Aviva India Launches Aviva Life Shield Premium Across Indian Market

* The comprehensive, hyper-personalized term insurance plan helps a customer choose from a gamut of options around sum assured, premium payment term and frequency, claim payout among others 

Aviva Life Insurance, India’s most trusted private insurance company, today announced the launch of Aviva Life Shield Premium, a Non-Linked Non-Participating Individual Pure Risk Life Insurance Plan. It is a comprehensive term life insurance plan that can be personalized as per the needs of every individual and his family to ensure that one enjoys the protection of a term life cover on their own terms. Towards this goal, Aviva has launched the campaign #OnYourTerms and the product has been designed to enable customers to choose and customize options around the sum assured, premium payment term and frequency, claim payout methods, among others.

Mr. Vinit Kapahi, Head, Marketing Function, Aviva Life Insurance said “Our single-minded focus on delivering a comprehensive and differentiated proposition suite is rooted in our vision to work towards our long-term strategy. We understand customer demands and our teams have been working to launch new and more relevant products to ensure that our customers’ future is secured. Aviva Life Shield Premium plan can be personalized as per the financial needs and provides protection to the loved ones We are confident that this product will cater to the increasing demand for Term Life Insurance but will also ensure that more customers choose to enjoy the benefits of insurance by insuring themselves.”

Vinit further added “At Aviva, we have always kept the customer at the centre of every endeavour and are continually driven by our purpose of With You Today, For a Better Tomorrow. This is a promise that each one of us lives through every day at work to ensure good customer outcomes at every step of the way.”

Aviva Life Shield Premium comes with policy term up to 62 years and provides customers optional payment term of Regular, Limited and Single Premium payment term and Annual, semi-annual or monthly Premium payment frequency. This product allows customers to balance their financial portfolio with multiple payout methods ranging from lump sum, income and 50:50. Another advantage is that customers get an additional protection against Accidental Death and Permanent Total Disability due to an accident.

Some key differentiators of Aviva Life Shield Premium are:

·         The plan offers opportunity to choose increasing or decreasing sum assured as per customers’ financial needs.

·         Customers can pay a limited premium for as less as 5 years and enjoy coverage till the age of 80.

·         Aviva Life Shield Premium lets customers enjoy freedom to tailor-make the plan to suit their family.

Vi Business Strengthens Its Security Portfolio, Unveils Vi Next Generation Cloud Firewall Solutions For Enterprises

With accelerated growth in digital, work from home, workloads migrating to cloud, has led to a strong need of reliable security solutions for day-to-day functioning of enterprises. Sensing the criticality to secure the business risks of its customers, Vi Business, the enterprise arm of Vodafone Idea Ltd. (VIL), has strengthened its security portfolio with the launch of Vi Cloud Firewall, a cloud-deployed security solution for enterprises.

Continuing its collaborative strategy, Vi Business has partnered with leading security technology provider Firstwave Cloud Technology to introduce Vi Cloud Firewall for the modern business needs. FirstWave Cloud Technology has helped design innovative multi-tenant and dedicated Vi Cloud Firewalls engineered for Vi’s OpenStack RedHat cloud environment and managed using FirstWave’s Cloud Content Security Platform (CCSP). The Firewall solution is powered by Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) technology, one of the market leaders.

Vi Cloud Firewall comes with next generation firewall features like gateway ant-virus, DDoS protection, secure VPN, data loss prevention, content filtering, real-time intelligence, amongst others. This cost-effective, flexible and network-based solution involves zero capex, zero touch and eliminates the need of   any on premise infrastructure for enterprises to set up and run. It is a one-stop single solution that provides faster turnaround with scalability options, without infrastructure upgrade, completely managed services with no dependence on internal IT teams.

Introducing the security solution, Abhijit Kishore, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited, said, “As enterprises accelerate digital adoption and respond to the dynamic environment, they are also looking to build scalable IT and Security capabilities. Migrating to cloud applications and protection against possible security threats is amongst the top priorities for large and small businesses alike. Vi Cloud Firewall is a flexible subscription based solution offering ease of business operations, connectivity and security for businesses across domains. With the launch of Vi Cloud Firewall, Vi Business has taken another significant step towards providing comprehensive and integrated connectivity and security solutions to our enterprise customers.”

Commenting on the partnership, Neil Pollock, CEO, FirstWave Cloud Technology, said “Firstwave is delighted to partner with Vi Business to launch the innovative Vi Next Generation Cloud Firewall that is integral to Vi Business secure internet portfolio. Teams from both Vi Business and FirstWave Cloud have worked tirelessely over the last several months to bring this innovation to Vi Business customers. Businesses in India can now take advantage of Vi’s SaaS based cybersecurity services, starting with cloud firewalls and in the future Email and Web security, delivered via Vi’s incredible network and using FirstWave’s CCSP platform. The FirstWave team is excited and committed to support Vi Business in this journey.”

