Emirates And Gulf Air Launch Codeshare Partnership Globally

* Partnership offers Gulf Air customers with global connections across Europe, Africa, South America and the Far East with one convenient stop in Dubai

* The partnership is a significant milestone towards the growing relationship between Emirates and Gulf Air

Emirates and Gulf Air have today officially signed a unilateral codeshare partnership, starting this December*. The new agreement will offer easy connections and expanded choices for Gulf Air customers connecting to Dubai and onwards to a host of Emirates destinations across Europe, Africa, South America and the Far East. 

The agreement was signed on the first day of the Bahrain Airshow, signalling a growing relationship between both airlines following on the framework of cooperation established last year.  The agreement was signed by Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline and Gulf Air’s Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed Al Alawi in the presence of H.E. Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, Gulf Air’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. The signing ceremony was also attended by members of each airline’s executive management teams.

The expanded partnership will see Gulf Air place their marketing code “GF” on Emirates operated flights beyond Dubai to a selection of some of the most attractive global tourism hotspots, offering new holiday options for Gulf Air customers. Travellers will be able to connect to points including Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, Algeria, Tunis, Bali, Hanoi, HoChi Minh City, Taipei and Sao Paulo. 

The new codeshare agreement’s mix of unique points comes as travellers from the GCC have become more well-informed, value-driven and savvy, increasingly looking for new, diverse experiences and attractions beyond their traditional holiday destinations. 

The new partnership will also offer customers the convenience of combined ticketing and check-in, a unified policy and seamless transfers for baggage, and competitive single fares on a multi-airline journey when connecting on Emirates. Customers can book their travel on Gulf Air’s website, through Gulf Air point of sales and online travel agencies as well as with local travel agents. 

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “We are pleased to partner with Gulf Air to offer their customers greater access and strong connection opportunities to unique destinations on our network, complemented by Emirates’ signature in-flight service and hospitality throughout their journey from Dubai.  We look forward to working together and achieving more with Gulf Air in the near future, and further strengthening our relationship." 

Captain Waleed Al Alawi, Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer commented: “Our relationship with Emirates Airline has always been strong and today we are reaching a higher level of collaboration with many more opportunities in the horizon between the two carriers. This partnership will empower both of us to offer a more elevated experience to passengers and widen their travel options.”

Emirates currently has codeshare cooperation agreements in place with 26 airline partners and two rail companies around the world, expanding its network reach to over 300 cities.

*Subject to government approvals.

About Emirates

From its global hub in Dubai, Emirates serves customers on six continents, providing high quality air transport services that facilitate tourism and trade. The airline has earned customer recognition for its industry-leading services on the ground and in the sky, delivered by a passionate workforce representing over 160 nations. Emirates operates the world’s largest fleet of wide-body Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft, offering spacious cabins and iconic inflight features such as its A380 Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge, and its ice inflight entertainment system available in all seats across its fleet, which has topped "best in sky" awards for 17 consecutive years. Emirates is committed to environmentally-responsible operations and focusses on three areas: reducing emissions, consuming responsibly, and protecting wildlife and habitats.  For more information, visit www.emirates.com.

About Gulf Air

Gulf Air commenced operations in 1950, becoming one of the first commercial airlines established in the Middle East. The airline operates scheduled flights from its hub at Bahrain International Airport to cities in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian sub-continent and the Far East. Renowned for its traditional Arabian hospitality, Gulf Air is committed to being an industry leader and developing products and services that reflect the evolving needs and aspirations of its passengers. Gulf Air received the Skytrax Five Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating for flying safely throughout the pandemic and enhancing its airport and onboard protocols to combat the spread of COVID-19. Gulf Air is also rated Five Star Major Official Airline by APEX, a rating programme that is based solely on certified passengers’ feedback. Most recently, Skytrax awarded the national carrier with the “World’s Most Improved Airline” award for 2022. These milestones for Gulf Air are a testament to the success of its boutique strategy and the ongoing enhancements to its products and services.

OnMobile Reports Robust Second Quarter For Fiscal Year 2023 Results

* Gross Revenue grew 2.2% for the H1FY23

* Challenges Arena: Growth momentum continued; Revenue increased by 634% YoY –

* 55 customer confirmations and 33 customers live as on 1st November’22

OnMobile Global Limited (“OnMobile”), the global leader in mobile entertainment, today announced the financial results for the Second Quarter and Half year of FY23 ended September 30, 2022.

