Archives May 2023

20th May 2023 India: As the highly anticipated International Tea Day approaches on May 21st, 2023, Chai Chun, a prominent player in India’s tea industry, is poised to join the jubilant festivities. With India’s significant role as one of the world’s largest tea producers, tea holds a cherished place in the country’s cultural tapestry, permeating social customs and hospitality across diverse regions.

In celebration of International Tea Day and to highlight the profound impact of tea on society, culture, and well-being, Chai Chun and Okayti Tea Company are uniting for a momentous collaboration. Renowned for their unwavering commitment to providing tea enthusiasts with exceptional brews, Okayti Tea Company will embark on a special plucking and manufacturing drive on this special day, showcasing their dedication to uncompromising excellence.

According to Rajeev Baid, CEO & MD of ChaiChun, “International Tea Day is an important occasion that enables the recognition of the rich heritage and cultural significance of tea. It serves as a platform to acknowledge the key players and contributors in the tea industry and facilitates their growth and development.”

Chai Chun, acclaimed as India’s premier tea boutique, is set to enchant tea lovers across the nation with a captivating celebration that blends the art of tea, the pursuit of well-being, and a commitment to fair trade. This momentous occasion will serve as a platform for Chai Chun to share their extensive wisdom and expertise in the captivating world of tea. Marking this joyous day, the distinguished tea emporium will open its doors to tea enthusiasts, hosting enticing free tea-tasting sessions at their stores spread throughout India.

Furthermore, Chai Chun recognizes the intrinsic value of fair trade in the tea industry. Their celebration serves as a resounding testament to their commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainability. By embracing fair trade practices, Chai Chun ensures that tea farmers and workers receive equitable remuneration and labor under conditions of dignity and respect. Through their endeavors, Chai Chun encourages a conscious appreciation of tea, where each sip represents a step towards a more equitable and compassionate world.
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Bengaluru, India, BLUE BELL, Pa., 20th May 2023 Unisys (NYSE: UIS) announces the winners of the company’s annual technical project competition for engineering students in India – the Unisys Innovation Program (UIP). The program’s goal is to connect young engineers with today’s business leaders to collaborate on new-age tech and innovations.

Now in its 14th year, the program received more than 700 project submissions from nearly 190 higher education institutions across India – a 250% increase over the last year’s submissions and the highest number since the program’s inception in 2009. Registration for the program closed in February with more than 7000 registrants.

The winners of the 14th Annual Unisys Innovation Program are:

First place goes to M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology for their project, Sleep Apnea Detection using Personal IoT Devices with Novel Privacy Persevered Federated Learning. The project harnesses the power of IoT, Cloud Computing, Machine Learning, and Web3 to offer a privacy-focused framework that can be used to diagnose diseases like sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation. The student team included Hrishikesh K Haritas, Darshan Bankapure, Rahul K Vishal, and Vineet H Sadarangi and they were led by faculty guide, Dr.Meeradevi.

Second place goes to Dayananda Sagar University for their project, Breast Cancer Detection Using Quantum Machine Learning and Deep Learning compared to the conventional methods. This project leverages quantum machine learning and deep learning algorithms to diagnose breast cancer and classify patients based on their tumor characteristics – it also dives into whether quantum algorithms have an edge over classical approaches. The student team included Snavya Sai M B, Sindhu S, and Varsha Premanand and they were led by faculty guide, Veena M.

Third place goes to M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology for their project, Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning Computation using zkSNARKs. This project explores how zero-knowledge proofs and homomorphic encryption can be leveraged to enable privacy-conscious training and inference of machine learning models The student team included Rohin Joshi, Rohan A J, Dhruv Dange, Sharath R Maiya, and they were led by faculty guide, Sanjay H. A.

“For a long time, India has been acknowledged as the world’s IT capital, and we’re excited to see this reflected in the response to our UIP-program with an all-time high number of registrants from across the country,” said Sumed Marwaha, Managing Director for Unisys in India. “Students and job seekers are determined to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. At Unisys, we believe in breakthroughs, which is why it’s important to have a platform for new talent that helps the youth improve their skills and expertise and prepares them for the specialized technology roles of the future.”

