Archives July 2023

Kolkata,25th July 2023 The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) to organise the ‘School Leadership Training Programme’ for principals, headmasters and headmistresses in association with the National Institute of Education International (NIEi), Singapore. This will be conducted at CISCE’s East Zone Office in Kolkata from 24th to 28th July 2023, the training programme centered around equipping the heads of schools with educational capacities to effectively implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in their respective schools.

The ‘School Leadership Training Programme’ will provide the experts from NIE International, Singapore, and the participants with an enriching forum to exchange ideas and views on various educational aspects. It aimed at providing insights into global and emerging trends in education, along with an understanding of the impact of NEP 2020 on curriculum and school systems.

The event will be graced by the honorable presence of the Chief Guest, Shri Firhad Hakim, the Mayor of Kolkata. Dr. G. Immanuel (Chairman, CISCE) along with Executive Committee Members Mr. S. Jawahar, and Mr. Stephen DaCosta including officers of the CISCE Mr. Gerry Arathoon (CE&S) and Mrs. Sangeetha Bhatia (Deputy Secretary, ISC), will also attend the event.

CISCE previously hosted Master Trainers’ Programme for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) from 26th to 29th April 2023. The four-day training program, conducted at CISCE’s Delhi office, focused on enhancing the teaching skills of trainers and teachers in foundational literacy and numeracy as part of the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020.

Mr Gerry Arathoon, Chief Executive & Secretary of CISCE said “The collaboration with the National Institute of Education International (NIEi), Singapore, marks a commendable initiative that promises not only quality training but also a transformative impact on educational leaders. By incorporating insights from global educational trends, this partnership is poised to bring positive change to school leadership. Also, we are truly honored to have Sri Firhad Hakim, the Mayor of Kolkata, as a part of this significant endeavor.”

Both of these initiatives, the ‘School Leadership Training Programme’ and the Master Trainers’ Programme for FLN, reflect CISCE’s proactive approach toward promoting educational excellence and ensuring the effective implementation of key educational reforms outlined in the NEP 2020. By empowering educational leaders and enhancing teaching skills, CISCE continues to contribute significantly to the advancement of the Indian education system.

25th July 2023, New Delhi: Makoons Play School, India’s leading play school franchise, celebrated Parents Day across all its branches with a multitude of fun-filled activities. The celebration’s sole purpose was to honour those who had made the greatest contributions to every child’s life and to commemorate their efforts. The purpose was to help the kids and parents develop a stronger bond.

The event was intended to recognize the invaluable role parents play in a child’s development. To show gratitude for their efforts and the invaluable role they play in their kids’ lives, Makoons Play School curated a bunch of activities. The event was set in motion with the kids sharing their opinions about their parents, and it was quite an engaging and bounteous session. This was followed by stage performances and plays that were intended to be expressions of appreciation. The performances featured dancing, sketching, cooking, impersonations, and dressing up as their parents.

In the second phase of the program, storytelling sessions discussing the life patterns and academic achievements of their parents were conducted for the kids to draw inspiration from. The event came to an end with the children displaying their family tree, family photos, etc., and how much love they have for each family member, letting the audience recognize the value of their loved ones. The entire event served as a reminder of how these activities can foster feelings of love and harmony among young kids.

Commenting on this, Mr. Vijay Kumar Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Makoons Group of Schools, said, “This event was held with the intention of demonstrating to kids the importance of showing affection and reverence for their parents, fostering healthier connections, and creating unforgettable experiences for families across all our branches”. At Makoons Play School, we recognize that every teachable moment helps your child be socially acceptable and grasp everything around them. We believe that healthy parent-child interactions are crucial for a child’s general development and well-being.

The excellent educational standards of Makoons Play School have earned it recognition as the most rapidly expanding preschool franchise in India. With a focus on holistic development and a child-centric philosophy, the school provides a secure, encouraging, and exciting atmosphere where kids can thrive and achieve success. With their unique learning environment, they assist every child in discovering their unique learning style, and their cutting-edge teaching strategies support the kids in developing their artistic and creative potential to the maximum.

25th July 2023, New Delhi: Roadcast, India’s leading innovator in automotive technology and a pioneer in the logistics industry has launched a humanitarian, first-of-its-kind feature on its app. Cognisant of the challenges faced by its drivers, the company has now integrated a washroom listing feature into its app.

