Monday, February 5, 2024

Blackberrys Felicitates Indian Winners Of The Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games At Its store In Bengaluru


Blackberrys celebrated the success of the winners who brought home 111 medals in all - 29 gold, 31 silver and 51 at their store at Indra Nagar in Bangalore; the brand dressed the Indian contingent in China as the ‘Official Ceremonial Partner’ in partnership with PCI

Blackberrys, the aspirational Indian menswear brand that caters to the fashion needs of the global Indian, celebrated India’s unprecedented win of 111 medals at the recently concluded 4th Asian Para Games 2022 held in Hangzhou, during 22-28th October 2023.

Embracing the inspirational ethos of 'Keep Rising,' Blackberrys takes immense pride in its partnership with the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) as the 'Official Ceremonial Partner' for the 4th Asian Para Games.

Mr. Satyanarayan, the esteemed India’s Para- athletics coach, marked his honorable presence at the felicitation event for the Paralympic winners hosted by Blackberrys. Mr. Satyanarayan is a driving force behind the growth of para-sports in the country.

Blackberrys joined hands with the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) to become the ‘Official Ceremonial Partner’ and dressed the Indian contingent participating at the mega event. As Blackberrys essence mirrors the unwavering spirit of para-athletes who consistently shatter boundaries and overcome the odds. Crafting the ceremonial suit for the Indian contingent was a moment of profound aspiration. Taking forward this association, the brand felicitated all the winners that collectively won 111 medals for the nation- 29 gold, 31 silver and 51 bronze.

“We are so proud of these winners who’ve beaten all odds to emerge victorious and bring glory for the nation on an international stage. They’ve commanded the respect and admiration of people across the world for their sheer hard work, determination and unwavering spirit to succeed against all odds. We applaud their achievements with these humble tokens of our appreciation. We are fervently committed to celebrating the extraordinary journey of these athletes, who epitomize the triumph of determination and resilience.  It has been an absolute honor for Blackberrys to be associated with them on this journey,” said Mr. Nitin Mohan, Co-Founder & Director, Blackberrys.

The iconic Indian clothing brand is known for the impeccable quality of its innovative, stylish and sharp fitting range of menswear.

About Rakshitha Raju:

Rakshitha Raju, a visually impaired runner from Karnataka, emerged as a trailblazer in para athletics. Formerly a student at the Ashakiran Blind School in Chikkamagaluru, she transitioned her focus to Paralympics in 2017. Under the guidance and mentorship of Balakrishna, who later became her coach, Rakshitha clinched gold medal in the 1500m category at the Guangzhou Asian Games. Qualifying for the Para Athletics World Championships, she continues to inspire many, encouraging young individuals to pursue sports and represent the nation on international platforms.

About Manisha Ramadass:

Manisha Ramadass is a rising star in the world of para-badminton who has swiftly risen to prominence on the international stage. Born with a passion for the sport, she made her mark with a spectacular international debut in 2022, quickly establishing herself as a formidable force in para-badminton. In August 2022, Manisha achieved a remarkable milestone by attaining the coveted title of world number 1 in the SU5 category, showcasing her exceptional skill and dedication to the sport. Her journey has been marked by a series of accomplishments, including a noteworthy bronze medal at the Asian Para-Badminton Championships in 2023. Her achievements serve as an inspiration to aspiring athletes and a testament to the limitless potential that exists within the para-sports community.

About Sharath Makanahalli Shankarappa:

Sharath Makanahalli, born blind, defied the odds to become a remarkable athlete and an inspiration to many. Hailing from Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Sharath's journey began at a blind school, where he discovered his passion for sports. Despite the challenges posed by his visual impairment, Sharath's indomitable spirit led him to pursue his dreams relentlessly.

In 2019, he achieved a significant milestone by clinching the gold medal at the Junior World Championship held in Switzerland. Sharath's dedication and perseverance continued to shine when he secured a silver medal at the Para Asian Games in 2023. Motivated by observing a senior athlete in action, Sharath decided to embark on his own athletic journey.

Sharath Makanahalli's story serves as an inspiring example of how passion, commitment, and a strong will can transform obstacles into stepping stones towards achieving greatness.

About Blackberrys:

Established in 1991, Blackberrys, India’s leading menswear brand, has over 330+ exclusive stores and over 1,250 retail touch points across the country. With a commitment towards impeccable craftsmanship and timeless designs, Blackberrys caters to men of substance and celebrates their individuality. Blackberrys continuously anticipates the fashion of the future and innovates through design and details. That's why they craft products that cloak you in confidence and inspire you to keep rising.

