All posts by Neel Achary

New Delhi, 23 March 2023: Gnarly Troop, a non-profit organization, has adopted the Bakhari Village (Paigambarpur Panchayat) of Muzaffarpur in Bihar to facilitate major societal transformations among around 1500 villagers in the area. Embarking on its endeavour to help communities tackle tough challenges where people across the country are striving to overcome odds, Gnarly Troop has been creating awareness for value management of time and resources so tomorrow’s leaders can build a better foundation for the future.

Bringing in major transformational changes, post-adoption of the village, Gnarly Troop has established a rural development centre, community hall for farmers, women, and children, library for students, and an open sky campus for Paigambarpur Panchayat meetings and for the higher authority members of the village. At the open sky campus, every Sunday, the Gnarly Troop organises a meeting where the members of the Panchayat and other higher authorities of the village discuss the development of the area and the prospects of future growth. During the meeting, the members of the Panchayat and representatives from Gnarly Troop also addressed issues like banking services, government forms, etc., and provided solutions to the residents of the village.

The Bakhari Village of Muzaffarpur in Bihar has around 586 voters who are over 18 years of age and over 900 children; with the male-female ratio being 1:1.2. The major occupational income of the villagers is through wages, and the number of students enrolled in an educational institutions is 134. Around 60 per cent of men and women depend on the hiring for work in and at agriculture land. With the help of the Gnarly Troop, employment in private jobs has increased by 17 per cent.

“There is an imperative need to confront the global learning crisis and help less privileged children gain the basic skills they need and deserve – no matter where they are. And following Gnarly Troop’s mission to boost education, economic mobility and health – the building blocks for a good life and a strong community, we’re ensuring every child gets a strong start in life, teenagers have the tools to learn and grow, and young adults thrive in the job market,” noted Founder of Gnarly Troop Amarjeet Kr Thakur.

Stating that, going forward, the Gnarly Troop will be adopting at least one village each year in various parts of the country, Mr Thakur said, “At the Gnarly Troop Village, you will find climate change is happening now, people are able to know the importance of studying, they participate in skill development training at Gnarly Troop Rural Area Development Centre to change the motion from poverty to health, to education, our community development programs offer the opportunity to dramatically improve the quality of life of less privileged children and people. We welcome many eminent personalities and intellectuals here in Gnarly Troop Village as role models to share their stories of struggles, success and how they stay physically and mentally fit.”

Through programmes for sustainable development with educational and technical support in and at Gnarly Troop Academy, along with the foremost priority to set up a health and wellness centre for nutrition support and health services. At the Bakhari Village, the Gnarly Troop will also be supporting the implementation of a parenting skills programme to enhance their knowledge of child development and encourage discipline in children.

Mumbai, March 23, 2023 – CollegeDekho, India’s largest higher education services ecosystem, has appointed Parag Gupta as Chief Financial Officer. Parag comes with over two decades of rich and diverse experience across all aspects of finance and will be leading the finance department of the company and will provide strategic advice to the CEO and the company board.

Parag Gupta is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has over two decades of experience working in the internet, e-commerce, fintech, banking and telecom industries. Before CollegeDekho, he served as a CFO in various organizations including Housr, PayPal, Nimbuzz, AT&T, Spectra, etc. In his various roles, he was instrumental in advising the board and the senior management in making prudent financial decisions which helped the companies in achieving their financial/investment targets besides ensuring financial health, cashflows and growth for the companies.

Commenting on the appointment of Parag Gupta as CFO, Ruchir Arora, Co-Founder and CEO of CollegeDekho said “We are thrilled to have Parag on board. He has a diverse array of experience in management and leading finance departments across several different businesses. CollegeDekho will benefit from Parag’s deep acumen in business planning and financial management as we move through our next level of growth.”

Commenting on his new role as a CFO, Parag Gupta said, “I am excited to join CollegeDekho in its mission to transform the higher education system in India. As the company embarks on an ambitious future, I look forward to working with Ruchir, Saurabh and Rohit as well as the rest of the leadership in driving strong growth for the company and building CollegeDekho as the leading player in the higher education space in India.”

