Kotak Silk Unveils “Meri Udaan, Meri Pehchaan” Sculpture At GIFT City To Commemorate International Women’s Day

* The sculpture salutes the Spirit of the ‘Aatmanirbhar’ Indian Women taking flight and creating their own identity

Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. ("KMBL" / "Kotak"), today unveiled a specially commissioned sculpture at GIFT City, ahead of International Women’s Day on 8th March. Titled "Meri Udaan, Meri Pehchaan”, the 21-feet high sculpture salutes the indomitable spirit of the Aatmanirbhar Indian Women and aims to inspire women across the country.

The especially curated, traveling sculpture designed by artist Shaila Nambiar, is a tribute to Indian women who are confidently taking charge of their finances and moving towards financial freedom. The red cape flowing from her shoulders, inspired by the Infinity symbol in Kotak’s identity, symbolises her superpower; her strength and resilience.

The unique traveling sculpture was unveiled in Gurugram last year. This year, she has travelled to GIFT City, near Ahmedabad.

At an event organised in GIFT City, “Meri Udaan, Meri Pehchaan” the sculpture was unveiled by chief guests Ms. Mona Khandhar, Principal Secretary (Economic Affairs), Finance Department, Govt of Gujarat; Dr. Indira Parikh, President – Antardisha, Founder – President, FLAME University and Former Dean, IIM A; Dr. Rachana Gemawat, Chairperson – FICCI FLO, Ahmedabad Chapter; as well as Dr. Rajul Gujjar, Principal – LD Engineering college, Ahmedabad, along with Ms. Shanti Ekambaram, Whole-time Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. Senior Leaders from the Bank, Kotak customers, key women leaders from various organizations also graced the occasion with their presence.

"Today's women are truly inspiring, embodying the spirit of independence and resilience as they create their own identities and break barriers to fulfil their aspirations,” said Ms. Shanti Ekambaram, Whole-time Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. “As evident in EPFO data, more and more women are joining the workforce, paving the way for their financial independence. #MeriUdaan, Meri Pehchaan by #KotakSilk salutes these women. As we soon approach the International Women’s day, I urge more and more women to pursue the journey of financial freedom. Reach out for the stars and be in control of your own finances.”

As part of the #MeriUdaan by #KotakSilk campaign, Kotak Mahindra Bank will run exclusive offers for its Silk customers throughout the month of March, with special offers on a range of popular brands.

Kotak Silk is Kotak Mahindra Bank’s exclusive banking programme designed to partner women in their journey towards financial independence and help them Save, Invest, Protect as well as Indulge. It offers women special pricing on safe-deposit Lockers, Gold Loan, Two-Wheeler Loan, Personal Loan & Car Loan, exclusive offers on Nykaa, Urban Company and rewards on Debit card Spends. Kotak silk endeavours to help women customers master the art of personal finance with @silk.moneymatters, an Instagram community for women. The product also offers a dedicated query resolution desk especially for women.

Kotak Silk Unveils “Meri Udaan, Meri Pehchaan” Sculpture at GIFT City video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvBPVwmjkK8

About Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited

Established in 1985, Kotak Mahindra Group is one of India's leading financial services conglomerates. In February 2003, Kotak Mahindra Finance Ltd. (KMFL), the Group's flagship company, received banking license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), becoming the first non-banking finance company in India to convert into a bank - Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.

The Bank has four Strategic Business Units – Consumer Banking, Corporate Banking, Commercial Banking and Treasury, which cater to retail and corporate customers across urban and rural India. The premise of Kotak Mahindra Group’s business model is concentrated India, diversified financial services. The bold vision that underscores the Group’s growth is an inclusive one, with a host of products and services designed to address the needs of the unbanked and insufficiently banked. As on 31st December, 2022, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd has a national footprint of 1,752 branches and 2,814 ATMs, and branches in GIFT City and DIFC (Dubai).For more information,  visit the company’s website at https://www.kotak.com/.

