U.S. Polo Assn. Joins Zepto’s Quick-Commerce Revolution, Expanding Fashion And Apparel Offering

In a landmark move that marks the next phase of the quick-commerce revolution, U.S. Polo Assn. (USPA), the official brand of the United States Polo Association, is collaborating with Zepto operators to bring its exclusive collection to the platform. Zepto, India’s fastest growing consumer internet platform known for its 10-minute delivery promise, is expanding its offering to include premium apparel and fashion, starting with USPA.

This collaboration not only enhances Zepto seller’s portfolio but also signifies a shift in how shoppers can access fashion—from groceries and personal care to now clothing from premium international brands—all within the same rapid delivery window.

On the announcement, Aadit Palicha, co-founder & CEO, Zepto shared, "We’re thrilled about this partnership. USPA, a brand that is synonymous with premium quality and timeless style. This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in our quick-commerce journey as Zepto expands into the fashion and lifestyle space. With USPA on board, our sellers are delivering a new level of convenience to fashion shoppers across India."

Shailesh Chaturvedi, MD & CEO, Arvind Fashions Limited says “With U.S. Polo Assn.'s sporty coolness and Zepto's lightning-fast delivery, we are bringing a new level of accessibility and convenience to our customers. That's such an exciting trend setting solution for modern day needs of our consumers.”

U.S. Polo Assn.’s collection is live on the platform, offering Zepto platform users a curated selection of timeless, stylish apparel. From classic polo shirts to casualwear, Zepto users can now enjoy iconic USPA pieces delivered within minutes.

This collaboration represents a significant leap in quick-commerce, with Zepto sellers expanding from essentials to premium fashion. Whether it’s grabbing a classic polo shirt minutes before an event or ordering casualwear for a spontaneous outing, Zepto’s users can experience the unmatched convenience of fast, high-quality fashion—a true game-changer for those who value both speed and style.

About Zepto: Founded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, Zepto became one of India’s fastest-growing internet companies of all time. Headquartered in Mumbai, Zepto has delighted millions of users by delivering over 20,000 products, ranging across categories in 10 minutes through a network of delivery hubs across the country.

About U.S. Polo Assn.: U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the non-profit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States and one of the oldest sports governing bodies, having been founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through over 1,100 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores and thousands of department stores, sporting goods channels, independent retailers, and ecommerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women, and children, as well as accessories and footwear in more than 190 countries worldwide.

About Arvind Fashion Limited: Arvind Fashions Ltd., based in Bengaluru is India's No. 1 casual and denim player in the country’s retail industry, a lifestyle powerhouse with a strong portfolio of fashion brands catering to consumers across various sub-categories and price points. With a host of renowned brands, both international and indigenous, like U.S. Polo Assn., ARROW, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Flying Machine. Arvind Fashion has presence across lifestyle brands and value fashion.

Udemy Data Highlights Three-Dimensional Design Application And GitHub As Emerging In-Demand Skills In India

* Demand Soars for Next-Gen Engineering, Design, and Digital Literacy Skills Among Indian Organizations and Professionals in Q2

Udemy, a leading online skills marketplace and learning platform, today released its Q2 2024 Global Workplace Learning Index. This quarterly report provides insights into which technical and professional skills are growing in demand to help organizations stay ahead of the competition worldwide.

The latest 2024 Q2 Skills Index reveals a significant surge in demand for technological and professional skills among Indian learners in Q2 when compared to Q1. The following percentages reflect the highest increases in course consumption in India during Q2:

Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application (CATIA) - 94%

GitHub - 81%

English Grammar - 80%

Problem Solving - 56%

System Design Interview - 41%

These findings indicate a strong focus on developing skills in design, technology, communication, critical thinking, and system architecture. Notably, English Grammar and problem-solving are in high demand globally, as they enhance operational efficacy and interpersonal communication, making them essential skills across all regions and industries. The Q2 Index highlights the evolving needs of the Indian workforce and the importance of upskilling to remain competitive in the job market.

Vinay Pradhan, Country Manager & Senior Director, Udemy India, said, "With nearly 15 million learners in India, we are witnessing a growing impetus on moving towards a skills-based economy, aligning with the government's mission to create a future-ready workforce. The surge in demand for emerging skills like CATIA, GitHub, System Design, English Grammar, and Problem Solving highlights the growing need for both technical and professional skills. CATIA, in particular, will aid in upskilling not just the tech sector but also the manufacturing workforce, which is vital as India strives to become a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship. Investing in targeted learning and development, especially in skills like CATIA, is crucial to unlocking the full potential of our workforce and driving economic growth."

