Biotechnology Student From Manipal School of Life Sciences, MAHE Wins First Prize In BioQuiz -2022

* Ms. Mythili Padavu became the BioQuiz National Winner 2022

* 25th edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit 2022 was organised by Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka

* The event was virtually inaugurated by Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

A B.Sc. Biotechnology student Ms. Mythili Padavu from Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education who is in her 5th semester won the First Prize in the BioQuiz -2022 National finals to become the BioQuiz National Winner 2022. The national level quiz program was part of the Asia’s most prestigious Bangalore Tech Summit, organised by the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka and was virtually inaugurated by Shri Narendra Modi, Honourable Prime Minister of India.

BioQuiz 2022 was organised as part of 25th edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit-2022 and was India's largest National Level Quiz on Biotechnology. It was held in three rounds: a preliminary round on 5-6th November, the Zonal round on 10th November and the Grand Final Round was conducted on 18th November 2022. All undergraduate students irrespective of their specialization across the country were eligible to take part in this BioQuiz.

BioQuiz 2022 was presided over by Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon'ble Minister, Government of Karnataka, Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy (IAS), Additional Chief Secretary and Smt. Meena Nagaraj (IAS), Director, Dept. of Electronics, IT & BT and Managing Director, KITS, Govt. of Karnataka as the chief guest. Mr. Giri Balasubramanium, better known by his pseudonym Pickbrain, a noted quizmaster conducted the event.

The objective of this quiz was to create awareness about the fascinating world of Biotechnology, encourage students to delve deep into the subject and showcase to the world the talent in this significant field of Life Sciences.

Speaking about the achievement, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE said, “Congratulations Mythili on being declared the National Winner at BioQuiz 2022 and I wish you many more accolades in the future. We are extremely proud and delighted of her success as she has won India's largest National Level Quiz on Biotechnology. “

Ms. Mythili won the first preliminary round to join 6 students in the Southern Zonal Finals and qualified for the Grand Finals where four winners from four different zones across India competed for the coveted prize. The finals were challenging and exciting event, but Mythili ended up as a comfortable winner and was declared the BioQuiz Champ. She scored 250 points in the finals with the first runner up scoring 150 points. She was awarded a certificate and a cash prize by the Hon'ble Minister Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan for winning the BioQuiz 2022.

Dr. Satish Rao, Director of Manipal School of Life Sciences, said, “What a commendable performance and dedication was shown by Mythili, her hard work has brought laurels to the Institute.  I am obliged to see such deserving and talented student from our institute. It is not easy to defeat the opponent with 250 points in the finals.”

India’s Premium Gourmet D2C Brand, Happilo, Onboards Amit Tiwary As New CFO

~At Happilo, Tiwary will be driving the strategic reorientation of the organization~

Happilo, India’s premium D2C gourmet dry fruit snack brand, has on-boarded Amit Tiwary as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Tiwary, a Chartered Accountant by qualification, has over 14 years of experience in the field and will spearhead the strategic reorientation of the organization by developing and evaluating new business models.

At Happilo, Tiwary’s vision will be to support the bullish growth plans of the brand with a focus on profitability by strengthening the fundamental systems, processes, and governance. He will also be leading the growth of the brand towards its ultimate goal of an IPO in the near future.

Speaking of joining the team, Amit Tiwary, CFO, Happilo, says, “It gives me immense pleasure to be part of the team currently working on building the brand. I look forward to collaborating with our stakeholders to accelerate the company’s aggressive growth plan while keeping an eye on profitability.”

Speaking of the joining, Vikas D Nahar, CEO, Happilo, says, “We are delighted to welcome Amit at Happilo. He brings to the table a wealth of experience from managing FMCG brands, where he has been instrumental in driving growth. This empowers Happilo to identify new growth opportunities. With his expertise, we are confident in achieving our goals on a rapid scale.”

Prior to joining Happilo, Amit was leading the finance team of Nissin as their CFO of India Business. He has also been associated with large multinational companies such as Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), AstraZeneca India, and Nissin India.