ETF Junction Unveils Platform To Tap INR 5 Lakh Crore ETF Across Indian Market

National: Industry veterans Sandeep Mishra, Saket Kumar along with their technology partner Abhishek Swarup launched ETF Junction, India's first Fintech platform dedicated to Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). ETF Junction aims to create a complete ecosystem involving Mutual Funds, Investors, Advisors & Influencers/experts and help retail investors to expand their investment horizon to Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). 

Through the platform, investors can now access 9500+ Indian & International ETFs, more than 660 Global ETF Issuers, 165 Global Stock Exchanges and a 10 trillion USD Global AUM using industry-first tools. AI powers ETF Junction's intelligent algorithm to bring new investors to the ETF ecosystem with relevant news, articles, and research; exclusive to requirements & preferences. The platform has signed up with Asset Management Companies to create awareness campaigns for educating investors on the benefits of ETFs. It addresses the underlying challenge of lack of infrastructure and awareness about Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) beyond traditional Mutual Funds.

The platform intends to create an ETF-exclusive investment community where investors can share their investment thoughts and concerns, engage with peers and learn all about ETFs from experts and verified influencers. The ETF with its vast diversified offerings stands as a great investment avenue for both new -age as well as traditional investors.

Sandeep Mishra, Co-Founder of ETF Junction, said, “The ETF market in India is worth 5 lakh crores at the moment, compared to the approximately 40-42 lakh crore Mutual fund market. ETF Junction aims to educate the general public about how an ETF can offer lower operating costs than traditional open-end funds, flexible trading, and greater transparency.”

He adds, “ETFs have demonstrated an annual growth of 22% in the last 10 years in the international markets. Currently the global ETF market size is approx. 10 trillion USD and is expected to touch 20 trillion dollars by 2026. We foresee a similar trend in India within the next 3-5 years. ETF Junction aims to become a one-stop solution for everything ETF and gradually help approx. 3.5 crore MF retail investors and 10.8 cr demat account holders to expand their investment horizon to Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). Currently, 30 lakh investors are investing in ETFs, our aim is to tap the first timer ETF investors, get in more folios from the mutual fund investors and gradually try for a pie from the stock investors. We are targeting to achieve at least 10% market share within 2 years.”

SEBI has introduced new guidelines to make the ecosystem viable for investors and foster more ETF transactions on exchanges. The regulation changes effectively addressed improving the liquidity, tracking error limits and limiting disclosures for exchange traded funds (ETFs) and index funds. Since the implementation of these regulations in May 2022, exchanges have witnessed a substantial increase in trading from retail investors. The primary bottleneck to the growth of the ETF industry in India remains the need for proper infrastructure and the absence of awareness amongst investors. 

Chintan Haria, Head- Investment Strategy, ICICI Prudential Asset Management, said “India’s evaluation as a non-financial saving country to becoming a financial saving showcases the growth in investment avenues from insurance, fixed income sources. ETFs are the extension of opportunities for investors. New age solutions like ETF Junction are further helping for higher penetration and inching towards financial inclusion by educating and providing experts access to retail investors. With 20+ ETFs products launched in the last 2 years and increase in distribution along with regulators' move enabling mutual funds to incentivise market makers has created a strong foundation for the equity market to grow at a greater height.”

During the last 5 years, passive funds AUM in India has increased from ?52,368 crores on 31 March 2017 to Rs. 4,99,319 crores on 31 March 2022 (annualized growth rate of 57%). During this period, the number of passive funds available in India has also grown from 84 in March 2017 to 228 in March 2022.

About ETF Junction: 

ETF Junction is India’s first platform dedicated to Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). It is a fintech platform operated by Financial Basket Capital Pvt. Ltd. (“ETF Junction/Platform”). ETF Junction provides a daily dose of news, analysis and all the latest happenings in the Indian and International ETF arena. The information is curated from the best global finance majors like Morning Star and Money Control.