Parag’s appointment comes at a time when CollegeDekho has led existing investors to double down on their investment by pumping USD 9 million into the company.

New Delhi, March 23rd, 2023: IDP Education, a global leader in international education services, is proud to announce the inauguration of its new offices in Delhi, Khanna (Punjab), and Hoshiarpur (Punjab), taking its India presence to 73 offices spanning 63 cities. It also expanded its offices in Guwahati, Jammu, Trissur, and Calicut. With this, IDP leads the path of the maximum number of physical presence across India in the international education industry.

These offices will be staffed by highly qualified and experienced education professionals who will work closely with students to understand their unique requirements and guide them toward their desired overseas educational outcomes.

“We are delighted to expand our operations in India to cater to the growing demand for international education in the country. This expansion reflects our ongoing commitment to providing study-abroad aspirants with access to world-class overseas educational counselling, and we are confident that our services will prove to be a valuable resource for students in these regions.”, said Piyush Kumar, Regional Director – South Asia and Mauritius, IDP Education.

IDP Education guides students at every level of their international education journey, from selecting the right course and institutions to submitting applications and undertaking visa formalities. Beyond this, IDP also helps facilitate education loans, accommodation, health insurance, money transfer facilities, and more.

Its expansion in India is part of the company’s wider global growth strategy, which aims to strengthen its position as a leading provider of international education services worldwide. With a comprehensive range of services and a network of offices and centers across India, IDP Education is well-placed to continue supporting students in India in achieving their educational goals.

Mumbai, 23rd March 2023: Cosmo Foundation, the community outreach initiative of Cosmo First Limited, today celebrated World Water Day by re-emphasizing water conservation and access to clean water through various initiatives. With over 15000 beneficiaries, the Foundation has invested approximately 1.12 CR in its efforts to provide clean and accessible water to communities in four different states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi. These initiatives have impacted the lives of over 100,000 community members, providing them with access to safe drinking water and improving their overall quality of life. By prioritizing sustainable water management practices and investing in these critical resources, Cosmo Foundation is playing a vital role in creating a better future for communities across India.

In a bid to save water during monsoons, Cosmo Foundation has implemented rainwater harvesting across Maharashtra and Gujarat in 11 government schools, which is expected to save 68,72,000 litres of water. Cosmo has also installed underground water tanks across 6 villages in Maharashtra. Additionally, the company has motivated 44 farmers to adopt drip irrigation, covering 44 acres of land and saving significant amounts of water. The cleaning of pond water and implementation of STP systems in Kagzipura (Khuldabad, Aurangabad) have also been successful in keeping the water clean and have improved the lives of 1800 villagers. In water-scarce areas like Aurangabad, Cosmo Foundation has installed six water tanks in rural schools. The company has also installed water purifiers and coolers in three schools in Delhi and Himachal Pradesh, to provide access to clean drinking water.

Talking about the initiative, Yamini Jaipuria, Managing Trustee, Cosmo Foundation said, “Our focus is on conservation of water and creating access to water and drinking water. We believe that it is our responsibility to contribute towards a sustainable future for generations to come. Water conservation and access to clean water are critical for the well-being of communities, and we are committed to making a positive impact through our initiatives.”

Cosmo Foundation has invested significantly in rainwater harvesting at its plants, as part of its commitment to sustainable water management. With these initiatives, the company hopes to create a sustainable future and contribute towards a better world.

New Delhi, 23rd March 2023: Promoting Konica Minolta’s 150-year legacy, Konica Minolta India, a leading name in providing digital printing solutions & services, recently flagged off its first mobile roadshow platform titled “Print Xpress – Innovations in Print” in the presence of Managing Director, Mr. Katsuhisa Asari, Mr. Kuldeep Malhotra, Dy. Managing Director & all the senior leadership members. The one-of-a-kind roadshow showcased Konica Minolta’s Production Printer AccurioPrint C4065 High Chroma Engine – AccurioPress C73hc and finished Print Application Zone to educate the customers about new business opportunities in the digital print business. The core objective to launch this innovative platform is to connect with new customers and showcase new business possibilities to the existing players and also to new entrants in the digital production printing space.