Ageas Federal Life Insurance Launches “Multicap Fund” In ULIP Portfolio


* Provides customers with the potential for robust capital appreciation returns

One of India's leading private life insurance firms, Ageas Federal Life Insurance (AFLI) announced the launch of its latest offering, the “Multicap Fund”, as part of its ULIP (Unit Linked Insurance Plan) portfolio. This open-ended fund is designed to deliver returns by strategically investing in a diversified portfolio of listed companies spanning various market caps.

"We are excited to present a new addition to our ULIP portfolio, targeting capital appreciation returns via diversified investments across various market caps. Our commitment to providing innovative and value-driven solutions is reinforced with the introduction of the Multicap Fund. This strategic addition to our ULIP portfolio aims to deliver attractive returns for our customers while ensuring diversification and risk management," said Vighnesh Shahane, MD & CEO of Ageas Federal Life Insurance.

The launch of the Multicap Fund underscores Ageas Federal Life Insurance's continuous efforts to enhance its product offerings and meet the evolving financial needs of its customers,” Shahane added.

As of February 5th, 2024, the Multicap Fund will be incorporated into the following products:

Platinum Wealth Builder

Smart Growth Plan

Wealthsurance SP II

The Multicap Fund is designed to help customers grow their capital by investing in a carefully curated blend of well-established blue-chip companies, emerging blue-chip companies, mid-cap companies, and select small-cap companies. With a focus on the medium to long term, the fund aims to spread risks by investing in stocks across various sectors, providing customers with a diversified and potentially rewarding investment strategy.

Key details of the Multicap Fund include:

Fund Name: Multicap Fund

Investment Objective: Capital appreciation through a diversified portfolio across market caps.

Investment Horizon: Medium to long term.

The launch of the Multicap Fund underscores Ageas Federal Life Insurance's continuous efforts to enhance its product offerings and meet the evolving financial needs of its customers.

Wedding Bazaar From Matrimony.com Enlists Top Destinations For Blissful Wedding Experience


* *Udaipur continues to be the most preferred wedding destination with Lakshadweep at the second spot *

* *Udaipur, Lakshadweep, Jodhpur, and Jaipur remain the top choices for couples*

Weddingbazaar, India’s largest wedding planning platform from the Matrimony.com group, conducted a first-of-its-kind survey to identify the top wedding destinations in India. The survey, which saw the participation of over 3,000 individuals, helped understand the expectations of couples-to-be. Uttarakhand, Jaipur, Goa, Alibaug, Kasauli, Udaipur, Kolkata, Agra, Mussoorie, Vizag, and Kerala emerged as other preferred choices for destination weddings. 

A poll was also conducted on Weddingbazaar Instagram story on similar lines and revealed that Lakshadweep Islands emerged as the second most sought-after destination in 2024, only after Udaipur.

Speaking about the choices, Arjun Bhatia, Chief Marketing Officer, Matrimony.com said, “There has been a gradual surge in interest for Lakshadweep, and it has now found a place on our list. While Rajasthan remains a favoured choice among couples, it's nice to see the enchanting Lakshadweep Islands gaining popularity. This trend is particularly delightful as it signifies that people are exploring and embracing a wider array of destinations in India for hosting weddings, showcasing the growing diversity in choices.”  

The survey revealed that couples wishing for a sun-kissed beachy landscape surrounded by lush greenery voted for Lakshadweep Islands, while the majestic destination of Udaipur was chosen by those who wished to nurture the royals in them. For lovers of heritage and culture, places like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kolkata, and Agra were their natural choices. Places like Uttarakhand, Kasauli near Shimla, and Mussoorie became the ultimate choice of couples wishing for a perfect climate and fantastic scenery. With all its beaches and mouth-watering seafood, places like Goa, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Alibaug continued to be on the list. In the south, the dreamy backwaters of Kerala and affordable Vizag made it to the list.

Couples can choose makeup artistes, photographers, planners, decorators, venues, and mehndi artistes from Weddingbazaar.  WedAssist – a wedding planning assistance service provided by them helps to save time and money in planning the wedding.

About Matrimony.com limited  :  Matrimony.com is India’s leading consumer Internet Company managing marquee brands such as BharatMatrimony, CommunityMatrimony, and EliteMatrimony.  BharatMatrimony is considered the largest and most trusted matrimony brand which has also established a considerable retail presence with over 110 self-owned retail outlets across India.  Matrimony.com has also launched Jodii – an exclusive matchmaking service for non-graduates, in 9 Indian languages. The Company delivers matchmaking and marriage-related services to users in India and the Indian diaspora.  The Company has pioneered several new business models such as WeddingBazaar.com, Mandap.com, and CommunityMatrimony.com, a consortium of over 300 community matrimony services, and RainbowLuv.

