Lentra, the leading digital lending platform, introduced its Intelligent Lending Cloud Platform during their annual flagship event, the Lentra Digital Lending Summit.

Representing a significant leap in integrating AI within the digital lending platform, Lentra introduces three cutting-edge AI-driven products. Additionally, it incorporates 40 new functionalities into its existing products, all meticulously crafted to leverage the potential of AI and deliver practical utility for Banks and NBFCs.

“The evolution of trends in India’s credit consumption narrative demands thorough understanding and analysis. At Lentra, we strive to meet the increasing demand for personalization and localization by harnessing the power of AI, ensuring accessibility for our clients.” – Ankur Handa, Chief Product Officer at Lentra.

Lentra’s Intelligent Lending Cloud solution is designed to address the evolving need for Vernacular Languages to expand reach, accelerate processing speeds, and reduce cost of operation.

“AI has recently garnered widespread attention for various reasons, with its capacity for human-like interactions standing out. Aligning with our mission to transforming lending by empowering lenders to democratize credit and foster financial inclusion through intelligent decisions, we are thrilled to introduce a wave of AI products and AI-infused features. With this extended portfolio, we are confident that our clients will experience significant enhancements in their business, equipped with actionable intelligence.” – Rangarajan Vasudevan, Chief Data Officer at Lentra.

Lentra is actively advancing application of AI in intelligently automating solutions for Banks and NBFCs in India. The initiatives include leveraging Machine Learning Models to identify potential borrower segments within the existing customer base, employing AI for intelligent customer engagement and lead nurturing. It utilizes behavioral intelligence to enhance upsell and cross-sell opportunities by implementing hyper-personalized product recommendations for the bank.

These initiatives, rooted in impactful applications, are a testament to Lentra’s commitment to innovation. Their intelligent cloud lending platform addresses current needs and anticipates market evolutions, positioning their partners ahead of the curve.

“With NIM itself becoming a non-differentiative commodity the focus amongst banks is becoming “experience”. How do we create a simple, easy and yet a WoW experience for our new customers? That is where the real differentiator lies! In the world of lending there are quite a few one-trick-ponies that address various components of lending. This is where someone like a Lentra is uniquely different. Their AI-powered solutions remove the friction from the entire lending and collection process, enabling decisions that are faster, fairer, and more accurate. We are impressed with how Lentra is continuously pushing the boundaries of their intelligence-embedded solutions and creating the WoW experience for end customers.”  – Cyrus Daruwala, Managing Director, Global Financial Services, IDC.

Lentra Convo:

To cater to lenders operating across varied geographic and cultural moorings, Lentra Convo brings the power of natural language conversations in multiple languages to simplify the loan origination journey. Powered by AI, this innovation enhances the lending process while providing end customers with a personalized and seamless experience that is convenient for them in the language of their choice.

Lentra Insights:

The second product, Insights, provides actionable intelligence to the lending institution, to better optimise credit policy and loan journey design. Coupled with AI-generated recommendations, lenders can now assess the impact of credit policy rules  and change policy parameters to drive higher  take-up rates. This one-of-a-kind tool will be of great value to lenders in boosting their asset businesses.

Lentra Wingman:

A game-changer for lending operations, Lentra Wingmanis geared to help directly what is arguably the most critical stakeholder in the origination journey: the underwriter. It intelligently summarizes financial information from various sources in typical credit journeys like bank statements and related financial transaction records. It then automatically identifies financial behaviors that need  further investigation by the underwriters. Such instances are then articulated as natural language questions that the customer-facing operations executive can air to the loan applicant to get needed clarifications. Thus, the Wingmanguides the underwriter to focus only on those loan applications requiring further scrutiny, along with the specifics of that application that merit attention, all in a form factor that makes it easy for more information to be collected seamlessly to speed up decision making.

Aligned with the theme ‘Empowering Economic Growth for all, Bridging the Credit Gap,’ the Digital Lending Summit, provides a holistic perspective on the digital lending landscape in India. The summit serves as an interactive platform for CXOs, Credit Heads, Retail Heads, CEOs and all other top-level executives in Banks & NBFCs, fostering discussions on market innovations, trends, enablers, and drivers.