Highlights:

·       Challenges Arena: Revenue increased by 634% on a YoY basis and grew close to 14x in the last six quarters

·       Challenges Arena: 55 cumulative customer confirmations and 33 customers live as on 1st November’22

·       Challenges Arena: 10.54 Mn gross subscribers as of 1st November’22

·       Challenges Arena: By 1st November 2022, the Net active base increased to 2.3 Mn from 1.66 Mn in Q1FY23

·       ONMO B2B: 18 Customers confirmed (4 live) as on 1st November 2022

·       Q2FY23 revenues at INR 1,367 Mn. Forex (Euro) impact on revenue INR 16 Mn QoQ and INR 61 Mn YoY. Gross profit stood at INR 683 Mn, a growth of 3.3% YoY. Q2FY23 revenue growth would be 4.5% YoY excluding Euro forex impact

·       H1FY23 revenues at INR 2,777 Mn, up by 2.2%.; Gross profit stood at INR 1,391 Mn, a growth of 6.0% YoY basis

·       In Q2FY23, Marketing cost grew by 4.5% QoQ and 100% YoY, primarily due to investments in new launches (CA) and Employee benefit costs include a one-time cost due to staff optimization of INR 30 Mn

·       DSO stood at 123 days in Q2FY23, improved by 11 days on a QoQ basis and 5 days on a YoY basis

Commenting on Q2FY23 results, Sanjay Baweja, CEO & MD, OnMobile, said, “While we have seen temporary impact on revenue and profitability due to some customer issues, we continue to invest in marketing which will increase our profitability in the medium to long run. Challenges Arena, our mobile quiz & gaming app launched in FY’22, continues to gain substantial traction. Our focused execution, along with our ongoing efforts to digitize our core B2B businesses, positions us well to realize our objective of developing cutting-edge mobile gaming solutions.”

Asheesh Chatterjee, Global Group CFO, said, “Revenue was flat on a YoY basis due to one-time Euro depreciation impact and higher marketing spend, but this cost will reduce going ahead. CA is going as per plan, and the cost will stabilize soon. ONMO had a good start and is poised for further growth in the upcoming quarters.”

Hyundai Motor India Commemorates Winners Of The Hyundai National Interschool Golf Trophy

Highlights

427 Amateur Golfers from 147 schools across 5 metro cities of India participated in Hyundai National Interschool Golf Trophy

50 semi-finalists from the age group of 11 to 18 years qualified for finals at Bangalore on 3rd Nov’22

8 winners from Finals were awarded by Mr. Tarun Garg and Ms Aditi Ashok

Ace golfer and 2020 Arjuna Awardee, Ms Aditi Ashok also conducted a masterclass with the winners.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd., country’s first Smart Mobility Solutions Provider and largest exporter since its inception. today announced winners of the Hyundai National Interschool Golf Trophy, India’s biggest junior golf tournament in association with the Indian Golf Union, the apex body of Golf in India. Affiliated with the International Golf Federation, the tournament was conceptualized to nurture and encourage young golfers across India and provide them with a platform to exhibit their budding golfing talent.

Commenting on the announcement of the winners of the Hyundai National Interschool Golf Trophy, Mr. Tarun Garg, Director (Sales, Marketing & Service), Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “We are glad to associate with the Indian Golf Union for the Hyundai National Interschool Golf Trophy and felicitate the stars of the tournament. Our aim is to foster talent of more and more young golfers who can represent India on the world map. Our association with Indian Golf Union is a concrete step towards building future Golf champions. We congratulate all the winners as well as the participants for the exemplary fervour and passion they exhibited. As a brand offering premium mobility solutions to our young and dynamic customers, we hope to bring forth fresh golfing talent and establish a strong connect with India's youth”.

Commenting on the announcement of the tournament winner, Ms. Aditi Ashok, World Renowned Golfer and 2020 Arjuna Awardee said : “I feel extremely elated to be associated with  Hyundai Motor India for this unique initiative aimed at extending an opportunity to school students across different age groups in an effort to promote Golf at the grass root level in India. This noteworthy initiative is a huge step towards tapping young talent across the country and offering them a rich experience at competitive Golf. I am especially excited to personally meet and congratulate the young boys and girls who have been a part of the Hyundai National Interschool Golf Trophy”

The tournament’s qualifying rounds took place in five metropolitan cities across India namely, Chandigarh, Pune, Noida/Delhi, Gurgaon, and Bengaluru from October 21- November 2, 2022 with participation from 147 schools. Out of 10,000 amateur golfers, 427 junior players were selected from under 11, 13, 15, and 18 years of age. Following the final tournament held at the KG Prestige Golfshire in Bangalore on November 3, the top 8 scorers of boys and girls category out of 50 finalists were awarded. The winners received an interactive session and a masterclass by World Renowned Indian Golfer and 2020 Arjuna Awardee, Ms Aditi Ashok. This partnership has strengthened brand connect for Hyundai, making it India’s most loved car brand and a popular choice among millennials & Gen alphas.