About Happilo: Happilo, founded in 2016, is a health food brand headquartered in Bengaluru. Happilo has an exclusive range of nuts, dried fruits, organic seeds, dry roasted snacks, dry fruit bars, brittles, peanut butter, nut-based spreads, trail mixes, festive gift hampers and more. With a wide variety of products that cater to every taste and age group, their best sellers have found their way into the homes and hearts of many households. The product innovations over the years and production volumes were made possible with the automated manufacturing units in Bengaluru. Happilo’s gourmet products are available across all leading modern trade & general trade stores; exclusive brand outlets at select airports and malls; and Happilo’s D2C channel. It is also one of the most popular FMCG brands searched for on e-commerce sites. Happilo has a 500+ strong team based out of premium office space at World Trade centre in Bengaluru.

Hitachi Payment Services Accomplishes A New Milestone; Deploys Its 8,000th WLA In India.

* Over 180 million customers expected to be served annually.

Hitachi Payment Services, India’s foremost enabler of both cash and digital payments has announced that it has recently successfully installed the 8,000th Hitachi Money Spot ATM in India, thereby accomplishing a new milestone. Hitachi Money Spot ATMs are White Label ATMs (WLAs) set up, owned and operated by Hitachi Payment Services in India since 2014.

Hitachi Money Spot ATM has grown over 35% in the last 12 months and accounts for over 23% of the total White Label ATMs deployed in the country as on September 2022.

Currently, Hitachi Money Spot ATMs are located pan-India in 29 States and 6 UTs. These ATMs are expected to serve over 180 million customers annually across the country, over 75% of which are in Tier 3 to Tier 6 towns. Through its Social Innovation Business, Hitachi Payment Services has always endeavoured to empower citizens, particularly in semi-urban and rural locations with improved payment infrastructure.

The company continues to focus on the objective of driving ATM penetration to the last-mile of the country and has a strong network Pan India.

Along with regular ATM Services, it also offers 24 X 7 cash deposits at select ATM sites using innovative Cash Recycling and Automation Technology. It further intends to extend these services to more locations, thereby bringing key banking services to the customer’s doorsteps. It has currently deployed over 2800 Cash Recycling Machines.

Rustom Irani, Managing Director, Hitachi Payment Services, said, “Our purpose to escalate the ATM penetration levels in the country, especially in rural and semi-urban regions, will further enable easy access to cash and a host of banking services for the financially underserved. As a leading ATM services provider, we aim to build customer convenience with our state-of-the-art technology and end-to-end services.”

Sumil Vikamsey, Chief Executive Officer – Cash Business, Hitachi Payment Services, said, “We align ourselves with the financial inclusion agenda of the Government, which is to increase access to banking services in untapped and underserved areas. We strongly believe that our Hitachi Money Spot ATMs, backed by our expertise in managing ATM channels for multiple banks, innovative technology and extensive service network, will strongly contribute to this national cause.”

Hitachi Money Spot ATMs help in bridging the banking divide amongst India's population, by providing a range of banking services including cash withdrawal, cash deposit (at select locations and for select banks), cheque book request, card to card transfer, balance enquiry, mini statement and ATM PIN change.

Goldmedal Electricals Unveils The Launch Of Its Exclusive Showroom In Coimbatore

·         Showroom launch is part of the company’s retail expansion journey

Goldmedal Electricals, one of India’s leading electrical manufacturing company unveiled its exclusive showroom in Coimbatore along with their brand ambassador Jacqueline Fernandez. Located on Avinashi Road, one of the major commercial centres, the showroom showcases the company's extensive line of products to a vast group of users with an interest in electrical appliances and devices. The showroom is part of the brand's retail strategy, which aims to provide an immersive brand experience that includes consultation and demonstration tailored to the customer’s specific needs. 

The showroom will showcase a wide range of best-in-class Goldmedal products across all segments including modular switches, home automation systems, LED lights, entertainment systems, wires and cables, MCBs and DBs, fans, PVC pipes, electrical accessories, and more. Consumers can check out the products, get assistance in installing them and find retail locations without having to make a purchase in the showroom. While the company has been a pioneer in the FMEG market in the country, this showroom is a dedicated venue where the entire spectrum of its latest products is showcased in a premium setting. Goldmedal has 15 such exclusive showrooms across the country and has plans to open many more in the near future.

Commenting on the new showroom, Kishan Jain, Director, Goldmedal Electricals said, “The south has traditionally been a strong and vital market for us. While our products offer customers an experience that is unmatched, many do not realize that until they see and touch our products themselves. Through our exclusive showrooms , we aim to give everybody an opportunity to experience Goldmedal products in a premium and comfortable setting. We are optimistic that this showroom will help address the consumer’s returning need to examine the wide array of products that are available to them so that they are able to make an informed decision. The Coimbatore showroom is one of the many showrooms that we have planned to launch in the coming months.”

