Toyota Kirloskar Motor Announces Assured Buyback Scheme For Its Iconic Lifestyle Utility Vehicle – The Hilux

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced an exciting offer for its iconic lifestyle utility vehicle, the Hilux. Customers looking to buy the Hilux can now choose attractive low EMI option starting from Rs. 32,886/- or opt for an assured 70% buyback after 3 years, from the date of purchase of Hilux, which are made available exclusively through the Toyota Financial Services. These rollouts have been specially designed keeping in mind the customers’ convenience to own the much-celebrated Hilux in the lifestyle vehicle segment.

In line with Toyota’s Customer First philosophy, aforesaid buying options are curated with an aim to provide an enhanced value proposition for the prospective consumers who desire to purchase the Toyota Hilux, thereby ensuring low cost of ownership. Needless to mention, since its launch, the Hilux had gained enormous appreciation for its great styling and driving comfort.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Atul Sood, Vice President of Sales and Strategic Marketing – Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “With the recent announcement of restart of Hilux bookings opening, we are once again overwhelmed with the good customer response. Owning the globally acclaimed Hilux has now become easy & more exciting with best finance options of low EMI or 70% assured buyback after three years from the date of purchase of Hilux. We strongly believe that this scheme will cater to our discerning customer preferences to own and experience the legendary Toyota Hilux with enhanced convenience, thereby giving them the complete peace of mind. For many of our loyal customers, this new offering will be a step up in their journey with Toyota and get to enjoy the Quality, Durability, and Reliability which is associated with Toyota products.

We are confident that Hilux will continue to set new standards with its unmatched toughness & powerful performance, creating new experience to ‘Live a Fuller Life’ be it business or family”.

Toyota Hilux is aimed to fulfil the needs of customers seeking an awesome lifestyle utility vehicle that is best suited, not only for off-roading adventure drives on tough terrains, but also for everyday city use. Furthermore, this versatile vehicle is perfectly suited for multiple purpose usages that can cater to new emerging business customers be it campervan, farming, defense, mining, construction, rescue van, etc. With its powerful powertrain system of 2.8 L Four Cylinder Turbo-Diesel Engine, the Hilux is available in option of 6- Speed Automatic and 6-Speed Manual Transmission. All the variants of Hilux are equipped with 4X4 drive capabilities along with many first-in-segment features such as 8” Infotainment system, Connected features (such as Emergency Call [e-Call], Vehicle Security, Remote Check, Smart Watch enabled, Vehicle Static Location, Geofence & Speed alerts and more), Dual Zone AC, Tire Angle Monitor & Front Parking Sensors for a smooth drive.

In addition to a variety of remarkable features coupled with a robust engine, the Hilux also offers exceptional endurance, low maintenance cost, and great practicality for a variety of usage purposes. Furthermore, the Hilux's water wading capability of 700mm makes it suitable for driving through Indian trails, setting new standards in its off-road capability.

To know more about these finance schemes of Toyota Hilux, we urge the customers to visit their nearest Toyota touchpoints to discuss customized financial package as per individual needs. Customers can make their bookings online on www.toyotabharat,com or through Toyota dealerships. With Toyota’s virtual showroom, now the customers can seamlessly get a 360-degree external and internal views, check out all the available variants and colors and experience the key features as well.

MAHE-ISAC Centre of Excellence For Cybersecurity Unveiled To Equip Students With Comprehensive Education In Cybersecurity

As an indication of the significant commitment of MAHE to providing students with a comprehensive education in cybersecurity, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to tackle the complex challenges posed by today's rapidly evolving threat landscape “ MAHE- ISAC Center of Excellence for Cybersecurity” was inaugurated on 23rd March 2023 at 12.45 PM. The center was unveiled  by Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, Govt of Karnataka, who graced the occasion virtually. Additionally, he was accompanied by Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), Govt of Karnataka, who also graced the function virtually. The esteemed guests were joined by Group Captain P Aanand Naidu (Retd), representing ISAC.