As part of the Print Xpress, the four coaches carrying the digital presses set out to travel in all four directions while demonstrating their usage to potential and existing customers. The roadshow started from Greater Noida and is aimed to cover the nation’s T2, T3, and T4 towns like Meerut- Gorakhpur, Samastipur- Tezpur, Ranipet- Karwar and Kavali & many more, focusing on the customers and unmet locations.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mr. Katsuhisa Asari, Managing Director of Konica Minolta Business Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., said, “We are excited to launch Print Xpress, our latest initiative to expand our reach and introduce our advanced printing technologies to the customers. We look forward to meet the new customers we will make via this nationwide show. We are proud to pioneer innovative solutions and services in India’s printing, imaging, and document management industries. We are committed to helping our customers to achieve more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable workflows. We will continue to strive for excellence in everything we do.”

Konica Minolta in India is committed to contributing towards the nation’s growth and India is one of the top 5 nations in producing a maximum number of unicorn companies we see a lot of demand potential from tier 2, 3, and 4 towns.

“Print Xpress is the first initiative in the digital production printing domain wherein modified coaches are used to exhibit our solutions to a wide array of potential customers, including Jobbers, photo lab owners, print businesses, and creative agencies, residing in different cities and towns. As an industry leader, we hold more than 50% market share and offer the most comprehensive product portfolio from pre-press to post-press.

‘A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way’ Print Xpress is the perfect example to showcase our commitment towards reaching and educating new potential customers and existing businesses to start and grow. In the last 12 years, we as a leading brand grew multi folds said, Mr. Kuldeep Malhotra, Dy. Managing Director, Sales & OP Marketing Division, Konica Minolta Business Solutions India Pvt. Ltd.

Over the years, the Indian government has introduced many initiatives to strengthen the nation’s economy. The Indian government has been effective in developing policies and programs that are not only beneficial for citizens to improve their financial stability but also for the overall growth of the economy. Over recent decades, India’s rapid economic growth has led to a substantial increase in its demand for exports.

Besides this, a number of the government’s flagship programs, including Make in India, Start-up India, Digital India, the Smart City Mission, and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, are aimed at creating immense opportunities in India, Print Xpress is an initiative in the same space where Konica Minolta is providing the platform to understand new business opportunities in digital production printing domain.

Hyderabad, March 23, 2023: It is encouraging to note that the Government is looking at incentivizing domestic cloud companies to scale their operations as it is in line with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat policy. The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Rajeev Chandrashekar in a Twitter Spaces interaction a few days ago said that the Government is planning an incentive scheme to help domestic cloud technology companies and startups tackle the domination of Microsoft, Amazon, and Google in this space.

According to Sridhar Seshadri, CEO & Co-Founder, Spotflock Technologies Private Limited, “The Minister’s announcement is encouraging for the domestic cloud industry, as it will not only be cost-effective but the cost of hosting will reduce for the Indian companies. This will lead to further adoption of this service by a large set of Indian companies.’’

India’s overall public cloud services market is projected to hit US $13 billion by 2026, expanding at a CAGR of 23.1 percent in 2021-26, according to research firm IDC. The market’s revenue totaled US $ 2.8 billion for the first half of 2022.

Seshadri added, “Our experience has shown that a large number of smaller companies are keen to move on to the Cloud as they find it more convenient and there are economies of scale that they can leverage as they compete with global companies. It is not only the private sector that will benefit from Cloud adoption but Public Sector Undertakings will also reap the benefits.’’

The Indian start-up ecosystem is growing at a fast pace and there is a demand for Cloud adoption, but rising costs impact the demand for the services.

The Cloud industry in India is resilient and it has shown a growth of over 23 percent, which is amongst the highest in the world. This has encouraged many Indian companies to offer Cloud services. In fact, there are many such firms offering services to various state governments in India.

