ALLENites Secured 1 Gold And 3 Silver Medals In International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)

* Krish secured a Gold medal, while Aditi, Avneesh, and Malay secured Silver medals.

ALLENites have once again made India proud by winning medals in International Olympiad. Dr Brajesh Maheshwari, Director of Allen Career Institute Private Limited, said The 55th IChO-International Chemistry Olympiad 2023 was held in Zurich - Switzerland, from 16 - 25 July 2023.

In the final round of this Olympiad, a team of four students represented India; all were Allenites. Allen classroom student Krish Shrivastav won the Gold medal. Similarly, classroom students Aditi Singh, Avneesh Bansal, and Malay Kedia secured the Silver medals. This Olympiad witnessed the participation of 348 students from 87 countries in its four rounds.

Maheshwari informed that after the first stage of the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), which is the National Standard Examination in Chemistry (NSEC), 77 students from ALLEN were selected to proceed to the second stage, the Indian National Chemistry Olympiad (INChO).

After that, the selection of 13 students was made in the third stage, which was the Orientation-cum-Selection Camp (OCSC). In this camp, the top four students were chosen based on written and practical examinations to represent the Indian team in the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). It is noteworthy that all the students in this team were from ALLEN.

Shingles Vaccine Reduces Risk Of Stroke And Heart Attack From Virus, Study Suggests

Getting vaccinated against shingles could significantly reduce the risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack from the virus, a new study has found.

Shingles is caused by the same virus, varicella zoster, that causes chicken pox. People who get chicken pox can develop shingles later in life if the virus becomes active again.

“Shingles results in a painful skin rash, but we also know there’s an increased risk of having a stroke or heart attack in the first month after the virus is reactivated,” said James Mbinta, the study’s lead author and a PhD candidate in the School of Health at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

The risk of stroke is two to three times higher if the virus reoccurs in the opthalmic nerve—a sensory nerve in the face.

“The results of our study suggest the shingles vaccine offers a large protective effect against both stroke and heart attack in the first 42 days after vaccination,” Mbinta said.

In the study, researchers compared the number of people hospitalised in the first 42 days after getting the shingles vaccine—the ‘at-risk’ period—with the number hospitalised between 72 and 162 days after vaccination. The latter time frame was used as the ‘control’ period, which provides a baseline for comparison.

“We found twice as many people (761) were hospitalised in the control period than in the first month following vaccination (321). These results suggest the vaccine may reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack by as much as 50 percent in the first 42 days,” Mbinta said.

Results are based on analysis of data from 278,375 adults in New Zealand who got the vaccine between April 2018 and July 2021. Most were aged 70 or older.

Co-author Professor Colin Simpson, an associate dean at the University’s Faculty of Health, said the findings add to evidence showing vaccination reduces the chances by ending up in hospital as a result of the virus.

“The results are consistent with research in Australia that found a reduced risk of stroke after vaccination among adults aged 70 to 79,” Professor Simpson said.

Previous research led by Mbinta found the shingles vaccine also significantly reduced the risk of being hospitalised with postherpetic neuralgia, a complication of the shingles virus that can cause debilitating pain.

About one in three people will get shingles during their lifetime. The likelihood increases with age. Half of those aged 85 or over are expected to get shingles.

Notes to Editors:

About Education New Zealand (ENZ) https://www.enz.govt.nz/

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is the government agency responsible for taking New Zealand’s education experiences to the world. ENZ promotes a New Zealand education as one that teaches students to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and lifelong learners, which will help them succeed in their future careers and create a positive impact on the world. In 2019, New Zealand’s education system was ranked first among English-speaking countries and third in the world for delivering a future-focused education (out of 50 economies) by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

With approximately 100 staff in 18 locations around the world, ENZ works closely with New Zealand’s diverse education sector, including schools, English language providers, Private Training Establishments, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, universities, and internationally with NZ Inc agencies, Government agencies and education providers to encourage sustainable growth and identify opportunities. 

Dvara KGFS And HDFC Bank Enter Into A Co-Lending Agreement For Micro Business Units In Rural India

Dvara KGFS and HDFC Bank have entered a co-lending partnership aimed at providing business capital to micro business units operating primarily in the unorganized sector. These businesses often face limited access to formal sources of finance. 