Tata Hitachi Inaugurates A New CED Painting Line At The Dharwad Plant And strengthens Manufacturing Facility In Karnataka

Tata Hitachi, a leading provider of construction and mining equipment, has installed and commissioned a new, state-of-the-art Cathode Electro Deposition(CED) Paint shop at its Dharwad plant. The new CED paint shop will be beneficial in providing superior paint performance with high colour retention and excellent corrosion and wear resistance properties.

The Paint shop was inaugurated by Shri Pralhad Joshi, Hon’ble Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Government of India. In the presence of Mr. Yusuke Kajita, President-Construction Business Unit, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Japan, and Mr. Sandeep Singh, Managing Director, Tata Hitachi.

CED is environmentally friendly and is the most advanced technology that is being used in the industry. This new CED paint shop is a testament to Tata Hitachi’s commitment to continuous improvement of quality and processes. Also, to the company’s quest in providing best-in-class Construction Equipment to Indian customers as well as cater to global markets.

“We are very pleased to commission and inaugurate the new state-of-the-art CED Paint shop at our Dharwad facility. The CED paint shop promises to provide superior quality and better paint performance while being sustainable.  It comes at an investment of Rs. 60 Crores and is a part of our plan to increase our production capacity to meet future demands and reaffirm our commitment to providing high-quality machines to customers. With this we also reinforce our pledge towards ‘atmanirbharta’ and our larger goal of nation-building” said Mr. Sandeep Singh, Managing Director, Tata Hitachi.

For any further details, visit our website www.tatahitachi.co.in

About Tata Hitachi: Tata Hitachi, one of India’s leading construction machinery companies and largest Hydraulic Excavator company, is a joint venture between Tata Motors and Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM). The partnership with HCM commenced in 1984 and is today one of the longest-standing JVs in the industry. The company has a manufacturing presence in Dharwad and Kharagpur and over 250 customer-facing touchpoints spread across the country.

Set up in 1961 as the Construction Equipment Business Unit of Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO), today, the company boasts a diverse portfolio of Mini Excavators, Construction Excavators, Mining Excavators, Backhoe Loaders, Wheel Loaders, and Dump Trucks, apart from a wide range of Attachments, Parts, and expert Service solutions.

Tata Hitachi is a leader in providing world-class construction equipment to address India’s Infrastructure and Mining needs.

The Only Global Sports – Win Upto 50 Million Through Its Fun Engaging Games

Wolf777 has come out with a Revolutionary Gaming Platform that now offers exciting opportunities to Cricket Fans. A new set of entertainment options for the players to enjoy & keep themselves entertained has been launched by Wolf777.

Undeniably, the game of Cricket is one of the most popular & favorite amongst sports lovers. For those who enjoy watching cricket matches and have a knack for making accurate predictions, here is Wolf777 offering you a chance to win up to 50 Million through its new addition to the list of fun engaging games. Introducing Lottery By Wolf777. This game of Lottery is one of a kind as it’s the only sports-based Lottery game that is loved globally. Being an online gaming platform, this game can be played at your own convenient place & time and the most adorable part is that it offers a variety of lotteries for the players to choose from.

It is a 100 percent safe & secure platform to play on, as there is no scope for manipulating the results. Whatever happens, it happens in front of the player. One can actually watch the live draw taking place and this is what makes it more exciting.

The platform allows cricket enthusiasts to participate in a lottery-based game with an entry fee starting from the bare minimum amount.

As regards its operation, this platform is very simple and straightforward where one can make one's own lottery number and there is an option to even select your number randomly while enjoying your cricket match with the excitement of every run scored. 

Runs at important intervals to create your lottery number and keep you glued to your screen or site where you can watch the match Live. If the actual subsequent numbers match your predicted Lottery number, the participants win the prize money.

"Wolf777 is a very trustworthy gaming platform that credits the winning prize money into the winner's account within a few minutes, making it reliable for every user playing on it. Wolf777 also provides 24x7 customer service & support for the players," stated the company official further adding, "The game not only offers an innovative way to participate in cricket matches but also a chance to win exciting prizes."