Overall, seven winning teams were invited to present their projects at the grand finale ceremony for the final round of evaluations. The winners were selected by a panel of judges based on feasibility, viability, originality, sustainability, and technical approach. Special guests Suresh M Khadakbhavi, CEO of Digi Yatra Foundation, and Ken Henry who leads the Solutions Development team that drives the development of Enterprise Computing Solutions at Unisys. He also delivered keynotes during the ceremony.

“We are impressed by the degree of imagination and effort demonstrated by this next generation of talent,” said Dwayne Allen, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer of Unisys and head of Solution Innovation. “Curiosity and innovation are at the heart of all we do, and the Unisys Innovation Program is one of many platforms we host to stimulate collaborative thinking, experiential learning, and to cultivate a pipeline of promising talent.”

Mumbai, 20th May 2023 The Avashya Foundation, CSR arm of Allcargo Group, is hosting its annual Mango Festival as part of its Maitree initiative, which works for farmers’ sustainable livelihood and environmental conservation. The festival is organized on the 18th and 19th of May 2023 at Allcargo headquarters in Mumbai. This marks Allcargo’s fifth year of celebration of exquisite flavor, enticing fragrance, and the delectable taste of the king of fruits. The annual Mango Festival has been instrumental in promoting sustainable growth and development in the tribal regions of Maharashtra.

Maitree, working to replenish the green cover of our planet, has so far facilitated the planting of over 850,000 fruit-bearing saplings, and aims to plant 1 million saplings by the end of this year. Maitree empowers local farmers by providing them with seedlings of mango, guava, cashew, lemon, and teak. The planting drive has led to significant improvement in productivity and the living standards of the farmers.

Dr Nilratan Shende, CSR Head at Allcargo Group, said, “Through Maitree, we have been able to touch the lives of over 90,000 people, providing them with not just sustainable livelihoods but also a sense of empowerment and self-reliance. Seeing our farmers prosper and the environment flourish — that’s the true success of Maitree. And the Mango Festival is a celebration of this spirit of growth and resilience.”

For many of the farmers, Maitree provided them a platform for empowerment and building resilience. Unable to sustain farming due to various factors including climate change, high cost of seed and fertiliser, lack of scientific knowledge, inflation, reduced income on their produce, they faced loss of livelihood and were forced to migrate urban areas to make ends meet. With Maitree, they are now aware of seasonal variations, climate change risks, soil and water conservation. As a part of the initiative, farmers are also being educated on setting up nurseries, and cultivating high-quality crops.

The Mango Festival is a testament to the initiative’s success, celebrating the bountiful produce of their sustainable farming. It provides a platform for over 18,000 farmers to showcase and sell their produce, encouraging a thriving farming community.

New Delhi,20th May 2023: In its mission to revolutionize the education sector, Next Education, a fastest-growing, technology-driven company revolutionizing the K-12 education sector in India, has collaborated with the Anant International School, Chennai. The collaboration is in accordance with the school’s belief in creating a congenial environment to enable students to imbibe the latest technological education and in-demand 21st-century skill sets to succeed in a diverse society.

Next Education has assisted in the educational transformation of the school through the digital implementation of academics by offering its latest software programs. Next Education operates a vast network of schools and is committed to continuously expanding it. With a vision to enhance the learning experience for children, the organization aims to double its student reach within the next three years. The goal is to use cutting-edge digital learning tools to engage and excite students while closing the gap between learners with different levels of knowledge.

The school has partnered with Next Education to implement an AI-based learning platform that provides customized instruction and evaluations to students. The platform helps identify areas of weakness in students and suggests practice modules and courses based on learning styles and aptitudes. Additionally, the company’s customized learning solutions assist students who require additional support to make significant academic progress.

