Sixth Edition of Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence Confers Awards To Women Of Social Relevance

* Sri Sathya Sai University For Human Excellence With The Patronage Of Aditya Birla Group Celebrates Women From Underprivileged Backgrounds

Seven women were awarded the Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence in the presence of Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai who instituted these awards seven years ago to celebrate individuals who follow their innate calling to serve humanity selflessly in seven categories of social relevance such as Education, Health, Environment, Woman and Child Welfare, Unity of Religions, Music and Fine Arts, and Yoga and Sports.

This year the Award theme was Celebrating Shakti – Women of Excellence, and thus the event was made special by the presence of exemplary women such as, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan – Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and Dr Neerja Birla – Philanthropist and Chairperson of Mpower, who conferred the awards to the following exemplary women coming from different parts of India.

Dr Tulasi Munda from Odisha for her contribution to educating adivasi children, Kaushilya Bai from rural Chhattisgarh for making a difference to the lives of thousands of children by addressing the problem of malnutrition, R Rangammal from a remote village in Tamil Nadu for her exemplary initiatives to promote organic and environment-friendly farming practices, Advocate Gauri Kumari for her incessant fight against Dalit atrocities and social activism to educate and empower women, Dr Biru Bala Rabha for raising her voice against witch hunting and in a way preserving the sanctity of sacred religious customs and rituals without diluting it with misinterpretations or misuse, Folk Artist Dr Tijan Bai for her immense contribution to the folk art of Pandavani, and Dr Malathi K Holla for her invaluable achievements in the field of Parasports and her work in helping several disabled children.

The annual Awards are organised by the Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence, founded by Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai. This University offers higher education completely free of cost to needy rural children, based on the principles of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said – “I thank Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai for motivating and supporting women. The free medical college that Sadguru is talking about is the dream of the entire nation. Their nutritional programme for downtrodden children (Annapoorna Breakfast Initiative), 27 educational campuses is doing great work for the nation.” 

Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai said – “These 7 women are the wonder women of India who have done wonders for the country. It is our singular privilege as a University to recognise and all the sacrifices and efforts that they have made. We are honoured to have Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan for the event today.  We are honoured by the presence of Mrs Neerja Birla for representing Aditya Birla Group, for patronising this Award.”

Harley-Davidson Concludes Its First Asia Harley Days Festival With A Roar Of Engines And Thundering Music On Nov 6, 2022

Harley-Davidson® successfully concluded its first ever Asia Harley Days® festival, with a roar of engines and thundering music on November 6, 2022. The event was attended by more than 1600 festival goers from all over Asia including Thailand, South Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong, India, Guam and Singapore, as well as 80 H.O.G.™ (Harley Owners Group) chapters and motorcycle clubs from these countries and territories.

Beyond Asia, riders came all the way from Belgium and Australia to join the festival as well. The two-day moto-music festival ran from November 5-6, 2022 at Triple Tree Beach Resort, Cha-am beach, Thailand and featured a power-packed program that included English and Thai music concerts by renowned bands, breath-taking stunts, test rides and bike competitions, fun games and contests.

Asia Harley Days included the iconic H.O.G. parade on 5 November, which was organized exclusively for H.O.G. members and Friends of H.O.G. The parade kicked off with a traditional ceremony to pay respect to the 7 Kings of Thailand, followed by H.O.G. logo formation. More than 350 riders came from Rajabhakti Park, Hua Hin, to join the parade and ride to the festival venue at Triple Tree Beach Resort, Cha-am. The parade was flagged-off by Lieutenant General Pit  Chotisut, Director of Army Tourism Promotion Agency and Major General Somporn Donsingha, Commander of Royal Thai Army Sergeant School, Hua Hin. The parade was led by Dimitris Raptis – Vice President, Asia Pacific, Harley-Davidson, along with Sajeev Rajasekharan, Managing Director, Asia Emerging Markets & India, Harley-Davidson.

