Tata Motors Showcases Safe, Smart And Sustainable Mass Mobility Solutions At Prawaas 4.0 In Bengaluru

* Unveils the all-new Tata Ultra EV 7M for green intra-city mass mobility

Tata Motors, India's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, showcased an impressive array of cutting-edge mass mobility solutions at Prawaas 4.0 – a 3-day biennial event highlighting safe, smart and sustainable integrated mass mobility solutions in Bengaluru. The company unveiled an all-new Tata Ultra EV 7M – a zero-emission, intra-city electric bus designed and engineered to perfectly suit the requirements for urban mass mobility. Tata Motors also showcased a diverse range of passenger transport solutions including the Tata Magna EV, Tata Magic Bi-fuel, Tata Ultra Prime CNG, Tata Winger 9S, Tata CityRide Prime and Tata LPO 1822, all aimed at offering customized solutions in varied applications and duty cycles.

The all-new Tata Ultra EV 7M offers comfortable seating for 21 passengers and is perfectly suited to tackle narrow lanes and high-traffic urban landscapes with its easy manoeuvrability and ideal dimensions. It is powered by a 213kW electric motor and IP67-rated 200kWh Li-ion battery. It offers a range of up to 160 km in a single charge and comes with fast charging capability, enabling a full charge in just 2.5 hours. The fully electric drivetrain is complemented by advanced safety features, including an electronic braking system and electronic stability control. The bus is equipped with an Automatic Passenger Counter and boasts high safety and security standards with its Intelligent Transport System (ITS). Additionally, the Ultra EV 7M incorporates regenerative braking technology, further enhancing its efficiency and range. 

Commenting on the unveiling, Mr. Anand S, Vice President and Head – Commercial Passenger Vehicle Business, Tata Motors, said, "Prawaas 4.0's theme of safe, smart, and sustainable mobility perfectly aligns with our vision. This event provides us a unique opportunity to engage with stakeholders and showcase our cutting-edge solutions. We are proud to present a wide range of exhibits that offer customised solutions in their respective segments, including our latest offering, the Ultra EV 7M, in the electric bus space. This all-new model is perfectly suited for both metros and smaller cities, addressing the unique demands of our customers. Our participation in Prawaas 4.0 underscores our dedication to providing innovative, efficient and sustainable mobility solutions that ensure high earning potential and profitability for our customers."

Tata Motors leads the charge in shaping the future of mobility with its clean and sustainable solutions across multiple powertrains and emission technologies. The company leads the market in electric buses segment, with over 2,900 e-buses deployed across India, covering an impressive cumulative distance of over 16 crore kilometres. Additionally, the company is a pioneer in advancing hydrogen fuel cell transport solutions within the country. With a wide range of alternate fuel powered vehicles, Tata Motors ensures lower operational costs and higher profitability for operators. Furthermore, Tata Motors enhances its solutions with Fleet Edge, a connected vehicle platform that leverages smart technologies to improve fleet management, vehicle uptime and safety.

About Tata Motors:

Part of the USD 165 billion Tata group, Tata Motors Limited (BSE: 500570 and 570001; NSE: TATAMOTORS and TATAMTRDVR), a USD 44 billion organization, is a leading global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups,  trucks, and buses, offering an extensive range of integrated, smart, and e-mobility solutions. With ‘Connecting Aspirations’ at the core of its brand promise, Tata Motors is India’s market leader in commercial vehicles and ranks among the top three in the passenger vehicles market.

Tata Motors strives to bring new products that captivate the imagination of GenNext customers, fuelled by state-of-the-art design and R&D centres located in India, the UK, the US, Italy, and South Korea. By focusing on engineering and tech- enabled automotive solutions catering to the future of mobility, the company’s innovation efforts are focused on developing pioneering technologies that are both sustainable and suited to the evolving market and customer aspirations. The company is pioneering India's Electric Vehicle (EV) transition and driving the shift towards sustainable mobility solutions by developing a tailored product strategy, leveraging the synergy between Group companies and playing an active role in liaising with the Government of India in developing the policy framework.

