Manasi Tata Takes Over As The New Vice Chairperson Of Toyota Kirloskar Motor After Demise of Vikram Kirloskar

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced that Ms. Manasi Tata will take over as the new Vice Chairperson with immediate effect. Furthermore, Ms. Manasi will also take over as the Vice Chairperson of Toyota Kirloskar Auto parts (TKAP). The resolution passed in its board meeting, comes after the untimely demise of Late. Mr. Vikram S. Kirloskar, former Vice Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

Already serving as a member of the Board of Directors at Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited, Ms Manasi Tata is an integral part of TKM’s corporate decisions and strategic operations. Driven by a sense of passion and sharp business acumen, she has always been an active Board member while keenly supporting Mr. Kirloskar in his vision for TKM.

Congratulating and welcoming Ms. Manasi on the new position, Mr. Masakazu Yoshimura Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO), Toyota Kirloskar Motor said: “As a young business leader, Ms. Manasi Tata brings with her inclusive thinking and a people centric outlook that are critical in our pursuit of excellence across all areas. This, along with her sharp understanding of the Indian auto industry will further strengthen TKM’s commitment towards delivering ‘Mass Happiness to All’.”

Commenting on her new role, Ms. Manasi said “I’m excited to enrich my journey with Toyota Kirloskar Motor. I am confident that with my personal belief of putting people first we will continue to create the best value not only for customers but also for the entire system from suppliers to dealers.”

Deeply dedicated to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, Ms Manasi Tata is truly committed to take forward her father’s dream and vision of contributing towards accomplishing national goals and remains dedicated towards enriching the strong bond of Toyota and Kirloskar Partnership thus upholding its successful long-term business relations.

Ms Manasi Tata, a graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design in the US, is well conversant in Toyota manufacturing processes and with the Japanese work culture. A fifth-generation scion of the Kirloskar empire, Ms. Manasi holds art very close to her heart and her NGO, “Caring with Colour” leverages this passion of hers, works with Government schools in three districts of Karnataka.

Octanom Lunches Algorithm Powered Advisory Platform ‘HEDGED’ Along With India’s First Nifty Crash Meter

InvesTech startup, Octanom Tech, today announced the launch of its first machine powered platform – HEDGED – that will provide investment and trading solutions to retail investors powered by a combination of algorithms and Actual Interest (A.I.).

Many Indians would cite reasons like lack of knowledge on how to trade and invest, lack of time and the unpredictable nature of the stock markets as reasons to stay far away from equity.

These are the very gaps that Octanom Tech plans to bridge.

‘Hedged’ will give traders, hedged options trades powered by a combination of proprietary Algorithms. Its in-built Nifty crash meter – the only predictive tool of its kind – is designed to forecast the onset of a crash or an up-move before it happens and helps investors position their portfolios accordingly.

The platform also introduces a very unique investment type known as ‘Live Funds’; these are expert curated micro-sized investment funds with built-in hedges to protect investors’ wealth from market volatility. The app also offers ‘Hedged TV’ which is a trader and investor focused learning platform created by experienced traders. The objective of this initiative is to impart just the right amount of information and learning, tailored to remove the clutter found on the internet.

‘Hedged’ was conceptualized and created by a diverse group of hedging experts, PhD

statisticians, technical architects, seasoned investors and traders led by its Founder and CEO Rahul Ghose, an options trading savant who is also the former Head of MoneyFlix.com.

“More than 50% of Indians’ savings are tied up in bank deposits, which has a huge opportunity cost due to sub-optimal returns. India is a ripe market that is primed for a growth spurt and I think it’s about time that our people, our home-grown investors, become active participants and integral beneficiaries of this incredible growth story that is in the making,” said Rahul Ghose on the occasion of the launch of Hedged.

Fund managers and investment bankers have always had access to intelligent tech that can aid their decision-making process and Octanom plans to bring this tech to every retail trader and investor's fingertips.

The company plans to disrupt the online retail trading space with three similar revolutionary platforms over the next two years in India and in the US.

The Hedged app is now available for download on the Google Play Store and will be available on the Apple App store later this month.

About Octanom Tech Pvt Ltd

A technology firm involved in building platforms in the financial market space with the vision of being "India's largest retail movement" for traders and investors. 

Wabtec Announce Winners Of ‘Exceed’ College Campus Challenge

Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) announced today the winners of the company’s 2022-23 Exceed Campus Challenge in India.  The students presented original solutions they had devised for a range of technical challenges facing the rail industry and the most innovative among them were chosen as winners.

