“Framework For Digital Skills Needs To Be Strengthened For Meeting Industry Demands, Creating A Strong Industry-Skill Linkage”: PM Modi

It is imperative to prepare the ‘demographic dividend’ of the country as per the demands of the changing job roles”, said Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi at a Post Budget seminar held today. During the webinar, to encourage participation in the skill ecosystem by enabling digital skills, a session was held on the theme — Towards Fostering Strong Industry-Skill Linkage by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) with participation from Department of promotion for Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Ministry of Tourism. The discussion was a part of a series of seminars inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He addressed the first session themed — Digital University: Making World Class Higher Education Accessible for All. The webinar was attended by the government officials, industry experts and representatives of key associations.

During his address, the Prime Minister spoke about the five priority areas — universalization of quality education; skill development; inclusion of India’s ancient experience and knowledge of urban planning and designing into education; internationalization and focus on Animation, Visual-Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC). He further stated that DESH Stack e-portal (Digital Ecosystem for Skilling and Livelihood) aims to bring together academic, industry demands and linkages, improves employment prospects and enable the start-up ecosystem.

The webinar led by MSDE was co-chaired by Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, MSDE, Shri Anurag Jain, Secretary, DPIIT and Shri G. Kamala Vardhna Rao, Director General, Ministry of Tourism. The panellists for the session were Shri N.S Kalsi, Chairman, National Council for Vocational Education & Training (NCVET); Shri Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Shri Manish Sabharwal, Vice Chairman, Teamlease Services. The session was moderated by Mr. Ved Mani Tiwari, COO, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, MSDE shared his thoughts on the latest initiatives announced in the Budget 2022 and expressed his views on how partnerships can be reorientated with the current demands of the industry, he stated, “In the current environment, from agriculture to service sector, the dynamics have completely changed. While the basic human needs remain the same, there is a rapid change in production, distribution, and consumption patterns. Therefore, it is pertinent that we promote soft skills, imbibe the culture of learning, and focus on multiskilling, as these initiatives will empower our youth and promote nation building. Further, DESH will remove information loss between stakeholders and resolve existing asymmetries. It is also critical that academia and industry work hand in hand as the pandemic has taught us that how existing skills can vanish overnight, and new job roles can evolve swiftly. Therefore, a culture of skills should be developed that builds the capabilities of our workforce and prepares them for the World of Work.”

Making his observations, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship shared, “We need to build on what we have achieved in skilling in the last five years. The endeavours under Skill India need to be integrated with education, ensuring students can easily access the skill ecosystem. Stronger employment and entrepreneurship outcomes need to be the by-product of our skill initiatives synergising with the dynamic demands of the rapidly changing industries- local and global. We should be able to boost the skill development framework with the launch of DESH Stack e-portal, ensuring India becomes a leader in word-class technology”

Mr. Ved Mani Tiwari, COO, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) summarised the session and said, “This session has highlighted a clear cohesion among ministries and departments by showcasing their zeal to collaborate and work together. The discussion and suggestions from today’s session are indeed a true reflection of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Sabka Prayaas, Sabka Vikas. A detailed report incorporating all the suggestions shared by the speakers today will be sent to the PMO on February 24, 2022.”

During the session, Shri Anurag Jain, Secretary, DPIIT, stated, “In her Budget speech, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity. The initiative is a GIS-based spatial planning and analytical tool with 200+ layers, enabling better visibility to the executing agency. Under this, every department will now have the visibility of each other's activities providing critical data, bringing about more comprehensive planning and execution of projects. The data exchange among all mode operators will also be brought on the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP), designed for application programming interface (API), improving international competitiveness. This will bring about a sustainable development driven by seven engines – roads, railways, airports, ports, mass transport, waterways and logistics infrastructure.”

