BharatAgri Raises Pre-Series A Round from 021 Capital and India Quotient

Pune-based personalized agri-advisory platform, BharatAgri, has raised Pre-Series A from Binny Bansal backed 021 Capital and India Quotient. This round also saw participation from existing investors Better Capital and Ajay Prabhu (COO, Quest Global).

The company plans to use the fresh funds on product enhancement and growth, besides expanding its footprint across India.

BharatAgri was founded in April 2017 by IIT Madras alumni, Siddharth Dialani and Sai Gole and later joined by core team members Aman Verma and Tanmay Krishna in 2019. BharatAgri’s technology solution provides personalized agriculture and farming advisory to farmers. Using BharatAgri’s Krishi Doctor, an intelligent farm advisor, farmers have witnessed over 40% increase in yield and significant reduction in management costs.

Siddharth Dialani, CEO and Co-founder, BharatAgri, said, "BharatAgri is the only player that has monetized digital advisory at scale. During the pandemic alone BharatAgri sold 13,000+ premium subscriptions. Our unique advisory algorithm assists the users in increasing their yield and reducing their cost. With our unique proposition for farmers, BharatAgri has evolved into a platform for crop-input companies and financial institutions to market their products to BharatAgri premium farmers. With the fresh infusion of funds, BharatAgri aims to reach 5 million farmers and provide them with meaningful solutions.”

Sailesh Tulshan, Founder, 021 Capital said, “We are excited to partner with BharatAgri and believe that they can make a large-scale impact in the agri sector and in the lives of farmers in India. Through personalised solutions offered by BharatAgri, farmers are able to improve their farm yield and quality of produce. The farm-to-market platform also helps farmers realise better value for their produce and makes financial services easily accessible to them. In a span of one year, BharatAgri’s personalized agri-platform has witnessed 10X growth. They have been able to help tens of thousands of farmers during these challenging times and equip them with real-time solutions.”

“Agriculture is transforming using technology. The increasing penetration of smartphones coupled with reliable internet are empowering farmers in ways unimaginable five years back. Riding the wave of this tech adoption, BharatAgri is building a platform of trust for farmers and agri business partners both on the agri input and procurement side. We have been positively surprised by the quick manoeuvre of the BhartAgri team and farmers participating on the platform in these Covid times,” said, Madhukar Sinha, Partner India Quotient. 

With over 350,000+ users, BharatAgri offers paid subscriptions to farmers for personalized consultancy and an exclusive access to their premium platform.

This platform which is an ecosystem of service providers works with leading rural brands to help them reach BharatAgri’s premium users.

BharatAgri’s digital paid user base is growing at 40% month on month. The restriction on physical movement in the past six months has boosted online advisory consumption significantly.  BharatAgri has strived to provide superior solutions to farmers during the ongoing pandemic. Special campaigns like ‘Harvest Campaigns’ were arranged during the nationwide lockdown to provide assistance to farmers and sell their perishable and non-perishable produce.

About BharatAgri

Launched in 2017, BharatAgri is a farming technology platform that offers personalised assistance to farmers. With a mission to empower every farmer and digitise every farm, BharatAgri aims to bridge the gap between technology and agriculture in India. By offering features like weather-based dynamic advisory and season-long predictive calendar for farm activities, BharatAgri is working on effectively addressing all farming problems to emerge as the one-stop solution provider for farmers.

HSIL Invests ₹100 Crores To Expand Operations Capacity of the Plastic Pipes and Fillings Plant

HSIL, makers of the iconic brand Hindware announced an investment of ₹100 crores in their plastic pipes and fittings solution business to increase the production capacity at the Sangareddy, Telangana plant. Through the investment, the Company aims to augment the production from current 30,000 tonnes to 48,000 tonnes by September 30, 2022.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the demand of CPVC and UPVC pipes and fittings. The strategic investment will help the company cater to the requirements from the customer base, optimize the lead-time, and consistently meet the future demands from various markets.

