Tech Avant-Garde Inaugurates Project Carte Blanche At Army Public School, Kamraj Road

Tech Avant-Garde (TAG), India’s largest Hybrid Learning Solution Provider in the education sector, inaugurated Project Carte Blanche to the participants, visitors and dignitaries from India and across the world, on 11 Oct 2023 at Army Public School, Kamaraj Rd, FM Cariappa Colony, Bengaluru, Karnataka.

The Army Hybrid Node classrooms were inaugurated by Gen. Brar, GOC, DB Area. Ms Shanta Sait, Chairman of Tech Avant-Garde, K.V Vincent, Project Director, Mr Deepak Satyanarayan from Microsoft, Swapnil Bose from Lenovo, and Sandeep Singh from TCIL inaugurated the other 4 Node Classrooms and Hybrid Studio.

As October 11, 2023, is also the International Day of the Girl Child. As a tribute to this day, a young girl – Suchitra Nair - was chosen to be given a Blank Cheque (Carte Blanche), which will be her scholarship to pursue her studies for life.

*Project Carte Blanche – An Overview* 

One CBSE school from every district of India has been selected under the Project Carte Blanche.

Under this program, TAG will implement Hybrid Learning, Digital Literacy, Skill Hub Initiative, Financial Digital Literacy Program, Adolescent Health Program, Health Kiosk, School & College Connect, Art Connect, and Virtual Field Trips, in partnership with CBSE and Microsoft. 

The mission of Project Carte Blanche is Endless Empowerment - the stakeholders of education viz., Principals, Educators, Students, Parents and School Management will be the beneficiaries. Carte Blanche Project will empower 1500+ students, 100+ teachers, 3000+ parents from 800+ schools at least one from every district of India. This initiative will impact over 4 million stakeholders of education across the country.

Hybrid Learning will enhance and accelerate learning by providing student-centered approaches to meet diverse learners needs. This project will also simultaneously ensure that the NEP 2020 is implemented in its fullest form. 

Through this initiative, students will gain valuable experience in utilizing technologies such as Azure, Office 365, Analytical tools, STEM and STEAM learning and other productivity tools. The students will be equipped with the knowledge and expertise needed to thrive in the digital economy and prepare them for the challenges in the Knowledge Age.

Mr Ali Sait, CEO, Tech Avant-Garde said “It’s a dream come true that finally education turns the corner and adopts Digital transformation and Hybrid Learning en masse in 800 CBSE schools. This process will allow anywhere, any place, any device learning, and schools becoming lockdown-proof. With India being the first to adopt Hybrid Learning, there’s a great chance that it will become the most progressive society in the years to come.”

Project Carte Blanche will initiate Digital Transformation in education. Hybrid Learning will lend towards personalized learning and adaptive learning... Any society or country which adopts this new system of learning will become the most progressive society of the world for next 1000 years.”.

Urban Company Kaunches NATIVE, A Range Of Smart RO Water Purifiers Which Need No Servicing For 2 Years

·       The Native M1 and M2 water purifiers are powered with superior filters and ‘rapid reverse rinse’ technology, thereby needing no filter changes or servicing for 2 years. 

·       Post the initial 2 year period, the RO devices need servicing only once in 2 years

·       UC offers a 2-year ‘zero-cost’ comprehensive warranty covering all filters, membranes & spare parts 

Urban Company, Asia’s leading home services platform, has launched a new range of smart RO water purifiers under the sub-brand Native. Native M1 and M2 models are engineered to deliver clean and safe drinking water for households, equipped with cutting-edge technology and superior-quality filters that sets them apart. 

Native by Urban Company is India's first range of water purifiers which need no servicing for 2 years and are capable of giving an output of 12000 liters of pure water without needing their filters changed. The Native water purifiers are Made in India and come with state-of-the-art filters, ‘rapid reverse rinse’ technology, and multi-micron filter surfaces that enable filters to last for two years, reducing the overall ownership costs for consumers. Additionally, the IoT feature available in the M2 version of the RO device can help users track real-time TDS levels, water consumption and filter life status on their Urban Company app. Further, Urban Company is offering a ‘zero-cost’ warranty that includes filters, membranes and all other spare parts for the two year period.

