Godrej Locks 'Live Safe, Live Free' Study Reveals 42% Indians Leave Live Events To Coordinate An Exchange Of Keys At Home

In India, homes serve as the nucleus of people's lives. While people frequently participate in various experiences at restaurants, concerts, or theatres, a subtle yet inherent concern about home safety always persists. This was revealed in a new research study ‘Live Safe, Live Freely’ by Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems, a business of Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej Group. The study offers unique insights into Indians lifestyle and technology choices for home safety that enable them to live freely.

One of the key insights, the study revealed is that 42% of the respondents have left live events or social gathering early to coordinate an exchange of keys at home. These occurrences shed light on the dependence for home access, which compels people to return home.

According to a popular event ticketing portal, in 2022, about eight million people stepped out for live entertainment from across over 19,000 events. The study 'Live Safe, Live Free' study complimented this data as it revealed that 54% of the respondents expressed discomfort at the idea of disturbing their neighbours for a spare key, when attending late night events. Further, 41% of the respondents claim that if they had left their home and realized that their geyser home or gas on, they would rush back home.

According to Shyam Motwani, Business Head at Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems, “These primary insights from the ‘Live Safe, Live Free’ study delve into consumers’ sentiments about the most intimate aspect of their home, which is safety. The insights from the study intimately demonstrate to us people’s concerns about home safety while also revealing their aspirations and how best we can meet them. While there is still an evident dependency on external factors in the way Indians perceive the safety of their homes, they are also seeking reliable tech solutions that enable them to live safe and live freely in today’s fast-paced world. At Godrej Locks, a brand synonymous with trust, we understand the needs of our consumers and develop innovative, cutting-edge, digital home safety solutions that offer both convenience and safety, allowing them to live free.”

The study ‘Live safe, Live Freely’ aimed to understand human behaviour on the adoption of smart-home devices to ensure safety and convenience. It was undertaken amongst 2,000 individuals across five cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Bhopal.

About Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems:

Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems is a division of Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the renowned Godrej Group. Founded by Ardeshir Godrej, the name 'Godrej' is 126 years young and has evolved into a symbol of trust, security, and integrity. Godrej has consistently set industry standards in the field of locks through continuous innovation, introducing products such as India's first 'Made in India' digital lock, cutting-edge postmodern biometric and connected digital locks and even a lock with the 1st patented dual motion technology in the world.

Godrej has made significant strides in delivering world-class smart locking solutions, transforming the perception of a lock from a mere functional device to an effective home safety solution. Recently, the brand expanded its offerings by introducing architectural fittings and systems, showcasing a true pioneering spirit in product development.

With a mission to raise awareness about the imperative need to adopt advanced home safety technology, Godrej Locks initiated a unique nationwide home safety awareness campaign - 'Har Ghar Surakshit.' Under this initiative, the brand introduced and continues to celebrate 'Home Safety Day' every year on the 15th of November, emphasizing the importance of keeping every home safe.

For more information, log on to https://www.godrej.com/godrej-locking-solutions-and-systems.

Coca-Cola India Launches “Honest Tea” An Iced Green Tea

* Made from Organic Green Tea, the green tea is sourced from the Makaibari Tea Estate, owned by the Luxmi Group.

In an endeavour to provide consumers with wider beverage options Coca-Cola India enters the world of ready-to-drink tea beverages with the launch of Honest Tea, a brand owned by Honest, Inc. a subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company. Honest Tea is a refreshing, Organic Green Tea based drink. The Organic Green Tea for Honest Tea is being exclusively sourced from Luxmi Tea’s renowned Makaibari Tea Estate.

Situated on the steep slopes located at the foothills of the Himalayas, Makaibari is the oldest Organic Darjeeling Tea plantation. At Makaibari, the tea is meticulously handpicked in a biodynamic agricultural environment, famed for its rare moonlight plucked tea.

“There is no greater tea estate in Darjeeling than Makaibari; it is the last word among teas, whether in Japan, or England, royal houses,” says Rudra Chatterjee, Managing Director of Kolkata-based Luxmi Group. “It is also the choice of tea Satyajit Ray decided for his fictional detective character Feluda.”

Commenting on the launch Karthik Subramanian, Director, Marketing - Hydration, coffee and tea category, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia said, “We are thrilled to introduce our new ready-to-drink iced green tea. With Honest Tea, we are offering consumers a unique experience of a great tasting green tea based beverage. Whether one is on the go or is simply seeking a moment of tranquillity, ‘Honest Tea’ is the perfect companion offering refreshment and goodness.”