With operations in India, UK, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia, Tata Motors markets its vehicles in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the SAARC countries. As of March 31, 2024, Tata Motors’ operations include 90 consolidated subsidiaries, two joint operations, five joint ventures, and numerous equity-accounted associates, including their subsidiaries, over which the company exercises significant influence.

Shaquille O’Neal Swaps The Court For Cuisine In Abu Dhabi’s Street Food Series

* The NBA legend takes a light-hearted look around the city’s culinary gems on a thrilling tasting tour 

If you’ve been thinking of exploring some of the diverse flavours of Abu Dhabi’s delicious street food culture, NBA star Shaquille O’Neal has already done the footwork for you.

The sporting legend swaps the court for cuisine in a series of films that sees Shaq discovering Abu Dhabi’s diverse street food scene while leaving his own food reviews as he explores the flavours and characters behind Emirati and Middle Eastern Street food.

Embark on a culinary adventure with Shaq through a series of films as he explores the heart and soul of Abu Dhabi's street food scene. From traditional Emirati dishes to Middle Eastern favourites, he's savouring every bite and sharing his discoveries through Google reviews.

Diving headfirst into the heart of Abu Dhabi's foodie-favourite street food spots, each episode of "Shaq's Abu Dhabi Street Food Journey," sees the larger-than-life personality immersed in the city as he explores eight different foodie hotspots. Here’s the first look à https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRSSOyEnZhI

Shaq first visits Al Dhafra restaurant, an authentic Emirati cuisine spot, with a group of locals, where he’ghuzs introduced to lamb ghouzi (a traditional Emirati rice dish). Shaq marvels at the mix of meat, rice and spices, and attributes the ingredient’s “teamwork” to making this a highlight dish. In upcoming episodes, he likens the tasty, sweet luqaimat (sweet dough balls with date syrup) at Luqaimat and Chebab to “mini basketballs” and gives his taste buds a more familiar treat at Mo’s Joint with their takeaway Classic Burger, giving a shout-out to its special Abu Dhabi sauce as “the MVP.”

But Shaq doesn't just eat the food – he gets in on the action! Inspired by the city's culinary creativity, he heads to Beit El Khetyar and creates a giant shawarma, a limited edition “Shaqwarma” that’s sure to satisfy even the biggest appetites.

Shaq's infectious enthusiasm and adventurous spirit match the melting pot of flavours that define Abu Dhabi's street food scene. With each bite, he uncovers different cultural influences that make this city's street food scene so unique.

Shaq also shares humorous and insightful commentary about his culinary adventures in Al Sultan Sweets (a crowd favourite Arabic sweets shop), India Palace Restaurant. (authentic Indian cuisine), Bu Tafish (a traditional seafood dining establishment since 1968) and Seashell (Abu Dhabi’s unique twist on fast food favourites).

A supersized NBA superstar partnered with a city steeped in a rich culinary street food heritage. Together, Shaquille O’Neal and Abu Dhabi make a truly unbeatable team.

Find out more à https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/plan-your-trip/article-hub/street-bites-with-shaq

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors and its creative industries, fuelling economic progress and helping to achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions.

By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism industries.

DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.

 For more information about the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the destination, visit: dct.gov.ae and visitabudhabi.ae

HCL Tech - Steadfast Execution To Drive Consistent Performance

August 29, 2024

ADD

Information Technology   

Analyst Meet Update   

TARGET PRICE (Rs) : 1,850

We attended HCLT’s ‘Analyst Day’ to understand its growth strategy and business outlook. KTAs: 1) Mgmt highlighted that industry is at a major inflection point, with rising adoption of AI. HCLT is well placed to benefit from the growing addressable IT Services market (~USD2trn by 2030) and its investments in fast-growing areas like data and AI, SAP cloud services market, cyber security, cloud migration, etc which create opportunities for double-digit growth in the medium term. 2) It indicated that demand setting is a tad more optimistic vs a few months ago, esp in BFSI. It expects TMT to continue seeing faster growth than peers. 3) HCLT delivered superior performance, backed by its cultural DNA, balanced portfolio, client mining and participation in large deals, passionate people, and strong governance. It plans to improve market participation with better G2000 /future G2000 coverage which will help sustain and accelerate growth. We roll fwd TP to Sep-25E, and lift up our target multiple to 25x (23x earlier); retain ADD and raise TP to Rs1,850 at 25x its Sep-26E EPS.

