Dalmia Bharat Launches ‘Homemaker’ - An Inspiring Digital Campaign Celebrating International Women’s Day

Encourages Indian women to join as the ‘homemaker’ of the construction industry  

Links: YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,Instagram 

Dalmia Bharat Limited, leading Indian cement company, launched a thought-provoking digital campaign called ‘Homemaker’ commemorating International Women’s Day. The Indian construction and real estate sector employ around 57 million workers, out of which only 12% or 7 million are women. No more than 1.4% are engaged in technical and managerial roles as architects, civil engineers, supervisor etc and less than 2% in leadership positions. Emphasizing the disparity and gender-ratio gap in this sector, Dalmia Bharat is pioneering the initiative to encourage women across India to join the construction industry in crucial roles.  

The online campaign centres around a play on the word ‘Homemaker’ and the difference between its literal and conventional meaning. Normally the word ‘Homemaker’ is associated with stay-at-home mothers or housewives. However, the campaign focuses on interpreting the word literally to mean someone who builds homes. Through this campaign, Dalmia Bharat aims to highlight the gender ratio skew in the business and wants to lead the change in perception, showcasing women as equally skilled members of this fraternity.  

The digital campaign will be activated through a series of teasers, testimonials, and a short film. Tagged as Because I'm that woman who chooses to be a #homemaker, the short film showcases how women in the construction industry are building their own destiny while encountering constant stereotypes. Initially it will seem that a woman is being portrayed as a homemaker, but there will be a twist towards the end showing her as the actual engineer, contractor, architect of homes - the actual 'homemaker'.  Targeted at Tier I and Tier II audience, the Women’s Day campaign will aim to reach out to a larger talent pool, potential employees, and educational institutes. The campaign will run across six key digital platforms – LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and WhatsApp till March 2023. 

Commenting on the marketing campaign, DBL spokesperson said, “Traditionally, the construction industry is a male dominated field and only 12% women are part of this workforce in India. It remains an uncommon choice for women professionally due to the typecast and lack of opportunities. On Women’s Day we want to amplify our intent for the need to bring about a paradigm shift in this industry. We hope the campaign can sensitize and encourage women to explore and consider opportunities in our industry and company.” 

Honda Cars India Launches “New City And New City e:HEV” In India

Highlights

Revolutionizes Safe Driving experience with Advanced Driver Assist System ‘Honda Sensing’ 

New Front Grille, newly designed Front and Rear bumper & Alloy wheels offer an enhanced sporty style to the New City 

Introduction of cutting-edge Honda Sensing technology in New City (Petrol) along with standard application in New City e:HEV  

Obsidian Blue Pearl, a brand-new addition to Honda's fascinating distinctive colour palette 

New features – Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Wireless Charger, Rain Sensing Auto Wiper, PM 2.5 Cabin Airfilter 

Expansion of City e:HEV variant line-up with addition of New ‘V’ grade along with top end ZX grade  

Introduction of new SV grade in City (Petrol) along with existing V, VX and ZX variants 

BS-6 RDE compliant on E5 Fuel 

E20 material compatible.  

Honda Cars India Ltd, a leading manufacturer of premium cars in India launched the “New City (Petrol) and New City e:HEV” in the Indian market with sporty exterior styling, elegant interior enhancements and introduction of new features for advanced safety, connectivity and convenience. Both the models are BS-6 RDE compliant on E5 fuel and E20 material compatible. 

Commenting on the launch of the New Honda City, Mr Takuya Tsumura, President & CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd. said “Honda City has been our strongest pillar of business, defining the mid-size sedan segment in India and has achieved immense success during its 25-year glorious legacy.  With India as the lead market for the model, we are excited to introduce the New City with sportier new look and enhanced new features for advanced safety, connectivity and convenience. We are confident that our esteemed customers who are increasingly prioritising Safety and Eco-friendliness in their vehicle choice will appreciate the New City.  The expansion of Honda Sensing application in New City Petrol line-up and new grade introduction for City e:HEV is aligned with Honda’s global vision to promote safety, environment friendly and fuel-efficient vehicles that meet the changing needs and preferences of today's consumers.”  

