Edukemy Introduces IAS Interview Mentorship Program For UPSC Aspirants Across India

 

Edukemy, India’s first test prep EdTech company in the non-STEM segment, today introduced its personalized IAS Interview Mentorship Program for UPSC aspirants.  The program involves exclusive and personalized one-on-one training sessions with young toppers, experienced and senior bureaucrats along with sessions for psychological assessment.  

The program is divided into two phases to help students attain an edge above the rest. In the first phase, pre-Detailed Application Form (DAF) filling support will be provided. Post-DAF discussion will also be conducted where candidates interact with toppers for tips on how to improve their performance. In the second phase, candidates will have a one-on-one session with psychologists and senior bureaucrats to enhance their language, develop originality, consistency and fluency and understand overall stress management. The training program is available online and students can select their slots as per convenience.  

Sharing his views on the exclusive program, Mr Chandrahas Panigrahi, CEO and Co-Founder, Edukemy, said, “Our new program is designed for overall development in which students will be mentored by a highly experienced panel of bureaucrats, allowing an opportunity to the students to excel.” 

About Edukemy 

Edukemy is India’s first EdTech company in the non-stem segment that has developed an evaluation model based on AI and cutting-edge technology. Our priority is to scale the learning experience for every individual by offering an insightful and enriching environment for students with a focus on live classes, handwritten notes, and an interactive platform. With more than 50 years of cumulative experience at teaching and mentoring students, Edukemy strives each day, with every single student, to make a difference. We intend to democratize education by delivering quality content, valuable mentorship we believe in disrupting the normal and bring in innovation in methods of teaching. 

Skill India Kaushal Mela Inaugurated At Haridwar; To Guide Youth On Skilling Opportunities

With a view to increase awareness regarding various initiatives under Skill India in Uttarakhand, Hon’ble Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship today virtually inaugurated ‘Skill India Kaushal Mela’ at Haridwar on the side lines of Kumbh 2021. As one of the biggest religious gathering in India, Kumbh Mela attracts pilgrims and followers from every corner of India and makes for a good opportunity to share information and mobilize large number of people under the flagship programs/initiatives including Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSS) and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) among others. With the aim of putting on display the skills that are empowering the youth of today, MSDE along with its training and implementing partners will be holding the skill pavilion from 12th to 30th April.

Shri Tirath Singh Rawat, Hon’ble Chief Minister for Uttarakhand; Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Union Education Minister; Shri Madan Kaushik, MLA, Haridwar and State President, Uttarakhand; Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; Shri Raj Kumar Singh, Hon’ble Minister of State (IC) Power, New & Renewable Energy and Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and other senior officials from the ministry graced the occasion with their august presence.

The Skill India Pavillion is spread across 5,000 sq meters of land with multiple attractions on display from counselling rooms, experiential stalls and selfie booths to help and guide people how skill training can accelerate their livelihood opportunities.  Maintaining strict adherence with social distancing norms given the COVID-19 pandemic, the pavilion will showcase exhibitions from its training partners and 36 Sector Skill Councils to highlight the various skill related entities in their respective domains. Further, the counselling rooms will advise people about the various opportunities for skill training, employment and entrepreneurship through Skill India training programs.

Shri Tirath Singh Rawat, Hon’ble Chief Minister for Uttarakhand, said, “The Skill India Mission is a great initiative under the guidance of our Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi to strengthen the base of our economy. The Skill India Kaushal Mela at Haridwar will help in spreading more awareness about the initiative and the opportunities it offers to visiting pilgrims. Addition of new jobs related to adventure tourism such as river rafting and trekking will empower the youth of Uttarakhand with the right skill that will contribute to the economic growth of both the region and nation. The government is driving and supporting growth at the grassroots level through various initiatives under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and Vocal for Local.”

Commenting on the inauguration, Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', Hon'ble Education Minister said,” Under the visionary leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, India’s next phase of growth will be driven by ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Youth has a central role to play in the overall development of the nation and empowering them with relevant skills is the need of the hour. Through it various programs under Skill India, MSDE has been instrumental in skilling people and contributing to better livelihood. The Skill India Pavillion at

Haridwar is a novel initiative to sensitize youth about the power of skills and how this can shape their personal and professional growth in future.”

