IIIT Bangalore Announces GoK Funded ‘Digital Governance’ And ‘Data-Driven Planning’ Initiatives

The International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) today announced that it will be setting up a ‘Data Lake’ with funding from Government of Karnataka. For supporting data driven planning, a Data Lake (pilot) has been approved at a cost of Rs.5 Crores by the Planning Department with technical support from Centre for Open Data Research (CODR) and International Institute of information Technology, Bangalore (IIIT-B) and e-Governance Department of Government of Karnataka.

Additionally, the institute will also be setting up a specialised centre named ‘Centre for Technology Research and Innovations for Digital Governance (CTRI-DG)’, funded by the Centre for E-Governance (CeG), GoK, IIIT Bangalore’s CTRI-DG will work closely with the Centre of E-Governance (CeG) and Centre for Smart Governance (CSG) of Government of Karnataka.

These were announced in a press conference at the institute after the 22nd Annual Convocation ceremony of the institute.

“Planning, as a function in GoK plays a significant role in ensuring optimized allocation of resources and in ensuring resources reach the right objectives at the right time.  Given the huge scale of GoK and the planning activities, it is imperative to make all the planning activities process-oriented and Data driven. This process oriented and Data driven culture will enhance the effectiveness of Planning as a function of all GOK Departments and impact on the citizens of Karnataka,” said Prof Debabrata Das, Director, IIIT Bangalore. 

The institute has also recently set up a section 8 company, COMET Foundation to run a Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) with focus on indigenous 5G/6G wireless standards. This TIH has been sanctioned by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India.

Additionally, IIIT Bangalore’s Machine Intelligence and Robotics (MINRO) will also be launching "MINRO-Jnanasarani" a Youtube based outreach channel to host a series of videos explaining the concepts of AI, ML, Data Science and related technologies in Kannada for the benefit of students and citizens. MINRO CoE is being funded by K-Tech, Government of Karnataka.

Last month, IIIT Bangalore also showcased its Intellectual prowess to the world-Modular Open Source Identity Project (MOSIP), at the India Pavilion of VivaTech, Paris and at ID4Africa, Morocco. At VivaTch, IIIT Bangalore’s MOSIP was showcased alongside UPI, COWIN and other key technological innovations emerging out of our country”, added Prof. Das. IIIT Bangalore was the only university from India that was invited to VivaTech, Paris.

MOSIP is being funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Tata Trust, Norad and Omidyar Network.

About IIIT Bangalore

IIIT Bangalore is a premier institute focused on Post-Graduate IT education and research, located in the heart of Electronic City, Bangalore. IIIT Bangalore is graded A+ by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and ranked in the top 70 in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) since the last four years. The institute was ranked No.1 among India's Best Technical Universities (Private) by India Today. IIIT Bangalore contains state-of-the-art infrastructure, world-class faculty, a vibrant alumni community, cutting-edge research facilities and close industry collaborations. 

The institute’s specially designed courses make the students cognitive of the current technologies and practices, thereby equipping them with the tools and knowledge to solve contemporary real problems. Since the founding of the Institute in 1998, IIIT Bangalore has enjoyed 100% placement every year, on account of the strong support of the industry and the growing base of talented alumni.

https://www.iiitb.ac.in/

294 Tech Students Graduate In 22nd Convocation Of IIIT Bangalore

The International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIITB) hosted its 22nd annual convocation today. The ceremony was graced by Chief Guest,

Dr. Pratima Murthy, Director, NIMHAMS and Guest of Honour, Mr. S.D Shibulal, Co-Founder, Infosys Ltd and Co-Founder, Axilor Ventures The ceremony was presided over by the Chairman of the IIIT Bangalore Governing Body Mr Kris Gopalakrishnan.

The ceremony that took place on the beautiful green campus of IIIT Bangalore saw 294 students graduate from the institute. The students were from various academic programs - Doctor of Philosophy (10), Master of Science by Research (23), Integrated Master of technology CSE (46), Integrated Master of Technology ECE (19), Master of Technology CSE (157), Master of Technology ECE (20) and Master of science Digital Society (19), 68 students who graduated were female and 226 were male. 

Addressing the students Dr Pratima Murthy said, "I hope you were able to turn the challenges into opportunities. Getting a reward for your effort is fine.  It is equally important to take cognizance of what you bring to the society. Regarding the tele manas that the country has rolled out I would like to emphasise that work on tele manas or emanas will take us much further and the strength of the collaboration between NIMHANS and IIIT-B will continue.

