Toyota Technical Training Institute (TTTI) Opens Admissions For Batch Of 2025-2028

In line with its commitment to skill development and community empowerment, Toyota Technical Training Institute (TTTI) today announced the commencement of the admission process for 2025-2028 batch of the TTTI Regular Program. This pioneering initiative aims to transform academically inclined youth from economically challenged backgrounds in Karnataka into globally competitive technicians through industry-relevant training, fully sponsored by Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM).

Established in 2007, TTTI has emerged as a model institution for vocational education in India, offering a three-year fully residential training program in key trades including Automobile Assembly, Weld, Paint, and Mechatronics. Designed with a holistic development approach, the curriculum focuses on Body and Attitude (60%), Knowledge (20%) and Skill (20%) to equip students with not just technical know-how, but also the discipline, and mindset required to excel in the modern manufacturing sector.

Notably, in 2023, TTTI significantly expanded its annual intake from 600 to 1,200 students, with half the seats now reserved for female candidates—advancing gender inclusion in technical education. To support this growth, the institute upgraded its infrastructure with new classrooms, state-of-the-art training equipment, and enhanced residential facilities, including a dedicated girls’ dormitory. Students also benefit from stipends, further enabling access to a well-rounded and industry-relevant learning experience.

Sharing his thoughts, Mr. G. Shankara, Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “At Toyota, we believe that real progress begins with empowering people through the right opportunities. The Toyota Technical Training Institute reflects this belief—offering fully-funded world-class skill training to deserving youth from rural Karnataka. By expanding our intake and strengthening gender inclusivity, we are not only supporting the Skill India Mission but also building a future-ready workforce that will drive India’s manufacturing excellence. We invite passionate young minds to be part of this transformative journey.”

Further to promote skilling, TTTI has been selected as one of the institutes under the Japan India Institute for Manufacturing [JIM] skill transfer promotion program, aimed at inculcating Japanese-style manufacturing skills and practices, thereby contributing to ‘Skill India’ Mission of the Government of India. Also recognized by the Automotive Skill Development Council (ASDC), and the Directorate General of Training (DGT), TTTI provides students the opportunity to compete in national and international skill competitions, including the WorldSkills (Skill Olympics). TTTI students have consistently excelled at the global stage—winning medals and Medallions of Excellence in Mechatronics, Prototype Modelling, and Additive Manufacturing from 2015 to 2024, with recent achievements including a Sustainable Practice Award in 2024. 

* Register your name through this link https://forms.office.com/r/UxSGWqBcGU or QR Code scan. (Please keep your recent passport size photo & Internet copy of SSLC marks card ready before clicking on the link) Eligible Candidate will be contacted through registered telephone number.

API Holdings Limited Supercharges Its Digital Health Technology Stack With IBM Instana

API Holdings Limited (“API”), among India’s largest digital healthcare platform and the parent company of the entities owning leading brands such as PharmEasy, Thyrocare, and Retailio, today announced their collaboration with IBM to harness the power of AI-driven automated observability to proactively manage their application stack using IBM Instana. This has empowered API to deliver seamless healthcare services to customers while accelerating time-to-market for new services.

With IBM Instana, API has deployed full-stack, real-time observability across its complex microservices architecture, ensuring rapid incident detection, accelerated root cause analysis, and continuous performance optimization for its consumer and enterprise applications. This has resulted in up to 30% reduction in Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) for issues, improved developer productivity, and created a scalable observability foundation for future growth of their application landscape.

“IBM Instana has become our command center for incident management - intuitive, developer-friendly, and powerful. From real-time alerts to precise root cause analysis, it plays a central role in maintaining our application uptime ultimately enhancing customer trust. A high confidence on application monitoring and uptime has made more time for our Tech teams to innovate and perform higher value work like rapidly launching new services on its platforms,” said Vivek Kumar Singh, Vice President, Engineering, API.

IBM Instana is currently deployed across three major businesses owned by API - PharmEasy, Thyrocare, and Retailio to monitor a diverse range of mission-critical applications. Its seamless integration with automation systems and collaboration tools ensures real-time alerts through chat platforms and rapid incident resolution via virtual meeting platforms.

“Succeeding in today’s competitive digital healthcare sector demands always-on performance and instant incident resolution. Our work with API exemplifies how having insights-driven visibility of application and infrastructure environments can enable healthcare businesses drive productivity, innovate at pace, stay resilient, and continually deliver value to customers,” said Viswanath Ramaswamy, Vice President, Technology, IBM India & South Asia.

