Child Blindness Poses Significant Public Health Challenge Across India

* Over the years, India has seen a shift in the reasons of child blindness from cornea-related causes to whole-globe problems 

* In urban India, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has emerged as an important cause of child blindness 

Childhood blindness is a significant public health concern in India, with one out of every 1,000 children in the country suffering from blindness, and a child becoming bilaterally blind every minute. Unlike adults among whom 80% of causes of blindness are avoidable, in children this figure is only 50%, according to Dr. Bindiya Hapani, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, Bengaluru.  

There are around 1.5 million blind children around the world and an additional 18 million children suffer from moderate to severe visual impairment. Almost three-quarters of these live in low to middle income countries where the prevalence is as high as 1.5 per 1,000 children, in contrast to high-income countries where the prevalence is just 0.3 per 1,000 children. 

Said Dr. Bindiya Hapani: “Common causes of childhood blindness in India include untreated refractive errors, corneal opacities due to measles, Vitamin A deficiency, eye infections like Ophthalmia neonatorum or toxicity of traditional eye remedies, congenital cataracts, congenital Glaucoma and ROP. There has been a shift in the causes of child blindness over the years. In studies conducted between 1999 to 2007, cornea-related causes were among the major factors for childhood blindness in India. However, studies between 2007 to 2018 have shown a shifting trend towards whole-globe problems like Microphthalmos (small eye), anophthalmos (absence of eye) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).”  

She added: “Whole-globe problems as a cause of child blindness are due to  genetic abnormalities caused by consanguineous marriages, use of alcohol by mother and her exposure to fertilizers and pesticides during pregnancy. In urban India, retinopathy of prematurity has emerged as an important cause of child blindness due to better availability of neonatal care services, due to which more babies of low birth weight survive. In rural India, in contrast, low birth-weight neonate mortality rate is much higher than in cities.” 

Said Dr. Bindiya Hapani: “A shift in the causes of childhood blindness over the years shows the success of healthcare and immunization programmes by the Government and increasing socio-economic development in the country. Yet, challenges in preventing child blindness remain. Availability of good primary healthcare is essential for control of child blindness. Also important are good nutrition, maternal and child care facilities, immunization and proper diagnosis and treatment of common conditions of the eye. In rural areas, availability of tertiary care facilities with well-trained eye specialists remains a big challenge.” 

She added: “Paediatric eye care facilities are inadequate and not uniformly distributed across the country. Better ratios are observed in Southern and Western India, compared to Northern and Eastern India. Though paediatric ophthalmology is now developing as a distinct sub-speciality in the country, the number of paediatric ophthalmologists is quite less compared to the child population. However, most paediatric eye conditions can be diagnosed and treated by general ophthalmologists. Paediatric ophthalmologists are needed for complex conditions like congenital cataracts,  squint and retinopathy of prematurity.” 

Talking about how parents can know if their child may be headed towards blindness, Dr. Bindiya Hapani said that children are born with an immature visual system. If timely treatment is not provided for ocular conditions in a child, it can lead to failure of normal visual maturation (Amblyopia), which cannot be treated in adult life.  

She added: “If a child is developing squinting in either the eye or  white reflex  is  seen from the pupil ( Leukocoria), one should consult an ophthalmologist immediately. A major cause of visual impairment in  children is refractive error. Therefore, it is important to have a pre-school eye examination of the child. Blindness can severely restrict the academic, emotional, psychological and social development of kids. Severe visual impairment can also delay their developmental milestones and increase the risk of hospitalisation.” 