Next Education’s products and services are raising pedagogical standards and increasing teacher efficacy, which aids students in achieving academic success. The school has access to a comprehensive and integrated cloud-based platform that provides academic and administrative support. The Academic Partnership Program from Next Education has helped the school increase parent satisfaction by continuously enhancing the calibre of teacher instruction. The school has implemented cutting-edge software programs like TeachNext, Next OS, Next Books, and Next Assessment to precisely monitor students’ progress while offering an unmatched learning experience. To facilitate practical and experiential learning, the school is utilizing ultra-modern facilities like the Robotics Lab, Science Lab, Math Lab, and English Lab. Furthermore, the curriculum developed is helping to increase student attendance due to its interesting and participatory nature.

Beas Dev Ralhan, Co-founder & CEO of Next Education India Pvt. Ltd., said, “Witnessing the impact of our programs and technological solutions on the educational landscape is an exhilarating experience. Our AI-driven education ecosystem continues to expand throughout the country as we collaborate with numerous stakeholders to enhance student learning and elevate teacher training with the latest teaching programs. Our collaboration with Anant International School, Chennai, is a testament to our dedication to fostering innovative learning experiences and preparing students across various partnered schools for success in the ever-changing world by imparting future-ready learnings.”

Arnicka Bahaadur, MD, Anant International School, said, “We firmly believe that every determined child deserves access to an excellent education. At our school, we prioritise unlocking the boundless potential of our young visionaries and guiding them towards their goals. We cultivate a deep passion for learning among our students, empowering them to explore novel and thrilling experiences while providing them with a strong base for their future endeavours. By utilising Next Education’s cutting-edge and intelligent programs, we are equipping our children with the necessary skills and mindset to flourish and achieve remarkable success in their future.”

One97 Communications Limited (OCL) that owns the brand Paytm, India’s leading payments and financial services company and the pioneer of QR and mobile payments today announced that it has partnered with India’s largest pure-play credit card issuer SBI Card, to launch Paytm SBI Card on the RuPay network.

The Paytm and SBI Card partnership, which began in 2020, is now expanding with the addition of National Payments Corporation of India’s RuPay, as all three homegrown brands join forces to further drive the growth of inclusive, digital-first financial services in India. The next-generation co-branded card redefines the credit card experience by offering exceptional rewards and benefits for its users.

As a Welcome Benefit, customers can enjoy exclusive privileges worth up to ₹75,000 with a complimentary Paytm First Membership that also includes OTT platform membership, flight tickets discounts through Paytm app. Designed for the digitally savvy, the cards offer rewards and savings when used on the Paytm App and millions of online and offline stores. Cardholders receive cashback of 3% on Paytm SBI Card on booking movie and travel tickets on the Paytm app, 2% cashback on all other purchases on Paytm App, and 1% cashback on spends elsewhere.

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder and CEO, Paytm said, “India is at the cusp of the next payments revolution where credit will become the mainstream payment choice. Together with SBI Card, Paytm RuPay Credit Card will be a great choice for consumers. Our users are already savvy on QR code-based payments and with RuPay credit cards working on UPI QR codes, transactions through mobile phones will get a further boost, marking a new era in digital payments.”

Bhavesh Gupta, President and Chief Operating Officer, Paytm said, “We are delighted to take our valuable partnership with SBI Card to the next level with the launch of our innovative co-branded credit cards powered by the indigenous RuPay network, catering to the ever-evolving needs of India’s youth and professionals. With this partnership, we aim to revolutionize the way credit is consumed in India, by bringing ‘new to credit’ users into the formal economy by offering a seamless and rewarding experience.”

According to Rama Mohan Rao Amara, MD & CEO, SBI Card, “We partnered with Paytm to launch this card with the intent to make credit cards more accessible to young and digitally-evolved customers. Paytm SBI Card has become one of the popular cards in our portfolio and with its launch on RuPay network we are further strengthening product value proposition. With RuPay’s extensive reach across India and acceptance of RuPay credit cards on UPI, customers can leverage this card to derive maximum value from their spends.”

Speaking on the development, Praveena Rai, COO, NPCI, said, “We are delighted to partner with Paytm and SBI Card for the launch of this credit card on RuPay’s expansive network. We believe this card will emerge as a keystone credit solution for customers. Since NPCI’s launch of credit card services on UPI, we are constantly working towards providing unique, value-based RuPay credit cards. It is exciting to see RuPay progressively establishing itself as a modern, contemporary, and youthful brand by offering customized value propositions backed by cutting-edge technology.”

