All posts by Neel Achary

Mumbai,3rd March 2023 –: Honda Cars India Ltd, a leading manufacturer of premium cars in India today launched the New City (Petrol) and New City e:HEV in the Indian market with sporty exterior styling, elegant interior enhancements and introduction of new features for advanced safety, connectivity and convenience. Both the models are BS-6 RDE compliant on E5 fuel and E20 material compatible.

Commenting on the launch of the New Honda City, Mr Takuya Tsumura, President & CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd. said “Honda City has been our strongest pillar of business, defining the mid-size sedan segment in India and has achieved immense success during its 25-year glorious legacy. With India as the lead market for the model, we are excited to introduce the New City with sportier new look and enhanced new features for advanced safety, connectivity and convenience. We are confident that our esteemed customers who are increasingly prioritising Safety and Eco-friendliness in their vehicle choice will appreciate the New City. The expansion of Honda Sensing application in New City Petrol line-up and new grade introduction for City e:HEV is aligned with Honda’s global vision to promote safety, environment friendly and fuel-efficient vehicles that meet the changing needs and preferences of today’s consumers.”

The new City gets sporty and stylish new looks with a New Sporty Front Grille with Diamond chequered flag pattern, newly designed Front Bumper with Carbon wrapped Lower Molding, Sporty Fog Lamp Garnish, New Rear Bumper with Sporty Carbon-Wrapped Diffuser, Body coloured Sporty Trunk Lip Spoiler and newly designed R16 Dual-Tone Diamond-Cut Multi-Spoke Alloy Wheels. A brand-new addition to the New City’s fascinating and distinctive colour palette is the Obsidian Blue Pearl colour.

In line with Honda’s Global Safety Vision to strive for Zero Collision Fatalities involving Honda vehicles by 2050, the New City (Petrol) now comes with Honda Sensing – an advanced driver assist safety technology that alerts the driver to minimize risk of accidents and in some cases intervene to mitigate a collision or lessen its severity. The City e:HEV which already comes with Honda Sensing, will have additional feature of “Low-Speed Follow” in Adaptive Cruise Control function that helps to maintain safe distance from the preceding vehicle while driving at low speeds/ stop and go traffic. Another new feature ‘Lead Car Departure Notification System’ has been added in Honda Sensing suite of safety features in both City (petrol) and City e:HEV that informs the driver with visual and audible alerts when the preceding vehicle starts moving in situations like Traffic Lights junctions.

The Honda Sensing uses a high-performance front camera with a wide-angle, far-reaching detection system to scan the road ahead and alert the driver to minimize risk of accidents and offer a safer driving experience. Honda Sensing signature safety features include:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow* (*New Introduction in City e:HEV)
• Road Departure Mitigation System
• Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)
• Lead Car Departure Notification System (New)
• Auto High-Beam

The interior of the New City packs a plush, premium and spacious cabin with Two-Tone Beige & Black Interiors in Petrol variants and Luxurious Two-Tone Ivory & Black Interior Colour Theme in City e:HEV. Introduction of new advanced connectivity features like Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Improved Infotainment System with new background & colours, Remote control operation via Smart Phone Application, Improved Rear Camera, Wireless Charger, Rain Sensing Auto Wiper add to the appeal and convenience for the customers. Feeling of luxury in the cabin at night has been further enhanced with Ambient Lighting introduced in Front Door Inner Handle and Front Door pockets. The brightness can be adjusted through the meter illumination control switch or turned off upon users’ requirements. The City e:HEV gets a new Carbon Fibre pattern Instrument Panel Assistant side Garnish Finish, Piano Black Surround Finish on All AC Vents and Piano Black Garnish on Steering Wheel.

The company has expanded the City e:HEV range with a new ‘V’ grade in addition to the existing top grade ‘ZX’ to provide customers with more choice and experience of this advanced self-charging strong hybrid electric technology. The New City (Petrol) will also have a new entry ‘SV’ grade for wider set of customers looking to upgrade to the City brand.

