Epson Projectors Retain the No. 1 Position in The Indian Market

Epson, a world leader in digital imaging and printing solutions, has once again ranked No. 1 in the Indian Projector market, maintaining its leadership position for the sixth consecutive year. This is as per the latest data published by Futuresource Consulting for FY20. The Futuresource Market Insight Report is accepted as the worldwide projector industry standard.

According to the report, Epson sold 25,239 projectors out of the overall 97,251 sold in India in FY20, capturing a 25.95% ^ share of the market and reinforcing its position as the leading projector brand in the country. The Indian projector market faced headwinds due to the prevailing conditions with education and corporate sales declining steeply. However, the pandemic has fueled the demand for projectors for entertainment, work and learn from home needs.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Harish A K, Sr. General Manager - Visual Products, Epson India, “At Epson, our vision has always been to create superior products that offer unmatched value to our customers. Thanks to our 3LCD technology, Epson projectors provide images that are up to three times brighter than competing technologies. We are one of the very few companies to design, manufacture, sell and service our products. Our customers recognize and appreciate this and it is for this reason that we have been able to augment our market share both in India and globally. In the coming years, our efforts will be towards accelerating our growth momentum to retain the No. 1 position in the market.”

Futuresource Consulting, market specialists in visual displays, confirms that Epson has also been the worldwide market leader for 20 straight years, from calendar year 2001 onwards, with a worldwide market share of 41.3% in the calendar year 2020. Epson attributes its success to its proprietary 3LCD technology, which is responsible for creating superior vibrant images that represent color brightly and accurately and recreate tones with a very wide color gamut. Coupled with high-quality performance, innovative features and technology advancements, Epson's most recent projectors elevate the user experience with 3LCD Reflective Laser technology and 4K enhancement for their state-of-the-art home theatre projectors.

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to co-creating sustainability and enriching communities by leveraging its efficient, compact, and precision technologies and digital technologies to connect people, things, and information. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson will become carbon negative and eliminate the use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of around JPY 1 trillion. https://global.epson.com/

About Epson India

Epson India Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated in the year 2000. Epson products address the needs of homes, businesses and commercial enterprises as those of consumers with specialized needs in India. With a commitment to providing products and services that surpass people’s expectations, Epson India today has an enviable reputation for quality and value. Headquartered in Bangalore, the company markets and supports Epson Inkjet Printers, Inkjet All-in-Ones, Point of Sale Printers, 3LCD Projectors, Scanners, Large Format Printers, Robots and Dot-Matrix Printers. In all of these categories, Epson is either the No. 1 or No. 2 brand in India and growing fast. https://www.epson.co.in/

Mahindra & Magenta Launches End-To-End EV Solutions For Last Mile Delivery In Bengaluru With Mahindra Treo Zor

 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., part of the Mahindra Group, and Magenta, a leader in clean energy solutions, have announced their association to redefine last-mile deliveries in Bengaluru with Mahindra Treo Zor electric cargo vehicles. With this association, Magenta will deploy a hundred Mahindra Treo Zor electric three-wheelers across Bengaluru for last-mile delivery of both essential and non-essential goods.

Treo Zor will be inducted into the delivery fleet of Magenta’s new e-mobility Electric Vehicle Enabled Transport (EVET) platform. It will allow Mahindra to make great strides in its last mile delivery vehicles in which it is already a market leader. Under EVET, Magenta is launching people and cargo transport services which will also include vehicle charging support through ChargeGrid.

Talking about this association, Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric Mobility said, “Mahindra Treo Zor has revolutionized last-mile delivery across India. It has already travelled for more than 1.82 million km on the Indian roads. The connected EV technology on the Treo Zor has attracted many new age start-ups, eCommerce players given its attractive customer value proposition and environmental benefits. This partnership with Magenta seamlessly connects the entire EV ecosystem and will help in streamlining last mile delivery segment. With Magenta, we are eager to transform the last mile deliveries in more cities.”

On the occasion of the flag off of the EVET platform, Mr. Maxson Lewis, MD of Magenta said, “Magenta is committed to solving EV related challenges with Made in India, Made for India solutions. We believe in actually talking to the users and understanding their pain points towards EV and solving them one at a time. In this case we realized that while there is a growing intent for e-commerce companies to move to towards electric mobility, they need a complete solution and an ecosystem view. Magenta was well placed to provide this solution set – from EV charging hardware and software to EV charging services. And now with the EVET platform, e-mobility the circle of EV solutions comes full circle at Magenta. We also found an able and proven product from the stables of Mahindra to support our mandate of provide EV solutions. We want to ‘empower electric mobility in India’ in its truest sense.”

