Karnataka Digital Economy Mission Launches #FutureDigitalJobs Initiative, A Unique Platform To Nurture Young Tech Talent

* 1000 students of Polytechnic and Government Engineering Colleges to be placed in Fortune 500 Companies, IT Majors and Emerging Start-ups

* Over 100 Government Engineering and Polytechnical colleges expected to participate in KDEM’s Digital Programs

 Consistent with its commitment to upskill and nurture new talent to rewrite Karnataka’s digital growth story, the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) in partnership with the Department of Collegiate Technical Education (DCTE) and Talencia Global announced the launch of its ambitious program #FutureDigitalJobs to identify and nurture young tech talent from colleges. Aimed at students from over 100 Government Engineering and Polytechnic Colleges across Karnataka, this unique model focuses on bridging the gap between students, their skillsets, and their interests.

Inaugurating the #FutureDigitalJobs initiative, Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Minister for Higher Education; Electronics, IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka said, “One of the bigger challenges we face today is creating an industry-ready workforce while mapping the right talent to the right job role.  What we need now is not more institutes but harnessing new talent and bringing them at par with global standards so that we as a state can rewrite the digital growth story and contribute to the country’s digital economy. I congratulate KDEM for this unique initiative as it promises to bridge the skills gap of freshers across colleges and give them a platform for learning, mentoring, and most importantly, placements.”

More than 100 Government engineering and polytechnic colleges are expected to participate in these programs run as part of KDEM’s Future Digital Jobs initiative. Of these, 1,000 promising trainees will get access to the Digital Platform that will assist with Learning, Assessments, Mentor Connect, Virtual Instructor Sessions, DevOps Engineering, Live Projects, and sessions from industry experts.

Speaking at the launch, Shri B V Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission said, “Our Prime Minister is optimistic of India’s start-up and digital growth with a promise to support budding entrepreneurs pursue innovation. Taking this vision forward, we at KDEM believe that our youth has the potential to change the future and we aim to take Karnataka on the world’s start-up map and emerge as global giants in futuristic technologies. This is only possible if we are enablers of opportunities for graduates from emerging clusters of regions beyond Bengaluru. Our #FutureDigitalJobs program was launched in keeping with our Beyond Bengaluru strategy from the grassroots level and I am happy that it is already generating significant interest from the industry. KDEM-Talenciaglobal is tirelessly working together to create 150% demand for the 1,000 students.”

At this event, KDEM also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Collegiate Technical Education (DCTE) for creating opportunities in upskilling initiatives that will be goal-oriented to create placement opportunities for students from Government colleges.

Speaking at the inaugural event, Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, MD, and CEO, Lahari said, “Our #FutureDigitalJobs initiative will be a unique outcome-based model where our primary objective will be providing adequate upskilling and thereby placements to the selected students with an average salary bracket of about 2.4 lacs for polytechnic students and an average of around 4.0 lacs for engineering students. We understand that there is a huge demand from the industry and through this initiative, our primary objective will be to bridge the skills gap and create the best possible talent for a stronger economy.”

#FutureDigitalJobs also witnessed several industry leaders from organisations such as EY, Eurofins, InfoVisons who reinforced the need for more such platforms like the ones provided by KDEM. The experts lauded KDEM and the Government of Karnataka’s formidable projects with a clear vision for creating a stronger workforce. 

About Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)

With an objective to increase the share of the Digital economy in the state, the Government of Karnataka set up the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), a Section-8 organization, which acts as a knowledge bridge between the industry and the government. To meet the objectives, KDEM has been working towards the five focus areas, viz. IT Products & Services, BPM & GCC promotion; Innovations & Start-ups; ESDM; Beyond Bengaluru; and Talent Accelerator.