Growth leadership to continue

HCLT has delivered industry-leading organic growth over the last 2 years. Management remains confident of sustaining growth leadership in coming years, on the back of a) cultural DNA—entrepreneurial and empowering environment, stable & home-grown leadership, innovation driven by engineering pedigree, art of the possible - pragmatic approach to solutions, b) its all-weather portfolio (right mix of discretionary and non-discretionary services and IP) made possible by the execution of its Mode 1-2-3 strategy since 2016, c) client experience – 22 clients with a >USD100mn relationship versus 16 in FY22; track record of winning and executing large deals, d) passionate people with expansion into near-shore (headcount grew to 24,797 vs 21,497 in FY22) and new vistas (it India new vistas headcount scaled up to 25,218 vs 19,291 in FY22), e) approach to ESG (diverse board—70% independent, gender-balanced). Mgmt highlighted that the industry is at major inflection point, with growing adoption of AI. HCLT is well placed to benefit from the expanding addressable IT Services market (~USD2trn by 2030) and its investments in fast-growing areas like data and AI, SAP cloud services market, cyber security, cloud migration, etc which create opportunities to potentially see double-digit growth over the medium term. The Data and AI segment is poised to clock 19.1% CAGR, with the SAP cloud platform services market seeing CAGR of 26%. The TMT segment is registering the fastest growth among peers which it expects to maintain over the next 2 years. CSP industry tech spending remains one of the highest and is expected to register 8% CAGR, as telcos are seeing major transformation into service-oriented players driven by data. Semiconductor engineering is a key driver for HCLT in the TMT. HCLT is well positioned to see benefits, as it has presence in the entire ecosystem – from chip to cloud, as also driving AI transformation. In the BFSI segment, HCLT is focusing on white spaces seen in insurance brokerage firms, specialized banks, and large central banks.

‘Project Ascend’ to drive margin improvement

HCLT has launched ‘Project Ascend’ that focuses on 7 tracks for driving efficiencies and improving margin. These tracks are: GenAI-led delivery transformation (coding productivity, operational/managed services automation); employee pyramid (gain traction with growth acceleration); upskilling/reskilling via AI-led customized learning programs to improve utilization and productivity; new vistas in India drive operations stability; G&A optimization; non-linear models (leveraging industry-focused solutions and accelerators); GDM (nearshore-offshore mix). Some of these savings though are expected to be offset by planned investments in GenAI solutions development and S&M.

ORRA Fine Jewellery Relaunches A Bigger Store In Mangalore, Karnataka

* ORRA Mangalore store is now bigger and grander, offering a new look, new designs, and a larger collection for our customers.

ORRA, India’s leading diamond jewellery brand, is thrilled to announce the relaunch of its latest store in Mangalore, Karnataka. Spanning 3200 square feet, designed to deliver an exceptional shopping experience in the store showcasing ORRA’s signature collections, with a special emphasis on the exclusive 73-faceted ORRA Crown Star, India’s brightest patented diamond. The store also has a bridal lounge dedicated to providing  a personalized experience for bride-to-be’s.

