Archives May 2023

Hyderabad: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India), a joint venture of ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, two of the world’s leading steel manufacturers, signed an MoU with Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP) division of Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, an Institution of Eminence (IoE), to leverage their MBA Manufacturing Management Programme for some of its professionals.

The agreement with BITS Pilani WILP will help facilitate leading higher education opportunities in manufacturing management for some of AM/NS India’s engineers, while not needing them to take a career break. Besides providing a unique upskilling opportunity, which will help professionals hone their management and technical skills, it shall also help address AM/NS India’s need for a wider talent pool of professionals, who can take up leadership roles with a holistic understanding of technology and management.

The MBA Manufacturing Management is a four-semester Work Integrated Learning Programme, with online classes conducted during the weekends, thereby helping professionals to study, while continuing to work. The learners, with access to highly engaging study material, can learn at their own pace. They can also attend the lectures from any location using the state-of-the-art digital technology and will also be able to access recorded lectures later. The programme also emphasizes on experiential learning and will empowerthe learners to applyconcepts learnt in the classroom in real-work situations.

Dr. Anil Matoo, Head of Human Resources, IR &Administration at AM/NS India, said, “We are elated to announce our collaboration with BITS Pilani WILP for the two-year MBA Manufacturing Management programme, with an aim to develop and groom our manufacturing leaders. AM/NS India believes in providing continuous learning opportunities to employees through leading institutions and this collaboration is another step in this direction. BITS Pilani is an Institution of Eminence, especially known for providing technicaleducation of the highest standards. With its robust curriculum, this programme will help in grooming our engineers to handle challenging assignments and in creating a competitive edge for us.”

Elaborating about the collaboration, Prof. G. Sundar, Director, Off-Campus Programmes & Industry Engagement, BITS Pilani, said, “It gives me great delight that the working professionals of the joint venture of ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel (both among the leading steel manufacturers in the world) will be enrolling in the MBA Manufacturing Management programme. Continuing higher education, reskilling and upskilling of professionals are critically important in helping them adapt to the rapid developments and manage various key aspects, such as production, new technologies, strategic planning, and operations, in a holistic and effective manner —thereby, aiding their organization in gaining the edge too in today’s highly competitive manufacturing sector.”

Road To Valor: Empires is KRAFTON’s latest strategy game where players compete with one another while commanding mythical gods, beasts, heroes and army units.

Players can choose between Roman, Persian, Norman, and Japanese Guardians and battle units to assemble their troops.The Romans were one of the most powerful empires in the ancient world, and their strength is reflected in their units in Road to Valor: Empires. Led by Caesar, the Roman faction is disciplined, efficient, and well-organized. There are three Roman guardians available with both passive and active skills:

CAESAR

As the great general who led the empire at its zenith, Caesar’s strategic mind and leadership are unmatched by others. He inspires his followers to fight with valor.

Passive Skill: Increasing the attack power of all Roman units by 10%

Active Skills:

1. Catapult Launch: Caesar calls forth a barrage of six catapults from the rear lines, launching massive stones at the target area every second, each dealing 377 damage. When the enemy tower or keep has low HP, a catapult launch is an effective way to destroy the buildings without having to spend MP and sending units all the way across the battlefield

2. Heroic Presence: Caesar charges forward to the front lines, accompanied by four trained Auxilia soldiers, who are summoned periodically. He inspires all allied units on the battlefield and gains increased movement speed and attack damage for 18 seconds. This power is an effective way to overwhelm your opponent when the battlefield is already filled with your units.

HADES

The emperor of the underworld, Hades commands the eternal fires of hell to set everything in sight ablaze.