The function was presided by Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor of MAHE Manipal. Other notable representatives from MAHE for the event were Dr. Narayana Sabhahit, Pro Vice Chancellor – Technology and Science MAHE, Dr. (Cdr.)  Anil Rana, Director MIT Manipal, and Dr. Somashekara Bhat, Joint- Director MIT Manipal. The dignitaries inaugurated the function by lighting the lamp. The function was attended by HoDs, HoIs , Associate Directors and faculty and staff of different disciplines in Manipal Institute of Technology.

The Director of ISAC, Group Captain P Aanand Naidu (Retd) gave an innovative introduction to the collaboration of MAHE and ISAC to promote advancements in the field of cybersecurity. He spoke about the MoU the ISAC has with AICTE to establish various centres of excellence in the domain across India and the relevance of IoT defence systems for the future of digital India.

Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, Govt of Karnataka, began his speech highlighting the government’s ambitious goals for digitization of India and India’s current stand in it. He then exemplified the recent cyber-attacks of our times and how such centres can make a change in these sectors by promoting and equipping students’ and researchers’ interest in finding effective solutions in the domain. He congratulated MAHE and ISAC for successfully establishing this centre to promote cybersecurity among the youth. He wished the centre the best and hoped it can achieve all the goals planned in the near future.

Dr. Smitha Prabhu, Mrs. India 2021, brand ambassador of ISAC congratulated the team on this momentous occasion. She urged in her talk to promote courses like ethics in the workplace in all institutions. She further spoke on the importance to create cyber-aware netizens and a National security database. She concluded her talk by pledging her support to all the center’s endeavours.

Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), in his speech, along with congratulating the team, shared the growth of the Mangalore sector over the last few years in the field of IT and the need for such a center in this sector. He hoped the center improves the skill set of the manpower in this sector in the field of cyber security.

(Cdr.) Dr.  Anil Rana, Director MIT Manipal stated that there is a long way to go in working with ISAC closely to equip the student and staff of MAHE in the various courses and the essential skills needed to combat cyber threats.

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor of MAHE Manipal, stated that the "MAHE- ISAC Center of Excellence for Cybersecurity" is a feather in MAHE's cap, as the center plays a vital role in providing its students with a comprehensive education in the field of cyber security, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to tackle the complex challenges posed by today's rapidly evolving threat landscape. He expressed the management’s happiness in the establishment of such a center and gave the center his best wishes.

Mr. Rohit Bhat, a notable technical expert and entrepreneur from the Udupi region also graced the occasion virtually and conveyed his best and his support to all center’s endeavours.

Mr. Akshay KC Assistant Professor – Senior Scale, Department of Information and Communication Technology, MIT Manipal concluded the inauguration function by thanking the gathering and technical support for their immense support throughout the function.

The function was mastered by Ms. Divya Rao, Assistant Professor – Senior Scale, Department of  Information and Communication Technology, MIT Manipal. Dr. Balachandra Professor, Department of Information and Communication Technology, MIT Manipal and Coordinator MAHE-ISAC Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity welcomed the gathering.

On World Tuberculosis Day, India Health Fund And ACT For Health Come Together To Support Swaasa®

India Health Fund, a Tata Trusts initiative, is collaborating with ACT, a non-profit venture philanthropy platform, to support Salcit Technologies in piloting Swaasa® - an AI-led solution that can revolutionize the detection and early treatment of tuberculosis in India.

Active case finding (ACF) is an established measure for the systematic screening of infectious diseases like TB in high-risk populations by frontline health workers, who are the first point of contact for under-served communities. In 2021, out of 2.23 Cr patients screened for TB through government programs, 73,772 patients were identified through ACF. However, there has been a lack of affordable, rapid response and sensitive screening tools that can help find the millions of active TB cases that often go undiagnosed. Currently used ACF methods are visual inspection, patient questionnaires, and assessing exposure to TB-infected individuals, but these have limited clinical application due to the subjectivity in understanding patients’ symptoms and systematically deducing test results for identification and differentiation of different lung infections. This leads to about 64% of symptomatic TB patients who are unable to seek appropriate care at the right time.