Inaugurating the Skill India Kaushal Mela, Hon’ble Minister of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, said, “Uttarakhand has the culture of displaying great commitment and passion for hard work. Ruby Bhatnagar and Mahima Gandhi are two such young candidates from the state who represented India at previous WorldSkills competitions and have made the entire country proud by showcasing their talent at a global platform. Through ‘Skill India Pavilion’ at Haridwar, we aim to create wider awareness regarding the significance of skill empowerment among youth and drive them to contribute in nation-building. I would like to congratulate Uttarakhand CM and other state govt. officials for organizing Kumbh Mela with such grandeur while ensuring all necessary healthcare and safety guidelines are strictly followed considering the current Covid-19 situation. I am positive that the Skill India Pavilion will inspire people like Satyendra Vishal and many others to embrace skill training and leverage lucrative career prospects in the future.”

MSDE together with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is helping youth across the country including Uttarakhand to lead meaningful and sustainable livelihoods. Launched under Skill India initiative, PMKVY aims to provide quality training to build a skilled and job-ready workforce catering to the evolving demands of the industry. PMKVY has been instrumental in bolstering the skilling ecosystem and with introduction of PMKVY 3.0, skill development will usher in a new paradigm with focus on demand-driven skill development, digital technology and Industry 4.0 skills.

In Uttarakhand, under PMKVY’s Short Term Training (STT) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programs, over 60,000 students have been trained. Over 3,000 candidates have been enrolled under PMKVY 3.0 till December 2020 under job roles like Yoga Trainer, Agriculture, Apparel, Beauty and Wellness etc. Around 92 Industrial Training Institutes are there in Uttarakhand with capacity of over 15,000 students per year.

Under RPL, MSDE has also approved Patanjali project in Uttarakhand. With an aim to recognize prior skills and up-skilling the farmers, the initiative is for 80,000 farmers across 29 States and 600 districts to promote Organic Grower and Group Farming practices.

Fujitsu And Trend Micro Demonstrate Solution To Secure Private 5G

* Streamlined security for IoT devices and networks helps accelerate manufacturing digital transformation 

Fujitsu Limited and Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global cybersecurity leader, have collaborated to focus on the security of private 5G networks. The companies will demonstrate the effectiveness of Trend Micro's security for private 5G using a simulated smart factory environment and an operational Fujitsu environment prior to the product's public availability. 

Private 5G network technology will be the catalyst for true smart factories globally. Connectivity and automation will link factory devices and business applications, improving production capabilities and overall factory performance. However, the expanded IT infrastructure within operational technology (OT) environments can lead to exposed risk for cyberattacks. There is an urgent need to implement cybersecurity measures to secure private 5G networks to protect against potential attacks. 

Fujitsu and Trend Micro have incorporated Trend Micro's 5G security solution into a private 5G system that simulates an actual smart factory environment equipped with high-definition monitoring cameras and automatic guided vehicles (AGV) at the FUJITSU Collaboration Lab in Kawasaki, Japan. This environment was used to visualize and centrally manage the status and security of systems, as well as correlate threat detection and prevention data from the devices and network. 

The security solution, Trend Micro Mobile Network Security, leverages embedded endpoint security within the IoT device's SIM card and network security running on a private 5G system. Benefits of the product include: 

Detect and protect against threats at the private 5G network 

Authenticate devices trying to connect to the 5G network 

Block unauthorized communication in real time 

This demonstration shows how the Trend Micro solution protects smart factories from internal threats, such as unauthorized or malware-infected devices, as well as external threats attempting to enter the factory through the 5G network. 

"Fujitsu aims to realize a society in which people, goods, and services are connected in real time through 5G technology and to solve problems facing the world," said Tomonori Goto, corporate executive officer, senior vice president and head of 5G vertical service office at Fujitsu. "To this end, we believe that this security solution, created together with Trend Micro, represents a key technology for applying private 5G to mission-critical areas. Fujitsu will continue to cooperate with Trend Micro to create new value through the power of co-creation." 

Fujitsu and Trend Micro will conduct a field trial until September 2021 at Fujitsu's Oyama Plant. Based on the results of this trial, the partners will consider commercializing a security solution for private 5G. 

"We're delighted to be joining forces with Fujitsu to tackle the immense challenge of cybersecurity for private 5G," said Akihiko Omikawa, executive vice president for Trend Micro. "Together, we are making smart manufacturing more secure to ensure production isn't stopped due to a cyberattack." 

About Trend Micro 

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro's cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world. 

About Fujitsu 

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 130,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.9 trillion yen (US$35 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020.

Now Send Money Abroad Conveniently With Axis Bank Mobile App

* A convenient, easy, hassle - free way to send money abroad 24/7, in over 100 different currencies

* An omni channel experience with seamless integration between the Mobile App and Internet Banking

* Customers can remit funds for Education Fee payments, remittances to family/friends living abroad, and other permitted purposes

* The app will also allow NRI customers to repatriate money from their NRE accounts 

* Attractive rates with  preferential pricing for Digital channels

Axis Bank, the country’s third-largest private sector bank launched its ‘Send Money Abroad’ feature on the Axis Mobile App. This initiative is in line with the Bank’s ‘Dil Se’ philosophy to build sharper customer focus and greater convenience through constant innovation.  