Mayor of Cha-Am, Mr. Nukul Pornsomboonsiri, was guest-of-honour at the traditional Thai-style opening ceremony held at the festival venue of Triple Tree Resort, Cham-am Beach. Throughout the evening, thousands of festival attendees relished the electrifying music performances by well-known bands such as Ebola, Evolu5ion, DJ Alpha, DJ Riviere and Silly Fool. Apart from the music performances, the attendees enjoyed many other activities such as breathtaking gymkhana stunts, slow racing and test rides. Fun contests such as best beard, best tattoo, fashion icon, highest number of Harley-Davidson patches and best slogan. The iconic Custom Kings contest was one of the major attractions of the festival.  

On the second day, festival goers enjoyed performances by leading bands Silly Fools, Dead Rabbit, Black Rose, DJ Kenny & DJ Karn, as well as June & Sanpond Violin and Saxophone dual. Attendees were also entertained by many other activities such as Championship Extreme stunts and food extravaganza. In the evening, awards were handed out to various winners of the on-spot contests and first ever Asia Harley Days Hall of Fame receipients, where over 50 select riders and dealer groups were recognized for their contribution and achievement to the community. The event was hosted by Guitar – Saruda Chusri and popular Thai artist, Guy - Rachanont Suprakob.

Presenting sponsor for the event was Krungsri Auto, while other sponsors included Snap On, Singha Drinking Water, Mueng Thai Assurance, Betagro, Sheraton Huahin Resort & Spa, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Hua Hin Toursim and Thai Airways. Asia Harley Days will be an annual event from Harley-Davidson in the region and announcement for the 2023 edition will be made soon.

Catch the official wrap up film on YouTube by clicking on the link here. For high-resolution images and video of the event, please click here. Please credit Harley-Davidson for the use of these images.

To know more about the event and participate in the social media contests, visit the event website or follow H-D Asia at:

FB: @HarleyDavidsonAsia

IG: @HarleyDavidson_Asia

YT: Harley-Davidson Asia

#HarleyDavidson #UnitedWeRide #HarleyDavidsonAsia #AHD2022 #AsiaHarleyDays #UnitedWeRide #HarleyOwnersGroup

About Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson®, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture with an expanding range of leading-edge, distinctive and customizable motorcycles in addition to riding experiences and exceptional motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get Harley-Davidson riders on the road. Learn more at www.harley-davidson.com

Spinny Launches India’s Largest Automobile Experiential Hub, ‘Spinny Park’ In Bengaluru

·         Designed to deliver a superlative consumer experience, Spinny Park is a first-of-its-kind experiential zone in the used  car industry

·         Spread over 5 acres of land,  Spinny Park caters to the sizable customer base that wants to touch and feel the cars that they wish to buy

With a commitment to take consumers’ car-buying experience to the next level, Spinny, a full-stack used car buying and selling platform in India, today announced the launch of the Spinny Park, a superlative one-of-its-kind experiential & newest hub, near Yelahanka on the Kempegowda International Airport road, Bengaluru. A first-of-its-kind world-class experience in the automobile industry in the country.

Spread across a total area spanning a massive 5 acres, Spinny Park sports a behemoth assortment of cars, including over 1000 Spinny Assured cars and Spinny Max pre-owned luxury cars. The exquisitely designed experiential hub is replete with in-venue test-drive zones, specially curated interactive dashboards, customer lounges, and community zones.

Speaking on the announcement, Niraj Singh, Founder and CEO, Spinny, commented, “We understand that a car is a special purchase for a family, and we strive to make it extra special for each customer. Spinny has been pioneering to make the online and offline car buying and selling experience simple and delightful. Considering the market potential and the problems that a customer faces in this category of variables, many customers want to touch and feel before buying a car. In the quintessential Spinny way, we want to keep adding delight to every experience - online, offline or both. Spinny Park is another step towards making the car buying experience unparalleled. It’s the first-of-its-kind automobile experiential hub with 1000+ cars to choose from. By the lake, under the blue sky, a picnic set somewhere in the corner. Eat, drink, wander around or test drive your next car with birdsong and carsong, all in tow.”

Every Spinny Assured car on the Spinny platform comes with a 200-point inspection checklist, a 5-day no-questions-asked money-back guarantee and a 1-year after-sales warranty, which resonates with the brand’s promise of delivering complete transparency, convenience, trust and quality. Over the last couple of years, Spinny has a cumulative customer base of over two lakhs, and almost 54% of car purchases are done online from Spinny’s online platform.