Mr. Sandip Somany, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, HSIL Limited said, “Since the inception of our plastic pipes and fittings company, we have done exceedingly well and in a short duration have emerged as one of the leading players in this segment. The increased production capacity will support the Company’s aggressive expansion plans and address the growing production requirements. The investment of ₹100 crores is a strategic decision to make our production facility more robust and manage the demands in the new normal. The expansion is a testament to our commitment to the customers and our vision for the future.”

The solutions comprises Chlorinated Polyvinl Chloride (CPVC), Unplasticised PVC (UPVC), Soil-Waste-Rain (SWR) pipes and PVC pipes for potable water. The wide range plumbing solutions are used in the transportation of portable water, waste disposal, borewells, irrigation and sprinkler systems. The company has an agreement with the ~US$18 billion Japanese conglomerate Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd. for the supply of NSF-certified CPVC compound, Durastream, to provide quality piping solutions to cater to varied market requirements. The products are manufactured in line with the Indian Standards Institution and other international standards.

The plant received the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) platinum rating for the entire manufacturing process in FY 2019-20; is the 8th plant in India to receive this coveted certification and is the first platinum-rated green plant in this sector. The company’s commitment to environmental conservation continues to be an integral part of their business strategy.

About HSIL : The company was founded in 1960 as Hindusthan Twyfords Limited, in technical collaboration with Twyfords, United Kingdom to establish the first vitreous china sanitaryware manufacturing company in India. Today, the company houses the Building Products and Packaging Products Division. The Building Products division primarily comprises the manufacturing of sanitaryware, faucets and plastic pipes and fittings whereas the manufacturing and marketing of various packaging products, including glass containers and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles and products and security caps and closures is under the Packaging Products Division.

A New Snap Report Shows COVID-19 Is Deeping Our Relationship with Best Friends, While Distancing Us from Others In India

Snap Inc. today released its second global Friendship study, interviewing 30,000 people across sixteen countries, to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic and global issues have impacted friendship. Seventeen experts on friendship from around the world contributed to the report. 

Covid has further accelerated the importance of digital connections in India with nearly 91% saying that they have helped friends maintain their relationship, regardless of age. This is much higher as compared to the global average. 

Snap spokesperson Durgesh Kaushik, Head of Market Development India at Snap Inc. said: "As friends around the world navigate the new normal of social distancing, this year's Friendship Report shows us that during the COVID-19 pandemic visual communication has become more important than ever.Talking in pictures and videos layered with creative tools like our augmented reality Lenses, Filters, and personal avatars Bitmoji, help Snapchatters express themselves and interact visually. They serve as an essential connector when meeting face to face is not an option and at this difficult time have enabled Snapchatters to feel closer to their best friends even as non-Snapchatters feel more distant. We hope that new features like our Friendship Time Capsule will continue to help Snapchatters stay close with their best friends and support one another.”

The Friendship Report sheds new light on how COVID is affecting friendship and what other major events in life also have an impact, including:

●        COVID has brought some friends closer together, but also made some of us feel lonely.

●        COVID has also led to deeper and meaningful conversations

●        COVID has seen people reconnect with lost friends

●        Indians rate ‘trustworthy’ and ‘honesty’ as the top qualities that they look for in a friend

●        Friends are our first line of defence against loneliness, and we generally make our best friends in childhood; on average we have known our closest friends for at least half of our lives.  

●        Most of us have lost touch with a close friend from childhood, with the majority wanting to rediscover that close connection.

●        While most of us are keeping connected better through digital communication channels, we still need to develop our friendship skills to help us learn how to maintain friendships over distance and get back in touch if we do lose contact

●        Dr. Rhea Gandhi, Counsellor and Psychotherapist in India and 16 other experts from around the world have provided advice and tips on how to do this

●        Snap has also created a new Friendship Time Capsule to help Snapchatters celebrate their friendships.

The impact of COVID-19 in India

Six months after much of the world has put in place social distancing restrictions, friends are having to find new ways to stay connected, and the long term effects are only just starting to become clear. Rhea Gandhi, Psychotherapist specializing in interpersonal dialogue, says “While the lockdown gave us a chance to spend time with our families, it took away the opportunity to meet our friends in person. Friendship serves a need for freedom and unsurprisingly, we have started to value our connections with friends a lot more at a time when opportunities to meet them regularly have reduced.”