80% Tech Recruiters Use Talent Assessment Tools, Hiring Sentiment At Par With Pre COVID-19 Level

* 51% India Inc. tech firms actively hiring for tech roles

* Most (38%) tech recruiters hiring for work from home roles

* Most hiring for: Data Science technology (23% votes),  Software Engineering profile (24% votes) and Java language (35%)

* Most (33%) recruiters hiring freshers, followed by recruitment for mid-level positions (27%)

* Most (29%) tech recruiters assess IT professional basis candidates’ performance in coding tests

* For soft skills, most recruiters (45%) depend on candidates’ performance in job interview

With tech hiring on an upward swing, most tech recruiters trust performance in coding tests as the ultimate litmus test to gauge candidates' tech skills. For the soft skills, it’s the performance at job interviews that matters, revealed a new survey of 931 tech recruiters conducted by e-recruitment portal TimesJobs. This survey was conducted to understand the latest trends in tech hiring.

Top findings from this survey are: 

Explaining the survey findings, Sanjay Goyal, Business Head, TimesJobs and TechGig said, “Tech hiring at India Inc. is at par with the pre-COVID-19 levels, as said by most (58%) respondents in the survey. Most (29%) tech recruiters shortlist technologists based on their performance at coding tests, and 80% recruiters actively use talent assessment tools. Both these findings indicate that recruiters now trust more empirical and data-based approaches to find the top tech talent for their firms.”

Other key findings from the TimesJobs survey are: 

Data Science most sought after technology

‘Data is the new oil’, is an old adage now. Leave alone tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft or others, even smaller home-grown companies and startups are using data intelligence to build their business. Hence when the survey asked the tech recruiters about top technologies for which most hiring was happening, Data Science emerged as the top choice with 23% votes. Here are the other responses:

Java preferred for developer roles

Java is one of the most popular object-oriented programming languages in the Information Technology (IT) industry. TimesJobs asked tech recruiters to name the most preferred programming language for tech oriented job profiles. Most respondents (35%) voted for Java.

Campus hiring back on the track 

In another question, most tech recruiters admitted that the campus hiring is at an all time high as well. The survey asked recruiters if they were hiring candidates through campus now, given the COVID-19 exigency since last two years and most (61%) said ‘yes’, whereas 39% disagreed with the same.

Soft skills as important as tech skills 

Tech skills are the core skills for any technologist, but given the present scenario where inter-team and intra-team coordination and work is required, soft skills play a critical role for a project’s success. TimesJobs asked tech recruiters if they valued non-tech skills at par with the tech skills, and most (81%) hiring managers said ‘yes’ unanimously. Only 19% disagreed in response to this question. 

Honeywell To Set Up 10 Oxygen Generation Plants To Support Government's Fight Against COVID-19; Commits 4 In Maharashtra

* Each 600 liters per minute (LPM) plant can support a 150+ bedded hospital and comes with 1-year warranty and 2-year extended annual maintenance plan

* Oxygen generation plants being established in Government hospitals in Pune, Ratnagiri and Solapur in Maharashtra, and in Karnataka, Haryana and Uttarakhand

Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation (HHSIF), the philanthropic arm of Honeywell, a Fortune 100 company, today announced it is setting up 10 oxygen generation plants of 600 liters per minute (LPM) capacity in government hospitals across India. In Maharashtra, these plants are being set up in Pune, Ratnagiri and Solapur districts to support healthcare infrastructure in preparation for an anticipated third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first such plant was inaugurated today at Late Droupadabai Murlidhar Khedekar Hospital, Bopodi, Pune.

"Honeywell is pleased to partner with the government to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the collective efforts to manage patient care during the pandemic,” said Ashish Gaikwad, President, Honeywell India. “Timely and adequate oxygen supply can help save lives and is an essential medical aid for COVID-19 patients. We are pleased to announce the setting up of 10 oxygen generation plants of 600 liters per minute (LPM) each in remote districts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana and Uttarakhand to enable inclusive healthcare for all.”

This initiative is a part of HHSIF’s commitment to set up 10 oxygen generation plants under the supervision of Americares, across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana and Uttarakhand.

“Honeywell’s support has been focused and timely. These oxygen generation plants will help save lives during COVID-19 crisis and will serve to improve the quality of critical care at the government health facilities for years to come,” said Shripad Desai, MD and Country Director, Americares.