The low entry fee and the simple rules make it accessible to everyone, even a first-time player. With Wolf777, anyone can stand a chance to win prizes by making accurate predictions.

In conclusion, Wolf777 is a revolutionary gaming platform that offers cricket fans an exciting opportunity to participate in matches and win prizes. With a chance to win up to 50 Million, the game is easy to play, simple to understand, and accessible to all.

Sign up now and try your luck with Wolf777!

Disclaimer: The game on Wolf777 involves an element of financial risk and may be addictive. Please play responsibly at your own risk. Wolf777 promotes responsible gaming practices and encourages participants to set limits on their gaming activities to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

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NSDCI, Pearson Partner To Aid Workforce Skills Enhancement In India

National Skill Development Corporation International (NSDCI) and the world’s leading learning company, Pearson have entered a partnership to promote Pearson’s globally successful programs called Business Technology and Education Council (BTEC) among its education partners and affiliates in India. This collaboration has been initiated to catalyze the adoption of academic and vocational qualifications that are recognized by education ministries and employers globally.

NSDC International will support Pearson to generate awareness about their BTEC programs within its ecosystem, further helping in increasing outreach through its Skilling Audience across 11,000+ Training Centers, 750 PMKK (Centers of Excellence) and 13,000+ Schools /Universities/academic institutes, across 700+ districts of India.

Lauding the partnership, Dr. Maneesh Mishra, Executive Vice President-Strategy, NSDC, said, “In today's dynamic business environment, the growth of our economy is dependent on students; therefore, skill-based training is essential. Our partnership with Pearson is more exciting given the success rate of the Business Technology and Education Council globally. Together, we will strengthen the learning provided in vocational courses. These courses will prepare them to apply the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that employers and universities will seek in the next generation. We are hopeful that the fusion of the university curriculum and vocational courses will offer the finest learning infrastructure for our leaders.”

Speaking about the association, Jane Baker, Vice President, Workforce Skills at Pearson said "We are proud of the partnership between Pearson and NSDC International, which will support young learners to access globally recognized career focused TVET qualifications from Pearson. Together, we shall support thousands of learners to grow in their future.”

She added, “India has a vast working demographic that is rapidly making its mark on the global stage. Pearson India works towards bridging the gap between industry demand and skilled talent supply by enabling this demographic to access opportunities to enhance workforce skills, to reskill and to upskill. Our BTEC courses are helping provide digital solutions for employee training and vocational skilling, particularly for in-demand careers. Alongside this, Pearson provides a digital platform for businesses to test candidates on their verified skills and facilitate better decision-making. Our partnership with NSDC International will help to further bridge these gaps while enhancing the caliber of India’s vibrant workforce”

Pearson BTEC offers high-quality, career-focused programs that are co-created with industry and academia and are acknowledged by 100+ professional bodies globally. The Pearson BTEC qualifications are robust and highly relevant as they ensure seamless progression to a student’s undergraduate degree journey and into skill development. BTEC qualifications are developed in cooperation with the relevant Sector Skills Council of UK (SSC), ensuring they meet the needs of employers. BTEC courses, which started in the UK, are now taken in more than 50 countries by 1 million learners ranging from senior secondary education to Degree equivalent. They are vocational and work-related courses, designed to accommodate the needs of employers, further enhancing a student’s skills and knowledge to progress in their careers.

BTEC offers a wide range of courses and career options across diverse fields such as Business, Engineering, Media, Art and Design, Health and Social Care, Digital Technology, Cloud Computing, IT, Hospitality among others.

About NSDC International:

National Skill Development Council International (NSDCI) is a not-for-profit public limited company, that aims to promote skill development by catalyzing the creation of large, quality and for-profit vocational institutions. Further, the organization provides funding to build scalable and profitable vocational training initiatives. Its mandate is also to enable support system which focuses on quality assurance, information systems and train the trainer academies either directly or through partnerships. NSDCI acts as a catalyst in skill development by providing funding to enterprises, companies and organizations that provide skill training. It also develops appropriate models to enhance, support and coordinate private sector initiatives.