With Vi Cloud Firewall, enterprises and businesses across BFSI, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail,  Travel, Logistics, Real Estate, NBFC, Education etc. can benefit from the best security practices maintained by accredited security professionals and 24x7 monitoring and measurement.

Note: To know more about Vi™ Cloud Firewall, visit https://www.myvi.in/business/enterprise-solutions/security/cloud-firewall

About Vi:

Vodafone Idea Limited is an Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group partnership. It is India’s leading telecom service provider. The Company provides pan India Voice and Data services across 2G, 3G and 4G platform. With the large spectrum portfolio to support the growing demand for data and voice, the company is committed to deliver delightful customer experiences and contribute towards creating a truly ‘Digital India’ by enabling millions of citizens to connect and build a better tomorrow. The Company is developing infrastructure to introduce newer and smarter technologies, making both retail and enterprise customers future ready with innovative offerings, conveniently accessible through an ecosystem of digital channels as well as extensive on-ground presence. The Company is listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India. The company offers products and services to its customers in India under the TM Brand name “Vi”.

WealthDesk Signs Up Prabhudas Lilladhar For Recently Launched Portfolio Optimiser Tool

WealthDesk, India’s pioneering B2B2C Investment Technology platform, that enables portfolio based investing on top of equities and ETFs consolidating research, advisory, broking, asset & wealth management ecosystem, has launched a comprehensive and detailed Portfolio Analytics and Optimization tool in partnership with OpenQ by Quantech Capital. Top brokers like Prabhudas Lilladher have signed up for the tool, while WealthDesk continues to on-board other leading brokers. 

The Portfolio Optimiser tool will help investors optimize the portfolio in a disciplined process oriented manner by analysing demat holdings, including stocks, ETFs and Mutual Funds by using more than 15,000 data points that cover the aspects of portfolio risk, returns to give rich insights in a simple and easy to understand manner.  

After analysing a user’s portfolio, the Optimiser tool will also recommend holding, monitoring and selling of stocks and ETFs while offering detailed Mutual Funds analytics including overlaps with existing direct Equities portfolio. Furthermore, the tool is also deeply integrated with WealthBaskets that are available on WealthDesk. 

Prabhudas Lilladher broking users can now use the Portfolio Optimiser tool from within their respective brokerage accounts.  

Commenting on this, Ujjwal Jain, Founder and CEO of WealthDesk said, “Our vision as a Platform ecosystem has always been to bring the most institutional premium offering to retail Investors in India. Globally, such optimiser tools are provided to Private Wealth Clients and institutional investors and such an offering now would be available to retail investors in India on top of Broking. Technology has completely democratized access to such offering and WealthDesk is focusing on it’s core strength of bringing it to as many retail Investors on top of Broking as a Platform. OpenQ being the institutional driver of Factor/Quant based Investing in India has come together for this unique offering. We are sure this will change the way people look at their Investments. They will get more detailed insights and people can make informed choices.” 

Sujit Modi, Founder and CEO of OpenQ (Quantech Capital) said, “At OpenQ, we combine Technology, Data Science and Quantitative Finance to bring the globally best manufacturing practices in designing wealth solutions as a service. OpenQ’s suite of investment and analytical products are offered as an integrated solution which will make wealth creation a passive and easy to follow process for the clients.”   

“OpenQ Optimiser will enable our clients to benefit in two ways - Apart from applying PL views on stocks they hold in their portfolio, they will now get a quantitative view of their portfolios based on Style Factors – For example, how much of the portfolio is in Dividend Yield style stocks versus how much in Momentum style stocks, apart from things like Market Capitalisation based exposures. Clients can use such advice to align portfolios to their risk profile as well as market outlook at the click of a button and therefore be much more confident about their investing” added Sandip Raichura, CEO (Retail and Distribution), Prabhudas Lilladher 

About WealthDesk 

WealthDesk is India’s pioneering B2B2C SaaS based Neo AMC platform on top of broking that powers research, advisory, broking, wealth management and portfolio management to retail investors at scale. The platform captures the entire Investment/Asset management/Advisory value chain from portfolio creation on top of Equities and ETFs, productizing these into investment products and enabling large scale distribution through broking with strong network effects. WealthDesk is building a new investment product ecosystem in India on top of Direct Stocks and ETFs  which will drive the future of investing in India in capital markets. 