With the aim of fostering and promoting the overall spirit of sportsmanship, Hyundai has been at the forefront of organizing sports tournaments worldwide. The future of Indian Golf seems upbeat as an emerging tribe of Golf talent reinforces their position as a dominant force in the international realm.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Announces Its Foray Into The CNG Segment

* Expands its grade line up with introduction of E-CNG technology for Cool New Glanza and the Urban Cruiser Hyryder

* Aimed at offering an eco-friendly as well as economical option for customers to choose from, the E-CNG trims in both the models to be available in S & G grades with Manual Transmission (MT) powertrain

* The Toyota Glanza with E-CNG Technology to be competitively priced at Rs. 843,000 & Rs. 946,000 for grades G & S respectively 

* Bookings for E-CNG trims for both the Glanza and the Urban Cruiser Hyryder to begin today across all Toyota dealerships in India

* Prices for E-CNG trims of Urban Cruiser Hyryder will be announced shortly

Keeping in-line with its Customer-First philosophy, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced its foray into the CNG segment, thereby providing more options in both the Toyota Glanza as well as the Urban Cruiser Hyryder model line-up, for customers to choose from.

The Toyota Glanza, which was launched earlier this year, will now be available with a CNG variant in the S & G grades, along with a Manual Transmission powertrain.

The first of its kind in the segment, the Urban Cruiser Hyryder too will now be available with a factory fitted CNG kit in both S & G grades. Equipped with a Manual Transmission (MT) powertrain in both the grades, the CNG variant will be in addition to the Self-charging Strong Hybrid Electric as well as the Neo Drive variants, which are already available in the market and have received very encouraging response from customers.

The introduction of CNG grades in both the Toyota models will further enable TKM to enhance its range of sustainable vehicle technology offerings, as well as offer more eco-friendly & economical options for customers to choose from. Thus, catering to a varied range of mobility needs of Indian consumers.

Expressing his delight at the occasion, Mr. Atul Sood, Associate Vice President, Sales, and Strategic Marketing, TKM, said, “Being a customer centric company, TKM believes in placing customer’s interest at the forefront. Our goal at Toyota has always been to serve the markets needs with a clear focus on customers’ aspirations, and by providing the most viable products and services to our customers. With the same vision in mind, we are delighted to announce our foray in the CNG segment, driving in CNG variants for two of our much sought- after offerings, the Toyota Glanza & the Urban Cruiser Hyryder.

With the latest addition, we believe that our customers will get more options in the market to choose from, thereby reiterating our philosophy of ‘Mobility for All’. Apart from the joy of owning a Toyota vehicle, our customers will also benefit from low cost of ownership & complete ‘Peace of Mind’ that Toyota vehicles offer, thus providing ‘Mass happiness to all’, he concluded.

Envisaged with keeping customer convenience in mind, the CNG variant in the Toyota Glanza features a powerful yet fuel-efficient ‘K-Series Engine' and is equipped with a Manual Transmission powertrain. The engine capacity of the new E-CNG Glanza is 1197cc with a power output of 57 KW (77.5 PS) & delivers a superior driving experience. The E-CNG Glanza boasts of a fuel efficiency of 30.61 KM/KG.

The Glanza also boasts of a cool integration of advanced technology and Toyota signature front fascia and has been widely appreciated by our customers. The Cool New Glanza offers a range of advanced connected feature, developed to appeal to the modern & tech-savvy customers.

The new CNG variant available in the Urban Cruiser Hyryder is also equipped with a with a 1.5-liter K-series engine & 5 Speed Manual Transmission, as well as a host of awesome features to ensure top performance and a mileage of 26.1 KM/KG*

On the exterior, the Urban Cruiser Hyryder boasts of LED Project Headlamp, Twin LED Daytime running lamp, Wide Trapezoidal Lower Grille, Sleek& Dynamic R17 Alloy wheels, LED Tail Lamp. Similarly, the interiors of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder are beautifully crafted to perfectly suit the bespoke experience offered by Toyota. To make the ownership experience even more awesome, Toyota offers a customized range of 66 accessories designed exclusively for the Urban Cruiser Hyryder.

Owing To Increased Interest From Indian Students, University of Galway (Formerly NUIG) Appoints Team In India

~Appoints Ms. Anju Singh as Senior Regional Manager- South Asia~

Emerging as one of the premier global educational hubs, it has been noted that over 6000+ Indian students choose Ireland as their study abroad destination at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Observing the involvement and considerable interest of Indian Students, the University of Galway (formerly known as NUIG), supported by Education in Ireland aims to expand the areas of collaboration in the country. Along with the inauguration of its office in Delhi, NUIG to further strengthen the educational ties has also appointed Ms. Anju Singh as the Senior Regional Manager- South Asia. Ms. Anju will be leading the team under her to ensure smooth workflow.