Nearly four out of five of friends say they relied on digital communication to stay connected through the lockdown in India (87%). For many, those conversations have been deeper, rather than focusing on surface-level topics (76%)It appears digital communications are key to staying in touch when we’re apart, with a vast majority.

Even though there’s been an uptick in outreach to friends, COVID-19 has also led to loneliness for some. Half of those we surveyed said they’ve felt lonely since the pandemic started (51%) which is 13%  higher than pre-COVID-19.

For many of the people (69%) being unable to see their friends has made them feel lonelier, with almost two-thirds of them feeling friends are not reaching out to them as much as they would like (59%). In fact, half of the people (50%) felt that social distancing has weakened their relationships with friends.

In total, a third of people we surveyed said that COVID-19 has affected their friendships (44%). With just close to one-third saying that it has led to them not feeling as close to their friends (33%), while over two-thirds say they have grown closer to their friends (67%). And nearly two-thirds of those surveyed agreed with the statement that they felt more disconnected from friends because they couldn’t spend time in-person (62%) .

The upside is that, with the pandemic causing so much isolation, people genuinely want to reach out and check in on those they care about.

More than half of the people (54%) say their friendships are more important to them now and nearly three-quarters of us are making an intentional choice to reach out to friends that they haven’t spoken to in a while (74%).

The one that got away and reconnection in India

Last year, Snap’s Friendship Report found that friendships, especially those from childhood, have a huge impact on happiness and wellbeing. So, it was surprising to see this year that 79% of us globally have lost touch with a close friend but heartening that 66% say they would like to rekindle their relationship. In India, those numbers are higher, at 88% and 72% respectively.

And we would generally respond positively to one of our best friends re-establishing contact, with the most prominent emotions being excited (50%)or delighted (37%), whereas a minority would feel guilty (12%) , or suspicious (15%).

How do we find our way back to close friends? Nearly 9 out of 10 people agree that digital communication helps people reconnect with lost friends (89%), with more than two thirds preferring to apologize to a friend online (66%) than in real life. However, more than a third wouldn't know how to use digital communication to reconnect (38%).The number one thing people would like to send to their friends, would be a photo of them together (47%) , with the number two being a photo that reminded them of a shared memory (44%) . Humour also ranks highly, with a third thinking that sending a funny meme (40%) would be the best way to start a conversation. 

There are many reasons why friends lose touch with distance being the leading cause (67%), followed by unresolved conflict  (56%).

Rhea Gandhi says, “When anger is expressed well, you’re able to put it aside. The repair process becomes the discussion. When you are both accepting anger as part of communication, allowing that communication to happen is enough to cool down and be ok afterwards.”

In direct response to these findings, Snap has launched the Friendship Time Capsule, a collaborative photo collage allowing Snapchatters to create a new shared memory between themselves and a friend. The snappable invites users to take a selfie and then send it to a friend who does the same. It then uses Snap’s machine learning to put the friends together and age them up through a series of scenarios in the future. This tool aims to help Snapchatters show they care for friends when they can’t be together, or to act as an aid in getting back in touch with a close friend.

How to be a better friend

There are plenty of resources for people struggling with relationships like family or marriage, but friendship hasn’t received the same treatment. This has left many without the tools or confidence they need to develop and navigate the ups and downs of friendships. 

British lecturer Gillian Sandstrom, who studies social psychology, talks about the “liking gap,” where we are prone to think people like us less than they actually do. This bias breeds insecurity about engaging in conversations. We fear awkward pauses and failed connections so much that foregoing the opportunity to start a friendship or deepen a relationship can be the safer choice. People are more likely to like you than you think, so go ahead and be brave.

Listening, staying present, and accepting responsibility are key friendship skills. Honing these skills can take a little work, but with some lessons and practice, our experts agree we can improve our friendships. 