Speaking on the occasion Mr SD Shibulal said, "One of the most important concerns for you students today is regarding uncertainty and last 2 years this concern has only increased.  Uncertainty and change are here forever. But to take a decision under these circumstances is the most crucial While congratulating the students on their graduation, Prof. Debabrata Das, Director, IIIT Bangalore, said, “IT has made substantial and revolutionary contributions to medical care, financial business, education etc. With the current challenges of economic growth, pandemic and geo political scenarios, we see numerous career opportunities and progress for our graduates. Our students have received employment offers from leading technology firms like Apple, Amazon, Adobe, Goldman Sachs, Salesforce to name a few. In line with the recommendation of the NEP 2020, now we are planning to roll out multidisciplinary degree programs in partnership with other complementary institutions. We will also roll out online post graduate level degree programmes, soon.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman, IIIT Bangalore said, "I am truly happy to be at IIIT Bangalore to share the joy and excitement of the students. All of the hard work of the faculty and the students have paid off! As the students cross this important milestone in their life and embark on their professional journey, I am sure all of them will contribute significantly to bringing economic prosperity to our beloved country. I am proud of all graduating students who are well-equipped with problem-solving skills and backed by multidisciplinary studies within the IT discipline, which is needed by the industry."

The highlights of the ceremony included celebrating students’ achievements, with awards and medals. The Institute Gold medals were awarded to the best graduating students-Soham Das, Amogh Johri and Gayatri Raman. Ms Ananya Appan was awarded the Late Sri. N. Rama Rao Medal for Student of the Year. Since the founding of the Institute in 1998, IIIT Bangalore has enjoyed 100% placement every year, on account of the strong support of the industry and the growing base of talented alumni. It is relevant to mention that more than 15 students have received an annual salary package of more than half a crore (INR) and one student has received a salary package of two crore (INR) per annum.

About IIIT Bangalore

IIIT Bangalore is a premier institute focused on Post-Graduate IT education and research, located in the heart of Electronic City, Bangalore. IIIT Bangalore is graded A+ by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and ranked in the top 70 in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the last four years. The institute was ranked No. 1 among India's Best Technical Universities (Private) by India Today. IIIT Bangalore contains state-of-the-art infrastructure, world-class faculty, a vibrant alumni community, cutting-edge research facilities and close industry collaborations.  The institute’s specially designed courses make the students cognitive of the current technologies and practices, thereby equipping them with the tools and knowledge to solve contemporary real problems. 

Mansion House And Courrier Napoleon Green Festive Pack Lucky Draw Winners Announced

* Hyderabad resident wins brand new Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Tilaknagar Industries Ltd. (TI), promoter and manufacturer of the famous ‘Mansion House’ brand, today announced the winners of its ‘Festive Pack’ Lucky Draw contests at an opulent ceremony held at the ITC Kakatiya. As part of the initiatives, TI awarded the participants with a host of prizes that ranged from a new car, bikes and latest gadgets to appliances like refrigerators.

Overjoyed on winning a brand new Maruti Suzuki Wagon R, Mr Saikishore, resident of Hyderabad said, “I was excited to participate in the contest, however, I had never imagined that I will go on to win the lucky draw. It is a dream come true and my family and I are grateful to the organisers for this initiative.”

TI had organised the ’Festive Pack’ Lucky Draw contests for both its premium brands, Mansion House and Courrier Napoleon Green. The company received an over-whelming response of over one lakh entries from across the country. In addition to the Maruti Suzuki car which was awarded to the winner of the Mansion House ‘Festive Pack’ Lucky Draw contest, awards like Yamaha bikes, Samsung smart televisions, Samsung smart phones and tablets, Amazon Alexa Bluetooth speakers, to name a few, were given to the other winners of the two contests.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Amit Dahanukar, Chairman and Managing Director, Tilaknagar Industries Ltd. said, “I congratulate all the winners of our Festive Pack Lucky Draw contests. At TI, we are committed towards offering an unparalleled experience to our consumers through our brands and products. This is another step to enhance our engagement and relationship with one of our most important stakeholders.”

In the Mansion House Lucky Draw, Mr H M Mohan, resident of Bangalore and Mr Sanjay, resident of Mahe won new Yamaha FZ S FI bikes and in the Courrier Napoleon Green Lucky Draw Mr. Yugendira K, resident of Puducherry won the swanky new Yamaha FZ25 bike. In addition to the prizes that were announced, the company will also distribute a set of Mansion House Branded Coasters to 3300 winners selected through Lucky Draw as Consolation prizes.