He further emphasized on the need for dynamic skilling environment, exposure to industry requirements (reskilling, upskilling) and NSQF alignment with industry needs. Shri G. Kamala Vardhna Rao, Director General, Ministry of Tourism expressed his views during the seminar and said, “Tourism sector was one of worst hit sectors during the pandemic but today, it is witnessing new opportunities in the form of wellness, adventure and medical tourism, homestays and more. Currently, more than 8.5% of the total employed are in the tourism and allied sectors. This data highlights the importance of manpower in the sector and emphasises on the need for continuously engaging with other sectors while imparting new skills in the workforce. In addition, Drone Shakti will open new avenues for India’s youth as far as digital empowerment and digital technology for modern generation are concerned. Also, Gati Shakti will give us the opportunity for the placement of skilled labour.”

In the session, broader aspects on strengthening the skill ecosystem by enhancing digital skills were discussed. The panellists shared their views on the recent announcements made by our finance minister in the Budget 2022 including deliberations on DESH stack e-portal that aims to empower citizens to skill, reskill or upskill themselves through digital training. Further, the session covered aspects for the successful implementation of National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) targeted to fulfil the dynamic industry needs, expansion of emerging technologies and training through Drone Shakti scheme, helping increase domestic manufacturing and creating employment capabilities. The facets related to PM Gati Shakti programme were also discussed along with the discussions around emerging sunrise sectors, tourism and logistics.

The panellists shared their views on multiple initiatives, elaborated on creating better synergies between skill ecosystem and the industry, and expressed their thoughts on how India can surge towards a future of technology-powered growth with digital skilling. In this regard, Shri N.S Kalsi, Chairman, National Council for Vocational Education & Training (NCVET), stated, “The pandemic has accelerated the usage of technology in our day-to-day life. Unprecedented interruptions which the industry and businesses have taught us the mantra of digital first. In addition, NCVET is closely collaborating with industry in identifying the competences and skills required, including future skills to guide the development of qualifications and skill training for the existing and entry level workforce.” Shri Manish Sabharwal, Vice Chairman, Teamlease Services expressed, “As we transition to a technology-powered future, we slowly realised that it is not only possible to separate employment, employability and education, but also there is a need to innovate at the intersection of education and skilling. To strengthen the skill ecosystem, we need to break down traditional barriers and be open to learning while earning, learning with flexible delivery and align it with qualification modularity.” Shri Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation envisions that Drone Shakti will turn out to be a game changer in India’s economic and social progress, drones will see similar expansion as India’s mobile users.

Hero MotoCorp, Creates New Role Of Chief Growth Officer To Leverage Emerging Opportunities In Post-Covid- World

* INTEGRATES MARKETING, SALES, AFTER SALES & PARTS BUSINESSES

* RANJIVJIT SINGH ELEVATED TO THE NEW ROLE OF CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER

With an eye on making the best of emerging opportunities in the future, Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has created a new position, titled Chief Growth Officer, integrating the Marketing, Sales and After-Sales functions.

Ranjivjit Singh – who has been heading Marketing - is being elevated to this newly constituted role of Chief Growth Officer, with immediate effect.

“We are now entering a new era of opportunities and growth, with the world rapidly coming out of the Coronavirus pandemic. As we gear up to further consolidate our leadership by leveraging these emerging opportunities, we must stay nimble and dynamic which requires synergies between the key customer-facing functions of Marketing and Sales & After-Sales,” said Mike Clarke, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, Hero MotoCorp.

With more than three decades of experience and extensive expertise in all aspects of business operations and brand management, Ranjivjit joined Hero MotoCorp in July 2021 and has contributed immensely towards enhancing the brand salience and customer affinity of Brand Hero.

The leadership team at Sales & After Sales (SAS) - Ashutosh Varma (Head- National Sales), Manish Srivastava (Head – Service) and Akhilesh Vijay (Head – Parts Business) - will continue in their current roles and report to Ranjivjit.

Naveen Chauhan, who has been heading the SAS function since April 1, 2020, has decided to move on and pursue opportunities outside of the Company. He will stay on in the organization till February 28 to ensure a smooth transition.

Naveen joined Hero MotoCorp in 2015 and worked in various assignments across sales, service and parts, before taking on the leadership role as Head of SAS. He spearheaded this critical function in the midst of a very difficult phase that saw the peak of the Coronavirus pandemic and multiple lockdowns of markets across the country.

