Stonehill International School Celebrates IB Diploma Results For The Class of 2024

This year, Stonehill International School enrolled fifty-nine Grade 12 students in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. Stonehill students achieved an impressive average score of 32.2 points.

Durriya Gandhi, Keshav Balaji Viswanathan, and Sethulakshmi Chandrasekharan scored 40 points or more out of a maximum of 45. This places them approximately in the top 8% of IB students worldwide. Durriya Gandhi's score of 43 points places her in the top 2.5% of all IB Diploma candidates globally.

In addition to these top scorers, fifteen other students achieved scores of 35 points or more. Furthermore, two students were awarded Bilingual Diplomas in German and Korean, a testament to their linguistic proficiency and dedication.

The Class of 2024 is now set to embark on the next phase of their educational journeys, with Stonehill graduates receiving offers from universities in twenty-four different countries. Stonehill students received offers from the world’s top 100 universities, including the London School of Economics, UK; Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), New York University (NYU), US; The University of Melbourne, Australia; Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands; University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; The University of Sydney, Australia; University College Dublin, Ireland; Purdue University, US; University of Toronto, Canada; University of Warwick, UK;  University of Manchester, UK; King's College London, UC San Diego, US; The University of British Columbia, Canada among others. So far, the Class of 2024 has secured scholarships worth 2.7 million USD.

While many have chosen traditional degree programs such as Economics, Engineering, Business Management, and Law, others have pursued unique fields like 3D Animation and Graphics, Industrial Design, Anthropology, Fashion Design, and Sustainable Energy.

Stonehill is excited to introduce the IB Careers-related Programme for Grade 11 students in August 2024. This addition will provide further opportunities to meet the diverse needs of the students, allowing Stonehill to continue fostering an environment where every student can thrive.

Joe Lumsden, Head of School, commented, "Each of our students had the opportunity to choose a unique combination of DP courses, enabling them to craft their individualised journey toward their future aspirations. The high grades achieved in so many different subjects along with the exciting variety of university courses that our students have applied for confirms our belief that there are many different ways to be successful at Stonehill. Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on their remarkable achievements. We look forward to seeing the incredible impact they will create in the future.”

To know more about this unique school refer to their website www.stonehill.in

AirAsia Brings "Cinematic In-Flight" Experience To Cinema-Goers In Line With Growing Connectivity From India To Over 130 Destinations

*      AirAsia presently operates 22 direct routes from India to Malaysia and Thailand, with four more to commence soon

*      The airline is bringing an innovative “cinematic in-flight” experience to 130 cinemas across 12 cities in India where movie-goers have the exciting chance to win flights to any of its 130 destinations

AirAsia, the World’s Best Low Cost Airline for the 15th consecutive year, invites travellers from India to discover the hidden gems of Asia and Australia and beyond through its robust network that will soon connect 16 cities in India to over 130 destinations across its network via Malaysia and Thailand.

In line with its expansion, AirAsia will bring an innovative “cinematic in-flight” experience for movie-goers to selected cinemas across the country to showcase its diverse and unique destinations as part of the movie-goers experience.

The collaboration will enhance AirAsia's outreach via more than 130 cinemas across 12 cities over the next six months. As part of this initiative, movie-goers will stand the chance to win AirAsia flights to anywhere across its network. During this period, AirAsia will also be collaborating with more than 130 local travel content creators to showcase its destinations to Asia, Australia and beyond, spanning bustling cities, serene beaches, historic landmarks, and vibrant local cultures.

Supporting post-pandemic travel recovery, AirAsia has actively expanded routes for India in 2024, providing direct connectivity to two of its major Asian hubs, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Bangkok in Thailand as a gateway to over 130 destinations across the world. It serves an extensive network of cities including Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Visakhapatnam and Trivandrum, as well as Chennai, Tiruchirapalli and Hyderabad among others. Additionally, AirAsia will launch new flights from Guwahati, Kozhikode, and Lucknow to Kuala Lumpur, and Tiruchirapalli to Bangkok in the coming weeks.

Beyond India, AirAsia recently opened new routes to Almaty in Central Asia in March and Nairobi in Africa just last week, connecting travellers affordably from across the Asian region to vibrant new destinations via a short stopover in Kuala Lumpur. The airline also recently won the prestigious World’s Best Low Cost Airline and Best Low Cost Airline in Asia awards at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2024, further cementing its position on delivering service excellence with affordable prices.