“Udemy’s research shows that most organizations have begun implementing skills-based processes, but employees and leaders still need help knowing which skills to focus on first," said Greg Brown, President and CEO of Udemy. Soft skills, like teamwork and problem-solving, are critical to enabling the success of key tech trends like AI, which have the potential to shift the trajectory of many industries, so it’s encouraging to see these themes trending in this quarter’s Index.”

"With technology like Generative AI and the shift to hybrid work models, constant change is all around us. Adapting to this change can be tough, but it’s really about understanding and guiding how people think and behave," says Sivakami S, a Udemy instructor and change management expert. “All change is rooted in human behavior, making it crucial for leaders to draw insights from psychology and behavioral economics. By developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills, leaders can build trust and motivation, guiding employees effectively through complex changes.”

To learn more about how organizations can partner with Udemy Business to upskill for the future, visit: business.udemy.com.

Methodology

The Udemy Global Workplace Learning Index uses data from thousands of Udemy Business customers worldwide. Location data is based on the country associated with the company. The skills data compares the consumption of courses in the Udemy Business collection from Q1 2024 to Q2 2024. Courses are associated with one or more topics, with a maximum of five topics per course. The trending skills that you see in the report are based on these topics. If a course covers multiple topics, consumption minutes are divided equally across all topics associated with the course.

About Udemy

Udemy transforms lives through learning by ensuring everyone has access to the latest and most relevant skills. Through the Udemy Intelligent Skills Platform and a global community of diverse and knowledgeable instructors, millions of learners gain expertise in a wide range of technical and professional skills — from generative AI to leadership. The Udemy marketplace provides learners with thousands of up-to-date courses in dozens of languages, offering a variety of solutions to achieve their goals. Udemy Business empowers enterprises to offer on-demand learning for all employees, immersive learning for tech teams through Udemy Business Pro, and cohort learning for leaders through Udemy Business Leadership Academy. Udemy Business customers include Fender?, Glassdoor, On24, The World Bank and Volkswagen. Udemy is headquartered in San Francisco with hubs in Austin and Denver, USA; Ankara and Istanbul, Türkiye; Dublin, Ireland; Melbourne, Australia; and Chennai, Gurugram and Mumbai, India.

Atlassian Research Reveals ’Emotional Overhead’ Is Costing Businesses Valuable Time And Productivity

As the modern workplace becomes increasingly digital, a new study by Atlassian, a leading provider of team collaboration software, reveals more than a third of the workforce is losing over 40 hours a year trying to decode and interpret what their colleagues are trying to say - essentially equating to a full work week lost.

Atlassian surveyed 10,000 knowledge workers across India, US, Australia, Germany and France, for research which highlighted the hidden costs of miscommunication in today's digital-first work environment.

Molly Sands, Head of Teamwork Lab, Atlassian said, “This is what we call ‘Emotional overhead’, the wasted time and emotional turmoil caused by unclear or ambiguous communication. This poses a serious challenge for businesses. In the time that knowledge workers are wondering what their colleagues mean to say or what their manager wants from them, they could be doing mission critical work.”

Email is still popular, but ripe for misinterpretation

Despite the distributed nature of modern work, email remains the tool of choice for many respondents, with 93% of workers regularly relying on written communication tools like email and instant messaging. And, yet 61% of workers also admit that written communication is most susceptible to miscommunication, highlighting the need for greater clarity and intentionality in digital messaging.

“Written communication is both really important and really hard to get right. Without precise, expressive writing it can be hard to know what’s important, how urgent something is, or how your colleagues feel. With so much work happening online today, we can’t always rely on body language and tone of voice to convey meaning,” says Sands. “Teams need to communicate with thoughtfulness, humanity, and intention. The emotional side of communication must come through - even in the workplace.”

The power of emotion in workplace communication

When teams communicate with emotion, workers are 3x more likely to be highly productive. In fact, when emojis are an important part of company culture, 78% of respondents admit they’re more likely to read a chat message with emojis or open an email if there’s one in the subject line.

The research also revealed 65% of workers surveyed used emojis to help convey their intended tone or set the vibe. Unsurprisingly, there’s a generational split here with 88% of Gen Z workers saying emojis are helpful when communicating with colleagues, while only 49% of Boomers agree. This difference is also evident in how emoji use impacts motivation, with 68% of Gen Z feeling more motivated when their messages receive emoji reactions.