About Tilaknagar Industries

Tilaknagar Industries (“TI”) is one of the leading IMFL manufacturers in India. Founded in 1933 by Shri Mahadev L. Dahanukar as Maharashtra Sugar Mills, the company was then engaged in the manufacture of sugar and allied products. TI now has over 75 years of excellence in the consumer goods category. The Dahanukar family continues to be the promoter of TI sharing the same vision and values as the founders. Under the current leadership of Shri Amit Dahanukar, the company has grown to be the largest manufacturer of premium brandy in India

Website:  https://www.tilind.com/

Photocaption:From left to right - T Sreedhar, Alwal Reddy, Jaipal Reddy, Amit Dahanukar(Chairman & Managing Director Tilaknagar Industries Ltd), Saikishore P (1st prize car winner ), Narasimha Reddy, Muthyam Reddy, Shekhar Reddy & Anish Reddy.

‘Personal Care Brand mCaffeine Launches Its First Campaign With Brand Ambassador Alia Bhatt’

mCaffeine, India’s first caffeinated personal care brand, unveiled their latest campaign for their best-selling Coffee Body Scrub and Coffee Body Washes. Featuring India’s most loved millennial star - Alia Bhatt, the quirky campaign aims to transform your daily shower ritual into a Coffee shower date.

In the words of their latest caffeinator Alia Bhatt, “Every shower you take is now a coffee date.”

And, with this innovative campaign mCaffeine wants everyone to get a taste of coffee, in the shower. 

The 45-second long film combines the emotion of millennials’ Coffee date culture and the rising self-love sentiment to pitch Caffeinated showers as self-date. It starts with Alia talking about the usual couple Coffee dates being boring and how mCaffeine’s Coffee-infused shower products can transform the entire experience with its caffeinated vibe.

With upbeat music, stunning visuals, and the bubbly and dynamic Alia Bhatt, the ad film encapsulates mCaffeine’s brand tonality. With Alia’s pan India appeal and the brand’s connect with the millennial generation, this campaign is set to be groundbreaking.

Commenting on the new campaign Vaishali Gupta, Co-Founder, and Head Of Marketing, expresses,`` We are delighted to announce our new campaign with one of the most loved actors of the country- Alia Bhatt, as we welcome her to the mCaffeine family. The brand completely resonates with Alia's ideology of building a sustainable and eco-friendly planet. Being a millennial-focused, personal care brand, we highlight our best-seller products with a campaign that is more inclined towards spending quality time with yourself. For you to stay at your best all through the day, a break is necessary, and what better than a coffee date with yourself?”

Talking about the campaign, Alia says, “This association combines my love for coffee and my love for nature. mCaffeine brings the joy of both together in a very fresh and millennial way. PETA has certified mCaffeine products as vegan and cruelty-free and the brand has a Zero Plastic Footprint. So they are good for you and good for the planet plus they have the fragrance of coffee. The coffee body washes and body scrub cleanse and caffeinate at the same time. Every shower you take is now a  coffee date.”  

About mCaffeine:

mCaffeine is India's first caffeinated personal care brand, launched in 2016, co-founded by Mr. Tarun Sharma, Vikas Lachhwani, Vaishali Gupta, Mohit Jain, and Saurabh Singhal. The brand is focused on making innovative personal care products for millenials. mCaffeine, a D2C brand, has sold more than 10 million products in just 5 years of launch. Currently, the products are available at 18000 pin codes across India. mCaffeine products are best sellers amongst multiple categories on Amazon and Nykaa.

mCaffeine is currently present in 4 major categories - Face Care, Hair Care, Body Care, and Lip Care. There are about 55 products in the portfolio so far and the brand plans to further launch 15-20 products in the next one year. mCaffeine products are available on all major shopping portals namely – Amazon, Nykaa, Flipkart and sells through its own e-commerce portal www.mcaffeine.com. They are also present in more than 5000 offline stores across India and have expanded globally to 3 countries. Almost half of mCaffeine products are best sellers in the categories they operate in across marketplaces.

Citroen Announced The Launch Of “La Maison Citroën” Phygital Showroom In Bengaluru

* Pre-Bookings Now Open ’

*  Made by Indians, for Indians, the New C3 features over 90% localisation

* The new B-segment hatchback offers Citroën’s Advanced Comfort program wit best-in-segment ride quality and array of customisation options

* Dealer network for Citroën India to reach 20 showrooms across India by July 2022

Citroën announced the launch of “La Maison Citroën” phygital showroom in Bengaluru along with the unveil of its latest ‘hatchback with a twist’ – the New C3. Located in the heart of the city, the most strategic location for auto retail in Bengaluru, the showroom is part of company’s network expansion across India with 9 new La Maison phygital showrooms in Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Surat, Nagpur, Vizag, Calicut and Coimbatore. The showroom will also offer customers a comfortable Test Drive experience and full-fledged After-Sales services.