Each plant has a capacity to generate 600 LPM, enough to cater to the needs of a hospital with more than 150 intensive care units (ICU) beds. The oxygen generated onsite will be directly supplied to hospital beds, including those in ICUs. Honeywell is also funding the annual maintenance contracts of these plants for two years to ensure they function smoothly after the one-year warranty period has lapsed.

The oxygen generation plant in Pune was inaugurated in the presence of several government officials including Mr. Murlidhar Mohol, Mayor, Pune; Ms. Sunita Wadekar, Deputy Mayor, Pune; Mr. Vikram Kumar, IAS, Commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC); and Mr. Hemant Rasne, Standing Committee Chairman, PMC.

"The Pune Municipal Corporation has been actively working on a contingency plan for a possible third wave. In the last few months, we have received great support from Honeywell in helping our efforts to contain the pandemic and enhance the healthcare infrastructure through multiple actions like setting up COVID Care Centers, oxygen concentrators and medical supplies. We are pleased with the latest support of setting up an oxygen generation plant for the Pune hospital that helps with a sustainable solution for the long term,” said Mr. Murlidhar Mohol, Mayor, Pune. He further added, "It is thoughtful of Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation to help Pune become self-reliant in the fight against the pandemic."

Elaborating on the same, Mr. Vikram Kumar (IAS), Commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation, shared, “As we know, the city has been the worst hit due to heavy case load of pandemic and we are continuously fighting to strengthen our healthcare infrastructure. We have been well supported by Honeywell and they have done some exemplary work in the last few months to support us in our endeavor to build better healthcare infrastructure. The oxygen generation plant donated by Honeywell has helped in bringing life-saving oxygen supply to patients in Pune.” 

The second wave of the pandemic put immense pressure on the country’s healthcare infrastructure. The government has put in place a multi-fold strategy in anticipation of a third wave.[1] Honeywell, through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, is helping the government build healthcare capacities. Earlier, HHSIF set up COVID care centers in Nainital, Gurugram, Delhi and Pune, and established 10-bed ICUs in Mumbai and Bengaluru. The company also donated 1,000 oxygen concentrators, 10 ventilators, 10,000 N95 respirators, and 2,500 PPE kits to various government and private hospitals across the country. 

Honeywell partnered with the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) and with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR–IIP), to supply molecular sieve adsorbents (zeolites) to accelerate setting up of Medical Oxygen Plants (MOP) in the country.

In Maharashtra, specifically, Honeywell set up an ICU facility at the Dahisar COVID-19 Jumbo Centre in Mumbai and established a 20-bed COVID care centre at the Employees State Insurance Corporation Hospital in Bibwewadi, Pune. Honeywell also donated 120 oxygen concentrators, ventilators, N95 respirators, and PPE kits in the state.

About Honeywell India

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. All of Honeywell’s global businesses have a strong legacy in India, built over the last eight decades. Honeywell’s India commitment is evident in three state-of-the-art manufacturing and engineering operations, and four global centers of excellence for technology development and innovation. Honeywell employs ~13,000 people across different locations including Bengaluru, Chennai, Dehradun, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Madurai, and Pune.  

About Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation (HHSIF)

Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation (HHSIF) is a not-for-profit organization that deploys Honeywell’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts in five critical areas: education and skill development, gender equality, natural resources and the environment, holistic rural development, and disaster management. HHSIF’s programs include Honeywell Student Empowerment Program an upskilling program in deep science subjects for women and youth to build a future-ready workforce; creating Honeywell Model Villages by promoting holistic rural development; incubation and seed capital support to startups in deep science through Honeywell Start-up Support Program; Honeywell Center for Advancing Girls in Science at Avasara Academy to promote STEM education among girls; lake rejuvenation and establishment of global center of excellence for clean and affordable energy and Honeywell COVID-19 relief.