Honest Tea comes in two refreshing flavours, Lemon-Tulsi and Mango, to suit the varied tastes of the consumers. Meant for the modern women and men of today who wish to live a balanced lifestyle, the newly launched beverage provides a 'Moment of Good' with every sip of the iced green tea. Made from Organic Green Tea grown in harmony with nature, Honest Tea not only tastes great but is made with the best quality tea leaves.

Honest Tea has been launched exclusively on E-Commerce in Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune and will be available at the price point of Rs 50. For more details visit Honest Tea’s Instagram page - @honestteaindia

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 and juice beverages. 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 range and Smartwater. In addition, it offers Costa Coffee and organic green tea based beverage- Honest Tea amongst its range of coffee and Tea. 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.

BITS Pilani, Aditya Birla Capital Foundation Collaborate With NITI Aayog's Women Entrepreneurship Platform For Women Start-Ups

~ Launches ‘Womenpreneurs for Bharat 1.0’ start-up program across Northeast Region, Rajasthan, Haryana, and J&K ~

BITS Pilani’s technology business incubator, Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (“PIEDS”), has announced the launch of its start-up program, ‘Womenpreneur for Bharat 1.0,’ in association with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), incubated within NITI Aayog, and supported by Aditya Birla Capital Foundation, the CSR arm of Aditya Birla Capital Limited. Aditya Birla Capital Foundation is the apex body, which sets the strategic direction for all of Aditya Birla Capital’s development projects. The foundation has Mrs. Rajashree Birla as the mentor; Mrs. Vishakha Mulye, Dr. Pragnya Ram and Mr. Subhro Bhaduri serve as Directors of its Board.   

The partnership was announced at the state workshop on ‘Enabling Women-Led Development through Entrepreneurship’ at Dorjee Khandu State Convention Center, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh on November 24, 2023. Held under the aegis of the State Support Mission of NITI Aayog, the workshop conducted jointly by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) brought together the innovation, entrepreneurship and inclusive development ecosystem across business, government, and civil society to discuss pathways of furthering women-led development through entrepreneurship.

‘Womenpreneurs for Bharat 1.0’ is aimed at providing funding and incubation support to women entrepreneurs who are building solutions for/from Tier 2/3/4 cities across Northeast region, Rajasthan, Haryana, and J&K. The program will seek both for-profit and non-profit women-led start-ups working across UN-SDG areas and solving business or societal challenges in those regions.

Commenting on the announcement, Mrs. Vishakha Mulye, Director, Aditya Birla Capital Foundation, and CEO of Aditya Birla Capital Limited, expressed, “We are committed to creating an equitable, inclusive, and long-term social and economic growth for the country. Through ‘Womenpreneurs for Bharat 1.0’, we aim to provide a platform to nurture the growth of women entrepreneurs in the country, who have the potential of impacting a large number of underserved Indians through innovative solutions.”

Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said, “India’s diversity across its length and breadth requires localized solutions from local entrepreneurs. I strongly believe that women innovators, especially from Northeastern states will lead the next wave of innovations in solving their region’s own unique problems. We are happy to partner with Women Entrepreneurship Platform and Aditya Birla Capital Foundation to help bring some of these innovations to the fore and help them scale.”

Speaking about the development, Ms. Anna Roy, Mission Director, WEP, said, “The project embodies a strategic approach to bolster women’s entrepreneurship in the tech4good sector which has significant market and impact potential, aligning with national goals of gender equality, women-led development, and digital inclusion. Women entrepreneurs leading innovations in critical development areas with a tech-led approach can have significant gains overall for business and society.”

The program would provide funding of up to Rs. 10 lakhs to eligible start-ups, along with extended incubation support from PIEDS, including 1-1 mentoring, market access support, and opportunities to raise future investments. Interested innovators can apply to the program here: https://www.f6s.com/womenpreneurs-for-bharat-1.0/apply

According to a research report published by Niti Aayog, India has 63 million micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), of which around 20% are women-owned, employing 22 to 27 million people. Estimates suggest that by accelerating women's entrepreneurship, India could create more than 30 million women-owned enterprises, potentially creating 150 to 170 million jobs.

