NPCI Appoints Mr. Vishal Kanvaty As New Chief Technology Officer

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has recently announced the appointment of Mr. Vishal Anand Kanvaty as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO).  In his earlier role, Vishal was managing the portfolio of Chief Market Innovation at NPCI. Joined in 2017, he has also managed Product and Innovations profiles at NPCI. He is a B.Tech graduate from JNTU, Hyderabad and is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad. His professional experience goes beyond two decades. In his new role, Mr. Kanvaty will be taking care of the new-age technology and shall be responsible for the transformational journey of NPCI.

Mr. Kanvaty has demonstrated thought leadership in new applications of technology to business process automation and has experience in launching various credit card, e-Commerce, and mobile banking products with operational exposure. He also has experience in Financial Inclusion and has spearheaded the strategy and implementation of various products including M-POS/ Mobile Wallet.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Dilip Asbe, MD & CEO, NPCI, said, “We, at NPCI, are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Vishal Kanvaty to the position of Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Kanvaty has been an invaluable member of our team for six years, and we are thrilled to see him assume this new and important role. As our new CTO, he brings with him a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and experience in the field of technology and innovation. His leadership, vision, and commitment to excellence will be instrumental in driving the company’s growth journey.”

About NPCI:

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) was incorporated in 2008 as an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. NPCI has created a robust payment and settlement infrastructure in the country. It has changed the way payments are made in India through a bouquet of retail payment products such as RuPay card, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), BHIM Aadhaar, National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC FasTag) and Bharat BillPay.

NPCI is focused on bringing innovations in the retail payment systems through the use of technology and is relentlessly working to transform India into a digital economy. It is facilitating secure payment solutions with nationwide accessibility at minimal cost in furtherance of India’s aspiration to be a fully digital society.

For more information, visit: https://www.npci.org.in/

Global Creator Network’s Latest April Fools Day Campaign Prank For AJIO Had Netizens In Splits

*     AJIO teamed up with Uorfi Javed for a DIY fashion line, sparking the interest of fans

*     In a twist, the exclusive collection turned out to be a prank as part of AJIO’s April Fools Day campaign

AJIO, India's ultimate fashion destination, recently pulled off a clever April Fools Day prank in collaboration with Uorfi Javed, who has been the talk of the town (and she owns that unapologetically). As part of the prank, the brand announced the launch of the exclusive ‘AJIO x Uorfi Javed DIY collection,’ which quickly grabbed the attention of netizens across the country. The April Fools Day campaign was conceptualised and activated by OML Entertainment’s Global Creator Network (GCN).

Uorfi Javed is well-known for her standout wardrobe choices as well as an unapologetic attitude towards fashion. And AJIO intended to capture this essence in a fun and unexpected way. For this, the brand teamed up with Uorfi to launch an exclusive fashion line for fans and promote this revolutionary new collection on social media.

With anticipation for this unprecedented new collection further building, the audience was hooked, excited, and eagerly waiting for its launch. However, when AJIO finally shared links to purchase the collection, and the fans rushed to check out the products, they realised that it was a hilarious April Fools Day prank! The fashion line was expected to include a cluster of products that would have helped fans recreate or make their own version of Uorfi’s head-turning outfits. But, in a humorous twist, it included items such as duct tape, medical gauze, birthday cone-hats and cloth-hanging clips, amongst other day-to-day items.

Devarshi Shah - Senior Vice President & Business Head of Global Creator Network (OML), said, “At Global Creator Network, our efforts have always been to push creative boundaries when it comes to crafting clutter-breaking branded campaigns. And this April Fools Day, we intended to create a campaign - right from conceptualisation to execution - that not only showcased the brand’s playful side but also captured the attention of the audience and made them laugh. The result was a hilarious prank that had the fans talking and enabled the brand to engage with their audiences in a relatable manner.”