Spinny operates more than 55 car hubs across the country with a total parking capacity of close to 10,000 cars. In Bangalore, Spinny is already operating six car hubs with a total parking capacity of 1200 cars. With the addition of Spinny Park Bangalore, the total capacity in the city will reach 2200 cars.

About Spinny-

Founded in 2015, Spinny is a used car retailing platform that aims to bring about transparency and convenience in the car buying and selling process in India. Spinny operates across the entire value chain of used cars, embedding superior technology and processes to deliver a premium experience to customers. As a testimony of Spinny’s commitment to transparency and quality, every car on the Spinny platform comes with a 200-point inspection checklist, 5-day no questions asked money-back guarantee and 1-year after-sales warranty. Spinny has 55 car hubs and is operational in 22 cities, including Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Indore, among others. Last year, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar partnered with Spinny as a strategic investor and a lead brand ambassador. Sports icon, PV Sindhu, a believer and customer of Spinny, is also a part of the series of marketing initiatives focused on realizing the aspirations of a billion car dreams.

For more information visit: https://www.spinny.com/

Meesho Joins ONDC On Mission To Democratize Internet Commerce

Meesho, India’s fastest-growing internet commerce company, today announced its integration with the government’s Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to help connect buyers with hyperlocal sellers and support India’s vision of creating an inclusive e-commerce ecosystem.

In line with Meesho’s mission to democratize internet commerce for everyone, the integration will fuel discoverability of products for consumers while creating a wider market for hyperlocal suppliers. The pilot will first be launched in Bangalore and gradually rolled out in other locations over the coming months.

With 80% of Meesho’s 14 crore annual transacting customers coming from Tier 2+ cities, the company has been instrumental in boosting access for underserved users across the country.  More than 8 lakh sellers are currently registered on the platform, of which ~40% are from Tier 2 cities and beyond. Meesho has always focused on making e-commerce more inclusive and the integration with ONDC will amplify the company’s efforts in that direction.

Vidit Aatrey, Founder and CEO, Meesho, said, “With a shared goal to empower small sellers and give a fillip to hyperlocal businesses, the integration will boost our efforts to democratize internet commerce for everyone. ONDC will also play an important role in expanding India’s e-commerce sector by bringing more consumers online. We have been working closely with ONDC to ensure that the integration is smooth and the user experience remains seamless.”

T Koshy, Chief Executive Officer at Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) commented, “At ONDC, our aim is to create an open e-commerce ecosystem that caters to one and all. We are pleased to onboard Meesho as its deep capabilities in small towns will set the network flywheel in motion and take ONDC closer to our goals. E-commerce is still small in India and new-age platforms like Meesho will be strong network participants for ONDC in this journey.”

About Meesho:

Meesho is India’s fastest growing internet commerce platform. With a vision to enable 100 million small businesses, including individual entrepreneurs, to succeed online, Meesho is democratizing internet commerce and bringing a range of products and new customers online. The Meesho marketplace provides small businesses, which includes SMBs, MSMEs and individual entrepreneurs, access to millions of customers, selection from over 700+ categories, pan-India logistics, payment services and customer support capabilities to efficiently run their businesses on the Meesho ecosystem.

AirAsia India Partners With Sugarbox To Launch ‘Multi-Feature In-Flight Experience Hub, ‘AirFlix’

* Bringing the power of the Cloud 36,000 feet in the sky, to offer contextual in-flight experiences, for guests

AirAsia India announced a partnership with Hyperlocal Cloud platform Sugarbox, to launch a first-of-its-kind in-flight experience hub, ‘AirFlix’. An innovative solution for digital access in the skies, ‘AirFlix’ is available across the airline’s fleet. Offering a value proposition unique to Indian skies, ‘AirFlix’ provides over 6,000 hours of high-resolution content, enabling access to 1,000+ International and Indian movies, short movies and 1,500+ web series episodes, enabling guests to stream buffer-free content from OTT Apps.