About PIEDS

PIEDS or Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (“PIEDS”) is a Technology Business Incubator of Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, that work with idea and early-stage start-ups in technology-focused areas across India. The initiative was established with a grant from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

About Aditya Birla Capital Foundation

Aditya Birla Capital Foundation (“ABCF”) is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Aditya Birla Capital for undertaking its developmental projects. Mrs. Rajashree Birla, Chairperson, ‘The Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development’, is ABCF’s mentor; Mrs. Vishakha Mulye, CEO, Aditya Birla Capital Limited, Mr. Subhro Bhaduri, CHRO, Aditya Birla Capital Limited and Dr. Pragnya Ram, Group Executive President, Group Head - CSR, Legacy, Documentation & Archives serve as Directors. ABCF is committed to driving programs for inclusive growth and development of the underserved sections of society. Its engagement is primarily focused on women-centric programs in the areas of healthcare, education, women empowerment, sustainable livelihood, and sports, amongst others. Until now, ABCF has made a qualitative difference in enriching the lives of over 5.5 Lakh people and is reckoned as a Force for Good among beneficiaries.

About WEP

The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) incubated in NITI Aayog, and now running as a public-private partnership, is a one-stop hub relevant to women entrepreneurs, including SmartMatch feature for government schemes, incubators, accelerators and private sector initiatives, a community page, and mentorship module.

The State Support Mission, an umbrella initiative by NITI Aayog, is strategically designed to support states and union territories in achieving their socioeconomic goals by 2047. Under the aegis of the State Support Mission, a series of workshops are being conducted to provide a platform for Centre-State exchanges and forging partnerships. The primary goal is to augment awareness regarding the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and unveil a range of pioneering initiatives that WEP has embarked upon. Under the State Support Mission, the Women Entrepreneurship Platform is now expanding its reach to the grassroots through a hub-and-spoke model.

UMANG 2023 Concludes With A Triumphant Blend Of Sportsmanship, Unity, And Athletic Excellence At IIIT-Bangalore

The 3rd edition of Umang, IIIT-Bangalore's annual intercollege sports fest, has come to a resounding close. From November 3rd to November 5th, Umang 2023 played host to more than 850 students representing 25 different colleges, competing across a spectrum of over 10 exhilarating sporting events. The event was marked by fierce competition, unwavering dedication, and a celebration of the spirit of sports.

Umang 2023 officially kicked off on November 3rd with a captivating opening ceremony. The ceremony was a blend of tradition and excitement, featuring the hoisting of the IIIT-B flag and a mesmerizing performance by the college's music club, Symphony. The event was declared open by the esteemed Prof. Debabrata Das, Director of IIIT-Bangalore, who served as the Chief Guest. He remarked, "Umang is a reflection of  talent, commitment, and unity that thrive among students from diverse backgrounds. It's truly heartening to witness Umang grow each year, and I'm proud to see such enthusiasm from all participants."

Throughout the three-day event, the participants displayed exceptional sportsmanship, passion, and determination in a variety of sports, including Football, Volleyball, Throwball, Basketball, Badminton (men’s, women’s, and mixed), Chess, Table Tennis (men’s and women’s), and Powerlifting (men’s).

Day 2 continued with the same energy and enthusiasm, with numerous matches and a substantial presence of home team (IIIT-B) supporters. Despite a brief spell of rain in the evening, the matches continued without significant disruption, highlighting the resilience of the participants.

The final day of Umang 2023 saw nail-biting matches that kept the audience on the edge of their seats. IIIT-B secured first place in chess and powerlifting and secured second place in men’s Table Tennis and powerlifting, further demonstrating their prowess and dedication to the sporting spirit.

The event concluded with a grand closing ceremony at the sports complex, attended by IIIT-Bangalore's Director and Special Chief Guest, Trupti Murgunde. Ms. Murgunde, a distinguished badminton player, Dhyan Chand awardee, and South Asian and Commonwealth Games Medal Winner expressed her admiration for the athletes, saying, "Umang 2023 has exemplified the unifying power of sports. The commitment and dedication displayed by the participants are truly inspiring. I firmly believe that events like Umang play a pivotal role in nurturing future champions."