“Given the significant productivity and connective gains teams experience, business leaders are well-advised to encourage their teams to bring emotion into their workplace communication”, concludes Sands. “But obviously that is not an easy task, as emotions and their interpretation are highly individual. My recommendation for teams is to align on a common understanding, boundaries, and expectations. Teams should collaboratively define these communication norms to reduce day-to-day friction and room for miscommunication.”

How the best teams avoid emotional overheard

To round out the study, Atlassian looked at how high-performing teams use written communication and found a number of common threads. The most productive teams:

Are less likely to use email as the default for communicating

Prefer written communication, especially when clarity is the priority

Are encouraged to express emotion at work and feel connected to each other

Are more likely to work in environments where emojis are a part of the company culture

As a result, these teams waste less time trying to understand written messages or figuring out what their manager wants. In other words, their emotional overhead is very low.

For further details on the new research, please visit: https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/how-to-avoid-emotional-overhead-at-work

About Atlassian

Atlassian unleashes the potential of every team. Our agile & DevOps, IT service management and work management software helps teams organize, discuss, and complete shared work. The majority of the Fortune 500 and over 300,000 companies of all sizes worldwide - including NASA, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and Salesforce - rely on our solutions to help their teams work better together and deliver quality results on time. Learn more about our products, including Jira, Confluence and Loom at https://atlassian.com.

ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations Unveils Its First Bakery Café In Bengaluru

* Inaugurated by Shreyanka Patil, an Indian Cricketer, the Café features a cozy ambiance and a curated selection of gourmet baked delights

ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations, after making a strong mark in the food-delivery space with a popular range of Croissants and Pull-Apart Bagels, today announced the launch of its first Bakery Café at the FabIndia Experience Store in Whitefield, Bangalore. This launch marks a significant milestone in the brand's journey, from a cloud-kitchen bakery to an omni-channel brand, bringing an elevated bakery café experience to Bangaloreans. 

This thoughtfully designed café brings a premium culinary experience to Bangaloreans with a curated selection of products, including Croissants & Sandwiches, Pull-Apart Bagels & Bagel Toasties, Desserts & Pastries and Celebration Cakes, each crafted by culinary experts of ITC with top-quality ingredients and tailored to the Indian palate. These baked delicacies are served with ITC’s Sunbean Gourmet Coffee, elevating the culinary experience of diners.

Shreyanka Patil, an Indian Cricketer and avid foodie graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. She expressed her delight with the association, “I am glad to be associated with a brand whose products I have tried many times and absolutely love! My favourites are Frangipane Almond Croissant, Dark Fantasy Chocofill Croissant and Trinity Ganache Pastry. I recommend everyone to definitely try these.”

Rohit Bhalla, Food-Tech Business Head at ITC Limited, expressed his enthusiasm about the launch, “This café is more than just a new location; it represents ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations' commitment to bring the ‘World of Bakery’ to Indian consumers, elevating their experience of the category to global standards. Our Croissants and Pull-Apart Bagels have already garnered great popularity through the delivery channel and the launch of this café will give a fillip to our plans to bring many more exciting innovations in the bakery category. This new café is not just another addition to the city's dining scene; it is a testament to ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations' evolving vision and dedication to offering exceptional experiences to its customers and café enthusiasts across the city.”

With a seating capacity of up to 30 guests, the café promises to be the perfect destination for both intimate gatherings and larger celebrations, offering a delightful environment for customers to indulge in ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations' exclusive range of products. 

Looking ahead, ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations plans to expand its bakery café presence in Bengaluru with future locations in MG Road and Jayanagar, as well as potential expansion into Chennai. These upcoming locations will continue to build on the brand's vision of elevating the bakery experience for its customers.

ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations | Address: Fab India Experience Store, near Corner House, Whitefield, Bengaluru. 

Dr. Devi Shetty Unveils First Of Its Kind Robotic Cardiac Center Of Excellence In Bengaluru

 

·         This center is the fastest in the country and second fastest in the world to perform 100 robotic cardiac surgeries

·         This first of its kind private robotic cardiac center in the country has four well trained surgeons to perform robotic cardiac surgeries

Dr. Devi Shetty, Chairman and Executive Director of Narayana Health, unveiled first of its kind robotic cardiac center of excellence in an event held at Mazumdar Shaw Medical Centre, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru. This is a significant step in making one of the advanced surgical technologies, robotic-assisted surgery, accessible to cardiac patients from across India. This center recently became the fastest in the country and the second fastest in the world to successfully perform 100 robotic-assisted cardiac surgeries, by completing it in 147 days.