For more details, visit https://www.matrimony.com

Get Electric Vehicle Service Uber Green Rides Anywhere In Delhi Now!


Uber’s global flagship electric vehicle service, Uber Green, is now available in Delhi, allowing residents to book sustainable, eco-friendly rides with just a few taps on the app. Now, riders will see the Uber Green option when they fire up the Uber app to book their rides. The service will help support riders make a conscious choice to pick more sustainable means to travel in all new, quiet and clean EVs.

The Uber Green display at the Bharat Mobility Expo 2024 received a lot of love with visitors clicking photos at the ‘Location par aa gaya hun’ selfie booth. Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Government of India, visited the Uber Green display at the Expo today.

Mr. Nitish Bhushan, Director - Central Operations, Uber India & South Asia, said, “We believe the future of transport is shared and electric and are committed to becoming a zero-emission platform in India and globally by 2040. Delhi is our third stop in India where we have launched Uber Green, with several riders in Bengaluru and Mumbai already swearing by the latest offering, to reduce vehicular emissions in the city. We will take this product to more cities soon and continue to invest in the sustainable mobility value chain.”  

How to book an Uber Green Trip:

·         Open the Uber app and enter your destination in the ‘where to’ box

·         Select Uber Green at the bottom of the screen

·         Review the booking details including the price for the trip and tap Confirm Green

·         Enjoy your ride

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.

This Budget Is Roadmap To Achieve PM Modi’s Vision Of A Developed Bharat:Amit Shah


The Union Interim Budget 2024 presented in the Parliament on Thursday, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced new schemes for farmers, women, and the middle class. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah emphasised that ‘The Union Budget draws the roadmap to achieve PM Modi’s vision of a Developed Bharat.’

He believes that this interim budget for the second term of the Modi government in the Amrit Kaal will prove to be the budget of 'Sankalp se Siddhi’. The budget brings new hope for farmers, women, and the middle class by highlighting the achievements of the Modi government in the last 10 years on the journey to make India a leading nation in every sector.

Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah, the budget sets the goal of making India completely Aatma-Nirbhar and developed by the year 2047. It introduces new opportunities for prosperity for farmers, focusing on promoting self-reliance in oilseeds on one hand and emphasising on nano DAP usage and dairy development on the other. The plan to start the construction of two crore additional houses in the next 5 years will benefit the middle class.

The people of the country have witnessed the efforts of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide free treatment of up to five lakh rupees to millions of people. An important decision to connect Anganwadi workers and helpers with the Ayushman Yojana allowing them to avail free treatment, has been made in the interim budget of 2024. Additionally, a crucial decision has been taken in this budget to promote vaccination of 9 to 14-year-old girls for the prevention of cervical cancer. The unprecedented decision to install rooftop solar energy systems in the homes of one crore families under the ‘Suryoday scheme’ will allow them to receive up to 300 units of free electricity per month, resulting in annual savings.

The decision to provide interest-free loans of Rs 75,000 crore to states over the next five decades will be a game-changer in strengthening the relationship between the centre and the states. The budget will also work towards providing new energy to the tourism sector. The budget's focus on upgrading the country's infrastructure to a global and modern standard is a significant step in the direction of building a developed India. Furthermore, the announcement of three major railway corridors under the PM Gati Shakti initiative to enhance logistic efficiency and reduce costs has set a new direction for future India. The pace of highway construction in the country has tripled during the Amrit Kaal, and the number of airports has also more than doubled. Today, the modern Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat trains are also establishing a new identity for India on the world stage.

With the foresight of Modi and the skillful policies of Amit Shah, it is certain that the dream of a fully developed and self-reliant India by the year 2047 will be realised.

24 Hours Toyota Hackathon – A Road Safety Initiative Aimed To Instil ‘Road Safety Sense’


Reinforcing the road safety and coinciding with the ‘Road Safety Month (18th Jan – 17th Feb 2024), Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced the successful culmination of 24 hours Toyota Hackathon, held at the RV Institute of Technology and Management, Bangalore. The stage event of the 24 Hours-Hackathon was presided by the Chief Guests - Shri. H C Balakrishna, MLA Magadi & Chairman – Karnataka Road Development Limited, Government of Karnataka, Shri. Sharath Bache Gowda, Chairman – Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS), Government of Karnataka, Guest of Honour – Shri. J. Purushotham, Additional Commissioner for Transport & Director – Road Safety Cell, Transport Department, Government of Karnataka, Special Invitee - Mr Brijesh Agarwal, Vice President- Operations at Consero Global & Assistant Chief Traffic Warden, along with TKM’s Senior Executive - Mr. Sudeep S. Dalvi, Chief Communication Officer & Senior Vice President and Director, and other key dignitaries.