Roadcast understands that delivery drivers are the backbone of fleet management. While working and constantly ensuring on-time deliveries, the drivers face many challenges on the road. The availability of washrooms, especially in the monsoon season is one such challenge.

By providing them with a list of nearby available public washrooms, the company wants to ensure that they have access to crucial amenities. Roadcast has also collaborated with local businesses like restaurants, hotels, shops, etc to come forward and list their washrooms on the app to support the well-being of the drivers.

Roadcast has always been at the forefront of ensuring a healthy working environment for all its employees. The washroom listing feature allows drivers to easily find nearby washrooms along their delivery routes, making essential restroom facilities more accessible than ever before.

“The logistics sector has witnessed unprecedented growth and riders are a key contributor to that. Therefore, it is our duty to try and make this a seamless experience for them as well. We are committed to constantly improving our working environment to cater to the needs of our drivers as well. The addition of washroom listings on our app is a step in this direction which reflects our dedication to delivering not just packages but also convenience and care for the people involved in this logistics eco-system”, shared Vishal Jain, Co-Founder at Roadcast.

25th July 2023: The reputable refurbished electronics company Mobex is happy to announce the release of its newest product line, which includes a selection of high-quality refurbished laptops from well-known manufacturers HP, Dell, and Lenovo. These carefully repaired laptops come with a warranty for their exceptional performance, dependability, and price.

Refurbished laptops are no exception to the best-in-class items Mobex offers its consumers. To guarantee that it reaches the highest standards of excellence, every laptop is put through a thorough 35+ quality check inspection process. Customers may feel secure in their purchases thanks to Mobex’s dedication to quality.

The Super A-Grade Quality of Mobex’s reconditioned laptops is one of its distinguishing characteristics. These computers go through a thorough examination, cleaning, and restoration process. Mobex makes sure that every laptop offers a remarkable user experience by placing a strong emphasis on performance and reliability. To reassure its clients, Mobex provides a hefty 6-month guarantee on all refurbished laptops.

Mobex has divided refurbished laptops into several categories in order to better serve the varied demands of its clients. Several different types of users are catered to by the various laptop categories, including:

1. Entry Level (Basic and Advanced): These laptops are ideal for people who need basic computer capabilities for daily work. These entry-level laptops provide dependable performance at a reasonable cost, whether you’re browsing the web, checking emails, or working on documents.
2. Professional Office Use: These reconditioned laptops are built for professionals and come with cutting-edge features and specs to satisfy the needs of a contemporary office setting. Through seamless connection and multitasking capabilities, these laptops guarantee increased productivity and efficiency.
3. School and College Students: Recognising the value of technology in education, Mobex sells used laptops designed with students in mind. The skills and resources that these computers offer enable kids to succeed academically and maintain relationships with their classmates.

With the release of reconditioned laptops from HP, Dell, and Lenovo, Mobex hopes to close the gap between price and quality, making high-performance computing available to a larger audience. By restoring and reusing laptops, Mobex helps to create a future that is more ecologically friendly and sustainable.

Through its website and approved retail partners, Mobex’s refurbished laptops are now available for purchase. Experience Mobex’s refurbished laptops’ dependability, performance, and value for yourself.

Mumbai, 25th July 2023The promoters of Tilaknagar Industries Limited (TI) (BSE: 507205) (NSE: TI), a leading Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) manufacturer, have announced the de-pledging of 4.18 crore equity shares, representing nearly 22 percent of the total paid-up capital of the company. This has resulted in a steep reduction in the pledged promoter equity to 23.9 percent from the earlier 75.8 percent of the total promoter shareholding in the company.

The promoters and the promoter group of Tilaknagar Industries currently hold over 8.04 crore equity shares, representing 42 percent of the total paid-up capital. Prior to the pledge revocation, 6.10 crore equity shares constituting 75.8 percent of the promoter shareholding and 31.9 percent of the total paid-up capital of the company were pledged.

After the release of 4.18 crore equity shares from the pledge, the total number of pledged shares has reduced to 1.92 crore. This represents 10 percent of the total paid-up capital and 23.9 percent of the total promoter shareholding.