ORRA’s new store offers a diverse selection of exquisite jewellery collections to cater to various customer preferences and meet increasing demand. Among these opulent collections, we have the prestigious 'ORRA Crown Star' collection, featuring the 73-faceted diamond, which holds an exclusive patent in India and represents the pinnacle of brilliance and exclusivity. The store also showcases the contemporary 'Aekta' Wedding Collection, including the Astra, Desired, and Platinum lines. Each of these collections has unique features and captivating designs that embody ORRA’s commitment to excellence and quality. Additionally, introducing Solis - Always on Shine, the latest addition by ORRA that is designed to keep you effortlessly chic and classy in your everyday routine. From boardroom meetings to casual brunches and intimate self-care days, Solis offers everyday diamonds for every moment of the week, starting at ?9,999*.

To elevate these cherished moments in a woman's life, ORRA embarked on a journey to craft a diamond that exceeds all expectations. 

“We are excited to relaunch our larger store in Mangalore, Karnataka. This expansion reflects ORRA’s dedication to providing an unparalleled shopping experience for our customers, whether they are looking for the perfect gift or selecting exquisite pieces for their special day,” said Dipu Mehta, Managing Director of ORRA Fine Jewellery. He further added, “We are proud to have completed 20 remarkable years in Mangalore. Thanks to the overwhelming support from our customers, we have now moved to a larger store to serve you even better. We eagerly await the opportunity to welcome you to our new location and continue to be a part of us”.

ORRA's commitment to craftsmanship and elegance is beautifully showcased through their collections, ensuring that every piece tells a unique story of love and celebration. ORRA is known for providing 100% certified jewellery with complimentary insurance* and free lifetime maintenance. The brand offers a lifetime exchange, buy-back, a seven-day return policy and our diamonds are conflict-free. Additionally, ORRA provides a 6-month upgrade facility, and all its jewellery is BIS Hallmark Certified.

As part of the store launch celebration, ORRA will offer inaugural discounts, special offers and an exclusive bridal lounge for customers visiting the new store. 

*        Up to 25% off on diamond jewellery (for a limited period) * 

*        0% interest on EMI facilities* 

*        100% exchange value on old gold jewellery*

*terms and conditions apply 

About ORRA:

The journey of a million gazes began in 1888 before it metamorphosed into ORRA. From sculpting and manufacturing diamonds to crafting and retailing the finest diamond and gold jewellery, ORRA has come a long way since its inception. Today, ORRA is one of India's finest diamond jewellery retail chains, having spread its glow with 91 stores in 39 cities and has consistently been at the forefront of design, leadership and product innovation with five global design centers. 

Master craftsmen who have inherited the centuries - old legacy of jewellery making, brilliantly cut Belgian diamonds, delicate designs in diamond jewellery, elaborate bridal sets in coloured stones, the 73-facet patented ORRA Crown Star, the one-of-its-kind ORRA store. These are just some of the facets that go into making ORRA—the Finest Diamond Destination. 

For more information, visit –  https://www.orra.co.in 

Unveiling Turkish Hazelnut In India: The Miracle Nut, Turkish Hazelnut, To Delight Health-Conscious Indian Consumers

Turkish Hazelnuts, celebrated as the ‘miracle nut,’ have been officially launched with a comprehensive four-year campaign in India by the Turkish Hazelnut Exporters Associations. The unveiling took place at the Turkish Embassy, New Delhi today, in partnership with the Nuts and Dry Fruits Council of India (NDFCI), in the presence of His Excellency Mr. F?rat Sunel, Turkish Ambassador, Mr. Hasan Osman Sab?r, Chairman at the Blacksea Hazelnut and Hazelnut Products Exporters Association, Mr. Gunjan Jain, President at Nuts and Dry Fruits Council of India (NDFCI), along with other dignitaries. This exciting collaboration marks a significant milestone for both Turkish Hazelnuts and the Indian nuts and dry fruits market. The aim of the launch is to introduce Turkish Hazelnut, a nutritious and versatile ingredient, as well as a healthy snack, enhancing both taste and quality in a range of culinary creations across India.

With a rich heritage in hazelnut cultivation, Türkiye produces 65% of the world’s hazelnuts. This efficiency is attributed to traditional methods and techniques that preserve the flavor and nutritional value of the nuts. Centuries of experience in hazelnut processing ensure high quality, with processing facilities meeting the strictest international food safety standards to deliver the finest product globally.