Addressing this need, India Health Fund and ACT For Health will co-fund the development of Swaasa® - an AI platform by Salcit Technologies that records cough sounds from suspected TB patients using a phone’s microphone and analyzes them to decode unique cough signatures to detect the possible presence of pulmonary tuberculosis using a proprietary AI algorithm and give a report in just a few seconds.

Madhav Joshi, CEO - India Health Fund, said, “We believe that actively finding undiagnosed TB cases quickly and connecting them to treatment will bring us closer to the elimination of the disease. To achieve this, what’s lacking are easy-to-use, affordable, non-invasive screening tools that can be used by patients and by healthcare workers in the most remote areas of the country. Swaasa® applies the latest advances in Artificial Intelligence to address this very need and holds the potential to transform TB care.”

Salcit’s non-invasive innovation can run on any smartphone, requires no additional equipment/consumables and offers the key advantage of being used by patients themselves in the confines of their households, without the risk of infection spread or the need for trained staff. It can also be easily used by frontline health workers in low-resource and remote settings and thus, promises to be easily scalable to enable early detection of the disease.   

The grant by IHF and ACT For Health will aid Salcit Technologies in the technical validation of the Swaasa®’s AI algorithm - the six-month long project will include the collection of cough sounds from about 5700 subjects (TB and Non-TB), the technical validation of the platform across 6 public health centers and the enhancement of the platform to reach an accuracy of 90% for detecting the likely presence of TB.

Says Neetha Joy, Director - ACT For Health, “Although we have made great strides in identifying and treating TB patients with innovative policies and aggressive testing, we still miss millions of TB patients who are not caught by the public healthcare radar. This is primarily due to the lack of access to affordable and scalable screening tools at the periphery. We’re excited to see Swaasa®’s potential unfold and believe that our support to Salcit Technologies will help this platform supplement and strengthen existing Active Case Finding (ACF) in low resource settings.”

Unlike other cough screening algorithms coming to the market, Swaasa® is a multi-focus platform that can be used for screening of various lung ailments including Covid-19, for which it is currently undergoing clinical trials. Swaasa® is also registered with CDSCO, is HIPAA and ISO27001 certified and has two granted patents and three publications backing its technology and use.

“With the support and funding from India Health Fund and ACT For Health, we aim to stay true to our mission of serving the underserved by taking our AI-powered tool to the communities. Swaasa® holds the promise not only to screen TB non-invasively and instantaneously but also to enhance the capacity of healthcare workers and strengthen the health system, including the public and private networks.” says Venkat Yechuri, CEO - Salcit Technologies.

Salcit’s proprietary combination of audiometric analysis and AI technology will undergo two more development phases post the review of the first phase by an external panel of technical experts representing Central TB Division, ICMR and WHO-India, among others.

About India Health Fund:

India Health Fund is a not-for-profit organization that was set up as a collaborative initiative of Tata Trusts and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

IHF’s mission is to help reduce preventable deaths from communicable diseases and other public health risks. IHF does this by de-risking the development of promising technology and science-led solutions that have the potential to make a significant difference in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of these diseases. IHF collaborates with the public and private sectors to facilitate the development, adoption, and scaling of these solutions. IHF’s aim is to improve health outcomes, with a focus on primary care and in low resource settings.

About ACT

ACT is a non-profit venture philanthropy platform that was born in 2020 in response to the COVID crisis and is built upon the premise that an entrepreneurial mindset, technology & innovation and collective action have the power to create meaningful social impact at scale. The organization is driven by a bias for action to catalyze social change through collaboration across the board - VCs, startup founders, donors, NGO’s, expert advisors, government stakeholders as well as the public at large.