The New City (Petrol) comes with 1.5L i-VTEC DOHC engine with Variable Timing Control (VTC) to deliver high fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and spirited driving performance. This high-performance engine delivers 89 kw (121PS) @6600 rpm power and 145 Nm@4300 rpm torque, with quicker torque increase at lower engine speed. It has been mated to a 6-speed Manual Transmission and 7- speed CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) offering impressive fuel efficiency of 17.8 kmpl and 18.4 kmpl respectively*.

The New City e:HEV features Honda’s unique self-charging and highly efficient Two motor e-CVT hybrid system connected to a smooth 1.5-litre Atkinson-Cycle DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine, Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) with advanced Lithium-ion Battery and an Engine linked direct coupling Clutch. The e:HEV electric-hybrid system uses three driving modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive, along with Regeneration mode during deceleration. A clever Power Control Unit ensures harmony between the various system components to provide an energetic response, seamlessly and automatically switching between three modes based on various driving situations.

The City e:HEV harnesses any electrical energy through braking and self-charges the Lithium Ion battery pack with no need to manually charge the battery. The Deceleration Selector lets the driver change the deceleration to 3 levels without stepping on brake pedal while still maintaining good vehicle control and fuel efficiency. This strong hybrid electric system produces System Combined Max Power of 126 PS, Outstanding Fuel Efficiency of 27.13 km/l and Maximum motor torque of 253 Nm @ 0 – 3,000 rpm*. With the Electric Servo Brake, Electric Regenerative Braking in New City e:HEV combines with Hydraulic Braking to bring the vehicle to a quick stop, while self-charging the Lithium-Ion battery pack.

The New City features host of advanced equipment including 20.3 cm Advanced Touchscreen Display Audio which connects with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Web Link smart connectivity, 8 speakers premium surround sound system, One- Touch Electric Sunroof, Ambient Lighting and LED Interior Lamps, Steering Mounted Paddle Shifters for CVT. A 17.7cm HD full color TFT meter with Multi-function driver information interface offer Honda Sensing support, various other alerts/ warnings, G-meter, Digital Speed, Cruise Control display and Power flow meters (in case of e:HEV). An easy to operate Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold that engages parking brake with a single switch, has been adopted for the City e:HEV which eliminates the need for a brake lever and also lets the center console to be utilized more effectively for placing small items pocket tissue, smartphone or a small tablet in the Utility Tray.

The New City Petrol and New City e:HEV comes fully equipped with host of safety technologies, active and passive safety features like Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System) at low speed EV Mode (in City e:HEV), 6 Airbags, Honda Lane-Watch, Multi-angle Rear view Camera, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System with Deflation Warning, Vehicle Stability Assist with Agile Handling Assist, Hill Start Assist, ISOFIX compatible Rear Side Seats with Lower Anchorage & Top Tether, Immobilizer with anti-theft alarm and many more.

The New City comes equipped with 37 Honda Connect features and comes with a 5-year free subscription. In order to enhance the Connected car experience, Honda Connect works with smartwatch devices, Alexa remote capability and OK Google. With smartwatch connectivity, the car can be remotely controlled for enhanced convenience and user can always stay up-to-date with important notifications.

The New City (Petrol) comes in four grades SV, V, VX, and ZX with a choice in Manual or CVT transmission in V, VX, and ZX. The New City e:HEV comes in V and ZX grade.

The New City will be available with a choice of 6 colour options – Obsidian Blue Pearl (New), Radiant Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Golden Brown Metallic.

The New City and e:HEV will offer complete peace of mind with 3-year Unlimited kilometers warranty as standard benefit to the customer. Customers can also opt for Extended Warranty up to 5 years and Anytime Warranty up to 10 years from the date of car purchase. The warranty available on Lithium-ion Battery will be 8-year or 160,000 Km (whichever comes first) from the date of car purchase.