The event features insightful panel discussions, special addresses, and breakout sessions and is a beacon for lending industry practitioners. Lentra’s flagship annual event consistently draws distinguished guests from the regulators, Prominent Banks, and NBFCs, underscoring its growing significance year after year.

Source: Press Release

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The 4th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (India) were presented today in an exclusive luncheon and presentation ceremony at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok.

DLF Cyber City Developers Ltd. came out on top as the year’s biggest winner, scoring the title of Best Sustainable Developer. The company also earned Special Recognitions in ESG and Sustainable Design and Construction.

A wide array of companies and projects were given Special Recognitions this year. Supreme Universal received the Special Recognition for Luxury Development while Turner House by Raiaskaran won the Special Recognition for Landmark Office Design. The Special Recognition for Redevelopment was meanwhile presented to S. Raheja Realty.

The latest edition of the Awards in India also recognised the country’s finest integrated, mixed-use, and office projects, including Brigade Cornerstone Utopia by Brigade Group and The Ark- Voyage to the Stars by Tribeca Developers & Acropolis Developer. Embassy REIT gained wins for the projects Embassy Hub Phase 1 and Embassy Manyata Block D1 & D2.

Jeremy Williams, managing director, Marketplaces, PropertyGuru Group, said: “Congratulations to the distinguished companies and projects that have raised the standard of real estate in India. The winners represent the continual improvement in the quality of real estate in India, showcasing a readiness to meet the demands of NRIs, the domestic housing market, and investors. We look forward to seeing many more such exemplary companies committed to transforming the nation’s property sector for the better.”

Jules Kay, GM of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events, said: “The built environment of India continues to show impressive growth with the support of smart property seekers and investors at home and abroad. Thanks to the country’s many experienced property developers and high-performing real estate investment trusts, the country’s award-worthy residential and commercial offerings have made great strides in terms of design and construction in recent years, setting quality benchmarks both at a national and international level.”

The independent panel of judges who determined the list of awardees this year consist of Ajai A Kapoor, chairperson of the Awards in India and CEO of 360 degrees – Real Estate Services; Avinash Khater, founder chairman, The Real Estate Kings (TREK); Jitender Girdhar, co-founder & director, Qonqests Technical Solutions and VDC Technologies; Madhav Raman, co-founder, Anagram Architects; Ravi Ahuja, India Real Estate Services; Shradha Batra Mithal, director, Alto Vita; and Sidhartha Talwar, principal and co-founder, Studio Lotus.

HLB supervised the selection process under the leadership of Surabhi Bansal, partner with HLB Advisory Services Delhi LLP.

Organised by PropertyGuru Group (NYSE: PGRU), Southeast Asia’s leading property technology company, the 4th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (India) are supported by official portal partner Housing.com; official marketing partner SHK360; official magazine Property Report by PropertyGuru; media partner The Hindu; supporting association IFC – Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies; official courier partner Ezy Express; and official supervisor HLB.

Source: Press Release

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India demonstrates remarkable resilience in the face of a challenging global landscape, according to the World Bank. Robust domestic demand, public infrastructure investments, and the strengthening of the financial sector collectively contribute to India’s performance. As a testament to this resilience, a staggering 77% of business leaders surveyed maintain a positive outlook for the upcoming year. These findings emerge from a comprehensive study conducted by Forrester Consulting, commissioned by Experian, a global information services leader. The study also explores the profound impact of AI on analytics, risk assessment, and customer experience. Notably, India demonstrates impressive AI and Machine Learning (ML), adoption rates, reaching 49% in customer service and 40% in identity verification.

The study highlights India’s leadership in the EMEA and APAC regions, with 85% of surveyed Indian businesses using external cloud providers for analytics. India’s adoption outpaces countries like Germany (66%), New Zealand (70%), and Spain (58%), solidifying its position as a front-runner in cloud, AI, and ML utilization.

Role of AI in mitigating top risks

The report delves into the transformative potential of AI, the biggest risk priorities, and underscores how AI plays a pivotal role in fortifying resilience. Data privacy (59%) and cybersecurity (53%) emerge as the top risk concerns for the upcoming year, followed by ESG risk (47%) and credit risk (41%).