The new City gets sporty and stylish new looks with a New Sporty Front Grille with Diamond chequered flag pattern, newly designed Front Bumper with Carbon wrapped Lower Molding, Sporty Fog Lamp Garnish, New Rear Bumper with Sporty Carbon-Wrapped Diffuser, Body coloured Sporty Trunk Lip Spoiler and newly designed R16 Dual-Tone Diamond-Cut Multi-Spoke Alloy Wheels. A brand-new addition to the New City's fascinating and distinctive colour palette is the Obsidian Blue Pearl colour.  

 In line with Honda’s Global Safety Vision to strive for Zero Collision Fatalities involving Honda vehicles by 2050, the New City (Petrol) now comes with Honda Sensing – an advanced driver assist safety technology that alerts the driver to minimize risk of accidents and in some cases intervene to mitigate a collision or lessen its severity. The City e:HEV which already comes with Honda Sensing, will have additional feature of "Low-Speed Follow" in Adaptive Cruise Control function that helps to maintain safe distance from the preceding vehicle while driving at low speeds/ stop and go traffic. Another new feature ‘Lead Car Departure Notification System’ has been added in Honda Sensing suite of safety features in both City (petrol) and City e:HEV that informs the driver with visual and audible alerts when the preceding vehicle starts moving in situations like Traffic Lights junctions.   

The Honda Sensing uses a high-performance front camera with a wide-angle, far-reaching detection system to scan the road ahead and alert the driver to minimize risk of accidents and offer a safer driving experience. Honda Sensing signature safety features include 

o   Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) 

o   Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow* (*New Introduction in City e:HEV) 

o   Road Departure Mitigation System 

o   Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS) 

o   Lead Car Departure Notification System (New) 

o   Auto High-Beam 

The interior of the New City packs a plush, premium and spacious cabin with Two-Tone Beige & Black Interiors in Petrol variants and Luxurious Two-Tone Ivory & Black Interior Colour Theme in City e:HEV. Introduction of new advanced connectivity features like Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Improved Infotainment System with new background & colours, Remote control operation via Smart Phone Application, Improved Rear Camera, Wireless Charger, Rain Sensing Auto Wiper add to the appeal and convenience for the customers. Feeling of luxury in the cabin at night has been further enhanced with Ambient Lighting introduced in Front Door Inner Handle and Front Door pockets. The brightness can be adjusted through the meter illumination control switch, or turned off upon users’ requirements. The City e:HEV gets a new Carbon Fibre pattern Instrument Panel Assistant side Garnish Finish, Piano Black Surround Finish on All AC Vents and Piano Black Garnish on Steering Wheel. 

The company has expanded the City e:HEV range with a new ‘V’ grade in addition to the existing top grade ‘ZX’ to provide customers with more choice and experience of this advanced self-charging strong hybrid electric technology. The New City (Petrol) will also have a new entry ‘SV’ grade for wider set of customers looking to upgrade to the City brand. 

The New City (Petrol) comes with 1.5L i-VTEC DOHC engine with Variable Timing Control (VTC) to deliver high fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and spirited driving performance. This high-performance engine delivers 89 kw (121PS) @6600 rpm power and 145 Nm@4300 rpm torque, with quicker torque increase at lower engine speed. It has been mated to a 6-speed Manual Transmission and 7- speed CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) offering impressive fuel efficiency of 17.8 kmpl and 18.4 kmpl respectively*. 

The New City e:HEV features Honda’s unique self-charging and highly efficient Two motor e-CVT hybrid system connected to a smooth 1.5-litre Atkinson-Cycle DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine, Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) with advanced Lithium-ion Battery and an Engine linked direct coupling Clutch. The e:HEV electric-hybrid system uses three driving modes - EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive, along with Regeneration mode during deceleration. A clever Power Control Unit ensures harmony between the various system components to provide an energetic response, seamlessly and automatically switching between three modes based on various driving situations.  

The City e:HEV harnesses any electrical energy through braking and self-charges the Lithium Ion battery pack with no need to manually charge the battery. The Deceleration Selector lets the driver change the deceleration to 3 levels without stepping on brake pedal while still maintaining good vehicle control and fuel efficiency. This strong hybrid electric system produces System Combined Max Power of 126 PS, Outstanding Fuel Efficiency of 27.13 km/l and Maximum motor torque of 253 Nm @ 0 - 3,000 rpm*. With the Electric Servo Brake, Electric Regenerative Braking in New City e:HEV combines with Hydraulic Braking to bring the vehicle to a quick stop, while self-charging the Lithium-Ion battery pack. 