Yezdi Motorcycles Return With Three All-New Models Across India

* To be sold through Classic Legends’ existing dealership network alongside Jawa Motorcycles

The ‘Legendary Yezdi’ is back, and how! The motorcycle brand name that signifies thrill, adventure and free-spiritedness like no other is back to the fore, promising even more for riders across generations, old and new alike. Classic Legends, today, is proud to announce the launch of three all-new Yezdi models.

The all-new Yezdi Adventure, Scrambler and Roadster sport very distinct personalities but come with a common soul. They are an ode to the brand’s true spirit and an embodiment of everything that Yezdi stood for, and more. The new range of Yezdi motorcycles will be available across Classic Legends’ dealership network, which already retails Jawa Motorcycles, in India for viewing, test rides, bookings and deliveries starting today. Customers will also have the option of booking their favourite Yezdi model online at www.yezdi.com with a booking amount of INR 5,000 only.

Packed with modern technology and retro styling cues, the new generation of Yezdi motorcycles come powered by a liquid-cooled, fuel injected, DOHC single cylinder engine displacing 334cc but tuned differently to suit the persona of the motorcycle it is mounted in (details mentioned later). The Adventure range starts at INR 2,09,900, Scrambler range starts at INR 2,04,900 and Roadster range starts at INR 1,98,142 - all prices ex-showroom, Delhi.

Speaking on the new Yezdi Motorcycles, Anupam Thareja, Co-Founder, Classic Legends said, ““It is not every day that you get to celebrate the comeback of an iconic motorcycle, let alone the likes of a legend like Yezdi. While its spirit lived on through its die-hard community and in the mind and hearts of every rider, the anticipation to see it take over the Indian roads again, has been unbelievable. We have the legacy but now we will create our own lineage. Being a motorcyclist myself, this is a moment of catharsis.  As custodians of the brand, we made sure that we preserve and celebrate Yezdi’s and the Yezdi rider’s essence in these new avatars. I am sure every Yezdi lover, will feel that - designed with passion and indulgent beliefs, then engineered to purpose, to make you fall in love with this motorcycle and motorcycling, again!”

Adding to this, Boman Irani, Co-Founder, Classic Legends said, “The Yezdi brand is all about stories and emotions. That’s what has kept it alive, and this is exactly what we want to build on for the future. The new Yezdi motorcycles are not just motorcycles, but a way of life. They’re a medium for riders to go out there, create more memories and have unparalleled fun while doing so. It is a never ending adventure that has just gone to the next level!”

Speaking on the new models, Ashish Joshi, CEO, Classic Legends, said, “The biggest challenge for us while developing the new Yezdi motorcycle(s) was to keep the spirit intact. We also knew that the motorcycle riders have evolved over the last few decades and followed a very focussed approach. What you see now are three motorcycles ‘purpose-built’ for rider requirements across the spectrum. We have always been about redefining the Modern Classic segment in the country and have gone ahead and did just that.”

To amp up the lifestyle quotient and complement the applications they’re built for, each Yezdi model will also come with its own range of accessories, carefully curated to enhance the visual appeal and functionality for the rider. The accessory range will also be available across dealerships.  

In Detail:

Why three Yezdi models?

Because why not! When bringing such an iconic brand back, we thought, why not go the whole hog and give the lovers of the brand everything Yezdi stood for - The spirit of adventure, the spirit of unapologetic fun & the spirit of thrill! The Yezdi Adventure, Yezdi Scrambler & Yezdi Roadster are manifestation of that quintessential Yezdi spirit.

Yezdi Adventure:

Starting with the Yezdi Adventure, it’s our quintessential touring machine. One look at it is enough to send you in a transformational journey. Authoritative in its personality and Assertive in its performance, the Yezdi Adventure is designed to fulfil every requirement of a long-distance rider. Be it the “serious off-roader” styling, comfortable ergonomics, surefooted handling across all terrain and host of rider aids, this motorcycle is built for you to tick every destination and riding trail on your bucket list!