With the addition of this feature on the Mobile App, Axis Bank brings a convenient and hassle-free service to its customers, where one can now send money abroad through a simple 2-step process. Customers can send money abroad in over 100 different currencies, without any need to visit a branch. They can send up to USD 25000 per transaction for various purposes such as education fee payment, family maintenance, health related expenses etc. To make the proposition richer, Axis is also offering a preferential rate on Digital channels.

With the ‘Send Money Abroad’ feature, the Bank has made this an omni-channel experience for its customers, as there is complete integration between Mobile Banking and Internet Banking transactions and customers can add payees and track payments seamlessly on both channels.

Commenting on the launch Satheesh Krishnamurthy, EVP & Head – Private Banking & Third Party Products, Axis Bank, said “Forex transactions are traditionally viewed to be complex transactions, involving lengthy documentation. However contrary to this belief, in most cases, it’s as simple as a domestic transfer. Our Mobile App journey demonstrates this by offering a frictionless and simplified process. It is our constant endeavour to offer ease and convenience to customers in all our propositions and through the ‘Send Money Abroad’ feature, we have brought a much-needed service at their fingertips.”

Customers who wish to use the feature can follow these simple steps to initiate remittances – 

Login to the Axis Mobile App, click the Send Money Abroad option and follow these simple steps to complete the transaction.

BharatPe Hits A New High With 106 Million Monthly UPI Transactions UPI In March 2021

* Retains No. 3 position in UPI P2M with 8.8% volume share

* Targets to grow UPI payments by 3x in FY22

BharatPe, one of India's fastest growing fintech companies, today announced that it has achieved a big milestone by clocking 106 million transactions/ month in UPI QR payments category in March 2021. BharatPe continued its trend of outgrowing the market, with an 8.8% market share. It also announced that it retained the No. 3 position in the UPI P2M category, the spot that it had achieved in November 2020 by displacing Google Pay. BharatPe recorded US$ 830 mn worth of transactions (US$ 10 bn annualised) in March 2021.

Over the last 12 months, BharatPe has grown exponentially and has been able to establish itself as one of the fastest adopted payment systems in the UPI person-to-merchant (P2M) segment. The company has recorded a growth of 7x in volume of UPI transactions from April 2020 to March 2021. Additionally, its UPI payments vertical grew by 23.7% from February to March 2021.

Speaking on the company’s achievement, Mr. Suhail Sameer, Group President, BharatPe, said “The pandemic accelerated the growth of digital payments in the country. Infact, we saw all our business verticals grow manifold over the last one year- we outgrew the market in UPI P2M consistently, became the largest B2B fintech lender and also emerged as the No. 3 private POS player in India. Our growth in UPI P2M category has been driven by the rise in the adoption of digital payments across tier-1, 2 and beyond towns and cities. With customers moving to digital payments, owing to convenience and safety, we saw a huge spike in digital transactions beyond our top 30 cities. In order to cater to the increased demand, we expanded our footprint from 30 to 100 cities in the last 12 months.”

Added Mr. Sameer, “We are focused on creating awareness about digital payments and bringing the new-age Fintech services and credit offerings to the last mile in India and hence, will be further adding another 100 cities to our presence in FY22. We aim to expand our merchant network by adding 4 million merchants to our existing list of 6 million by the end of 2021. This 100+ million transaction milestone is a testimony of the merchant’s trust in BharatPe. We are confident that we will be able to positively impact millions of more businesses in the new fiscal with our range of existing and upcoming fintech products, especially curated to address the requirements of the merchant community.”

India has seen a phenomenal growth in digital payments over the last one year. UPI payments more than doubled from 1.0 billion transactions in April 2020 to 2.7 billion transactions in March 2021, with the TPV growing from US$ 22 billion to US$ 72 billion in March 2021. As per a recent report by ACI Worldwide and Global Data, India has outpaced USA and China to become the world’s biggest real-time digital payments market, driven by P2P as well as merchant payments. As per the report, it is expected that by 2025, digital payments collectively in India would account for 70+% of overall payments volume, leaving cash and cheques at below 30%. The report also highlighted that globally, more than 70 billion real-time payment transactions were processed in 2020, a surge of 41% compared to the previous year, as the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated trends away from cash and cheques and towards greater reliance on real-time and digital payments.