Wipro Earthian Awards 2021 Felicitate Excellence In Sustainability Education

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, organized the 11th edition of Wipro earthian awards for the year 2021. The annual awards recognize excellence in sustainability in education in schools and colleges in India.

Wipro earthian is one of India’s largest sustainability education programs for schools and colleges. The 2021 edition of the Wipro earthian school program received over 1000 project entries, out of which 20 winning and 20 shortlisted entries were selected by an independent jury. The 2021 College program has been temporarily paused.

The teams from schools demonstrated their understanding of biodiversity, waste and water through a combination of activity based learning programs and written essays.

The winning institutes were awarded a certificate along with a cash prize. The winning teams were felicitated by Wipro Chairman, Rishad Premji at a virtual event.  They will also get an opportunity to engage with Wipro and its sustainability partners through continuous collaborative programs that will enable a deeper understanding of issues critical to sustainability.

The virtual event featured keynote talks by Dr. Shekhar Pathak a Padma Shri awardee, who is an Indian historian, writer and academician from Uttarakhand and Yuvan Aves, a writer, naturalist, educator, and activist based in Chennai. Noted quizmaster, Lloyd Saldana also hosted the 2021 National Finals of the Wipro earthian Sustainability Quiz.

“Anurag Behar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Wipro Limited said, “Wipro earthian has evolved over the last decade to become the flagship program for sustainability education in India.We continue to be amazed at the quality of work from diverse schools across the country on complex ecological challenges facing us. It gives us reason for optimism, and we remain deeply committed to working with schools and colleges for the long term.”

The list of winning teams at Wipro earthian awards 2021 can be accessed here.

Since 2011, Wipro earthian, has engaged with more than 55,000 institutes, 1,30,000 students and 13,000 teachers. This year, we have had our largest participation so far, with more than 1300+ submissions across schools and college. The support from Wipro’s education partners such as Centre for Environment Education (CEE), C.P.R Environmental Education Centre (CPREEC), Wild Ecologues, state governments, organizations and educators in our Sustainability Educator Program, have helped expand the reach of the program. 

Aditya Birla Health Insurance Inks Bancassurance Partnership With Utkarsh Small Finance Bank

* More than 2.7 million Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Customers spread across 600+ branches to have access to this Health Insurance Solution

Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Limited. (ABHICL), the health insurance subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital Limited (ABCL), a significant non-bank financial services conglomerate  announced its bancassurance partnership with Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, one of the leading Small Finance Bank in the country, for the distribution of health insurance products through the Bank’s network of branches Pan-India. 

Through this alliance with Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, Aditya Birla Health Insurance’s comprehensive suite of Health insurance plans, including protection health plans, will be available for purchase to 2.7 million+ customers of the Bank across 642 branches in 214 districts spread across 19 states and 2 Union Territories in the country.

Commenting on the association, Mayank Bathwal, CEO - Aditya Birla Health Insurance, said, "We are pleased to partner with Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, which is a fast growing name in the domestic banking sector. This bancassurance partnership will help further strengthen our distribution and unlock growth opportunities through the Bank’s wide network. This tie-up will help us reach the tier II and tier III markets with insurance solutions thereby increasing insurance penetration in the country. Our alliance with Utkarsh Small Finance Bank will also help empower the Bank’s customers with protection solutions from our comprehensive product portfolio.’’ 

Utkarsh Small Finance Bank MD and CEO Govind Singh said, "Insurance as a third party offering provides our customers a significant value proposition while choosing an insurance policy. This tie-up with Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Ltd, further strengthens our insurance product portfolio as it gives our client the flexibility to choose an insurance plan which suits their convenience and requirement.  This gives the Insurance company access and penetration to our customers located in the hinterland. This alliance is bound to strengthen our product offering and services in these markets to our customers as Insurance serves as a prudent option to manage risks arising out of natural and unnatural calamities”. 

Aditya Birla Health Insurance company has 175 branches located in India and has a diversified presence in than 2800 cities spread across the length and breadth of the country.  With a vast network of more than 9,500 hospitals, ABHI can provide health insurance facility to the deeper and underpenetrated parts of the country. The Bank's customers will benefit from a diverse range of new-age products offered by Aditya Birla Health to ensure a healthy life for self and their loved ones. With this new partnership, ABHI now has 12 Bancassurance partners with over 51,120+ direct selling agents all over India.