In India friendships are more informal and serve a need for freedom. Most Indian families still follow a traditional framework following a set of restrictions but the younger generation isn’t afraid to express their authentic selves. They view friendships as means of unconditional support and acceptance.

Last year Snap set out to understand the nature of friendships across the globe - explore the attitudes, values and perceptions that shape friendship across cultures and generations. Indians topped the charts with the most number of BFFs  as compared to the other markets.

About the Report

The Friendship Report, commissioned in partnership with Alter Agents, polled 30,000 nationally representative people ages 13 to 44 in Australia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, UK and US. 

About Snap Inc.

Snap Inc. is a camera company. We believe that reinventing the camera represents our greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. We contribute to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.

NMIMS Opens Admissions For Its Dual Degree MBA Decision Science program in Collaboration with Purdue University

NMIMS School of Business Management (SBM) opened admissions to its very prestigious dual degree program - MBA in Decision Science & Analytics and MS in Business Analytics & Information Management (BAIM) in collaboration with Krannert School of Management, Purdue University, a leading public research university of USA. Admissions are open till December 14, 2020 for its Mumbai campus. With this degree, students will get an opportunity to study in two of the world’s most renowned institutions. The 2 year program is split into 3 terms at SBM and 2 terms at Krannert School of Management, followed by 1 term of internship in India under a faculty guide. The thoughtfully designed program follows a research-based and industry-focused pedagogy. 

The dual degree program offers a unique opportunity to study dual, but complementary courses, management and decision science. In the third year of its launch, the program is addressing the current need for highly specialised skills in decision analysis, data sciences, and business analytics. The program fulfills the requirement for a multidisciplinary approach in management graduates. This carefully-designed curriculum is developed by SBM’s academic council in collaboration with Purdue University and industry leaders. At Krannert, Purdue University,  curriculum is focused on developing proficiencies in a variety of big data technologies and analytical techniques and prepares graduates for a business analytics career on a global stage. The experiential learning of the MBA program is aimed at improving application of learning through mind-set change in students while boosting their problem solving skills. The program includes intense industry and corporate involvement with capstone projects and 3 month spring internship at an industry partner firm. 

Speaking on the course, Dr. Ramesh Bhat, Officiating Vice Chancellor, SVKM’s NMIMS, Provost and Dean School of Business Management said, “Recent studies suggest that we need a multidisciplinary approach for management students. In a multipolar world with a rising demand for technology-proficient workforce, managers can no longer afford to think unilaterally. With the current unpredictability in the global economy, we need managers who are trained in decision science and data handling. The field of decision sciences will see more than 2.7 million jobs in the coming year. Our dual program is designed to meet this rising demand for decision analysts in managerial positions.”

“Higher education is evolving rapidly and on a global scale,” says David Hummels, Dean of the Krannert School. “At Purdue we believe an important part of this evolution is great universities partnering to offer their students the best of what each has to offer. So we are thrilled by this opportunity to work with NMIMS to attract their excellent students into our elite MS program in Business Analytics and Information Management.”

Commenting on their partnership with Purdue University, Dr. Shailaja Rego, Associate Professor, Chairperson, MBA-DSA(NMIMS), further added, “Purdue University is known for its world-class research programs. Our association with Krannert School of Management opens up opportunities for our students to study in one of the world’s premier institutions. The 2 Term stint for MS BAIM will introduce them to cutting-edge developments in the field under the expert guidance of the best in the field, both from academia and the industry. This exposure will be critical in our multipolar and hyper-connected world. The program also lays heavy emphasis on application. Post their Purdue term, the students will complete an intensive 3 month spring internship program in India under faculty supervision.”

The compulsory spring internship carries 6 credit units. The internship acts as an essential training ground as well as a valuable opportunity for students to impress industry professionals. Students get to apply their classroom learning in the real world, gaining valuable first-hand experience. Most importantly, the internships have been a valuable ground for industry recruitments in the past few years. Chosen students are offered a Pre-Placement Offer or a Pre-Placement Interview. Career opportunities include data science jobs at new age industries in some of the most in-demand profiles. These include data analysis, data science, business intelligence, risk analysis, and digital integration management. 