Commenting on this occasion, Dr Devi Shetty, Chairman and Executive Director – Narayana Health, said, “We believe that the utilization of technology in the field of surgery is an important goal in advancing science. As a responsible healthcare provider, we have been at the forefront of the digital revolution in healthcare, focused on finding newer ways to offer advanced healthcare to our patients. As part of this mission, we have introduced robotic-assisted surgery at multiple Narayana Hospitals across the country and we are one of the hospitals to train most number of surgeons in robotic-assisted surgery in India. With Cardiac diseases becoming one of the fastest-growing healthcare problems globally, now we have taken a step in the right direction to consolidate the best available surgical robotics technology. This exclusive robotic cardiac center of excellence is equipped with one of the most advanced 4th generation robotic-assisted surgery systems, da Vinci to help address the growing disease burden in India through timely treatment interventions using the latest in advanced technologies. This will allow patients nationwide to get the best cardiac surgical treatment.”

Robotic cardiac surgery helps patients return to their everyday life much faster than open-heart surgeries. Surgeons use the RAS System to operate through a few small incisions. In comparison to traditional open-heart surgery, which involves opening up the chest by splitting the breastplate, the da Vinci's innovative technology allows for complex cardiovascular surgeries to be performed through smaller incisions and precise motion control. For instance, in procedures like Mitral Valve Repair, Mitral Valve Replacement and Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) surgery, the surgeon doesn’t have to cut the patient's ribs or make an incision between the ribs, to perform the surgery. 

While commenting on this collaboration, Darla Hutton, Interim General Manager, Intuitive India, said, “We are pleased to be a part of this unique robotic cardiac center of excellence by Narayana Health, marking a pivotal advancement in cardiac care. Our collaboration with Narayana Health and the inclusion of the da Vinci surgical system underscore our commitment to improving patient outcomes through state-of-the-art surgical solutions. As pioneers in robotic-assisted surgery, we have played a significant role in building the robotic-assisted surgery ecosystem in India. The da Vinci system is preferred for its enhanced precision, minimally invasive approach, 3D visualization, and reduced risk of complications. By integrating these advanced surgical solutions into cardiac treatment, we hope to set new standards in patient care and outcomes. Together, we look forward to a future where cutting-edge technology enhances the quality and effectiveness of cardiac care, ensuring the best possible results for our patients.”

The da Vinci system includes a magnified 3D high-definition vision and tiny wristed instruments that bend and rotate much more than the human hand. As a result, surgeons have better vision, precision, and control.

Dr. Raghu MG, Senior Cardiac Surgeon, Narayana Health said, “At Narayana Health, we specialize in complex cardiac surgeries & other cardiac procedures such as Pulmonary Endarterectomy for chronic pulmonary embolism, Aneurysm repairs, Electrophysiology, Endovascular interventions, Valve repairs etc. Robotic-assisted surgery comes with many advantages in surgeries like IMA harvesting in CABG (Coronary artery bypass graft) cases, surgery to close the hole in the heart, Mitral Valve Repair and Mitral Valve Replacement etc.  In the case of closing the hole in the heart, instead of doing open surgery with 6-7 cm long incisions, RAS can be done with small incisions. This leads to decreased pain, fewer post-operative wound infections, less post-operative scarring, and improved breathing. Reducing the chance of infection makes it an ideal procedure for people with co-morbidities and older patients.”

Narayana Health has been at the forefront of cardiac treatment innovations in India, to make advanced treatments accessible to all strata of our society. This super specialty flagship cardiac hospital of Narayana Health is one of the largest in the world and is equipped with 16 dedicated Cardiac Operation Theatres and 6 Digital Cath Labs of which one is a Hybrid, capable of performing both interventional cardiac procedures as well as complex heart surgeries. 

Medicover Hospitals Expands With New Multi-Speciality Hub In Whitefield, Bengaluru, Backed By Rs 120 Crore Investment

Medicover Hospitals, a leading healthcare service provider, today unveiled its latest integrated healthcare facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka, marking a significant milestone in its expansion journey. With an investment of Rs. 120 crores, this 300-bedded state-of-the-art multi-speciality hospital is poised to revolutionize healthcare in the state.

The hospital, spread over 2.50 lakh sq. ft, will provide comprehensive healthcare services, including specialized departments for Cardiac Sciences, Orthopaedics, Neurosciences, Organ Transplant, Nephrology, and Gastro Sciences. The facility will also feature advanced diagnostic facilities, including Cath Lab, 3T MRI, CT scan, and digital X-ray.

