Toyota Kirloskar Motor Honoured With Prestigious Export Excellence Award At FKCCI Star Export Awards 2023

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), announced that it has been bestowed with the esteemed Export Excellence Award at the FKCCI Star Export Awards 2023, organized by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI). The event, held in Bangalore, recognized outstanding performers across various sectors, emphasizing their contribution to the state’s as well as nation’s economy and their dedication to excellence in performance.

TKM's performance in the Engineering products sector earned the company the coveted STAR EXPORTER AWARD (Merchant Category-Silver) for the export performance year during 2022-23. In addition, recently TKM was honoured with the prestigious ‘State Export Excellence Award’ in the Auto & Components’ category by the Visvesvaraya Trade Promotion Centre (VTPC). The recognitions underscores TKM's unwavering dedication to achieving export excellence, showcasing its capability to compete on a global level with the highest standards of quality and innovation.

Mr. Arun Velayudhan, Vice President – Finance, Indirect Taxation & Impex, TKM, accepted the award on behalf of Toyota Kirloskar Motor from Shri M B Patil, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka. This momentous occasion highlighted the collaborative efforts of TKM and its commitment to contribute to the growth of Karnataka's industrial landscape.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Swapnesh R Maru, Executive Vice President, and Chief Compliance Officer at TKM said, "We are immensely proud and honoured to receive the Export Excellence Award from the esteemed Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI). This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to deliver excellence in all aspects of our operations. At TKM, we have always strived to push the boundaries of innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction. This award fuels our drive to continuously raise the bar, develop an ecosystem for advanced technologies that contributes to the Karnataka’s and India’s manufacturing industry. We extend our gratitude to our dedicated team members, stakeholders, and customers for their continuous support in our journey towards excellence."

The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI) Star Export Awards are a symbol of distinction, celebrating businesses that have showcased exemplary growth, innovation, and contribution to the Indian economy through their export endeavours. TKM has been bestowed with export excellence award many times in the previous years.

The company’s commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainable practices has played a pivotal role in positioning the company as a key player in the automotive sector. This prestigious award reinforces TKM's commitment to excellence and highlights its contribution to the growth of the engineering sector.

Union Bank of India Integrates “India’s Central Bank Digital Currency” (CBDC) With UPI Oo Offer Interoperability

Union Bank of India, one of India’s leading public sector banks revealed the launch of interoperability of India’s Central Bank Digital Currency with UPI under the aegis of RBI on. 

Union Bank of India has been one of the pioneer Banks in integrating Bank’s digital e-rupee with UPI Platform.  

Now the customers of the Bank would be able to scan any merchant UPI QR Code from Union Bank’s Digital e-rupee Wallet and initiate a payment to the merchant in his UPI linked account in a secured environment. It will enable merchants to collect payments through both UPI and Union Bank Digital e-rupee through single QR Code, thereby eliminating the need to have multiple QR codes for payment collections. This facility is currently enabled for undertaking P2M & P2PM transactions.  

Ms A. Manimekhalai, MD&CEO, Union Bank of India, expressed that “Interoperability of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) with UPI Platform is a significant development in India’s Payment ecosystem. This seamless integration will foster higher adoption of Digital Currency by the customers and will also give fillip to the number of transactions using CBDC wallet”. 

Under the CBDC programme, Union Bank of India has registered more than 1.30 lakh customers and 15,000 merchants in identified 26 centres. 

Tata Sampann Expands Its Staple Food Portfolio With The Launch Of Vermicelli In South India

~Set to roll out the range across India, following the entry in the southern market

~Available in three variants – Sorghum Millet Vermicelli, Protein Rich Roasted Vermicelli,

and Protein Rich Seviyan Vermicelli

Tata Sampann, the brand dedicated to delivering high quality and tasty products, has expanded its offering of staple foods by introducing Vermicelli across the southern Indian market. The newly introduced product range comprises of three distinct variants - 'Sorghum Millet Vermicelli,' 'Protein Rich Roasted Vermicelli,' and 'Protein Rich Seviyan Vermicelli.'  The latter two options are made with 100% semolina (suji), which ensures a balance of protein and dietary fibre.