The New City features host of advanced equipment including 20.3 cm Advanced Touchscreen Display Audio which connects with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Web Link smart connectivity, 8 speakers premium surround sound system, One- Touch Electric Sunroof, Ambient Lighting and LED Interior Lamps, Steering Mounted Paddle Shifters for CVT. A 17.7cm HD full color TFT meter with Multi-function driver information interface offer Honda Sensing support, various other alerts/ warnings, G-meter, Digital Speed, Cruise Control display and Power flow meters (in case of e:HEV). An easy to operate Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold that engages parking brake with a single switch, has been adopted for the City e:HEV which eliminates the need for a brake lever and also lets the center console to be utilized more effectively for placing small items pocket tissue, smartphone or a small tablet in the Utility Tray.   

The New City Petrol and New City e:HEV comes fully equipped with host of safety technologies, active and passive safety features like Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™)  body structure,  AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System) at low speed EV Mode (in City e:HEV), 6 Airbags, Honda Lane-Watch, Multi-angle Rear view Camera, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System with Deflation Warning, Vehicle Stability Assist with Agile Handling Assist, Hill Start Assist, ISOFIX compatible Rear Side Seats with Lower Anchorage & Top Tether, Immobilizer with anti-theft alarm and many more. 

The New City comes equipped with 37 Honda Connect features and comes with 5-year free subscription. In order to enhance Connected car experience, Honda Connect works with smart watch devices, Alexa remote capability and OK Google. With smartwatch connectivity, the car can be remotely controlled for enhanced convenience and user can always stay up-to-date with important notifications.  

The New City (Petrol) comes in four grades SV, V , VX and ZX with a choice in Manual or CVT transmission in V, VX and ZX. The New City e:HEV comes in V and ZX grade.  

The New City will be available with a choice of 6 colour options – Obsidian Blue Pearl (New), Radiant Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Golden Brown Metallic. 

The New City and e:HEV  will offer complete peace of mind with 3-year Unlimited kilometers warranty as standard benefit to the customer. The customers can also opt for Extended Warranty upto 5 years and Anytime Warranty upto 10 years from the date of car purchase. The warranty available on Lithium-ion Battery will be 8-year or 160,000 Km (whichever comes first) from the date of car purchase. 

 TV Commercial: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s2hVxtfJSKLFPCVGapFGGPbivEpUhItf/view?usp=share_link 

Kotak White Credit Card Is The Presenting Sponsor For The Backstreet Boys’ DNA India Tour

Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (“KMBL”/“Kotak”) today announced Kotak White Credit Card’s tie-up as Presenting Sponsor for The Backstreet Boys: DNA World Tour in India.

Under this partnership, all Kotak Credit Card holders will get an exclusive 48 hour access to the pre-sale of concert tickets from 12 PM on 6th March. General sale of tickets opens at 4 PM on 8th March.

Over and above the exclusive access, Kotak White and White Reserve Credit card customers shall also enjoy a 25% off, up to a maximum of Rs 7500, on the concert tickets. Given the expected high demand, this benefit shall be offered on a first come-first serve basis.

Elizabeth Venkatraman, Joint President – Marketing & Alliances, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. said, "At Kotak, we observed that there is an overall increase in interest in the music genre among our customers. Hence, we responded to this trend by actively associating ourselves with musical events, and offer unique experiences to our valued customers. We are excited about Backstreet Boys' DNA India Tour and the band's long-awaited return to India after 13 years. We are happy to curate exclusive benefits for our credit card holders, and we hope that they avail the benefits and enjoy this event to the fullest."

Kotak Credit Card customers can register for the tickets to the event, clicking the below link:

https://in.bookmyshow.com/mumbai/events/backstreet-boys-dna-world-tour/ET00352578

About the DNA India Tour:

The Backstreet Boys are returning to India after 13 years with their ‘DNA India Tour’ in May. This two-city tour will take place at Mumbai’s Jio World Gardens and in New Delhi at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, on May 4 and 5, respectively. BookMyShow, India's leading entertainment destination, along with Live Nation, is bringing the Backstreet Boys to India. Registrations for the much-awaited concert are now live exclusively on their platform. However, ticket details have not been announced yet.