The high placed mud-guard and the knuckle-guards keep the rider secured from any pebbles that might fly your way, while the chassis mounted front cage, made of heavy duty steel, offers added safety as well as flexibility to carry extra fuel utilizing the accessory fuel jerrycans.

Keeping in mind the long rides it is built for, the Yezdi Adventure comes with a host of mounting points and hooks for carrying luggage. Be it strapping a backpack on the rear seat or mounting the optional hard panniers with their own mounting stays, this motorcycle comes prepared to carry everything you might need on your long ride.

The Adventure is powered by a liquid-cooled, fuel injected, DOHC single cylinder engine displacing 334cc. Here, it produces max power of 30.2PS@8000rpm & max torque of 29.9Nm@6500rpm. Mated to a six-speed constant mesh transmission, the engine is tuned for torquey mid-range for trail riding while developing great top end power for high-speed highway cruising.

The adventure features an all-new chassis, suspended on a unique mono-shock swing arm set-up at the rear and long travel telescopic forks, which gives it an edge over off-road as well as on tarmac, the result is superb handling across various terrains. Despite being a tall motorcycle, the Adventure is surprisingly nimble around corners too.

Braking is taken care of by disc brakes on both ends and dual channel ABS by Continental, with three switchable modes – Road, Rain & Off-road for a more flexible performance.

While retaining its classic identity, the Adventure also is chock-full of interesting, usability features that make the riding experience optimal. The Adventure comes with USB charging capability and Bluetooth connectivity to ensure the user’s smartphone is utilized throughout the ride. With its own mobile app, the system is also capable of displaying turn-by-turn navigation on the integrated TFT/LCD display. The display is also adjustable for better viewing angles while also featuring a trip

navigator, a gear indicator, a side-stand indicator and a clock. The speedo also features a Distance to Empty and an Average Fuel Economy dial for better fuel management.

The Adventure also has its own range of specially curated accessories that can be added on to the machine, to enable the rider to customize it as per their liking. There are options to add knuckle guards, jerry cans with mounting brackets, panniers, top box, fog lamps, crash guards, a headlamp grille – all available as additional accessories.

Yezdi Scrambler:

The Yezdi Scrambler, embodying the spirit of unapologetic fun, is the perfect motorcycle for a modern-day thrill seeker with great performance for daily trips and adaptable enough to make off-roading a breeze. A motorcycle made to satiate your desires for bursts of serious trail riding on the weekends and snaking through traffic on weekdays, the Yezdi Scrambler makes everyday fun. The Scrambler’s styling is dripping of mischief with a typical scrambler flyline - simple seat with a classic round tank, tucked in Headlamp along with an offset speedo pod, Upright / commanding handlebar position, typical scrambler twin exhausts, on/off road tyres along with a front fender beak give a distinct character to the machine.

The scrambler produces 29.1PS@8000rpm of peak power & peak torque of 28.2Nm@6750rpm and a flat torque curve, so that you have a meaty torque spread across the rev range.

The scrambler is tuned for mischief. It comes with telescopic forks at the front & gas charged twin shocks at the rear. With a short wheelbase of 1403mm, the motorcycle is packaged for fun riding & sliding through those scrambling trails. The frame enables quick manoeuvres & confident handling across terrains. The precision handling of the scrambler ensures that it never misses the mark.

Braking too is top of the line with disc brakes on both ends and dual channel ABS by Continental, with three switchable modes – Road, Rain & Off-road for a more flexible performance. The headlamp, taillamps and blinkers are all equipped with LED while the digital speedometer has several features that make it a much more equipped and relevant riding experience.

Yezdi Roadster

The Yezdi Roadster completes this trio adding thrill to your everyday ride. Endowed with sheer road presence and muscular dimensions, the Roadster is a uniquely styled motorcycle with a perfect blend of classic style and modern touches. The motorcycle boasts an elegant silhouette with its visual weight spread across the design giving it a muscular and planted character.