AirAsia’s Chief Commercial Officer Paul Carroll, said, “AirAsia is grateful for the support of our guests in India, which has made us the largest foreign airline by network in the country. Since early 2024, we have expanded our network in India with 10 additional routes, bringing the total to 26 routes from India to Malaysia and Thailand. Operating over 20 daily flights across 16 cities, AirAsia counts as one of the top airlines with the highest number of weekly flights to and from India. Our ongoing network and fleet growth post-pandemic will benefit our guests through great value fares, choice, and connectivity leveraging one of the largest low-cost networks reaching over 130 destinations across Asia, Australia and beyond. ”

“Our efforts in India reflect AirAsia’s long-term vision of recognising the country as a key growth market and advancing its aviation ecosystem. Through our global network, we will continue to support India’s tourism industry by promoting its travel gems to the world, leveraging the government’s free visa initiatives.

“Today, we are excited to unveil an innovative partnership with Qube Cinemas, a leader in digital cinema technology to elevate AirAsia’s brand presence in the market. Soon, the immersive AirAsia ‘cinematic in-flight’ experience will be in 130 cinemas across India for 6 months and we’re really looking forward to connecting more meaningfully with movie-goers who are also travel lovers here through this initiative.”

Qube Cinema Chief Business Officer, Juhi Ravindranath added: “In India, cinema is one of the best avenues for any brand to reach mass audiences and create a deep impact. The medium influences many aspects of our people’s lives including fashion, lifestyle, and pop culture. The AirAsia team saw merit in the power of this medium and enthusiastically collaborated with us to create this cinematic in-flight experience. We are certain that this will appeal to movie buffs of all age groups and build the momentum for the brand. The entire team at Qube Cinema feels thrilled to enable this campaign across its network screens and can’t wait to see the delight among audiences.”

AirAsia’s journey began in Malaysia in late 2001 with a tiny fleet of two aircraft and a small team. As a pioneer in low-cost flying, AirAsia enabled many travellers across the region to take their very first flight and commenced its first India-Malaysia route from Tiruchirapalli to Kuala Lumpur in 2008. From 2023, AirAsia has linked more than 3.5 million guests from India to the rest of Asia and Australia.

The airline has always strived to uphold its core focus of delivering value with uncompromised safety, service, and innovation-driven customer experience, complemented by its ecosystem that includes engineering services, in-flight meals, and ground operations, among others.

For more information on all-things-AirAsia, follow us on Instagram

Versuni Announces Erik Van Den Enden Has Been Appointed Chief Financial Officer

Versuni, a leading home appliance company formerly known as Philips Domestic Appliances, announces that Erik Van den Enden has been appointed Chief Financial Officer, reporting to Véronique Pauwels, President & CEO, Versuni, effective September 1, 2024. Mr. Van den Enden will succeed Kurt Decat who will leave the role to spend more time with his family, as well as pursue non-executive roles and other personal interests.

Performance-driven and commercially focused, Mr. Van den Enden brings more than 20 years of experience working in consumer-facing and data-rich industries across Europe and emerging markets, including telecommunications and FMCG. He joins Versuni from Telenet Group Holding, where he most recently served as Group CFO and Head of Strategy and M&A. Prior to this, Mr. Van den Enden held key finance and M&A roles at AB InBev, leading the successful worldwide integration and transformation of the SAB Miller Finance function. Mr. Van den Enden will focus on guiding the financial and business strategy, supporting the long-term sustainable growth and value creation objectives of Versuni.

“Erik’s appointment comes at a time when we are laser-focused on our mission to grow the Versuni business. Erik was appointed for his wealth of experience in transformation and managing consumer-centric growth, and I am confident that he will be a valuable member to the Versuni team. I’d also like to thank Kurt for his hard work and wish him the very best for the future,” said Véronique Pauwels.

About Versuni

Versuni’s purpose is turning houses into homes. As a house of home appliances brands, Versuni markets: Philips, Philips Baristina, Philips Walita, Preethi, Senseo, L’OR Barista, Saeco and Gaggia. With more than 900 patents to its name, Versuni’s portfolio spans coffee and kitchen appliances, garment care, climate care, floor care, and home safety. Products under the Philips brand include the Airfryer, Espresso Machine with LatteGo, PerfectCare Steam Generator, Air and AquaTrio Cordless Vacuum. Versuni is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and has innovation, manufacturing, and commercial centers across the globe, with a footprint in over 100 countries.