Eligibility: Since this is a dual degree program, applicants are required to qualify for both the NMIM SBM and Krannert School of Management, Purdue University. For SBM, they need a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized University with minimum 50% marks in aggregate (of all years). They must have taken Mathematics at the pre university level - (10+2) or equivalent examination/s. Once selected for SBM, the applicants will apply to Krannert School of Management. They will need a minimum TOEFL score of 93 or IELTS score at 7.0 or higher with minimum subsections scores. Preference will be given to those with relevant work experience.

Admission Process: The admission process is split in two parts. Applicants will first apply to SBM, followed by a separate admission process for Krannert School of Management, Purdue University. Eligible students can apply for SBM through NMAT by GMAC/GMAT/GRE. For registration and details, visit: https://nmat.nmims.edu. Selected candidates must then apply online for Krannert School of Management. This will be followed by an online interview after which a final decision will be taken. 

Accreditation: SBM and Krannert both Business School’s  have the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation, which represents the highest standards in business schools worldwide. AACSB accreditation requires high-quality faculty along with a cutting-edge curriculum and a stellar placement program. SBM also has NAAC accreditation with Grade A+ (3.59 CGPA), Mumbai Campus and is recognized as Category-I University by MHRD/UGC Grant of Graded Autonomy Regulation, 2018.

About SBM, NMIMS and Krannert School of Management, Purdue University:SBM of SVKM’s NMIMS, Deemed-to-be-University, is  one of India’s leading business schools with a legacy of world-renowned faculty and excellent placement program. NMIMS which began as a business school 40 years ago, is known for its trailblazing curriculum. The school has consistently ranked among the top 10 B-Schools in the country since 1998, in various such published surveys. 

Purdue University is one of the top Public Universities ranked # 53 in USA and in the top 100 Universities worldwide. Krannert School of Management, Analytics program is ranked # 1 in US and in the top 15 worldwide.

About NMAT by GMAC™

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) owns and administers the NMAT by GMAC™ exam. The NMAT by GMAC™ is accepted by 38 leading institutions in India for securing admissions to their flagship MBA and other management programmes in India. Besides India, the NMAT by GMAC™ exam today is delivered across 12 countries namely, South Africa, Philippines, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Botswana, Nepal, Sri Lanka, UAE, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. 

This year GMAC has introduced two types of testing modes for the exam. One is online proctored exam that can be taken from home and the second is the centre-based online exam. Candidates have the option to take the test either at test centre that follows all the social distancing protocols or take the online proctored exam from the comfort of their homes.

VMware and Samsung Form Alliance to Accelerate CSPs Transformation to 5G

VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW) today announced it has collaborated with Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. to further extend its leadership in 5G. Through this alliance, the companies will help Communication Service Providers (CSPs) meet the requirements of 5G networks and accelerate the roll-out of 5G. This will include optimizing Samsung’s portfolio of telco offerings from Core to Edge to RAN for both containerized network functions (CNFs) and virtualized network functions (VNFs) with VMware Telco Cloud Platform.

As 5G continues to gain traction, CSPs will require a cloud native network that will improve the flexibility and efficiency of deploying services into new vertical markets faster. At the same time, CSPs can only achieve this with a cloud-first automated network designed to simplify management and operations while lowering operational costs. The Samsung and VMware collaboration will accelerate the innovation cycle through better network design end-to-end, and support the agility required for 5G networks. With VMware Telco Cloud Platform, CSPs can deploy a cloud native, software-defined 5G network that will accelerate the delivery of services and applications across distributed telco clouds with operational consistency, integrated lifecycle management and multi-layer automation while maintaining carrier-grade performance, scalability and reliability.

As part of this collaboration, the companies have been working together at Samsung’s lab to optimize and accelerate the readiness of Samsung’s various VNFs and CNFs, such as vRAN, 5G Core, MEC, Management, and Analytics, with the VMware Telco Cloud Platform. Samsung’s VNFs and CNFs have been and continue to be integrated with VMware’s Ready for Telco Cloud program. The VMware Ready for Telco Cloud program will support Samsung to accelerate the onboarding and deployment of their 5G-ready services on the VMware Telco Cloud Platform, thereby accelerating CSPs time to deploy and time to revenue.