About API Holdings

API Holdings Limited, established in 2019, is India's leading digital healthcare platform, operating a comprehensive ecosystem that addresses diverse healthcare needs. The company's portfolio includes well-known brands such as PharmEasy, Docon, Thyrocare, Retailio, and Aknamed. Under these brands, a range of services are offered, including home delivery of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, teleconsultations, diagnostic and radiology tests. The company's mission is to make quality healthcare accessible and affordable across India by integrating technology with healthcare services.

About IBM

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

Third Wave Coffee Unveils Summer Collection Of Bobbles, Mango Treats & Sundaes

* From popping boba and tropical lemonades to seasonal mango desserts and sundaes — this new line-up is crafted to offer refreshing options for the warmer months.

Third Wave Coffee has launched its limited-time summer menu featuring a range of refreshing beverages and desserts. The seasonal line-up features Bobbles - drinks infused with juicy popping bobas, along with new Mango Treats & Ice Cream -  each thoughtfully crafted with a contemporary twist for summers.

This Summer Collection brings 9 new Bobbles, combining refreshing flavors with popping bobas for a zesty, guilt-free treat. Most Bobble beverages are also under 100 calories — a refreshing shift that doesn’t compromise on taste. The collection comes as three distinct variants: Bobble Lemonades, available in Mango, Cranberry Hibiscus, and Lychee Jasmine flavors; Bobble Iced Teas, offering a cooling blend of floral and fruity notes; and Bobble Cold Brews, a sweet-meets-caffeinated combination that delivers a distinctly energizing experience. Available in Mango, Lychee Jasmine, and Cranberry Hibiscus, Bobble Cold Brews blend the bold richness of coffee with an unexpected twist of tropical fruit and floral infusions. Each variant is crafted to provide a unique flavour experience, allowing customers to choose based on their preferences.

Third Wave Coffee brings back the OG Mango Milkshake - a creamy, rich classic that captures the true spirit of summers with that rich distinct mango flavour. Customers can also  explore the all new Mango Crème Cheesecake and the Mango Velvet Pudding, both offering a modern, flavourful twist on the conventional mango. The menu also features a curated selection of sundaes available at select outlets, for that extra layer of delight. Chocolate-lovers can dig into the Chocolanche Sundae trio, with the Chocolanche Overload Sundae, Messy Vanilla & Chocolanche Sundae, and Blush Chocolanche Sundae. For those craving something rich and nutty, the Nutcracker Brownie Sundae is the perfect pick-me-up treat. If fruity notes are what you seek, the Banana Split Sundae and Sun-Kissed Sundae offer creamy, bright flavours that hit the spot.

Available for a limited time, the Bobbles and Mango Treats can be enjoyed at all Third Wave Coffee cafés nationwide, while the tempting  Sundaes are exclusively available at select cafes.

About Third Wave Coffee: Third Wave Coffee is a coffee and food QSR brand founded by Sushant Goel, Anirudh Sharma and Ayush Bathwal in 2015. With a commitment to quality and innovation, the homegrown coffee QSR chain has rapidly expanded to over 145 stores nationwide, earning a reputation as one of the fastest-growing coffee brands in the country. Third Wave Coffee is dedicated to providing a high-quality coffee-first experience to its customers across the country with a specific focus on high-quality beans, convenient locations and a technology-enabled consumer experience. Celebrated as a trailblazer in the industry, the brand was recognised as one of the ET Now Best Brands of 2024. For more information, visit Third Wave Coffee at https://www.thirdwavecoffeeroasters.com.

PNB Launches “Monthly Retail Outreach Programme”: Empowering Every Customer

Punjab National Bank (PNB), the nation’s leading public sector bank, introduces its comprehensive “Monthly Retail Outreach Programme”— a nationwide strategic initiative being organized on 15.05.2025 to reach out to Pan India customers for offering tailored financial solutions in various retail lending segments.

PNB Monthly Retail Outreach Programme brings a wide range of lending solutions under one platform, providing accessibility to essential financial products with competitive interest rates and minimal TAT & documentation requirements.

Customers can benefit from a variety of exclusive offerings: -

Home Loan: Interest rates starting from at 7.95%, with 100% waiver on processing charges.

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: Interest rates starting from at 6.50%, can be availed through both digital as well as offline mode.

Car Loan: Interest rates starting from 8.30%, with 100% waiver on processing charges.

Education Loan: Interest rates starting from 7.65% for meritorious students pursuing higher education at over 860 premier institutes.