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/.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Expands Centre Of Excellence In Bengaluru

-     Inaugurates 19th Centre in the city – reaches out to over 12,000 Engineering students in Bangalore

-     Reinforces continued commitment to “Skill India” Mission by developing skill at grassroot level

As a part of its continuing emphasis towards the creation of a world-class skill pool including nurturing a mind-set for quality excellence, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) announced the setting up of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru. Aimed at offering engineering students with hands-on experience about powertrains and its functioning, the students will gain the opportunity to practically assemble and disassemble engines and gain a better understanding about automobile powertrains.

The 19th Centre in the city was inaugured by Dr. M.P Shyam, President, Rashtreeya Sikshana Samithi Trust (RSST) and Dr. K N Subramanya Principal RV College of Engineering in the presence of Mr. Swapnesh R Maru – Executive Vice President, TKM and other senior officials.

Drawing inspiration from Toyota’s efforts of enhancing skill-levels of engineering students, the tie-up has provided over 12,000 students with easy access to a robust curriculum through expert trainers, facilities, and equipment. The CoE set up within the campus will also consist of a Toyota engine, transmission, and powertrain as cut section and do-it-yourself models.

Commenting on Toyota’s support in developing world-class infrastructure and skill programs, Dr. M.P Shyam, President, RSST said, “We are delighted that Toyota has collaborated with RVCE for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Automotive Engineering. As the automotive industry is witnessing a paradigm shift by way of technological innovations, so is the demand for a skilled talent. This creates a need to bridge the industry & academia gap. The traditional syllabus and methods of learning need to be constantly upgraded in order to enhance learning and motivation amongst students, which will help in synchronizing with the rapid transition and evolving requirements of the industry. With the establishment of this Centre, we are confident that the hands-on and practical training experience will strengthen their learning abilities and create good career opportunities.”

Sharing his thoughts, Mr. Swapnesh R Maru – Executive Vice President, TKM said, “TKM is committed to contribute to the “Skill India” mission, and this initiative of CoE at RVCE, further reinforces our efforts towards developing globally competitive talent pool, required for driving the “Make in India” program. Through this collaboration, with the prestigious RV College of Engineering, our efforts are to plug the skill gap and create better entry level engineering talent, and job opportunities, that will enable the auto industry on its path to greater localization and self-reliance. At Toyota, one of the pillars for an effective learning is through Genchi Genbutsu – which is a practice of analysing the root cause of any problem in its source, in order to solve that problem quickly, efficiently & sustainably. We have followed the same practice here, as we believe in enhancing the learning process, not just with books, but with simulations and experiential learning. Our skill enhancement related efforts are not just about our company but for the entire industry ecosystem and we will continue to support in training the youth with new-age engineering knolwdge and make them job-ready."

Over its 25 years of existence in India, TKM has been passionately creating a scalable and sustainable skill mandate focused to bridge the gap underlying India’s rapidly growing industrial sector with evolving technologies and availability of skilled manpower for the entire ecosystem. From imparting quality skill education to Engineering students to the entire workforce, the company’s efforts are aimed at ensuring contribution to the country’s vision of achieving self-reliance through ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’.

Furthermore, TKM has trained over 77,760 employable youths through a variety of skill development initiatives. TKM is currently developing one Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in each district of the 31 districts in Karnataka. TKM continues to train trainees in 56 institutes across 25 States through the Toyota Technical Education Program (TTEP). The primary objective of the TTEP initiative is to enhance the student’s skill sets which will strengthen the talent pool from the grass root level and provide opportunities for youth with special focus in Rural and Semi Urban areas in line with the “Skill India“ initiative. In addition, Toyota dealers also support by providing On-Job training to these students. TKM also has collaborations with the Governments of Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Haryana, New Delhi, and Telangana to provide skill development to students and faculty members.

Recently, TKM has also undertaken a major expansion of TTTI with capacity going up from 200 to 1,200 students (academic batch-wise). This will be a major boost to the existing skill facility in its Bidadi plant with a focus to scale-up students’ skill levels on advanced technology, by Toyota expert trainers (globally certified).

Mahindra Finance Launches ‘Used Car Digi Loans’ In Partnership With Car&Bike And Rupyy

·         Used Car Digi loans set to provide a seamless experience to customers and partners for used car loans

·         To facilitate faster loan application and disbursal and provide the partner with real-time visibility of the application and sanctioned loan offer

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited, (MMFSL), part of the Mahindra Group, and one of India’s leading Non-Banking Finance Company, today launched a specialized end-to-end digital journey named ‘Used Car Digi Loans’. This offering has been launched in association with Car&Bike (by Mahindra First Choice Wheels) & Rupyy (by Cardekho), the leading brands in the used car industry.