GCN’s core focus is to nurture a synergetic partnership between brands and content creators in the digital space while also seeking to unlock their full potential, empowering them to connect with fans and build a community. The April Fools Day prank for AJIO is a testament to this synergy in action, demonstrating how GCN brings out the best in both brands and creators, crafting campaigns that are not only engaging but also memorable.

upGrad Integrates Its Study Abroad Businesses To Turbocharge India's Global Talent Supply

~ The integration will help the brand capitalise on its strengths and become the largest blended study abroad and pathway programs giant in Asia with a strong learning-to-employment approach for global demand ~

upGrad, Asia’s largest integrated career skilling and workforce development company integrates its diversified study abroad portfolio with a wide range of blended and online courses to become the market leader. “Ranging from market-ready skilling programs to assuring the last-mile connectivity with global recruiters, we have built a one-stop spectrum to enable the learning and placement needs of everyone who seeks to build a career in an international geography,” said Mayank Kumar, Co-founder & MD, upGrad.

The brand is reported to have expanded its footprints across 20+ countries with over 1000 university partners and 40,000 recruitment agents and would continue to add more destination markets to its portfolio.

The segment also experienced 100%+ growth during FY23 due to a strong intent towards overseas education that suffered a setback in the last two years; is expected to cross INR 500 crore of annual gross revenue in FY24 and will be profitable. The Study Abroad segment will account for about 20% of the group revenue for the year.

"upGrad will combine its prowess to reach out to learners in metros and non-metro cities through its agent network and extensive university network that has been added via both organic and inorganic arrangements to also become the largest player in the Study Abroad space. We are also working with international recruiting partners with a base in London to build a full-stack learning-to-employment model that connects our learners with jobs. The demand for Indian skilled professionals and talent across the global arena is on a rising trajectory and the right education and competencies could further propel India's stature as the global soft power in the larger talent ecosystem," concluded Kumar.

About upGrad

Started in 2015, upGrad is Asia’s largest integrated Learning, Skilling, Workforce Development & Placement Company. The offerings range from online & hybrid Degree programs to pathway and study abroad programs to certification and Bootcamps to Diploma, Master’s and Doctorate programs for working professionals. upGrad also provides most of these programs to enterprise clients through its B2B arm along with recruitment and staffing services. Till date, upGrad has touched 7 million+ learners across 100+ countries. It boasts a strong network of 300+ direct global university partners, a wide lineup of 2500+ pathway connections, over 20,000 recruitment partners, and a robust enterprise arm with a clientele of 3000 corporate partners worldwide.

www.upgrad.com

ACC Wins Three NSCI Awards For Its Outstanding Achievements At Thondebhavi, Jamul And Tikaria Units

*         ACC receives the prestigious NSCI Safety Award for 2022 for putting employee safety first at all times and safeguarding their well-being.

*        ACC received three awards: third-level Safety Award ‘Suraksha Puraskar’, the fourth-level Safety Award ‘Prashansa Patra’, and a Certificate of Appreciation for ensuring the safety and health of its employees working in the manufacturing sector.

ACC Limited, the building and material company of Adani Cement and part of Adani Group, has been honoured with three prestigious awards by the National Safety Council of India (NSCI) for its outstanding achievements in occupational health and safety (OHS) at the SHE CON-2023, the 13th National Conference & Expo on 17th March 2023.

The company has been recognized for its commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for its employees, implementing best practices in occupational health and safety, and demonstrating exemplary leadership in the industry. The Company’s Thondebhavi unit in Karnataka received the third-level Safety Award ‘Suraksha Puraskar’, Certificate along with a bronze trophy for effectively implementing Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and received the fourth-level Safety Award ‘Prashansa Patra’ Certificate for implementing safety measures for its employees at Jamul unit in Chhattisgarh. A Certificate of Recognition was presented to the Tikaria unit in Uttar Pradesh for adopting successful safety measures.

Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO, Cement Business said, "We are honored to have been recognized by the NSCI with three prestigious awards for our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees, and we are proud to be recognized for our efforts. With a strong emphasis on occupational health and safety, we have a robust safety management system in place.”