Hikvision India Showcases Latest AIoT Video Security Solutions At Security And Fire Expo (SAFE) South

Hikvision India has participated in the India's Largest & most influential Security & Fire Expo Security and Fire Expo (SAFE) South India (5 – 6June, 2024) HALL NO. 1, Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai. It showcased cutting edge AIoT technology enabled products and solutions. The SAFE South India has brought together internationally renowned exhibitors, consultants, industry experts and visitors from the public sector onto a single platform.

Hikvision India has premiered its advanced security products and solutions at the SAFE South India. The latest trending technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics and IoT Security Tech were on the display.

While commenting about being at the Security and Fire Expo (SAFE) South India, Ashish P. Dhakan, MD & CEO, Prama Hikvision India Private Limited said, “We are elated to be part of the Security and Fire Expo (SAFE) South India.  It is good event platform to connect with the esteemed end-users and valuable partners. We have introduced 4G Solar Camera, eNVR, Smart Hybrid camera and PT Solutions. We cordially welcome the security industry specific visitors to get an overview of Hikvision’s latest product offerings.”

He further added, “Hikvision India is showcasing latest technological innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics Technologies. We unveiled the latest products and solutions in the Video Security, Access Control, Intrusion Alarm, Inspection and Perimeter Security segments.  We have also introduced Mobile Robot Products, Machine Vision Products and Logistic Vision Solutions.”

The key highlights of the technologies and solutions were on display at Hikvision India booth, it included AI Cameras, Smart Hybrid Camera, ColorVu, Thermal and AcuSense Cameras, Audio Sensor, eDVR and eNVR.  The myriad product categories on display were Access Control, Command and Control, Hikcentral, Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), Video Door Phone (VDP) and Security Inspection Products. The other products, included AX-PRO, AX-Hybrid PRO Series Alarm System, Energy Solutions, Thermal Solutions, Commercial Display, Professional Transmission Solution, and Smart Storage Solutions.

The Security and Fire Expo (SAFE) – South India event organized a unique two-day Technical seminar. On the first day there was a partner session by Sidharth SB, National Manager, Prama Hikvision India Private Limited, based on the theme ‘Make-in-India’ 2.0 -The Next Level. It was followed by a panel discussion on the theme ‘Managing security across locations globally – Risks & Challenges’, Sidharth SB shared highly valuable insights in the panel discussion.

Hikvision India booth displayed advanced security solutions across product categories and conducted various fringe programs, including quiz contests to engage the visitors. The Security and Fire Expo (SAFE) – South India event concluded successfully with good footfall from the relevant visitors, end-users and security professional community.

About Hikvision India:

Hikvision India is the leading video security solution provider. In addition to the security industry, the company extends its reach to Smart Home Products and Solutions, Industrial Automation, and Robotics to achieve its expansion plan. The endeavour is to provide superior pre- sales and post-sales service through collaboration with local distributors and its allied partners. 

Driven by the ‘Make- in-India’ vision, the company manufactures a wide range of video security products at its state- of-the- art manufacturing facility near Mumbai. Building on innovation and research and development initiatives, Hikvision India is committed to provide best quality products with agile technical support through its Pan India branches and employees. 

For more information, please visit us at www.hikvisionindia.co

AICTE And OPPO India Announces 'Generation Green' Campaign

          OPPO India becomes the first electronics manufacturing company to offer green internships through AICTE

-          Collectively aim to empower over a million youth through the programme

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and OPPO India today announced their ‘Generation Green’ campaign. The 100-day programme—managed by 1M1B (One Million for One Billion)—promotes green skills among the youth through 5,000 internship opportunities across colleges in India.

According to LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report 2023, job seekers with green skills are 29% more likely to get hired than the average workforce. This initiative cultivates climate-conscious skills which will add to the students’ knowledge to make them future-ready for the opportunities of tomorrow. 

“AICTE is proud to join hands with OPPO India for the Green Internship Programme,” Dr TG Sitharam, Chairman of AICTE, said. “It is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop their skills and contribute to sustainability efforts that tackle environmental challenges and contribute towards building an eco-friendly world. Notably, OPPO India is the first electronics manufacturing company to offer internships through AICTE. This campaign is a part of the 1 Crore Internships mission of AICTE, Ministry of Education, Govt of India, and will contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

Students from all streams, technical and non-technical, can participate in this internship program. The interns will undertake a range of hands-on activities that will inculcate their skills in project management, sustainability practices, effective communication, collaboration, research, and data analysis, enhancing their overall employability. Students will take the Green Pledge and participate in awareness sessions, E-surveys, and Green Day celebrations.