Effectively mitigating these risks depends on improving the predictiveness of models and unlocking value from a wide variety of data sources. In this regard, AI, particularly ML, stands out as an instrumental tool with immense potential.

Data integration and cloud investments drive AI success

Achieving AI success requires large volumes of data and the right data infrastructure. Despite an increase in new data sources, the biggest data-related challenge (for 48% of respondents) pertains to the difficulty in effectively sharing data at a large scale while ensuring trust and security. As a result, 86% of business leaders are prioritising investments in new data sources to better understand risk and affordability.

The research shows that the biggest analytics-related challenge for nearly half of respondents (55%) is the ability to seamlessly connect different data assets in a data warehouse that can adequately support AI/ML use cases. To address this issue, 86% are prioritising investments in cloud technology for seamless data integration with 63% agreeing that externally hosted cloud services are the best way to avoid data silos and aggregate data sources.

Unlocking AI’s potential: productivity and efficiency enhancements

There are multiple ways in which AI can improve productivity, efficiency, and service delivery. Many organisations are actively exploring AI use cases, with a diverse range of possibilities, including enhanced underwriting with ML-based models, proactive and early identification of vulnerable customers, improved fraud prevention and faster customer service. More than half (65%) of those already using AI find that their productivity gains have offset the initial cost – a clear indication of positive ROI from AI adoption.

“AI is currently leading the way in identifying innovative approaches to unlock the power of data, revolutionising business operations and elevating customer experience. As businesses engage with increasingly intricate decisions, AI plays a pivotal role in optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes. Embracing the enduring role of AI becomes imperative, providing unparalleled insights for precise decision-making, particularly in critical areas such as risk management and fraud prevention. Simultaneously, it ushers in a new era of operational efficiency through automation, ultimately elevating the customer experience to new heights.” said Saikrishnan Srinivasan, Managing Director, Experian.

“AI/ML has increasingly emerged as a pivotal catalyst in combating new fraud challenges, automating credit risk processes, and leverage alternative data. AI is rapidly transitioning from a choice to a necessity, driving improved business performance and fostering inclusive financial growth,” he further added.

Adding to it Malin Holmberg, CEO, EMEA & APAC, Experian, said, “While AI is driving innovation and enhancing analytical performance, it is critical to ensure this technology is used in a responsible and ethical way. It is reassuring that 61% of our respondents have a comprehensive AI risk management program in place and are actively addressing unintentional bias through fully transparent and explainable AI. Businesses that embrace this technology will find themselves at an advantage as they unlock new growth opportunities through process efficiency and greater automation,”.

Source: Press Release

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Audio Series platform Pocket FM today unveils the findings of the second leg of its entertainment consumption survey ‘Digital Entertainment Insights: Audio Takes The Centrestage’. The survey, conducted every quarter across India, aims to understand the digital pulse of the nation and delves into the preferences, behaviours, and attitudes of internet users towards various forms of digital entertainment.

Audio Takes The Centrestage: Key Metrics

The findings suggest a resounding shift towards audio formats, with 81% of people engaging with audio entertainment daily. Storytelling emerged as the primary catalyst for its irresistible pull, with one in three users expressing a distinct preference for this engaging and immersive format. The other triggers are convenience, influencing every 4th user, and content diversity, affecting every 6th user to adopt audio as a preferred content medium.

Regarding devices, 71% of users consume audio content on their smartphones, highlighting the convenience and accessibility that mobile devices provide. However, 29% of users prefer to consume audio through tablets, smart TVs, desktops, and other devices, showcasing the rise of audio consumption at the workplace and home.

Genre-wise, drama emerged as the leading genre, capturing the attention of 22% of users, closely followed by suspense and thriller at 21%, romance at 17%, sci-fi at 12%, and comedy at 11%.

Users seek concise, episodic content— want audio storytelling to be evolved into video

Approximately 40% of users lean towards shorter episodes lasting between 5-15 minutes, while 35% prefer slightly longer episodes in the 15-30 minutes range. Only about 25% of users prefer longer content, opting for episodes spanning approximately 45-60 minutes.

The rising popularity of audio entertainment is evident, with a notable shift in how people envision audio content. A staggering 93% desire to adapt audio content into visual formats such as video OTT, TV series, and movies. As audiences seek multi-sensory engagement, the call for transforming audio storytelling into visual mediums underscores the evolving nature of content consumption in today’s digital age.