Addressing the media at the launch, Abhiraj Singh Bhal, Co-founder and CEO, Urban Company said, “We have always strived to make the lives of our customers easier. Over the past few years, we have repaired and serviced over a million water purifiers. One pain point we constantly heard from customers is why water purifiers need filter changes and servicing every few months. We decided to address this problem head-on with our new range of Native water purifiers. The Native water purifiers perform flawlessly for 2 years without needing any service, giving customers safe and clean drinking water. Thereafter, they only need servicing once in 2 years. We are backing our claim with a comprehensive zero cost warranty for 2 years which includes all filters, membranes and spare parts. The purifiers are designed with a lot of thought, and the M2 device is fully integrated into the UC app, giving customers a real-time picture of water quality, consumption and filter life. We are very excited and hope customers will love the product.”

Commenting on the launch, Aditya Shrivastava, SVP, Business said, “At Urban Company, we have been at the forefront of RO servicing for years now, and after years of R&D, technological innovation, and customer feedback, we have built a new product under the Native brand that we hope will be appreciated by our customers. The two Native models, M1 and M2, are equipped with advanced features for better performance while providing safe and healthy drinking water at zero servicing costs for the first two years.”

Both M1 and M2 models have an 8-litre water capacity and have been beautifully designed keeping modern Indian kitchens in mind. Native M2 is an IoT-enabled smart water purifier, which helps customers track their real-time water TDS levels, filter health status and water consumption, all through the Urban Company app. The Native M2 has a futuristic mirror design with a brushed metal finish, 3 preset dispensing mode and a breathing LED indicator that displays IoT pairing status. The Native M1 has 9 stages of filtration (RO + UV + UF + MTDS Minerals and Alkaline Filters) that help remove 99.99% impurities including chemical contaminants like metal ions, chromium, lead, sodium and reduce arsenic, radium, fluoride, sulphate, magnesium, amongst others. The M2 device has 10 stages of filtration, with all the stages of the M1 device + copper-charged filters. 

Price and Availability 

The Urban Company Native M2 Water Purifier will be available at an introductory price of INR 17,499 and the Native M1 Model will be at INR 13,499. These models are currently available on the Urban Company app and website as well as on Amazon. The products will be available offline on Croma stores soon.

About Urban Company 

Vision: Empower millions of professionals worldwide to deliver services at home like never experienced before.

Founded in November 2014, Urban Company is Asia’s largest technology marketplace for home services. The company offers services such as beauty and spa at home, cleaning, plumbing, carpentry, appliance repair, painting, and more through its mobile app and website. It operates in 50+ cities in India, the UAE, Singapore and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has a partner network of over 55,000 hand-picked service professionals transforming them into organised and high-quality micro-entrepreneurs. This full-stack approach helps the company live up to its promise of delivering high-quality, delightful services at home.

Ahead Of festive Season, Amazon India Onboards 12 New Entrepreneurs Through Its Delivery Service Partner (DSP) Program

Amazon India today announced that it has onboarded 12 new aspiring entrepreneurs as part of its Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program across Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi NCR, and Maharashtra. This initiative will strengthen Amazon India’s last mile network, ahead of festive season. The DSP program enables aspiring entrepreneurs, even with little to no logistics experience, to develop and launch their own delivery businesses, and provide work opportunities to thousands of delivery associates. These new business owners are supported by Amazon’s more than 20 years of operational experience, best-in-class technology, and a suite of exclusively negotiated services and assets required to deliver Amazon packages safely and successfully.

With the DSP program, Amazon India has partnered with close to 300 small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) to deliver packages to Amazon customers, and provide them with growth avenues. Over the last two years, Amazon India has already onboarded close to 100 new DSPs and will open up more opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs in the future. Overall, Amazon India network has close to 2000 delivery stations owned by Amazon India or their partners, in more than 750 cities.

“It brings me great pride to witness hundreds of small business owners growing and benefiting from the Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program. With the program’s growth, we have innovated to enhance the experience for our DSPs and their associates over the years. With the right guidance, these entrepreneurs not only build a successful logistics business and a strong foundation for their entrepreneurial journey, but they also create an ecosystem of opportunities for people at large.” said, Dr. Karuna Shankar Pande, Director, Amazon Logistics, India.

Indian small businesses understand their communities, which helps them build a great delivery network team. These entrepreneurs hire and develop efficient delivery associates, while the DSP program supports them with consistent package volume, logistics experience, Amazon’s technology, and customized resources that help their businesses grow. Since Amazon launched its DSP program, it has invested over a billion dollars in technology globally, with new exclusive tools for DSPs. Because of this investment, ~3800 small logistics companies are thriving and have created more than tens of thousands of jobs for Delivery Associates around the world.

