Bike-Taxi App - Rapido Vaccinates Driver Partners Across Chennai City

Bike-taxi app Rapido has joined palms with the Greater Chennai Corporation to vaccinate its driver partners in a free vaccination drive performed in town. The drivers are a part of the important ride-sharing and supply fleet and embody specially-abled captains.

The members have been administered the primary dose of Covishield, with all required precautions, security measures and submit vaccination protocols adopted to make sure safety, an announcement from the corporate stated. All vaccinated drivers can be administered the second dose as per the outlined interval of 80 days between two doses.

On the launch of the #RapidoCaptainVaccination programme, Pavan Guntupalli, co-founder, Rapido, stated, “Vaccination is a key step in our country’s fight against the pandemic. As one of the leading players in the Indian mobility and ride sharing ecosystem, we take our commitment to safeguarding our customers and captains through this vaccination drive. While bike taxis themselves are an open and safe way to commute during the pandemic, we are providing another layer of protection. We thank the Chennai city Corporation for helping us put this drive together.”

Rapido plans to have further vaccination drives in town as per the supply of the vaccination shares. The firm introduced a number of different initiatives resembling security again shields for bike taxi rides.

Storytel Makes Listening To Audiobooks In Indian Languages Pocket Friendly

* Priced at ₹149 pm, get unlimited access to audiobooks in 11 Indian languages

Demand for content in regional languages has gone up significantly in the last few years and continues to be on rise. With focus on regional languages, Storytel is expanding its starter subscription plan - Select -  which allows customers to access audiobooks in 11 regional languages. 

Storytel had piloted Select services with thousands of audiobooks & ebooks in Marathi language only in 2020. Now the offering is expanded to 11 languages including Kannada Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Assamese, Gujarati, Odia &  Urdu to choose from, at an affordable price point of ₹149 per month. You can subscribe for the plan here

Consumers will now get two paying options -  “Select “payment option priced at Rs 149/-  with access to regional languages and another one '’Unlimited' priced at Rs 299 with access to all 11 languages along with English. The aim is to keep the offer choice to people who want to listen to Indian languages only or also the premium International titles in English.

Book lovers and literary enthusiasts will find many sought-after titles on the Storytel app, from Nagamandala, Samaskara, Ammachi Yemmba Nenapu, Sandhyaraga as well as contemporary bestseller such as Ghachar Ghochar,Life is Beautiful, Grastha, Teru . Storytel is associated with some of the best publishing houses and  many more.

One can listen to Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Moorkhana Mathugalu and many more titles that are added in the app every month.

Expanding Storytel Select is the next step in Storytel’s journey to offer customers options that they have been asking for, which is very much in sync with our strategy of going local and understanding customer needs better.

“Our aim is to get people more and more closer to stories and literature that stems from their roots.With expanding Select as a product, we want to give users the power to choose and pay for what they actually consume. We were seeing doubled interest in the consumption of audiobooks in languages other than English, which is when we decided to launch an India specific plan- which lets one enjoy audiobooks in their language at an affordable pricing. ” said Yogesh Dashrath, Country Manager, Storytel India.

Storytel is an audiobook and ebook app streaming service launched in India on 27th Nov 2017. The company is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and currently present in 25 markets across the globe. In India, the app currently hosts more than 2 lac+ audiobooks and ebooks across 12 languages namely English, Hindi, Marathi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Assamese, Gujarati & Kannada . Our vision is to make the world a more empathetic place with great stories to be shared and enjoyed by anyone, anywhere and anytime.