“With innovative and open 5G networks beginning to transform the landscape, Samsung sees the value in delivering joint carrier-grade solutions with VMware that help CPS easily embrace cloud native technology and efficiently deliver our network functions and services across their 5G networks with automation,” said Wonil Roh, Senior Vice President and Head of Product Strategy, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics.

“The infrastructure supporting 5G will depend on virtualized and containerized network functions delivered from software-defined telco and edge cloud platforms,” said Shekar Ayyar, executive vice president and general manager, Telco and Edge Cloud Business Unit, VMware. “We are thrilled to be working with Samsung to deliver joint carrier-grade solutions that leverage the VMware Telco Cloud portfolio to help CSPs seize this 5G moment and transform themselves into leading technology innovators.”

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Teams Up with New Partners for An Enhanced Service Network in 87 New Locations

To cater to the increasing number of Toyota car owners in smaller cities and towns across India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced the expansion of its service network with the launch of multiple PRO Service centres. The PRO service centres are coming up in cities and towns, which did not have Toyota service centres thus far. The newly launched PRO Service Centers is an integral part of the company’s continued expansion of its reach and network.

The PRO Service facilities are equipped to service any Toyota cars for all kinds of service - free service, regular paid periodic maintenance, minor general repairs and minor body and paint repairs as per Toyota standards. Further, the PRO Service workshop owners are free to service non-Toyota cars too. To ensure they meet Toyota’s global standards of service, they will have direct parts supply besides technical and operational support from TKM. They will work in close collaboration with nearby Toyota dealers to ensure all the stakeholders - PRO Service workshop owners, dealers and customers benefit from the model.

New PRO Service centres are now operational in Narnaul (Haryana), Nagaur (Rajasthan), Jorhat (Assam), Kharagpur and Asansol (West Bengal), Morbi, Patan and Palanpur (Gujarat) and our proposed 80 locations of network reach by end of the year will see a significant proportion of PRO Service outlets. The PRO Service centres are dedicated service facilities that do not have any sales operations

Commenting on the new initiative, Mr. Naveen Soni, Senior Vice President, Sales and Service, TKM, said, “There was an emerging business need for service operations in smaller cities and towns owing to the increasing number of Toyota car owners. With the launch of the PRO Service centres, our customers can get their cars serviced in their own city or town and avoid travelling to bigger cities nearby for the same. The service network expansion is primarily aimed at customer convenience in line with Toyota’s customer-first philosophy. We have carefully selected the new locations - looking at cities and towns that have seen a rise in Toyota car owners - to ensure service to our customers closer to their homes. The pilot Pro Service centre established at Jorhat in Assam, was inaugurated in January 2020 and has helped us better understand the needs of the customers and workshop owners. The launch of the nation-wide PRO Service combined with our existing MICRO 2S (sales and service) centres we have now substantially increased our service footprint in smaller cities and towns becoming closer to our customers than ever before.

We will support the new PRO Service centres by enabling them to achieve our established standard operating procedures that ensure lean stock and high supply. Further, TKM will handhold the PRO Service facilities by providing operational and technical training for their entire staff. The PRO Service facilities will be a part of our regular manpower development programs and processes as set by TKM,” he added.

Currently, TKM has a total of 396 outlets and 79 dealer partners across India. For more details about these centres, visit https://www.toyotabharat.com/find-a-dealer/.

American Tower Foundation Partners with Akshaya Patra Foundation to Provide 7000 Grocery Kits in Karnataka

American Tower Foundation, the global Philanthropic initiative of American Tower Corporation (ATC) has partnered with Akshaya Patra Foundation, a leading humanitarian organization to distribute grocery kits Pan India through ATC CSR Foundation India towards COVID-19 relief measures. The program entails to provide 19 lakh meals across 31 locations to families who have been adversely impacted owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. These include daily wagers, contract workers, and migrant population who have been displaced and are out of work because of the lockdown.  