Ex-showroom prices (New Delhi) of New City Petrol are:

Ex showroom prices (New Delhi) of New City e:HEV are:

*Power, Torque, Fuel Economy as per certified test data on E5 fuel

Vidushi Vijayvergiya, founder ISAK Fragrances

Vidushi Vijayvergiya launched Isak Fragrances in 2018 as an extension of her 160 year old family owned perfumery. Vidhushi’s unconscious exploration in the fragrance industry set her on a voyage to Switzerland and France to research and study more about the customisation of perfumes, this made her understand the real potential of Indian perfumery. In 2017, she joined her family’s craft of perfumery while taking it a step further. She then advanced with ISAK in 2018, a perfumery house of exceptional and enticing scents. Vidhushi Vijayverga’s dream was to bring back the sophistication of royals and imperial status connected to perfumes in India. Driven by a clear vision to consolidate ISAK into an everyday luxury brand, Vidushi’s plans include bridging the gaps in the Indian Perfume industry and talk more about our roots, heritage and the charm in Indian perfumery.

“I was often told that you can only take off one thing, either business or family. I am proud to say that the two can be taken care of together. In Fact, my kids are not only proud of me but are more independent, supportive and believe that family roles & responsibilities are not divided based on gender but are shared based on love & understanding.” adds Vidushi

Harshita Rai, Founder The Skin Diet Company

In 2018, Harshita Rai moved to New York for her masters. As glamorous as it sounds, the stress of managing everything took a toll on Harshita and this is when she realized that she needed to bring about some positive changes in her lifestyle. In her search she discovered the concept of ‘mindful eating’ and good foods to fuel the body from within. This was Harshita’s gateway into the world of ‘Superfoods’. Starting with Matcha, as superfoods became a part of her routine, she started to see the benefits of their high nutritional density and anti-oxidizing qualities. Harshita was convinced that whatever is good to put ‘in’ the body, is definitely good to put ‘on’ it. This led to the insight of formulating skincare products that utilize the complete potential of superfoods and birthed ‘The Skin Diet Company, in 2022.

“I embarked on a journey full of question marks with just an idea in my head, when I began hiring one thing my team banked on was the belief & passion I had towards my brand concept & an attitude to do best in whatever we do, with time I had answers in unbelievable ways by just trusting my path. I believe in today’s day & age there are a lot of opportunities for women. You just have to be vocal about your dreams no matter how unrealistic it might sound.” says Harshita

Mumbai: 3rd March 2023 -Building on its nearly century-old legacy of producing iconic automobiles, MG Motor India today announced the name of its upcoming Smart EV as ‘Comet’. The name derives inspiration from the iconic 1934 British airplane which participated in the England-Australia MacRobertson Air Race.

The ‘Comet’ is here at a time when driving in congested urban cities is becoming a stressful chore that calls for an urgent need for agile and futuristic solutions amidst skyrocketing fuel costs, sparse parking spaces, and increasing pollution. Electric vehicles can help reduce environmental impact, save costs, and offer convenience as well as comfort. The ‘Comet’ goes a step further to achieve this goal by providing seamless mobility, which is connected, automatic, electric and shared.

According to Mr. Rajeev Chaba, President and Managing Director, MG Motor India, “Urban mobility is at a point of inflexion where New Age solutions are needed to address both the current as well the forthcoming challenges. As we move further into the digital age, we will witness an exceedingly large number of innovations that could range from futuristic technologies to unique designs to clean mobility and many others. We at MG, through ‘Comet’, intend to take the needed decisive steps and a ‘leap of faith’ in the direction of creating solutions for a better future for each one of us.”

MG Motor India’s current portfolio includes vehicles such as the Hector which was named after a World War II fighter British biplane built in the late 1930s. Similarly, the Gloster is named after a prototype jet-engine aircraft that was made in Britain and first flown in 1941.