During the launch of Turkish Hazelnut in India, F?rat Sunel, Turkish Ambassador, said, “The launch of Turkish Hazelnuts, in the Indian market marks a significant milestone in the partnership between Türkiye and India. Our hazelnuts are not only a testament to Türkiye’s rich agricultural heritage but also to our commitment to quality and tradition. This initiative highlights the strengthening bilateral relations and opens exciting opportunities for further collaboration in the food and culinary sectors.”

Hasan Osman Sab?r, Chairman of the Blacksea Hazelnut and Hazelnut Products Exporters Association, emphasized the importance of the Indian market and detailed the strategy to boost the presence of Turkish Hazelnuts in India, stating, “We are thrilled to bring the miracle nut to India, a market that appreciates quality and flavor. Turkish Hazelnuts, have been enjoyed world over for thousands of years. We believe Indian consumers will embrace our hazelnuts for their exceptional taste and versatility. We are noticing a significant increase in demand compared to last year, with more people incorporating Turkish hazelnuts into their confectionery items. This trend is promising for Turkish hazelnuts, and we believe that India will become one of the top consumers in the next 10 years, as the country's culture is well-suited for this growth.”

The Turkish hazelnuts are best known for their sweet, exotic flavor and distinctive texture, but they feature a robust nutritional profile by offering optimal energy density, vitamins, dietary fiber and monounsaturated fats. They are also a naturally cholesterol-free food and are an excellent addition to a healthy, balanced diet. These nuts, packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, offer a satisfying and nutritious alternative to traditional snack options.

Expressing his gratitude on the collaboration, Gunjan Jain, President, Nuts and Dry Fruits Council of India (NDFCI) said, “We are excited to partner with Turkish Hazelnut Exporters Associations for the launch of Turkish Hazelnut in India. The demand for premium nuts is on the rise and these miracle nuts are poised to meet this demand. The addition of these high-quality nuts will not only diversify the range of nuts available to consumers but also significantly boost the Indian economy.”

He further added, “Our commitment is to bring the finest quality nuts and dry fruits to the Indian market. Their rich nutritional profile and versatility as a key ingredient in various culinary dishes will undoubtedly enhance the culinary landscape in India.”  

When incorporated into daily diets, Turkish Hazelnuts will provide Indian consumers with a delicious snack that supports overall well-being and contributes to a balanced, health-conscious lifestyle. With consuming only 25-30 g of these per day gives 100% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin E. They also offer numerous other health benefits, including boosting energy, nourishing skin, supporting bone and heart health, and being rich in vitamins and minerals.

Indian consumers will now experience the delightful world of these miracle nuts, conveniently available across modern retail outlets and e-commerce platforms.

About Turkish Hazelnut Exporters Associations:

Turkish Hazelnut Exporters Associations represents hazelnut exporters and processors in Türkiye, the world’s leading hazelnut producer country. The mission is to promote high-quality Turkish hazelnuts while emphasizing on their nutritional benefits and versatile applications. The aim is to connect people with the natural goodness and culinary potential of Turkish hazelnuts, supporting sustainable farming practices and enhancing consumer well-being with nutritious and delicious products. The Turkish hazelnut industry is proud to offer food companies a premium nut with superior quality and steady supply.

Edelweiss Life Records Its Highest-Ever Claim Settlement Ratio Of 99.23% In FY24

Underscoring its focus on customer centricity, Edelweiss Life Insurance has reported a Claim Settlement Ratio of 99.23% for the financial year 2023-24, the highest ever in company’s 13-year history.

Sumit Rai, MD & CEO, Edelweiss Life Insurance said, “Claim Settlement Ratio is an important marker of customer centricity; it is our ultimate moment of truth. It denotes whether the company will stand with your loved ones in their hour of need. We are extremely proud of this milestone, and it is proof that we are 100% customer obsessed.”