“At OPPO India, we are aligned with the Net-Zero vision of the Government of India. Our aim is to create a macro movement towards sustainability that is driven by the power of youth,” said Rakesh Bhardwaj, Head, Public Affairs at OPPO India. “Today, we are nurturing 5,000 sustainability champions who are going to further influence the next generation of changemakers. Through the programme, at least 10 lakh students from schools and colleges nationally will be provided with the right knowledge and values towards supporting a sustainable community. We are delighted to partner with AICTE in this transformative initiative and will continue to amplify the impact in this direction through our collective efforts.”

Dr. Buddha Chandrasekhar, Chief Coordinating Officer, AICTE, added, “The AICTE internship portal hosts over 50 lacs internships, aiming to reach 1 Crore by 2025. We are pleased to partner with OPPO India to offer 5000 sustainability internships. Balancing development with sustainability is vital for India. Engaging youth in effective e-waste management is essential, as their commitment and innovation can help build a cleaner, sustainable future. Students participating in these internships may also earn 2-3 academic credits.”

These efforts aim to increase environmental awareness and promote sustainable practices among students. The opportunity is now available on the AICTE internship portal and students can apply through this link: www.iamgenerationgreen.com.

All Interns who complete the programme’s activities will receive certificates jointly accredited by AICTE, OPPO India, and 1M1B.

SonicWall Builds Off Its Partner Strength To Drive New Heights At Elevate 2024

* Partners will get exclusive previews of the recently announced SonicPlatform and SonicWall’s newly enhanced solution roadmap from its recent acquisitions 

SonicWall announced today the return of SonicWall Elevate, its premier partner event where it will detail its recent acquisitions and preview its solution roadmap which is helping organization create defensive measures from cloud to endpoint. This is yet another delivery for SonicWall’s valued partner and customer community – which has generated incredible momentum over the last several quarters.

“SonicWall has been actively listening to its partner channel for the last 18 months and Elevate 2024 is another testament to our commitment to provide partners what they need to succeed in 2024 and beyond,” said SonicWall CEO Bob VanKirk. “Our partners are a force multiplier, one of our key differentiators, and we will be sharing an updated roadmap that has been specifically shaped by our partners’ voices. We have added managed security services, cloud-native security and more – all to put our partners in position to take their businesses to new heights.”

“SonicWall has been deeply attuned to our partner channel for the past 18 months and Elevate 2024 underscores our steadfast dedication to equipping partners with the tools they need to thrive now and into the future,” said SonicWall's Debasish Mukherjee, Vice President, Regional Sales, Asia Pacific Japan.

"Our partners are an integral part of our success. In response to their invaluable feedback, we are unveiling an updated roadmap tailored to their needs, featuring enhancements such as managed security services, cloud-native security solutions, and more. These innovations are designed to empower our partners to elevate their businesses to unprecedented levels of success,” further added Debasish.

SonicWall Elevate will involve sharing  key updates on its network security products, threat intelligence, as well as its newly acquired additions which include security service edge (SSE), zero trust network access (ZTNA) and additional managed security services for threat detection and response. With the platform, users get a unified backend for threat visibility and simplified workflows, uniquely positioning SonicWall well with an end-to-end solution.

Elevate 2024 is designed to give partners all the tools they need to succeed in the coming year and beyond, including:

Exclusive demos of SonicWall’s latest technology, including the new SonicPlatform

Information on how to leverage recent acquisitions and how partners can grow and diversify their business to increase revenue

Enhance the value of network security solutions and see what’s coming next

Everything partners need to know about decreasing alert fatigue and growing opportunities with the 24x7 SOC protection of SonicWall MDR

Interactive breakout sessions, complete with workshops and Q&A

Opportunities for partners to offer feedback directly to SonicWall executive leadership

Elevate event took place in the Americas on  June 12-14 in the city of  Dallas, TX USA. The event was  hosted in Europe, Middle East and Africa region between June 26-28 in the city of Lisbon, in Portugal. The event will come to Bali , Indonesia between July 10-12 for the APJ channel community where partners from India would also be attending.