Commenting on the launch of La Maison Citroën, Saurabh Vatsa, Brand Head, Citroën India, says, “We are excited to innovate and launch the “La Maison Citroën” in Bengaluru and this phygital showroom is an important milestone as we gear up towards the launch of our first mainstream car the New C3. The showroom will have numerous screens, debuting the ATAWADAC experience (AnyTime AnyWhere AnyDevice AnyContent) and a unique High Definition 3D configurator allowing customers to experience the product with a 360° view and personalise their product and services. Citroën is all about comfort and digital innovation, and through this La Maison Citroen phygital showrooms, we are confident that we will be able to bring a revolution in the way an Indian car consumer looks at his car purchasing journey.”

He further added, “With the new Citroën C3, we continue to expand and strengthen our product choices for millennials in India who are willing to take up a step forward in their lives. Pre-bookings for customers who want to be among the first to own this new Citroën offering has begun since 1st July, 2022.”

Yamaha Opens Two New ‘Blue Square’ Premium Outlets In Bangalore

 
~ The Premium Outlets will offer an engaging experience to the customers under ‘The Call of the Blue’ Campaign~

~The Blue Square outlet will showcase Yamaha’s entire range of two-wheelers, apparels & accessories~

Continuing with the commitment to strengthen its Premium retail footprint in the Indian market, India Yamaha Motor (IYM) Pvt. Ltd. today announced the opening of 2 new “Blue Square” outlets in Bangalore, Karnataka. Launched under the banner of ‘Whitefield Motors’, the first showroom is spread across 1440 sq.ft and is located at Mahadevapura while the second showroom under the banner of ‘Geetha Motors’, is setup across 1600 sq.ft. at Nelamangala. Both the “Blue Square” showrooms are 3S Facilities, offering end-to-end sales, service, and spares support; and embed Yamaha's racing DNA of excitement, style & sportiness.

Yamaha’s ‘Blue Square’ showrooms are designed to offer a sense of community, creating a space for customers to connect with the ethos of the brand. ‘Blue Square’ is designed to define the legacy of Yamaha’s role in global motorsports with ‘Blue’ characterizing the brand’s racing DNA and ‘Square’ defining an entry into the world of Yamaha. The ‘Blue Square’ outlet carries forward Yamaha’s racing DNA through a visual and exhibitory outline seen on the exterior porticos of the outlet and a BLUE-themed interior. 

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Eishin Chihana, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group of Companies said, “As a part of ‘The Call of the Blue’ brand campaign, Yamaha is excited to announce the launch of 2 new Blue Square showrooms in Bangalore. The Karnataka market is extremely important for Yamaha and these premium outlets will pave the way in building a stronger retail network in the region. Through these Blue Square showrooms, we want every customer to attain a sense of belonging to Yamaha's rich heritage in international motorsports. These premium outlets will enable our customers to interact with the brand, acquire product information, and check out the range of Yamaha accessories and apparels, providing them with a unique buying and ownership experience.”

Apart from the AEROX 155 that is exclusively sold through Blue Square, the premium outlets also showcase an attractive display of other Yamaha motorcycles and scooters followed by genuine accessories, apparels, and spare parts. The showrooms also serve as a platform for customers to be a part of Blue Streaks rider community, through which they can engage with fellow Yamaha riders and experience their Yamaha machines together.

With the newly launched outlets, Yamaha currently has 3 Blue Square showrooms operational in Bangalore, with a total of 6 outlets setup in Karnataka. In total, the premium Blue Square showroom footprint across India stands at 70 outlets, with showrooms in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Delhi, and other North-Eastern States.

About Yamaha Motor India group of companies:

Yamaha Motor made its initial foray into India in 1985 as a joint venture. In August 2001, it became a 100% subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd, Japan (YMC). In 2008, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. entered into an agreement with YMC to become a joint investor in India Yamaha Motor Private Limited (IYM). IYM's manufacturing facilities comprise State-of-the-art plants at Surajpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu). The infrastructure at these plants supports the production of motorcycles and parts for the domestic as well as overseas markets.