Comfortable split seats embellished with a stark chrome arc highlights the seat line while a compact headlamp and tightly packaged engine area lend solidity to the overall design. Alloy wheels along with fat tyres, flanked by chopped fenders add to the beefy looks. There is a digital speedometer at the head of the motorcycle while the headlamps and the indicators are LED for better illumination of the road ahead.

Sporting a similar engine capacity and transmission, the Roadster delivers peak power of 29.7PS@7300rpm & peak torque of 29Nm@6500rpm. The result is a machine that delivers gushing performance in the city and dominates the highway. 

The roadster features a dual cradle chassis, which is tuned to offer great on road mannerisms & offers great stability on straight line as well as superior cornering abilities. The motorcycle also comes equipped with dual channel ABS by Continental – class leading technology that makes the braking experience an absolute joy with an optimum amount of bite in the disc brakes.

For more details on pricing and avaialbility check out Website: www.yezdi.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yezdiforever

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yezdiforever

Instagram: https://instagram.com/yezdiforever

The West Midlands Makes Its Mark With Commonwealth Artwork Reveal In India

A unique artistic collaboration powered by people of the Commonwealth has today been unveiled for the first time in Delhi, India. Dubbed the ‘Relaytionship’, the artwork has been launched by the Business and Tourism Programme and is a fluid and dynamic piece of digital art, evolving and growing alongside the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay as it traverses 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth in 294 days.

Having launched in October in the West Midlands – home to Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – this is the first reveal of the Relaytionship which has gathered pace and been fuelled by contributions from people across the globe.

To coincide with the Queen’s Baton arriving in the country, the first evolution of the poem and artwork has been revealed at a virtual showcase event, hosted by the British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis.

The Relaytionship artwork was revealed by Apache Indian, who grew up in Handsworth in Birmingham, during the virtual showcase event. 

Originally designed by West Midlands-based audio-visual artist Tommy Xiao Ji in collaboration with spoken word artist Amerah Saleh, the Relaytionship was created by the Business and Tourism Programme to embody the artistic and diverse heritage of the West Midlands whilst reflecting the power of art to connect cultures, countries, and continents.

The artistic collaboration will absorb words and images from people in India, a country with a rich poetic legacy and influence, and continue its journey alongside the Queen’s Baton. Having connected voices from every corner of the Commonwealth, a final version of the hybrid piece of artwork will be revealed when the Queen’s Baton returns to the West Midlands.

Amerah Saleh said: “In October we asked communities around the Commonwealth ‘What does Home mean to you? What does Incredible mean to you?’ and it is inspiring to see the first wave of responses unveiled. As we hoped to demonstrate when we launched the Relaytionship, we are all more connected that you would think. I look forward to developing the artwork as the poem develops and encourage everyone to express what Home and Incredible means to them.”

Becky Frall, Head of Tourism at the West Midlands Growth Company, which aims to attract more visitors the region said: “The West Midlands’ destinations have a rich arts and culture offer, and it is exhilarating to see how well the concept of the Relaytionship is resonating in India. What the artwork has also revealed is the affinity between the West Midlands region and India, how connected we are despite the thousands of miles that separate us, and how our bond continues to evolve. We look forward to welcoming Indian visitors once again, as travel recommences and restrictions ease. We hope that this sentiment will continue to engage and build audiences as the artwork grows.”

Tata Motors Sets New Benchmarks For Automobile Safety In India

Predominating vehicle safety with next-generation products, including Altroz, Punch, Tiago, Tigor, and Tigor EV, accredited with GNCAP ratings of 4 and 5 stars

With increasing occurrences of accidents and road fatalities globally and in India, safety has become a significant consideration for automotive manufacturers and customers alike. Its importance can’t be overstated in a country like India, where road fatalities take around 1.5 lakh lives every year or 400 in a day. Therefore, with safety being an important pillar of mobility transformation through CESS (Connected, Electric, Safe, and Shared), the demand for it in India is only poised to grow. As a leading player in the Indian automotive industry, Tata Motors continues to emphasize its core commitment to delivering the safest vehicles in every segment.