Availability: Storytel is available on both Google Play store http://bit.ly/2rriZaU and iOS App store https://apple.co/2zUcGkG

About Storytel

Storytel is one of the world’s largest subscribed audiobook and ebook streaming services and offers listening and reading of more than 500 000 titles on a global scale. Our vision is to make the world a more empathetic and creative place with great stories to be shared and enjoyed by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Storytel’s streaming business is conducted under the brands Storytel and Mofibo. Storytel’s publishing business area is carried out through the audiobook publisher StorySide and acclaimed Nordic publishing houses such as Norstedts, People’s and Gummerus. Storytel operates in over 20 markets around the globe and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.

https://www.storytel.com

Greenply Industries Bullish On Offering Innovative Products To Its Discerning Consumers

* Plans to invest in the tune of INR 75 crore to set up a manufacturing unit in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh 

* Becomes first organisation to achieve the FSC®–FM (Forest Management) certification in the interior infrastructure category in India 

* The brand’s Zero Emission (E -0) product range is already catching a significant attention from its customers 

Greenply Industries Limited, India’s largest interior eco-friendly infrastructure company with over 30 years of experience in manufacturing a comprehensive range of plywood, block boards, decorative veneers, flush doors, and other allied products has recently divulged that it will invest around INR 75 crores to set up a plywood and allied products manufacturing unit through a wholly owned subsidiary in at Sandila Industrial Area in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh. The proposed capacity addition is 13.50 million square metre per annum while the existing capacity of the company is 24.90 million square metre per annum. Greenply has decided to set up the plant at Hardoi considering the proximity of principal raw materials such as agro forestry timber and availability of workers, along with growing demand in northern and central markets of India. The new project is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2021-22.   

Greenply is also now the proud owner of FSC® – FM (Forest Management) Certification from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) for its sustainable plantation unit located in Tizit, Nagaland and the first company to have successfully achieved the FSC® –FM certification in the interior infrastructure segment in India. The Forest Management Certification will now ensure promoting and implementing Sustainable Farm Management practices in Greenply Industries plantation area in Tizit enhancing the quality and livelihood of the local group members associated with the project. The purpose of Greenply Industries Limited is to procure wood based raw material legally and responsibly on continuous and sustainable basis from the plantations grown by small growers who planted the short rotation fast growing species like Eucalyptus, Melia, Duabanga, Canarium, Terminalia. The procured wood from the Forest Management area will be initially used for own consumption of Greenply Industries for manufacturing of Plywood and other wooden items. Operations at the farm forestry project at Mon district of Nagaland had begun in the year 2013, covering around 850 hectares of marginal / degraded lands and will continue with plantation project to ensure sustainability. 

The company is the first one in the wood & panel industry to introduce a range of Zero Emission (E-0) products keeping in mind the health interest of its consumer by assuring to safeguard the indoor air quality by reducing formaldehyde emission in homes. E-0 grade emission compliance made sure that the plywood emits negligible formaldehyde and that its manufacturing facility has an on-site testing mechanism to monitor quality of the product in this regard. As an effort towards clean and green living, Greenply Industries will come up with more such product innovation which will be free from emission of any harmful gases and ensure a complete peace of mind for the consumers in the aspects of indoor air quality, and environmentally friendliness. 

Commenting on this achievement, Mr. Sanidhya Mittal, Joint Managing Director – Greenply Industries Ltd “We at Greenply is continually striving on building a sustainable operational framework vital for sustained value creation by working on capacity building and securing resource accessibility. We have decided to infuse zest, sustainability and support all of which enhances the meaning of ‘green’ in a more meaningful way to a world and thus we are aiming to promote sustainable development amongst the local community through our plantation unit in Tizit Nagaland. Our new manufacturing unit in Uttar Pradesh will also generate jobs for both skilled and unskilled labour.” 

About Greenply Industries 

GREENPLY INDUSTRIES LIMTED (Greenply), is among India’s largest interior infrastructure brands with over 30 years of experience in manufacturing and marketing a comprehensive range of plywood, decorative veneers, flush doors, and other allied products.  

The company is listed in National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange. The company has a strong leadership presence with 55 branches (including virtual branches) and 7,500+ channel partners across India. However, Greenply is currently making its presence felt across the globe, with 4 state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, which includes the operations in Gabon, West Africa. The organisation has received several awards and certifications for implementing best work practices across factories, maintaining eco-friendly manufacturing, and ensuring quality and guaranteed products, including the prestigious FSC®-FM, CE, E-0 and E-1. 

About Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) 

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) is a globally recognised certification system with million hectares of forestland certified under its forest conservation standards. FSC® forest management certification confirms that the forest is being managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits the lives of local people and workers, while ensuring it sustains economic viability. 

Watch All-Time Favourite Titles In June, Exclusively On Lionsgate Play

This June, Lionsgate Play, a premium OTT app is bringing some finest world-renowned titles that one can enjoy from the comfort of their home. The month is packed with award winning films and never seen shows, that is a must watch for all the cinephiles. Lionsgate Play app is available on Google Play Store, Apple app store and Amazon Firestick. 

Here is a list of all the titles you can enjoy this month,  

Cosmic Sins: Starring Bruce Willis, Frank Grillo in the lead is an American science fiction film. In the year 2524, four centuries after humans started colonizing the outer planets, retired Gen. James Ford gets called back into service after a hostile alien fleet attacks soldiers on a remote planet. The threat against mankind soon escalates into an interstellar war as Ford and a team of elite soldiers try to stop the imminent attack before it's too late. The film is available on the app in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada. 

Unlocked: Directed by Michael Apted, this British-American film revolves around CIA agent Alice Racine fails to apprehend the terrorist behind a Paris attack that claimed dozens of lives, she is then forced to work undercover at a community centre in London. Her mentor unexpectedly calls her back into action when the CIA discovers that another attack is imminent. Alice soon learns that the classified information she's uncovered has been compromised. Running for her life, she turns to a former soldier to help her prevent a lethal biological attack on the citizens of London. Available on the app in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu. 

Warm Bodies: An American paranormal romantic film written and directed by Jonathan Levine is a zombie comedy drama starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Analeigh Tipton, and John Malkovich. The film focuses on the terrible plague that left the population divided between zombies and Humans. R (Zombie) rescues Julie (Living woman) from a failed escape attempt that embarks them to an unusual relationship. Watch the film on Lionsgate Play app 

Trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TDYhTNpUzo 

Liberty Stands Still: An American crime thriller drama film featuring Wesley Snipes and Linda Fiorentino. The plot revolves around Liberty (played by Linda), the daughter of the largest gun manufacturers in the United States, while on her way to visit her affair, Russell (played by Martin Cummins) is held hostage at a hot dog stand by a sniper, Joe (Wesley Snipes) who is seeking revenge for his daughter's death. To save her life and Russell’s life she must follow the directions given by Joe or die at his hands. The film is directed by Kari Skogland. The film will be available from 04th June 2021. 

The Glass Castle: Written by Cretton, Andrew Lanham, and Marti Noxon is an American biographical drama film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton is heart wrenching story about a dysfunctional family starring Brie Larson, Naomi Watts, Woody Harrelson in the lead. The film received a phenomenally rating of 7.1 on IMDb. The story revolves around Jeannette, whose mother is an eccentric artist, and her alcoholic abusive father stirs the siblings with imaginary stories as hope of destruction to escape the truth of poverty. Watch the film streaming from 18th June 2021. 

AESL Commits Support For Well-Being Of Employees During The Ongoing Pandemic

* Sets up a National medical helpline number for Pan-India employees 

* During the unfortunate demise of any employee due to Covid-19, the families will get one year salary & other financial benefits 

* The company urges all employees, family members and relatives to get vaccinated and is launching vaccine drive at its Offices starting next week  

The emergence of the devastating second wave of Covid-19 has had a profound impact on the personal lives of millions across the country. The rising number of cases has seen people struggling to get medical support for their loved ones. Employees are finding it emotionally draining to align work with personal grief and the uncertainties ahead.  