Passive Skill: Gains 1 Commander Point when ally Guard Tower is destroyed

Active Skills:

Definite Strike: Ally units in the target area have a 60% increased max HP and Attack Damage, but HP reduces by 5% every 1 second in return. When you have only the keep left to destroy, Definite Strike is a great way to add that extra power to your leading units, helping them destroy buildings faster.
Hellfire: All units and buildings are destroyed by hellfire. When the hellfire is gone, MP recovery increases by 100% for 7 secs. When you have 30 secs left in the game and you have more HP than your opponent, using Hellfire is a sure way to win the game

ATHENA

The goddess of war and justice, Athena protects and fights alongside her followers until the battle is won

Passive Skill: Activates Goddess’s Protection when Keep and Guard Towers have less than 50% HP

Active Skills:

Goddess’s Protection: Blesses the target area and grants invulnerability to all ally units and buildings for 3 seconds.
Incarnation: Athena, the Goddess of War appears for 16 seconds and deals massive damage to units and buildings
Best usage of Athena’s Powers:

Incarnation: While Athena has high HP and deals massive damage, her presence in the field is limited to 16 seconds. This power is best used in an empty or a less crowded side, so there are less obstacles for her to encounter. Athena’s presence is also a great way to defend your tower against attacks when their HP is low.

Mumbai, 03 May 2023 – According to a recent report by PropTiger.com, housing prices in India have surged during the first quarter of 2023 with the average price rise across all the major realty markets being close to 7% YoY.

The report indicates that all the markets covered in the analysis showed an upward movement in average rates of new homes.

The report highlights that the average rate of properties in Bengaluru saw a 10% appreciation in the past one year, making it the market with the sharpest uptrend in property prices. Pune and Ahmedabad were close behind this southern market in terms of price increase, with these markets witnessing an 8% and 7% rise in their average property rates, respectively.

Mr. Vikas Wadhawan, Group CFO, PropTiger.com, Housing.com & Makaan.com, said,” Real estate has consistently been one of the best-performing asset classes over the long term, and with prices expected to go up further, it might be a good time for fence-sitters to take the jump and buy their dream home. Having said that, one needs to keep in mind that buying a home is the most expensive purchase decision a family typically makes. So, it is important to weigh all the pros and cons carefully before making a final decision.”

The report highlights that the cost of buying a house in India continues to rise due to several factors, including the continuous rise in the cost of raw materials and labour, the growing demand for homes post-COVID, and the cessation of government-funded subsidy schemes in March this year.

Furthermore, while the Reserve Bank of India has taken a pause in hiking rates for now, inflation remains a concern, and the central bank may increase the benchmark lending rate in the next cycle, which could further amplify costs for the buyer because of increased borrowing costs on home loans.

Discussing buying trends, Ms. Ankita Sood, Head of Research, PropTiger.com, Housing.com & Makaan.com said: “Property prices in Indian cities have been growing at a fast pace of 6-7% since the past year with a renewed thrust on homeownership. Apart from a rise in input costs, limited supply of the right product & ready to move in projects for the end-user have led to an upward push in prices.

Ms. Sood added “Interestingly, while the weighted average prices have grown by 6 per cent YoY, in the March quarter, key micro-markets in cities of Gurugram, followed by Bengaluru have seen YoY growth of 13 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. Given the current market trends of demand-supply mismatch, we expect property prices to continue to rise albeit within a close range, where the quality ready-to-move-in segment will trade at a premium.”

The report indicates that the average price per square foot in cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Kolkata, and Pune has witnessed a significant increase.

03 May 2023, New Delhi: ORGAN India, The Organ Receiving & Giving Awareness Network (ORGAN) India, an initiative of the Parashar Foundation hosted a press conference on the 2nd of May at Juniper Hall, Habitat Center. The conference welcomes back our transplant athletes from their successful participation at the World Transplant Games in Perth Australia. World Transplant Games to be held in Perth, Australia in 2023. This was the largest contingent of 32 players ever to go from India to the WTG, and Team India athletes won 35 medals in the World Transplant Games 2023, which concluded in Australia’s Perth on 21st April 2023. It is the highest tally ever for India.

The conference hosted players who represented India at the World Transplant Games, including Mr. Vijaybahadur Yadav, a kidney donor to his wife, and Outstanding athlete of the World Transplant Games in the donor category; 13-year-old Varun Anand who won 3 gold medals; Mr. Karhun Nanda, Captain, Indian Contingent at the World Transplant Games and winner of 2 silver medals; Mr. Digvijay Singh Gujral, Squash Player & World Transplant Games Medalist; Heera Singh Daspa, Winner of Gold in Javelin Throw amongst others.