Over the past year, Tata Motors has made significant strides in setting new benchmarks for safety:

Tata Motors was the first Indian manufacturer to invest in a crash test facility in 1997, a time when there were no crash-testing benchmarks in India

The Compact SUV Nexon was the first-ever GNCAP rated 5-star product, bringing safety at the forefront for consumers. It was followed by the premium Hatch Altroz, setting a new benchmark across the Indian industry by being Global NCAP 5 Star rated car at the launch itself.

Tata Tigor and Tata Tiago were accredited with 4-star GNCAP ratings in 2020 for adult occupant protection, thereby becoming the only offerings in the sub-segment with the highest safety ratings. In parallel, the Tigor EV, launched recently, is the only EV in the country with a 4-star GNCAP rating.

Most of their offerings for many years have come equipped with airbags, seat-belt reminders, alert systems for speed above 80 kmph, reverse parking sensors, and manual override over the central locking system for emergencies.

The company also proactively offers enhanced adult and child occupant protection through class-leading safety features like fortified cabins that absorb impact energy and protect the passenger, tyre pressure monitoring system, side and curtain airbags, ISOFIX anchorages for child safety, etc. This was further elevated in the 2020’s New Forever range, which featured best-in-class safety alongside a major upgrade in design, powertrain, and technology.

In the past few years, the company has launched a range of safety-related technologies like Electronic Stability Control, Automatic Traction Control, and Hill Start Aid across passenger vehicles (PVs), electric vehicles (EVs), and commercial vehicles (CVs).

The company continues to invest in R&D facilities and technologies like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, driver-health monitoring systems, Connected Vehicle Platform features, etc.

The company is betting big on the electric mobility industry. Their EVs are not only at par with internal combustion engine counterparts but also meet the additional requirements mandated for EVs.

Commenting on the continued emphasis on enhanced safety standards, Mr. Rajendra Petkar, President & CTO, Tata Motors said, “Buyers today have started to look beyond traditional attributes like economy & performance, and they prioritise safety before making a purchase decision. Our growth in PV revenue reflects the traction and popularity that we are gaining amongst the Indian car buyers on this front. We have stayed ahead of the curve by building a long-term strategic road map for safety, and have realized it through expert engineering teams, making investments, incubating innovative concepts, choosing the right technology partners, and delivering solutions for mass markets through frugal engineering. Our GNCAP achievements are a testament to our firm commitment towards offering products that can deliver the highest global standards of safety. As we turn towards a new chapter of transformation in the automotive sector, we are confident that Tata Motors will maintain its lead on passenger car safety and remain the preferred choice of customers for years to come.”

QuEST Global Is Great Place To Work – Certified In Indian Market

QuEST Global, a global product engineering services company, announced that it has received the prestigious Great Place to Work® -Certification in India. This annual certification recognizes QuEST’s relentless efforts in creating and sustaining a High-Trust, High-Performance Culture™ within the organization.

The organization fared well on the 5 key dimensions of Trust Index© viz. credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. QuEST has worked towards creating an organizational environment that gives its workforce the feeling of belonging, confidence and trust. The employees at QuEST take pride in donning the QuEST employee hat. The organization remains committed towards promoting a workplace that prioritizes the professional growth as well as health, safety and wellbeing of every employee and that truly reflects in the trust the workforce has placed in the management.

Speaking on the occasion, Niketh Sundar, Chief People Officer, QuEST Global, said, “Employee experience and a culture that creates a sense of belonging are top priorities for QuEST. Considering what the world has gone through in the past two years, it is truly a proud achievement to be Great Place to Work – Certified™, it speaks a lot for the culture that we have dedicatedly created and continue to foster. However, we cannot slow down. We will continue to push the limits, strive towards more, keep evolving and continue to strengthen our culture to achieve the goal of building a centenary organization.” 

Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make strategic people decisions. The Institute serves businesses, non-profits and government agencies in more than 60 countries and has conducted pioneering research on the characteristics of great workplaces for over three decades.

In India, the institute partners with more than 1100 organizations annually across over 22 industries to help them build High-Trust, High-Performance Cultures™ designed to deliver sustained business results. Hundreds of CEOs and CXOs from India Inc. are part of the great place community that is committed to the vision of making India a great place to work FOR ALLTM.

The Institute’s research shows that great workplaces are characterized by great leadership, consistent employee experience, and sustainable financial performance. These organizations are able to deliver a consistent experience to all their employees irrespective of their role, gender, tenure or level in the organization. Their leaders believe in the vision of creating and sustaining a Great Place to Work FOR ALL and role model being ‘FOR ALL’ Leaders. Learn more at https://www.greatplacetowork.in/ 

About QuEST Global

For nearly 25 years, QuEST Global has been a trusted global product engineering services partner to many of the world’s most recognized companies in the Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Energy, Hi-Tech, Healthcare and Medical Devices, Rail and Semiconductor industries. With a presence in 13 countries, 54 global delivery centers and 11,500+ personnel, QuEST Global is at the forefront of the convergence of the mechanical, electronics, software, and digital engineering innovations to engineer solutions for a safer, cleaner, and sustainable world. QuEST Global’s deep domain knowledge and digital expertise help its clients accelerate product development and innovation cycles, create alternate revenue streams, enhance consumer experience, and make manufacturing processes and operations more efficient.

Wipro Ltd: In-Line Operating Performance During Q3 FY21-22

HOLD

CMP: Rs691  

Target Price: Rs700

* Wipro's IT services revenue grew 2.3% QoQ (3% CC) to USD2.64bn in Q3FY22, a tad below our estimates. IT services' EBITM declined 10bps QoQ to 17.6% as revenue momentum and operating efficiencies largely negated wage hikes and lower utilization.

* Wipro has guided for IT services revenue to be in the range of USD2,692-2,745mn in Q4, implying 2-4% CC QoQ growth. Management remains fairly confident of sustaining organic revenue growth momentum in coming quarters while sustaining EBITM at 17-17.5%.

* Wipro signed 11 large deals with a combined TCV of over USD600mn in Q3, while the total order intake was USD2.8bn. Management said the deal pipeline was robust and consisted of a good mix of small and large deals, providing good revenue visibility.

* We tweak our FY22E/FY23E/FY24E EPS by -0.6% to 0.2%, factoring in Q3 performance. We retain Hold with a TP of Rs700 at 25x Dec'23E EPS, considering rich valuations. 

Infosys Ltd: All-Round Beat; FY22 Revenue Growth Guidance Raised

 BUY

CMP: Rs1877 

Target Price: Rs2160

* Q3FY22 revenues beat our expectations, while the margin was in line. Revenues grew 6.3% QoQ (7% CC) to USD4.25bn. EBITM declined 10bps QoQ to 23.5% due to salary hikes and other employee interventions, negated by cost optimization.

* Infosys has raised its FY22 revenue growth guidance to 19.5-20% CC (earlier 16.5-17.5%), implying 0.5-2% QoQ growth in Q4. Infosys remains confident of sustaining growth momentum on the back of broad-based demand, solid deal intake and a healthy deal pipeline. The company has retained its EBITM guidance at 22-24%.

* The intake of large deals was healthy at USD2.5bn in Q3FY22 (43% new), with 25 large deals signed during the quarter. The deal pipeline remains healthy with a good mix of new and renewal deals, offering good revenue visibility.

* We increase earnings estimates by 1.3%/1.5%/2.5% for FY22/FY23/FY24, factoring in the Q3 beat. We maintain Buy with a revised TP of Rs2,160 (earlier Rs 2,100) at 30x Dec'23E EPS, considering strong earnings momentum and a robust demand environment.