BharatPe is committed to help small merchants and kirana store owners grow their business. It has a range of fintech products for merchants- an interoperable UPI QR with zero transaction fees, business loans at lucrative interest rates, and India’s first zero-rental POS machine for accepting payments from a range of debit and credit cards. The company recently launched its innovative lending product- Distributor to Retailer (D2R) Finance, designed to provide instant liquidity to distributors, wholesalers, traders and dealers across industry verticals. With this product, BharatPe offers collateral-free loans of upto Rs. 50 lakhs for a period of 7 days to 30 days. The company aspires to become a Digital Bank for merchants that can serve as a one-stop destination for all merchant needs and lending business will play a key role in this journey. It has set a target of 3x growth in its payments business and aiming for US$30B TPV by March 2023.

About BharatPe:

BharatPe was co-founded by Ashneer Grover and Shashvat Nakrani in 2018 with the vision to make financial inclusion a reality for Indian merchants. BharatPe launched India’s first UPI interoperable QR code, first ZERO MDR payment acceptance service, and first UPI payment backed merchant cash advance service. In 2020, post-Covid, BharatPe also launched India’s only ZERO MDR card acceptance terminals – BharatSwipe. Currently serving over 60 lakh merchants across 100 cities, the company is a leader in UPI offline transactions, processing 10 crore+ UPI transactions per month (annualized Transaction Processed Value of US$ 10+ Bn). The company has already facilitated disbursement of over Rs. 1600 crores to its merchants since launch. BharatPe’s POS business is clocking over Rs. 1200 crores/ month. BharatPe has raised close to US$ 270 million in equity and debt, till date. The company’s list of marquee investors includes Coatue Management, Ribbit Capital, Insight Partners, Steadview Capital, Beenext, Amplo and Sequoia Capital. 

Fanzart & Fundermax India MD's Announce Round Up For 2020-21 And Outlook For 2021-2022

Mr Anil Lala, Managing Director, Fanzart

2020 was supposed to be an aggressive year for us as a brand, and as a company. But, we unfortunately couldn't capitalise during the lockdown but after things started opening up we were surprised at the demand especially since most people were spending more time at home. After all the uncertainty that covid brought us, lockdown proved to be a blessing for home interior products and We finished the financial year of 2020-2021 at an unexpected positive note and we are grateful for that. 

Many brands in the premium to luxury home sector have done well and we are happy to share that customers got more time to evaluate between brands , chose us and gave us the opportunity to adorn their homes with our products.

Dr Prashanth Reddy , Managing Director, Fundermax India

After demonetization, GST and RERA; the real estate industry faced a setback of almost 30 to 40% in the past. However, newer Reforms like land pooling, reduction of the stamp duty rates in some states, focus on affordable housing, etc are helping to revive the industry.

In 2021, the overall outlook is positive with a reduction in the number of unsold inventory, stalled projects starting again, and migrant labor coming back to work. 

Work from home is new normal as there is a shift in the industry from Tier 1 cities to Tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Our business expansion continues as the economy and ecosystem around are growing.

On It’s First Anniversary, discovery+ Reveals First Look Of Its Star-Powered Cooking Show ‘Star vs Food’

* Premiering on April 15, top Bollywood personalities Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, Karan Johar, Arjun Kapoor, and Pratik Gandhi push their culinary limits in this exciting new show

From their larger-than-life portrayals on-screen to their glamorous lifestyles off-screen, there’s just something fabulous about Bollywood. But what happens when our favorite celebrities go behind the scenes, to serve a celebrity-approved gourmet experience to some really special guests? discovery+, India’s first and leading aggregated real-life entertainment network which has recently completed its first anniversary, is all set to give audiences the entire scoop with the first look at the gastronomical action, fun, and above all else chaos that will ensue on its new exciting star-spangled cooking show ‘Star vs Food’. Streaming from 15th April on discovery+, each week will feature influential Bollywood personalities Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, Karan Johar, Arjun Kapoor, and Pratik Gandhi. 

From diva Kareena Kapoor Khan  rigorously grating an entire block of cheese in her first post-maternity challenge of making a pizza; Karan Johar’s hilarious caution about a hot pot with him saying, ‘Mere khoobsoorat chehre par, daag toh na lag jaye’; Malaika Arora’s dread to cut and clean an entire fish as she recreates a dish straight out of her mother’s recipe book; Arjun Kapoor struggling to dice some tomatoes to Pratik Gandhi looking perplexed by the task at hand, the teaser released today is a perfect indication of the fun in store. 