The Guest Speakers include Ronjan Sodhi, Arjuna Award and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee and Dr Amit Bhalla, Vice President of Manav Rachna Educational Institutions (MREI) who met the players and congratulated them for their wonderful performance. Speakers also included Ms Anika Parashar, Chairperson, Parashar Foundation; Ms Kunti Jhaveri, Managing Trustee, Dinesh Vyas Public Charitable Trust; Dr. Vipin Koushal, Nodal Officer, ROTTO North (Regional Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization), Ms. Priti Agarwal, Director, Geekay Winding; Satyajit Gupta, Head Legal & CSR, EXL, Dr. Ashish Sharma, HOD Renal Transplantation, PGIMER Chandigarh, and Team Manager Shankar Arora. The press conference also witnessed a soulful performance by Raag Suri from whistling Woods International who sang the Team Song Hissa Bann for the audience.

Dr Amit Bhalla, Vice President of Manav Rachna Educational Institutions (MREI), who helped train the athletes – “I am thrilled with the performance of Indian Athletes at the world Transplant Games 2023. Their participation and winning performances have made India proud. These athletes are a shining example of resilience and the power of the human spirit. We welcome them back with hearts filled with pride and joy.”

“We are overwhelmed with the amazing performance of the Indian transplant athletes at World Transplant Games. Our collective effort has put India firmly on the map at the Games, and this conference is to celebrate this brilliant innings. The athletes’ participation in WTG 2023 has created more awareness about organ donation across India and we are confident that their victory will inspire all Indians”, shared Sunayana Singh, CEO ORGAN India & Country Representative from India at the World Transplant Games Federation (WTGF).

Anika Parashar, Founder Chairperson, ORGAN India shared, “It was a privilege to take the Indian delegation of Athletes for The World Transplant Games in Perth in April 2023. The participation of Transplant patients or Donors in this International event was not only a of patriotism but also a demonstration of the limitlessness of the human spirit in overcoming adversity whilst inspiring others and their stories deserve to be heard.”

Mumbai, May 3, 2023: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is pleased to announce that Shri Raj Kumar Dubey has today taken over as Director (Human Resources) of the company. Shri Dubey brings with him a wealth of experience in business and human capital development, having worked in the industry for over 34 years.

Shri Dubey is an alumnus of NIT Allahabad, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has also acquired a Master of Business Administration from the International Centre for Promotion of Enterprises, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Throughout his career, he has implemented several strategic organizational development initiatives and change management processes impacting more than 400 locations and 7,500 people and has worked closely with international consultants in the areas of organizational restructuring, visioning, and HR planning, and has successfully led several leadership positions and concluded various critical and challenging assignments across various business verticals like Aviation, Operations, HR, and Retail in and across different regions.

Mr. Dubey has brought in customer centricity in the Fuel Retailing Channel by pioneering the marketing of differentiated products & premium fuels to great heights maintaining the leadership position.

Delhi, 03 May 2023: Oneistox, a homegrown ed-tech startup transforming the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry, has rebranded itself as Novatr. The strategic move is in line with their vision to fill the innovation gap in AEC by honing the power of human potential and building tech-first skills. The hyper-growing ed-tech platform founded in 2021 by Harkunwar Singh along with his co-founders Vipanchi Handa, Mehul Kumar, and Chaithanya Murali has been clocking a tremendous 30% m-o-m growth over the past 12 months and has turned profitable starting FY2023.

With the ultimate aim of accelerating the adoption of technology in the AEC industry at large, Novatr aims to be the bridge between the dreams of AEC’s future and the skills imperative for its realization. In 2021, Oneistox was founded to propel the AEC industry further towards tech-first skills and ensure better opportunities. “Oneistox” or “1:x”, signified exponential growth, but as the brand grew bigger, the macro vision evolved into something much bigger than what it was. Now, the brand has evolved to realize its true ethos as “Innovators” and thus renamed itself to Novatr”. The platform’s main objective is to design tech-first curriculums and cultivate a community of ambitious individuals who are ready to tap into a whole new world of possibilities.