Crafted without the addition of maida, Tata Sampann Vermicelli boasts of a remarkable protein content. If the Roasted Vermicelli offers a texture that is non-sticky and non-lumpy, the Seviyan variant is with a source of dietary fibre, while the Sorghum Millet Vermicelli is a wholesome blend of suji and jowar. These quick-cooking varieties transform into a delightful meal in just a span of 10 minutes once roasted, providing convenience with nutrition. Apart from satiating the taste buds, Vermicelli also contributes to a well-rounded diet. It forms a cornerstone for an array of culinary innovations, making it the perfect choice for food enthusiasts who wish to savour authentic flavours without compromising on their wellbeing.

Commenting on the launch Ms. Deepika Bhan, President, Packaged Foods (India), Tata Consumer Products said, "We are delighted to introduce the Tata Sampann Vermicelli range in the Southern part of India, in line with our dedication to providing both nourishing and delectable options. As health consciousness continues to rise, consumers are increasingly seeking nutrition without compromising on flavour. Our range of Roasted, Unroasted, and Millet vermicelli is strategically positioned to cater to these evolving preferences and tap into the market's potential. Vermicelli's versatility makes it a food option beyond breakfast making it a wholesome option for meals throughout the day. It is a quintessential ingredient in most Indian households which now comes in premium forms that elevate everyday meals. With Sampann, we continue to satiate local tastes while delivering a wholesome choice."

The launch of Tata Sampann Vermicelli in the southern Indian market exemplifies the company’s commitment to providing premium quality products that consumers can trust.  The 200 g roasted vermicelli pack can be bought for Rs. 30/- (MRP incl. of all taxes) and the unroasted variant of 200 g can be bought at Rs. 22/- (MRP incl. of all taxes) while the Millet vermicelli is priced at Rs. 30/- (MRP incl. of all taxes) for 180g. The products will be available in select premium outlets and leading e-commerce channels.

About Tata Consumer Products Limited

Tata Consumer Products Limited is a focused consumer products company uniting the principal food and beverage interests of the Tata Group under one umbrella. The Company’s portfolio of products includes tea, coffee, water, RTD, salt, pulses and spices, ready-to-cook and ready to eat offerings, breakfast cereals, snacks and mini meals. Tata Consumer Products is the 2nd largest branded tea company in the world. Its key beverage brands include Tata Tea, Tetley, Eight O’Clock Coffee, Tata Coffee Grand, Himalayan Natural Mineral Water, Tata Water Plus and Tata Gluco Plus. Its foods portfolio includes brands such as Tata Salt, Tata Sampann, Tata Soulfull and Tata Q. In India, Tata Consumer Products has a reach of over 200 million households, giving it an unparalleled ability to leverage the Tata brand in consumer products. The Company has an annual turnover of Rs. 13,783 cr. with operations in India and International markets.

For more information on the Company, visit our website www.tataconsumer.com

Atlassian Announces Promotion Of Avani Prabhakar To Global HR Role

Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ: TEAM), a leading provider of team collaboration and productivity software, announces the promotion of Avani Prabhakar to Global Head of Talent and HR Business Partners. 

In this newly-created role, Prabhakar will focus on accelerating performance as the company scales, driving efficiencies across Talent and Employee Programs and scaling the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program. She’ll lead a team of approximately 100 people across Human Resource Business Partners, Employment Relations, Talent, M&A and DEI across Atlassian’s global footprint. 

“At Atlassian, our mission is to unleash the potential of every team, and that really sits at the heart of this role,” said Prabhakar. “In today’s environment, our customers need us now more than ever to be great partners, and brilliance comes from our teams. I’ll be responsible for ensuring we have the right people and processes for Atlassians to thrive and do their best work and, in turn, deliver customer and business value.” 

Prabhakar is an accomplished People executive with more than 20 years of international experience across APAC, the Middle East and the US, in the technology, aviation, insurance, research and analytics industries. She’s spent the past four years at Atlassian, most recently as Head of Human Resources for Asia Pacific and the global HR Lead for Atlassian’s M&A team. 

