80% Business Leaders In India Feel Pressured To Offer Greater Flexibility Today: LinkedIn ‘Future of Work’ Study

* 9 in 10 leaders feel flexible policies can help them hire diverse, top talent

LinkedIn launches new remote, on-site, and hybrid Job Search and #OpenToWork filters to match job-seekers’ need for greater flexibility

LinkedIn, the world’s largest online professional network, today launched the ‘Future of Work’ B2B perception study by research firm GFK that focuses on the insights of 736 business leaders in India and what they think about the future of work, their flexibility offerings, the challenges they foresee, and their plans to solve them.

Topline findings show that, while 80% of business leaders in India feel pressured to offer greater flexibility since COVID-19, with employees (58%), managers (41%), and the government (37%), the top three contributors of this pressure, leaders are confident of the benefits that happier employees, and hiring from a more diverse talent pool will bring.

“Flexible working has emerged as a top priority in the new world of work, and business leaders see this as an opportunity to hire more diverse talent and improve business performance. Nearly 9 in 10 leaders in India have hired specialists to design stronger workplace policies, to re-evaluate everything from L&D opportunities to performance reviews and career progression through a new lens — one that puts people first and not location. To support this shift in the way we work, LinkedIn is launching new platform tools to help job-seekers find opportunities that match their preferences and their need for a more flexible work environment,” says Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager, LinkedIn.

Business leaders in India most confident in Asia Pacific in leading a distributed workforce

Amid today’s burgeoning demand for flexibility, business leaders are actively creating new workplace policies that give employees more agency over how they work and where they work from today. The study shows that 88% have also hired specialists, consultants, and additional personnel to help design their workplace policies for the future of work.

Preparing for the new hybrid work culture, 9 in 10 business leaders in India have already offered or are planning to offer job sharing possibilities, while 78% have already offered or are planning to allow employees to work from a different country. The study also shows that India is leading in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region when it comes to offering flexibility; in comparison, only 68% of APAC leaders offer job shares and 58% allow the staff to work from a different country.

Deploying transformative workplace policies is not easy, and business leaders in India do foresee concerns with offering greater flexibility such as substandard quality work (39%), lesser collaboration between employees (37%), and dented customer experience (36%). Despite challenges, 83% of India’s business leaders are confident about leading a distributed workforce, when compared to 66% of leaders in the APAC region.

Flexible policies improve workforce diversity; 93% believe younger employees key to business success

The ongoing remote reality has made it easier for companies to hire professionals with more distinct backgrounds and diversified skill sets today. The survey shows that 9 in 10 business leaders believe flexible work policies can help them hire not just diverse, but also the best talent. More than half of business leaders in India also believe virtual interviews can help them connect with aspirants with proximity restrictions (55%), find a more diverse mix of candidates (45%), and professionals with modern skills (49%) today.

The study also reveals that ‘digital transformation’, ‘rethinking marketing strategy’, and ‘establishing new ways of working’ are the top three business priorities for business leaders. These priorities

come at a time when leaders choose social media (69%) and other online advertising (57%) over ATL and print (42%) in today’s remote reality. Further, 93% of India’s leaders also believe that having younger employees on the team gives them fresh insights into new marketing trends, especially as they continue to adapt their marketing strategies.

‘Happy employees’ as important as ‘excellent customer service, say 63% leaders

The study shows that 3 in 5 leaders believe having ‘happy and fulfilled employees’ (62%) is just as important as ‘excellent customer service’ (63%) to drive strong business results today. Therefore, ‘helping employees adapt to new ways of working’ and ‘keeping them happy and engaged’ are cited as the key workforce priorities for leaders in the next six months.

To keep employees engaged and prepared for the future of work, 9 in 10 (89%) business leaders are investing in training courses that facilitate employee collaboration and productivity in a flexible

working environment. In fact, 1 in 2 leaders are relying on increased L&D investments to help employees upgrade their skills (52%), move easily into internal roles (52%), and learn together in a community-based environment (52%).

Business leaders also believe that a sharper focus on empathy can boost collaboration among distributed workforces. The study shows that 1 in 2 (50%) leaders in India feels that encouraging small talk at the start of meetings, and empathetic conversations led by managers (46%) can foster inclusion among employees, regardless of their locations.

New LinkedIn tools to signal flexible work preferences, company workplace policies, and side hustles

As the need for better flexibility and greater fulfillment becomes top priority for the workforce, LinkedIn has launched new platform tools to help job seekers signal their preferred flexible working model, learn more about workplace policies, and effectively manage their side hustle projects.