“We are at the helm of witnessing a transformative phase of the AEC industry, and with our pivot to Novatr, we aim to change this landscape. As we navigate through this transformation, it has become clear that simply revamping the education and training of AEC professionals is not enough. The real challenge lies in transforming the industry itself from the inside out. This rebranding is a stepping stone in our mission to fill the innovation gap in the AEC industry and realise ourselves as what we truly are, Innovators” said Harkunwar Singh, Co-founder, Novatr

In their journey of empowering learners to become future-ready professionals, Oneistox clocked a net revenue growth of 30% MoM in FY2023. The key focuses for the startup during this period have been to improve its platform infrastructure, develop more new-age courses for learners, and expand its team. Currently, Novatr is clocking an ARR of $6 mn. Keeping up with their previous trajectory, the company is projecting a 12X revenue growth in FY2024. The platform offers a range of courses and programs, including Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Computational Design, to help learners build critical skills and stay ahead of the curve. The brand recently announced that they’ve raised $1.2 million in seed funding from Y Combinator, Powerhouse Ventures, Soma Capital, and notable angels like Amit Ranjan, Co-Founder, Slideshare.

New Delhi, 03 May 2023: In a bid to amplify awareness about diabetes and to address the growing need for diabetes care and management in the country, BeatO – a comprehensive digital care platform for controlling and reversing diabetes, has partnered with The International Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) Delhi – a globally recognized and leading healthcare research institute in the country, to launch a competitive course – Certificate in Diabetes Education. This 10-week course is an industry-first collaboration between a health-tech platform and an esteemed educational and research institute in India. The course aims to provide comprehensive training to healthcare professionals which will eventually bridge the gap in the availability of diabetes care educators in India. We envision creating a field force of certified diabetes educators who will significantly contribute to the prevention and control of this life-style disease.

A recent report by FICCI and KPMG, titled “Strengthening healthcare workforce in India: the 2047 agenda”,[1] highlights the need to improve education infrastructure and social benefits to promote healthcare as a preferred profession in the future. The report also states that India has 33.5 health workers per 10,000 population, which is lower than the WHO recommendation of 44.5 skilled health workers per 10,000 persons. The gap between demand and supply of the healthcare workforce and the availability of healthcare education institutes is apparent.

Speaking on the collaboration, Gautam Chopra, the CEO and Founder of BeatO, said, “Diabetes is a significant public health issue in India, and it requires a multidisciplinary approach to manage the condition effectively. We are pleased to announce this diabetes educator certification course in collaboration with IIHMR-Delhi – a leader in the healthcare education space. This partnership is aligned with our mission to provide high-quality diabetes care to people across India. We are confident that this course will help train healthcare professionals who can provide comprehensive diabetes care.”

The Certificate in Diabetes Education aims to address the gap by providing healthcare professionals like paramedical staff, nurses, dietitians, and caretakers working in hospitals, clinics or in the community with necessary skills and knowledge to provide high-quality care to people with diabetes. Through this course the healthcare professionals will gain hands-on experience in diabetes care. BeatO experts will leverage best clinical practices, scientific studies, and vast experience of diabetes care professionals towards practical training components and IIHMR-Delhi will lend technical expertise towards quality assurance, systematic delivery, and certification. Upon completion of the course, the aspirants will receive certification from BeatO and IIHMR-Delhi.

“At BeatO, we are striving continuously to ensure that every person with Diabetes in India has access to quality healthcare, and this course with IIHMR-Delhi is a step in the same direction.” Chopra further added.

The curriculum of the course is designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of healthcare professionals in managing diabetes.

“We are delighted to partner with BeatO to launch this unique Certificate in Diabetes Education course,” said Prof. Sutapa B. Neogi, Director of IIHMR-Delhi, a renowned public health specialist. “Designed in collaboration with BeatO, it will equip healthcare professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills to provide personalized care to people with diabetes across the nation. Our partnership with BeatO will help pave the way for partnerships between academia and industry in India, which will address the shortage of trained diabetes care professionals in India. We are proud to offer a course in collaboration with BeatO that we strongly believe will improve the quality of diabetes care in the country.”