The NSCI awards are a validation of the Company’s efforts in creating a safe and healthy work environment for its employees and its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of occupational health and safety in the industry.

NSE Cautions Investors Against 'Dabba' Trading In The Market

It has been brought to the notice of the Exchange that entities named “Shri Parasnath Commodity Private Limited”, “Shri Parasnath Bullion Private Limited” and “Faary Tale Trading Private Limited” operating with numbers 9311846594, 8178244970, 9354777452, 9911454997, 8076002410, 011- 43037399, 011- 61331024, 011- 61331028, 011-41320191 with telegram channel named “parasnathcommodity”, are providing dabba/illegal trading with guaranteed returns.

Investors are cautioned and advised not to subscribe to any such scheme/product offered by any entities offering indicative/assured/guaranteed returns in the stock market as the same is prohibited by law. It may also be noted that these entities are not registered either as a member or authorized person of any registered member of the National Stock Exchange of India Limited. A police complaint has been lodged in this regard.

In terms of Sections 23(1) of Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (SCRA), any entity/person who contravenes sections 13, 16, 17 or 19 of the SCRA shall be prosecuted and on conviction, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years or with the fine up to twenty-five crores or with both. As per Section 25 of SCRA, offences punishable under section 23 are cognizable offences within the meaning of Code of Criminal Procedure,1973 and as such can be investigated by state law enforcement authorities also. In addition to being violative of the securities laws, dabba trading also falls within the purview of Section 406,420 and Section 120-B of Indian Penal Code, 1870.

Investors are cautioned and advised NOT to trade on such illegal trading platforms. Participation in such illegal platforms is at the investor’s own risk, cost and consequences as such illegal trading platforms are neither approved nor endorsed by the Exchange.

The investors may note that for any kind of disputes relating to such prohibited schemes none of the following recourses will be available to investors:

1.         Benefits of investor protection under Exchange's Jurisdiction

2.         Exchange dispute resolution mechanism

3.         Investor grievance redressal mechanism administered by Exchange

Investors are advised to take note of the above.

*Issued in interest of investors*

About National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE):

National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) is the world’s largest derivatives exchange by trading volume (contracts) as per the statistics maintained by Futures Industry Association (FIA) for calendar year 2022. NSE is ranked 3rd in the world in the cash equities by number of trades as per the statistics maintained by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) for calendar year 2022. NSE was the first exchange in India to implement electronic or screen-based trading. It began operations in 1994 and is ranked as the largest stock exchange in India in terms of total and average daily turnover for equity shares every year since 1995, based on SEBI data. NSE has a fully integrated business model comprising exchange listings, trading services, clearing and settlement services, indices, market data feeds, technology solutions and financial education offerings. NSE also oversees compliance by trading, clearing members and listed companies with the rules and regulations of SEBI and the exchange. NSE is a pioneer in technology and ensures the reliability and performance of its systems through a culture of innovation and investment in technology.

For more information, visit: www.nseindia.com

SASTRA University Partners With J.K. Shah Classes For B.Com Course Along With CA Coaching

SASTRA University is collaborating with J.K. Shah Classes, part of Veranda Learning Solutions Limited (“Veranda”), a public listed Education company (BSE: 543514, NSE: VERANDA) to launch Bachelor of Commerce (B. Com) Online course with CA coaching. The three-year degree program will be offered Online. The B. Com course will be fully online, while the CA coaching will be available via a hybrid model comprising of online and offline modules.

This course is designed to help students understand business laws, accounting, costing and gain insights on corporate governance.  J.K. Shah Classes has been CA aspirants’ go-to coaching centre for the last four decades. “This course will be taught by the seasoned faculty of J.K. Shah Classes. We believe this course will open doors for students in the field of commerce and financial accounting,” said Vishal Shah, COO, JK Shah Classes. Aditya Malik, CEO of Veranda Higher ED, believes the course will enable students to face the modern-day challenges. “One on hand we have a reputed institution such as SASTRA University, and on the other J.K. Shah Classes who are pioneers in CA coaching. I am certain that our students are going to benefit from this course,” said Aditya.