Bajaj Electricals Launches New Range Of High Performance And Convenient Mixer Grinders To Add Flavour To South Indian Cuisines

* With four different models, the new range of Mixers Grinders is designed to attend to the grinding consistency needed for authentic South Indian recipes

Bajaj Electricals Ltd., India's preeminent Consumer Durables Company, has launched a new range of high performance and convenient range of Mixer Grinders to help consumers rustle up sumptuous dishes for family and friends during the upcoming festive season. The new range has four different models to cater to the diverse culinary requirements of Southern India. The models - Herculo, Splendora and GX 3000 and GX 400 Duo - are equipped with the latest advanced features to ensure convenience for a hassle-free “no problem” cooking experience.  These new features make these Mixer Grinders a must-have and number one choice for consumers who are looking for value-added and efficient mixing and grinding solutions. The brand has launched interesting films announcing the launch across TV and digital mediums.

The range comprises 4 new models:

1.       The Bajaj Herculo Mixer Grinder comes with a powerful motor unlike any other – a whopping 1000W - that makes tough grinding extremely easy. It can effortlessly grind hard ingredients for a long duration, thereby ensuring ideal consistency in little time. It is best for consumers who are meticulous about preparing food from scratch with fresh and nutritious ingredients.

2.      The Bajaj Splendora Mixer Grinder has an Anti-Stain, Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Viral coating on the body and has a powerful motor. The anti-stain coating makes cleaning the toughest stains like turmeric simple and quick, bringing in ease of maintenance. It is a big helping hand for professionals and homemakers who are pressed for time and juggle multiple chores.

3.       The Bajaj GX 3000 Mixer Grinder is a powerful 750W model with Titan Motor and enhanced blades that are 20% thicker than standard blades. Thicker blades reduce the impact of wear & tear and make the product more durable. This is specially designed to ensure worry-free tough grinding. The heavier bush design drives the longevity of the product and makes it aesthetic too.

4.      The Bajaj GX 400 Duo Mixer Grinder too has a powerful Titan motor of 750W and comes with two chutney Jars (0.3L & 0.5L) for double convenience. Unlike traditional mixer grinders that come with just a single chutney jar, this novel model allows the consumer to multi-task conveniently without the hassle of emptying/cleaning the required repeatedly. This enables convenience in food preparation.

All four models aim to offer a robust solution for every unique need of India’s diverse consumer base. The introduction of these four new offerings is a part of the company’s dedicated plan for increasing its footprint and reach in the southern markets.

Speaking about the new range, Mr Krishna Raman, Business Head- Consumer Products, Bajaj Electricals Ltd. said, “At Bajaj Electricals Ltd., we believe in offering products that are functional and solution-oriented to enhance our consumers’ quality of life. South India is a region of diverse cuisines where each state or region requires diverse appliances to enable perfection. Whether it’s the requirement of a powerful motor for tough ingredients, thicker blades for durability, anti-stain coating for easy maintenance, or blend-and-carry formats – through our new range of Mixer Grinders, we have ensured that irrespective of the type of recipe or the proficiency of the consumer, each unique requirement is addressed. As one of the pioneers in the consumer appliances industry, our endeavour is to ideate and develop newer, more functional products; and that’s what has helped us remain the Indian consumers’ first choice."

With the launch of this new range, the company has reemphasised itself as the frontrunner in the Mixing Appliances space by creating technology that places consumers’ needs at its forefront and offering superior quality products in the market. Bajaj Electricals’ consistent aspiration to bring out high-tech products, efficient and aesthetically dynamic appliances has led to the realisation of its diverse and functional range of various consumer appliances.

About Bajaj Electricals Limited:

Bajaj Electricals Limited, a globally renowned and trusted company, with a turnover of ₹INR 4,585 crores (FY 20-21), is a part of India's leading business conglomerate "Bajaj Group". With a business portfolio that spans across Consumer Products (Appliances, Fans, Lighting) and EPC (Illumination, Power Transmission and Power Distribution), Bajaj Electricals also has a strong presence in premium home appliance and cookware segments with brands like Morphy Richards and Nirlep by Bajaj. The company has an expansive network of 18 branch offices, 500+ distributors and more than 2.18 lakh + retail outlets across India combined with over 500 consumer care centres, fortifying its dominant presence in the consumer products sector. The portfolio under the EPC segment of Bajaj Electricals Limited includes EHV transmission line projects, EHV substations, monopoles for transmission and distribution, electrification projects, high mast and street lighting, sports lighting, industrial and commercial lighting, specialised illumination projects on turnkey basis and other solutions. Bajaj Electricals Limited has always lived up to its ethos of putting the consumer first and meeting its core brand value of "Inspiring Trust".