About Pearson India:

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to add life to a lifetime of learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That’s why our c.20,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world’s leading learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn’t just what we do. It’s who we are. Visit us at www.pearsonplc.com

Nexon EV Makes A Landmark Entry Into India Book Of Records For The ‘Fastest’ K2K Drive By An EV

* Powered by an enhanced range of 453kms, the entire drive was successfully completed with the help of a robust Public Fast Charging Infrastructure

* Creates 23 additional records on the go

Tata Motors, India’s leading automobile manufacturer and the pioneer of the EV evolution in India, today proudly announced that India’s most trusted and driven EV – the Nexon EV has successfully entered the India Book of Records by covering the ‘Fastest’ Kashmir to Kanyakumari drive by an EV.

The Nexon EV – India’s number one electric vehicle completed the drive of 4003kms in just 95 hours and 46 minutes (under 4 days), successfully proving its ability to undertake multi-city trips. Furthermore, this non-stop drive was also possible because of the enhanced uninterrupted Public Charging network present on the Indian Highways. Having spent a total of 28 hours resulting in only 21 stops for fast charging throughout the trip, the Nexon EV not only saved up on time in the completion of the total trip but also saved up a considerable amount on the cost when compared to an ICE vehicle.

During the drive, the Nexon EV, which was driven just like any other car across challenging terrains and extreme weather conditions, delivered an average real-world range of 300+kms with ease. This beautiful drive was also enjoyed by the company’s very own leadership team, who drove the Nexon EV along the landscapes of India. In addition to the ‘Fastest’ K2K drive by an EV record, the Nexon EV has created 23 additional records*.

Commenting on this remarkable achievement, Mr. Shailesh Chandra, MD, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., said, “The Nexon EV has further validated its capabilities by entering the Indian Book of Records, for the fastest K2K drive by an EV. This achievement is a testament of the enormous competency of the product and the availability of a healthy charging infrastructure across the country – further bolstered by Tata Power’s presence across the country. There was a fast charging station at regular intervals, between 75kms -100kms, which itself is a great feat for India’s EV ecosystem.

This drive has been special for us, as my colleagues and I ventured onto something like this for the very first time – driving 4003 kms through the length of the country, in the shortest recorded duration by an EV yet. The aim here was to showcase that our customers can confidently plan long journeys with the Nexon EVs enhanced range in addition to the ever-growing charging infrastructure. I am positive that this K2K drive will inspire more customers to adopt EVs and evolve to electric.”

To know more about Nexon EV, call your nearest dealership or visit https://nexonev.tatamotors.com.

ICICI Bank Launches Digital Solutions For Participants of Capital Market And Custody Services

·         Offers ‘3-in-1’ account for stock brokers and their clients digitally

·         Enables first-of-its-kind digital opening of savings account and demat account for PMS clients

·         Provides digital onboarding platform for FPIs/ FDIs

ICICI Bank today announced the launch of an array of digital solutions for participants of the capital market and clients of custody services. The solutions enable various participants in the sector including stock brokers, Portfolio Management Service (PMS) providers, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs), Foreign Direct Investors (FDIs), and Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) to seamlessly meet all their banking requirements. The Bank has launched these solutions to offer expeditious onboarding and convenience to all participants of the Indian capital market which has seen significant growth in the last few years.

The newly launched ‘3-in-1’ account enables the clients of stock brokers to digitally open online trading, demat and savings account in a few hours from anywhere across the country. The facility empowers stock brokers to integrate their trading and depository systems with the Bank through API, providing them with the advantage of real time information on availability of investor funds.

The Bank has also enabled providers of PMS services to digitally open savings account and demat account in a single working day, significantly reducing onboarding and activation time.