Education and Road Safety is one of the key pillars of TKM’s core CSR. Through this initiative, TKM focuses to drive the inventive minds of the students (class 9th to 12th standard) from across various private and government schools as well as colleges based in Bangalore. The Toyota Hackathon provided a dynamic platform, divided into three engaging phases, where students showcased their creativity, innovation, and prototype development of practical digital solutions aimed to promote road safety. Further, this program underscores the strong efforts of the company’s contribution to the vision of ‘Zero Road Fatalities’ through ingenuity of young minds, by empowering future generations to develop actionable road safety solutions.

India with its vast population and diverse road networks, experiences a high number of road accidents annually. The report for calendar year 2022* reveals that the number of road accidents, the number of persons killed, and the number of injuries has increased compared to previous years by 11.9%, 9.4% and 15.3% respectively. Further, young adults in the age group of 18 - 45 years accounted for 66.5 per cent of the fatal road accident victims during 2022.

(*As per the publication ‘Road Accidents in India 2022’, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways - Transport Research Wing, Govt. of India)

In this direction, the Toyota Hackathon (initiated in 2018) acts as a catalyst to include road safety in the school & college curriculums, and thereby encourage children to become critical thinkers, further develop solutions for modern-day road safety challenges. This helps to unlock the hidden talents of young minds, empowering them to make significant contributions to the vital cause of road safety. Further, by actively engaging students, it seeks to develop them to become ‘Change Agents’, playing a crucial role in bringing about a positive behavioural change in the community at large.  Furthermore, this initiative provides an ideal platform, encouraging the future generation to leverage their knowledge and technical expertise to address high-priority issues effectively.

Sharing his views about the Toyota Hackathon, Shri. H C Balakrishna, MLA Magadi & Chairman – Karnataka Road Development Limited, Government of Karnataka, said, “It is important to identify and tackle the root causes of road accidents in a comprehensive manner and the youths can play a critical role as change makers and become road safety champions. I am truly impressed by the innovative spirit and dedication showcased through the ideation and prototypes developed by the students at participating schools and colleges at Toyota Hackathon. Further, it is commendable to witness TKM’s commitment towards fostering road safety by creating the right platform to engage and empower the young minds and at grassroot level.

The government acknowledges the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing road safety challenges, and initiatives like these is essential to deploy the creative potential of our future road users and drive a impactful positive change amongst the community as well”.

Present at the Toyota Hackathon, Shri. Sharath Bache Gowda, Chairman, Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS) - Government of Karnataka, said, "We commend Toyota Kirloskar Motor for their proactive efforts in promoting road safety through their well-designed initiative like the Toyota Hackathon, encouraging the youths to express their innovative ideas and develop prototypes which can support to address the road safety challenges faced in today’s world.

The government recognizes the pivotal role that collaborative initiatives like this play in leveraging the creativities and engaging the young minds to influence the society in positive way with good road behaviour. Such endeavours contribute significantly to the shared goal of reducing road accidents & ensuring the safety of the citizens, and Toyota's efforts in this direction is truly appreciated”.

During the academic year 2023-24, 62 students comprising of 31 teams registered for the Toyota Hackathon. The program’s innovation themes actively covered a broad spectrum of seven road safety challenges - "Road Safety Awareness and Education"; "Community Engagement for Safety"; "School Zone Safety"; "Road Infrastructure and Pollution"; "IoT/ICT in Road Safety"; "Traffic Easement" & "Making Roads Inclusive".

The first phase of the Toyota Hackathon 2024, kicked off with students submitting a 200-word concept note about their new ideas on road safety. Out of which, the qualifying students consisting of 25 teams were invited to an onsite, one-day boot camp in Bangalore during Jan 2024, where they honed their best ideas and presentation skills, preparing for the on-ground Hackathon. In the second phase, students further re-submitted a 300-word revised concept note, showcasing the evolution and refinement of their initial proposed ideas. The culminating phase featured the 2-day onsite, 24 hours Hackathon held in Bangalore, which offered technical mentorship by experts and industry professional to build prototype basis the ideation submitted during the first phase of the Hackathon. The jury members comprised of representatives and officials from Bangalore Traffic Police; Mindzwork Bangalore; Transportation Systems Engineering (TSE); IISc Sustainable Transportation Lab (IST Lab); R V Institute of Technology and Management - Bangalore; Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP); Traffic Training & Road Safety Institute; Infosys; Media and Centre for Infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning (CiSTUP).