Hyderabad, March 03, 2023….An interactive meeting on “Exploring Business Opportunities with Iran” was held on Thursday at FTCCI in Red Hills in the city.

It was organised by FTCCI (The Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry) in association with the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran-Hyderabad.

Addressing 200 plus audience His Excellency H.E. Dr. Iraj Elahi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India said ‘Hyderabad is a more famous city in Iran than any other Indian city. It is an even more popular city than New Delhi’.

I have been hearing a lot about Hyderabad since my childhood, he said.

India is the rising economy in the world. Iran can be a good companion to India in its journey. We can complement each other.

Many nations, including India, have gone through sanctions at some stage or the other. We must learn to live and lead under sanctions, said the ambassador.

The envoy also assured that the Iranian business delegation will visit Hyderabad in a few months.

He asked many businessmen, and exporters, in the hall to look at Iran as a good and potential market for Indian products. We have an 80 million population, together with our neighbouring nations we are 20 million and a big market which can be tapped.

H.E. Mahdi Shahrokhi, Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hyderabad said that it was the maiden visit of the Ambassador to Hyderabad city. I have been living in Hyderabad for the past 22 months. We feel at home in Hyderabad.

Speaking further the Consul General said, the Cost of stay, study, and tuition fee is cheaper in Iran than in India. Look at Iran for studying abroad. Nearly 20,000 Indians are studying in Iran he told the gathering.

Giving his welcome remarks Mr Anil Agarwal, President of FTCCI said India, Iran and Telangana are natural allies. We entered many MoUs with Iran. We are planning a business delegation to Iran soon and similarly an Iranian business delegation to India. The diplomatic relations between the two nations are about 70 years old.

AVPS Chakravarthi, Chairman of the International Relations Trade Committee, delivering introductory remarks, said we eat Hyderabadi Biryani and drink Irani Chai, which is our connection between the two nations.

Speaking further AVPS Chakravarthy added we are an agrarian society and the state being the Rice Bowl of India, both nations can have a lot of scope for cooperation. India is the capital of Medical Tourism.

Mr. Meela Jayadev, Mr. Suresh Kumar Singhal, Vice President;; Ms. Khyati Narawane, CEO of FTCCI also participated. Mr. Meela Jayadev proposed a Vote of Thanks.

By Ms. Damayanti Bhattacharya, the CEO of Maker Bhavan Foundation.

“The global maker movement has recently made inroads into India. While higher education, specifically science and engineering education, is slowly but steadily becoming modernised, some challenges remain the same. Girls and women have traditionally been underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) field. While the participation rates are better today than they were a decade ago, the fact remains we need more women in STEM and broader participation of women and gender diversity in learning-by-doing and hands-on ‘Maker’ activities. In other words, we need more ‘MakeHers’, as Intel has creatively coined. Make in India will remain a pipe dream without the millions of Makers and MakeHers at the leading edge of creative technological innovation. Our work at the Maker Bhavan Foundation is to fuel and make this dream a reality. Change happens not by our words or opinions but by our actions. My work as the Foundation’s CEO is to set a living example of the change I wish to see among young girls and women changemakers of the future. They will do an even bigger and better job than anything that my generation has achieved.”

New Delhi, March 2, 2023: One of the fastest-growing players in the smart watch manufacturing segment in the country, Maxima, continues to revitalize wearable technologies with the launch of its advanced and stylish smart watches – Max Pro Sky. The new addition to Maxima’s wide range of smart watches are designed with unique features like screen lock with password and options to create personalized QR codes. Max Pro Sky smart watches are now available in the market and can be purchased through omnichannel platforms at an attractive price range of Rs 1799.

“The very creative and professional team at Maxima has always been fervently dedicated towards leveraging the best-in-the-market technologies to introduce top quality smart watches which are loaded with advanced features. This time we have added personalized QR code, through which consumers can add their business, payment, contacts QR codes directly to the watch and can use them anywhere. I am confident that like our other smart watches, Max Pro Sky will also get immensely popular in the market and will soon re-define the style statement of our customers,” said Manjot Purewal, Managing Partner of Maxima.