The promoters of the company had subscribed to convertible warrants worth Rs 63 crore at Rs 53 per warrant in December 2021, which have all been converted into equity shares as on June 30, 2023.

Since March 2019, Tilaknagar Industries has reduced its debt by almost Rs 950 crore. In FY23, the company’s debt decreased by Rs 199 crore to Rs 250 crore from Rs 449 crore as of March 2022. As on March 2023, the company’s gross debt and net debt stand reduced to Rs 250 crore and Rs 182 crore, respectively. As a result, Tilaknagar Industries’ finance costs also reduced significantly to Rs 40 crore in FY23, compared to Rs 62 crore in FY22 and Rs 184 crore in FY19. The company plans to become near net-debt free over the next 12-18 months.

Maker of the famous Mansion House brandy, Tilaknagar Industries has also registered strong business growth in FY23 recording a 43 per cent growth in volumes over FY22. The company’s volume growth in FY23 was led by its flagship brand Mansion House and Courrier Napoleon which grew 40 percent and 50 percent, respectively, year-on-year. In FY23, Courrier Napoleon also became the company’s second millionaire brand, after Mansion House.

Despite inflationary pressures faced by the alco-bev industry, the company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization increased by 22 percent to Rs 137 crore in FY23 as against Rs 112 crore in FY22.

You have probably heard about lab-grown diamonds if you follow the jewelry, gemstones, or luxury industries in any manner. You might be considering avoiding natural diamonds due to claims of improved sustainability and reduced prices, but read on first.

While it is true that these synthetic jewels can be manufactured reasonably sustainably (although not all of them can) and are cheaper than natural diamonds, it is also essential to keep in mind that things that appear too good to be true generally are. With reputable diamond miners investing in improving their environmental credentials, the sustainability angle is not as strong as it may be with lab-grown producers because lower prices equal dubious investments.

1. Geological wonders of nature

The history of natural diamonds is likely to pique your curiosity if you have a passion for geology, history, or the natural world. Between 90 million and 3 billion years ago, 400 miles below the earth’s surface, diamonds began to form. Diamonds were ejected closer to the Earth’s surface during volcanic eruptions after the crystals were created when carbon was subjected to extreme heat and pressure. Every time, picturing this journey and wearing a piece of prehistoric history outweighs learning about a rock’s formation in a sterile laboratory.

2. An improved investment

The cheaper rates that lab-grown diamonds provide are alluring, but real diamonds are the better option if you want to spend your money wisely.

3. Assistance to mining communities

While it may appear that the straightforward solution to worries about environmental harm and human welfare is to prohibit all mining, this is a far more complex debate. Ten million people depend on the earnings generated by the diamond mining sector worldwide, frequently in areas with scant other sources of income. If mining were to disappear, these communities would lose their source of income. Instead, look for a jeweler who can explain the history of your diamonds and how they have enhanced rather than harmed people’s lives.

Shefali Verma, founder of House Of Goldsmith says

“Amidst the vast choices in the gemstone world, natural diamonds emerge as timeless treasures, embodying elegance and beauty beyond compare. With unrivaled brilliance formed over eons, they signify enduring love and commitment. Choosing natural diamonds is an homage to nature’s artistry, supporting ethical practices and sustainable mining. Their rarity and uniqueness mirror the individuality of each wearer, adding sentimental value to life’s special moments. Trustworthy certifications ensure their authenticity and origin, fostering confidence in the investment. Sparkling like stars from Earth’s depths, these precious gems empower consumers to cherish a symbol of nature’s grace, carrying forward a legacy of unmatched allure.”

New Delhi, 24th July 2023: CEF Group, a leading Indian organization dedicated to waste management, has partnered with Halman-Aldubi Group, a renowned Israeli company with expertise in finance, energy, climate, and technology management solutions, to convert slaughterhouse waste into protein-rich food for fish. Aiming to revolutionize waste management practices in the slaughterhouse industry, this partnership between CEF Group and Halman-Aldubi Group will ensure slaughterhouse waste management implementation in India in alignment with the commitment of India and Israel towards sustainability and innovation. By converting slaughterhouse waste into fish food, the collaboration addresses key environmental challenges while promoting a circular economy and waste management innovation.