Mahindra Treo Zor was launched in October 2020 and in just 8 months from its launch, the vehicle has crossed a sales milestone of 1300+ vehicles and has also been recognised as India’s number 1 Small Commercial Vehicle. It has garnered a market share of 59% in FY 2020 in its category. It offers a unique customer value proposition of offering an additional savings of up to ₹60,000+ / year* and highest-in-class payload of 550 kg has become the preferred cargo vehicle for e-commerce companies, logistics companies and fleet operators.

Key Highlights of Treo Zor*:

1.    Higher Savings of more than Rs. 60 000 per year*:

·         Enjoy fuel cost savings of Rs. 2 /km when compared with diesel cargo 3 wheelers

·         Save more with lowest maintenance cost of just 40 paisa v/s 65 paisa for a diesel 3-wheeler

2.    Delivers Impressive Performance:

·         Excellent power of 8kW and torque of 42Nm

·         Boost Mode to boost your driving experience with higher speeds and get quick turnaround times

·         Advanced IP67-rated motor offers enhanced protection against dust & water entry

·         Best-in-segment** payload of 550 kgs - Get higher earning opportunities with the highest-in-class payload among electric 3 wheelers

3.    Safe & Stable like never before:

·         Enjoy a safe & stable ride with longest-in-industry wheelbase of 2216 mm, when compared with diesel & electric cargo 3 wheelers

·         Tread over potholes with ease with largest-in-industry tyres of 30.48 cm, when compared with diesel & electric cargo 3 wheelers

4.    3 Variants to fulfil every need:

·         Choose between Delivery Van, Pickup & Flatbed variants as per your business needs

5.    Advanced Lithium-ion Battery:

·         Get a maintenance-free ride with battery life exceeding 1.50 lakh km

·         Ease of charging: Charging your Treo Zor is as easy as charging a mobile phone.  Just plug it into a 15AMP socket!

6.    A Fatigue-Free Drive Experience:

·         Drive easy with Automatic Transmission. Enjoy a clutch-less, noiseless & vibration-free ride.

·         Reduce your loading & unloading time with best-in-class tray loading height of 675 mm, when compared with diesel cargo 3 wheelers

7.    Connected and Efficient fleet management with NEMO Mobility Platform:

·         Get cloud-based connectivity to remotely monitor vehicle range, speed, location and much more

8.    Stylish dual tone, Driver-centric Design:

·         Modern design with unique dual tone exteriors, makes the vehicle stand out

·         Rust-free, dent-resistant, modular SMC panels provide a better life, ease of repair and replacement

·         Get more comfort with an ergonomically designed driver cabin & seat

9.    Excellent Warranty & Aftersales:

·         Treo Zor comes with a standard warranty of 3 years/80,000 km

·         Wide service network of 140+ dealerships across India ensures timely after sales service

Canara Bank Launches A Campaign On Cybersecurity Awareness

Canara Bank launched an awareness campaign about cybersecurity on 3rd July 2021. The self-driven video is an initiative by Canara Bank to spread awareness about the various kinds of online frauds. The video throws light on online fraud. The video is dedicated to the nation by Canara Bank. The video is performed exclusively by the employees of Canara Bank. 

The video will be further released in all major Indian languages in the coming days. It is crucial to protect the account details and not share OTP, CVV, or PIN with anyone. The bank never asks for this information from the customers. Hence, the safety of customers in the growing digital world is very important.

The video has been uploaded on the official social media handles of Canara Bank for creating awareness.

JK Tyre & Industries Strengthens Its OEM Partnership With Hyundai Motor India

* Becomes the OEM Tyre provider for the all-new Hyundai ALCAZAR

After the successful partnership for Hyundai Creta, Indian tyre industry major and the pioneer of radial tyre technology in the country, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd., has yet again joined hands with Hyundai Motor India – one of the largest car manufacturers in the country, for its latest SUV Hyundai ALCAZAR.

Driven by the technological expertise of producing high-performance tyres suited for Indian conditions, JK Tyre along with Hyundai Motors India endeavors to offer best-in-class technology, unmatchable performance, comfort, and handling to all the variants of the Hyundai ALCAZAR with its UX Royale 215/60 R17 radial tyre.