“The Exceed Campus Challenge is the ideal forum for cultivating tomorrow’s thinkers and doers,” said Sujatha Narayan, Senior Vice President and Regional Leader for Wabtec Corporation in India. “This year’s winners demonstrated the innovative spirit, dedication and passion necessary to be successful in the rail industry.”

The winning teams were:

Team Pastra from PES University, Bangalore who presented on ‘Artificial Intelligence for Safety in Industrial Sites’ were judged as the winners of the Exceed Campus Challenge. The 3-member team had Achal Shetty, Alokpunj Bagrodia and Mohit Venkatesh representing their college. The first runner up team, Team Psiphi, was the all women team from MKSSS Cummins College of Engineering, Pune who presented on ‘Onboard Bogie Condition Monitoring System’. The 4-member team was represented by Oorja Patil, Shruti Pawar, Swarali Savale and Vaishnavi Sutrave. The second runner up team, Team Quadsquad, was from PSG Tech, Coimbatore who presented on ‘Vision Enhancement solution for Loco Pilot during Fog, Rain and Curves’. The 4-member team had Hari Prakash R, Harita J, Bhavani K and Karan Jerolin representing their college.

These winners were among 149 teams with more than 500 students from 36 colleges across India participating in the challenge. Of the 149 teams, eight qualified for a final round and presented projects to the leadership at Wabtec India Technology and Engineering Centre in Bangalore. The top finalist won a total cash price of Rs.2.25 lakh.

“Our campus outreach program has been growing over the past couple of years,” said Anup Kumar Pal, Director of Human Resources for Wabtec Corporation India. “The Exceed Campus Challenge presents a unique opportunity for prospective employees to gain insight into the rail industry. It also provides exposure to our culture, labs and resources.”

Wabtec started seeking applications for the challenge in August 2022. The challenge was open from first year of Bachelor to final year of Ph.D. students. The challenge addressed topics such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, condition monitoring, vision enhancement, hydrogen-powered locomotive, and braking performance.

ReshaMandi Records ~3x Revenue Growth From FY22 To 9 Months In FY 2023

- The Company reached EBITDA profitability in Q3 of FY 22-23

-  Moving forward, it aims to expand internationally to Europe and the US

ReshaMandi – the largest farm-to-fashion digital ecosystem for natural fibres in India – recorded a 3x increase in revenues so far in FY 2022-23 at  ?1248.3 crores. While they aim to close FY23 at 5x revenue growth from last year, the Company reached EBITDA profitability in Q3 of FY 2022-23 and plans to become net profit positive in the next two quarters. 

Moving forward, it intends to grow internationally by entering the US and Europe. Besides its present offerings in silk, cotton, viscose and linen (both national and international), ReshaMandi aims at broadening its focus in natural fabrics to include materials such as wool, jute and blends while experimenting with categories such as sisal and banana. 

The Company’s revenue increased by 1,909% between FY2021 and FY2022 to  ?413.8 crores, and by 302% so far in the three quarters of FY 2022-23 to ?1248.3 crores. Going forward, ReshaMandi anticipates that 55% of future revenues (based on the revenue projections for the next 5 years) will come from weaves, while 25% will be from farms, and 20% from yarns.  ReshaMandi works?with 100,000+ farmers, 10,000+ reelers, 17,500+ weavers, and 18500+ retailers in the entire natural fibre supply chain  to improve productivity, boost their bottom line and eventually be instrumental in transforming the  quality of their lives. 

ReshaMandi’s Founder and CEO, Mayank Tiwari said, “ReshaMandi has had an extremely interesting journey since its inception in 2020. From farmers, reelers and weavers to retailers, mills, manufacturers, exporters, corporates, designers and end users, we have been able to serve a broad range of stakeholders, resulting in the creation of a cohesive ecosystem for the entire textile supply chain. The Company has reached EBITDA profitability since the previous quarter and we expect to become net profit positive within the next six months. ”  

Recently, ReshaMandi announced its entry in the Southeast Asian and MENA region with the goal of being a one-stop shop for all natural and recycled fabrics. It has supplied more than 15 million metres of natural fabric to more than 500 different entities including exporters, manufacturers of  traditional Indian fabrics, apparel, and home furnishings. Out of these 500, more than 200 are exporters who sell goods to globally recognised brands.

About ReshaMandi  

ReshaMandi is India’s first and largest farm-to-fashion digital ecosystem for the natural fibre supply  chain. The company began with a focus on silk and has diversified by adding other natural fibres to its  portfolio such as cotton, jute, coir and banana. ReshaMandi works?with 100,000+ farmers, 10,000+ reelers, 17,500+ weavers, and 18500+ retailers in the entire natural fibre supply chain  to improve productivity, boost their bottom line and eventually be instrumental in transforming the  quality of their lives.