The multi-speciality hospital was inaugurated by Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri. D.K. Shivakumar, in the presence of Hon’ble PWD Minister, Sri. Satish Jarkiholi, Hon’ble Health & Family Welfare Minister, Sri. Dinesh Gundu Rao, MP – Haveri & former Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri. Basavaraj Bommai, MLA – Mahadevapura, Smt. Manjula Aravind Limbavali and MLA – Shanti Nagar, Sri. N.A. Haris. 

Speaking on the inauguration, Ho'nble Deputy Chief Minister, Sri D K Shivakumar said, "Big change is happening in the healthcare sector in Karnataka and the entire country. Medicover has 24 hospitals and the management has employed 14000 employees which is a commendable job. I stand with all of you as service is your motive and the government will support you."

Commenting on the launch, Dr. Anil Krishna, Chairman and Managing Director of Medicover Group of Hospitals, said, "For Medicover Hospitals, venturing into Bengaluru has long been a cherished ambition, aimed at delivering high-quality healthcare at accessible costs to the community. Our hospital is designed as a comprehensive establishment, dedicated to patient-centric care, free from any hindrances."

The hospital will offer OPD with over 45 rooms, IPD, 100 ICU beds, including high dependency units, NICU, PICU, cardiac ICU, and transplant ICU, day-care support, and 24/7 Trauma & Emergency response services. Medicover Hospitals has embraced a forward-thinking approach by transitioning to a paperless system and integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into its operations.

This innovative move not only streamlines administrative processes but also enhances efficiency and accuracy in patient care. By leveraging AI, the hospital aims to improve diagnostic accuracy, optimize treatment plans, and personalize patient experiences, ultimately elevating the standard of healthcare delivery.

The launch of the Bengaluru hospital marks Medicover's entry into Karnataka, adding to its presence in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The group currently provides employment to over 14,000 professionals, including doctors and nurses, across four states. The new hospital is expected to generate 1,000 jobs in Karnataka.

This is the first hospital in India and World to acquire Da Vinci X- The Surgical Robotic assisted surgical systems at the onset of the Bengaluru Facility. 

Key Features of the Hospital are

- 300 beds, Advanced diagnostic facilities 

- AI-powered operations

- Patient-centric care

- Comprehensive healthcare services

- Specialized departments

- 24/7 Trauma & Emergency response services

Medicover Hospitals aims to establish 4-5 new hospitals in Bengaluru within the next 3-4 years, targeting micro-markets with untapped potential. This expansion will increase the group's total bed count to over 6,000 across India.

"We intend to set-up 4-5 hospitals in the city of Bengaluru over the next 3-4 years. This latest addition will elevate our total bed count to exceed 6,000 beds throughout India," added Dr.Anil Krishna.

The Medicover Group of Hospitals network includes 24 hospitals with a presence in four states and remains committed to its promise of making quality healthcare affordable and accessible to people in India. The newest hospital in Bengaluru exemplifies the group's dedication to leading the way in a healthcare system that prioritizes inclusivity, unwavering effectiveness, and a culture of care.

About Medicover Group of Hospitals:

Medicover Group of Hospitals is a leading healthcare service provider with 24 hospitals across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. The group is committed to delivering high-quality healthcare at accessible costs, with a focus on patient-centric care.

For more information, log into: https://www.medicoverhospitals.in/hospitals/karnataka/bengaluru/

SatSure, JICA DXLab And BCG join Hands To Develop Proof-Of-Concept For Digital Forest Health Monitoring System For RFD

* The innovative initiative aims to enhance forest management and conservation efforts using cutting-edge satellite technologies.

SatSure Analytics India Pvt Ltd, one of the leading Earth Observation (EO) data refinery platforms, today announced that it will be collaborating with the Rajasthan Forest Department (RFD), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) DXLab and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) on a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) to develop a forest health monitoring system in Rajasthan, as part of a larger vision to build the first-of-its-kind ‘Forest Stack’. This move marks a pivotal shift for Rajasthan towards integrating digital technology into its forest conservation efforts. By integrating SatSure’s satellite imagery and remote sensing expertise with existing data, this system will deliver actionable intelligence on forest health to RFD officials.

As a part of this development, SatSure will collaborate with JICA DXLab and BCG as a technology enabler to build the first use case of the stack, in the form of a digital forest health monitoring system. With its technological expertise, SatSure will create a comprehensive, open-source platform that integrates satellite imagery, remote sensing data, and existing forest data into an accessible and actionable dashboard. This will enable forest officials to track forest health, manage resources more efficiently, and implement conservation strategies.