The co-branded credit cards are set to delight consumers with exclusive Paytm First membership worth ₹750, which comes along with numerous exciting offerings. The Paytm SBI Card comes with 3% cashback on travel, and movie purchases through the Paytm ecosystem.

Cardholders of either variant will be entitled to 2% cashback on all Paytm ecosystem spends and 1% cashback on all other purchases except wallet reloads and fuel expenditures. They will also receive the added benefit of a 1% fuel surcharge waiver and ₹1,00,000 cyber fraud insurance coverage in the case of ‘Platinum’ cardholders.

20th May 2023 KidZania India celebrated the occasion of Mother’s Day by hosting its third edition of “Mommy Zummit” in honor of all the Zuper mothers. The event took place on Sunday, 14th May 2023 at both its Mumbai and Delhi NCR parks, in association with Mompreneur Circle, India’s most trusted community for married women and mothers in business.

Over 100+ mothers and mom bloggers attended this invite-only event at each of the parks. The event started with some recreational activities for mothers. Like every year, the Mommy Zummit included a panel discussion where women experts from different fields shared the nuisances of their industry, experiences, challenges and guidance through real-life stories and situations. The esteemed panelists included a mix of experts such as authors, entrepreneurs, academicians, influencers, and medical practitioners, amongst others. The invited mothers came along with their children who explored the role-play activities in the parks.

The panel at KidZania Delhi NCR explored the theme ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Mothers Returning Back to Work’. It featured Dr. Mahima Bakshi, a maternal child consultant and author, Tina Walia, an image stylist and life coach, Anisha Kapur Shetty, CEO & Founder of My Thrift Baby Loot, Sonam M Puri, a media educator and parenting blogger, and was moderated by Founder & CEO Mompreneur Circle, Latika Wadhwa. The esteemed panel delved into the challenges that mothers face when juggling work and raising children and highlighted insights from inspiring real-life stories of women who have shattered the glass ceiling. Attendees learned about support systems available for mothers to succeed in their careers and ace motherhood with grace and power, all at the same time.

‘Future of Empowering Mothers in the Era of Digital Transformation’ was the topic of discussion at KidZania Mumbai. Ms. Maya Bhatia, Director at BM English Speaking Institute Pvt. Ltd., Ms. Shreya Prakash, Co-founder & CEO at FlexiBees, Ms Ritcha Verma, Blogger & Marketing Consultant Content Creator and moderated by Ms. Poonam Wadera, discussed how mothers have and can leverage the access to digital media to convert their innate skills & talents to commercially viable business ideas. The panel dived into the pros and cons of this medium and shared certain best practices to build a sustainable economic model.

The event partnership also saw RadioCity as the radio partner and INOX as the venue partner. The gifting partners, Oleev Oil and Mad Over Donuts shared some exiting goodies for each of the mothers who was present for the session.

Speaking of the event Mr. Rahul Dhamdhere, Chief Marketing Officer, KidZania India, said, “As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we are delighted to host the third edition of Mommy Zummit, a special event dedicated to honoring the superheroes of our lives – the Zuper mothers. At KidZania, we recognize and appreciate the hard work and dedication that mothers put into nurturing their children and families and see ourselves as their partners to empower our future generations. Through Mommy Zummit, we also aim to create a memorable experience for mothers and their children, where they can bond, learn, and have fun together. Moms are a critical community that we aim to nurture and events like Mommy Zummit are an excellent way to be part of their journey.”

Having done three successful editions with KidZania India, Ms. Latika Wadhwa commented, “I would like to thank KidZania India for associating with us for the third year. Events like Mommy Zummit helps us put our vision of reaching out to moms, empowering, and supporting them that makes true. I would also like to thank all the panelists and the mothers who took time to attend the event this Mother’s Day. I look forward to having more such meaningful sessions for our community this year. A special shoutout to my entire team for their relentless contribution for the event.”