Audio Emerges as Mental Wellness Specialist

Audio extends beyond entertainment, proving itself as a valuable productivity tool. 44% of users find audio for stress relief and believe it to be a soothing escape amidst daily pressures. Moreover, 30% leverage audio to enhance focus, creating an immersive environment for improved concentration during work or other cognitive activities.

About 26% look at audio as a means to avoid distractions. This multi-role of audio highlights its versatility, serving as a source of entertainment and a crucial element for effective and mindful living.

Trust is key; Audio is winning it.

When it comes to content selection, trust plays a deterrent role. 42% of users rely on content recommendations from the platform itself, while recommendations from friends and family (17%) and social media (21%) also wield significant influence. Surprisingly, only 6% of users are swayed by influencers, indicating a higher level of disconnect with their recommendations among the audience.

58% of users are highly likely, and 28% are likely to recommend their favourite audio platforms, showcasing a strong belief in the quality of auditory content. When it comes to spreading the word, good old-fashioned word of mouth leads the pack, with 42% of users relying on recommendations from friends. Social media is just a little behind, influencing 36% of users.

Zooming into specific audio content, audio series steal the spotlight, with 74% giving 5-star recommendations. In comparison, 51% give 5-star ratings to TV entertainment but get a rating of  3 or below from 33% of users. Online music and video OTT also fare well, with 58% and 53% of users giving 5-star ratings, respectively, but rated 3 or below by  23% and 31% of users, highlighting a shift in the audience’s digital entertainment preferences.

Audio Series is the winner but at the cost of …

The survey unveils the increasing popularity of audio entertainment, prompting a seismic shift in user preferences. 31% of users transitioned from online music to audio series, indicating a dynamic redefinition of audio entertainment consumption patterns. Similarly, 16% felt that their entertainment consumption shifted from social media and short video consumption, while 20% believed that audio series had replaced their video streaming habits. Even audio series have influenced other spoken-word content formats, such as audiobooks and podcasts, with approximately 17% of users experiencing a shift from these formats.

Only 16% feel their entertainment time spent increased with audio series.

Pay for Play – The time has come for Audio!

As the landscape evolves, so do monetisation trends. While 23% prefer subscription-based models, the survey indicates a growing appetite for flexible pricing, with 37% of users open to paying for individual episodes. Only 40% of users still favour ad-supported and promotional models to drive consumption on audio platforms.

Speaking on the findings of its second edition of Digital Entertainment Insights, Rohan Nayak, CEO and co-founder, Pocket FM, said,” The outcome of the survey reflects a remarkable shift in consumer content consumption preferences, signalling the rise of audio as a dominant force in the entertainment landscape. Audio is not merely a trend, but it has become a lifestyle, driving engagement that exceeds any other entertainment medium. The findings strongly suggest that audio series is set to dominate audio entertainment, and we believe, it will emerge among the top 3 entertainment formats in the next couple of years.”

“As we welcome this audio revolution as an opportunity, we are committed to leading the way into a future where audio takes centre stage in the hearts and minds of millions of audiences across the world,” added Nayak.

Methodology

The survey encompassed a diverse cross-section of the Indian population, with a total sample size of 22,442 internet users, conducted between 28th October 2023 and November 15, 2023. Regarding gender distribution, the respondents comprised 69% males and 30% females. Delving deeper into age demographics, 58% of the sample are Millenials, 35% represented GenZ and 7% belong to GenX. Geographically, the survey has a balanced representation, with 58% of respondents hailing from Tier 1 cities and Metros and the remaining 42% from Tier 2 cities, reflecting an overview of digital entertainment preferences across diverse urban-rural landscapes in India.

Source: Press Release

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With the spirit of competition and sportsmanship in the air, the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) is all set to host Inter IIT Sports Meets 2023 from December 14, 2023. The 56th Inter IIT Sports Meet for students, jointly hosted by IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Bombay, will be organised at IITGN from December 14 to 22, 2023, and the 28th Inter IIT Staff Meet, entirely hosted by IITGN, will be held from December 24 to 29, 2023.

