Vaishnavi Group Leases 700,000 Sq.ft. To Smartworks In Vaishnavi Tech Park

Vaishnavi Group, one of the top real estate companies in Bengaluru, has leased 700,000 sq. ft. to Smartworks in Vaishnavi Tech Park. This is the single largest flex office transaction in the country. The 50% pre-booked 9000+ seat center will be operational in the final quarter of 2022.

Vaishnavi Tech Park is a multi-functional IT and Business Park with a contemporary design which has been built using global offsite precast construction technology. Vaishnavi Tech Park has been developed on a land parcel of 5.6 acres and has a total leasable area of 7 lakh sq. ft. Designed for IGBC platinum certification, the building is energy efficient as it significantly optimizes the operational expenditure.

Speaking about this transaction, Mr. C N Govindaraju, Chairman & Managing Director, Vaishnavi Group said, “Vaishnavi Group has been developing commercial spaces for over two decades now and we have leased out 1.5 million sq. ft. in the last year to many marquee clients from a cross-section of organizations and government bodies. Smartworks has recently leased out 7 lakh sq. ft. at Vaishnavi Tech Park, which is the single largest managed office space transaction in the country.”

According to market sources, Vaishnavi has recently leased out spaces to Navi, Cloudera, Cash Free, Yubi, Zetwerk and the Consulate General of Italy in Bengaluru, amongst others.

Strategically located next to the Outer Ring Road (ORR), close to the Sarjapur Junction, Vaishnavi Tech Park offers excellent connectivity to the upcoming Bellandur Metro Station and hotels such as Novotel, Double Tree Suites by Hilton and Fairfield by Marriott making it a vibrant business destination. Designed keeping workspace wellness in mind, Vaishnavi Tech Park is also equipped with a food court, amphitheatre, outdoor sporting zones, futsal court, gymnasium and F&B and retail zones.

About Vaishnavi Group

Vaishnavi Group, a Bengaluru based real estate company started with the explicit aim of making a mark in the real estate segment as the most admired brand for its integrity, commitment and for exceeding expectations consistently. Started in 1998 by its charismatic leader, C N Govindaraju, a civil engineer by profession, Vaishnavi Group has come a long way, carving a niche in Bangalore’s real estate market, leaving an indelible mark amidst its expanding customer base.

Vaishnavi Group’s commercial projects are Grade A buildings, designed for IGBC platinum certification and acclaimed for their strategic locations and highly efficient designs. The company has currently 9 million sq. ft. of projects in various stages of development. 

For more information log on to: www.vaishnavigroup.com

A Kaleidoscope Of Fashion, Film & Design Events Mark Open Days At LISAA School Of Design

-Expert panelists share ideas on AR and VR in fashion

LISAA School of Design managed by CREO Valley School of Film and Television , Bangalore, hosted a two day event "OPEN DAYS", showcasing the work of students from various departments. The event was a kaleidoscope of fashion, film & design .

A  fashion show with a unique theme “My Life” was held on the first day for which the design inspiration came from transformation  garments to depict how “Self Image” is so different from what we portray to others. The students showcased a range of vibrant outfits, with a total of 80 garments. There was an interactive display of fabric and textile, showcasing various embroideries and fabrics of India.

There was a panel discussion on how Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality have brought about a revolution of sorts in the realm of fashion and design. Expert panelists shared ideas on the same.

The major highlight was application of Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR) Animation, Metaverse and Virtual Production. The use of AR/VR in fashion allows reduced wastage while putting together a garment. With the technology boom, designing for someone can be done sitting anywhere around the world. With various softwares such as Unity, Clo3D it has become easy to mimic the garments, exact qualities, fall and texture .

This year’s theme “Science & Art” depicted some of the Art installations, Kinetic

Sculptures, Fashion collection inspired by hockey “One man army” to depict the fighter spirit of being a champion. A few other were unique typopraphy project which was inspired by Yakshagana, the folk art of Karnataka was included and Navrasa based installasions.

Commenting on this event Avi Keswani, Co-Founder &; Director, LISAA School of Design Bangalore said “We are happy and excited to set the stage open again for our students. We have the OPEN DAYS event every year but for the past 3 years we could not do anything special. Now with this event our graduating batch got an opportunity to showcase their innovative work which was thoroughly

appreciated and enjoyed.”