Aptly titled ‘Star vs Food’, the new celebrity cooking show features weekly episodes of stars setting themselves up against the challenge of cooking a meal for their loved ones under the supervision of a professional chef. Featuring Mumbai’s popular fine-dining eateries and local culinary talents on the show like restaurant The Lovefools’ Chef Sarita Pereira, Slink and Bardot’s Chef Vidit Aren, Restaurant Masque’s Chef Prateek Sadhu, Mizu’s Chef Lakhan and The Butler and The Bayleaf’s Chef Gulaam Gouse Deewani promises to be a delectable treat for audiences across the country.

Speaking on the premiere of ‘Star vs Food’ Issac John Business Head – Direct-to-Consumer Head - APAC, Discovery said, “ It's been a year since discovery+ launched in India and this past year we’ve delivered a viewing experience with a distinct value proposition for lifelong learners and passionate communities. Among scores of thousands of glowing reviews this past year, our users describe discovery+ as ‘mind-blowing’, ‘educational’, ‘entertaining’, ‘worth every penny’, and ‘a must-have’ app. This has only motivated us to further elevate their experience. He also added, “We’re now excited to dive into our first exclusive lifestyle original ‘Star vs Food’ with some of India’s top celebrities who have ruled hearts in India and with Star vs Food, we will find out if they can rule the kitchen for their loved ones.’

Celebrities Quotes:

On her experience on ‘Star vs Food’ the quintessential style icon and bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan said, “For the Kapoor’s, food has always been a passion! It's that one element that brings us all together and like most families is a focal point for any special occasion. Good food is something that should bring you joy in just the experience of it and for me, my go-to has always been Italian, especially since it was the one thing I craved the most during my pregnancy. I was so happy to be a part of Star vs Food because it actually gave me the opportunity to perfect the art of making a pizza! which is an absolute crowd-pleaser at home and I can’t wait to recreate it home.”

On the premiere of the show, Director Karan Johar Said, “ “Food is such an important aspect of our lives. We all have good memories of meals shared with friends and family and there is always that one person in your family or group of friends who’s a great cook and who loves to feed everyone. I wasn’t that person and was never very keen to cook but all of that changed when my babies started to grow up. I found discovery+ ’s ‘Star vs Food’ as such an exciting experience. Cooking under the guidance of a pro like Chef Lakhan was a real eye opener and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I have a long way to go, but thanks to this experience, I think I might find myself in the kitchen more often!"

On this latest tryst in the kitchen with discovery+, Arjun Kapoor said, “I’m a self-confessed foodie at heart and while nothing can top the food my daadi cooks, I do have some close seconds.  Us Kapoor’s really do know our food but eating it and cooking it are two very different things, and boy! did my experience on the show teach me just that. I now have a newfound respect for the many food geniuses and my very own home chefs whose skill and patience have been behind some of my most favorite food memories. Special thanks go to Gulaam Gouse Deewani who taught me a thing or two about cooking.” 

“Everyone knows that I’m all about clean eating and being mindful about the food we use to nourish our bodies, but when I think about the ultimate dish that is nostalgic, comforting and just all-around delicious there’s nothing like a wholesome meal of fish and rice. Cooking was something I learned for my son, who set me on the challenge when he was in school to make him home-cooked meals and now I’m excited I get to sharpen those skills further with a few more tricks of the trade from one of my favourite chefs, Prateek Sadhu. Star vs Food brought together all my favorite things - spending time with your loved ones, raiding someone’s kitchen and of course delicious food!”, said Malaika Arora on her experience on ‘Star vs Food’. 

Elaborating on his experience on the show, Pratik Gandhi said, “As an actor, my schedule rarely permits me the time to pick and prepare a meal for myself or my family. My wife is my ultimate chef who always remembers my favorites and tries to give me a dose of home-cooked goodness every now and then. So when the opportunity came my way, to treat her to an extravagant food experience, prepared by me under the tutelage of one of Mumbai’s culinary masterminds, how could I pass that up! 

Get ready to watch some delectable cuisines prepared by your favorite stars at the premiere of ‘Star vs Food’ with the first episode featuring Kareena Kapoor Khan cooking for her friends under the supervision of a professional chef, streaming from 15th April only on discovery+. 

About discovery+ 

‘discovery+’ is an exciting new D2C streaming app, launched to satiate the unmet need of a differentiated product offering premium real-life entertainment. Priced competitively with an introductory offer of INR 299 per annum, the app has been developed and curated specifically for India. discovery+ offers thousands of hours of exclusive content across 40+ genres, including Science, Adventure, Food and Lifestyle, in 8 languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali & Marathi. The premium subscribers have access to a vast selection of never-seen-before Premium Discovery titles, must-watch documentaries, India originals and exclusive acquisitions. Free users of the app have access to all-time favorites from the Discovery library.