ACT For Health aims to improve access to quality and affordable healthcare in the areas of primary care, diabetes, cancer, tuberculosis and mental health by supporting digital/medtech/deeptech innovations in these spaces

About Salcit Technologies:

Salcit Technolgies Pvt. Ltd. was founded in 2017 by Narayana Rao Sripada who quit his corporate career to embark upon a journey to bring the highest quality respiratory care to millions worldwide – where the need is the greatest - remotely and asynchronously. Through an evidence-based approach, the company has introduced Swaasa® Spirometry in the pocket® and disease identification modules through audiometric analysis of solicited cough sounds. The company is on course to introduce Swaasa® X-ray in the pocket® & Swaasa® CT-scan in the pocket®.

Salcit Technologies collaborates with the top academic and research institutions across the world such as AIIMS-Delhi, CMC-Vellore, Andhra Medical College-Visakhapatnam and University of California–San Francisco to test and validate its products and technologies. The results are published in the top scientific journals including Nature Scientific Reports.

About Tata Trusts:

Since inception in 1892, Tata Trusts, India’s oldest philanthropic organization, has played a pioneering role in bringing about an enduring difference in the lives of the communities it serves. Guided by the principles and the vision of proactive philanthropy of the Founder, Jamsetji Tata, the Trusts’ purpose is to catalyze development in the areas of health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, livelihood, digital transformation, migration and urban habitat, social justice and inclusion, environment and energy, skill development, sports, and arts and culture. The Trusts’ programmes, achieved through direct implementation, partnerships and grant making, are marked by innovations relevant to the country.

South African Tourism Showcases Its MICE Offerings By Organizing A Corporate Think Tank In Bangalore

~Aims for a 35% increase in Indian MICE travellers in 2023~

Reiterating its commitment to the Indian business and MICE travel segment, South African Tourism concluded the second edition of its in-person Corporate MICE program at ITC Gardenia, Bangalore. The first edition of this highly engaging program proved to be a major success for the tourism board. The program became a powerful platform to explore business and corporate event opportunities for South Africa.

Engagement programs like Corporate Think Tank sessions assist in setting the ground for quick recall and are particularly aimed at capitalizing on the growing demand for MICE tourism. It serves as an add-on to the tourism board’s well-developed strategy and allows them to directly communicate with the decision-makers responsible for their company’s corporate travel purchasing and address their needs. Organized by OptiMICE Events Pvt Ltd, these sessions have been specifically curated to be interactive and encourage a healthy free flowing exchange of ideas amongst the attendees and South African Tourism.

Bangalore has emerged as the start-up capital of India over the past decade and is progressing rapidly. Home to several leading multi-national companies from across the world, the city serves as an important market to South Africa’s ambitions of increasing MICE tourism from India. In 2022, Bangalore ranked as one of the fastest growing source-cities for outbound travel. Led by Ms. Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – Middle East, India and South-East Asia, South African Tourism, the interaction focused on exploring latest opportunities within the destination for hosting MICE travellers. Further, it provided an in-depth understanding of the overall MICE market, an evolved sense of purchaser needs and expectations, and most importantly helped educate the decision-makers on various business-oriented facilities that the destination has to offer.

Moderated by Ms. Kamal Gill, Director, OptiMICE Events Pvt Ltd the discussions covered a wide range of subjects including the upcoming employee engagement cycle, USPs of South Africa for MICE groups, the support offered by the tourism board as well as the activities that can be explored by potential MICE groups in the new era.

Ms. Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – Middle East, India and South-East Asia, South African Tourism said, “Corporate India’s increasing interest in hosting global meetings, key conventions and important exhibitions in South Africa is a testament towards the world-class business facilities the country has to offer. The Rainbow Nation has evolved as a destination with winning combination for India’s business and MICE travellers owing to the affordability and available engagement opportunities. It is heartening to see more and more corporate houses choosing South Africa as the preferred destination for addressing their business needs.”