A photography exhibition on Saturday showcased some excellent portraits and landscapes being captured by the students. Gracing the event, renowned film actress, Ms Sonu Gowda, said “I’m so thrilled to be a part of this event. It is heart warming to see the passion with which ??these students have created ."

There were also over 20 short films screened during the event which were  directed by the institute students.

ABOUT LISAA

LISAA School of Design, Bangalore is a center of LISAA from France. LISAA Bangalore is managed by CREO Valley, which is recognized by the University in Bangalore to offer Degree Courses in Fashion & Textile Design, Interior &; Product Design and Graphic &; Web Design. It also offers Student Exchange program with more than 7 other locations in France.

LISAA in FRANCE is recognized by the French Ministry of Culture & Communication.

For more information, log on to : www.lisaabangalore.com

Abhijith Neerkaje Joins Falabella India As The New Senior Director - Data And Analytics

* Abhijith Neerkaje is an industry veteran with over 16 years of experience in the technology domain, with a deep focus on product development

Falabella India, the global in-house innovation centre for Falabella has appointed Abhijith Neerkaje as the company’s Senior Director – Data and Analytics. Based out of Falabella’s Bengaluru office, Abhijith will be responsible for leading the entire gamut of data-centric operations for India while executing and managing large-scale, complex, and cross-functional projects.

Abhijith has been roped in by the Latin American retailer to strengthen the Data and Analytics capabilities further and, to grow the Data team extensively. Falabella will continue to build the Data team with premium tech talent in India, accelerating the mission to become a futuristic, data-driven organization with AI embedded in all the platforms, and experiences creating enhanced value for 30 million+ customers across the globe.

“We are on a transformational journey at Falabella and in this evolution, our Data and Analytics capabilities have a pivotal role to play. The way we are reimagining Data at Falabella is unique and, is going to be a gamechanger in serving our customers more seamlessly. We have big aspirations for the data charter and I am certain that Abhijith with his valuable experience will elevate our tech excellence and anchor Falabella’s position as a centre of innovation,” said Ashish Grover, Chief Information Officer, Falabella Group.

“The Data Science ecosystem is advancing rapidly, redefining the ways of doing business, and creating value. At this juncture, I am thrilled to join hands with the great minds at Falabella to lead the data transformation in the organization. Our focus will be to leverage enterprise data across various Falabella businesses to create operational efficiencies and customer delight,” said Abhijith.

Abhijith holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from the PES Institute of Technology, Bangalore. He pursued his Master’s degree in Instrumentation from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and an MS in Engineering Management degree from MIT Sloan School of Management.

About Falabella

With more than 35 million customers and 130 years of history, Falabella is the leading physical-digital ecosystem in Latin America, through its payment platforms, financial and logistics services, e-commerce and marketplace, leveraged by its extensive network of stores and shopping centres. It is present in 7 countries and employs 107,000 people in the region, India and China. Through its brands Falabella, Sodimac, Tottus, Banco Falabella, Falabella.com, Mallplaza, FPay and the Ikea franchise, the ecosystem works for the purpose of "Simplify and Enjoy life more "

RBL Bank Adds Two Eminent Members To Its Board of Directors

·         Gopal Jain and Dr. Sivakumar Gopalan appointed as Non-Executive Directors of the Bank.

·         Extensive experience of over 30 years each in Capital Market and Technology.

·         Both the appointments are subject to shareholders approval

RBL Bank, has augmented its Board strength with the appointment of two eminent members - Gopal Jain, Managing Partner at Gaja Capital, an experienced Private Equity Investor and Dr. Sivakumar Gopalan, an accomplished Researcher with over three decades of experience across various aspects of technology.

Gaja Capital has been a part of the Bank’s journey through the years. RBL Bank has been working on adding a diverse set of leaders with relevant experience to accelerate its 2.0 strategy. With the new additions the Bank’s board now has 14 members, guiding the Bank’s strategy on business, technology and innovation.

Gopal Jain – Non-Executive Non-Independent Director (Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi), co-founded Gaja Capital in 2004 and is a Managing Partner at the firm. He has been a financial services professional since 1991 with significant experience in global capital markets, venture capital and private equity.

He has led or co-led several of Gaja’s investments in financial services sector such as Avendus Capital, Suryoday Small Finance Bank and Kinara Capital. Currently, he is on the Board of Avendus Capital and other high growth companies in India’s digital tech ecosystem including XpressBees & LeadSquared.