It is for the first time that any second-generation IIT has become the primary host of the massive Inter IIT Sports Meets, a highly-coveted annual sports tournament between sporting talents of all IITs. Collectively, more than 3000 students and staff members from all 23 IITs across the country are going to showcase their athletic prowess in a plethora of sports events to be held at the state-of-the-art Sports Complex at IITGN over the next fortnight.

Around 1528 students, including 75 students from IITGN, are going to compete in six genres of sporting events, i.e. Athletics (such as Running, Hammer Throw, Javelin Throw, Shot Put, Long Jump, etc.), Football, Cricket, Squash, Chess, and Tennis, during the 56th Inter IIT Sports Meet for students at IITGN. In the second leg of the event, around 1500 staff members, including 65 staff members from IITGN, will face each other in nine types of sporting events, i.e. Athletics (such as Running, Discus Throw, Javelin Throw, Long Jump, Shot Put, Triple Jump, etc.), Football, Cricket, Squash, Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball, Badminton, and Table Tennis, during the 28th Inter IIT Staff Meet at the Institute. The sports extravaganza will witness a Javelin Throw event for women for the first time during athletic events.

The state-of-the-art Sports Complex at IITGN is equipped with multiple world-class facilities for various indoor and outdoor sports/activities, including Athletic Track, Badminton Courts, Squash Courts, Table Tennis Court, Volleyball Court, Basketball Court, Climbing Wall, Football Ground, Cricket Ground, an Olympic Size Swimming Pool, Yoga Hall, Gym, and so on. Adding to this top-notch sports infrastructure at the Institute, a brand new Lawn Tennis Court has also been installed for the first time for Inter IIT Sports Meets 2023.

Giving a message to all the participants, Prof Rajat Moona, Director of IITGN and Chairperson of the Inter IIT Sports Board, said, “It has been proven time and again that sports are not just an extra-curricular activity but also an important source of invaluable life lessons. It teaches us the importance of practice, perseverance, and building mental and physical strength and encourages us to give our best shot, strive for teamwork, celebrate triumphs, deal with failures, rebuild confidence, and come back stronger. No matter whether you win or lose in the sport of your choice, continue to strive for better, and you will succeed in the future. May the best talents win. I wish you all the best for the much-awaited Inter-IIT Sports Meets 2023.”

Prof Abhijit Mishra, Head of Sports at IITGN and Convener of the Inter IIT Sports Meet 2023, said, “We are thrilled to be hosting this event and have put in our best efforts to ensure high-class facilities and an ideal environment for participants to showcase their talents. We are looking forward to an extremely competitive Inter IIT Sports Meet with a spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship.”

The event’s Mascot “Neelswara” (a nilgai/blue bull, which is a frequently sighted in Gandhinagar), was unveiled in August, 2023, at IITGN. Notably, IITGN has already successfully hosted the 37th Inter IIT Aquatics Meet in October this year and emerged as the highest medal winner in the competition.

Source: Press Release

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Researchers from Newcastle University have produced a new study that demonstrates how vulnerable fire-ice-frozen methane sealed as a solid underneath our oceans—is to melting as a result of climate change and potentially spilling into the ocean. According to this study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, this suggests that as a result of climate change, a lot more methane may be vulnerable and released into the atmosphere.

The methane-containing ice-like structure called methane hydrate, or fire-ice, is buried beneath the ocean floor. Under the oceans, marine methane stores enormous volumes of methane. Dissociated methane, which is released into the atmosphere and oceans when the oceans warm, causes it to thaw and contributes to global warming. The scientists examined the piece of the hydrate that dissociated during climatic warming off the coast of Mauritania in Northwest Africa using sophisticated three-dimensional seismic imaging techniques. They pinpointed a particular instance in which, during previous warm periods, dissociated methane traveled almost 40 km and was released through a field of underwater depressions known as pockmarks.

Leading author Professor Richard Davies, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Global and Sustainability, Newcastle University, stated, “It was a Covid lockdown discovery; I pretty much stumbled over 23 pockmarks when I revisited imaging of strata just under the modern seafloor offshore of Mauritania. According to our research, they originated as a result of methane spewing out of hydrate and venting into the ocean from the lowest points of the continental slope. It was previously believed by scientists that this hydrate was not susceptible to climate change, but our findings indicate that a portion of it is.”