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Launches New Legender 4X4 Variant To Bring More Cheer This Festive Season

Highlights

* The Legender is a mighty combination of power, sophistication, and unmatched style.

* Available in 2.8 L Diesel Engine with 6-Speed Automatic Transmission.

The Legender comes with “Sleek & Cool” design language loaded with many high-end features to meet the growing demand for exclusive and convenience features.

It comes with best-in-class Torque of 500 Nm and 204 PS of Power and brings  convenience features like Kick Sensor for Back door & Wireless Charging.

·         4X4 variant gets premium 11 JBL speakers for greater sound experience.

Stylish SUV available in 4X2 and 4X4 Automatic Transmission Diesel variants.

·         Available in Pearl white with Black roof (Dual Tone).

Legender Ex-showroom Prices (same across the country)

2.8 Litre 4WD (Diesel)

Rs 42,33,000 (Automatic Transmission)

Key Features of the new Legender 4X4 Variant

·         Catamaran Style Front & Rear Bumpers

·         Sharp & Sleek Front Grille with Piano Black Accents

·         18” Multi-layered Machine Cut Finished Alloy Wheels

·         Split Quad-LED Headlamps with Waterfall LED Line Guide Signature

·         Sequential Turn Indicators

·         Dual Tone Black Roof

·         Dual Tone (Black + Maroon) interior theme

·         Premium 11 JBL Speakers including Subwoofer

·         Contrast Stitching for Steering Wheel & Console Box

·         Interior Ambient Illumination (Instrument Panel, Front Door Trim, Front Foot- 

        well areas)

·         Superior Suction-based Seat Ventilation System (Front Row)

·         Rear USB Port

·         Kick Sensor for Power Back Door

·         Wireless Smartphone Charger

In line with Toyota’s philosophy of making “Ever- Better Cars”, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today unveiled a new 4X4 variant of its highly successful SUV, Legender. The Legender was first launched in January 2021 in 4X2 diesel variant together with the new Toyota Fortuner.

The Legender is uniquely positioned as “Powered in Style” to cater to the diverse needs of both performance enthusiasts and those seeking a luxury SUV. Its bold proportions bring to life the differentiating aspects that make it cool and futuristic. The Catamaran elements wrapped around the corners create a strong vertical prominence and ensure a wider presence. Further, the exclusively designed headlamps comprise Split Quad LEDs with a Waterfall LED Line Guide Signature to ensure the best of brightness. The SUV’s sharp nose creates a strong forward movement to create a sense of exclusivity with a sleek and cool theme, together with exterior features such as Catamaran Style Front and Rear Bumpers sharp and sleek Front Grille with Piano Black Accents, Sequential Turn Indicators, and 18-inch Multi-layered Machine Cut Finished Alloys.

On the inside, features include Dual Tone (Black + Maroon) interior theme, Contrast Stitching for Steering Wheel and Console Box, Interior Ambient Illumination (I/P, Front Door Trim, Front Foot-well areas) and Rear USB Ports. Apart from these, the Legender is loaded with high-end features like Kick Sensor for Power Back Door and Wireless Smartphone Charger.  The Legender 4X2 and 4X4 Automatic are available only in exciting Dual-Tone Color of Pearl White with Black Roof.