RFD has been initiating several strategic steps towards the protection and management of forest resources, including the development of Forest Management and Decision Support System (FMDSS). It has several application modules, such as plantation monitoring, nursery inventory management, forest fire management, wildlife offenses tracking, among others. The digital forest health monitoring system will complement FMDSS and enable seamless data exchange.

Speaking about this development, Prateep Basu, Founder & CEO, SatSure says, “At SatSure, our vision is to deliver decision insights from space, and to positively impact society through this technology. Forests are a critical part of our sustainable future, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Rajasthan Forest Department and JICA in taking a first step towards creating the first-of-its-kind ‘Forest Stack’. Through this pioneering initiative, we will create a replicable, open-source stack that can be replicated across different geographies globally. By leveraging our advanced geospatial analytics and satellite data integration, we aim to provide a robust platform that ensures efficient forest health monitoring and promotes sustainable forestry practices.”

Dr. Venkatesh Sharma, APCCF & Project Director (RFBP-2), Rajasthan Forest Department said, "There is significant scope to leverage digital technologies and enable seamless data exchanges for enhanced monitoring of forest health. By utilizing satellite imagery, remote sensing data, existing project data, and near real-time data analytics, we can get actionable insights into forest health, overcoming the challenges of data fragmentation and physical record-keeping. This can bring about a pivotal shift for Rajasthan State towards integrating technology in its forest conservation efforts and a develop a comprehensive decision support system for the forest department. We are looking forward to leverage SatSure’s expertise in geospatial analytics to deliver significant value for us through the forest health monitoring system."

Natsumi Kobayashi, Country Officer, South Asia Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said, "JICA has been supporting the state of Rajasthan in its forestry and biodiversity conservation initiatives for the last 30 years, and we are pleased to collaborate with SatSure to further strengthen RFD’s capacity through this PoC. This initiative is the first step towards building a comprehensive Forest Stack – a digital public infrastructure that will empower developing nations to safeguard forest ecosystems by leveraging the power of data and digital technology. Our commitment is to support RFD in monitoring and managing their forest and natural resources more effectively, thereby contributing to the resolution of climate change. The solution is envisioned to be made available for other state forest departments, supporting India in advancing its forest management practices and ultimately contributing to global environmental sustainability.”

Aparna Bijapurkar, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said, “BCG is excited to collaborate with JICA DXLab and work with SatSure on this visionary project for building the forest health monitoring system for the Rajasthan Forest Department. By harnessing the power of digital technologies and working closely with committed RFD leadership, we intend to make Rajasthan a lighthouse state for building the comprehensive forest stack. BCG is working closely with multiple government institutions in India and will leverage this deep experience to ensure widespread adoption of the system to drive long-term business process change for RFD.”

Sushma Vasudevan, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said, “At BCG, our aim is to be the most positively impactful company in the world. We have deep sectoral knowledge in forestry and significant expertise in driving large-scale technology transformations across the world. We will bring this expertise to build the digital forest stack for Rajasthan. The forest stack can cater to a diverse set of users beyond RFD, such as researchers and private players, and enable multiple other use cases such as facilitating carbon credits. This will unlock myriad benefits, improving the state’s conservation efforts and enhancing livelihoods of local communities across the state.”

This initiative underscores the importance of digitization in forest management, ensuring that India remains at the forefront of global sustainability efforts. The Forest Stack is envisioned to not only benefit forestry departments but also enhance community welfare and ecological health, paving the way for a more sustainable future.

About SatSure:

SatSure is a deep tech, decision intelligence company headquartered in Bangalore, India. Leveraging satellite imagery and AI, SatSure provides valuable insights to industries such as agriculture, insurance, and infrastructure. Their solutions empower clients to make data-driven decisions and drive sustainable development. For more information, 

About JICA DXLab:

JICA DXLab is an initiative by Japan International Cooperation Agency focused on leveraging digital technologies to enhance global development projects through Proof-of-Concept pilots. DXLab collaborates with Digital Partners to integrate data-driven solutions into JICA’s projects in areas such as environmental conservation, agriculture, health, and infrastructure development. For more information about this PoC for a digital forest health monitoring system in Rajasthan, click here. To learn more about JICA DXLab and its other PoCs, click here.

About Boston Consulting Group:

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.

Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place. For more information, visit https://www.bcg.com.