Seshadri concluded, “We have observed a lot of interest amongst Indian companies especially, those in the growth stage and those that are keen to maintain cost advantages in terms of services and they are open to Cloud services as they see value in the whole proposition. This move will lower the costs and grow the Indian IT industry.’’

Surat, March 23, 2023: Anupam Rasayan India Ltd. (NSE, BSE: ANURAS), one of India’s leading custom synthesis & specialty chemical players, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Gujarat for setting up new plants with an investment of Rs. 670 crores. These plants will be set up in Jhaghadia and Sachin in Gujarat. The company aims to commission the plants before 2025.

The large part of the plants will focus on manufacturing Fluorochemicals which will service the demands of existing and potential clients catering to Agrochemical, Polymers, and Pharma sectors in Japan, Europe, and America.

Speaking on the occasion, Anand Desai, Managing Director of Anupam Rasayan, said, “We are pleased to announce the MoU we have signed with the Gujarat Government for setting up three new plants in Surat and Bharuch. The investment of Rs. 670 crores is in line with the strategic move to expand our operations and strengthen our manufacturing capabilities.

The new units will bolster our growth prospects and allow us to diversify our product offering. We will introduce niche Fluoro derivatives on an exclusive basis for the relevant customer”

India, March 23, 2023: SNICKERS®, the nougat, caramel and nuts-filled chocolate bar from Mars Wrigley, globally known to animate its brand proposition of ‘You’re Not You When You’re Hungry’ through a range of iconic films is back with two new quirky films, introducing two new characters – Alexander and Einstein. The latest digital and TVC films capture the daily struggles of Gen Zs and Millennials. These struggles further turn up in dramatic and exaggerated reactions, especially when hunger strikes. The new brand films bring to life two relatable and popular characters to present a humorous take on the sudden onset of ‘Hunger Pangs’.

Talking about the launch of the new SNICKERS® films, Varun Kandhari, Director of Marketing, Mars Wrigley,India said, “The brand proposition of SNICKERS®, ‘You’re not you when you’re hungry’, has become iconic and is loved by consumers across the world. The campaign has a simple message that while stress and hunger can get to the best of us, one can always grab a SNICKERS®. The films are also relatable for younger generations dealing with highly stressful situations such as exams and have an universal appeal. At Mars Wrigley India, we are led by our purpose of creating a billion better moments for consumers and communities, and we are confident that the audience will love the new TVC as we celebrate the joy associated with SNICKERS®.”

The film with Einstein opens with two friends deeply involved in pre-exam night preparation, showcasing how one of
them transforms into the iconic character Einstein in a dramatic way. The character is hungry and stressed and starts believing that scores are inconsequential. To bring her back to her senses, her friend offers her a SNICKERS® and gets her to focus back on studying. The second film with Alexander, highlights the pre-exam anxiety and stress,
showcasing how one of the friends is all set to wage a war. Seeing his friend transform into a character like Alexander, his friend offers him a SNICKERS® and rushes him to the examination hall.

On the campaign, Akashneel Dasgupta, Chief Creative Officer, Network Advertising, said, “You are not you when you
are hungry’ is such an enduring, versatile idea for SNICKERS®. It’s an idea that keeps giving campaign after campaign.

We are happy to be a part of this one which makes small hunger relevant in the lives of young people and students.”
Additionally, the SNICKERS® consumer packs especially curated for exam fever are available at the nearest stores and have a promo code that offers 100% assured UPI cashback on INR 20, INR 35, and INR 50 SNICKERS® variants. The films are available in nine languages including Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telegu, Bengali, Oriya, Gujrati, and Marathi on both TV and digital platforms. Below are the links to the Hindi version of the TVCs.