With the help of this new integrated journey, customers will be able to get customized loan offers from Mahindra Finance, enabling them to take faster buying decisions.

The integrated system will be able to seamlessly initiate the loan application procedure with Mahindra Finance thus making the process quick and convenient for the customer. ‘Used car Digi loans’ has the capability of successfully disbursing loans within few hours with the help of specialized underwriting & processing teams, equipped with 15 state-of-the-art fintech tools. Partners will have a real-time visibility of the application status and sanctioned loan offer allowing them to delight their customers with swift vehicle delivery.

Ramesh Iyer, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mahindra Finance said, “Mahindra Finance has been at the forefront of innovative product offerings and this venture is another step in that direction. Our partnership with Car&Bike and Rupyy will enable us to leverage on market strengths to create a digitally empowered platform. This integration will ensure a seamless and transparent journey for all stakeholders enhancing customer delight”.

Ashutosh Pandey, MD & CEO Mahindra First Choice Wheels mentioned, “We are pleased to start a new chapter in our ongoing relationship with Mahindra Finance. The new digitized journey will ensure an agile turnaround time thus enabling us to serve our customers better and further benefit our network partners”.

Namit Jain, CEO and Co-Founder Cardekho Group said, “We are looking forward to our collaboration with Mahindra Finance. With this partnership we plan to capitalize on Mahindra Finance’s rich expertise and experience in vehicle financing. This collaboration will help us to further expand our geographical reach across India and facilitate our customers and dealers with best loan offers and create a digitized and hassle-free used car loan journey for all our stakeholders”.

About Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited (Mahindra Finance), part of the Mahindra Group, is one of India’s leading non-banking finance companies. Focused on the rural and semi-urban sector, the Company has over 8.7 million customers and has an AUM of over USD 11 Billion. The Company is a leading vehicle and tractor financier, provides loans to SMEs and also offers fixed deposits. The Company has 1,386 offices and reaches out to customers spread over 3,80,000 villages and 7,000 towns across the country.

Mahindra Finance has been ranked 54th among India’s Best Companies to Work 2021 by Great Place to Work Institute.

Mahindra Insurance Brokers Limited (MIBL), the Company's Insurance Broking subsidiary, is a licensed Composite Broker providing Direct and Reinsurance broking services.

Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Limited (MRHFL) a subsidiary of Mahindra Finance provides loans for purchase, renovation, construction of houses to individuals in the rural and semi-urban areas of the country.

Mahindra Finance CSR Foundation is a wholly owned subsidiary company, under the provisions of section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 for undertaking the CSR activities of the Company and its subsidiaries.

Mahindra Manulife Investment Management Private Limited (formerly known as Mahindra Asset Management Company Private Limited) acts as the Investment Manager of Mahindra Manulife Mutual Fund (formerly known as Mahindra Mutual Fund).

Mahindra Manulife Trustee Private Limited (MMTPL), (formerly known as Mahindra Trustee Company Private Limited) acts as a Trustee to Mahindra Manulife Mutual Fund (formerly known as Mahindra Mutual Fund).

Mahindra Ideal Finance Limited (MIFL) is a subsidiary of the Company in Sri Lanka, in which the Company owns 58.2% stake. MIFL focuses on providing a diversified suite of financial services to the Sri Lankan market.

The Company has a Joint Venture in the US, Mahindra Finance USA LLC, in partnership with De Lage Landen, a subsidiary of Rabo Bank, for financing Mahindra vehicles in the US.

Learn more about Mahindra Finance on www.mahindrafinance.com / Twitter and Facebook: @MahindraFin

About Mahindra

Founded in 1945, the Mahindra Group is one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology and financial services in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality, and real estate. The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to Rise.

Learn more about Mahindra on www.mahindra.com/ Twitter and Facebook: @MahindraRise/ For updates subscribe to https://www.mahindra.com/news-room

About Mahindra First Choice Wheels 

Mahindra First Choice Wheels is a dominant player in the Indian used vehicle eco system providing products and services to cater to the needs of retail and wholesale customers utilizing its “on-the ground” and “in-the-cloud” capabilities. The company has raised funding from Silicon Valley based Hedge Fund, Valiant Capital and Cox Automotive, a $17 Billion US based enterprise. 