Sharing his views on the launch of the new 4X4 Legender variant, Mr. V. Wiseline Sigamani, Associate General Manager(AGM), Sales and Strategic Marketing said, “At TKM, we bring innovations and new products to the market to meet the aspirations  of  our customers and changing market requirements. The new Legender 4X4 AT variant is another such initiative as many customers expressed a desire for a 4X4 variant for even more enhanced performance. We are hopeful that the customers will be thrilled with the new variant and the top-of-the-line off-roading and city driving capabilities that the Legender provides. We are thankful to them for their tremendous faith and trust in Toyota products over the years. On this occasion, we would also like to wish our customers a happy festive season.”

“The Legender has seen increasing sales and till date, we have sold more than  2700 units of the 4X2 variant across the country. Together with the Fortuner, the Legender has been enthralling SUV enthusiasts with best-in-class quality, durability and reliability.”

Bookings for the new Legender 4X4 variant is now open. Customers can either book the car online at https://www.toyotabharat.com/online-booking/ or visit their nearest authorized Toyota dealership.

Tech Recruiting Platform, HackerEarth Achieves Record Revenue Growth Of 144% As Remote Hiring Continues To Surge In India

●       28,000 coding contests completed in India with 20 lakh participants

●       Saw 210% YoY growth in assessments conducted

●       Top themes for hackathons in India included building solutions for COVID-related problems in healthcare, Data Science, Earth Day, AI and ML (organised with SAP, Rakuten, Accenture, Microsoft, HCL, Airbus, Amazon (AWS))

HackerEarth, the leading solutions provider to source, assess, upskill and engage software developer talent, today released an overview of its YoY growth and milestones. Between Q3 2020 - 2021, HackerEarth saw a record revenue growth of 144% increase in India and 185% in the US. This was accelerated by the launch of HackerEarth for Enterprises, the industry’s first comprehensive platform that unites every step of the tech employee lifecycle from sourcing, screening, interviewing and continuously engaging developer and data science talent.

Catalysts for this growth include the continued shift to remote workplaces and the subsequent spike in demand for a solution that improves and unifies the current fragmented market solutions in the developer hiring funnel. Accordingly, HackerEarth released an enhanced version of FaceCode as a standalone solution for conducting technical interviews with developers. The company also completed several key integrations with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), including LinkedIn Talent Hub and Lever.

“Regardless of industry, software continues to be the core driver of innovation and competitive advantage for enterprises large and small,” said Sachin Gupta, CEO of HackerEarth. “To meet the needs of our software-driven world, companies must put strategic thought into building the tech teams responsible for developing the software and applications of tomorrow. More and more tech and HR professionals are realizing the advantages of having comprehensive visibility of their developer and data science talent, and this is underpinning the mutual growth, success of us and our community.”

As a result of HackerEarth’s investments in its 6.5 million-strong developer community and in product development and tech integrations, organizations are able to effectively manage their entire developer lifecycle. This includes engaging and sourcing talent via hackathons and hiring challenges, building assessments in minutes, running coding interviews, and upskilling employees as new technologies and trends in software/application development emerge.

Q3 2020 - 2021 highlights:

Company Growth

●        Revenue: Achieved 144% increase in revenue in India and 185% in the US, and a 160% overall increase

●        Global customer base increased by 75%

●        Surpassed 6.5 million members in its global developer community, a 40% YoY growth. In India, the growth rate has been slightly higher at 43%

●        About 120 Hackathons hosted in India with a total of 2 lakh participants

○        In India, hackathons have been organised with SAP, Rakuten, Accenture, Microsoft, HCL, Airbus, Amazon (AWS). Top themes include building solutions for COVID-related problems in healthcare, Data Science, Earth Day, AI and ML.