LinkedIn launches new #OpenToWork and Job Search filters, new features on Company Pages, and an all-new Services Marketplace

New #OpenToWork filters to attract relevant opportunities: Professionals can now use filters for remote, hybrid, or onsite roles within Job Search and the #OpenToWork feature on their profiles. They can also use these filters to set relevant job alerts and preferences for the way they want to work, especially as the professional landscape prepares for a flexible working environment.

Highlight vaccination norms and work policies via Company Pages: Employers will now be able to highlight office policies, benefits, vaccination requirements via Company Pages to attract the best hires, comfortably. Professionals can use this to gain more insight into workforce policies on Company Pages, so they can learn more about the companies they are interested in.

All-new Services Marketplace to manage freelance projects effectively: LinkedIn has launched a new ‘Services Marketplace’ for professionals who seek more flexibility than what a traditional job can offer. Freelancers, contractors, and small business owners can now set up their Service Page directly from their profile, manage their projects, and promote specific skills and services of their businesses.

Glance Partners With Realme As Exclusive Lock Screen Content Discovery Platform For Its Smart Phones In India, Indonesia

* Partnership will help bring realme users a high-quality content experience on lock screen; enables Glance to further expand its presence in these key geographies  

Lock screen content platform Glance has entered into an exclusive partnership with leading mobile phone brand realme, to power the lock screen of its smartphones in India and Indonesia with exciting content. According to realme’s estimates, Glance will be rolled out on approximately 30 million of its smartphones in India, and 7 million in Indonesia, by the end of CY2022, which is expected to give a boost to Glance’s active user base in these countries.   

Over the next two years, Glance is expected to be available on a majority of realme’s devices in these regions, enabling realme consumers to discover high quality, personalised content in multiple languages and categories from top publishers on their lock screens. As a result of this partnership, realme users in India will be able to access Glance LIVE, a live streaming service with real time content by celebrities and creators across sports, current affairs, live games and commerce. The platform will also offer Glance Game Center, which hosts a wide variety of games in multiple genres and engaging features such as liking and sharing of lock screen content with friends via messaging services.   

Commenting on the partnership, Francis Wong, Chief Marketing Officer, realme, India, said, “Glance has pioneered the use of lock screen as a platform for content discovery, bringing users some of the best infotainment and live content from across the internet. At realme, we are committed to providing our users the latest and most premium experiences available in the market. We believe that the Glance proposition of live, trending, 24/7 content on lock screen will be a true differentiator for our devices. We estimate rolling out Glance on approximately 30 million phones in India, and on close to 7 million phones in Indonesia over the next 12 months.” 

Aditya Goyal, Vice President & General Manager, Strategic Distribution Partnerships, Glance, added, “realme is one of the fastest growing smart phone brands in India and Southeast Asia, with a state-of-the-art product line, ranging from entry to premium categories. It is especially popular amongst the youth, who form the majority of Glance’s user base. Given its demographic and technological strengths, we believe that realme is a great partner for us to make further inroads into these markets with. Through this partnership, Glance will bring realme consumers in India and Indonesia the same high quality content experience that nearly 175 million Glance users currently enjoy.”    

Glance has been adopted on leading Android smart phone brands and has over 150 million active users in India, and 25 million in Southeast Asia. It has a broad network of global content partners, comprising top media houses, celebrities, creators, and more. Advertisers leverage Glance’s user base and its artificial intelligence driven content discovery to reach consumers in a targeted way. Publishers benefit from the increased web traffic that Glance drives, whereas for device manufacturers, Glance creates unique opportunities for consumer engagement, and revenue generation.  

In a recently published report, market research firm Counterpoint Research has said that value added services like Glance are key for smartphone makers to stay ahead in this highly competitive market. “As the overall smartphone market is maturing and consolidating, with top OEMs capturing most of the market, it is also a challenge to maintain hardware differentiation when the form factors remain similar. In such a scenario, the long-term value creation will depend more on delivering differentiation through over-the-top (OTT) services. Therefore, Glance, with its presence in top smartphone brands, holds a vital role,” said Research Analyst Arushi Chawla, Counterpoint Research.   