In-line with its employee first approach and its commitment towards being a socially responsible company and protecting educators who serve as frontline warriors during the lockdown, Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL), the national leader in test preparation services, has rolled out a series of interventions to help the employees during this unprecedented health crisis. 

The measures include: 

AESL has started a National helpline number to support its employees in the best possible way by providing devices like oxygen concentrators, doctor tele-consultation as well as sharing varied information regarding oxygen cylinders, hospital beds, medicines etc to help protect staff from impact of Covid.  

In case of the unfortunate demise of any employee, the company is providing complete one year full salary to the spouse. 

It will also provide medical insurance to the family of the deceased employee for three years. 

In addition, AESL will provide support for the education of kids of deceased staff at the rate of INR 5000/- per kid per month till they complete their graduation in India.  

The company is offering a job opportunity within the organisation to the spouse or the child of the deceased employee as per eligibility and suitable vacancy.  

Moreover, if the family requires any support for documentation at the bank, processing insurance claim etc due to absence of key earning member of the house, the company is providing all required assistance in documentation & asset transfer. 

Apart from supporting all on-roll employees who have tested positive for Covid-19 with full wages, the company is granting time off to those who require to care for their family members. 

Leveraging the state-of-art technologies and investment in home teaching devices, employees are encouraged to work from their respective hometowns to support their family members who are suffering from Coronavirus.  

Above all, the company encourages all employees including their family members and relatives to get vaccinated at the earliest to mitigate the severity of Covid-19. For the same, AESL is launching a vaccination drive at its Offices starting from next week for employees plus one dependent.    

AESL had last month announced that it will be taking care of the complete vaccination cost for Covid-19 for all its employees and one dependent each across India. This will amount to 5,000 employees for the two shots of vaccine plus one dependent each. The vaccine cost will also be taken care of for the nearly 750 support staff across India including housekeeping staff and security guards as well.  

Teachers nurture the future of nation and at AESL it is our responsibility to keep them safe and empower them to attain the best possible learning outcomes in their classrooms. And protecting them against the ongoing pandemic is one such step that the company is taking to support these frontline workers. 

Commenting on the series of initiatives, Mr. Aakash Chaudhry, Managing Director, Aakash Educational Services Limited, said “Our company is fully committed to provide the best possible assistance to our employees during this grim hour. To support employees the company has introduced a string of measures which include setting up of dedicated helpline number, paid leaves and support to the immediate family members of the deceased to help overcome the challenges of the pandemic together. This is the least we can do to support employees who are facing personal grief and the onslaught of the coronavirus.” 

About Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) 

Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) provides comprehensive test preparatory services for students preparing for Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, School/Board Exams and Competitive Exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads.  AESL believes that the “Aakash” brand is associated with quality coaching and a proven student selection track record in various Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, Scholarship exams & Olympiads. 

With over 33 years of operational experience in the test preparatory industry, the company has a large number of selections in Medical & Engineering Entrance Exams and several Class 9th and 10th level Scholarship exams/Olympiads, a pan India network of 215+ Aakash Centers (including franchisee), and a student count of more than 250,000. 

The Aakash group also owns the famous K-12 EdTech brand, Meritnation.com as well. 

UPL Ltd Appoints Ashish Dobhal As The Regional Director For India

UPL Ltd., a leader in global food systems and sustainable agriculture solutions, today announced the appointment of Mr. Ashish Dobhal as the Regional Director for India region. Ashish was previously the Head of UPL’s Agri Formulation business.

Ashish takes over from Sameer Tandon, who previously held the position of Regional Director of UPL – India Region and has now been appointed as the Regional Director for ASEANZ (Australia, Southeast Asia and New Zealand).

Sharing his thoughts, Mr. Jaidev Shroff, CEO of UPL Ltd., said, “A result-oriented leader and motivator, Ashish has taken several challenges upfront and has delivered strong performances. He has played a pivotal role at UPL and has successfully implemented various important projects. India is an important market for us and is poised for an exponential growth. I’m confident that with his experience and enthusiasm, we will continue to grow better and faster in the region.”