Course Director Dr. Navneet Agrawal, Chief Clinical Officer at BeatO, added, “Millions of individuals in India are affected by diabetes, a chronic health condition. Numerous consequences, including cardiovascular illness, nerve damage, renal damage, and vision loss, may result from it if it is not managed properly. Doctors prescribe medications and give advice, but the continuity of care and adherence to a proper lifestyle needs constant support from a certified professional. This course will enable and empower people with diabetes, their caretakers and healthcare professionals to ensure that they lead a healthy life and avoid undue complications.”

Diabetes management is intricate therefore to ensure access to quality and affordable healthcare, BeatO aims to establish a standard for specialization through its expertise and knowledge in patient-centric diabetes care.

03 May 2023: Noise, India’s leading connected lifestyle tech brand, has launched a new smartwatch, Noise ColorFit Ultra 3, with the largest AMOLED dial of 1.96 inch and sports a metallic body with a functional crown that allows users to navigate faster. The brand has expanded its portfolio in the round dial segment with the launch of this new smartwatch in India today. Assuring ‘Inspiration Within Reach’, the premium smartwatch comes in three variants – Lifestyle edition, Classic Edition, Elite Edition out of which the Elite Edition (Jet Black & Glossy Silver) is introduced as the brand’s most premium offering available at a price range of over INR 5000. Making it a prime choice for young trendsetters, the smartwatch boasts Gesture Control, Smart DND, Two options for menu, Auto Sports Detection and Tru Sync™ for the most ultra and advanced smartwatch experience in the industry. The Noise ColorFit Ultra 3 goes live today and can be availed from Amazon, gonoise.com and across offline channels including yet not limited to Reliance, Croma, Vijay Sales, Poorvika Mobiles, and others.

Amit Khatri, Co-founder, Noise commented on the launch, “Noise has been a forerunner when it comes to enabling technology and empowering consumers with meaningful innovation. With consumers always keen on upgrading their lifestyle, an upgrade in the smartwatch is also as important. Noise ColorFit Ultra 3, envelopes everything that today’s new age users seek for in their devices.

Consumers being at the core of every decision we make at Noise, we are thankful for their overwhelming love and support, and with this new introduction, we are confident of yet again replicating the success story in the India market.”

The brand’s newest addition comes equipped with Gesture Control technology offering unique customisations such as Tap to wake and palm control to turn off display. A robust battery that lasts up to 7 days on a single charge, allows consumers to keep pressing ahead without any hassle, and the IP68 water and dust resistance feature makes the watch extremely durable. Equipped with Tru SyncTM technology, Noise ColorFit Ultra 3 comes with single chip BT for easier and hassle-free pairing. The smartwatch also allows users to enjoy stable calls with longer range and lower battery consumption with BT v5.3. The smart DND feature allows the smartwatch to detect when the user is asleep and is functioned to not vibrate/ ring with new notifications during that period. The two menu UI option allows users to choose between a list view and grid view. Noise ColorFit Ultra 3 also comes equipped with Auto sports detection feature for outdoor exercises. Complimented with 550 nits of high brightness and 410*502 px screen resolution the smartwatch gives a crystal clear viewing experience and has also introduced Always on display with 4 watch face options with Noise ColorFit Ultra 3.

The smartwatch comes with a host of productivity and health monitoring features. Users can choose to call from dial-pad, access recent calls and save upto 10 contacts on the watch using Noise Buzz. The smartwatch comes packed with an array of wellness features under Noise Health SuiteTM and an inbuilt Productivity Suite. The Noise ColorFit Ultra 3 offers over 100+ Sports modes, 150+ Watch Faces and 4 AoD options, and can be paired with NoiseFit App to unlock the next level productivity game.

By Delphin Varghese, co-founder and Chief Business Officer at Adcounty Media

How young adults consume media has drastically changed over the past few years, making ad targeting extra challenging for this particular age group. The consumption varied from individual to individual depending upon the end goal. For instance, some use it primarily for entertainment, whereas others use it for practical purposes, to build a community or fulfil their emotional needs. The needs vary, and so does the pattern of consumption.