Driven by the desire to offer something unique to the society, and to create meaningful work opportunities for many, individuals have taken the bold step of leaving behind more traditional careers to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. Pradeep Kumar and Poonam Thakur, husband-wife duo and co-founders of logistics company, F2RB from Hyderabad have done exactly that.

"Our journey as Amazon Delivery Service Partners has been truly rewarding, I genuinely cherish every moment. Over the past three years, we've experienced significant growth, creating valuable job opportunities in Hyderabad" Pradeep shares. "I've always valued independence, and our business has allowed us to provide local job opportunities in Hyderabad. Amazon's training and cutting-edge technology played a crucial role in helping us overcome initial hurdles and achieve rapid growth," adds Poonam.

The Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program has exponentially grown over the years, creating growth avenues for first-time entrepreneurs. As Amazon India continues to expend its Operations network in the hinterlands of the country, it will continue to create opportunities of aspiring entrepreneurs through its last mile program. 

Interested candidates can apply and become a part of the program as requirements open up in different regions. To learn more or get started today, visit - https://logistics.amazon.in.

About Amazon.in

The Amazon.in marketplace is operated by Amazon Seller Services Private Limited, an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:  AMZN). Amazon.in seeks to build the most customer-centric online destination for customers to find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online by giving them more of what they want –vast selection, fast and reliable delivery, and a trusted and convenient experience; and provide sellers with a world-class e-commerce marketplace.

Thums Up, The Official Beverage Partner Of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup And Shah Rukh Khan Ignite Belief In Team India's Victory

* The campaign’ “Tere andar ka har shaq mitaenge, Toofan hain, Cup to hum hi uthaenge” features Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan as the ‘Voice of Belief’ encouraging cricket fans to believe in Team India

Link to the TVC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV4sCMR6pf8&ab_channel=ThumsUpOfficial

Thums Up, India's homegrown beverage brand from The Coca-Cola Company is thrilled to unveil yet another chapter of its association with ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup through the launch of the campaign "Tere andar ka har shaq mitaenge, Toofan hain, Cup to hum hi uthaenge." The campaign showcases the fervent support for Team India with Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan as the Biggest Fan and 'Voice of Belief.'

The film will see Shah Rukh Khan in a double role, representing the mind and the heart of every fan, with the heart ultimately winning over the mind, in its unequivocal support for Team India.

Recognizing that cricket isn't merely a game but an integral part of India's culture, Thums Up has steadfastly stood alongside every cricket fan on this incredible journey. From engaging with cricket fans addressing their inner dilemma, to highlighting the relentless determination of our players to launching the ‘Thums Up Fan Pulse’ on Disney+ Hotstar fostering passionate conversations, Thums Up has ensured that cricket enthusiasts are instilled with unwavering confidence in Team India’s victory.

As the tournament unfolds, the stage set and the team poised for action, belief takes the center stage, rendering all doubts inconsequential. With Shah Rukh Khan’s charismatic portrayal, we aim to ignite faith among cricket enthusiasts, invigorating their belief in Team India, making the journey to victory even more exhilarating.

Adding to the excitement, fans will experience a delightful surprise with the Shah Rukh Khan Believer Bot, leveraging cutting-edge technology. This AI-powered bot will respond with insightful facts about Team India, all presented in Shah Rukh Khan’s Voice of Belief, effectively addressing any doubts, and engaging with fans on social media like never before.

Commenting on the campaign Tish Condeno, Senior Category Director, Sparkling Flavors, Coca-Cola India, and South-West Asia, “We believe that the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is the biggest sporting event for the country. Partnership with the ICC provides us with a unique opportunity to unite our customers, consumers, brands, and cricket through diverse engagement formats. Our collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan as the ‘Voice of Belief’ for Thums Up’s association with ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign embodies our commitment to turning every doubt into an unwavering belief.”

Shah Rukh Khan on his association with Thums Up, said, “It’s a pleasure to be the 'Voice of Belief' for Thums Up's association with ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, which speaks to the hearts of a billion cricket fans.  This is a special one for India as the World Cup is happening in our own country and we must all cheer for our Toofans, rooting for them to create history one more time.”

Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India, says, “Cricket is a wave that rides on pure emotion. When the team is playing well, we all rally behind the team, and suddenly with one subpar performance, we lose all hope. It's intense. It's almost like there are two sides within all of us constantly pushing against one another. The doubter and the believer. It's very real. 

So, with Thums Up's 2023 World Cup campaign, we asked Shah Rukh Khan to feature in a double role and bring out this battle of opinions, quite literally. Making the point very clearly and very strongly. The doubter in you may push with all the might, but the believer in you shall prevail. Let's be true fans. Let's believe India will win.”