‘AirFlix’ is powered by the patented Cloud Fragment technology developed by Sugarbox, to provide fliers with digital access mimicking the internet experience, even without in-flight connectivity. ‘AirFlix’ is integrated and operates in sync with AirAsia India’s in-flight ancillary platform, enabling customers to browse the menu and place orders using their personal devices. With a speed of up to 1Gbps and storage capacity of 8TB, ‘AirFlix’ offers a host of customised options, including Games, Ed-tech content, News articles, Music, E-commerce, and much more. Guests can connect to ‘AirFlix’ by visiting www.airflix.airasia.co.in on their smartphones, tablet PCs, or laptops.

Talking about the launch, Siddhartha Butalia, Chief Marketing Officer, AirAsia India, said, "We’re excited to introduce the ‘AirFlix’ experience hub for fliers and to partner with Sugarbox on their pioneering technology platform, offering a wider and more diverse range of captivating content and a literally elevated user experience. We’re looking forward to leveraging the potential of this platform, introducing innovative features and technological integrations even beyond in-flight dining, entertainment, and shopping, and enabling personalised experiences that provide a distinct, differentiated flying experience in a hyper-competitive market.”

Speaking about the collaboration, Rohit Paranjpe, Co-founder & CEO, Sugarbox, expressed, "We are delighted to partner with AirAsia India on their journey to revolutionise the flying experience with ‘AirFlix’. This is a first of its kind initiative globally, where we are bringing the power of the Cloud to aircrafts, using Sugarbox’s patented Cloud Fragment technology. It enables ‘AirFlix’ to offer many firsts in the industry - access to OTT Apps, E-commerce, News, Podcasts and In-flight F&B ordering. This is just the beginning of unlocking limitless opportunities for consumers through contextual, hyperlocal experiences. I'm very excited with what's to come for ‘AirFlix’ and eager for fliers to start experiencing it."

Experience the #FunOfFlying with ‘AirFlix’, 36,000 feet in the air. For more information on AirFlix, visit airflix.airasia.co.in

About AirAsia India

AirAsia (India) Private Limited is a subsidiary of Air India Limited and a part of the Tata group. AirAsia India commenced operations on 12th June 2014 and flies over 50 direct and 100 connecting routes across India. The airline offers plush leather seats, hot meals and a host of exclusive benefits for NeuPass loyalty members.

AirAsia India has consistently embraced technology to deliver operational efficiency and enhance guest experiences, offering fast bookings, fab value and fantastic deals on its award-winning mobile apps and website airasia.co.in, and delivering seamless support with an advanced AI-powered multilingual chatbot Tia.

For the latest on AirAsia India’s innovations, promotions, activities and contests, check out AirAsia India on Twitter @AirAsiaIndia, Instagram @AirAsiaIndia, Facebook @AirAsiaIndia and LinkedIn @AirAsiaIndia.

About Sugarbox

Sugarbox is bringing the world its first Hyperlocal Cloud platform to support the Internet of the Future – of Connected Devices, Applications, People and Things. We are solving for deficiencies in connectivity (availability, reliability, latency and cost) and context awareness (who, where, what), by getting the Cloud closer to the End user and providing the best-in-class experiences for the Connected, Under-connected & Unconnected.

Co-founded by Rohit Paranjpe, Devang Goradia and Ripunjay Bararia in 2016, Sugarbox is reimagining Digital access. Using its patented technology platform, Sugarbox enables native Apps to function seamlessly, even when data connectivity is intermittent or unconnected. Presently, the Company works with the likes of Chennai and Hyderabad metro, Central Railways (Suburban Mumbai region) and has powered more than 300gram panchayats across Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh. Sugarbox is now entering the skies with the AirAsia India partnership. LinkedIn.

Tata Tiago NRG, India’s First Toughroader CNG Unveiled In India

~ This latest iCNG offering from Tata Motors will be available in 4 colors and 2 trim options ~

Tata Motors today announced the introduction of its newest addition to the iCNG family with the Tiago NRG iCNG. Tiago NRG has received a phenomenal response from the masses, as it established itself as a toughroader with its SUV inspired design and offroading capabilities. Seeing the outstanding response for Tiago NRG in last 1 year, the Company is extending the NRG portfolio by launching it with India’s most advanced CNG Technology - iCNG Technology. Tiago NRG iCNG is India’s First Toughroader CNG with a high ground clearance of 177 mm and retuned suspension. Available in four attractive colours – Foresta Green, Fire Red, Polar White, and Cloudy Grey, the Tiago NRG iCNG will come in two trim options and will be available across all Tata Motors authorised dealerships, starting today.