Commenting on the new showroom, Jacqueline Fernandez, Brand Ambassador, Goldmedal Electricals said, “Goldmedal Electricals is one of the most promising FMEG brands in the country and I am proud to be associated with them. I'm honoured to be a part of Goldmedal’s growth story. These premium experience showrooms are a great idea as it allows customers to see and experience for themselves the high quality products that are available to them. I am sure that the people who visit the showroom will find the showroom and the quality of Goldmedal products simply amazing.”

Although consumer behaviour has changed radically, consumers are still inclined to experience products before making a purchase. They will be able to observe the craftsmanship of Goldmedal's cutting-edge products in this exclusive interactive store. Goldmedal will continue to expand to many more showroom outlets as part of their retail development plan.

About Goldmedal Electricals

Goldmedal Electricals is a home grown electrical company which was established in the year 1979 with a vision to create electrical switches and accessories that make a positive difference to the lives of consumers. The company is known in the industry for manufacturing high quality wiring devices and introducing a host of innovations in the industry. 1981, Goldmedal entered the Wires and Cables business. In 1995, the company set up a state of the art manufacturing unit in Goregaon, Mumbai for the manufacturing of wires & cables and modular switches. Alongside Wires and Cables, the company today manufactures a vast range of electrical products including various types of switches, home automation systems, security systems, entertainment devices, fans, wires and cables, door bells, electrical accessories and more for residential buildings as well as commercial establishments.

upGrad Appoints Anuj Vishwakarma To Lead Its Online Higher-Ed Program Vertical

upGrad, Asia’s higher EdTech Company announced the appointment of Anuj Vishwakarma as the President - Online Higher-Ed Programs. 

In his new role, Anuj will be responsible for building the Online Higher-Ed vertical for creating a long-term strategic moat and also implement growth best practices for scaling the business.

Anuj is a seasoned growth leader with over 10+ years of rich experience building high-growth consumer businesses in the fintech, online retail, and offline retail sectors. Prior to upGrad he has driven growth for leading consumer internet players like Myntra, Paytm and Ola. He has led high-profile assignments at Ola as Revenue & Growth Head and at Paytm as Growth Head for Travel Business.

Welcoming Anuj, Mayank Kumar, Co-Founder, and MD of upGrad commented, "We operate in a golden era where the demand for online higher education will continue to propel and therefore, we need a solution-focused leader who comes with strong hands-on skills. Anuj, for his domain inclination, is best suited to perform in-depth market research and consumer insights to spearhead our vertical growth. His efforts will further solidify our core business while also enhancing our domestic LifeLongLearning suite.”

"I am humbled to be a part of this dynamic leadership team who knows no limits. upGrad’s vision is synergistic and I look forward to utilizing my domain expertise for building a stronger business foundation for driving career outcomes of our potential learners. This will help me contribute towards strengthening the brand's reputation across a wider audience,” concluded Anuj. 

An MBA degree holder from IIM Bangalore and a National Institute of Technology (NIT) Bhopal, alumnus, Anuj has a constant hunger for growth and has a track record of building large businesses through sustainable growth strategies. He will operate from upGrad’s Bengaluru office and will also collaborate with the multiple teams across upGrad divisions to scale their program vertical. 

About upGrad

upGrad - started in 2015 is a pioneer in the online education revolution, focused on powering career success for a global workforce of over 1.3 billion. It is one of the few Integrated LifeLongLearning Tech Companies in the world - spanning the college learner to the working professional from the age group of 18-50 years and across Undergrad courses, Campus & Job Linked Programs, studying abroad, short form to executive programs to Degrees, Masters and Doctoral - with a learner base of over 3 million across 100+ countries and over 300 University partners and a robust enterprise business with a client base of 1000 companies worldwide.

upGrad’s Global Learning Engine rests on four pillars: (a) its large repository of original & owned content and IP, (b) its own best-in-class proprietary tech platform, (c) its high-touch human-led delivery service backed by coaches & mentors, and (d) an 85% course completion track record, backed by a further 80% career outcomes guaranteed performance.