About car&bike: 

car&bike is a leading auto technology platform with a focus to build India’s largest hyper-local integrated platform for content and commerce. The platform has been built on path-breaking auto programming, intensive coverage of global automobile news and the largest used car range with exclusive online booking of 5000+ cars across 300+ cities. In a short span of time, c&b has clearly established itself as one of the top auto-portal in the country and the fastest growing used car brand by far. The business offers technology solutions to all the stakeholders of the automotive industry at various points of buy and sell value chain. car&bike was recently acquired by Mahindra First Choice Wheels Limited, India’s leading player in the used car vehicle ecosystem.

About CarDekho Group

CarDekho Group is India’s biggest digital automotive solutions provider that supports the car buyers at all stages of their personal mobility journey. CarDekho Group is the first Jaipur based unicorn and is India’s leading auto-tech company, fulfilling consumers' mobility dreams on the strength of technology and by digitizing the entire consumer journey in the auto ecosystem.

About Rupyy

Rupyy is a new-age fintech brand, backed by CarDekho Group. Rupyy offers an end-to-end digital platform designed to make the entire loan journey paperless and convenient through state-of-the-art tech stack, where it promises to introduce a whole new world of financing to its users. The experience incorporates a digital QR-code based onboarding journey at car dealers / finance distributors. Consumers can avail a self-help journey through this QR-code, including video-KYC, e-NACH and e-Agreement to get their loan sanctioned at the Point of Sale in just a few minutes. Rupyy has expanded its reach to more than 150 locations across India, aiming to penetrate and deliver its services in the smallest of the potential markets. 

MMTC-PAMP Commemorates World Wildlife Day With Limited Edition Silver Coins

* MMTC-PAMP’s beautifully etched 31.1 gms 999.9 silver coins feature India’s iconic and endangered species 

* Part of the proceeds will go towards supporting WWF India’s conservation efforts 

* The product will be available at MMTC-PAMP’s own stores & website, leading marketplaces like Amazon & Flipkart, and with leading jewelers across India 

MMTC-PAMP, India’s only London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) Good Delivery gold & silver refinery, is commemorating World Wildlife Day through its limited-edition silver coins that were created in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund.  

In order to raise awareness about wildlife conservation, the ‘Nature & Nurture’ series by MMTC-PAMP features a mother and cub together in their natural habitat. Through this association, MMTC-PAMP hopes to contribute towards stopping the degradation of the planet's natural environment. 

The coins come in 31.1 gms 999.9 purity silver and feature four iconic species- Red Pandas, Snow Leopards, Asian Elephants, and Asiatic Lions. This year World Wildlife Day will be celebrated under the theme “Partnerships for wildlife conservation" and this partnership between MMTC-PAMP and WWF is aimed at raising awareness towards building a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. 

Speaking on the collaboration, Vikas Singh MD & CEO said, “Our collaboration with WWF India is a significant stride towards driving awareness around their conservation efforts. As the leading trusted brand for precious metals in the country, we are pleased to present the 999.9+ purest silver collectibles featuring India’s most iconic and endangered species, crafted to the highest standards of purity with MMTC-PAMP’s unmatched Swiss craftsmanship. These limited-edition silver collectibles are ideal for gifting. The purchase of each coin furthers a strong message that can be your contribution towards preserving nature and raising awareness towards excellent initiatives undertaken by WWF India. We are excited about this initiative and the impact beyond business this would create.” 

These exclusive purest 999.9+ silver collectibles offer unmatched Swiss craftsmanship, and purity beyond compare and mark a token of togetherness, warmth, and love that a family shares. These individually serial-numbered limited-edition coins come in bespoke display packaging and remain ideal for gifting. Every coin created by MMTC-PAMP goes through a rigorous purification process to ensure 999.9 + purity of the metal.   

Each product bought from MMTC-PAMP offers positive weight tolerance, which guarantees that every coin or bar weighs more than the listed weight, ensuring the highest value for investment.  

Shop for all MMTC-PAMP products: https://shop.mmtcpamp.com/collectible 

About MMTC PAMP: A joint venture between Switzerland-based bullion brand, PAMP SA, and MMTC Ltd, a Government of India Undertaking, MMTC-PAMP seamlessly marries Swiss excellence with Indian insights. MMTC-PAMP India Pvt. Ltd. is internationally recognized as an industry leader in bringing global standards of excellence to the Indian precious metals industry. We have received several awards since our inception from local and global industry bodies for the transparency and sustainability that we rigorously uphold in our sourcing, refining, and supply of precious metals in the Indian market. MMTC-PAMP is the only LBMA-accredited Gold & Silver refinery in India and is accepted across global commodity exchanges and central banks.   