•  Snickers l Alexander Hindi 20s
•  Snickers Einstein 20s Hindi Campaign Details/ Agency credits:
•  Agency: Network Advertising
•  Creative: Akashneel Dasgupta (Chief Creative Officer), Ishrath (ECD), Rajan (ECD)
•  Account Management: D B Murli (COO), Shilpa Kamath (Sr. V.P.), Chirag (Group Account Manager)
•  Production House: Karman Line Films
•  Producer: Viveck Daas Chaudhary
•  Director: Reema Das Chaudhary

Mumbai, March 23, 2023: The Fintech Meetup’s fifth edition of Fintech Yatra 2023 has so far interacted with over 250 Fintech start-ups across Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad. The city sessions focused on deal identification for the Yatra team while offering valuable feedback, mentoring sessions, etc. to founders through Yatra’s network of senior bankers, angel investors, and venture capitalists.

14 start-ups have been identified given their innovative approach and path-breaking business models and shall now be invited to Yatra’s upcoming cohort. The Fintech Yatra, currently happening in Delhi and expected to conclude in May, will add another 5-8 names to the list. As next steps, the cohort will be closely introduced to Yatra’s network of financial institutions and mentors to improve the product and reduce go-to-market timelines. Subsequently, lead up to a ‘demo day’ with 20+ investors.

Here are some key highlights from the Yatra:

•  65 Fintech Conversations came from Mumbai.
•  Bangalore saw a 25% rise in fintech startup growth.
•  50% are senior financial professionals; 15% are returning home to harness India’s growth potential.
•  5% were founded by women or had a woman co-founder.

Abhishant Pant, Founder, The Fintech Meetup, and General Partner, YAN Angel Fund, said, “We are thrilled to see the overwhelming response to The Fintech Yatra this year. In light of the recent challenges faced by the fintech industry with regard to downturn in funding, turnout of founders for Fintech Yatra conversations is a testament to the resilience and creativity of entrepreneurs in this space, and we are confident that the partnerships and innovation opportunities forged at The Fintech Yatra will help founders accelerate their journey.”

“Another trend we have observed is that quite a lot of senior bankers and financial services professionals are starting up after spending over 15 years in financial services,” Pant added. “Interacting with 50+ fintech entrepreneurs in Bangalore was quite a refreshing experience. It was exciting to listen to founders try to solve the problems and fill the white spaces in the financial services industry with a fresh approach. The Fintech Yatra has been an excellent platform for bankers like me to share our experience and knowledge and, simultaneously, learn from founders on their resilience in starting up and aiming to build sustainable organizations by solving genuine problems,” says Ashish Singhal, Former MD & CEO, SVC Bank & Former MD, Experian CIC. “Fintech as a segment continues to have great potential and remains our core focus area for backing founders. Associating with Fintech Yatra has been a great experience, as founders are thoroughly guided with idea validation, market access, and feedback around venture capital,” says Vidya Sagar, Managing Partner, July Ventures.

The Fintech Yatra, which previously invested in 16 startups including unicorn OneCard and unicorn M2P fintech, has gathered unprecedented momentum in 2023 with a host of major VCs, such as DMI Sparkle Fund, BEENEXT, Omidyar Network India – Impact Investor, Pentathlon Ventures, IIFL Fintech Fund, July Ventures, Disruptors Capital, Piper Serica, Eximus Ventures, Inflexor Ventures, and Ideaspring Capital, among others, coming on board for active conversations
during the event.

By Chef Tarun Sibal

Amaranth and Peas Vada, White pea salad
Ingredients
1 cup Amaranth seeds
2 cups water
1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1 large potato, boiled *
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup coriander leaves
2 green chillies, or as per the preference of heat
2 tbsp ghee, or any oil that has a high smoking point
1 Cup boiled white peas
1 tbsp melted butter
½ cup kachumber ( onions, tomatoes, chillies, with chat masala and lemon) Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and add the amaranth and peas. Salt the stock if it is not already seasoned. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed.

In a food processor, roughly pulse the coriander leaves, walnuts and green chillies. You don’t want to make a paste. Just hand-chop them if you so choose. Mix it with the amaranth, peas and potatoes. Add salt, pepper and cumin seeds. Roll into equal size balls and slightly flatten them.

Heat the ghee until it’s very hot and add the fritter to the pan. Let it sizzle and crisp up on one side and then flip them over. They take about a minute on each side. Mix the warm white peas with kachumber, add the butter.
Serve together