Already termed Asia’s higher EdTech leader it has offices in the UK, U.S., Middle East, India, Singapore & Vietnam, and a presence in many more countries.

Ambuja Cements’ Unique Talent Hunt Platform Carves Out The Goodness Of Music Amongst Contractors

EDITOR’S SYNOPSIS

·         Ambuja Cements brings alive the fun experience of a Musical Talent Hunt for contractors and their families through its ‘Ambuja Abhiman Ke Sangeet Kalakaar’ program.

·         The program was launched in August 2022 with the purpose to actively engage with the fraternity of contractors and their families.

Ambuja Cements, the cement and building materials company of Adani Cement and part of the Adani Group, launched a talent hunt platform ‘Ambuja Abhiman Ke Sangeet Kalakaar’ to carve out the goodness of music and bring alive the fun experience amongst the contractors fraternity through its unique influencer engagement program.

This talent hunt is a unique concept aimed at bringing stakeholders together across the nation. The program was launched in August 2022 with the purpose to actively enhance the engagement levels of contractors who are an important stakeholder in the ‘Individual House Builder’ (IHB) segment, the largest consumer segment for the cement industry.

Mr Ajay Kapur, CEO, Cement Business & Ambuja Cements, said “Our country has talent in abundance which ties it together amidst all its diversity. Programs like ‘Ambuja Abhiman Ke Sangeet Kalakaar’, is a unique platform where contractors and their families enhance and showcase their talent. We are glad that through such platforms we are able to carve out the goodness of musical talent within individuals and nurture their growth through recognitions at a national level. I congratulate all the winners and extend my best gratitude towards all the participants.”

The winners of the ‘Ambuja Abhiman Ke Sangeet Kalakaar’ Grand Finale were declared on 19th November 2022. The winners in the kid’s category are - 1st Prize: Ms. Liyana Ismail P.H from Kasargod (Kerela); 2nd Prize: Ms. Maithali Pardeshi from Ahmednagar (Maharashtra); 3rd Prize: Ms. Disharani Bej from South 24 Parganas (West Bengal); Popular Award: Ms. Nima Choudhary from Pali (Rajasthan). And the winners in the adult’s category are - 1st Prize: Mr. Kunal Sahis from Puruliya (West Bengal); 2nd Prize: Mr. Ishant Kumar from Kangra (Himachal Pradesh); 3rd Prize: Mr. Azim Pathan from Nanded (Maharashtra); Popular Award: Mr. Bhola Prasad Rathore from Chhattisgarh.

An overwhelming response of 528 entries were received in the audition round. The jury reviewed all entries & shortlisted 55 performers as the regional semi-finalists. These 55 regional semi-finalists got a chance to attend a mentoring session by the Jury Members. Post mentoring, they submitted another video of these 55 regional finalists and Jury selected Top 12 as national finalists. These Top 12 finalists were mentored and guided for their final performance.

Earlier in 2020, the Company has launched a differentiated long term loyalty program for contractors known as ‘Ambuja Abhimaan’. The program is aimed at empowering, engaging & fulfilling the unmet needs of contractors. Over the last 2.5 years, the Company has enrolled and engaged over 1 Lakh contractors under this program which has helped in strengthening our business and our bond with contractors’ fraternity.

Parx Music Fiesta By Raymond Enthralls Audience In Mumbai

Mumbai’s biggest-ever carnival themed music festival - Parx Music fiesta – closed on November 20, 2022, with a promise to come back next year. Organised at the lush green campus of Raymond Ground in Thane, this festival rewarded its attendees with a magical feeling with the best talent in music industry. This carnival-theme event celebrated the best of music and fashion that India can provide.

With the most prodigious line up of artistes in Bollywood and Indie music, this first of its kind music fest with an international look and feel is the brainchild of Gautam Hari Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director of Raymond Group. The 100-feet stage, with a massive multi media installation, was the largest ever in the country.

Art-rock band from Mumbai Daira performed live on Day 2, followed by a riveting show by Bangalore-based rock band Parvaaz. Multilingual indie-folk alternative band When Chai Met Toast and the 90s pop band Euphoria presented soulful numbers. High-energy live performances by celebrated artistes Papon and Amit Trivedi closed the exciting music gala.

The event also saw Panic from Kolkata emerge as the winner of Parx Music Hunt, beating three tough contenders.