Dvara KGFS launched its exclusive Enterprise Loans vertical in 2020, focusing on 3 primary value chains i.e.: grocery, dairy, and agri. To date, the company has assisted numerous beneficiaries with working capital and business growth loans, improving their livelihood generation capabilities and facilitating their inclusion in the Indian economy. 

In line with its ambitious plans for this year's Annual Operating Plan (AOP), Dvara KGFS seeks to extend credit to micro businesses across the 10 states that it serves. This collaboration with HDFC Bank will help Dvara KGFS realize its ambitions.  

Mr. LVLN Murty, MD, and CEO of Dvara KGFS expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, "We are excited to join forces with one of the largest and leading financial institutions in the country. This engagement will enhance our capabilities in empowering micro businesses operating in rural areas." 

Mr. K. Venkatesh, Executive Vice President and Business Head, Sustainable Livelihood Initiative, HDFC Bank said, “At HDFC Bank, our aim has always been to provide ease in accessing credit and finance. In this pursuit, we are happy to partner with Dvara KGFS which will serve to increase the credit flow to the under penetrated areas and encourage the beneficiaries to become self-reliant”.  

The co-lending form of collaboration is seeing good traction and demand in recent times and this partnership is another indication of this growing trend. The partnership brings to fore the synergies between the two organizations in terms of Dvara KGFS’s strong rural origination capabilities and understanding of rural markets combined with HDFC Bank’s brand, financial strength, and strong risk framework.  

About Dvara KGFS:  

Dvara KGFS, a systematically important NBFC in the Dvara Group regulated by RBI, works with a mission to maximise the financial well-being of every individual and every enterprise by providing complete access to financial services in remote rural India. Dvara KGFS has a strong presence in Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha, spread across 48 Districts with 308 branches and more than 1.1 million enrolled customers.  

Click here to know more: www.dvarakgfs.com 

Embracing Every Mum's Biggest Promise, Johnson's® Baby Commits To Help Protect, Pehle Pal Se

* #Motherspromise -15000+ mums, pan India, 1 unanimous promise for their baby

* TVC Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nAm35ijKls

Parenthood is a journey filled with immense love, dedication, and unwavering promises. From the moment a parent discovers they are expecting, they form a deep connect with their baby to always protect its skin and ensure its well-being from day 1. Johnson's® Baby, a pioneer in baby skincare, recognizes and celebrates every parent’s powerful commitment with its latest campaign, 'Promise, pehle pal se'.

As a brand which has partnered with parents for generations, Johnson’s® Baby recognises their promise to help protect their baby’ skin from day 1. Johnson's® Baby wholeheartedly partners with every mum and dad to help safeguard their babies' skin. Guided by a mission to create the safest baby products, Johnson's® Baby brings decades of knowledge and science building a strong foundation to choose only ‘Baby safe’ ingredients and to create formulations that are tested to help protect the delicate skin of a baby. The products are backed by rigorous scientific research, with formulas tested by paediatricians & dermatologists.

The brand’s latest marketing campaign, ‘Promise, Pehle Pal Se’ captures this unwavering commitment 'Designed with Only (Sirf aur Sirf) “Baby Safe Ingredients’ to help protect baby's delicate skin from day 1.

Through a heart-warming advertising film, viewers are immersed in the world of new parents as they joyfully engage with their baby, committing to introduce and surround the baby to only the good things in the world. The film showcases a mum and dad’s small yet choiceful decisions they take everyday to deliver on their promise of providing their baby with nothing but goodness and helping protect the baby’ skin.

Reinforcing the brand promise, Mr Manoj Gadgil - Business Unit Head & VP Marketing – Kenvue said, “Ahead of the campaign, Johnson’s® Baby reached out to over 15000 mums from every part of India, different cultures and backgrounds to understand their promise to their little ones. There was one resounding promise which went beyond boundaries and cultures, a promise to protect their baby. Based on this common purpose, Johnson’s® Baby strongly commits to mums to help fulfil their precious promise to their babies.”

“Over the years, Johnson’s® Baby as a partner to parents has consistently worked towards delivering the best for babies. As a brand with products that first touch a baby’s skin, we understand our responsibility. We remain focussed on creating products designed with only ‘Baby-safe’ ingredients to exceed safety standards to deliver our promise to every parent.”