With its 5-Rib asymmetric design, variable draft groove technology, stable shoulder tread blocks, waffle groove, and aero wing design, JK Tyre’s UX Royale 215/60 R17 tyre is the perfect fit for Hyundai ALCAZAR. Being pioneers in the industry, JK Tyre stands for its unwavering commitment towards providing high-end technological products that are best suited for Indian roads. The UX Royale 215/60 R17 tyre is capable of facilitating superior ride comfort with crisp handling and low noise at all speeds.  

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. VK Misra, Technical Director, JK Tyre and Industries said, “Our previous association with Hyundai for its highest-selling Creta model was a huge success and witnessed an overwhelming response from the customers. The newest collaboration for Hyundai ALCAZAR is a step forward to strengthen our growing relationship with the manufacturer. We are confident that through this partnership, once again we will delight customers with supreme quality tyres and best in class riding experience across all terrains. Our ongoing partnership is a testament to our growing presence in the market while offering end-to-end solutions to the customers. We look forward to a continued partnership with Hyundai Motors India for their upcoming products.”

Commenting on the partnership, Hyundai Motor India, said”.”

JK Tyre & Industries has joined hands as a tyre partner for Hyundai India’s exclusive membership club ‘Hyundai Mobility Membership’. Through this association, members of Hyundai Club across the country can avail exciting offers on JK Tyre’s products including their Smart Tyres range.

JK Tyre & Industries Limited

The flagship company of JK Organisation, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd is amongst the top 25 manufacturers in the world. Pioneers of radial technology, the Company produced the first radial tyre in 1977 and is currently the market leader in Truck Bus Radial segment. The Company provides end-to-end solutions across segments of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, farming, Off-the-Road and two & three-wheelers.

A global force, JK Tyre is present in 105 countries with over 180 Global distributors.  The Company has 12 globally benchmarked ‘sustainable’ manufacturing facilities - 9 in India and 3 in Mexico – that collectively produce around 35 million tyres annually. The Company also has a strong network of over 4000 dealers and 550+ dedicated Brand shops called as Steel Wheels and Xpress Wheels.

JK Tyre’s unwavering commitment towards innovation is reflected through its state-of-the-art global research and technology centre – the Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence - in Mysore, which houses some of the world’s finest technologies and techniques.

JK Tyre launched India’s first ever ‘Smart Tyre’ technology-and introduced Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) which monitors the tyre’s vital statistics, including pressure and temperature. In 2020, the company rolled out its 20 millionth Truck/Bus Radial tyre becoming the first and the only Indian company to achieve this milestone.

It is the only Indian tyre manufacturer to be included in the list of Superbrands India in 2019 for the seventh consecutive year. JK Tyre has been conferred the Sword of Honour for Safety across its plants by the British Safety Council, UK. The company entered the Limca Book of Records with the country’s largest off-the-road tyre - VEM 04. JK Tyre won the Economic Times Iconic Brands of the Year 2020.

JK Tyre is also synonymous with motorsport in the country. For over three decades, the Company has relentlessly worked towards shaping India’s positioning as the motorsport hub of Asia, developing the right infrastructure for the sport and promoting young talent in the arena.

Aakash Institute Student Pullela Lalit Ritwik From Bengaluru Becomes State Topper By Securing Karnataka Rank 1 In IOQB Exam

In an impressive result, Pullela Lalit Ritwik from Aakash Institute’s HSR Layout branch in Bengaluru has topped the prestigious Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Biology (IOQB) Exam. He has secured Karnataka state Rank 1 in IOQB which is the second stage exam of the Indian National Level Science Olympiad. The examination is organized by the Association of Teachers in Biological Sciences in association with Indian Association of Physics Teachers and Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE). Each year over 30,000 students of 12th Standard or below, sit for this examination.  

IOQB is intended for students of 12th standard, though 11th standard students are also allowed to give the examination. There is a designated statewise quota according to which the students are selected for the next stage. Further all students scoring greater than 80% of the average of the top ten scores at national level (called as Merit Index Score) get automatically selected irrespective of the statewise quota.  

Congratulating Pullela Lalit Ritwik on the impressive results, Mr Aakash Chaudhry, Managing Director, Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) said: “We are very proud of our student who has achieved an exemplary result even in this tough situation. We would like to congratulate him on clearing IOQB exam 2021. This is a huge step towards achieving his NEET/JEE dreams. We would also like to thank the parents for extending support. The credit goes to the hard work put in by our students and faculties as well as the quality test preparation imparted at the institute. I wish them all the best for the next round.” 