A Deloitte report suggests that younger generations are more inclined towards immersive and interactive social experiences. The youth consumer cohort is a complex segment that needs to be addressed and engaged strategically.

Whitepaper data indicates that digital mediums are the predominant choices of the urban youth in comparison to traditional media. According to Business Insider, digital media encompasses websites and apps (63%), social media (55%), streaming video (53%) and streaming music (49%). Consumers aged between 25-34 are more likely to resort to ‘streaming video’ alongside the intent to consume live and non-live TV. This will consequently boost the demand for streaming services, which will likely register exponential growth in consumption in the coming years.

According to VentureBeat news, video streaming services (613 million) outperform traditional cable connections (556 million) in terms of the number of subscribers. As media becomes more fragmented every year, crafting a strategy that helps brand custodians to leverage the young adult segment becomes increasingly essential.

Given that young adults have a more excellent lifetime value, marketers are driven to invest in premium ad rates to tap into this segment. Social media is undeniably one of the most sought-after platforms among young adults. Brands leverage social media to foster awareness, grow communities and boost brand loyalty. Influencer marketing is paramount to scaling any brand, maximising reach by tapping into consumer segments at different levels of the buying funnel, building credibility, and establishing long-term win-win partnerships.

Steering clear generic ad statements might be a good idea when looking to grab the attention of young adults. Consumers are bombarded with ads all day, whether commercials on OTTs, ads in the middle of podcasts, scrolling through social media or browsing the net. Thinking “out of the box” is a must to engage millennials and boost brand recall.

Apart from this, it is also crucial for brands to ensure that the content on their website and social handles, like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, etc., are interactive and engaging. Your product/service is not always sufficient to attract the young adult segment to your website. Giving human connection to your brand is of utmost importance. Once your consumers can relate to your content, they will eventually grow to love your brand and try out the products/services you offer. Social media platforms are great in helping you interact with your target audience and foster personalisation with your brand. Besides this, your offering should also solve a particular problem that makes their lives easier.

Millennials research a product before purchasing it; thus, customer reviews are the backbone of your marketing strategy. Authentic customer reviews and positive feedback attached to your site are quintessential in helping you acquire quality potential consumers.

Crafting a mission that extends beyond sales is imperative to garner millennials’ attention and build a loyal customer base. A report by the consumer research firm, Bulbshare reveals that Gen Z (born between 1997-2013) detest traditional advertising alongside sharing an affinity for ad blockers and advocacy. This report suggests that 99% of consumers in this generational cohort will opt to “skip” an ad, and approximately 63% rely on ad blockers to circumvent online adverts. Furthermore, findings from the report also suggest that nearly 74% of consumers feel bombarded with advertisements. Thus, brands targeting the Gen Z age and millennial consumer segment should narrow their focus towards unconventional messaging and ‘disruptive’ advertising, which is difficult to ignore.

Mumbai, May 03, 2023: HRX, India’s leading active lifestyle brand, has been named the official Fan Merchandise partner for four teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Gujarat Titans, and Delhi Capitals are the teams that will be wearing HRX-manufactured jerseys as part of the partnership.

According to Pallavi Barman, – Business Head and Fitness Ambassador of HRX, “IPL definitely is a perfect integration to have in terms of merchandising, but sports as a whole is something HRX focuses towards and this is the ecosystem that we want to build. While you may have seen HRX being a popular active wear choice for Gully cricket, we are consciously collaborating on sports events like Roots Amateur Cricket league.”

As India’s homegrown brand, HRX is committed to supporting local and hyperlocal partnerships, in addition to national events like IPL. Pallavi added, “It’s all about catering to the Indian masses as a whole, as we Indians are extremely passionate about sports.”

This partnership with IPL further strengthens HRX’s commitment to sports and its growing presence in the Indian market. Fans of Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Gujarat Titans, and Delhi Capitals can now proudly wear HRX merchandise to show their support for their favorite teams.

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