Additionally, the Bank has launched a digital platform for onboarding and registration of FPIs/FDIs from any country across the globe. The platform helps FPIs/FDIs to upload documents and information seamlessly for pre-verification, thereby paring the registration and onboarding time down to a few days.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Sumit Sanghai, Head- Large Clients Group, ICICI Bank said, “Indian capital market has witnessed significant growth over the last few years which can be gauged from the increase in number of demat accounts, rise in AUM of the mutual fund industry and surge in capital flows into the country. The market capitalisation of listed Indian corporates has increased from ~ INR 148 trillion to ~ INR 257 trillion over last five years. We believe that the market will continue to experience robust growth and provide impetus to India’s journey towards becoming a USD 5 trillion economy by 2025. The digital set of solutions launched by the Bank will help the participants of the capital market and custody services meet regulatory requirements, significantly decongest manual processes, thereby improving their operational efficiency and scalability in business.”

The key services and offerings of the digital solutions for entities in Capital Markets and Custody Services:

·         ‘3-in-1’ account facility for stock brokers and clients: The facility enables investors to open a demat, savings bank and trading account simultaneously in a completely digital manner, within a few hours. This facility enables the investors to simply block funds in the account towards a particular transaction, instead of transferring the funds to the brokers. This gives the investors the flexibility to pay only when the trades are executed. Additionally, the brokers can integrate their systems with the Bank to get real-time information on availability of investors’ funds.

·         Digital account opening for PMS clients: As a custodian, the Bank offers first-of-its-kind solution to open digital demat and bank account for end clients of PMS. The account is opened with a simple digital journey in a single day as against the physical account opening process which takes 7 to 10 days.

·         Digital on-boarding and pre-verification of FPI/FDI clients: The Bank offers state-of-the-art digital platform for onboarding of FPIs/FDIs. The digital process does away with longer turn-around time required for dealing with multiple time zones. The clients can fill the application form online and upload the supporting KYC documents such as Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum of Association, Regulatory Licenses, etc. for pre-verification process. Once queries, if any, are resolved through the interactive query resolution mechanism on the platform, the clients are required to send the physical documents to the Bank, as required by the regulator. The digital process simplifies the on-boarding journey and reduces the time taken to open custody account, to a few days from the industry practice of 2 to 3 weeks and eliminates exchange of documents over email.

·         Self-service portal: The Bank offers a self-service portal to clients of Custody Services including PMS, AIF and Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) that provides 24*7 digital access to custody holdings, transactions and various reports through ‘Web Custody’, a new feature of Corporate Internet Banking. The Bank also provides access to ‘E-Protector’ application, a digital dashboard for real time monitoring of margin utilisation, margin per script and authorisation of trades for clients availing derivative clearing services.

·         Value added services for AIFs: The Bank offers solutions to AIFs including services such as fund accounting, forex, escrow arrangement, digital collection and payment solutions. The Bank’s latest fund accounting software has the capability to manage all asset classes including regulatory reporting apart from web based access to AIF and its investors. The Bank also extends customised escrow services for diverse requirements of AIF portfolio companies such as share purchase agreement, share buyback, merger, demat escrow, RERA accounts and credit linked arrangements.

·         Digital collection solutions: The Bank offers customised solutions to collect funds and margin money from investors. The list of collection solutions include digital channels such as e-collections, e-mandates, e-NACH and UPI interfaces. These channels are integrated with the client’s systems through state-of-the-art APIs. It helps them for automated reconciliations and efficient cash flow management.

·         Digital payment solutions: The Bank offers tailor-made solutions to participants of capital market and custody services to carry out various payments such as exchange pay-in, investor payment, expense payment to vendors and statutory payout. The participants can directly integrate with the Bank’s systems and UPI stack, and embed the payment solutions within their ERP systems. This can be done with API integration with the Bank in a secured and speedy manner. The integration helps the participants with real time status update, faster credits and automated reconciliation and validations with the client systems.

To know more about the digital solutions for capital markets and custody services, visit https://www.icicibank.com/ms/corporate/icicibankstack/Capital_Market.html

or write to capitalmarket@icicibank.com

For news and updates, visit www.icicibank.com and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ICICIBank