One Third Callers Of A National Helpline Battle Anxiety, Depression, And Suicidal Thoughts Includes Whose Have Reached Out On WhatsApp.

A leading mental health organization says that, in the last 18 months (August 2021  to January 2023), at least one third of people, who reached out to them for counselling told them that they have been battling anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts, and sought upfront psychological support to combat the crisis. The Cyrus and Priya Vandrevala Foundation, which provides free mental health counselling adds that in the past three months (November 2021 to January 2023), such conversations have touched nearly 40 per cent.

14 years of supporting those who need mental and emotional counselling, the foundation has facilitated 1 million+ counselling conversations to date. The only emergency 24 x 7 x 365 days available WhatsApp mental health support in India, Vandrevala Foundation’s helpline is accessible in English and 10 vernacular languages (Hindi, English, Marathi, Guajarati, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi and Urdu) free of cost to offer free psychological counselling to anyone who is experiencing distress due to depression, trauma, mood disorders, chronic illness amongst many other mental health issues.

“One third people who reached out to us told us that they struggled with mental illness, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Suicide killed more people in India than murders and coronavirus in 2022. Even if every medical student in the country today became a psychiatrist, we do not have enough people to solve the mental health crisis” said philanthropist Priya Hiranandani-Vandrevala, who leads the foundation.

A NIMHANS study in October 2022, reported that 150 million Indians may be in need of mental health care services. The 2022 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data on suicidal deaths in India said that 1,64,033 suicides were reported in the country in 2021. It was an increase of 7.2 per cent in comparison to 2020.[1]

India in 2021 recorded 12 suicides per lakh of population. Maharashtra, followed by Tamil Nadu, MP, West Bengal and Karnataka reported the highest incidents of suicide in India, an indication that mental health crisis among the population of these states are a high cause of concern and can be attributed to multiple reasons.

“The data from Foundation suggest that 81% of the people seeking counselling on issues concerning mental health have come from Maharashtra 17.3%,Uttar Pradesh 9.5% , Karnataka 8.3%, Delhi 8 % , Tamil Nadu 6.2% , Gujarat 5.8%, West Bengal 5.4% , Kerala 5,3%, Telangana 4%, Madhya Pradesh 3.8%, Rajasthan 3.6% and Haryana 3.6%. This reflects our efforts on creating awareness of our free helpline in these regions. This data also guides us to scale our efforts and fund appropriate initiatives is low awareness states.” Priya Hiranandani-Vandrevala said.

Another crucial finding was that the preferred mode of communication changes with age and gender. Data shows that the use of WhatsApp increases with the younger population. A telephonic conversation is preferred by those over 35 years of age. This data validates that there is a need to provide crisis intervention via both WhatsApp chats and Telephonic conversation 24*7/365 days.

Usage of WhatsApp is increasing with the younger generation. The last three months of data suggests that more and more young people are using WhatsApp to get help with their mental health. 65% of people under 18, 50% of people aged 18-35, 28.3% of people aged 35-60, and 8% of people over 60 are all using WhatsApp for this purpose versus a phone call.

WhatsApp has opened communication to a different segment, who perhaps could never seek mental health support offline. Women, girls, young men, who wanted to discuss their mental health issues without the knowledge of their family or peers found a medium to seek support with this powerful digital platform that offers privacy and confidentiality. Almost 53% of women prefer to contact the helpline using WhatsApp chat, whereas 42% of men preferred the use WhatsApp chat.

The foundation is keen to expand the footprint of its free 24x7x365 free helpline (+91 9999666555) to reach more people and offer long term therapy as well.

About Priya and Cyrus Vandrevala Foundation:

The Cyrus and Priya Vandrevala Foundation is a non-profit that partners with organizations to help communities thrive by providing education and healthcare. The Vandrevala Foundation provides free crisis support and counselling to anyone who is experiencing distress.14 years of supporting those who need mental and emotional counselling, the foundation has facilitated 1 million+ conversations to date. Our emergency mental health support service, + 91 9999666555 is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

https://www.vandrevalafoundation.com/free-counseling