India, 20th May 2023: For the fourth consecutive year, the consulting firm Sergestur (Servicios de GestiónTurística) has published its list of Spain’s 150 most influential professionals in the tourism sector.
The roster once again features the standout presence of Carlos Díez de la Lastra – CEO Les Roches, one of the world’s four leading schools specializing in hospitality training. Founded in Switzerland in 1954 (Crans-Montana), since 1995 the institution has been based in Marbella, the heart of Spain’s Costa del Sol region. Hundreds of students representing up to 100 nationalities come here every semester in search of a comprehensive and transformative education, with the capacity to forge the next leaders of the tourism industry. There is currently a network of more than 14,000 Les Roches alumni: 67% got their first job thanks to contacts made at the school and up to 33% have started their own business.

This dimension is inseparable from the figure of Carlos Díez de la Lastra, who has promoted the value of the brand and has placed hospitality and tourism training among the educational elite, acquiring a prominent position in the national industry.

Carlos Díez de la Lastra Buigues (Madrid, 1970) who has almost three decades of experience in the field of higher education behind him, has successively served aspirations and Sales Director at the Universidad Europea de Madrid, an institution where he spent six years (2005-2011); Vice President Expansion and General Manager of the Universidad Europea de Canarias within the global network of Laureate International Universities (2012-2014); and CEO of Les Roches Marbella (2014-2022).

Since March 2022, he has been CEO of Les Roches Global and is responsible for the management of its sites in Switzerland and Spain. His objective: to place Les Roches at the forefront of innovation in the hospitality sector and to leverage its international stature as a benchmark academic hub.

The consulting firm’s selection was made on the basis of criteria linked to experience, acknowledged professional successes and achievements, proven knowledge, accomplishments, communication, charisma, recognition, reputation among professionals in the sector and human value.

The directory of the 150 most influential people in tourism was agreed by a consensus of journalists, managers of accommodation, restaurants, travel agencies and tour operators, university professors, training and consultants from various geographical areas of Spain.

The Les Roches CEO appears on the list alongside influential personalities from different branches of the tourism sector such as Antonio Catalán (AC Hotels), Mar de Miguel (AEHM), Natalia Bayona (UNWTO), Gabriel Escarrer (Meliá Hotels International), María Frontera (FEHM), AmudaGoueli (Destinia), José ÁngelPreciados (Ilunion Hotels), Juan Carlos Sanjuán (Casual), José Luque (AEHCOS/Fuerte Hoteles), Diego Calvo (Concept Hotel Group) and FerránAdriá, (elBullifoundation).

Les Roches

Les Roches is a Swiss institution focused on creating innovative and entrepreneurial minds of tomorrow. Founded in 1954, Les Roches offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Hospitality and Tourism Management following the Swiss educational model. With campuses in Switzerland and Spain, and a student body of more than 100 different nationalities, the institution offers its students a unique experience based on cultural diversity. Since 2021, Les Roches has also had an academic partnership with the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH) with a partner campus in Gurugram (Delhi NCR).

Les Roches is among the world’s top four higher education institutions in hospitality management (QS World University Rankings, 2023). Part of Sommet Education, a world leader in hospitality education, Les Roches is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE).

20th May 2023 Bangalore: The Board of Directors of PNB Housing Finance Limited today approved the Consolidated Audited Financial Results for the quarter and fiscal year ended 31st March 2023. The financial numbers are based on IndAS.

Key Highlights

• Successfully completed Rights Issue of INR 2,493.76 Crore in May 2023. The issue was subscribed by around 1.21 times. The issue witnessed participation from all top 4 shareholders and other large domestic and foreign institutional investors. The proceeds from Rights Issue will be utilized to fund strategic growth plans and capitalize on the available growth opportunities.

• Retail Loan Asset grew by 10% YoY to INR 55,471 Crore as on 31st March 2023, which is 93.6% of Loan Asset

• Loan Asset is at INR 59,273 crore as on 31st March 2023 as compared to INR 58,034 crore as on 31st Dec 2022

• Gross NPA declined by 430 bps to 3.83% as on 31st Mar 2023 as compared to 8.13% as on 31 st March 2022

– Retail GNPA declined by 133 bps to 2.57% as on 31st March 2023 as compared to 3.89% as on 31st March 2022

• Affordable segment presence expanded to 82 branches & outreaches as on 31st Mar 2023

• Capital Risk Adequacy Ratio stood at 24.4% as on 31st March 2023; Tier I at 22.4%

• ICRA, CRISIL & India Ratings has upgraded the outlook to ‘Stable’ from ‘Negative’ in FY23

Financial performance (Q4 FY22-23 vs Q4 FY21-22 and Q3 FY22-23)

• Profit after Tax increased by 65% YoY and 4% QoQ to INR 279 crore.