Prabhakar is passionate about leading people strategy to deliver outcomes and driving culture transformation in organisations going through a change journey. 

About Atlassian 

Atlassian unleashes the potential of every team. Our agile & DevOps, IT service management and work management software helps teams organize, discuss, and complete shared work. The majority of the Fortune 500 and over 260,000 companies of all sizes worldwide - including NASA, Kiva, Deutsche Bank, and Salesforce - rely on our solutions to help their teams work better together and deliver quality results on time. Learn more about our products, including Jira Software, Confluence, Jira Service Management, Trello, Bitbucket, and Jira Align at https://atlassian.com. 

Air India Enters Interline Partnership With Bangkok Airways

·         Seamless connections beyond Bangkok to 10 destinations in Southeast Asia

·         Complimentary lounge access at available airports regardless of cabin class

Air India, India’s leading global airline, has entered an interline partnership with Bangkok Airways. The partnership enables Air India guests to take convenient connections via Air India’s Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore gateways to and from 10 destinations in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia on Bangkok Airways’ route network.

The scope of the agreement between the two airlines includes Inter Airline Through Check-In (IATCI) implementation, which enables guests to receive their boarding passes at the first point of departure for all the travel sectors on a single ticket, and have their baggage checked-in through to their final destinations.

Air India guests taking connecting flights on Bangkok Airways will also receive complimentary access to Bangkok Airways’ Boutique Lounges and Courtesy Corners at available airports, regardless of the cabin class they fly.

Air India and Bangkok Airways have also entered a Special Prorate Agreement, which allows both carriers to file ‘through fares’ on routes covering each other’s networks.

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial & Transformation Office, Air India, said, “One of our strategic priorities at Air India is to offer our guests the choice of flying to more places through our own as well as an augmented global network. We are happy to join hands with Bangkok Airways as part of that effort to provide our guests greater connectivity within Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia.”

Chulin Kocharoen, Vice President - Network and Product Development of Bangkok Airways PLC, said, “Air India is a leading global airline with a major presence in India and across the world. We are pleased to enter an interline partnership with Air India to strengthen our respective route networks and offer business and leisure travellers with unprecedented and convenient access to new gateways. Moreover, Air India passengers traveling on Bangkok Airways flights will enjoy the boutique airline’s unparalleled services such as lounge access at available airports, in-flight meal and much more.”

Air India guests can connect to the following points in Thailand through Bangkok Airways: Chiang Mai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Trat, Koh Samui, Phuket, and Krabi. The points outside of Thailand include Luang Prabang in Laos; and Phnom Penh, Siem Reap in Cambodia.

In addition to the Bangkok gateway, Air India guests can also choose to fly to Koh Samui via Singapore and Hong Kong.

Air India operates daily flights to Bangkok from Delhi and Mumbai, to Singapore from Delhi (twice daily), Mumbai, and Chennai, and thrice a week to Hong Kong from Delhi.

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 with non-stop flights to cities around the world, across the 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.

A 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.

Tata Steel Introduces First-Ever Batch Of Women Firefighter Trainees

~23 Women will start training for Fire and Rescue Services in Tata Steel~

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Tata Steel today inducted the first batch of 23 women firefighter trainees who will undergo training in Basic Fire Fighting and Rescue Operations and will be the first-ever women firefighters in Tata Steel. To mark this initiative, an event ‘Flames of Change’ was organised to introduce these future firefighters. Present during the occasion as Chief Guest was Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel along with Sanjeev Kumar Chaudhary, President, Tata Workers’ Union as the Guest of Honour.

The event marked the launch of a 3-month long training programme designed to train these 23 women to become competent firefighters. The training will provide theoretical understanding as well as hands-on experience to these women. After the training programme, the candidates will be evaluated, and the selected trainees will be inducted into the Fire and Rescue Services team of Tata Steel.

During the event, a training manual on Basic Firefighting was also unveiled by Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel; Sanjeev Kumar Chaudhary, President, Tata Workers’ Union; Arvind Kumar Sinha, Chief Security and Brand Protection, Tata Steel; Deepa Verma, Chief HRBP, Corporate Functions, Tata Steel; Jaya Singh Panda, Chief Learning & Development and Chief Diversity Officer, Tata Steel among other senior officials of Tata Steel and members of the union.