Max Pro Sky has 1.85” HD Display with bright colors, 240*280 pixel resolution, always on display feature and has 150+ watch faces. The new smart watches of Maxima come in five exciting colors Midnight Black, Gold Black, Gold Peach, Army Green, Silver Blue. Some of the most outstanding features of the Max Pro Sky include advanced Bluetooth calling chip with high-definition speaker and mic, options to add contacts, recent call logs, dial pads, weather updates, three menu styles, split screen, etc. The technologically-advanced smart watches are also powered by built-in Artificial Intelligence (AI) voice assistance and in-built mic and speaker.

New Delhi: March 02, 2023 – Skyview by Empyrean, an initiative of Empyrean Skyview Projects Pvt. Ltd that seamlessly blends hospitality and adventure in the mountains, is all set to celebrate a very special Women’s Week at its 22-acre property in Sanget Valley – Patnitop, Jammu. From March 6 to 12, all women visitors can avail a 50% discount at the adventure activities offered at this mountain harbour.

Guests can go for a ride on the Skyview Gondola (ropeway), one of the highest CEN-certified gondolas in Asia covering 2.8 km in flat 10 minutes and soak in the captivating and stunning Himalayan Mountain range. Enroute you can enjoy sights of terraced valleys, pine forests, flowers in bloom, lush meadows and panoramic views of the snow-covered mountains at the offer price of just INR 550 + GST.

Apart from this, the guests can also avail a 50% discount on the zig zag zip line — the longest in Asia as well as on mountain biking, the magic carpet and the tubing sledge. One can also opt for curated trekking itineraries, camping or take nature walks with naturalists and trekking specialists to ensure every guided experience is memorable.

For those who want to gift themselves or their loved ones something special from the region can head to the Hands of Gold artisanal boutique at the property that displays traditional and authentic Kashmiri handicrafts and local products.

Skyview by Empyrean houses luxury rooms and suites with restaurants offering guests the best-in-class services. The Banana Leaf restaurant and the Skyview Café on the property offers delectable Indian, Chinese and continental cuisine. Guests visiting the property between March 3 to 26 have a special treat in store during weekends as Chef Anuj Bhagat will serve a special menu comprising a variety of aromatic and spicy Thai food at The Banana Leaf restaurant.

The Skyview by Empyrean Women’s Day package can be availed between March 6-12, 2023 and includes a 50% discount on all adventure activities, complimentary access to the Club House to play Pool/Snooker, Foosball, Air Hockey and board games.

02nd March 2023: Moneycontrol presents the first-ever edition of the India Fintech Conclave (IFC), a brand-new initiative to create dialogues on key issues related to the booming fintech space in the country. The event slated for March 7th in Mumbai, will bring together the who’s who of fintech in India—a Union Minister, RBI, policy-makers, bankers, and top founders—key stakeholders who are reshaping the landscape of a booming sector in the country.

Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar will deliver the inaugural address and RBI’s Executive Director Ajay Kumar Choudary will deliver a special keynote. The packed India Fintech Conclave will also feature prominent speakers such as NPCI CEO Dilip Asbe, ONDC CEO T Koshy, IDFC First MD and CEO V Vaidyanathan, Federal Bank ED Shalini Warrier, Zerodha founder and CEO Nithin Kamath, Razorpay founder, and CEO Harshil Mathur.

There will be insightful panel discussions on pertinent topics such as payments, lending, market regulations as well as digital public infrastructure featuring the founders of unicorns and soonicorns such as Yubi, Open, Kreditbee, and M2P.Through fireside chats and deep-dive panel discussions, Moneycontrol’s editors will probe the biggest trends that are reshaping fintech in India. As the sector braces for global and local economic turbulence coupled with an uncertain regulatory environment, Moneycontrol’s India Fintech Conclave will refocus the popular debate on issues that are critical to sustained and inclusive growth.