Methane Hydrate

The impact of temperature variations in the bottom water close to continental boundaries on methane release from hydrates has been the subject of earlier research. Still, the majority of these investigations were conducted in regions that contain a relatively modest fraction of the world’s methane hydrates. This is one of very few that look into the methane emission from the deeper underwater base of the hydrate stability zone. The findings indicate that a considerable amount of methane that was released from the hydrate stability zone moved in the direction of land.

The Head of Kiel, Germany’s GEOMAR Research Unit Marine Geodynamics, Professor Dr. Christian Berndt, continued, “This is an important discovery.” Until now, studies have concentrated on the shallowest regions of the hydrate stability zone because we believed that these are the only areas that are affected by changes in the climate. The latest findings unequivocally demonstrate that far greater amounts of methane could be released from marine hydrates, and further research is necessary to fully comprehend this phenomenon and the function of hydrates in the climate system.

After carbon dioxide (CO2), methane is the second most prevalent anthropogenic greenhouse gas. According to data from the US Environmental Protection Agency, methane makes up roughly 16% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

The findings of this study may be very helpful in predicting and mitigating the effects of methane on our changing climate. As the earth warms, the team intends to keep looking for signs of methane vents along the margin and attempting to forecast the locations of major methane seeps. To dig deeper into the pockmarks and try to establish a stronger connection between them and previous instances of global warming, the researchers are currently organising a scientific cruise.

Source: Press Release

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G-SHOCK India, the trailblazer in unbreakable watches, proudly unveils the association with celebrated actor Vicky Kaushal as its brand ambassador. This iconic partnership unites G-SHOCK’s four-decade legacy of crafting robust and trend-setting timepieces with Vicky Kaushal’s charismatic personality and embodiment of toughness, embracing both physical endurance and mental strength.

G-SHOCK‘s stands out globally as a lifestyle watch brand developed via Japanese cutting-edge technology whose legacy spans over four decades, during which it has established an unassailable standard for durability, innovation and iconic designs in the watchmaking realm. This remarkable journey was driven by the single-minded pursuit of shock resistance as its core ideology while bringing forth impeccable precision, innovative design, and fashionable appeal for the ever-evolving youth audiences.

With an illustrious career spanning commercial blockbusters and poignant cinema, Vicky Kaushal bridges the hearts of masses and connoisseurs alike. His unique blend of qualities—bold, confident, and fashion-forward, yet deeply empathetic with a high level of emotional intelligence—aligns seamlessly with G-SHOCK’s ethos of “Absolute Toughness”. His go-getter attitude, characterized by an unwavering commitment to high performance and the spirit of never giving up, mirrors the very essence of G-SHOCK, making him the perfect choice for G-SHOCK.

Crafted from high-quality materials such as resin and metal reinforced with advanced technologies, G-SHOCK designs provide superior shock resistance, making them ideal for a diverse set of consumers such as youth subculture-inspired individuals, fashion enthusiasts, athletes, and those with an active lifestyle. The oversized dimensions not only contribute to a bold and striking appearance but also enhance the visibility of the watch face, ensuring easy readability in various conditions.

These models often incorporate multifunctional features, including stopwatches, world-time displays, and specialized sensors, catering to the diverse needs of users. Despite their robust construction, G-SHOCK large cases are ergonomically designed for comfort, ensuring a secure and snug fit on the wrist.

Talking about the association, Mr Hideki Imai, Managing Director, Casio India, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Vicky Kaushal to the G-SHOCK family. His tenacious spirit and bold persona resonate perfectly with G-SHOCK’s core values, making him an ideal match for our brand. G-SHOCK India is embarking on an exciting new chapter, strengthening its connection with these discerning consumers who consistently seek adventure, endurance, rugged style, and unrivalled durability in their day-to-day lives. Vicky Kaushal’s exemplary journey and accomplishment in both commercial and independent cinema synergizes with G-SHOCK’s ethos of toughness, endurance and the spirit of never giving up. Together, we look forward to a successful partnership that inspires the audience to follow their passions with undeterred enthusiasm and renewed spirit.”