• Net Interest Income improved by 57% YoY and declined by 19% QoQ to INR 593 crore. Excluding the one-off impact in Q3FY23, the NII declined by 5% QoQ

• Operating expenditure increased by 23% YoY and 15% QoQ to INR 143 crore

• Pre provision Operating Profit improved by 32% YoY and declined by 22% QoQ to INR 487 crore.

• Spread on loans declined by 118 bps to 2.65% in Q4 FY23 as compared to 3.83% in Q3 FY23. There was a “one-off” of INR 104 crore in Q3 FY23. After adjusting the “one-off” the Spread declined by 43 bps. The Company has increased its lending rates by ~30 bps in April 2023 that should help in arresting the decline.

• Net Interest Margin at 3.74% and Gross Margin, net of acquisition cost, at 3.83% in Q4 FY23.

Financial performance (FY22-23 vs FY21-22)

• Profit after Tax is at INR 1,046 crore vs INR 836 crore registering an increase of 25% YoY

•Net Interest Income stood at INR 2,346 crore compared to INR 1,869 crore registering an increase of 26%.

• Operating Expenditure is at INR 520 crore vs INR 457 crore registering an increase of 14%.

• Pre provision Operating Profit increased by 24% to INR 2,052 crore from INR 1,660 crore.

• ECL provision as on 31 st Mar 2023 is INR 1,433 crore; total provision to assets ratio at 2.42%.

• Spread on loans stood at 2.81% compared to 2.12 % for FY22.

• Net Interest Margin stood at 3.73% as compared to 2.80% in FY22.

• Gross Margin, net of acquisition cost, is at 4.06% as compared to 3.16% in FY22.

• Return on Asset is at 1.61% as compared to 1.24% in FY22.

• Gearing, as on 31 st Mar 2023, reduced to 4.87 compared 5.37 as on 31st Mar 2022

• Return on Equity at 9.98% as compared to 8.92% for FY22

Business Operations

• The disbursements during FY23 grew by 33% YoY to INR 14,965 crore. For Q4 FY23 stood at INR 4,495 crore registering an increase of 22% YoY and 31% QoQ.

– Retail disbursement was 99% of FY23 disbursements.

• Asset under Management (AUM) is at INR 66,617 crore as on 31 st Mar 2023 as compared to INR 66,983 crore as on 31 st Mar 2022

• The Loan Asset stood at INR 59,273 crore as on 31 st Mar 2023 as compared to INR 57,895 crore as on 31 st Mar 2022 and INR 58,034 crore 31 st Dec 2022.

– Retail loans are at INR 55,471 crore as on 31 st Mar 2023, registering an increase of 10% compared to 31 st Mar 2022.

– Corporate loans are at INR 3,802 crore as on 31 st Mar 2023, reduced by 48% as compared to 31 st Mar 2022.

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Distribution and Service Network

• The Company has 189 branches / outreach locations and 22 decision making Hubs.

– Affordable business presence expanded to 82 branches/outreaches as on 31 st Mar 2023 Asset Quality

• Gross Non-Performing Assets is at 3.83% as on 31 st Mar 2023 as compared to 8.13% as on 31st March 2022 and 4.87% as on 31st Dec 2022.

– Retail GNPA is 2.57% as on 31 st Mar 2023 as compared to 3.89% as on 31st March 2022 and 2.86% as on 31st December 2022.

– Corporate GNPA is 22.25% as on 31 st Mar 2023 as compared to 37.13% as on 31st March 2022 and 26.61% as on 31st Dec 2022.