The programme offers on-the-spot consultations, instant eligibility checks and in- principal sanction to eligible customers. Customers can also avail Home Loan, Loan under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, Vehicle Loan and Education Loan through our digital channel i.e. PNB ONE App.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ashok Chandra, MD & CEO, PNB, stated: “Our Monthly Retail Outreach Programme is all about putting our customers first. Our aim is to offer financial solutions that are not only personalised to meet each customer’s unique needs, but also easily accessible. Our efforts are to reach out to the people to cater their financial needs, whether it’s through our digital platform or at a nearby branch. We’re committed to making customer’s financial journey smooth, simple, and supportive.”

Customers can also explore these exclusive offerings by visiting their nearest PNB branch, accessing the PNB ONE App, or contacting the bank's dedicated helplines.

Detailed information is also available on www.pnbindia.in.

EKA Mobility Secures Letter Of Award (LOA) For 750 Electric Buses

EKA Mobility has been awarded the Letter of Award (LOA) for the supply and deployment of 750 state-of-the-art electric buses across 11 cities in Andhra Pradesh. EKA Mobility has joined forces with GreenCell Mobility, India's leading electric bus mass mobility solution provider, to execute this order.

This large-scale deployment will see the rollout of both 9-meter and 12-meter fully electric buses across eleven cities in the state, including Amravati, Anantapur, Kadapa, Kakinada, Kurnool, Rajahmundry, Nellore, Guntur, Vijayawada, Vishakhapatnam, and Tirupati.

The order includes 129 nine-meter (9m) and 621 twelve-meter (12m) fully electric buses, marking a significant stride in the state’s transition to sustainable public transport. This award comes after CESL’s issuance of the Letter of Confirmation of Quantity (LOCQ) and Rajasthan’s LOA for 675 electric buses announced last week, marking a major milestone in India’s e-mobility journey.

Dr. Sudhir Mehta, Founder & Chairman of EKA Mobility & Pinnacle Industries Limited, said, “We are proud to partner with the Government of Andhra Pradesh and collaborate with GreenCell Mobility to deliver green, smart, and efficient transportation solutions for the people of the state. This partnership marks a significant step toward building smarter, more sustainable cities across India.”

Mr. Devndra Chawla, MD & CEO, GreenCell Mobility, remarked, "We are honoured to join hands with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to support the state’s transition to sustainable public transport. This project is a major milestone in our mission to transform mass mobility through zero-emission electric buses. Together, we are enabling cleaner cities, generating green jobs, and building a more sustainable future for millions"

This order adds to EKA Mobility’s growing portfolio of large-scale public transport projects, following recent orders worth approximately ?150 crore from the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) and approximately ?400 crore from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).

Ray-Ban Meta Glasses Come To India: Experience The Future With Meta AI Integrated And Multiple Styles On Offer

Ray-Ban Meta glasses are now coming to India – combining iconic style and cutting-edge technology to let people stay present and connected to who and what they care about most.  Priced starting at INR 29,900/-, pre-orders begin today on Ray-Ban.com and the collection will be available at Ray-Ban.com and leading optical and sunglass stores across the country from May 19.  

With Meta AI integrated, you can simply say, “Hey Meta” and ask questions about the world around you—learn about a historic site in Mumbai or even get cooking tips based on ingredients in your kitchen. Whether you’re streaming music or podcasts, taking calls, or going live on Instagram or Facebook, Ray-Ban Meta glasses are the perfect companion that lets you do it all – while keeping your hands free.

When traveling to a new country and need to ask for directions to the train station or you’re spending quality time with a family member and need to break the language barrier, you can hold seamless conversations across English, French, Italian, and Spanish—even when you’re on airplane mode, if you’ve downloaded the language pack in advance. When you’re speaking to someone in one of those languages, you’ll hear what they say in your preferred language through the glasses in real time, and they can view a translated transcript of the conversation on your phone or hear through their phone. To get started, just say, “Hey Meta, start live translation.”

A Style for Every Personality

The Ray-Ban Meta glasses collection comes in the timeless Wayfarer style you already know and love (in standard and large sizes), plus Skyler, a more inclusive and universal fitting design now available in Shiny Chalky Grey.  Available in a full suite of sun, clear, polarized or Transitions®, we’ve also designed Ray-Ban Meta glasses to be prescription lens-compatible. 