“The strengthening economic ties between both the nations presents us with a great opportunity to capitalise on the increasing demand for MICE tourism. Keeping in mind the ever-growing size of the Indian economy, we are aiming for a 35% growth in MICE travellers from India in 2023”, she added.

Post the pandemic, India moved up two spots to become the 6th largest international source market for South Africa. In 2022, the Rainbow Nation witnessed over a 200% surge in travellers from the country and welcomed nearly 50,000 Indians till November. With over 1 in 4 Indian arrivals to South Africa motivated by MICE, the country continues to remain amongst the top-3 focus markets for South African Tourism.

Raising its targets for this year, the tourism board is aiming for a 35% increase in MICE travellers from metros and tier-2 markets in 2023 and will continue to interact with potential audiences through such highly engaging events. In line with its corporate engagement schedule, the tourism board successfully concluded its corporate MICE programs in Bangalore along with Delhi, Mumbai, Pune in the previous weeks.

About South African Tourism: South African Tourism is the tourism marketing arm of the South African government. Simply put, their job is to promote the country domestically and internationally, whether for leisure, business or events tourism.

As a government body, they are committed to meaningfully contributing to the South African government's objectives of inclusive economic growth, sustainable job creation, and redistribution and transformation of the industry.

Website www.southafrica.net

Transformation Is The Need Of The Era Says Venu Kondur

Lobb logistics who participated in the #Umagine Chennai the Asia’s largest Tech Summit today, speaking at a panel discussion on the advent of technology and its changing forms Venu Kondur Lobb CEO said, “how companies have transformed in the last ten years is mind boggling. He went on to say that it is the sole responsibility of the new age startups to create robust digital platforms, with the right kind of technology with perfect understanding of business needs strategically. Consumers keep looking at better products which add value to their experiences”.

The panel discussion was on “Digital start-ups Vs Analog Organisations transforming to digital”. While digital technologies are becoming ubiquitous today across both digital native startups & incumbent organisations that are reinventing themselves with technology. The sessions covered opportunity, impact & relative challenges across this spectrum of companies.

Lobb enables transporters & truckers to “Connect, Discover & Transact Freight” in a frictionless manner by leveraging the best of technology and building innovative solutions ground-up, that are relevant at a global scale.

The Indian logistics industry has over 10 million long-haul trucks, most of them owned by small truck owners struggling to find the right loads on time. We aim to empower them through our proprietary Truck Discovery Model, by creating a unique network of fleet, routes, and nodes aligned to demand supply and move to a machine-based matching engine.

Trucks in India run only 13-15 days in a month vs an optimal 23-25 days. This is largely due to opaque demand and supply availability. Demand and supply traditionally are done through calls in an inefficient manner. Lobb through its digital freight brokerage app is able to help logistics companies hire trucks on demand.

Current Scale of Business:

Trucks: 30,000 +

KMs Covered: 3 Crore KMs +

Tonnage Covered: 1 Million Tonnage +

Locations: 20+ Cities Like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Ahmedabad etc

Logistics Partners: 1000+

Fleet Owners: 5000+

In next 12 months:

Trucks: 1 Lakhs Trucks

Locations: 100+ cities

Two products – Lobb Truck – This is for fleet owners & Lobb FTL – for transporters.

BMW Motorrad GS Experience 2023 Thrills Adventure Seekers In Bengaluru

* Learn to maximise the thrill of riding the BMW GS.

* Two-day adrenaline-pumping GS riding experience for motorcycle enthusiasts by BMW Motorrad Certified Trainers.

* #BMWMotorradIndia #BMWMotorrad #MakeLifeARide #GSExperience #Adventure #Biking #Training #Riding #GSExperienceIndia #GSExperience2023

BMW Motorrad commences its most awaited training program – GS Experience 2023 in Bengaluru. GS Experience will offer riders a unique opportunity to experience the exceptional capabilities of BMW Motorrad’s class-leading legendary GS range in its natural habitat. The two-day curated training sessions are designed exclusively for BMW adventure motorcyclists and will be held at Adventure Riders Den Enduro Park, Harohalli, Bannikuppe, Karnataka on 25-26 March 2023.