Mr. Jain has also been a member of SEBI’s Alternative Investment Policy Advisory Committee since 2018.

Dr. Sivakumar Gopalan – Non-Executive Independent Director (PhD, Computer Science from University of Illinois - USA, MS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - USA and Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India), has been a faculty of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay, since 1991. His core research interests are in the applications of Logic in diverse areas of Computer Science such as Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering and Network Security.

He is the Head of the Centre for Formal Design and Verification of Software (CFDVS), an R&D Centre at IIT Bombay, which undertakes projects related to design and verification of safety critical real-time systems.

Dr. Sivakumar has served as an Independent Director on the Board of Andhra Bank and NPCI. He is currently an Independent Director at CCIL, NSDL, IFTAS and IIBF. He serves on several Technical Advisory Committees of RBI, NPCI, CCIL, NSDL and SEBI.

Prakash Chandra, Chairman of the Board, RBL Bank, said “I am pleased to welcome Mr. Jain and Dr. Sivakumar, two highly experienced leaders in their fields, to RBL Bank’s Board of Directors. Mr. Jain’s business acumen and Dr. Sivakumar’s robust experience within the technology space will bring strategic value to our Organisation. The collective experience and guidance of our Board will help us achieve our objective of Growth with Continuity.”

R Subramaniakumar, MD & CEO, RBL Bank, said “I am happy to welcome Mr. Jain and Dr. Sivakumar to our Board. We look forward to their insights as they bring outstanding experience in areas that will play a key role in our Bank’s growth. It will enable us to create a leading digitally enabled banking franchise and add further value to our stakeholders.”

Sukhmal Jain Takes Over As Director (Marketing) of Bharat Petroleum

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, India’s ‘best performing’ Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking and the second largest energy PSU in India has today announced the appointment of Shri Sukhmal Jain as Director (Marketing).

Prior to his elevation to the board, Shri Jain was the Executive Director Incharge (Marketing Corporate) in the Corporate Office and before that the head of Gas Business Unit.

With graduation degree in Mechanical Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering and MBA from SP Jain Institute of Management & Research, he has held several leadership positions in Retail, LPG and Gas verticals in his 35 years with the company.

In his illustrious career of over three decades, he has been actively involved in industry defining initiatives, like Give it Up campaign and Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana, in LPG Business, and has successfully navigated the Strategy and Loyalty Programs in Retail Business.   

Shri Sukhmal Jain is also the Chairman of Goa Natural Gas Pvt. Ltd (GNGPL). Earlier he was the Chairman of Central UP Gas Ltd (CUGL) and Director on the board of Bharat Gas Resources Limited (BGRL), a wholly owned subsidiary of BPCL which has recently merged with BPCL.

Under his leadership Gas BU played an increasingly important role in supporting the Government's aim of developing India as a gas-based economy, which augurs widespread economic prosperity, while also reducing the nation’s dependence on oil imports and contributing to reduction in carbon emissions.

About Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL):

Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the premier integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products, with a significant presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. The company attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the elite club of companies having greater operational & financial autonomy.

Bharat Petroleum’s Refineries at Mumbai & Kochi and subsidiary Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd., at Bina, Madhya Pradesh have a combined refining capacity of around 35.3 MMTPA. Its marketing infrastructure includes a network of installations, depots, energy stations, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. Its distribution network comprises over 20,000 Energy Stations, over 6,200 LPG distributorships, 733 Lubes distributorships, and 123 POL storage locations, 54 LPG Bottling Plants, 61 Aviation Service Stations, 4 Lube blending plants and 4 cross-country pipelines.

Bharat Petroleum is integrating its strategy, investments, environmental and social ambitions to move towards a sustainable planet. The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 energy stations over next 5 years.

With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing a vibrant ecosystem and a road-map to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.  Bharat Petroleum has been partnering communities by supporting innumerable initiatives connected primarily in the areas of education, water conservation, skill development, health, community development, capacity building and employee volunteering. With ‘Energising Lives’ as its core purpose, Bharat Petroleum’s vision is to be the most admired global energy company leveraging talent, innovation & technology.

TP Renewable Microgrid And SIDBI Collaborate To Setup 1000 Green Energy Enterprises Nationwide To Support Rural Entrepreneurs

 ~ Program will promote sustainable rural entrepreneurship in the country through clean power via Microgrids and speedy facilitation of financial linkages ~ 

To commemorate the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, TP Renewable Microgrid (TPRMG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), have joined hands to launch an innovative program that will see 1,000 green energy enterprises established throughout the nation. The Government of India's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat will be supported by this initiative as it will foster sustainable entrepreneurship models across the nation leading to empowerment of rural entrepreneurs. 

Under the collaboration, SIDBI will provide entrepreneurs a "Go REsponsive, ENterprise incentive (GREENi)" after they complete a TPRMG-organized capacity building activity. Through its PRAYAAS scheme or partner institutions, SIDBI will also assist in credit linkages to facilitate financing (loans) for settingup or expanding the businesses of rural entrepreneurs. To provide these rural businesses with quality, affordable, dependable, and clean green energy (Solar/Wind/Bio-Gas), TPRMG will discover suitable entrepreneurs within its existing Microgrid network as well as in new geographies. TPRMG will also provide rural enterprises, green energy solutions, the technical know-how for maximising energy utilisation and conservation. The Sustainable is Attainable program of Tata Power and the Empowering MSMEs campaign of SIDBI are the driving forces behind this partnership. 

"Our partnership with SIDBI is a step toward providing rural enterprises with access to a sustainable energy ecosystem and include them in India'scommitment to the widespread use of renewable energy. This innovative program intends to develop skills to enable low-carbon futures for rural entrepreneurs and economies and to assistin Ease of Doing Businessin rural parts of the country” said Dr Praveer Sinha, CEO&MD Tata Power. 

“SIDBI has woven its promotional initiatives as a national program which has four buckets of innovation, education4entrepreneruship, Swavalamban connect Kendras and village/ rural/ sustainable enterprise development. Collaboration with Tata Power's TPRMG is being structured to kindle green rural enterprises. SIDBI has prioritised the green enterprise as its thrust agenda alignedto national commitments on being carbonneutral nation. We are hopeful that this shall trigger the youth from Bharat who are inclined towards job creator role, to go green from the very beginning.” said Mr. Sivasubramanian Ramann, CMD SIDBI. 

Tata Power, through TPRMG, runs one of the largest Microgrid programs in the world and operatessolar-based off-grid generating plant with an energy storagesystem supplying power to remote areas of the country. The company plans to roll out 10,000 Microgrids in the near future. It has installed more than 200 Microgrids, many of which are present in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. A pilot Microgrid program is also being tried out in Odisha. 

Microgrids are electricity distribution systems containing loads and distributed energy resources such as distributed generators, storage devices, or controlled loads that can be operated in a controlled, coordinated way either while connected to the main power network or while islanded. The price of power from a Microgrid is around one-fifth of the priceof diesel, making it an economical option for many people in rural India. Apart from households, TP Renewable Microgrid consumers in a village include shops, health centres / Hospitals,  Schools/ Colleges, Banks, other commercial institutions and telecom towers, flour mills, oil expellers, rice hullers, bulk milk chillers, RO Cold water plants, etc. 

About Tata Power: 

Tata Power (NSE: TATAPOWER; BSE:500400) is one of India’s largest integrated power companies and together with its subsidiaries and jointly controlled entities, has an installed/managed capacity of 13,974 MW. The company has a presence across the entire power value chain - generation via renewables as well as conventional power including hydro and thermal energy; transmission & distribution, coal & freight, logistics, and trading. The company had developed the country’s first Ultra Mega Power Project at Mundra in Gujarat based on super-critical technology. With 5.1 GW of clean energy generation the company has 37% of clean portfolio. It has successful public-private partnerships in generation, transmission & distribution in India. Tata Power is currently serving more than 12 million consumers via its Discoms, under a public-private partnership model viz Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. with the Government of Delhi in North Delhi, TP Northern Odisha Distribution Limited, TP Central Odisha Distribution Limited, TP Western Odisha Distribution Limited, and TP Southern Odisha Distribution Limited with the Government of Odisha. With a focus on sustainable and clean energy development, Tata Power is steering the transformation as an integrated solutions provider by looking at new business growth in distributed generation through rooftop solar and Microgrids, storage solutions, solar pumps, EV charging infrastructure, ESCO, home automation & smart meters et al. With its 107 legacy of technology advancements, project execution excellence, world-class safety processes, customer care, and green initiatives, Tata Power is well poised for high growth trajectory and is committed to lighting up lives for generations to come. For more information visit us at: www.tatapower.com. 