Smarter Integration with the Meta AI App

And to integrate all our most powerful AI experiences, Ray-Ban Meta glasses are paired with the newly launched Meta AI app, which will include additional AI features directly in the app that enhance your Ray-Ban Meta glasses experience. Start a conversation with Meta AI on your glasses, then access it in your history tab from the app to pick up where you left off. You can also get creative—after importing photos from your glasses, ask Meta AI in the app to add, remove, or change parts of the image. Glasses have emerged as the most exciting new hardware category of the AI era with Ray-Ban Meta glasses leading the way in defining what’s possible.

Coming soon, you will be able to send and receive direct messages, photos, audio calls, and video calls from Instagram hands-free on their glasses. This joins being able to make calls and send messages through WhatsApp and Messenger, as well as the native messaging app on iPhone or Android phones – ideal for staying connected on your morning commute or weekend hikes. Just say, “Hey Meta, send a picture to Priya on WhatsApp.”

We’re also expanding access to music apps like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and Shazam. So, you’ll be able to ask Meta AI to play music and listen to your favorite tunes anywhere as long as your default language is set to English. Ask Meta AI to play your favorite artist or identify the song you heard playing in a café: “Hey Meta, what’s this song?” Or “Hey Meta, play the latest Bollywood songs”

We can’t wait for more people in India to try it and get in on the action!

TIEA Connectors Secures Rs 22 Crore To Boost India’s Indigenous ESDM Capabilities

TIEA Connectors Private Limited, a Bangalore-based innovator specializing in the design, development, and manufacturing of customized industrial electronic and electrical interconnect solutions, has successfully raised Rs 22 crore in its latest funding round. The round is led by Jamwant Ventures and Valour Capital, with participation from 8X Ventures and IvyCap.

Founded by Ajith Sasidharan (CEO) and Punit Shridhar Joshi (CTO), TIEA Connectors is led by a team with deep expertise in R&D, product innovation, and business development. Incubated at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the company continues to collaborate with IISc on cutting-edge developments. With multiple patents granted, TIEA remains committed to driving technological innovation and advancing India's indigenous ESDM capabilities.

Driving Indigenous Innovation in Critical Sectors

TIEA Connectors' products are essential components across multiple sectors, including electric vehicles (EV), aerospace, consumer electronics, and defense. Specializing in the design, development, and manufacturing of various types of interconnect solutions, the company has established a strong reputation for excellence and collaborates with industry leaders in the EV, aerospace, and defense sectors. Notably, TIEA is a recipient of the prestigious IDEX Challenge – DISC 12 for its development of advanced interconnects solutions for defense applications, further demonstrating its commitment to innovation and technological leadership.

Strategic Investment to Propel Growth

This strategic investment reinforces the investor funds commitment towards fostering domestic manufacturing, reducing reliance on imports, and supporting companies that deliver high-quality, cost-effective solutions across multiple industries.

“We are thrilled to partner with Jamwant Ventures, Valour Capital, 8X Ventures, and IvyCap as we scale our operations, drive innovation, and continue delivering world-class solutions to our customers," said Ajith Sasidharan, CEO of TIEA Connectors

As India accelerates its push toward self-reliance in manufacturing, TIEA is playing a crucial role by producing high-quality components that have traditionally been imported. With a focus on performance, cost efficiency, and cutting-edge R&D—particularly in wireless power transfer and fire-retardant connectors—TIEA is positioned to become a key player in India’s industrial electronics sector.

Scaling Operations to Meet Growing Demand

“Our investment in TIEA aligns with our mission to support indigenous manufacturing and enhance India's industrial ecosystem. The company’s demand is far exceeding supply, and this funding will enable them to scale operations, expand manufacturing capacity, and advance their R&D initiatives,” said Karan Goshar, Managing Partner at Valour Capital.

This investment is part of Valour Capital’s broader strategy of adding strategic assets to its portfolio—companies whose products can be leveraged across its wider network, creating synergies that drive efficiency and growth. As TIEA expands, it will not only meet domestic demand but also enhance India’s position in the global supply chain for advanced connector technologies.

 “TIEA bridges the gap for creating specifically developed electronic and electrical connectors, enabling Indian manufacturers to focus on creation of their own innovative equipment/designs, with their supply chains within India. The need for a domestic player in this sector has been felt by the Indian defence sector for a long time. Jamwant is focussed on providing strategic capital to Indian Entrepreneurs in Defence and Aerospace sectors” said Cdr Navneet Kaushik, Managing Partner at Jamwant Ventures.

TIEA’s rapid growth trajectory is evident in its financial performance, growing 4x in FY2025. Currently operating at 90% manufacturing capacity, the additional capital will enable TIEA to scale its production to meet increasing demand from industries such as electric vehicles (EVs), drones, aerospace, and defence.