Additionally, Thums Up will also collaborate with Bharat Army, the most passionate fan army for Team India to create real time content to nurture the belief in India’s victory at the World Cup.     

About The Coca-Cola Company

Coca-Cola in India is one of the country’s leading beverage companies, offering a range of high-quality and refreshing beverage options to consumers. The company in line with its vision of ‘Beverages For Life’ offers a wide portfolio of products which includes hydration, sports, sparkling, coffee, tea, nutrition, juice and dairy based products. In India its beverage range includes Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Charged by Thums Up, Fanta, Limca, Sprite, Maaza, Minute Maid range of juices. The Company also offers hydration beverages including Limca Sportz, Smartwater, Kinley, Dasani and Bonaqua packaged drinking water and Kinley Club Soda. Premium products constitute Schweppes and Smartwater. In addition, it offers Costa Coffee range of tea and coffee. The Company is constantly transforming its portfolio, from reducing sugar in its drinks to bringing innovative new products to market.

The Company along with its owned bottling operations and franchise bottling partners has a strong network of close to 4 million retail outlets through which it refreshes millions of consumers across the country. It seeks to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable agriculture initiatives and carbon emission reductions across its value chain.

Globally together with its bottling partners, The Coca-Cola Company employs more than 700,000 people, helping to bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.cocacolacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Uber Awards Scholarships To Drivers’ Children As It Celebrates Its 10 Years In India With The Community

-       Offers education scholarships to 1000 children of drivers

-       Rewards its top 100 drivers’ children with e-Learning devices

Uber, India’s most favourite ridehailing service has rolled out the Uber Scholar initiative to support children of the driver community on the occasion of its 10th anniversary in India. This initiative extends far beyond the boundaries of Uber and is open to the community of drivers associated with various companies across Delhi NCR and Bangalore.

Uber acknowledges that education is the foundation of personal and societal advancement. As part of this initiative, Uber is supporting 1000 children from primary to post-graduation in their education pursuits by providing them with support including tuition fees and online devices and tools essential for their success.  

As it marks its 10 years in India, Uber also recognized and celebrated the unwavering dedication of its top 100 driver partners in an appreciation event hosted across 10 cities. Uber honoured the children of its top-rated drivers with e-learning devices to support their academic pursuits in an ever-growing digital world. This initiative underscores Uber’s steadfast commitment to the driver community that powers the platform.

Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India and South Asia, said, "Uber's 10-year celebration is incomplete without our drivers and for us it's not just about looking back at our collective achievements but also about giving back to the communities we serve. We believe that every child deserves access to education and through this initiative, we aim to bridge the gap and do our bit in offering better opportunities to all.”

As Uber continues to grow its presence in India, it has remained committed to empowering driver partners with improved access to financial support, health insurance, medical consultations and education.

About Uber:

We rode into India in 2013 with a simple promise: press a button, get a ride. 10 years and over 3 billion trips later, we continue to build products to help people get where they need to be. Today, Uber is available across 125 cities in India and has become #IndiaKiRide where people can go where they have to on Moto, Auto, Cars and even Buses - designed for their various intracity and intercity travel needs. With just a swipe on the app we make mobility seamless for millions and have helped over 800,000 Indians earn a sustainable income by getting in the driver's seat. We continue to reimagine the way the world moves for the better in ever expanding ways and as we mark our ten year milestone - we remain committed to keep India Moving Forward. 

Large & Midcap Category Can Drive Stability And Growth To Your Portfolio

Today’s investor has various Mutual Fund (MF) schemes in which he or she can invest in. The decision to invest in any MF scheme is based usually on the risk profile and on the individual’s financial goals.

SEBI has made several categorizations of equity mutual funds for the benefit of the investors for e.g. Large cap category, Mid-cap category, Small-cap category etc. Large & mid-cap category is fast emerging as a preferred option for those long term investors who want to grow their capital at steady pace albeit conservatively i.e. with stability.

What is a Large & mid-cap Category?

A Large & mid-cap category invests in both the large cap stocks and the mid-cap stocks. The top 250 stocks by market capitalization will be considered under this category for investment purpose. As per the mandate the fund manager is required to invest minimum 35% each in large cap and midcaps.

Why Invest in the Large & mid-cap category?

According to Chandraprakash Padiyar, Senior Fund Manager, Tata Asset Management, “Tata Large & Mid Cap Fund aims at proactively taking advantage of Potential Capital appreciation opportunities arising from large and midcap segment of the market. Positioned as a ‘stock picker’s delight’, the large & midcap fund undertakes rigorous research to identify opportunities in equity markets. The opportunities could be found in turnaround companies or in companies where the fundamentals are improving etc.

It invests in large and midcap stocks wherever the fund manager spots an opportunity. It is hence very actively managed and dynamic in nature, although stock picking is based on a sound bottom-up approach using Growth at Reasonable Price (GARP) investment philosophy. The GARP approach allows us to bet on high quality shares and at the same time ensures that the quality shares are bought at reasonable price. This approach seeks to combine the best facets of growth and value investing to select individual stocks. The whole idea while adopting GARP investment philosophy is to identify companies that are expected to deliver above-average revenue and earnings growth that are trading at a reasonable valuation.”

Benefits of investing in Large & Mid-cap category:

·         Diversification: The riskiness or volatility may be reduced when you have your investments spread out in large caps and midcaps. This kind of diversification helps the fund manager to deliver higher risk adjusted returns over a long term.

·         Stability: With their reliable financials and established presence large cap stocks may bring stability in the portfolio.

·         Growth Potential: Mid cap stocks are usually high growth stocks and may offer higher potential returns..

Campus Activewear Collaborates With Sonam Bajwa To Launch Chunky Sneaker Collection

·         Campus Activewear’s collaboration with Sonam Bajwa aims to provide women with comfortable and stylish sneakers

·         Sonam Bajwa is a name that resonates across India, particularly in Campus’ key markets of Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh

Campus Activewear, one of India's largest sports and athleisure footwear brands, has consistently delivered products that merge functionality with fashion, and now, with Sonam Bajwa’s influence, the brand aims to set new pathways with the launch of the Chunky sneaker collection.

Campus Activewear aims to revolutionise the fashion, style and comfort quotient for women in their daily lives. By welcoming Sonam Bajwa into the fold, Campus aims to heighten the aspirational appeal, catering to a fashion-forward audience. According to Statista, a global data and business intelligence platform, the sneaker culture in India is forecasted to generate a revenue of INR 21,000 Cr by the end of 2023. This clearly states that the sneaker culture in India is here to stay; it's not just a trend but a cultural shift. This is because sneakers are now perceived as more than just shoes; they embody a lifestyle, a statement, and a commitment to both comfort and style.

Speaking on the association, Nikhil Aggarwal, CEO of Campus Activewear Ltd said “With a charismatic personality and an impeccable sense of style, Sonam Bajwa is a name that resonates across India, particularly in our key markets of Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. Known as a fashion icon among diverse strata of society, Sonam effortlessly connects with the youth of India, making her a perfect face for Campus Activewear.”

Campus Activewear believes that sneakers effortlessly blend style and comfort, making a unique fashion statement. The Chunky sneaker collection embodies fashion, comfort, and style, tailored to meet the demands of the contemporary Indian lifestyle.

A versatile actress celebrated for her outstanding performances in the Indian film industry, Sonam Bajwa expresses her excitement about this collaboration. She says, “I am thrilled to be associated with Campus Activewear, a brand that values comfort and style just as much as I do. Together, we aim to establish new fashion paradigms and inspire the youth to embrace an active lifestyle without compromising their fashion statement.”

This collection will introduce stylish designs and colours in the athleisure market that can be worn in almost any occasion. The collection starts at a price range of INR 1500 onwards and is available across Campus touch points and website www.campusshoes.com.

About Campus Activewear Ltd.

Campus is India’s largest sports and athleisure footwear brand in terms of value and volume in Fiscal 2021. In 2005, Mr. Hari Krishan Agarwal with his acumen, skill and innovative thinking, started a never-to-end revolution in the footwear industry with Campus Activewear. Today, the flagship brand ‘’Campus’’ has emerged as the biggest domestic sports and athleisure footwear brand in India that offers a diverse product portfolio for the entire family. With the changing market dynamics, Campus sustained its focus on product design and innovation by facilitating access to the latest global trends and styles through fashion forward approach. With over 19000+ multi-brand retail stores, over 200 company’s exclusive outlets, website (campusshoes.com) and amongst one of the top brands available on e-commerce portals, Campus secured its pan India presence while capturing the imagination of millions of people across Omni-channel platforms. The brand offers multiple choices across styles, colour palettes, price points and an attractive product value proposition making Campus, an aspirational brand especially for - young adults, everyday performers and fashionistas. Strengthening the brand's leadership position in India, Campus recently got listed in May 2022.