About Glance       

Founded in 2019, Glance is one of the largest lock screen platforms of India and Southeast Asia, enabling consumers to experience the internet on the lock screens of their smart phones. Glance's AI-powered personalization enables consumers to enjoy content, products, and services of their choice, all delivered in an intuitive and visually attractive format. Funded by Google and Mithril Partners, Glance is an unconsolidated subsidiary of InMobi and has over 150 million daily active users in India, and 25 million in SEA. For more information visit glance.com       

About realme    

realme is the world’s fastest growing consumer technology company disrupting the smartphone and AIoT market by making cutting-edge technologies more accessible. It provides a range of smartphones and lifestyle technology devices with premium specs, quality, and trend-setting designs to young consumers at affordable prices.  

Established by Sky Li in 2018 and driven by its ‘Dare to Leap’ spirit, realme is the world’s 6th largest smartphone company. As of Q2 2021, realme has entered 61 markets worldwide, including China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, Russia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, with a global user base of over 100 million. 

Oasis Fertility Forays Into Karnataka With Its IVF Clinics In Bengaluru

* Focuses on the thriving young population in Bengaluru, the IT and start-up capital of India

* Plans to expand to 10 more centres in next 5 years in Karnataka region

* Well-positioned to play a key role in the sunrise IVF services sector in India offering consistent and world-class service delivery to couples to realise their parenthood dreams

* On track to launch 8 more full-fledged IVF centres this year and double its network to 50 centres pan India in next 3 years

Oasis Fertility, trusted healthcare experts in the field of Reproductive Medicine and Advanced Infertility Treatments, today, in line with their expansion plans, announced their foray into Karnataka region with the launch of its flagship state-of-the art full-fledged IVF centre at HSR Layout in the city of Bengaluru, the IT and start-up capital of India.

The centre which is well-equipped to offer all kinds of efficient and evidence-based fertility treatments - all under one roof, was inaugurated by Mr. Kiran Gadela – Co-Founder and Managing Director, Oasis Fertility, and Dr. Durga G Rao – Co-Founder and Medical Director, Oasis Fertility, along with Dr. Krishna Chaitanya – Scientific Head and Clinical Embryologist, Oasis Fertility. Hon’ble Saalumarada Thimmakka, Indian Environmentalist and Padma Shri Awardee 2019 graced the occasion as the Chief Guest of Honour.

Although a relatively young branch of medical studies, Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) to conceive, has increased exponentially worldwide, especially amongst the urban population. This rise in infertility is attributed to stress, changing lifestyle patterns and other disorders. However, with this growing awareness assisted by technological advancements and increased research in the field, the IVF services sector in India is considered as a sunrise industry set for exponential growth in coming years.

Speaking on the launch of Oasis Fertility in Bengaluru, Mr. Kiran Gadela – Co-Founder and Managing Director, Oasis Fertility, said, “We are excited to enter the Karnataka region with our first centre at HSR Layout, Bengaluru, a city that is very close to our heart. As an IT and start-up capital of the country, Bengaluru is home to a thriving young population, and this gives a huge scope for helping young couples achieve their parenthood dreams. We are optimistic about the Karnataka market, and we have plans to expand to 10 more centres in the region in the next 5 years – with plans well underway to start centres in growing tier 2 towns like Mangaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi etc. The fertility sector in the country is growing at 25% CAGR and I firmly believe that with more organised players offering fertility treatments, we can expect a 30-35% growth in the coming years. With our patient-centricity, transparency and focus on minimizing dropouts with a tech-led patient engagement system, we are well positioned to offer consistent and world-class service delivery to couples seeking infertility treatment.”

Bengaluru has been going through a silent slope of decline in fertility rates. As per the statistics of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2020, the fertility rate of Bengaluru city has come down from 3.6 in 1980s to a low of 1.7 today. It’s also to be noted that for population to remain stable it is important for any state to have a fertility rate of 2.1. It is estimated that by 2030, Bengaluru will be reaching a state where the fertility rate will be 1.5, which doesn’t augur well for the future of the country at large. 

Sharing her views on the IVF market and expertise that Oasis offers, Dr Durga G Rao – Co-Founder and Medical Director, Oasis Fertility, said, “It’s important to maintain a fertility rate of about 2.1 in society, so that we, as a nation, always have a consistent and constant young generation who are instrumental in the development of the nation and society. We are delighted to enter the Karnataka region – with our state-of-the-art centre and more importantly managed by an excellent clinical and embryology team. The collective strength of the 100+ Oasis medical and embryology teams will work tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcomes for couples seeking fertility treatments. I strongly believe that our ethical, transparent and evidence-based approach will find receptivity and appreciation for the digitally aware and forward-thinking couples in this region.”