Umang 2023 showcased diverse sporting talent. Winners included New Horizon in Football, Shiva DS, Haneef Bilal, Ahijith Melath, Vidhu, and Yeshwanth Kumar in Powerlifting, PES RR in Badminton Men's Singles, Surbhi Mittal in Badminton Women's Singles, Bits Goa in Table Tennis Men's Singles, IIIT-B in Chess, Surana in Volleyball, SJU in Basketball Women's 3v3, MSRIT in Basketball Men's 3v3, Alliance University in Basketball Men's 5v5, PES RR in Badminton Mixed Doubles, and SJU in Throwball.

About IIIT-Bangalore

IIIT-Bangalore is a premier institute focused on Post-Graduate IT education and research, located in the heart of Electronic City, Bangalore. IIIT-Bangalore is graded A+ by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). In the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for 2022, IIIT-B has secured 74th ranking. The institute was ranked number 1 among India's Best Technical Universities (Private) by India Today. IIIT-Bangalore contains state-of-the-art infrastructure, eminently qualified faculty, a vibrant alumni community, cutting-edge research facilities, and close industry collaborations. The institute’s specially designed courses make the students cognitive

For more details, log onto https://www.IIIT-B.ac.in

Disney Star Delivers The Biggest ICC Men's World Cup Ever

* Over 30 Crore fans tune in to the live broadcast on TV of the final between India and Australia, making it the highest viewed match ever

* Peak concurrency on TV for the final match at 13 crore

* Peak concurrency on Disney+ Hotstar at 5.9 Crore for the finals, creating a global record for any live sport

* 52 Crore viewers tuned in to TV for the marquee tournament, consumption reaches 422 billion minutes making it the biggest World Cup ever

In a historic triumph for sports broadcasting, Disney Star, the official broadcaster of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, has set new benchmarks for viewership, redefining the cricketing landscape. The highly anticipated final clash between cricket powerhouses India and Australia has not only etched itself into the chronicles of sporting history but has also become the most-watched event ever on both linear TV and digital streaming. With an astounding reach of 30 Crore for the live broadcast on TV, Star Sports Network ensured that cricket enthusiasts across India were glued to their television screens, making it the most watched Television event ever. The magnitude of the final was further highlighted by a peak concurrency of 13 Crore viewers on TV and 5.9 crore peak concurrency on Disney+ Hotstar (Digital).

As per BARC, the tournament crossed a viewership of half a billion viewers for the first time as 518 million (51.8 Crore) TV viewers tuned in for the live broadcast of the marquee tournament being played in India after 12 years. The live TV broadcast for the tournament garnered 422 billion minutes of TV watch time making it the most watched ICC Men’s World Cup in the history of the event. The final between India Vs Australia delivered a peak concurrency of 13 crore which surpassed the previous highest peak concurrency in the tournament with India Vs Pakistan at 7.5 crore and India Vs New Zealand at 8 crore. Disney Star left no stone unturned in bringing the grandeur of the World Cup to fans in India and across the globe, showcasing its unwavering dedication to delivering unparalleled sporting content.

The streaming arm of Disney Star broke its own record five times through the tournament to witness a peak concurrency of 5.9 crores for the final, solidifying its position as the go-to destination for cricket enthusiasts seeking a seamless and immersive viewing experience. The platform surpassed global streaming records across all formats of cricket at the beginning of the tournament with the peak concurrency of 3.5 crore viewers during the India Vs Pakistan match. This was followed by a streak of record-breaking numbers - 4.3 crore peak concurrent viewers during the India Vs New Zealand match, 4.4 crore peak concurrent viewers during the India Vs South Africa match and most recently, 5.3 crore peak concurrent viewers during the thrilling semifinals between India and New Zealand match. 

Speaking about the recent success of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, K Madhavan, Country Manager & President, Disney Star, “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), for their invaluable support, making this tournament an overwhelming success. We would also like to thank the fans, who showered their support throughout the tournament and with their unwavering passion making this historic achievement possible. Disney Star is dedicated to paving the road for sports broadcast in India and it has been extremely encouraging to see growth across both, the linear and digital mediums, thereby increasing the fan base of cricket. This is testament to the uniqueness of the India market where linear and digital continue to grow alongside each other. This successful tournament has set the stage for a promising future in our association with the ICC."

Disney Star, in its pioneering approach to sports broadcasting, redefined and reimagined how fans consume cricket. In a groundbreaking collaboration with the International Cricket Council (ICC), Disney+ Hotstar introduced MaxView—a technological innovation that allowed cricket enthusiasts to experience the game in vertical mode (9X14 portrait view) for the first time in the history of streaming cricket.