On the basis of performance in IOQB, the top students in the merit list are selected for Stage III Orientation Camp (OC) in biology. The selected team undergoes a rigorous training programme at HBCSE in theory and experiments. Special laboratories have been developed at HBCSE for the purpose of experimental training. Resource persons from HBCSE and different institutions across the country train the students. 

The Olympiad programme culminates with the participation of the Indian students (4-6 in each subject) in the International Olympiads.   

Aakash Institute aims to help students in their quest to achieve academic success. It has a centralized in-house process for curriculum and content development and faculty training and monitoring, led by its National Academic Team. Over the years, students from Aakash have proven selection track record in various Medical & Engineering Entrance Exams, Competitive and Olympiads. 

About Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) 

Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) provides comprehensive test preparatory services for students preparing for Medical (NEET) and Engineering Entrance Examinations (JEE), School/Board Exams and Competitive Exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads. The “Aakash” brand is associated with quality coaching and a proven student selection track record in various Medical (NEET) and JEE/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 Foundation level Scholarship exams/Olympiads, a pan India network of 200+ Aakash Centers (including franchisee), and an annual student count of more than 250,000. 

The Aakash group has investment from Think & Learn Pvt Ltd (BYJU'S) as well as by world's largest Private Equity firm Blackstone.  

upGrad Earmarks USD 250 Million For M&A And Non-Linear Growth

* Aims to consolidate leadership in global higher Edtech 

Riding strong on its non-linear growth strategy, South Asia’s largest higher edtech, upGrad has earmarked USD 250 Million for M&As over the next 7-9 months. Recent reports claim that upGrad would cross Half-a-Billion USD Annual Revenue run rate by March'22 and is looking to raise close to USD 400 Million at a valuation close to USD 4 Billion.

Despite being the youngest in joining the Edtech bandwagon, upGrad has built out a strong tech platform and deep immersive learning experience with high touchpoints to capture close to 70% of the Indian Higher Education market for working professionals. This stealth approach of operating under the radar, coupled with the rare combination of founder-funded for the full first leg, has helped upGrad focus on their core vision.

This year upGrad went out for their maiden fund raise with Temasek and IFC and closed a cumulative USD 160 Million raise, and at a valuation just south of being a unicorn. It is uncommon in EdTech for the founder group to still own close to 78% of the company leaving a lot of room for growth, capital raise, and also to use stock as a strong M&A currency.

Highlighting upGrad’s non-linear growth strategy, Ronnie Screwvala, Co-founder, and Chairman, upGrad commented, “We continue to build a very strong, integrated, connected model in Higher Education across multiple geographies. Personally, I am a strong believer that the whole is always bigger and more valuable than the sum of the parts.  Outside of cash, we see a very strong value currency in our stock to look to merge/acquire companies with exceptional founders who will join us as fellow entrepreneurs to build this out over the next decade.”

Screwvala added that upGrad has identified specific segments as well as target companies, two of which will be announced over the next 60 days, which include:

(a)    Platform and high touch digital learning experience that will add to what upGrad pioneered in the last 6 years.

(b)    Global play in immersive short form learning.

(c)     First mover advantage and scale players in emerging markets with huge potential in countries including Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

(d)    Till date, upGrad’s focus has been on high ARPU (Average Revenue Per User), Deep Learning. However, now with the entire world and its 1 Billion Knowledge workers, as well as another 250 Million Higher Ed enrollees, as a global edtech major, upGrad will also look at the high traffic, low ARPU players to kickstart its large product offering in short formats and soft skills market - leading to a subscription platform.

(e)    Marketplace for pathway and emerging models for international learners.  

(f)  OPM (Online Program Management) play – While Screwvala claims that upGrad is not a great fan of this model, but they see helping fast track upGrad’s partnership with universities at scale and around the world.

(g)   Strategic long-term tie-ups with universities to partner for LifeLongLearning.

(h)  Human intervention will continue to be high in online education and so, will see a massive play in the Coaches and Mentors ecosystem, and few interesting developments emerging here.

“With these, we are adding the right pieces at scale for upGrad’s strong growth,” Screwvala concludes on his long but seemingly focused approach for upGrad’s massive growth.