Dr Krishna Chaitanya – Scientific Head and Clinical Embryologist at Oasis Fertility, said, “Some of the cities like Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya, Tumakuru, Shivamogga, Ramanagaram, Hassan, Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Uttara Kannada have seen a drastic decline level in fertility levels. Fifty percent of this is attributable to male fertility. Male infertility is on the rise due to factors such as varicocele, obesity, lifestyle changes, etc. We, at Oasis Fertility also operate exclusive Male Fertility clinics under the Androlife banner. These clinics cater exclusively to male fertility issues and helps to address this issue head-on and creates a space where physicians and would-be parents are more aware of this factor and discuss treatment options.” 

Till date, Oasis has successfully performed more than 15,000+ Cycles of IUI (Intra Uterine Insemination) and 10,000+ Cycles of IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) 100 Micro TESEs (Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction) in Male Infertility leading to 35,000+ happy families. Driving value through technology and innovation, Oasis has the world’s first cloud-based IVF management system called ARTis™ (Assisted Reproductive Technology Information System). It is an, unique, and futuristic web-based platform that helps in simple and effective management of fertility treatments. The solution springs out of a thorough understanding of the IVF process and managing IVF centres with collaborative efforts of proven and highly experienced IT professionals and IVF specialists.

Oasis Fertility has received growth capital in 2016 from India Life Sciences Fund II, a leading healthcare and life sciences-focussed fund, and was the first institutional investment in an IVF chain in India.

ABOUT OASIS FERTILITY:

Oasis Fertility, a unit of the Sadguru Healthcare Services Pvt. Ltd., has redefined reproductive care in India by bringing in internationally recognized best practices and protocols in Fertility treatments. It offers would-be parents a friendly ‘one-stop’ day-care clinic where consultations, investigations, and treatment are all conducted under one roof. Since its inception in 2009, Oasis has gained an excellent reputation for its high success rates driven by its high-quality services led by a team of experienced infertility specialists with international experience. The chain has expanded to 17 centres across the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Inaugurates New School In Maddur To Enable Better Learning Environment For Students

* New building constructed with a cost of INR 3.74 crore handed over to school authorities in the presence of distinguished guests

Continuing its mission to aid the development of children by fostering various education-focused initiatives, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), today, unveiled a new school building at Shree Kalikamba Vidya Samste, in Maddur, Mandya district. The school building was handed over to the school authorities in a function held on Wednesday, following the inauguration by Parama Poojya Shri. Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji, Head of Adichunchanagiri Math and Mr. Vikram Kirloskar, Vice Chairman, TKM, in the presence of Shri. D C Thammanna, Hon’ble MLA of Maddur constituency and Former Transport Minister, Government of Karnataka, Prof. B K Chandrashekar, Former Minister, Government of Karnataka, Mr. Nikhil Kumaraswamy President - Youth Wing, JD[S] and other senior officials from TKM.

The groundbreaking for the project was held by TKM in 2019 while the building was constructed in under a year at a project cost of INR 3.74 crore towards infrastructure and furniture. The new building will replace the old blocks of the school, providing the students from classes 1 to 10 with modern facilities vital for a good learning experience. It comprises eight classrooms, staff room, kitchen, library, science laboratory, computer room and sports rooms and toilets.

Commenting on the initiative, Shri. D C Thammanna, Hon’ble MLA of Maddur constituency and Former Transport Minister, Government of Karnataka said, “Sri Kalikamba Education Society came into existence  on 5th June 1962 and has seen several eminent students pass out over the years. However, it was facing infrastructural challenges off late when TKM stepped in and took up the construction of a new building under its corporate social responsibility umbrella. I thank them for their invaluable contribution towards creating better education opportunities for the students in Maddur and the surrounding areas of the Mandya district. I am confident that the students will benefit immensely from this initiative and become successful professionals and good citizens in the future.”

Sharing his thoughts, Mr. Sudeep S. Dalvi, Senior Vice President, Director & Chief Communication Officer, TKM, said, “At TKM, we always try to understand the issues affecting people in our communities and how we can join hands with them to resolve the challenges. Education is one area that we focus on, as it is vital for the overall upliftment of the communities. With this agenda, we have upgraded 11 schools so far in Ramanagara and Mysore districts. With respect to the latest project, we are thankful to everyone involved in this project – the school management, local leaders and officials for making this dream project a reality.”

Toyota Kirloskar Motor, over the years, has initiated several projects to accelerate access to quality education in Karnataka. In total 11 schools have been constructed, along with other initiatives like education materials distribution, Anganwadi development program etc., has cumulatively benefitted 1,16,396 students. Toyota remains committed to bringing in more enriching and sustainable CSR projects for the holistic development of the community members, thus effectively contributing to the underlying cause of positive societal development and bringing in a change towards the transformation of the larger community.