Speaking during the occasion, Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel said, “Tata Steel has been a pioneer in taking such initiatives and creating opportunities for women in various fields in the organisation. These women firefighters inducted today in the Fire and Rescue Services team of Tata Steel will create history and inspire everyone across the nation”.

“Tata Steel has always had the motivation to take the lead in industry-first initiatives. It gives us immense pride in introducing these women as the first-ever female firefighter trainees in the organisation.” said Sanjeev Kumar Chaudhary, President, Tata Workers’ Union during the occasion.

Tata Steel is an equal opportunity employer with a focus on building an equitable culture and a diverse workforce. To foster the culture of inclusion and diversity, Tata Steel has taken several pioneering steps, which are first of their kind in the manufacturing sector such Menstrual Leave Policy, Surrogacy Policy, introduction of Employee Resource Group 'WINGS' for LGBTQIA+, deployment of women at mines among others. Tata Steel aims at achieving 25% of the workforce comprising of diverse groups by 2025.

About Tata Steel

·         Tata Steel group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 35 million tonnes per annum.

·         It is one of the world's most geographically diversified steel producers, with operations and commercial presence across the world.

·         The group recorded a consolidated turnover of ~US$30.3 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2023.

·         A Great Place to Work-CertifiedTM organisation, Tata Steel Limited, together with its subsidiaries, associates, and joint ventures, is spread across five continents with an employee base of over 77,000.

·         Tata Steel has announced its major sustainability objectives including Net Zero Carbon by 2045, Net Zero Water consumption by 2030, improving Ambient Air Quality and No Net loss in Biodiversity by 2030.

·         The Company has been on a multi-year digital-enabled business transformation journey intending to be the leader in ‘Digital Steel making by 2025’. The Company has received the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse recognition for its Jamshedpur, Kalinganagar and IJmuiden Plants.

·         Tata Steel aspires to have 25% diverse workforce by 2025. The Company has been recognised with the World Economic Forum’s Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion Lighthouse 2023.

·         The Company has been a part of the DJSI Emerging Markets Index since 2012 and has been consistently ranked amongst top 10 steel companies in the DJSI Corporate Sustainability Assessment since 2016.

·         Tata Steel’s Jamshedpur Plant is India’s first site to receive ResponsibleSteelTM Certification.

·         Received Prime Minister’s Trophy for the best performing integrated steel plant for 2016-17, 2023 Steel Sustainability Champion recognition from worldsteel for six years in a row, 2022 ‘Supplier Engagement Leader’ recognition by CDP, Top performer in Iron and Steel sector in Dun & Bradstreet's India's top 500 companies 2022, Ranked as the 2023 most valuable Mining and Metals brand in India by Brand Finance, and ‘Most Ethical Company’ award 2021 from Ethisphere Institute.

·         Received 2022 ERM Global Award of Distinction, ‘Masters of Risk’ - Metals & Mining Sector recognition at The India Risk Management Awards for the seventh consecutive year, and Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting FY20 from ICAI, among several others.

SBI Life Insurance Forays Into Metaverse; Launches Its Very First ‘LifeVerse Studio’ To Revolutionize Customer Experience

* The brand’s objective is to connect with the next wave of billion young internet users

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the next generation of the internet- ‘metaverse’ represents a paradigm shift in the way people connect, interact and experience in the online world. SBI Life Insurance, one of the most trusted private life insurers in the country, recently launched its very first ‘LifeVerse Studio’, on Metaverse to connect with the next wave of young internet users and revolutionize consumer experience in an immersive virtual world. The objective behind the move is to connect, empower and engage with today’s new age consumers and reshape brand interactions. To further strengthen its commitment towards empowering both the employees & consumers at large, the company aims to launch its presence on metaverse in phases, SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’ being the first phase. 

By seamlessly incorporating a spectrum of technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and other innovative digital mediums, being available on metaverse continues to transform consumer its transformative journey across diverse industries. In this wave of innovation, the life insurance sector stands as no exception.

SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’ is designed for the users to create their avatars to connect with a diverse set of audiences. The users can select from a wide range of interesting avatars and showcase their creative self on the platform through their avatars. This new initiative presents captivating content and stories featuring renowned personalities such as Anshula Kapoor, Durjoy Datta, Anushka Rathod, and Tejas Joshi, allowing users to immerse themselves in inspirational narratives about these influential individuals and liberate them to fulfil their aspirations while they take care of their existing responsibilities. Furthermore, the Avatars can interact in real-time, fostering vibrant communities of like-minded individuals.

LifeVerse is accessible under About Us section on SBI Life corporate website(www.sbilife.co.in)

The direct link to access SBI Life’s LifeVerse Studio is: Pursue your dreams responsibly with SBI Lifeverse

Click on the link to watch the launch  video of SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’:

https://youtu.be/Ev4EuTd55Gk?si=5wz3Y3-qlHV79BMu

At the launch of SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’, Mr. Ravindra Sharma, the Chief of Brand, Corporate Communication & CSR, SBI Life Insurance, said, “As a customer-centric organization, we, at SBI Life are committed to advancing digital innovations that enhances customer experiences. We have always been looking forward to take progressive steps to connect with our customers wherever they are present and available for interaction. Foraying into Metaverse by launching SBI Life’s very first ‘ LifeVerse Studio’, we embark on a new & transformative journey that not only reshapes perception towards life insurance but also redefines brand-consumer interactions. In the era of digital transformation, the metaverse emerges as a beacon of innovation, revolutionizing online engagement. SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio' represents our enthusiastic foray into this innovative space, promising a positive impact on our valued customers and cultivate meaningful engagements.”

He further added, “Through SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio,' we embrace the new platform to empower our customers, enabling them to connect, explore, and be inspired in a truly immersive manner. We also aim to transcend conventional boundaries, overcome geographical barriers and extend our reach to every corner of the country, employing imaginative and making a meaningful impact on consumer’s financial well-being."

Mr. Sahil Shah, President Digital Experience, Dentsu Creative said, “Metaverse is not just a technological evolution; it’s a paradigm shift in how we connect and engage online. With SBI Life’s ‘ LifeVerse Studio’, we are stepping into the future of brand communication where passions unite and immersive interactions bring people together like never before. Phase 1, i.e. SBI Life’s ‘LifeVerse Studio’, is just the beginning of our journey to create a virtual space that fosters meaningful connections between passion chasers and our audience in the metaverse. It’s an exciting step towards building a community that thrives on shared interests and experiences.”

About SBI Life Insurance

SBI Life Insurance (‘SBI Life’ / ‘The Company’), one of the most trusted life insurance companies in India, was incorporated in October 2000 and is registered with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in March 2001.

Serving millions of families across India, SBI Life’s diverse range of products caters to individuals as well as group customers through Protection, Pension, Savings and Health solutions.

Driven by ‘Customer-First’ approach, SBI Life places great emphasis on maintaining world class operating efficiency and providing hassle-free claim settlement experience to its customers by following high ethical standards of service. Additionally, SBI Life is committed to enhance digital experiences for its customers, distributors and employees alike.

SBI Life strives to make insurance accessible to all, with its extensive presence across the country through its 996 offices, 22,015 employees, a large and productive individual agent network of about 222,822 agents, 68 corporate agents and 14 bancassurance partners with more than 39,000 partner branches, 133 brokers and other insurance marketing firms.

In addition to doing what’s right for the customers, the company is also committed to provide a healthy and flexible work environment for its employees to excel personally and professionally.

SBI Life strongly encourages a culture of giving back to the society and has made substantial contribution in the areas of child education, healthcare, disaster relief and environmental upgrade. In 2022-23, the Company touched over 1.1 lakh direct beneficiaries through various CSR interventions.

Listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange ('BSE') and the National Stock Exchange ('NSE'), the company has an authorized capital of Rs. 20.0 billion and a paid up capital of Rs.10.0 billion. The AuM is Rs. 3,282.8 billion.

For more information, please visit our website-www.sbilife.co.in and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Linkedin.

(Numbers & data mentioned above are for the period ended June 30, 2023)