ReshaMandi also has a  D2C  e-commerce platform weaves.reshamandi.com,  which caters to end consumers, bringing them exquisite sarees from different parts of India. Today  the company manages the entire ecosystem for all natural fibres catering to a diverse set of  stakeholders such as farmers, reelers and weavers on one side and retailers, mills, manufacturers,  exporters, corporates, designers and end consumers on the other. It is now serving the whole Indian natural fibres industry as a result of becoming the ecosystem's chosen sourcing partner for all of its stakeholders. With its recent debut into the Middle East, Europe, North and South America, and SouthEast Asia, it aims to become a one-stop destination for all natural and recycled  fabrics globally.  

59% Of Indian Businesses See Positive Connection Between Environmental Action And Profitability: SAP Study

* Data-driven insights are critical to value-led sustainability 

SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today launched new research revealing that Indian businesses are increasingly seeing financial benefits from sustainability. The global Environmental Sustainability Study of 6500+ business leaders, including 400 from India, is the second edition of SAP’s annual report which explores the motivations and barriers organisations face as they look to boost sustainability in their companies.

Environmental activism (45%) is the biggest motivating factor for organizations to take environmental action, with revenue and growth opportunities (34%) and customer demand (33%) trailing behind. Yet Indian organisations risk losing out if they are unable to place data at the heart of their sustainability strategy. 

"If India is to advance towards a more sustainable future, businesses must do their part and embrace sustainability as a holistic approach to get there," said Kulmeet Bawa, President & Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent. "It is clear sustainability is no longer about brand reputation or ethics - there is a defined connection between profit and purpose.”

Key findings from the study:

Linking sustainability goals with business strategy

37% of Indian businesses say a lack of environmental strategy is holding them back.

35% of respondents point towards difficulty proving a return on investment.

Embedding sustainability goals within larger business strategy, measuring, and recognizing progress will be crucial to success and driving long-term value.

Data is critical to drive meaningful change

31% of businesses rely solely on assumptions and estimates to assess the environmental impact of their supply chain.

46% of businesses say they don’t have complete visibility over the sustainability metrics of their external supply chain.

Collecting and analysing high-quality data has emerged as a critical issue and a major stumbling block in the measurement process.

Making sustainability profitable and profitability sustainable

59% of Indian leaders now believe that there is a positive relationship between environmental action and profitability.

Almost half (48%) of Indian businesses now believe addressing environmental issues will be material to business results within the next five years.

SAP found 76% of businesses said that their stakeholders would be moderately or highly tolerant of reduced profitability in pursuit of their organisation’s sustainability goals – indicating leeway to invest in positive sustainability outcomes.

Tata Motors Repositions Nexon EV Portfolio With Aggressive Pricing; Enhances Range Of MAX Variants To 453 Kms

* Passes benefits accrued with smart engineering and enhanced localization to customers

Key Highlights:

Nexon EV Range now repositioned to start at an attractive price of Rs. 14.49 lakh

Nexon EV MAX range repositioned to start at Rs. 16.49L with New feature packed, Nexon EV MAX XM variant.

Nexon EV MAX certified range enhanced to 453 kms, current users to avail enhancement through software update from February 15, 2023

Celebrating three years of the Nexon EV launch in India, Tata Motors, India’s leading automobile manufacturer today announced the repositioning of India’s #1 EV Nexon EV portfolio, with changes in pricing and enhanced range.

·       With insights gathered on driving and usage patterns, the range of the Nexon EV MAX variants have been enhanced to 453* km (MIDC), from January 25, 2023, onwards. This range enhancement will be offered to current Nexon EV MAX owners through a software upgrade, at dealerships, from February 15, 2023.

·       The Company today launched a feature packed Nexon EV MAX XM trim in the portfolio. At an attractive price of INR 16.49 lakh, this variant will come equipped with Electronic Parking Brake, Automatic Climate control, Electronic Stability Program (ESP ®) with i-VBAC, Projector Headlamps with LED DRLs and LED tail lamps, Push Button Start, Digital TFT Instrument Cluster, ZConnect Connected Car tech with Smartwatch Connectivity and Rear Disc Brakes. 

·       The top end trim, Nexon EV MAX XZ+ Lux has been repriced at INR 18.49 lakh. In addition to the features of the XM, it comes with Leatherette Seats with Ventilation, Wireless Smartphone Charger, Auto Dimming IRVM, Cabin Air Purifier, Electric Sunroof, 17.78 cm Floating Infotainment system by HARMAN with 8 speakers, 16-inch Alloy wheels, Hill Descent Control, Sharkfin Antenna etc.