Gulf Oil, L&T Jointly Launch Genuine Oils For Construction Equipment

* Strategic partnership will address the evolving needs of the CE sector

Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd and Construction & Mining Machinery Business of Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T-CMB), have collaborated to launch a range of Genuine Oils to cater to the distinct and technologically progressive needs of the Construction Equipment sector.

This strategic agreement was signed between Mr. Ravi Chawla, MD & CEO, Gulf Oil and Mr. Arvind K Garg, EVP & Head, L&T-CMB, in Bengaluru today in the presence of senior executives – Mr. Deepak Tiwari, Head – Infra, Mining & Fleet Management Business & Mr. Vivek Tomar, Head-Construction OEM of Gulf Oil and  Mr. Vivek Hajela, Vice-President-CEB & Mr. K.A.Sravan Kumar, Head- Product Support of L&T-CMB. 

The range of products include Hydraulic Oil, specially formulated for Wheel Loader and Genuine Grease, which meets the needs of the Road Construction equipment, manufactured by L&T Construction Equipment Limited (LTCEL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of L&T. These Genuine Oils will be distributed by L&T-CMB exclusively through its authorized  dealers pan-India. Other products which are under development and will be released progressively -- Hydraulic Oil for Compactors, Transmission Oil for Wheel Loaders and Roller Oil for Compactors.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Ravi Chawla, MD & CEO, Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd said, “We are extremely delighted to have partnered with L&T-CMB. Our association aims at collectively working towards offering constructive and effective solutions to the ever-advancing demands of the industry. I am sure this partnership will grow to benefit the industry and aid in raising the service standards”.

In his address, Mr. Arvind K. Garg, Executive Vice-President & Head, Construction & Mining Machinery Business, Larsen & Toubro, said, “Coinciding with the 75 years of valued association with the Construction & Mining Machinery Industry, we have been working on enhancing industry-specific initiatives. This partnership with Gulf Oil is yet another effort to provide a larger platform for our Made-in-India products and a superior offering to customers to ensure higher machine uptime and a distinctive machine-owning experience.” 

About GOLIL

Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd is a leading Lubricant manufacturing and marketing company in the country today. A part of the Hinduja Group owned Gulf Oil International, Gulf Oil India offers premium products and services to a wide customer base spreading across a multitude of sectors. Through it’s focused, sector wise approach, Gulf Oil is the leader in the Infrastructure segment, consistently delivering on its promise of quality products and reliable services, to help play a part in the overall building of the nation’s infrastructure.

To know more about GOLIL visit us at www.gulfoilindia.com

About L&T/L&T-CMB

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.

Established in 1945, L&T Construction & Mining Machinery is a pioneer in excavator technology in India and has been at the forefront by consolidating its leadership position in the industry. Over the years, L&T has nurtured business partnerships with global leaders, Komatsu-Japan and Scania-Sweden to offer products, that conform to international standards of quality, safety and reliability. L&T Construction Equipment Limited is involved in manufacturing an entire range of Road Machinery, Wheel Loaders and Special Attachments using indigenous technology. Inspired by the legacy of 75 glorious years, L&T-CMB will cross new milestones in its journey as a trusted partner in nation-building as well as in fulfilling the mission of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

To know more about L&T-CMB,  visit us at www.lntcmb.com

India’s Youth Icons ‘Light-Up New Beginnings’ And Share Their Stories Of Hope This Diwali With OPPO

* Shradha Kapoor, Shruti Haasan and Darshan Raval among others, share their unique stories

Celebrating the spirit of new beginnings, OPPO, the leading global smart device brand recently announced the launch of its new Diwali campaign. The heart-touching film that sent out a message of hope and positivity, received an overwhelming response.

The film beautifully captures human emotions and emphasizes that hope reigns supreme, and this Diwali is all about caring, sharing and giving. Taking the festive spirit ahead, Bollywood actress and singer Shradha Kapoor, Shruti Haasan and musician Darshan Raval among others, shared their stories of hope and resilience.

‘Light-up New Beginnings’features positive stories that we can relate to. For instance, actress and singer Shradha Kapoor shared glimpses of the time she is spending with friends, family and pets, stories from her vacations and much more.