YMC has established its subsidiaries - Yamaha Motor Research and Development India Pvt Ltd. (YMRI), Yamaha Motor India Sales Pvt Ltd. (YMIS) and Yamaha Motor India Pvt Ltd. (YMI) in India to independently support IYM in the development, sales & marketing of its products and overall business planning & regional control respectively.

Presently, its product portfolio includes YZF-R15 version 4.0 (155cc) with ABS, YZF-R15S version 3.0 (155cc) with ABS,  MT-15 V2.0 (155cc) with ABS; Blue-Core Technology-enabled models such as FZ 25 (249cc) with ABS, FZS 25 (249cc) with ABS, FZ-S FI (149cc) with ABS, FZ-FI (149cc) with ABS, FZ-X (149cc) with ABS, AEROX (155cc) with ABS and UBS enabled scooters like Fascino 125 FI Hybrid (125cc), RayZR 125 FI Hybrid (125cc), Street Rally 125 FI Hybrid (125cc).

Doctors Help Expand The Reach of Medical Crowdfunding Industry In India

On this doctor’s day Milaap, India’s trusted medical crowdfunding platform, extends a grateful salute to the doctors and the broader medical fraternity in the country for their selfless service towards a healthier and happier nation. Through its collaboration with over 350 doctors and 800 hospitals so far, Milaap has been honored and humbled in assisting with life-changing and life-saving medical procedures achieved through the generosity of compassionate citizens all over India.

Milaap’s data provides an interesting glimpse into the role that doctors’s and healthcare professionals play in the landscape of charitable giving in India. The platform prides itself for over 120 partnerships with individual doctors from Bangalore alone, making it the top city for helping patients through crowdfunding. From Hyderabad and Mumbai, there are around 44 and 37 doctors respectively, and another 120 from Delhi and Chennai combined. These renowned doctors individually work to create awareness on the alternative financial model to patients in case they have run out of their funds to treat themselves or their near and dear ones.

To make medical treatment affordable and accessible to a wider section of the population, Milaap also collaborates with multiple hospitals in different pockets of India. They help introduce and guide patients to explore the power of online collective giving in case they seek monetary help.  At present, Milaap works actively with 63 hospitals from Bangalore, 44 from Hyderabad, 37 in Mumbai, 35 in Delhi and around 31 from Chennai. The priority ailments include liver transplants, heart transplants, bone marrow transplants, children needing Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), oncology, cardiology, burn cases, road injuries, SMA and covid from recent times

Anoj Viswanathan, Co-founder and President of Milaap, India’s first zero fee platform, said, “ Doctors and healthcare professionals are forerunners in spreading awareness on the possibilities of medical crowdfunding and going a step further to protect their distressed patients. We take pride in being a trusted partner for the medical fraternity in the country and will continue to work towards financially enabling them to save more lives everyday. Milaap works to add a safety net for the most complicated and rare diseases that come at a high-cost along with its long-term expenses. As with all other stakeholders, we ensure a secure and seamless giving platform for healthcare professionals and together we strengthen the entire online giving experience. ”

As the leader in the crowdfunding space, Milaap started the model of hospital partnerships to empower patients with limited means with the potential of medical crowdfunding. In this model doctors are at the forefront of creating awareness about this alternative or supplementary funding channel. For the families of patients this has often been crucial to overcome the struggle of mobilizing the necessary resources. Tie-up with hospitals also adds an added layer of trust and legitimacy to the fundraisers, since the doctors clearly state the condition of patients and provide correct estimates of funds required. Transferring funds and processing costs for long-term treatments also become hassle-free with hospital partnerships. The proven effectiveness of this model has enabled Milaap to work with the leading hospitals in India such as the Rainbow Children's Hospital, Global Hospital, Rela's Institute, Apollo Hospitals, SRCC Hospital, TMC Hospital, Wadia Hospital, KIMS Hospitals, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Wadia Hospital, Max Hospital and many more.

Milaap thanks the medical fraternity and its donor community once again for their continued trust as a conduit for their compassionate giving. It pledges to make its platform experience yet more seamless for all stakeholders so that our dear doctors can carry on with the most important task on their hands: saving lives and spreading smiles.

About Milaap.org

Milaap is India’s largest, zero-fee crowdfunding platform for personal and social causes, especially healthcare and related needs. The platform enables anyone in need to raise funds for causes typically outside a common person’s financial ability, such as tertiary healthcare, education and community-related causes.

Milaap’s community of donors come from over 130 countries across the world and have contributed over INR 2040 crores for 6,65,000+ projects across India. Over the last 11 years, Milaap has become the most preferred platform for people to raise and contribute funds towards their cherished causes in India.