KLE Tech University Selects Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Platform To Bring Research And Project-Based Learning

 

·         The 3DEXPERIENCE platform, implemented by EDS Technologies, will help close curricular gaps through tailor-made training solutions in the university

·         Students can benefit from an industry-like work environment

·         The collaboration is tightly aligned with Dassault Systèmes’ commitment to empower the workforce of the future

Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) today announced that KLE Technological University, one of the premier engineering institutions of Karnataka, has selected the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to enhance their curriculum with research and project-based learning solutions. The university is offering several novel courses on modelling and simulation including product lifecycle management (PLM). These also include a theme-based mini project focused on the improvisation of an existing product where new market requirements are analysed, and new features and functionalities are incorporated and redesigned again in a collaborative environment offered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Implemented by EDS Technologies on-site, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform will help teachers connect with students and enable them to collaborate and streamline learning activities with the latest pedagogical techniques. Students can acquire in-depth knowledge and preparation in domains, through this unique industry-like environment.

“The curriculum enhancement demonstrates our commitment to establishing the groundwork for contemporary engineering education and improving student learning experiences. We believe in project-based learning, and this is a significant step in that direction. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform will give our students the right exposure to new and cutting-edge technology, increase their enthusiasm for learning, and provide uninterrupted learning environment. Additionally, this will prepare students to gain sufficient knowledge in the selected technical subject in order to be productive from day one. We are thrilled to be collaborating with Dassault Systèmes to bring the best of innovations to our students,” said Dr. B. B. Kotturshettar, Head of School of Mechanical Engineering and, Dean, Planning and Development, KLE Technological University.

“Dassault Systèmes is committed to increasing the attractiveness of engineering and science to young people; developing skills to foster employability, and promoting innovation in education with experience-based learning,” said Deepak N.G., Managing Director, India, Dassault Systèmes. “The 3DEXPERIENCE platform can help institutions improve their teaching, learning, and solution creation experiences, much as it has helped industry transform the way products are created and built. This is an essential step towards honing the right skills and arming the workforce of the future for the jobs of the future. Our collaboration with KLE Technological University is a part of this commitment, as we help students explore emerging technologies with hands-on experiences.”

Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Edu department provides programs and resources to enable continuous collaboration among the university’s students and its faculty. Furthermore, it will facilitate effective project tracking in a rapid and collaborative manner for both students and professors, as well as access to data anywhere and at any time.

“Congratulations to KLE University on adopting Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform,” noted S. Senthil, President, EDS Technologies. “As Dassault Systèmes’ platinum partner with more than 1,500 customer sites, this collaboration reinforces our skill-up initiative, enabling educational institutions to adopt industry-leading solutions and put them into practice. It is heartening to note the superior teaching and learning experience the university and its students enjoy through the 3DEXPERIENCE platform implementation.”

Dassault Systèmes is committed to inspire, nurture and develop the workforce of the future in India in technologies that matter. Subject matter experts and global teams from Dassault Systèmes provide focused trainings to enhance learning for undergraduate, post-graduate and Ph.D. students on areas like design, multi-disciplinary engineering, manufacturing, information intelligence, and program governance, leveraging the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

Bridgestone India Announces Winners Of Mobility Social Impact Awards

* The Award Recognizes dedication to safe and smart mobility solutions across Healthcare & Nutrition, Livelihoods, Education and Social Inclusion

Bridgestone India today announced the winners of its Mobility Social Impact Awards. These awards identify, recognize and promote mobility innovations through advanced technologies and solutions in the field of social advancement. The total price money is of Rs. 30 lakhs.

The Social Impact Foundation Delhi, has won the Mobility Social Impact Award for their Project Asbah. The project's goal is to provide clean drinking water to underprivileged communities in both rural and urban slums at very low cost. The foundation provides 20 litres of clean drinking water for a pittance of Rs. 4 through their 1000 LPH Water Treatment Plants.

Motivation India Bengaluru, receives the first runner-up award for their project Improving Mobility of Persons with Disabilities. The project's primary goal is to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities (PwDs). In collaboration with local NGOs, the goal was to provide 4000 appropriate wheelchairs to people with mobility disabilities across India.

AICAPD (All India Citizens Alliance for Progress and Development) Delhi, is the second runner-up for their School Aapke Dwar project. The project travels to locations where migrant workers set up temporary hutments/jhuggies, usually near construction sites. For the past decade, the initiative has benefited approximately 5000 migrant children, and currently 680 children are receiving free education at their doorstep through this innovative initiative in Gurugram and Hardoi.

In addition, the Samaan Social Development Society Indore, received a special recognition award for its Women Mechanic Project, which aims to change gender norms by promoting livelihood skills among girls and young women. The goal of this project is to connect women with technical and mobility-based jobs. Through this programme, an attempt has been made to change the society's beliefs and thinking.

The Awards have three focus areas: accessible, safe and smart mobility solutions. Innovative mobility solutions that provide better accessibility to healthcare & nutrition, livelihoods, education and social inclusion is one area. Second is to assess safe mobility solutions that enhance safety and inclusion bridging the present gender gap, disaster mitigation and increase road safety. Thirdly, smart mobility solutions that yield positive social impact eliminating poverty, promote biodiversity conservation and development of our rural society will be most appreciated and considered. 

“As a leading mobility solutions provider towards the progress of a journey, Bridgestone India firmly believes that mobility solutions also have a role in reaching out to communities to address societal issues and improve the quality of life. The winners of Bridgestone Mobility social impact Awards have exemplified and proven this right and we are honoured to recognize such innovators” said Mr. Parag Satpute, Managing Director, Bridgestone India

The Original Muffler Man: Living Biography Of Mr. Kasturi Lal Jain Released By HarperCollins India

The biography of Mr. Kasturi Lal Jain, Chairman of the Jain Amar Group which owns popular brands like MADAME, CAMLA Barcelona and MSecret was released at a ceremony in Delhi on 16th February. The event took place at a premium hotel in New Delhi. The book launch was preceded by a candid conversation with the author of the book Shubhra Krishan and Mr. Kasturi Lal Jain. Mr. Jain shared various snippets from his eventful life and about his success.

Mr. Jain has been an inspiring figure in the business community in India, especially in the apparel industry. His journey started in the year 1940 when he began manufacturing and selling mufflers in Punjab’s Ludhiana.

Hailing from an underdeveloped city named Kasur in undivided India, Mr. Jain made a name for himself and could gradually expand his muffler business even at a time when the subcontinent was fighting the menace partition and subsequent disturbances.

This was also the foundation of what would later come to be known as the Jain Amar Group, a household name in India when it comes to fast fashion, affordable clothing and fashion accessories. Jain Amar was founded in 1939 by Mr. Kasturi Lal’s father, Sh. Chunni Lal Duggar.

The group currently owns three popular clothing brands – MADAME, CAMLA Barcelona and MSecret – catering to the fashion requirements of the Indian millennial through the generations. Currently, the group runs over 150 exclusive stores across the country; the presence is over 600 other points of sale like MBOs and LFRs, across three continents.

“When I first heard the story of Mr. Kasturi Lal Jain, I was thrilled to know that he is the Chairman of the company behind MADAME. I immediately knew it was an inspiring story that needed to be published. The book carries a strong message – that hard work and sincerity will help achieve success in all facets of life, no matter what,” said Mr. Rakesh Chander of HarperCollins India.

The biography takes the readers through the journey of Mr. Jain from Kasur to Ludhiana, and his hard work which led to the creation of one of the biggest clothing brands in India. “Woven together with fond recollections and affectionate tributes from family, friends and co-workers, The Original Muffler Man reminds you of the things that really matter – gumption, grace and giving.”

The biography’s author, Shubhra Krishan said, “Writing this book was a pleasure and a privilege. It gave me the opportunity to meet a true legend, whose 8-decade journey is an inspiration to us all.” She is a seasoned television and print journalist who has written five outstanding books on food and well-being. The book is available in marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart, offline bookstores, and on own website, glamly.com.