The primary objective of this collaboration is to provide a valuable and eco-friendly solution for the utilization of slaughterhouse waste. Instead of being discarded or having negative environmental impacts, the waste will be harnessed to produce nutrient-dense food for fish.

“The collaboration between CEF Group and Halman-Aldubi Group signifies our joint commitment to addressing global challenges in waste management, environmental sustainability, and the production of high-quality fish feed,” said Mr Maninder Singh, Founder & CEO, CEF Group. “India plays a vital role in global meat exports as it has significant livestock resources. The poultry, livestock, and fisheries sectors contribute to over 6% of India’s GDP, highlighting their economic importance. As the demand for nutritious food continues to rise, both in India and globally, the demand for meat is expected to follow suit, thereby contributing more to slaughterhouse waste generation. If this slaughterhouse waste is not managed properly, it can have detrimental effects on the environment leading to soil contamination, water pollution, foul odour, air pollution and disease transmission, ultimately affecting industry growth. Therefore, CEF Group is bringing forth this joint initiative to handle and manage slaughterhouse waste responsibly and mitigate these environmental and health concerns.”

Halman-Aldubi Group, with its expertise and cutting-edge technology, will ensure that the converted fish feed meets the nutritional requirements for optimal growth and health of fish. One notable aspect of this collaboration is the advanced technology employed in the conversion process.

“This pioneering technology uses a steam process to sterilize the input feed while guaranteeing a process free from burning or pollution. Moreover, the plant design optimization allows for the establishment of a 60-ton-per-day input feed plant in just 300-metre square of space. The plant can be set up within slaughterhouses, maximizing efficiency and convenience. This slaughterhouse waste can be utilized for various processes like Anaerobic Digestion, Enzymatic Hydrolysis, Rendering, Insect Bioconversion, Microbial Fermentation and Algae Cultivation. From waste reduction, recycling resource conservation and reduced harmful impact on the environment to enhanced fish health and nutrition and cost-effective and sustainable feed production, this initiative can bring a groundbreaking change”, said, Mr Rony Halman, Chairman, Halman-Aldubi Group.

CEF Group and Halman-Aldubi Group have also worked out possibilities to export the outcome products to foreign developed countries, ensuring export-quality materials. This not only contributes to waste reduction and resource conservation but also creates economic opportunities and fosters international collaboration. As part of their shared vision, they also aim to establish a model that can be replicated and scaled up in various locations, fostering a widespread positive impact on waste management practices and the agriculture industry.

Mumbai, 25th July 2023: PayNearby, India’s leading branchless banking and digital network, has launched the Health Correspondents* Program with an aim to make quality healthcare affordable and accessible to the country’s most vulnerable and last-mile population. This is in line with the company’s nation-building pledge to make all essential services available for the country’s underserved population and ensure the overall transformation of Bharat through a mass transformation approach. The company’s existing network of retailers, such as kirana stores, mobile recharge stores, medical shops, customer service points (CSPs) and travel agents, along with new appointees through Gram Panchayats and local institutions, will be leveraged for this initiative.

The Healthcare Correspondents (HCs) will act as intermediaries between healthcare providers and the rural population, aligning with the Ayushman Bharat vision of the Government of India to enhance primary healthcare in tier II regions and beyond. PayNearby plans to leverage its Distribution as a Service (DaaS) network to bring essential healthcare services to rural Bharat, ensuring equitable access across the country. The program includes promoting various healthcare-related products and services through its HCs, including a Health Card mapped to the citizen’s PayNearby account, to provide discounts on medicines, medical tests, basic medical equipment and doctor consultations via telemedicine. Furthermore, to safeguard citizens from financial risks and life’s uncertainties, the HCs will offer tailor-made healthcare insurance schemes as well.

PayNearby aims to recruit HCs in every corner of the country, utilizing existing infrastructure like gram panchayats. By the end of FY23-24, the company plans to convert at least 1 lakh of its million+ active retailers into HCs, expanding the reach of telemedicine services.