BMW Motorrad will host this two-day immersive brand experience for GS enthusiasts across 11 cities – Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Kochi, Bengaluru and Lucknow.

Designed exclusively for BMW GS owners the two-day level 1 program will help riders to master basics of off-road riding. The day 1 training program is for BMW GS owners of 650 cc and above GS bikes. While the day 2 is for BMW 310 GS riders. The training includes basic familiarity of the motorcycle, understanding of correct rider position, enduro steering and other exercises such as gravel riding, emergency stops on slope, emergency braking and riding on inclines. Riders automatically qualify for level 2 training upon successful completion of level 1.

The GS Experience training also preambles the nationwide search for ‘Team India’, a trio of GS riders forming a team to contest the coveted International GS Trophy. BMW Motorrad recently announced the next destination for the International GS Trophy 2024 as Namibia.  BMW Motorrad India will hold the GS Trophy qualifiers later this year.

The GS Experience showcases the dynamic qualities of each GS model in real-world conditions and techniques to enjoy the Spirit of GS while ensuring highest safety. Each session includes a briefing and demonstration by certified BMW Motorrad Trainer that will take riders through the impressive array of technologies available on the GS range of motorcycles. The sessions offers riding experience on a combination of bitumen and off-road under expert supervision.

IndusInd Bank Appoints Vikas Muttoo As ‘COO & Head Member Services’ Of Its 100% Subsidiary ‘Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd.

IndusInd Bank today announced the appointment of Vikas Muttoo as ‘COO and Head Member Services’, of its 100% subsidiary Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd. (BFIL).

Vikas is a veteran banker with over 27 years of experience across the banking & financial spectrum including Microfinance, Retail banking, Consumer Finance and P&L management. He has been previously associated with ANZ Grindlays, Standard Chartered, ABN Amro, RBS, including a very successful stint with BFIL, as its Chief Business Officer. His most recent stint has been with RBL Bank, where he was the MD & CEO of its Microfinance Business.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Sumant Kathpalia, Managing Director & CEO, IndusInd Bank, said, “We are extremely pleased to have Vikas join back into the fold and we believe his inclusion will bring further strength to the BFIL team. His proven prior experience across the banking and financial space especially microfinance will be a driving force and a great value addition to the business of BFIL. We welcome him to the BFIL team and wish him success.”

About IndusInd Bank:

IndusInd Bank Limited commenced its operations in 1994 catering to the needs of consumer and corporate customers. Since its inception, the Bank has redefined the banking experience for its customers including various government entities, PSUs and large corporations. As on December 31, 2022, IndusInd Bank has a customer base of approx. 33 million, with 2384 Branches/Banking Outlets and 2894 ATMs spread across geographical locations of the country and covering 1,34,000 villages. The Bank has representative offices in London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Bank believes in driving its business through technology that supports multi-channel delivery capabilities. It enjoys clearing bank status for both major stock exchanges BSE and NSE and settlement bank status for NCDEX. It is an also an empaneled banker for MCX. IndusInd Bank was included in the NIFTY 50 benchmark index on April 1, 2013.   

RATINGS   

Domestic Ratings:     

CRISIL AA + for Infrastructure Bonds program/Tier 2 Bonds   

CRISIL AA for Additional Tier 1 Bonds program   

CRISIL A1+ for certificate of deposit program / short term FD program    

IND AA+ for Senior bonds program/Tier 2 Bonds by India Ratings and Research   

IND AA for Additional Tier 1 Bonds program by India Ratings and Research   

IND A1+ for Short Term Debt Instruments by India Ratings and Research  

International Ratings:      

Ba1 for Senior Unsecured MTN programme by Moody’s Investors Service   

Visit us at https://www.indusind.com/  

Twitter:  @MyIndusIndBank  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialIndusIndBankPage