Air India, Expands Distribution Network With Renewed Partnerships And Distribution Capabilities

Air India, India’s leading global airline, today announced having ramped up its domestic India and global distribution networks with expanded and extended multi-year agreements with Global Distribution Systems (GDS) partners Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport.

The deals together enable travel agents, resellers, and corporations around the world to access Air India’s seat inventory and fares. Air India’s new expanded agreements with the GDS partners now include the delivery of New Distribution Capability (NDC) products that provide travellers benefits such as personalised pricing, attractive fare bundles, and new ancillaries.

The expanded scope of Air India’s existing partnership with Travelport now includes the distribution and servicing of NDC content, which enables the Travelport subscribers to upsell Air India’s branded and ancillary products.

Air India’s distribution agreements with Amadeus and Sabre have been expanded to include the domestic content as well as distribution and servicing of NDC content.

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial & Transformation Officer, Air India, said: “The current, Take Off phase in Air India’s ongoing transformation and modernization programme is about laying the building blocks across commercial functions and operations to support future growth. The strengthening of our distribution network and renegotiation of GDS contracts is an important step in that direction, aimed at driving greater commercial efficiencies and success, as we rapidly build for the future.”

“India is witnessing record growth in aviation, and we take great pride at our contributions to this boom. We find the right technology partners in Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport, to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities that our transformation efforts and expansion presents. These renewed partnerships let us showcase align with modern retailing practices, showcase our products on a larger global scale, access new markets, and expand our customer base.”

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.

Online Sales Of Luggage Products Increased More Than 100%: Unicommerce

~ Resurgence in travel, emergence of D2C brands driving growth ~

The online sales of luggage and bags has surged more than 100% during the first half of 2023, as compared to sales volumes in the equivalent period last year. While the volumes grew more than 100%, GMV grew over 150% during the same period. The insights were shared by Unicommerce, one of India’s leading e-commerce enablement SaaS platforms, on the basis of transactions conducted on the platform.

Most of India’s prominent luggage brands, including VIP, Safari Bags and Mokobara are served by Unicommerce. According to Unicommerce, a combination of factors, including a resurgence in leisure and business travel, heightened consumer trust in online channels, and the emergence of several D2C brands is contributing to the rapid growth in the luggage category.

Amongst the items in greater demand are duffles and rucksacks, catering to short-trip enthusiasts and gym-goers. Additionally, medium and cabin-sized luggage remains highly popular among consumers. Furthermore, shoppers are showing keen interest in baggage accessories such as luggage tags, neck pillows, luggage weight scales, and toiletry bags.

One of India’s largest luggage bags & backpacks company Safari, has been associated with Unicommerce since 2022. Safari serves customers across the entire country through a range of popular marketplaces as well as its own brand site.

Speaking about enhancing their online business Mr. Deepak Bartwal, VP Supply Chain Management from Safari Industries Limited said. “Safari has been serving its customers since 1974. With ecommerce taking an important role in today’s world, Safari has been driving its online vertical to reach a wider audience. We are glad to partner with Unicommerce as our technology platform to automate our ecommerce operations as we continue to offer an exceptional shopping experience to our customers."

New-age D2C travel & lifestyle brand Mokobara has quickly emerged as a leading name in the luggage and travel accessories industry with its extensive product line and has been using Unicommerce’s platform since 2022. The brand is processing an average of over 15,000 order items in a month through its website and across marketplaces.

Talking about the fast-growth of the brand, Rumman Rizvi, Head of Brand and Customer Experience at Mokobara said, “Our footprint now extends throughout India, driven by a growing demand for premium travel accessories that deliver on both great design and functionality. In our unwavering focus on delivering an effortless shopping journey for our community, Unicommerce has effectively addressed our supply chain challenges”.

Kapil Makhija, CEO of Unicommerce, expressed the platform’s involvement in the segment, stating, "We have continually enhanced our products to meet the specific requirements of this sector. For instance, given that luggage products often require larger shipping labels and are frequently sold in combos, we have ensured that our platform automates shipping label sizing for every order and facilitates easy bundling of orders"

The rising popularity of luggage and related items on online platforms and brand websites is an indicator of both buyers and sellers reposing their faith in the online discovery and purchase experience. Unicommcerce, with an integrated range of SaaS solutions helps brands and platforms streamline their operations, handle inventory efficiently and offer a superior customer experience.

About Unicommerce

Unicommerce powers post-purchase experience for brands, marketplaces, and fulfillment providers. The platform has been deployed by e-commerce retail companies, traditionally offline brands, D2C brands, brand aggregator firms, fulfillment service providers, 3PLs, and marketplaces. The company has built a strong presence in India and has also expanded to international geographies and is serving clients in the Middle East (UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines).

Noise Partners With Aditya Birla Health Insurance To Advocate Health And Wellness Through Tech

-          Noise smartwatch will help Aditya Birla Health Insurance policyholders track their daily activity and earn their premium back as HealthReturns™

-          Aditya Birla Health Insurance customers will benefit from exclusive Noise offers, including a special discount across all product categories including some select premium models

Noise, India's leading smartwatch and connected lifestyle brand, today announced the strategic partnership with Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Ltd. (ABHICL), the health insurance joint venture of Aditya Birla Capital Ltd. (ABCL), a leading diversified financial services company in India. This partnership aims to further enhance the digital experience of the ABHICL policyholders and provide more tech-enabled solutions to monitor their health and fitness activities thereby helping them in their journey to lead healthier lives.

As a result of this collaboration, existing ABHICL customers will be able to synchronize their Noise wearables with their Activ Health app, seamlessly. This integration enables them to monitor their daily fitness activities and, in return, earn premium cashback as HealthReturns™. Once integrated into the Activ Health app, ABHICL will be able to provide personalized recommendations and health-related nudges to help customers track their fitness levels, improve their health, and get rewarded, in line with the insurer's core principles.

Amit Khatri, Co-Founder of Noise, said, “As pioneers in the smart wearable industry, we are committed to promoting a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle through innovation. Our strategic partnership with Aditya Birla Health Insurance elevates this commitment, allowing us to jointly encourage users to invest in their holistic well-being for a sustainable lifestyle.”

Furthermore, ABHICL policyholders will enjoy exclusive offers from Noise, including special discounts across all product categories, including select premium models. These discounts will remain valid for one year from the date of the partnership's launch. These benefits will be further amplified through Noise's community and order placement on Gonoise.com.

Mayank Bathwal, CEO of Aditya Birla Health Insurance, said, “ABHICL has been at the forefront of redefining health insurance, moving beyond conventional indemnity-based insurance, and placing a strong emphasis on overall proactive well-being for our valued customers. Through this strategic partnership with Noise, we will harness our shared beliefs in health and wellness and use our strengths and data analytics expertise to provide even more personalized solutions to our customers in the years ahead.”

Since its inception in 2015, Aditya Birla Health Insurance has been at the forefront of incentivized wellness, with offerings rooted in the philosophy of “Empowering people to lead healthier lives.” One of its unique propositions is the concept of incentivizing policyholders to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Policyholders can earn up to 100% of their premium as HealthReturns™, based on factors such as their Healthy Heart Score™, fitness assessment results, and the number of Active Dayz™ recorded monthly. Active Dayz™ can be earned by engaging in prescribed fitness activities such as walking 10,000 steps or participating in regular exercise and yoga sessions. HealthReturns™ funds can be utilized for renewal premiums, non-medical expenses, and out-patient costs.

OPPO’s A79 5G Blends Sleek Design, Smooth Performance, And Durability In The Mid-Range Segment

* The OPPO A79 5G will be available at INR 19,999 in two colour options, Glowing Green and Mystery Black

OPPO India has launched its latest A79 5G, built for users who seek a premium 5G device that strikes a perfect balance between sleek design, smooth performance, and a fast-charging battery that lasts over a day of mixed-use. The device is priced at INR 19,999 and will be available starting Oct 28, 2023, at the OPPO Store, Flipkart, Amazon, and other retail outlets.

Sleek, durable, and built for entertainment

The OPPO A79 5G—available in Glowing Green and Mystery Black colour options—weighs just 193g and is a mere 7.99mm thin. Its rear surface sports a rectangular island that draws attention to the dual polished rings around the camera lens. Also, the unique treatment of its robust polycarbonate frame to give it a metallic texture is another of its standout design elements.

For extra durability, the IP54-rated smartphone is subjected to more than 320 quality tests and 130 extreme reliability tests, which include drop, anti-splash, radiation, extreme weather, fire and flame retardant, temperature protection, and signal tests to ensure enduring craftsmanship and quality.

Up front, the device sports a 6.72-inch FHD+ Sunlight display with a punch-hole camera. This screen comes with a 90Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and packs OPPO’s All-Day AI Eye Comfort for continuous eye protection and a safe viewing experience.

Users can enjoy HD video content from Amazon Prime and Netflix thanks to its Widevine L1 certification while its dual speakers provide immersive stereo surround sound, defined by crisp audio, achieved through optimised noise reduction and echo-suppression algorithms.

The OPPO A79 5G also includes an Ultra Volume Mode that exceeds the 100% volume level to reach up to 300% for speakers and 200% for earpiece calls; the A79 has undergone hardware upgrades that enhance the sound quality by 86% compared to the previous generation. As a plus, this smartphone also comes with a 3.5mm headphone port for wired sound.

Photography for all moods and occasions

OPPO A79 5G sports a powerful camera setup, including a 50MP AI camera, a 2MP portrait camera, and an 8MP selfie camera.

Its Samsung ISOCELL JN1 50MP camera captures clear and crisp quad-binned 12.5MP snapshots. In low light, the smartphone’s Ultra Night mode uses composite multi-frame noise reduction and HDR technology to reduce grain and improve clarity when shooting in varying degrees of darkness for clearer nightscapes and vivid colours. Users can also switch to 50MP for hi-re photos in brighter environments.

For portraits, the 50MP camera and the 2MP Omnivision OV02B1B work together to detect the depth of field, distinguish the subjects from the background, and then blur it; here, the 50MP lens captures the photo, while the 2MP lens assists in depth detection.

The smartphone’s 8MP selfie camera uses proprietary Selfie HDR algorithms to improve the dynamic range of the front camera to ensure accurate exposure, crisp details, and high-quality photos when the user shoots in backlit environments. The camera automatically detects and suppresses bright background lights, while bokeh and HDR are used together to create well-lit selfies in Portrait mode.

Smooth Performance with ColorOS 13

The A79 5G packs the MediaTek 6020 SoC that comprises dual 2.2GHz Arm Cortex-A76 performance cores and six 2GHz Arm Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. The chipset comes with MediaTek’s HyperEngine 3.0 Lite gaming technologies for smooth performance in intense gameplay and 5G/4G Smart Switch for faster network response and reliable connectivity to ensure gamers always stay connected.

The chipset accelerates the most popular apps with up to 82% faster app switching speeds, up to 37% faster app launches from cold, and up to 18% faster app launches from sleep, compared to competitor alternatives.

The MediaTek 6020’s dual-SIM support ensures that the OPPO A79 5G delivers consistent 5G speeds and VoNR for the best-quality voice and video call experience from both SIM connections.

The smartphone boasts 128GB storage and support for up to 1TB microSD cards. Multitasking is smooth with 8GB RAM and OPPO’s RAM expansion technology that borrows another 8GB from device storage.

OPPO further enhances device performance with ColorOS 13’s Dynamic Computing Engine that smartly allocates system resources to multiple apps for smoother, lag-free performance.

ColorOS 13—based on Android 13—offers myriad other features, including auto Pixelate for privacy when sharing chat screenshots, and an upgraded Private Safe to protect sensitive documents from prying eyes.

Lasting Battery for the Long Haul 

All these technologies—display, camera, and processor, along with OPPO’s homegrown algorithms—on the A79 5G are backed by a large 5,000mAh battery with 33W SUPERVOOCTM that juices the device to 51% within 30 minutes; a quick 5-minute charge allows for 2.6 hours of texting or social media use and 1.4 hours of video streaming; this means users can stay connected and engaged without worrying about running out of battery.

Festive Sale Offers and Service Offerings 

OPPO has announced splendid discounts and promotions on select products, tailor-made for the Diwali season...

Customers can avail a cashback of up to INR 4,000 and no-cost EMI for up to 9 months from ICICI Bank, SBI Cards, Kotak Bank, IDFC First Bank, Bank of Baroda credit card, AU Finance Bank and One Card from mainline retail outlets and the OPPO Store

Additionally, customers can avail of Zero Down Payment schemes from leading financiers such as Bajaj Finserv, TVS Credit, Home Credit, HDB Financial Services, IDFC First Bank and Mahindra Finance

Loyal OPPO customers can also avail an Exchange Bonus of up to INR 4,000

As a part of My OPPO Exclusive, customers stand to win a cash prize up to INR 10 lakh, and other assured gifts on purchase of any OPPO device.

upGrad And PwC India Launch Financial Modelling And Analysis Course For Early Professionals

upGrad, Asia's largest integrated learning, skilling and workforce development company has launched a co-branded Financial Modelling and Analysis program in partnership with PwC India, a leading professional services firm for early professionals interested to build careers in various Financial and Analytical roles. The partnership comes under upGrad Campus, part of the skilling giant that focuses on getting college students’ job ready.

Stretched over a period of 4 months and 220+ hours of learning content, the curriculum is co-designed by industry experts at PwC India to set a strong foundation in financial concepts like Forecasting, Valuation and Financial Modelling along with new-age tools including Power BI, Tableau, Advanced Excel, and GenAI. The module also includes 80+ hours of interactive live sessions with the faculty for offering real-world insights, hands-on guidance, and recorded sessions accessible for up to three years, a completion certificate credentialed by PwC India Academy and comprehensive placement support that guarantees 3 interview opportunities.

The partnership aims at addressing the talent demand-supply gap within the job market and promises an unparalleled learning experience for early professionals with no prior knowledge of the subject.

“The financial sector, like many others, is undergoing a transformation and technology is at the heart of this disruption. This has created a need in the market for a highly skilled workforce that has the right knowledge, skills, and mindset to embrace this change. We are pleased to partner with upGrad to launch this course and it has been specifically designed to equip early professionals, including those having no prior knowledge of the subject, with the skills to match the specific demands of the job market. This qualification will enable professionals to develop a deeper understanding of the subject along with practical application. It is also a perfect match for the students, who aim at creating a niche for themselves by gaining subject matter understanding and hands-on experience of new age tools,” said Vivek Prasad, Partner and Markets Leader, PwC India.

“Financial Analysis has been one of the most sought-after skills for new-age job roles, with lucrative offers. Today, this skill is highly valued by corporates as well as financial institutions – creating multiple job opportunities for young freshers. With career outcomes at the core of the program, our partnership with PwC India is aimed to build highly skilled and job-ready professionals who are not only good with financial data but are tech proficient to interact with modern workplace tools. This program focuses on practical learning which will enable learners to kick-off a high-paying job in finance,” says Amit Mahensaria, CEO, upGrad Campus.

The financial industry is estimated to be valued at $150 billion by 2025. Hence, this visionary partnership between upGrad Campus and PwC India ensures that Indian professionals stay ahead of the curve, equipped with the right skills and tools to conquer the ever-changing job landscape.

More information on the curriculum and enrollments can be found here: upgradcampus.com 

GoldPe Launches APM (Automated Pawn Machine) -A Revolutionary AI-Based Gold Loan ATM

In a grand event held at the prestigious Hotel Lalith Ashoka, Bengaluru, a revolutionary product was unveiled that is set to redefine the gold loan industry. The product, an AI-based Gold Loan ATM machine known as GoldPe | APM (Automated Pawn Machine), was launched amidst much fanfare and anticipation.

The event saw the presence of esteemed dignitaries including

1.      Shri. VP Nandakumar, MD & CEO (Manappuram Finance Ltd)

2.      Shri. Sharangouda G. Patil, MD (Karnataka State Souharda Federal Cooperative Ltd)

Their presence added to the significance of the occasion and highlighted the importance of this innovative product in the financial sector.

The launch of GoldPe | APM marks a significant milestone in the gold loan industry specifically for Banking and Financial institutions Gold Loan Scams is one the Biggest challenging factors for Banking and Financial institutions, as per records more than 120+Cr Gold Loan scams has been found OFFICIALLY and legal actions has been taken on the Branch Managers, Gold Appraisers and Public.Several Gold Loan companies have written off more than 100+ Cr due to these scams.When AI and Gold Purity Analyzer placed inside the machine 99% of Gold Loan scams can be eradicated from the Banking and Financial institutions, which will be an added benefit and profit key point for the Banking and Financial institutions.

Speaking about the AI  Goldpe launch,Mr. Vijay Rajagopalan, Founder and Patent Holder’s - GoldPe, said , "At Goldpe , we have always believed in the goodness of people to provide safe, effective solutions and Tehnological advacement for our customers (Banking, Financial Instutions & Public). GoldPe | APM is a state-of-the-art Automated Pawn Machine that leverages advanced Artificial Intelligence technology to provide instant gold loans. This machine is not only designed to analysis Gold, it will also Analyze Platinum & Silver to Overseas Market and make ease of loans more accessible, efficient, and secure for customers 24 x 7”.

Considering the market and commercial impact, the company will be introducing 4 Types of machines which will be suitable for different segmented Banking and Financial institutions. The team behind GoldPe | APM is committed to revolutionizing the gold loan industry with their innovative products. They plan to install these machines in various locations across the country, making gold loans more accessible to everyone.

The launch event concluded on a high note with the dignitaries expressing their excitement about this revolutionary product. They commended the team behind GoldPe | APM for their innovative thinking and wished them success in their future endeavors.

As we move forward, it’s clear that products like GoldPe | APM are not just changing the way we avail of loans but are also shaping the future of the financial industry.

Impact on the Gold Loan Industry-The launch of GoldPe | APM marks a significant milestone in the gold loan industry. It brings a level of convenience and efficiency that was previously unheard of in this sector. Customers no longer need to visit a bank or financial institution and wait for their loan to be processed. With GoldPe | APM, they can get their gold loan instantly, safe and secured within less than 8min & 24x 7.Digitization of Gold jewel is major setback in Gold Loan industry in any Banking and Financial institutions. System will make recording of all process and formatted document will be sent to public and also Banking and Financial institutions.

Audit’s on Gold loan will be much simpler and faster with our GoldPe | APM.Moreover, the use of AI technology and Metal Analyzer ensures that the assessment of gold is accurate and fair. This not only instills confidence in customers but also makes the loan process more transparent.

About the Team

1)      Founder and Patent Holder’s - Vijay Rajagopalan (Pursuing IIM Kohilkode-Fintech) and Rajalakshmi Subramanian (MBA  - Anna University)

2)      Directors - Mrs. Jayasri Rajagopalan and Dr. C M Rangan (Ph.D – Anna University)

3)      Pre launch Investors- Mr.VaruDev H, Mrs. Devi Hymavathi & Friends and Family.

About GoldPe | APM

Sreyas Software Solutions (P) Ltd., Chennai India known as SSS technologies’ Team is behind the innovation of GoldPe | APM which is an Indian Designed and Developed product under Make in India Label, the Design and development is PATENTED under Intellectual Property Rights of India and the Design patent is applied for International patent WIPO

GoldPe | APM is a state-of-the-art Automated Pawn Machine that leverages advanced Artificial Intelligence technology to provide instant gold loans. This machine is not only designed to analysis Gold, it will also Analyze Platinum & Silver to Overseas Market and make ease of loans more accessible, efficient, and secure for customers 24 x 7.

Customers can deposit their gold in the machine, which then uses AI technology and Gold / Metal Analyzer to assess the Purity, Quality and Weight of the gold. The AI system also will weigh the STONE’S WEIGHT AND GOLD WEIGHT SEPERATELY, based on this assessment, the machine instantly disburses the loan amount into the customer’s bank account or disburse cash. This entire process is quick, transparent, and completely hassle-free.

Gold / Metals will be securely packaged in Tamper proof Packages and Tamper proof labeled with QR Code indicated on it. 

GoldPe | APM Machine can able to understand the Type of jewel (Perl, Solid jewel or Stone jewel). When Perl jewel is found AI system will not consider this as a Metal Jewel and system will not process for the loan.

GoldPe | APM Machine with state of technology can able to identity People Identity using Adhaar Face Match, Credit history with CIBIL score and Most important “to understand the crime history using Crime check.” From Now on No chain snatcher or crime record holder will be able to encash Stolen jewellery.

ReshaMandi Empowers Silk Farmers And Reelers Through Tech Enabled Cocoon Bidding Process

-  The objective of a technology driven bidding process is to ensure that farmers receive the best prices for their yields, given the short shelf life of silk cocoons.

ReshaMandi – India's first & largest B2B marketplace for textile and fashion - has introduced a tech-enabled bidding system for cocoons at their Ramanagara Mandi in Karnataka. The company has successfully taken this process online and streamlined the operations, while providing crucial advantages to both farmers and reelers.

Registration process for stakeholders who wish to place bids has been simplified, with minimal documentation required to complete the essential KYC procedure. Reelers express their interests by bidding for a specific lot to the farmer using the ReshaMandi super app on their mobiles. The details of the cocoon lots along with the latest bid prices are displayed on multiple screens at the warehouse. With farmers having the flexibility to sell to the highest bidder, they retain complete control over their rates.

ReshaMandi’s Founder and CEO, Mayank Tiwari said, "At ReshaMandi, our initiatives have always focussed on making the process seamless for our stakeholders. Given the limited shelf-life of cocoons, it is crucial to reduce the farmers’ waiting period at the Mandi. Through tech-enabled solutions, we aim to ensure that the farmers are able to maintain the quality of their cocoons while receiving the best prices through a simplified process. As a partner in their journey, we aim to foster transparency, efficiency, and fair transactions."

With the rationalised bidding process, transactions now happen much faster and in an efficient manner which means that the settlements are completed in less time, i.e. within a couple of hours. The bidding starts early in the day which results in substantial time-saving for farmers & reelers who can conclude the transactions  at the Mandi and focus on their business or spend time with their families.

ReshaMandi's bidding platform offers an advantage to both farmers and reelers through transparency in process and awareness of the prevailing cocoon prices. Farmers realise better selling prices and higher margins from the sale of their produce, thereby increasing their profitability.

Similarly reelers also get access to a consistent supply of desired grade of cocoons at the most competitive prices. And all this is facilitated at the ReshaMandi warehouse by levying a nominal transaction fee.

Since the initiation of the new system in the month of August, the Mandi has seen higher traction from stakeholders and a significant surge in the volumes of cocoons traded. This trend is expected to continue with the steady rise observed in the number of farmers and reelers joining the platform on a daily basis.