G-SHOCK is globally positioned as a lifestyle-centric watch brand deeply connected with youth subcultures, symbolizing the spirit of adventure and resilience. Vicky Kaushal’s radical tough imagery and impactful performances in the Hindi Film Industry throughout his career serve as a testament to his unflinching attitude, drawing a striking parallel to the unbreakable resilience embodied by G-SHOCK.

Sharing his thoughts about the association, Vicky Kaushal said, “I’m incredibly excited to be a part of the G-SHOCK family. G-SHOCK has epitomized toughness and style for over four decades, and I deeply resonate with its core values. The brand’s commitment to pushing boundaries and its unyielding spirit align perfectly with my philosophy. As an actor, my journey revolves around pushing boundaries and venturing into uncharted territories. This partnership is a natural fit, and I look forward to embarking on this exciting journey with the brand G-SHOCK.”

This partnership between two powerhouses, Vicky Kaushal and G-SHOCK, embodies the true spirit of ‘Absolute Toughness,’ highlighting their collective persona characterized by flamboyance, boldness, and unwavering high performance.

Source: Press Release

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New research by Rackspace Technology (NASDAQ: RXT), a leading end-to-end, hybrid multicloud technology solutions company, in association with Dell and VMware finds that despite ongoing economic uncertainty, businesses are committed to prioritizing their IT investments in 2024, particularly in transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud transformation.

According to the 2024 IT Outlook Report 2024 IT Outlook Report, which surveyed 1,420 global IT professionals, 63% of organizations plan to re-calibrate their investments in 2024. Moreover, artificial intelligence dominates as the top priority, with 65% of respondents identifying pervasive artificial intelligence as the technology that will have the most significant positive impact on their organization over the next 12 months. The survey also underscores the continued adoption of the cloud. When asked about the makeup of their organization’s IT infrastructure and how it will evolve over the next 12 months, edge computing, private cloud, and public cloud increased as a percentage of workloads, while data centers, colocation facilities, and mainframes declined.

“These results highlight a decisive shift in artificial intelligence from the technical curiosity and pilot programs in 2023 to accelerating business outcomes through the industrialization of Responsible AI solutions in 2024,” said Srini Koushik, President of Technology and Sustainability at Rackspace Technology. “In the cloud arena, the increased focus on the edge and private cloud indicate that organizations are simultaneously migrating more of their critical workloads while adopting a more sophisticated workload-aware approach to their overall cloud infrastructure.”

Source: Press Release

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Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad organised a Thought Leadership Seminar and Thematic Fashion Show on 8^th December, and an Exhibition on 8th & 9th December, 2023 at World Trade Centre, Colaba Mumbai under Project Handmade in India (HMI) supported by HSBC. Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad is the implementation partner in the project HandMade in India. Six clusters – Kamrup in Assam, Bargarh in Orissa, Bhuj and Surendranagar in Gujarat, Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh and Salem in Tamil Nadu are being supported and handheld under the project HandMade in India.

The Exhibition has products on display from the six clusters covered under the project HMI.  A total of 25 stalls have been set up with EDII-trained artisans and craftspersons participating in it.

The event was inaugurated by Chief Guest, Mr. Romit Sen, Sr. Vice President, Corporate Sustainability, HSBC India and Guest of Honour, Shri Satya Prasad Verma, Additional Textile Commissioner and CEO of Textiles Committee, Mumbai. Also present on this important occasion were: Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII; Dr. Raman Gujral, Director, Department of Projects (Corporate), EDII and other senior officials from government ministries/departments and corporate leaders & entrepreneurs from noted organizations.

The event began with a thematic Fashion Show which emphasized sustainability under the theme of ‘Crafting a Sustainable Future: Handmade in India’ and ‘Inspiring Heritage, Empowering Futures: Handlooms in Modern India.’ Every ensemble narrated a tale of timeless artistry, honoring India’s rich cultural heritage while giving a message of embracing sustainability and empowerment. The designers used the fabric developed by EDII trained artisans under project HMI to make garments for models.

A Thought Leadership Workshop was organized post the fashion show which was attended by stakeholders including policy makers, industry professionals, practitioners, weavers and artisans. Panel discussion topics included ‘Inspiring Heritage, Empowering Futures: Handlooms in Modern India’ and ‘Crafting a Sustainable Future: Handmade in India’. EDII’s model of reviving certain crafts on the verge of extinction was elaborately shared. The replicability of the model for different crafts in different states, was evaluated as well as best practices were reviewed.