Through the years, the life insurer has been focused on improving the back-end processes including underwriting and advisory to enhance its Claim Settlement Ratio. It has brought down the overall TAT for claim settlement, and arrested incidences of bad claims through a meticulous fraud prevention process.

By driving a risk-conscious culture among its salesforce through Certified Risk Assessor (CRA) program, the life insurer has created pseudo-underwriters among its frontline staff to improve quality of customer acquisition. This includes identifying risk at sourcing or post issuance stage. The company has also brought down incidences of bad claims by leveraging AI & ML-powered fraud prevention model. 

“A bad claim is of significant concern to not only the insurer but also a genuine customer because they ultimately bear the financial burden of such activities. So, fraud prevention has been a focus area for us; we have leveraged automation and several other initiatives to identify and arrest such cases. In FY24, we saved nearly Rs. 143 crore through fraud prevention at sourcing and claims stages. We believe these are necessary steps towards offering the best customer experience – be it offering best solutions in the market or post-sale service – to our policyholders,” Rai said.  

The life insurer remains steadfast in its commitment to improve on its customer experience, especially at critical stages like claim settlement.

About Edelweiss Life Insurance:

Edelweiss Life Insurance (formerly Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance) established nationwide operations in July 2011 with an immovable focus on protecting people’s dreams and aspirations. The company has been focussed on bringing innovation, simplicity, and a new-age approach to life insurance, aligned with the expectations of the customer today. It has been offering need-based and innovative life insurance solutions to help customers live their #zindagiunlimited. With a customer-centric approach, the company has been operating as a multi-channel distribution business to effectively serve its customers across the country. As of March 2024, the company has 109 branches in 88 major cities.

Awards:

The company has earned recognition from several reputed industry forums over the years. Here are some noteworthy awards:

·       Recognized as Great Place to Work for 4 consecutive years

·       Employee Excellence Award 2023 by The Economic Times

·       Golden Peacock Award 2023 for Risk Management

·       Most Trusted BFSI Brands in 2023-2024 by the Marksmen Network

·       GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for collecting the highest number of pledges for organ donation in a single day

·       Won a total of 7 awards for the Organ Donation initiative, noteworthy among them were by Exchange4Media, Pitch BFSI Marketing Awards and Indian CSR Awards.

Convergence Of Technology Can Unlock Exponential Value: Nandan Nilekani At GFF, 2024

“There has been tremendous innovation in financial services around the world, in payments, in lending, in cross border transactions, data sharing, open banking, everything else. And we know this is happening around the world. In India of course we have the great example of NPCI and the amazing success they have had with UPI,” said Mr. Nandan Nilekani while speaking about the digital innovation that was revolutionizing financial services around the world over the last 30 to 40 years, at the Global Fintech Fest 2024.

One of the world’s largest annual fintech conferences, the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) is back with its fifth edition from August 28-30 at the Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Blueprint for the Next Decade of Finance: Responsible AI | Inclusive | Resilient’.

Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024 is presented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Ministry of External Affairs, the Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA). The conference is jointly organised by the Payments Council of India (PCI), the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC).

In his keynote address on ‘Finternet: Transforming Financial Services through Digital Innovation’, Mr. Nilekani underlined that the Finternet would empower people to participate in the upside of the economy and control all kinds of assets from user controlled to regulated and registered assets. He introduced the Finternet by adding that, “Convergence of technology can unlock exponential value.”  Mr. Nilekani threw light upon the concept of tokenization of assets in the digital world with the help of advances in cryptography and said, “The Finternet is a new approach to global finance which is defined by the three ‘U’s’ – it is user centric, unified, and universal – that is keeping the user at the centre and it has to be universal, that is it has to cut through asset classes of all types. The Finternet combines the best of the regulated world with the best that tokenization technology can offer us. It uses the basic construct of tokens and then enables universal interoperability and composability.”    

He closed the session with valuable insights on the importance of a universal infrastructure for financial services and continued with a demo of this new visionary Finternet architecture that aims to unify financial services with the support of advanced cyptography and tokenisation.