He also said “I would like to congratulate and thank Sameer for his contribution to the India region wherein he demonstrated a positive shift in the operating model of the business from being product driven to a solutions model”

Mr. Ashish Dobhal, while sharing his views, said, “The potential for our India business to grow is immense. We have already established a strong base in the market and are uniquely positioned to deliver superior performance in the upcoming period. We are committed to grow in alignment with our purpose of OpenAg-Reimagining sustainability with an open network to create sustainable growth for all. I’m sure that with the highly talented team here, we will scale newer heights.”

Ashish has a rich experience of over 20 years in the field of Agri business. In his journey of 17+ years with UPL, he has served at various leadership positions across China, Taiwan, Middle East, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Turkey and European countries. He has played an instrumental role in the success and growth of UPL in these regions.

About UPL:

UPL Ltd. (NSE: UPL & BSE: 512070) is a global provider of sustainable agriculture products & solutions, with annual revenue exceeding $5 billion. We are a purpose-led company. Through OpenAg, UPL is focused on facilitating progress for the entire agricultural value chain. We are building a network that redefines the way an entire industry thinks and works – open to fresh ideas, innovative ways, and new answers as we strive towards our mission to make every single food product more sustainable. As one of the largest agriculture solutions companies worldwide, our robust portfolio consists of biologicals and traditional crop protection solutions with more than 13,600 registrations. We are present in more than 130 countries, represented by more than 10,000 colleagues globally. For more information about our integrated portfolio of solutions across the food value chain including seeds, post-harvest, as well as physical and digital services.

HDFC Mutual Fund’s Socially Responsible Initiative #NurtureNature On World Environment Day

HDFC Mutual Fund (HDFC MF) has initiated a socially responsible campaign #NurtureNature to plant a tree on behalf of investors who register for a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) between 31 May – 4 June, 2021. HDFC MF has associated with Grow-Trees.com dedicated to the cause of planting trees, for this innovative social cause.

A Systematic Investment Plan is a great way to invest in mutual funds, wherein a fixed amount is invested at regular intervals in a disciplined manner without having to worry about market ups and downs and timing of entry. With an SIP, an investor can aim to build a corpus for his/her long term goals like retirement, children’s education and wealth creation, etc.

HDFC MF will have a sapling planted on investor’s behalf, for registering an SIP through digital / online modes only with a minimum of Rs. 1000 per month, for a tenure of at least 3-years in an equity-oriented scheme (excluding arbitrage and index funds) in both regular and direct plans. After a period of 3-months post the date of registration, a tree will be planted on behalf of the investor and the investor will receive an eCertificate from HDFC MF.

Commenting on this socially responsible initiative, Mr. Navneet Munot, MD & CEO, HDFC Asset Management Co. Ltd. said, “Our #NurtureNature initiative of planting trees on behalf of investors’ commencing SIPs is aimed at helping investors create wealth while contributing to a greener future. We also want to encourage digital on-boarding which brings convenience to investors while supporting the environment.”

Commenting on this socially responsible initiative Mr. Bikrant Tiwary, CEO Grow-Trees.com said "Grow-Trees is delighted to be associated with HDFC MF for planting trees in India. It's time that we realise our responsibilities and give back to nature what we took. We hope that with this initiative, we are able to bridge the gap a little."

About HDFC AMC

HDFC Asset Management Company Limited (HDFC AMC) is Investment Manager to HDFC Mutual Fund, one of the largest mutual fund in the country. It was incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956, on 10th December 1999 and was approved to act as an Asset

Management Company for HDFC Mutual Fund by SEBI on 3rd July 2000. It has other SEBI licenses viz. PMS / AIF.

HDFC AMC has a diversified asset class mix across Equity and Fixed Income/Others. It also has a countrywide network of branches along with a diversified distribution network comprising Banks, Independent Financial Advisors and National Distributors.