About upGrad

upGrad is South Asia’s largest online higher edtech company offering 100+ courses in collaboration with top-notch global universities like Duke Corporate Education (US), Michigan State University (US), Liverpool John Moores University (UK), Deakin Business School (Australia), Swiss School of Business Management, (Geneva), IIT Madras (India), IIM Kozhikode (India), and others. Founded in 2015, the international edtech leader has impacted over 1 million total registered learners over 50+ countries across the world.

upGrad has ranked No.1 in the LinkedIn Top Startups India 2020 list. This is the third time in a row that upGrad has been featured in the LinkedIn Top Startup list after 2018 and 2019. It is also amongst GSV Global EdTech 50 and has ranked amongst the Top 50 in the FT Asia-Pacific High-Growth Companies 2021.

Vodafone Idea Foundation Gives Away Scholarships To Teachers In Karnataka To Support Online Education Drive Across India

* 9 Teachers in Karnataka received scholarships of Rs. 1 Lakh each to enable access to online teaching tools

Vodafone Idea Foundation, the CSR arm of Vi, announced the results of its Vodafone Idea Scholarship 2021 for teachers and distributed scholarships of Rs. 1 Lakhs each to 9 teachers across Karnataka. The results for Student Scholarships 2021 will be announced shortly.

The current edition of Teachers’ Scholarship has been won by 110 teachers from the states of Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Jharkhand, Kerala, Manipur, Nagaland, Orrisa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.

The Vi CSR Scholarship initiative aims to bridge the social and fiscal divide that teachers and students face in terms of availability and accessibility to the necessary resources that help them to excel. Last year, 200 teachers and 2500 students were rewarded with scholarships which they used for necessary resources teaching and learning.

Speaking on the initiative, P. Balaji, Chief Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited said “Vi is committed to leverage its technology expertise and network to create social impact at scale. Focused on taking learning and education to financially constrained communities and rural population, we developed digital tools to enable accessibility education for both teachers and students. In times of the pandemic, our scholarship programme is helping students and teachers get resources to invest in technology tools and their education. Some of the teachers have pooled the funds to digitalize an entire classroom to engage their students, further widening the reach of the programme. We believe this will go a long way in spreading the light of education and further enhance employability of people, thereby also reducing poverty in the country.”

Launched last year, these scholarships entitle teachers as well as students to access Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) covering a list of permissible expenses. The scholarships are on merit based for teachers and merit-cum-means based for the students. The selection process is entirely online, overseen by an independent jury, including eminent educators, representatives of civil society organizations.

COVID-19 has brought about changes to the education system that have impacted teachers in multiple ways. Teachers who were used to the traditional teaching methods using blackboard, chalk, books, and classroom teaching have had to rapidly adapt to the new age digital teaching methods. This programme commends the grit and determination that they have shown in this. They have not only adapted the situation well but also aided the students in these unprecedented times. These scholarships will further aid teachers to use the money to buy laptops that will make it easier for them to take classes online and facilitate e-learning. It will also help them build an environment of digital learning in their communities.

One of the recipients of the Vodafone Idea 2021 Scholarship, Mohamed Ismail, Science teacher in Alipur, Karnataka, said “I was really excited when I was informed of my selection for the Vodafone Idea Teachers Scholarship. As a teacher I believe, students understand better through visuals than text, so the first thing I purchased with the scholarship amount was a good quality laptop, color printer and a projector. I further plan to purchase some books for our school library, especially NEET, JEE coaching books so that I can help students in their preparation. With these equipment I am sure I will make my class better and useful for my students. I am very thankful to the Vodafone Idea foundation for helping us in this difficult pandemic situation. It is very difficult for a teacher like me to purchase such expensive gadgets. I am also thankful to them for helping so many students by providing them with financial support.”

Vodafone Idea’s CSR conducts transformative programmes in the domain of Education, Agriculture, Women Empowerment and Technology across different pockets of India.

About Vodafone Idea Foundation:

Vodafone Idea Foundation believes that our mobile communications technologies can address some of the most pressing humanitarian challenges and our responsibility is to utilize our innovative mobile technology in mobilizing social change and improving people’s lives. The Foundation focusses on addressing challenges relating to agriculture, education, health, equality and access. We are committed to enable people and technology to drive innovation, disseminate knowledge, and create shared value to improve lives. We work in partnership with key charities, development agencies and the community to drive social change on a large scale in India.