In his address, Chief Guest Mr. Romit Sen, Sr. Vice President, Corporate Sustainability, HSBC India said, “HSBC’s HMI project has focused on skilling and empowering artisans by ensuring sustainable livelihood options for them. Today these trained craftspersons are financially independent and are in a much better place to think creatively and implement winning business strategies for growth. They are the custodians of India’s art and craft.”

Shri Satya Prasad Verma, Additional Textile Commissioner and CEO of Textiles Committee, Mumbai said, “The textiles sector plays a pivotal role in the economic and cultural development of our nation. Through concerted efforts and strategic initiatives, we are witnessing tangible progress in this sector. The exhibition featuring products from diverse clusters is a testament to the success of collaborative endeavours. The government remains committed to supporting such initiatives.”

Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII in his opening remarks said, “In the pursuit of a sustainable future, EDII is committed to bringing about progress and development in the lives of artisans through its various initiatives under Project HMI. Nurturing and empowering artisans and weavers of the country is a dire need as this is the only way we can preserve the rich cultural heritage of India.”

According to Mr. Raman Gujral, “I am happy at the success of this programme. The fashion show and the exhibition depict the potential of our crafts and craftsperson. We need to nurture their skills and ensure their growth as business people.”

Source: Press Release

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As part of its efforts to increase knowledge and improve menstrual hygiene, Stayfree®, a leading brand in menstrual hygiene, in partnership with Menstrupedia, a fast-growing startup that offers high social impact educational materials conducted a series of educational workshops in schools across cities of Madhya Pradesh.

As a part of these fun and interactive workshops, Menstrupedia educators engage with adolescent girls between the age group of 9 – 15 years on various aspects of puberty and menstruation. During these sessions, Menstrupedia comic books were distributed followed by an in-depth discussion on the physical, mental, and hormonal changes associated with puberty. Conversations focused on menstruation and menstrual hygiene, tracking the menstrual cycle, role of nutrition, along with myths surrounding a girl’s periods were busted to inculcate body positivity and boost self- confidence. These workshops are aimed to adequately bridge knowledge gaps, address social taboos and normalize period conversations in an open environment encouraging questions and discussions.

In 2020, Stayfree collaborated with Menstrupedia to bring alive its vision to educate young girls about periods to remove shame and fear associated with periods. Through comic books, animated videos and interactive workshops around menstruation, Stayfree and Menstrupedia has strived to create an informed and empowered generation of youth. As an outcome of this partnership, over 6 lakh comic books have been distributed to girls across India, 12, 000 workshops have been conducted and over 25,500 schools have been tapped.

Manoj Gadgil, Vice President, Marketing and Essential Health Business Unit Head, Kenvue said “Our partnership with Menstrupedia aligns with our larger mission of normalizing conversations about periods and create a world where no girl feels shame, fear or discomfort about her periods. Through these workshops, the brand aims to educate young girls about menstruation, equip them with the right knowledge delivered through easy-to-understand content and provide resources to equip young girls to have a healthy relationship with periods in the longer term. We are confident that these workshops will help girls navigate their menstrual health journey with confidence.”

Speaking on the rationale behind the workshops, Aditi Gupta, Co-Founder, Menstrupedia said, “We are working towards a future where periods are not seen as a taboo, menstruation is normalized, and every girl and their parents have the mindset that it’s just a period.”

Stayfree in partnership with Menstrupedia has successfully organized over 85 period awareness workshops across various regions of Madhya Pradesh, including Akbarpur, Kalapani, Borda, Amarawatkala, Surya Nagar, Semri, Gudari ghat, Ratanpur, Misrod,Bhairagarh Chichali, Salaiya   Hinotiya Alam, Priyanka nagar Kolar,  Chawni Raisen Road, Hinoti, Chichali Kolar Road, Mandora and many more. In 2022, Menstrupedia along with My FM, hosted over 45 workshops and distributed 5000 Menstrupedia Comic Mini Books across Madhya Pradesh to educate girls and women.

Source: Press Release

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