Binoy Prabhakar, Executive Editor, Moneycontrol said, “Our inaugural fintech conclave has been conceived with the aim of generating discussions that would help stakeholders harness its potential and position it for transformational growth. We believe the conclave will put the spotlight on the defining trends that will help India’s fintech sector grab opportunities and navigate uncertainties.”

Tune in to the conclave as they discuss, debate, and come up with solutions that will strike a fine balance between fintech innovation and regulation. Follow all updates at https://www.moneycontrol.com/msite/india-fintech-conclave #MCFintechConclave.

The students of Griffins International School conducted a Special Assembly on the topic ‘Wonders of Science’ to celebrate National Science Day.

The theme “Wonders of Science” generates solutions for everyday life and helps us to answer the great mysteries of the universe. In other words, science is one of the most important channels of knowledge.

Science is the application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence. Nowadays each impossible thing has become feasible. Humans can reach the moon. Many medical inventions have made our life very comfortable and secure; electricity is one of the finest inventions of Science.

Inspired by the numerous inventions, Gr. II-C students of Griffins International School have put up the assembly to showcase the Wonders of Science.

Indian mobile payments and financial services company Paytm has collaborated with the MeitY on ‘Stay Safe Online’ Campaign during India’s presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) intergovernmental forum.

G20-Stay Safe Online Campaign (www.mygov.in/staysafeonline) is aimed at creating awareness among citizens about online safety as more and more people are rapidly adopting digital payments. The focus of the Stay Safe Online campaign is to promote cyber hygiene by educating them about online risk & safety measures. This campaign is in line with many such initiatives taken by Paytm and MeitY to sensitise users on online safety amid a greater usage of social media and digital payments.

The Stay Safe Online campaign comes at a time when the country is taking strides towards becoming a trillion-dollar digital economy. India is in the midst of a digital transformation with a proliferation of smartphones, increasing internet penetration and a young population. Technological development in India is advancing exponentially with innovations like artificial intelligence, Internet of things, augmented reality and metaverse evolving and becoming a part of our daily activities, this collaboration will not only support and equip the existing Internet users but will also be beneficial for the rapidly increasing new Internet users in India.

This campaign will be carried out in multiple languages to reach a wider audience. As a champion of digital payments, Paytm’s collaboration with this campaign will help in its better outreach.

The resources under the G20-Stay Safe Online Campaign will cover themes such as tackling Online frauds, reporting harmful content, tips to Stay Safe Online and organizing National level competitions to inculcate cyber hygiene practices among the internet users as part of Campaign & participate at https://www.staysafeonline.in/competitions.

As the pioneer of mobile payments, Paytm has empowered citizens with a wide range of digital payments and financial services, thus driving financial inclusion in the country. Paytm has one of the lowest fraud-to-sales ratios in the industry. With innovative technology-led products and services, the fintech giant has also been actively educating its users about online safety to ensure their cyber safety. In fact, its revolutionary IoT device, Paytm Soundbox has been a boon for visually challenged merchants. Its real-time audio alerts help these merchants keep a track of all payments.

As part of the collaboration, Paytm will share creatives, posters, banners and videos with MeitY’s MyGov Citizen Engagement Platform to amplify dissemination of safe digital payments and conduct awareness programmes on Cyber Safety.

Paytm also offers safe and secure money transfers. With UPI emerging as the most popular mode of mobile payments, Paytm has created blogs on secure UPI transactions while its support section on the website lists out safe ways through which money transfer can be done. The company also launched Paytm Payment Protect, an insurance cover to safeguard UPI payments.

One97 Communication Limited’s associate Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL) has created a separate web page on fraud prevention to ensure safe banking for users apart from blogs and social media campaigns.