The distribution drive in Karnataka was carried out over a period of 12 days, providing around 294000 meals. 

At the beginning of the countrywide lockdown, there was a huge outpouring of support for the displaced and marginalized. These efforts have come down significantly since the country began to restart and reopen. However, there are large swathes of population – especially among migrant workers – that continue to suffer from job losses and depleted savings.  

Amit Sharma, EVP and President Asia at ATC said, “As the world takes on the threat posed by the health pandemic Covid-19, the impact has been felt more acutely by people who are facing a challenging economic situation to the extent of being unable to garner two meagre meals for their family.  As an engaged member of the business and broader social community, American Tower Corporation (ATC) is committed to support Covid relief work and provide assistance through its NGO partner Akshaya Patra Foundation by making available grocery and ration kits to the vulnerable communities. We are extremely thankful to the Government of Karnataka and District Authorities for their on ground support in making this drive a success”. 

Each food kit comprised rice, wheat flour, sugar, pulses, cooking oil, and salt. 

The distribution drive was conducted across various locations of Bangalore and Hubballi in Karnataka. 

According to Shridhar Venkat, CEO, Akshaya Patra Foundation, “We are deeply grateful to American Tower Foundation for collaborating with us in reaching out to distressed and unserved communities. Covid-19 has reinforced that we must collectively help those facing economic hardships. Hunger is a crime against humanity and school going children have been severely impacted by malnutrition due to the absence of mid- day meals. During this entire pandemic phase, we have served 80 million meals to families, thanks to donors such as American Tower Foundation. Truly a corporate with a heart and an empathetic partner that embodies zeal.” 

Over the weeks, ATC CSR Foundation along with Akshaya Patra Foundation will engage with social volunteers and government officials to undertake the distribution drive.  

About American Tower Corporation: American Tower is a leading independent owner, operator and developer of wireless and broadcast communication real estate. Our global portfolio includes over 1,81,000 communications sites and is experiencing steady growth. In addition to leasing space on towers, we provide customized collocation solutions through our in-building systems, outdoor distributed antenna systems and other right-of-way options, managed rooftops and services that speed network deployment. 

Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, American Tower has operations across the United States and 19 countries.  

Philanthropy at American Tower consists of companywide initiatives that unite our global operations, including the American Tower Foundation (the Foundation).  Launched in 2017, the Foundation’s mission is to focus on education and technology use to empower students, teachers and communities in need worldwide. Through grants, the Foundation facilitates partnerships with charitable organizations, such as school districts and youth development agencies, that support hands-on technology-based learning, increased student participation in robotics, and STEM programs that offer access to higher education for underrepresented, high-potential students. 

About ATC CSR Foundation India:  

ATC CSR Foundation India is the CSR arm of ATC India (one of the leading independent Passive Telecom Infrastructure Providers in India and is an indirectly-held subsidiary of ATC) and is focused to contribute to the implementation of the “Digital India” mission of the Government of India by way of its “Digital Village” Program. The Digital Village leverages the space, security, uninterrupted power supply and broadband link from a tower site to provide critical access to digital services like e-education, e-health, e-finance and e-governance by way of partnering with the appropriate solution providers (such as telecom operator, IT companies, Social Media companies, rural NGO’s and Banks etc.)  

About Akshaya Patra Foundation 

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Bengaluru, India, which strives to address issues like hunger and malnutrition in the country. By implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Government and Government-aided schools, Akshaya Patra aims to fight hunger and at the same time, bring children to school. Since 2000, Akshaya Patra has worked towards reaching out to children with wholesome food on every single school day. The Foundation is continuously leveraging technology to cater to millions of children. Its state-of-the-art kitchens have become a subject of study and attract curious visitors from around the world. 

In partnership with the Government of India and various State Governments, and the inestimable support of many philanthropic donors and well-wishers, Akshaya Patra has grown from humble beginnings serving just 1,500 school children across five schools to becoming the world’s largest (not-for-profit run) mid-day meal programme, serving wholesome food to over 1.8 million children from 19,039 schools across 12 states & 2 union territories in India.