Similarly, musician Darshan Raval shared the special moments he spent celebrating festivals with his friends and family, his jam sessions, vacation to the mountains, etc. Shruti Haasan, also shared her moments of light, spent playing the piano, recording songs at her home, her on-stage performance and the quality time she spent with her family.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CVfhz0bDbwP/?utm_medium=copy_link : Shraddha Kapoor

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CVddwPhlzsk/?utm_medium=copy_link : Darshan Raval

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CVfv28wBLG1/?utm_medium=copy_link : Shruti Haasan

About OPPO Mobiles India Private Limited

OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO provides its users with the ColorOS operating system and internet services like OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO operates in more than 50 countries and regions with more than 40,000 of OPPO's employees are dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.

Rishabh Pant Rides In As The Brand Ambassador Of Hercules By TI Cycles India

Hercules, India’s leading bicycle brand from the stable of TI Cycles of India, has on-boarded the rising Indian wicketkeeper and vibrant left-handed batsman, Rishabh Pant, as their brand ambassador to promote the cycling culture amongst urban teenagers of the country. Being one of the most promising young cricketers currently Captain of Delhi Capitals team in the Indian Premiere League and part of India’s T20 World Cup squad, Rishabh Pant is admired by millions of fans all across the cricketing world. The association will surely shape the perspective towards cycling and outdoor adventure for the urban youth who idolize cricket and sports, in the country.

Commenting on the association, Mr. K K Paul, President, TI Cycles of India, said, “We are thrilled to have Mr. Rishabh Pant as our brand ambassador for our Hercules brand that celebrates the spirit of the adventure in our country. Hercules has always been a choice for young boys who wish to discover their spirit of adventure and exploring with friends through cycling. In a similar manner, Rishabh Pant, as an athlete has influenced teenage boys to pursue their goals with passion and determination. With this association, we are on a journey to support that inspiration to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals, relentlessly.”

“Bicycles were such an integral part of my childhood and I have many fond memories associated with it. I used one to get to school and then to cricket practise, and it was always something that gave me a sense of freedom. All these years later, it still has relevance in my life as a sportsperson and is such an important tool for fitness and adventure. I am excited about this partnership with Hercules, which as a brand, has been such an important part in the lives of young boys over the years. I personally believe that cycling is one of the best ways to bring out the adventure in you and spend more time being active outdoors, hence, I am eager to contribute in my way to educate and encourage our young boys towards adventure through Hercules.” says Rishabh Pant.

Hercules, a brand of TI Cycles of India, strives to fulfil the bicycling needs of the urban teenage boys of the country. Over the years, the brand has introduced a range of cycles such as Top Gear, Rockshox, Dynamite, Brut, Street Cat series, to name a few. With a wide range of 50 exclusive models in refreshing vibrant colours, their products are an expression of style, robustness, reliability and durability. Hercules bicycles are super stylish, designed for today’s urban teenage boys and extremely dependable.

Keeping in mind the brand’s zest for innovation, it introduced the first MTB in India “Hercules MTB” in the year 1992 followed by “RockShox” in 1993 the first cycle with shock absorbers and there on to launching “Top Gear” which also created an entirely new category of geared bikes in the country.

About Murugappa Group

Founded in 1900, the INR 417 Billion (41,713 Crores) Murugappa Group is one of India's leading business conglomerates. The Group has 29 businesses including ten listed Companies traded in NSE & BSE. Headquartered in Chennai, the major Companies of the Group include Carborundum Universal Ltd., CG Power and Industrial Solutions Ltd., Cholamandalam Financial Holdings Ltd., Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd., Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd., Coromandel International Ltd., Coromandel Engineering Company Ltd., E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd., Parry Agro Industries Ltd., Shanthi Gears Ltd., Tube Investments of India Ltd. and Wendt (India) Ltd. 

The Group holds leadership position in several product lines including Abrasives, Technical Ceramics, Electro Minerals, Auto Components & Systems, Bicycles, Fertilisers, Sugar, Tea and Spirulina (Nutraceuticals). The Group has forged strong alliances with leading international companies such as Groupe Chimique Tunisien, Foskor, Mitsui Sumitomo, Morgan Advanced Materials, Yanmar & Co. and Compagnie Des Phosphat De Gafsa (CPG). The Group has a wide geographical presence all over India and spanning 6 continents. 

Renowned brands like BSA, Hercules, Montra, Mach City, Ballmaster, Ajax, Parry’s, Chola, Gromor, Shanthi Gears and Paramfos are from the Murugappa stable. The Group fosters an environment of professionalism and has a workforce of over 51,000 employees.