Galway is one of Europe’s premier MedTech hubs and NUIG is at the heart of this ecosystem. 80% of NUIG’s undergraduate courses offer a work placement or study abroad opportunity making it one of the preferred universities for pursuing bachelor’s degree programs in Ireland. 96% of its undergraduates and 94% of its postgraduate students are employed or studying further within 6 months of graduating. International students are motivated and permitted to work 20 hours a week on a part-time basis and 40 hours a week during holidays.

International High school students show a keen interest in the programs offered by NUIG, such as Business and Management, Computer Science and IT, Engineering, Psychology, Journalism, Global Media, Hotel Management, and Medicine. Business Analytics, Clinical Medicine, Molecular Biology, and Engineering are some of the popular programs among international students at the master’s level.

Thrilled about the inauguration and elaborating on her appointment, Ms. Anju Singh, Senior Regional Manager- South Asia said, inputs needed from Ms. Anju “University of Galway has emerged as one of the top choices for Indian students to pursue their higher studies in Ireland. It has a distinguished identity among Ireland’s best higher educational institutes and is known for its international outlook, research excellence, a culture of innovation, and high graduate employability scores. Moreover, the University offers the best ‘Return on Investment’ to all Indian students planning to pursue further studies in Ireland with a wide range of merit scholarships awards for upcoming Sep’ 2023 intake.”

NUIG’s initiative of setting up an office in India intends to further develop and strengthen the Holistic education relations between India and Ireland. University of Galway (NUIG) offers 450+ programs at graduate and undergraduate levels, it’s home to over 19,000 students, 13% of which are international students from 122 different countries.

Commenting on the growing interest of Indian students, Mr. Barry O’ Driscoll, Regional Manager - India & South Asia, Education in Ireland said, “We are pleased that an increasing number of students from India, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, are considering Ireland as their chosen study abroad destination. As a centre for excellence for international education that prepares its graduates to be highly employable across the world, Ireland has emerged strongly as a top choice for international students and has seen a 10% growth in the number of Indian students going to Ireland annually.”

He further added, “Galway has become one of the most popular study destinations in Ireland. A city on the Atlantic coast, Galway is a cultural and artistic hub that attracts students from all over the world. Popular for its traditional pubs, Irish folk music and art galleries, the harbour city provides students with a unique blend of culture and indeed corporate opportunities. Moreover, it offers a safe and secure environment and a ‘home away from home vibe’ to all incoming students along with affordable living and an international outlook. As we see the increased interest from Indian students in choosing Galway, we congratulate the University of Galway on inaugurating their first office in India.”

Ireland ranks as the second-highest destination in the world when it comes to quality of life, based on health, education, and income. It’s also the most preferred study abroad destination in Europe for Indian students. Ireland looks forward to further enhancing its relationship with India through cross-border collaborations, mutual recognition of degrees, and more such initiatives. 

Prayasta’s Silimac - World’s First 3D Printer For Implant Grade Silicone Is Now Housed At IISc, Bangalore

·        The partnership aims to accelerate the translation of personalized implants for soft tissues including for breast from research labs to hospitals

Prayasta, also this year’s National Start-up Technology Award winner start-up, has developed world’s first 3D printer for implant-grade silicone and is partnering with the Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). An MoU was signed to formalise this partnership earlier this year.

Prayasta’s specialized 3D printer, Silimac, can directly 3D print implant-grade silicone material to make an implant within the hospital itself. 3D printing allows personalization of implants on a one-to-one basis which not only improves outcomes of the surgeries for the patients but also reduces the average time a surgeon must spend for achieving the same results using standard implants.

3D printed implants that are prepared using Silimac can be personalized not only in terms of shape, size, and contour but also in terms of weight, stiffness, touch and feel making it a complete solution. As the world is moving towards personalized medicine, personalizing implants makes even more sense as implants are going to be there in patients’ bodies permanently for the rest of their lives. Prayasta has also developed a design methodology called Novel Internal Architecture using which they can make breast implants rupture-proof and suturable eliminating the risk of leakage and post-implantation displacements respectively. Although Silimac and Novel Internal Architecture were initially developed to make breast implants, the technology can be extended to other soft tissue implants such as nasal, ear, chin, malar, lip, tracheobronchial, oesophageal, etc. and also to external prostheses for soft tissues.