Disney Star also provided an extensive 11 feeds for ICC Men’s CWC 2023, including coverage in 9 different languages (English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, & Malayalam), ensuring that cricket enthusiasts across diverse linguistic landscapes could savor the thrilling moments of this historic World Cup.

As the curtain falls on this historic event, Disney Star takes pride in having orchestrated a cricketing spectacle that captivated the hearts and minds of millions, reaffirming its commitment to pushing the boundaries of sports entertainment.

All BARC Data for 2+U+R (including DD).

Tata Chemicals Recognised for Innovation, Secures CII Industrial Intellectual Property Award 2023

Tata Chemicals Limited was recognised in the Large Manufacturing - Trademarks category at the CII Industrial Intellectual Property Award 2023 during the 9th International Conference on IPR held in New Delhi. The award was presented by Dr. R A Mashelkar, Padma Vibhushan, and Former Director-General of CSIR, along with Hon'ble Justice Prathiba M. Singh, a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court.

The CII Industrial Intellectual Property Award aims to celebrate enterprises fostering a culture of intellectual property generation and protection for business and economic growth. It highlights achievements in the public domain, establishes links with academic institutions, and informs the government about IP-driven enterprises, engaging them in policy-making exercises. Tata Chemicals and its subsidiaries cumulatively have filed 204 patent applications.

Commenting on this recognition Dr Richard Lobo, Head Innovation, R&D, Business Excellence and Chief Ethics Counsellor, Tata Chemicals Limited said, “Our mission has always been to serve society through science. Our robust R&D facilities and a team of dedicated scientists have cultivated a culture of innovation. We are constantly working towards strengthening synergies between all R&D centres and improving our infrastructure. Recognition from esteemed bodies like CII for our efforts is indeed a source of encouragement.”

About Tata Chemicals Ltd. 

A part of the US$ 150 billion Tata Group, Tata Chemicals Limited, is a leading supplier of choice to Glass, Detergent, industrial and chemical sectors. The company has a strong position in the crop protection business through its subsidiary company Rallis India Ltd. Tata Chemicals has world-class R&D facilities in Pune and Bangalore.

Axis Bank Launches SPLASH, A Pan-India Competition To Engage Young Minds Through Art, Craft And Literature

Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in India, announced the launch of SPLASH, an annual Pan-India competition on Art, Craft, and Literature for children in the age group of 7-14 years. This year, Splash will focus on the theme ‘Kindness’ to instil the thought of kindness and foster a sense of goodwill amongst the new generation. The participants can register and submit their entries on www.axisbanksplash.in, till 31st December 2023. Through this initiative, the Bank aims to reach out to over 6 lakh participants by conducting the competition phygitally (both physically and digitally), ensuring that every child has an opportunity to showcase their talent.

The competition will be divided into two age groups: 7-10 years and 11-14 years. The participants will need to express their thoughts and ideas through two themes 'Helping One Another' and 'Making the World a Kinder Place'. They can unleash their creativity through drawing, craft, or essay writing. The participants will be evaluated by an esteemed jury panel comprising Vikrant Shitole, a revered artist from Art Society of India; Disha Katharani, Co-Founder of Imagimake; Savio Mascarenhas, Group Art Director at Amar Chitra Katha; and Rajiv Chilaka, CEO of Green Gold Animation.

Speaking on the initiative, Anoop Manohar, Chief Marketing Officer, Axis Bank, said, ''We are delighted to announce the 11th edition of Splash. This year’s theme of ‘Kindness’ stems from our brand philosophy ‘Open’- which aims to engage with communities beyond banking and business. Through Splash, we are providing a vibrant canvas for these young minds to explore, express and embrace the value of kindness in order to create a better tomorrow."

Scaling new heights, this year Axis Bank will reach out to over 2000+ schools, 50% more than the previous year. In addition to the competition, the Bank will organise engaging sessions and other fun-filled activities.  It has roped in children’s beloved character ‘Chota Bheem’ to impart valuable life lessons on earning, saving, investing, and giving through the art of storytelling. 

The winners will be conferred scholarships of Rs. 1 lakh, exciting hampers, and electronic gadgets from partners such as Hamleys, Faber Castle and BoAt. They will also be given an opportunity to visit the National Institute of Design (NID) and participate in exciting workshops conducted by the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP). The runners-up will be awarded Rs.50 thousand each.