Dr. S. Vaidhyasubramaniam, Vice Chancellor of SASTRA University is pleased to be teaming up with J.K. Shah Classes. “We are very happy to be associated with J.K. Shah Classes. We are confident that this integrated course will add value for the students and take their careers to great heights,” Dr. S. Vaidhyasubramaniam said.

About J.K. Shah Classes

Having started its operations in 1983 by Professor JK Shah, the institute has, over the years, become synonymous with success and top-quality coaching. Professor JK Shah has been instrumental in coaching thousands of Chartered Accountant (CA) aspirants. JKSC began just as a class for Costing subject to CA Final Students but has gone to expand its offerings and is today a pioneer in the field of coaching Commerce aspirants for professional courses such as CA, CS, CMA, CFA, 11th and 12th coaching for Maharashtra state board, CBSE and ISC and much more. Over 70,000 students enrol in JKSC each year.

About SASTRA University

SASTRA had a humble beginning in 1984 and is today a deemed university offering undergraduate, postgraduate & doctoral programmes in Engineering, Management, Law, Sciences, Humanities and Education. SASTRA’s teaching programmes are complemented by research engagements, consultancy assignments, training and extension activities. It had been re-accredited by NAAC (fourth cycle) with a maximum grade of ‘A++’ (3.76/4.00) and is a Category I Institution based on the UGC’s categorization of Universities for Graded Autonomy Regulations, 2018.

About Veranda Learning Solutions

Founded in 2018, by the Kalpathi AGS Group - Veranda Learning Solutions is a public listed education technology company that offers a bouquet of training programs for competitive exam preparation, including State Public Service Commission, Banking, Insurance, Railways, IAS, and CA, as well as a slew of professional skilling and upskilling programmes.  Veranda Learning Solutions’ platform combines technology, processes, and methodologies to provide high-quality, in-depth, personalised learning opportunities and content to learners across the country. Dedicated to creating an impact on students and delivering successful academic outcomes, Veranda adopts a multi-modal delivery system backed by a rigorous and disciplined learning framework. The company provides services through its subsidiaries: Veranda RACE, Veranda IAS, Edureka – the customer facing brand of Brain4ce Education Solutions, Veranda HigherEd and Edureka Learning Centre. Veranda Learning has forayed into high-demand financial courses such as Chartered Accountancy through its partnership with India’s premier CA test-preparation institute, J. K. Shah Classes.

Shoppers Stop Launches “U R You: Plus Size Fashion For Men & Women”

Shoppers Stop, India’s leading fashion and beauty omni-channel destination, is breaking barriers with the launch of ‘U R You’, an exclusive fashion brand that offers trendy clothes to plus-sized men and women. This move is in line with strengthening their Private Brands; a key strategic pillar of growth.  

Shoppers Stop recognizes that every person deserves to feel confident and stylish. ‘U R You’ is a modern fashion brand that aims to become the go-to brand for plus-size customers offering sizes from 2 XL to 7 XL. It offers a range of great quality, trendy and stylish ethnic, casual and formal fashion. With this exclusive brand, Shoppers Stop has sought to break down stereotypes and challenge the notion that fashion is limited to a specific size of apparel.  

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Venu Nair, Customer Care Associate MD and CEO at Shoppers Stop Ltd said, “Launch of U R You is not only in line with Private Brands being the strategic pillar of growth but also our purpose of inspiring our customers to look good and feel confident by fulfilling their lifestyle choices. There are very few brands that offer trendy fashion with larger sizes. U R You is set to fill this void with a stylish, affordable fashion collection.” 

Plus size shoppers face more challenges than most when it comes to finding clothes that fit them well.   Look no further as U R You offers quality, trendy clothing that our fashion-forward customers would love. 

Availability: Select Shoppers Stop stores and www.shoppersstop.com