Prayasta and IISc will work together to accelerate the translation of personalized soft tissue implants from research to hospitals, to test the 3D printability of novel materials in a fast-track mode and also to develop the necessary skills for faster market penetration of 3D printing technology.

Vikas Garg, Cofounder, Prayasta stated, “Silicone is one of the best implantable materials today and yet not 3D printable. Conventional printers cannot handle implant-grade silicone due to its inherent two-part requirement for cross-linking, form factor and extremely high viscosity. That is why, we have taken a fresh approach and developed a novel 3D printing technology from scratch.”

“We are excited to join hands with Prayasta as it offers a production-ready 3D printing technology for elastomers such as silicone, and can positively impact the quality of healthcare delivery," said Prof Navakanta Bhat, Dean, Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences, IISc.

“It’s an absolute honour to partner with one of the most premier science institutes in India.  We look forward to creating the future of better and personalized healthcare solutions together,” added Shilpi Sen, Cofounder, Prayasta.

Lava 5G Smartphone ‘Blaze 5G’ To Go On Sale Starting November 15 On Amazon.in

* Unveiled at India Mobile Congress 2022, Lava Blaze 5G will be launched at price of Rs.9,999 only

·         Blaze 5G is compatible with all major 5G bands auctioned 1/3/5/8/28/41/77/78 making it best 5G device for India

·         The regular price of Blaze 5G will be Rs 10,999 and special launch day price will be Rs 9,999 till stocks last

·         Blaze 5G comes with a feature wherein YouTube works in the background without opening the app throughout

·         It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset and comes with Premium AG Glass Back finish and  premium features like Widevine L1, EIS in affordable segment

Lava International Limited, an end-to-end mobile handset and mobile solutions company based in India, today announced that its Lava 5G smartphone ‘Blaze 5G’ will go on sale starting on November 15 at 12 noon exclusively on e-commerce platform Amazon.in at a special introductory price of Rs 9,999 on the launch date for a limited stock. The actual price of the smartphone is Rs 10,999.

The Lava Blaze 5G was first revealed by Honourable Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & IT, at the India Mobile Congress 2022.

Lava Blaze 5G comes with a feature wherein YouTube works in the background without opening the app, allowing users to play their favourite videos while multi-tasking. The feature is yet another illustration of Lava’s capabilities in India.

Powered by MediaTek Dimensity 700, Lava 5G is launched with a clock speed of 2.2 GHz which allows smartphone to provide all-round smartphone experience enabling users to perform tasks using multiple applications including games, simultaneously.

Speaking about the product, Tejinder Singh, Product Head, Lava International Limited, said, “The Blaze 5G aligns with the larger vision of providing the next generation 5G technology to Indians at an affordable price point. With a first-in-category Mediatek Dimensity 700 processor and all the relevant 5G bands, the Blaze 5G is an all-rounder smartphone for technology enthusiasts.”

The 5G smartphone features a premium glass back design, clean Android 12 OS with anonymous call recording feature, 50 MP AI triple rear camera with EIS support and 8MP front camera for a superior photography experience and selfies.  It also has a 4GB+ 3GB Virtual RAM for a high end & lag free user experience and 128 GB UFS ROM equipped with a large 5000 mAh battery for uninterrupted daily usage. It further has an optimised battery consumption due to its ultra-efficient 7nm chipset.

“We congratulate Lava on helping make 5G experiences accessible to a wider audience. The MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G-integrated chip ensures incredible performance and enables consumers to enjoy better 5G, faster and more reliable connections, power efficiency, and longer battery life along with incredible photo, and video capabilities,” said Anku Jain, Managing Director, MediaTek India.

The Lava Blaze 5G features a large 6.5 inch HD+ IPS display with Widevine L1 support along with a 90 Hz refresh rate. The phone also provides security features with a side mounted fingerprint unlock.

For a superior after-sales consumer experience, a ‘free service at home’ will be provided to the customers in which service will be provided at customers’ doorstep (Customers can avail the service within the phone's warranty period).

Link: https://www.lavamobiles.com/blaze/service-at-home

For Booking Lava Blaze 5G on Amazon (November 15 onwards), please click on: https://www.amazon.in/b?node=42115504031

About Lava International Limited

#ProudlyIndian l Made in India, Made for India

Lava International Limited is a leading end-to-end focused mobile handset and mobile handset solutions Company based in India, with growing international presence. With the vision “to empower people to do more, to be more”, the Company was established in the year 2009. Lava International Limited’s corporate office and its manufacturing and repair facility is located in in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. As of August 31, 2021, the manufacturing facility had an aggregate production capacity of manufacturing 42.52 million feature phone equivalent handsets per annum.