About OpenQ 

OpenQ is a Factor led Quantitative Platform that uses principles of data science, quantitative finance, mathematical constructs and computer algos to design Investment and Analytical solutions. All the OpenQ offerings are created after rigorous evaluation over the last 20 years making wealth creation a passive process that one needs to follow with certain discipline.  

14-Year-Old Creates Engaging Web-Game ‘Go Corona Go’ To Highlight The Importance Of Wearing Masks And Getting Vaccinated

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. At a time when India is dealing with the second wave of Covid-19, a bright young 14-year-old WhiteHat Jr student from Bengaluru, Abhinav Ranjith Das, put on his thinking hat and created an engaging web based game titled ‘Go Corona Go’ to highlight the importance of protecting oneself from the virus by wearing masks and getting vaccinated as soon as possible.

The game, with its rich animation, lively music and interesting tasks, educates players about taking all precautions as they try to beat the virus.

The game has three levels in which the player has to jump over hurdles, including the virus itself, in order to get access to safety equipment such as masks and PPE kits to defeat the virus.  The objective of the game is to reach the end of the third and the final level where the player is rewarded with Covid-19 vaccine.

Speaking about his game, Abhinav said, “The present situation inspired me to develop the game. The game endeavours to educate people about how they can protect themselves from the virus but in a playful manner, as the player has to overcome obstacles to reach the final destination. It ends with a message about safety. I want everyone who plays this game to get inspired and take all the necessary precautions so that we can beat this virus!”

Abhinav has been studying with WhiteHat Jr for about 8 months now and has completed 84 coding classes. He is extremely fond of coding and finds it to be a fun activity.

Abhinav’s mother, Seema Ranjith said, “It is a very proud moment for us. The game is fun to play but at the same time, it also delivers an important message. We are excited about the way Abhinav is learning every day and is now planning to make more games.”

Going forward, Abhinav hopes to develop more games and is currently working on creating a car racing game and a Rubik’s cube game as well.

To play the game, click here: https://abhinavdas2006.github.io/Go-Corona-Go-Made-By-Abhinav-Final-Game/

MAHE Virtual Conference “Ecosophy” Highlights The Importance Of Art And Peace In Today’s Era

The Gandhian Centre for Philosophical Arts and Sciences (GCPAS), constituent department of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) along with UNESCO Peace Chair conducted two days international conference ‘Ecosophy” addressing the importance of art and peace in today’s era. A total number of 45 research papers related to art and peace are being presented online from different parts of the country and abroad discussing on contemporary issues and future alternatives that can be adopted to maintain peace and harmony in the world. The subthemes for the conference included as wide-ranging themes as ecological challenges, socio-economic issues, literature, cinema, gender studies, philosophy, individual to international peace etc.

The virtual conference emphasized the “Ecological Civilization”, based on harmony between humans and nature. Lt Gen Dr. M D Venkatesh, MAHE Vice-Chancellor addressed the Day 1 session highlighting the socio-economic and ecological problems which need to be addressed.

UNESCO Peace Chair Prof M D Nalapat, address his keynote stating the essence of Indian civilization is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is one family). The gandhian notion of ‘appropriate means’ needs to be the cardinal philosophy in every walk of life, in international relations, so also in the time of the pandemic.

The first-day virtual conference ended with the session concluded by well-known journalist Sudheendra Kulkarni on “Possibilities of International Peace: A Gandhian Approach” where he maintained that the only option for industrial civilization is ecological civilization. Different sources of violence need to be addressed by Gandhian values of non-violence, love, and compassion, he added.

The second day of the conference begin with renowned writer Prof Manu Chakravarthy with his session on ‘The Cosmos and Human Consciousness: Metaphysical Explorations through Cinema’, He reasoned for a shift from anthropocentric worldview to a more nature-centric worldview, a kind of harmony between humankind and nature, for a better world. He demonstrated his point of view with examples from films of Kubrick, Tarkovsky, and Kurosawa.

The next session was followed by Dr. Bashabi Fraser, Director, Scottish Centre for Tagore Studies, Edinburgh Napier University on ‘Tagore and Environment: Philosophy and Praxis’, where she stated that Tagore was inclined to an ecological civilization as represented in his notion of a forest university and Shanti Niketan. Nature never betrays those who love her, she cited.

The day two last session for the virtual conference was by MAHE Executive Vice-President Dr. Vinod Bhat. He said that the research and publication need to define any university which holds the key for crisis and conflict resolution. Later the virtual concluded was concluded by GCPAS Director Prof Varadesh Hiregange and Team ICEAAP. Director Prof Varadesh Hiregange said that maintaining art could be a medium for peace and ecosophical exploration and expression.