●        28,000 coding contests completed in India with 20 lakh participants

●        Saw 210% YoY growth in assessments conducted

●        Achieved 100% YoY growth in the number of interviews via its flagship interview platform - FaceCode

Product Innovations

●        Launched HackerEarth for Enterprises, the industry’s first comprehensive platform that unites every step of the tech employee lifecycle

●        Released an enhanced version of FaceCode as a standalone solution for conducting technical interviews with developers. The enhancements include improved automation to save time before and during interviews, as well as advance HackerEarth’s commitment to enabling diversity and inclusion in hiring by reducing bias

●        Launched full stack assessments to help recruiters efficiently evaluate the coding skills of full stack developers and simulate real-world tasks

●        Integration with Jupyter Notebooks on HackerEarth Assessments for simplifying data science assessments, allows hiring managers to set real-time problems and provides candidates with a familiar environment

Key Partnerships and Projects

●        Partnered with Lever, allowing recruiters to manage the applicant screening workflow faster and more efficiently

●        Announced a new integration between online technical-recruitment tool HackerEarth Assessment and LinkedIn Talent Hub

●        Hire101: Building future-ready tech team in 2021, 3-day virtual global conference

●        Released Code in Progress 2021 Developer Survey Report

●        Released State of Developer Recruitment 2020

Puravankara Accelerates Its Digital Transformation Journey With IBM And SAP

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that Puravankara Limited is collaborating with IBM Global Business Services (GBS) to fuel tech-led innovations in its operations by adopting RISE with SAP. Through this association, Puravankara will reinvent its processes for superior business outcomes. IBM will integrate the SAP Cloud environment with Puravankara’s cloud environment to harness the unmatched power of cloud and ensure seamless enterprise functions.

As a future-forward industry leader, Puravankara aims to employ an intelligent suite of solutions for operational agility and enhanced business efficiency while driving unprecedented growth. The company aspires to assess real-time fluctuations in the market and receive immediate and actionable insights across its project development through robust digitisation.

To help achieve these layered objectives, Puravankara partnered with IBM to deploy RISE with SAP, an integrated cloud ERP solution revolutionising their business transformation. IBM will also deploy Ariba Sourcing, a strategic sourcing solution by SAP, to automate and streamline critical tasks in sourcing indirect and direct materials. The IBM ASCEND methodology, the framework used to deliver transitioning projects for SAP S/4HANA, has been used to bring in more efficient delivery execution, higher quality, and lower implementation risks. Puravankara would redefine the core objective of its digital strategy and streamline existing processes to elevate customer experiences.

Ashish Puravankara, Managing Director, Puravankara Limited, said, “As a resilient business entity, Puravankara has always pioneered tectonic changes in the real estate industry. Over the last year, as operational challenges took a new form, our primary focus was to build an enterprise that leads the future of work and advances customer success. By collaborating with IBM to deploy SAP, we will modernise our business capabilities and solve on-ground bottlenecks with ease while setting precedence in this highly competitive industry.”

Kamal Singhani, Country Managing Partner – IBM Services, India/South Asia, said, “By leveraging our deep consulting expertise and access to technological innovations, Puravankara will be able to fast-track their digital transformation journey, create intelligent workflows to drive the efficiency and agility needed in their dynamic industry landscape.”

Subramanian Ananthapadmanabhan, Vice President – Mid-Market, SAP Indian Subcontinent, said, “With our RISE with the SAP solution, we accelerate our customers’ transition to the cloud and enable them to become future-ready organisations. By adopting RISE with SAP, Puravankara has taken another step towards serving its customers better with digital tools and technologies. SAP along with IBM is empowering Puravankara to lead the charter in the real estate segment by creating unique landmarks and community living of the highest standards for its customers.”

IBM will bring its assets, tools, and methodology, including best practices and processes from the real estate and infrastructure industry. This will enable Puravankara to have best-in-class processes configured in the SAP system and ascend its digital transformation value chain.

About Puravanka Limited

Puravankara Limited is a leading real estate conglomerate headquartered in Bengaluru with a pan-India presence. In the last four decades (46 years), the company has established two distinct and successful brands. The flagship brand Puravankara caters to the premium end of the spectrum. At the same time, Provident Housing Limited is positioned in the premium affordable segment. The company has completed 74 projects measuring over 42 million square feet, and over 22 million square feet of projects are under development. Currently, the total land asset of the company is nearing 67 million square feet.

About IBM India: Visit http://www.ibm.com/in/en/