• Net NPA stood at 2.76% as on 31 st Mar 2023. NNPA in Retail segment is at 1.74% and in Corporate segment at 18.24%

Capital to Risk Asset Ratio (CRAR)

• The Company’s CRAR stood at 24.43% as on 31 st Mar 2023, of which Tier I capital was 22.04% and Tier II was 2.03% as compared to 23.40% as on 31 st Mar 2022, of which Tier I capital was 20.73% and Tier II capital was 2.67%.

Commenting on the performance Mr. Girish Kousgi, Managing Director & CEO said: “We are pleased to report that this fiscal year has been incredibly eventful for us. After 13 quarters, we have achieved the highest retail disbursement and loan asset as an outcome of our ongoing efforts to build the retail business. We have also witnessed a remarkable improvement in the asset quality which reduced by 52% year-on-year. As another milestone we have successfully concluded our rights issue, which received an overwhelming response resulting in 1.21x subscription. This demonstrates the investors’ confidence in the Company. The infusion of capital will enable us to capitalise on the available growth opportunities.”

India,20th May 2023: XED, the leading Ed-tech firm in Asia catering to the learning needs of executives and senior leaders, has partnered with Oxford University’s Saïd Business School to launch the “Senior Executive Leadership Programme” (SELP) for senior leaders and C-suite executives”. Participants will learn from critically-acclaimed faculty from the elite Oxford University, providing them a global edge with some of the finest content and academic expertise.

The Oxford Senior Executive Leadership Programme (SELP) is an intensive nine-month learning experience tailored to CXOs and senior leaders seeking to enhance their operational and strategic skills from a global perspective, enabling them to navigate emerging business challenges. The programme includes intensive in-class learning at Oxford’s UK Campus, industry immersion in Dubai and live-online modules. On successful completion of the programme, aspirants will join the Oxford Business Alumni Network and gain a certificate at the graduation ceremony at Oxford, UK.

Commenting on the association Mr. John Kallelil, CEO, XED said, “The Oxford Senior Executive Leadership Programme (SELP is the Saïd Business School’s flagship leadership development programme designed for senior leaders. In today’s highly disruptive business landscape, senior leaders face a variety of challenges, from globalisation and innovative disruption to sustainability and the future of work. This programme is designed to help senior leaders develop the skills and mindset needed to lead their organisations through these challenges and turn them into powerful opportunities. We are pleased to partner with Oxford University and make this exclusive programme available to some of the finest industry leaders and influencers”.

Mr. Paul Fisher, Programme Director for Oxford SELP, Associate Fellow, Saïd Business School said, “We are delighted to announce the first cohort of the Senior Executive Leadership Programme. The nine-month programme takes leaders through an intense journey providing them with the tools and strategies to boost performance and impact at a personal, professional and societal level. This programme is not only a transformational journey for senior leaders, but also an important tool that provides the framework to build flexible, adaptable and visionary leadership that can seamlessly navigate change.”

Admissions to the first batch of Oxford SELP are open with stringent eligibility criteria. Senior-level professionals/CXOs with a minimum of ten years of experience are welcome to apply.

Mumbai, 20th May 2023: ABP News, one of India’s leading Hindi news channels, is launching another thrilling and exciting weekend special show – Saakshaat. The show will be an hour-long exploration of India’s ancient and mysterious locations shrouded in myth and legend for centuries. It will premiere on Saturday, May 20, at 8 pm.

Saakshaat aims to decode the mystery surrounding some of India’s most intriguing and fascinating locations. Each episode will feature an in-depth analysis of local folklore and expert interviews to unravel the secrets hidden within these ancient sites.

The show will take viewers on a journey to some of India’s most awe-inspiring locations, such as the pre-historic caves in Chhattisgarh, the sacred place where the Pandavas themselves stayed during their exile and the island at Parashar Lake that moves on its own accord. The show will delve deep into the history and mythology of these locations to uncover the truth behind the legends.

Saakshaat promises to be an enthralling and captivating show that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. With its unique concept and engaging content, the show is expected to be a huge hit with audiences across the country.

It is a one-of-a-kind show that takes viewers on a journey to some of India’s most mysterious and ancient locations. The channel is confident that viewers will be captivated by the show’s unique concept and engaging content.