KDEM And Hebrew University Business School Sign MOU To Enhance India’s Start-Up Capabilities

* The synergy will explore opportunities and programs to connect start-ups with mentors through a mentorship program in partnership with GOK for start-ups

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) in its endeavor to augment India’s start-up ecosystem and collaborative innovation, today entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Hebrew University Business School, Jerusalem one of the world’s premier educational institutes sign an MOU to leverage Israel’s unique start-up and innovation ecosystem to enhance India’s Start-up capabilities.

Signed today in Bengaluru, this MoU will help KDEM and Hebrew University Business School to create a symbiosis and enhance the ecosystem for promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in technology areas such as information technology, start-ups, incubators, and investors, innovation, mentorship, training, rural entrepreneurship, etc. These technologies could be in the areas including, but not limited to Fintech, Rural Livelihoods, Education, Healthcare, Energy, Waste Management, Sanitation, Drinking Water, Environment, Civic Tech, Governance, etc.

KDEM along with Hebrew University Business School hopes to harness and understand the secret of the outstanding Israeli phenomenon called “The Startup Nation” and to implement this learning in the Indian Scenario. KDEM and HUJI shall aim to work together to learn from the nations’ innovation management initiatives for mutual progress. HUJI shall offer an innovation management program to the Government and Corporates of Karnataka on a revenue-sharing model.

Speaking on this important development, Shri B V Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission said, “The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission has been unwavering in its commitment to harness the limitless potential of the state’s digital economy in order to transform the lives of the people. This MoU with Hebrew University Business School would give Indian start-ups a unique insight into the Israeli Innovation Ecosystem that can be leveraged for India’s growth.”

Through the MOU, Indian academicians and Karnataka government-led organizations will get the opportunity to adapt and learn skills to further expertise in the area of innovation and managing start-ups. The MOU will act as an entrance ticket into the world of the Israeli Innovation economy. Hebrew University shall bring ideas from its Executive Experience in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the unique, trailblazing program of tailor-made seminars and workshops that reveal the secret of the outstanding phenomenon called “The Startup Nation” and extend IP access to Karnataka Industry for Engineering and product development to market access.

“It gives me immense pleasure to partner with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission and be a part of their game-changing mission. With KDEM’s reach and our expertise, we are very hopeful of enabling an enriching platform to the ascending start-up environment of Karnataka,” said Mr. Itay Friedman, Executive Director of the Hebrew University Business School. “Hebrew University Business School and KDEM will work together to learn from each nation’s innovation management initiatives for mutual progress,” He concluded.

As a part of the MOU, KDEM to onboard Hebrew University as a training partner for innovation management. The two conducted the Innovation Management Program in June 2022 that opened a window into the secrets of the Israeli business ecosystem and innovation capabilities. The program included first-hand familiarity and training under Israel's most successful and experienced mentors through entrepreneurship and innovation workshops. The business leaders who participated in the program received their certification today.

Commenting on the partnership, Dr. E V Ramana Reddy, ACS, Dept. of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T, Govt. of Karnataka said, “India is known for its collaboration with Israel across several spheres. This newest association with the Hebrew University gives startups and business leaders in Karnataka an insight into Israel’s expertise in innovation, education, and transformative technologies. Karnataka has already taken pole position in the country to promote excellence and innovation and this association will strengthen the K-tech ecosystem to foster the growth of technology and hardware and help us build a formidable platform in the state that will contribute to the nation’s digital growth.”

Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, KDEM said, “KDEM and the Hebrew University will leverage each other’s unique strengths to proliferate the growth of a world-class digital ecosystem in the state of Karnataka. Our mission is to go beyond attracting investments, Together, we shall strive to work on developing and engaging with the Innovation authority of Israel for imbibing ideas from the “Startup Nation”. Our purpose will be to go above and beyond the purview of this MoU in creating a robust entrepreneur ecosystem.”

The Consulate General of Israel in Bangalore has been instrumental in supporting this collaboration between the two organizations. The Federation of Indo-Israel Chamber of Commerce (FIICC) in Bangalore, India is the official partner of the Hebrew University business school in India.

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.