Speaking on the occasion, Anand Kumar Bajaj, Founder, MD & CEO, PayNearby, said, “Healthcare is one of the most important parameters of a country’s progress. The true growth of a nation lies in its ability to provide comprehensive health services to its population. PayNearby understands the importance of prioritizing people’s health and empowering them to take care of themselves and their families. By introducing Health Correspondents Program in our portfolio, we seek to bridge the gap between urban and rural healthcare services, enabling citizens in Bharat to access all the necessary facilities available to their urban counterparts.

Our retailers are the flagbearers of the massive inclusion mission that we have undertaken. In times of crisis, they have always been at the beck and call of the citizens. Their role during the pandemic, as community managers bringing government relief funds to the masses or ensuring mass registration for the immunization program, gave us the confidence that our retail partners can double up as HCs and use technology to enable quality healthcare services in their communities. With time and adequate handholding, HCs will be trained to bring about a behavioral shift so that technology can be used for all primary healthcare needs, whether it is teleconsultation with specialists, ordering medicine at discounted rates or health-related awareness and training programs locally.

With this initiative, we are committed to helping the country achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and take the ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Swasthya’ mission a notch higher.”

During the pandemic, the local trust of PayNearby’s retailers came into play when they doubled up as frontline warriors and ensured DBT and other relief funds reached the hands of the intended. In addition, they also helped people register on the CoWIN app for vaccination, creating large-scale community awareness for the immunization program. Success of societal welfare programs like these has augmented the trust and reach of the PayNearby network and elevated them as community managers in their territories, which will now be leveraged to enable affordable healthcare at the last mile.

Growing insurance alliance qualifies for platinum tier level in insurance carrier’s signature program.

(St. Louis, Mo., July 24, 2023) Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a cohesive family of more than 160 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois, was recently named a platinum tier member in Previsor Insurance and Missouri Employees Mutual signature partner program. Criteria includes achieving $10 million in written premium business with the two insurance carriers.

Missouri Employees Mutual (MEM) is Missouri’s number-one provider of workers compensation insurance. Combined with Previsor Insurance, MEM helps policyholders with injury-free workplaces by delivering value-added services that save lives and money. Previsor Insurance has workers compensation policies in six states including Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee, and Arkansas.

The platinum level program rewards VIAA members with additional commissions on new business and renewal. An existing independent insurance agency that is not a VIAA member can join the alliance and instantly receive this revenue increase.

“Our alliance members truly benefit from this recent collective upgrade to platinum level status,” said VIAA’s Director of Enterprise Development Bill Kaatman. “We are proud to partner with Missouri Employees Mutual and Previsor Insurance because everyone in our alliance reaps the gains of our partnership.”

Founded in 2006, Valley Insurance Agency Alliance generates more than $600 million in written premium and is the regional founding member SIAA – The Agent Alliance, a $12.5 billion national insurance network. Founded in 1991, sister company Powers Insurance & Risk Management provides personal and business insurance, surety, risk management, and employee benefits. The companies are headquartered at 6825 Clayton Ave. For more information, call (314) 725-1414 or visit www.viaa4u.com.

India, 24th July 2023 – Addverb, a leading global robotics and automation company, headquartered in Noida, continues its unwavering commitment to a greener and more sustainable future. Inspired by the vision of the Hon. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Sh. Yogi Adityanath Ji, Addverb recently organised a tree plantation drive to celebrate “Van Mahotsav” with officials from the Uttar Pradesh government led by Shri Brijesh Singh ji, Honourable State Minister PWD, Minister Incharge for Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

Saplings were planted at Bot-Verse, one of the world’s largest mobile robot manufacturing factories in Greater Noida. Addverb aims to establish Bot-Verse as a landmark in sustainable manufacturing with a green cover of 20,000 sq. m, a micro forest cover of 900 sq. m, that will have more than 100 native species, along with a bio-retention pond with a capacity to harvest 800 kL of rainwater, which will provide a home to many native species of flora and fauna.

On the occasion of the tree plantation drive, Sangeet Kumar, CEO – Addverb, said, “At Addverb, we are in line with the honourable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath’s vision of ‘Clean UP, Green UP’. We firmly believe in our responsibility to protect and nurture local biodiversity. Our goal is to preserve and enhance the natural ecosystem in the areas we are operating. We urge everyone to contribute to preserving the natural heritage for sustainable development in the best way possible”.