SonicWall has experienced consecutive quarters of partner growth, fueled by explosive expansion in our Service Provider Program, recent program enhancements, and a dedicated focus on channel engagement. Over the last three quarters, SonicWall has seen an increase of transacting partners, including a 4% quarter-over-quarter growth.  

About SonicWall

SonicWall is a cybersecurity forerunner with more than 30 years of expertise and is recognized as a leading partner-first company. With the ability to build, scale and manage security across the cloud, hybrid and traditional environments in real-time, SonicWall provides seamless protection against the most evasive cyberattacks across endless exposure points for increasingly remote, mobile and cloud-enabled users. With its own threat research center, SonicWall can quickly and economically provide purpose-built security solutions to enable any organization—enterprise, government agencies and SMBs—around the world. For more information, visit www.sonicwall.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

For more information about Elevate 2024 and to register, visit https://www.sonicwall.com/events/sonicwall-elevate-2024/

CreditEnable Partners WWith Women Entrepreneurship Platform Incubated By Niti Aayog To Distribute Shine

* Its Financial Wellness and Credit Readiness Programme to Women Entrepreneurs

CreditEnable, a multi-award-winning credit insights and technology company, today announced that it has partnered with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) incubated by Niti Aayog to distribute its flagship digital financial wellness programme Shine, to women entrepreneurs across India.

Introducing Shine: A Path to Financial Wellness

Shine, a digital financial wellness programme developed by CreditEnable and powered by Experian, provides SME owners with a comprehensive analysis of their financial health along with digital coaching that helps them take control of their finances. Thus, enabling them to become more creditworthy and secure financing at reasonable terms from formal financial institutions. 

Key Features of Shine:

- 360° Financial Analysis: Shine gives entrepreneurs a detailed overview of their financial health, including credit scores, banking, and GST data, to reveal loan eligibility and improve chances of loan approval.

- Actionable Tips: The programme provides clear, actionable steps to improve financial profiles and address lender concerns.

- Better Loan Prospects: By following programme, which is based on expert advice, entrepreneurs improve their access to finance at affordable rates.

Shine for Women Entrepreneurs:

The Shine Programme offers exclusive benefits for women entrepreneurs, including:

- Discounted Access:1,000 women entrepreneurs will receive discounted access to the digital financial wellness programme.

- Regular Curated Insights: The programme delivers frequent insights to help maintain and improve financial health.

- Actionable Recommendations: Detailed analysis of financial data to provide practical steps for improvement.

- Live Webinars: Free webinars on improving credit and financial profiles for 500 women entrepreneurs.

- 1-1 Financial Coaching: Personalised coaching and discounted remediation programme for 500 women entrepreneurs.

- Loan Application Assistance: Support for 1,000 women entrepreneurs in navigating the loan application process.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs:

Only 10% of SME loan applications are successful leaving most SMEs without access to formal finance. This problem is compounded for women entrepreneurs. Shine is designed to address these unique challenges faced by them. By offering tailored financial advice and actionable insights, the programme helps them overcome obstacles and achieve financial independence. CreditEnable’s collaboration with WEP incubated by Niti Aayog underscores our commitment to fostering growth and financial inclusion for women-led businesses.

“We are delighted to be partnering with WEP incubated by Niti Aayog to distribute Shine to women entrepreneurs across India” says Nadia Sood, CEO & Founder of CreditEnable. “By providing them with the tools and resources they need to understand and improve their credit health, and directly facilitating access to finance for them, we are opening doors to new opportunities for their businesses to thrive.”

“WEP incubated by Niti Aayog is proud to partner with CreditEnable on this innovative programme,” says Anna Roy, Principal Economic Advisor at NITI Aayog. “Shine will equip women entrepreneurs with the financial knowledge and creditworthiness they need to become stronger, more competitive business leaders.”

About CreditEnable:

CreditEnable is a leading credit insights and technology company, offering a suite of products to lenders and borrowers to facilitate efficient SME lending and borrowing. In India, CreditEnable works with over 40 blue-chip pan-India lenders, including Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks, Small Finance Banks, NBFCs, marketplace, and fintech lenders. We provide digital services to SME customers across various sectors and regions, helping them access the finance they need to thrive.

Join the Shine Programme:

We invite all women entrepreneurs to join the Shine Programme and take control of their financial future. Together, we can bridge the gap to credit access and unlock new opportunities for growth and success.

For more information about the Shine Programme, visit Shine’s website: https://bit.ly/4bzeEWN