Commenting on NRG iCNG’s distinctive design and capabilities, Mr. Rajan Amba, Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Customer Care, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., said, “Since its inception, the Tiago NRG nameplate has received an overwhelming response from our customers. They have been appreciative of its SUV inspired design language, muscular stance, and high ground clearance, cementing its position as the Urban Toughroader. In line with Tata Motors’ ‘New Forever’ brand philosophy of continuously refreshing our portfolio, we are delighted to launch the iCNG avatar of the Tiago NRG. This newest addition to our range will offer our customers with the best of both worlds – a car that is the perfect companion for the Indian terrains and is packed with intelligent technology features for utmost comfort and convenience.

“We are confident that the NRG iCNG will uplift the existing flair of the Tiago NRG and will make it an even more compelling package. It will be India’s first Urban Toughroader CNG that is built for those who want to live life differently. Furthermore, the iCNG technology by Tata Motors has proven its efficiency and ease of use in our Tiago and Tigor lineup and with the Tiago NRG iCNG, we are furthering its superiority to our large customer base.”

Introduced in 2022, the iCNG technology by Tata Motors, with its four pillars of Incredible Performance, Iconic Safety, Intelligent Technology, and Impressive Features has witnessed an impressive response from customers. The Tiago NRG iCNG comes with the new ‘iCNG’ badging in the exteriors and is equipped with SUV design elements such as armoured front cladding, infinity black roof with roof rails, a muscular tailgate, satin skid plate, squircle wheel arches, and 14” Hyperstyle wheels.

The Tiago’s holistic portfolio, consisting of petrol, iCNG, and electric powertrains is an integral part of Tata Motors’ ‘New Forever’ range. Launched in 2016, Tata Motors has witnessed significant success with the Tiago and has sold Over 4.4 Lakh units since its launch.

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited Bags The Award For ‘Best Technical Paper’ At The Metering India Conference 2022

·       The award was presented for the technical paper titled ‘Smart Meter Data for Innovative Usage’

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power-DDL), a leading power utility supplying electricity to a populace of 7 million in North Delhi, bagged the Best Technical Paper Award for presenting its technical paper on ‘Smart Meter Data for Innovative Usage’ at the 9th International Seminar – Metering India 2022. The theme-based conference on 'Resilient Utilities & Empowered Consumer’ organised by IEEMA highlighted the fact that Indian utilities are witnessing a shift in their business process & use cases, like large-scale RE integration, distributed generation, ancillary services and e-mobility.

Tata Power-DDL’s ‘Smart Meter Data for Innovative Usage’ technical paper included details about technologies used in AMI and business cases related to Operations, Commercial, and Customer Engagement using smart meter data, that were created and implemented in a unique manner. The event witnessed participation from over 500 participants across different industries.

Technical papers pertaining to topics like AMI and Cyber Security, AMI - empowering stakeholders, Smart Metering journey towards Net Zero, Making utilities sustainable, Data Analytics & management etc. were discussed during the conference. These technical papers were evaluated by industry stalwarts from across different sectors.

Tata Power-DDL was one of the first power distribution companies in the country to install smart meters.

About Metering India:

Metering India, powered by IEEMA (Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers) is a biennial event organized in collaboration with various stakeholders in the electrical eco-system. This flagship seminar of Metering offers a platform for technologies in metering, renewable integration, energy efficiency enhancement, last mile connectivity, demand side management, smart devices and information technology to display their latest trends contributing towards sustainability.

About Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited:

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited is a joint venture between Tata Power and the Government of NCT of Delhi. Tata Power-DDL distributes electricity in North Delhi and serves a populace of 7 million. Tata Power-DDL has been a frontrunner in implementing power distribution reforms and is acknowledged for its consumer-friendly practices. Since privatization, the Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses in Tata Power-DDL areas have shown a record decline. Today, AT&C losses stand at 7% which is an unprecedented reduction of 87% from an opening loss level of 53% in July 2002. To learn more about Tata Power-DDL, visit www.tatapower-ddl.com