·       Nexon EV Prime XM which comes with features like the Projector headlamps and LED DRLs, Push Button Start, Digital TFT Instrument Cluster, Cruise Control, ZConnect Connected Car tech with Smartwatch Connectivity, Harman infotainment system, Automatic climate control, has now been repositioned at INR 14.49 lakh.

Bookings for the entire Nexon EV Line-up is open immediately. Deliveries of the new variant, Nexon EV MAX XM will commence from April 2023 onwards. 

Commenting on the rejig in the Nexon EV portfolio, Mr. Vivek Srivatsa, Head- Marketing, Sales and Service Strategy, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., said, “India’s #1 EV, Nexon EV has completed its third successful year. It is loved and trusted by over 40,000 customers and it has been driven over 600 million kilometres. On this occasion, we are committed to making sustainable transportation accessible to everyone, and this repositioning is a big step in that direction. Our smart engineering and government incentives have allowed us to achieve this disruption, maintaining the same high level of quality and service, our customers expect from us. With this, we are confident that more and more customers will make the switch to e-mobility."

Through the implementation of cutting-edge technology and innovative engineering techniques, Tata Motors has been able to streamline production processes and increase efficiency. In addition, due to localisation, the company has been able to take advantage of Government Production Linked incentives schemes designed to promote the adoption of sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation. These initiatives have resulted in cost savings, which have been passed on to customers in the form of price reduction.

Powered by the high voltage state-of-the-art ZIPTRON technology, the Nexon EV comes with IP67 rated weather-proof and dust proof battery pack and motor comes with a warranty of 8 years or 160,000 km, offering complete peace of mind. Key features like DC fast charging, 4-Level Multi-Mode Regen, Customizable Single Pedal Driving, ZConnect Connected Car Technology as standard, Cruise Control, Fully Automatic Climate Control, i-TPMS, Leatherette seats and Branded Infotainment system by HARMAN are offered across the line-up.

Tata Motors continuously analyses data points on driving behaviour to optimize features and range both for new and current customers. To further support faster adoption, the Company is also committed to building a comprehensive charging infrastructure and providing exceptional customer service to support EV owners.

ECOVACS Robotics Unveils Exciting Deals Around Republic Day

~Customers can avail excellent discounts on best selling products like DEEBOT N8 and DEEBOT N8 PRO along with DEEBOT OZMO T8~

Making life simpler with their efficient and feature-packed robotic vacuum cleaners, ECOVACS Robotics, a leader in home service robotics is set to delight customers with special offers across few of their most renowned products as part of the Republic Day Sale. 

The sale will be live from 16th - 22nd January on Amazon, Croma Stores and from 21st - 26th January in retail outlets. 

Best-selling products of ECOVACS namely DEEBOT N8 and DEEBOT N8 PRO along with DEEBOT OZMO T8 are available at attractive prices in retail outlets as well as selective online marketplaces.

Fulfilling all your home cleaning responsibilities expeditiously, the DEEBOT N8 is equipped with advanced features like the TrueMapping technology, which maps your home with 2x coverage and 4x accuracy. The high suction power of 2300pa helps eliminate the tiniest of dust particles from your home ensuring thorough cleaning. Vacuuming and mopping simultaneously with utmost precision saves time and makes the DEEBOT N8 a great buy at Rs 23,900 as part of the Republic Day sale to ease your home responsibilities. The vacuum cleaner is also compatible with an Auto-Empty station which automatically releases its dustbin, liberating you from the hassle for up to 30 days.

The ultra-modern and sophisticated DEEBOT N8 PRO with TrueDetect 3D technology, ensures seamless and in-depth cleaning without any collisions. TrueMapping with dTOF (Direct time to flight) laser detection technology helps map a home with 2x coverage and 4x accuracy and the dTOF laser detection has four-fold precision to detect objects, making home cleaning a breeze. Multi-floor mapping enables you to create and save multiple maps for different levels of your house and assign your DEEBOT N8 PRO to clean a specific area. Being compatible with an Auto-Empty Station acts as an added advantage, where the vacuum cleaner empties the dustbin automatically. The OZMO™ vacuuming and mopping in one go, reduces cleaning time significantly and ensures exhaustive cleaning. Smart home device compatibility allows hands-free control of the device. The DEEBOT N8 PRO will be available at an attractive price of Rs 28,900 as part of the Republic Day sale.