Out of 10 competing teams, three final top winning teams were announced that constituted Delhi Public School (1st prize winners – Dev Vats & Eshaan Godbole) - Bangalore; Delhi Public School (2nd prize winners – Anay Lohani & Angad S.K) - Bangalore; and Karnataka Public School (3rd prize winners – Apoorva A.S & Asha A.R) – Bangalore. The consolation prize winners consisted of Soundarya Central School, Bangalore (1st Consolation - Abhishek Gowda B.S & Amogh Rao) and Podar International School, Bangalore (2nd Consolation – Naresh Patel & Kushal V).

Commenting on the Toyota Hackathon initiative, Mr. Sudeep S. Dalvi, Chief Communication Officer and Senior Vice President & Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “At Toyota, our commitment to road safety extends beyond manufacturing of safe cars; we strive to grow in tandem with society and enrich the lives of the communities we serve by promoting road safety and instilling behavioural change in them. Our journey towards raising awareness on road safety dates to 2007, reaching 790,000 students thus far through various road safety initiatives, focusing on school children, and developing them to become ‘road safety ambassadors’, thereby inculcating the positive change amongst the people. In this direction, Toyota Hackathon is an extended program aimed to provide a platform to school children (class 9th – 12th) to emerge as ‘Solution Providers’, to promote road safety. This unique road safety initiative contributes to enhance a strong connect with the young minds to demonstrate their creativity, developing solutions towards improving road safety and advance their sustainable development as future safety champions.

As we mark the successful culmination of the 24-Hours Toyota Hackathon, we are truly inspired by the creativity and dedication displayed by the school and college students. This important initiative stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to ensuring 'People’s Safety on Road’. Our heartfelt thanks to all the students, teachers, faculties, educational institutes, and esteemed authorities for joining hands with us and their strong encouragement and participation in this important Toyota Hackathon program”.

During the awarding ceremony, the key dignitaries along with TKM senior executive presented the ‘Certificate of Participation’ and exciting ‘Prizes’ to the top 10 finalists and top three winning teams of Toyota Hackathon, appreciating the students’ enthusiasm and contributions as road safety champions.

Going forward, TKM will further evaluate the incubation support to the Toyota Hackathon finalists’ and continue to explore the possibilities of the prototype implementation, thereby promote road safety.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Dedicates NTPC Power Projects To The Nation


Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has dedicated NTPC Darlipali Super Thermal Power Station (2x800 MW), NSPCL Rourkela PP-II Expansion Project (1x250 MW) and laid the foundation stone of NTPC Talcher Thermal Power Project, Stage-III (2x660 MW) with a total investment of Rs 28,978 Crore during a programme at Sambalpur.

Located in Sundargarh district of Odisha, Darlipali STPS is a pit-head Power Station with Supercritical (highly efficient) Technology, and is supplying low-cost power to its beneficiary states, such as Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Sikkim.

The 250 MW project of NTPC-SAIL Power Company Ltd is established in Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) to provide reliable power for the steel plant which is vital for economic growth.

Further, NTPC is developing Talcher Thermal Power Project, Stage-III within old TTPS plant premises in Angul district of Odisha, which was taken over by NTPC from Odisha State Electricity Board in the year 1995. The old TTPS plant was decommissioned after completing more than 50 years of service to the Nation.

The upcoming plant will have highly efficient Ultra Super Critical Technology based units and approximately three times capacity of the old TTPS plant. While 50% capacity from this project is dedicated to the state of Odisha, other beneficiary states such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Assam will also get low-cost power from this pit-head station.

This project is being constructed with all modern environmental features like efficient electrostatic precipitator, Flue gas desulphurization, bio-mass cofiring, covered storage space for coal and will thus help in lesser Specific Coal Consumption and CO2 emissions.

Besides creating direct and indirect employment opportunities in the region, these projects have contributed to improvement of physical infrastructure such as approach road, drainage, transportation and communication facilities. Various community development initiatives are also being undertaken by NTPC in the surrounding villages in the area of education, drinking water, sanitation, health, women empowerment, rural sports, etc. NTPC has also set up a Medical College cum Hospital in Sundargarh, Odisha.

The occasion was graced by the presence of Shri Raghubar Das, Hon’ble Governor, Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Govt of Odisha, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Union Minister of Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Union Minister of Railways; Communications; and Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Bishweswar Tudu, Hon’ble Union MoS of Tribal Affairs; and Jal Shakti, Shri Nitesh Ganga Deb, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Shri Nauri Nayak, Hon’ble Member of Odisha Legislative Assembly, Shri Gurdeep Singh, CMD, NTPC along with other dignitaries.

Total Pageviews