Sangeetha Mobiles Teams Up With Feeding India By Zomato To Provide 1 Million Meals To Covid Warriors & Frontline Healthcare Workers

Beyond being passionate about what it does as India’s oldest mobile retail brand, Sangeetha thrives to stand as a symbol of service to the society it is selflessly a part of. 

Sangeetha has partnered with Feeding India, a not-for-profit organisation by Zomato, under the #IamFeedingIndia program to help serve meals for over 1 million people across South India. It is also distributing food packets in front of many of its stores across various towns of South India till 12 in the noon.

Also, Sangeetha is facilitating with delivery and refill pick-up of Oxygen Concentrators for home-quarantined COVID & Post-COVID patients, under the management of Shri Tejasvi Surya – MP, Bengaluru South, who with his ‘MP Oxy Bank’ initiative is helping stabilise patients with SPO2 level of 85-92 recover faster and better.

Holding hands with Adamya Chetana, a renowned voluntary organisationchaired by Dr Tejaswini AnanthKumar, Sangeetha and its convoy of delivery trucks are tirelessly assisting in delivering food packets to several healthcare workers at numerous public and private hospitals.

As a goodwill gesture, Sangeetha hasalso been providing dinner packets to a few Police Stations across Karnataka, AndraPradesh and Tamil Nadu States for their thankless service in the need of the hour. And, in partnership with Green Army, an NGO, the brand is helping pack and distribute general medicines to 300 home-isolated COVID patients.

Sangeetha has also contributed to Kannada Superstar Upendra’s initiative to help the needy within cinema industry and outside of it.

“Regardless of the situation, we must look out for each other. And in times like these, we need to become ambassadors to our neighbourhood. We sincerely hope and pray that, this too shall come to an end. Until then, stay home, stay safe and do your bit to help your friends and family steer through ahead – One step at a time”, as quoted by Mr. Subhash Chandra, Managing Director, Sangeetha Mobiles.

About Sangeetha Mobiles

Sangeetha Mobiles Pvt Ltd. is one of the leading multi-brand retailers of mobile phones in India. Over the years, Sangeetha Mobiles has carved a niche for itself, with a distinguished reputation for providing quality products and innovative retail solutions. From a modest beginning in 1974,  the brand has evolved constantly over past 47 years. Thanks to the trust the esteemed customers have placed, Sangeetha Mobiles serves over 60 million delighted customers with 700 stores across 9 states.

L&T Construction Awarded (Significant*) Contracts For Its Various Businesses

The construction arm of L&T has secured orders from prestigious clients for its various businesses.

Water & Effluent Treatment Business:

The Water & Effluent Treatment business of L&T Construction has bagged an order from Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to Design, Build & Operate Sewage Treatment Plants & Intermediate Sewage Pumping Stations along with construction of main sewers for 110 villages in the Mahadevpura & Bommanahalli region (K&C Valley Catchment) of Bengaluru city. The project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The brief scope of the project includes survey, investigation, design & construction of 2 Pumping stations, 3 fully automated Sewage Treatment Plants of 34 MLD total capacity and main sewer lines of 132 km length with DWC, RCC and DI pipes.       

The project will benefit 18.04 lakh people in Bengaluru city.

Heavy Civil Infrastructure Business:

The Heavy Civil Infrastructure business has secured an order to construct various facilities within 42 Months for the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Tarapur Maharashtra.

Building & Factories Business:

The Buildings & Factories business has secured an order from a prestigious client for the construction of Sports Infrastructure facilities in the Kalinga Stadium at Bhubaneswar, Odisha and a New International Hockey Stadium with 20,000 seating capacity at Rourkela, Odisha in time for the Hockey World Cup, 2023 with total built-up area of 8.45 Lakhs Sq.ft.

This project consists of many iconic buildings such as an Athletic High-Performance Centre (HPC), Aquatic Complex, Tennis Centre, Accommodation building for Hockey HPC & Staff and Staff Hostel at the Kalinga Sports Complex, Bhubaneswar and the Hockey Stadium with ancillary buildings and external development at Rourkela, Odisha. The scope of work involves Civil, Structural, MEP and Field of Play (FOP). 

The fast-track projects are scheduled to be completed in 15 months at Kalinga Sports Complex, Bhubaneswar and 12 months at Rourkela respectively.

Background:

Larsen & Toubro is an Indian multinational engaged in EPC Projects, Hi-Tech Manufacturing and Services. It operates in over 50 countries worldwide. A strong, customer–focused approach and the constant quest for top-class quality have enabled L&T to attain and sustain leadership in its major lines of business for eight decades.