Godwin D’Mello - Executive Creative Director, DDB Mudra Group said, “The birth of a child brings out the optimism in every parent to create a world full of positivity for their little one, where only good things exist. This observation, delivered through the emotional hook of the mother's promise on day 1, helped us talk about Johnson's role in helping her keep that promise.”

The highly anticipated 'Promise, Pehle Pal Se' campaign goes live on July 25 across prominent television channels, digital platforms, and social media networks. 

Link to the TVC

English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nAm35ijKls

Kannada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE4W3PiRDvs

About Johnson’s Baby

At Johnson’s®, we’re committed to delivering the best for babies with products that are specially designed for baby’s skin. For more than 125 years, we’ve pioneered research to further understand the unique needs of a baby’s eyes, skin, and hair. This science is behind every one of our gentle and Clinically Proven Mild products, making Johnson’s® baby one of the most trusted brands amongst mothers in India.

Kenvue

Kenvue is the world’s largest pure-play consumer health company by revenue. Built on more than a century of heritage, our iconic brands, including Aveeno®, BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages, Johnson’s®, Listerine®, Neutrogena®, and Tylenol®, are science-backed and recommended by healthcare professionals around the world. At Kenvue, we believe in the extraordinary power of everyday care and our teams work every day to put that power in consumers’ hands and earn a place in their hearts and homes. Learn more at www.kenvue.com.

Air India’s New Inflight Magazine ‘namaste.ai’ Takes Off

Air India has launched its all-new inflight magazine, namaste.ai, taking another step towards enhancing customer experience along its ongoing transformation journey.

namaste.ai is now available on board all Air India domestic and international flights, starting today. A premium travel and lifestyle magazine, it reflects Air India’s vision of becoming a world-class global airline with an Indian heart.

The inaugural edition of namaste.ai features an inspirational cover story on the legendary JRD Tata as a tribute to the ‘Father of Indian Aviation’ to celebrate his birth anniversary on 29th July. The legacy of JRD Tata’s indomitable spirit of entrepreneurship and pursuit of excellence continues to inspire Air India to reclaim its position in the upper echelons of global aviation.

Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, Air India, said, “The name namaste.ai comes from the Indian greeting. Apart from being a land of diverse geographies, people, and cultures, India is known for its warm hospitality. Through namaste.ai, we will attempt to give our guests a glimpse of all that and more. We want to enhance our guests’ experience of flying with us even more pleasurable.”

namaste.ai presents a selection of exciting content featuring travel destinations to explore near and far, as well as interesting lifestyle content from the worlds of technology, culinary arts, culture, and showbiz. It also features interesting updates from within Air India for guests to know more about the airline and its ongoing transformation initiatives.

About Air India:

Founded by the legendary JRD Tata, Air India pioneered India’s aviation sector. Since its first flight on October 15, 1932, Air India has built an extensive domestic network and also connects with non-stop flights to cities around the world, across USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Far-East, South-East Asia, Australia, and the Gulf. After 69 years as a government-owned enterprise, Air India and Air India Express were welcomed back into the Tata group in January 2022.

Air India is navigating through a major five-year transformation roadmap under the aegis of Vihaan.AI, with an ambition to become a world class airline with an Indian heart. The first phase of this transformation, the taxi phase was recently concluded, and focused on fixing the basics. These included bringing back to service many long grounded aircraft, addition of talent across flying and ground functions, rapid upgradation of technology and strengthening of customer care initiatives amongst others. 

Member of Star Alliance, the largest global airline consortium of leading international airlines, Air India offers seamless connectivity and facilities to passengers all over the world.

It has committed over USD 400MM to completely refit the interiors of all wide-body aircraft and has also planned an investment of over USD 200MM in digital and technology. In January 2023, as part of its transformation efforts, Air India placed the industry’s largest ever order of 470 aircraft across Boeing and Airbus and these will start joining its fleet from later this year. With its enhanced fleet, network and improved on-time performance, the airline is revamping its customer proposition.

Union Bank of India Partners With IBM To Accelerate "Holistic Digital Transformation With Future Ready Capabilities"

Union Bank of India, one of the leading public sector banks in the country, takes a giant leap towards a future-ready and customer-centric approach with its ambitious Digital Transformation initiative. In a strategic move to usher in a new era of banking, the bank has partnered with M/s IBM India Pvt Ltd, a renowned technology system integrator, to co-create a state-of-the-art Digital Business Platform.

This landmark collaboration aims to establish a Digital Bank, equipped with cutting-edge capabilities that focus on omni-channel experiences, data-driven hyper-personalization, and an extensive financial services superstore designed for seamless cross-selling and upselling. The Digital Business Platform will also facilitate full digital journeys, providing customers with unparalleled convenience and efficiency. Furthermore, the bank will embrace Open Banking capabilities, allowing for seamless integration of services across multiple partnerships.

"At Union Bank of India, we are dedicated to empowering our customers with innovative products and unparalleled banking experiences. Our collaboration with IBM India Pvt Ltd represents a significant milestone in our journey towards a comprehensive Digital Transformation," said the Managing Director of Union Bank of India. "We are committed to creating a future-ready banking ecosystem that prioritizes customer satisfaction and convenience."

Photo Caption; Seen in the Photograph from Left to Right are:  Ms. Lula Mohanty, IBM, Managing Partner, Ms. Manimekhalai, MD & CEO, Union Bank of India, Mr. Nidhu Saxena Executive Director & Mr. Ramasubramanian S., Executive Director.

TKM And Government Tool Room & Training Centre Collaborate To Enhance Safety Culture And Skill Development In Karnataka

Toyota Kirloskar Motor(TKM) was identified by Government Tool Room & Training Centre (GTTC) as an Industrial Training Provider (ITP) for developing skilled human resources for the manufacturing units and first-time entrepreneurs, as a result a MOU was signed in January 2021 to impart Industry specific skill development training in GTTC locations.

Starting with four GTTC institutes in 2021-22, TKM has developed eleven GTTC institutes till date, and in FY 23-24, TKM has planned to develop five more institutes to foster auto industry culture and skill development. In the future the company plans to cover all 30 GTTC institutes in Karnataka in a phased manner.

As a part of the training program, TKM will provide an opportunity for the trainees who has enrolled in the three-year training in automobile welding and automobile assembly trades to acquire skills relevant to the manufacturing industry and improve their employment potential through a ‘Learn and Earn’ approach consisting of a mix of theoretical and On-the-Job Development. The students will be trained by Toyota professionals with extensive hands-on experience in the Toyota Production System. The participants on successful completion of the training, will have to take up an exam for certification, which will be conducted by the Automotive Skill Development Council, Delhi with the support of 3rd party assessor. Further, TKM has deployed their trainers in these institutes to develop trainers from the institute to conduct training.

Safety has always been a paramount priority for TKM, and the company has implemented a "safety first" approach in all its processes. As part of the company’s commitment to cultivate a safe mindset among students before they join the industry, safe work training is being provided to GTTC students. To promote safe practices, TKM has extended safety training, wherein trainers were deployed to promote a safe culture with special focus on visualizing the safety aspect in the areas of Industry, Road, and Fire.

Mr. H. Raghvendra, Managing Director, GTTC, said “TKM is taking a proactive initiative towards the development of industry-specific skills, knowledge, and culture in institutes. Through these collaborative efforts, we aim to bridge the gap between academia and the industry, providing crucial support to various industries by producing a highly employable skilled and disciplined workforce. The knowledge imbibed during training, help the students understand their pivotal role in promoting safety and environmental consciousness in their workplace and which will further motivate them to excel in their future professional endeavours.”

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. K. Srinivas, Director of Factories, Boilers, Industrial Safety & Health, Government of Karnataka, expressed, “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to TKM for their invaluable support in furthering the objectives of the Skill India Mission and promoting a culture of safety among students to work with a safe mindset in the industry. We are fully committed to providing all necessary assistance to enhance the GTTCs to achieve a greater level of excellence. With collective effort and collaboration, we are resolutely working hand in hand to develop the students and meet the industry requirements and inculcate safe industry culture.”

Mr. G. Shankara, Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resource Officer, TKM & TKAP, stated, “At the core of delivering exceptional quality products and services, lies our unwavering commitment to nurturing world-class individuals. Toyota's unique philosophy revolves around cultivating quality people, who in turn will drive the establishment of robust processes, leading to the creation of ever-better products and services that delight our customers. The collaboration with GTTC and activities initiated mark a significant step in shaping a skilled and safety-conscious workforce that will drive the growth of the Indian Auto industry “