Category business

[Pune, 19th February 2024 ] – Vh1 Supersonic begins its 9th edition today, and with a blast! Energies are high and the stage is set for an unforgettable weekend as the gates open to the euphoria that comes from being on-ground at one of the biggest music and lifestyle festivals in India!

It is all about the supersonic vibe as the five distinct stages pulsate with the beats of a stellar line-up and a spectacular curation of experiences specially designed for the SuperFam.

The Yellow Diary, Lothika, UnderCatt, Gaia Meera, and Saachi mesmerize on stage with their unique styles. Along with Denis Horvat delivering a pumping set. Amidst the sonic atmosphere, one particularly memorable moment unfolds as Kamakshi Khanna joined The Yellow Diary on stage, adding an extra layer of magic to their performance of their song Roz Roz. This collaboration is one we’ve all loved and we’ve been looking to witnessLIVE!

A special offering at the BudX Spectrum Stage creates waves as they provide a unique vantage point for attendees to enjoy the techno performances up close and personal – giving them an unforgettable experience.Anyone with a festival pass can now upgrade and get backstage access at the BudX Spectrum Stage only for INR 1499 daily!

The absolute explosion of pop culture, fashion, and trends is what makes Vh1 Supersonic so special. The festival arena boasts of innumerable fun, immersive zones engaging the festival goers.From quirky fashion wear, delectable food, face-painting, cute corners, cocktails, makeover lounges,bike shows, a special Superflea curated by All You Can Street offering the best of fashion and food under one roof. And of course, the unbeatable music. The festival has something for everyone!

Local talents like Aathmikk B2b Aquatek, and Dual Frequency turn up the energy meter at The Boxx Stage, proving once again that the homegrown scene is also where the magic happens.

It’s all about the vibe, after all – successfully setting the tone for what’s to come in the second half of day 1 and the next two days of the festival! If you’re not here, get your tickets now!

New Delhi, February 17, 2024: The “Gen Next” Virtual Design Festival 2024, a collaboration between Collegedunia and AIDAT, has been nothing short of a triumph since its inauguration in January. Three master classes, conducted in partnership with institutions like JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai, Manipal University, Jaipur, and Vedatya Institute, Gurugram, have drawn over 1000 registrations and engaged more than 800 attendees.

Participants participated into sessions led by national-level faculty, delving into crucial skills for excelling in the design realm, such as navigating AI integration in design, exploring fashion career paths, understanding UX, honing product design abilities, and embracing sustainable practices.

“This festival is a perfect example to the growing importance of design education in India,” said Sumit Jha, a participant. “The opportunity to learn from industry experts and engage with fellow enthusiasts is invaluable for aspiring designers.”

“This platform provides a unique space for aspiring designers to showcase their talents and connect with mentors,” added Aakriti Khanna, another participant. “The emphasis on hands-on learning and personalized guidance is truly commendable.”

The festival offers an array of opportunities for participants to enhance their skills and foster creativity:

Master Classes: Immerse yourself in the insights of design luminaries, preparing for the challenges of higher education.

Design Contests: Display your talent on a national stage, pushing the boundaries of creativity.

Career Guidance: Forge connections with design icons for personalized insights shaping your creative journey.

Virtual Workshops: Engage in hands-on learning to refine your craft.

Brainstorm Sessions: Cultivate innovation through unconventional thinking.

Personalized Learning: Tailor your experience with a curated selection of sessions.

Enrollment is open for aspiring designers eager to unlock their potential. Simply follow the steps to secure your front-row seat and participate in monthly contests to showcase your brilliance.

In conjunction with the festival, AIDAT introduces the All India Design Aptitude Test (AIDAT), simplifying the application process for prestigious design programs across renowned universities, ensuring a transformative journey for design aspirants.

Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity, New Delhi, announces the appointment of Mr. Vaibhav Gautam as the Director of Food & Beverages. As the leading luxury destination in the city, Mr. Gautam eagerly anticipates leveraging his extensive hospitality expertise to enhance overall guest satisfaction in this influential role.

Boasting a robust background, Mr. Vaibhav Gautam brings an extensive proficiency from his previous roles as Food & Beverage Manager and Associate Director at prestigious establishments such as Sofitel Mumbai BKC and The Khyber Himalayan Resorts & Spa, Gulmarg. With a career marked by success and notable contributions to renowned establishments, Mr. Vaibhav is well-positioned to lead the culinary experiences at Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity. His proven leadership skills are poised to enhance the overall dining and beverage offerings, aligning seamlessly with the hotel’s unwavering commitment to excellence in hospitality. The appointment of Mr. Vaibhav Gautam reflects Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity’s dedication to providing guests with exceptional services and elevating premium guest satisfaction.

Pride Hotels Group has strategically positioned itself in approximately 56 exceptional locations across India, offering a total of 5,500 rooms, 102 restaurants, 152 banquet facilities, lawns, and conference halls. The group operates and manages a range of hotels under various brands, including “Pride Plaza Hotel,” an Indian Luxury Collection; “Pride Hotel,” conveniently located central business hotels; “Pride Resort,” situated in mesmerizing destinations; mid-market segment hotels known as “Biznotel by Pride”; and a fresh concept of premium luxury serviced apartment stays, “Pride Suites.” These brands have earned acclaim from celebrities, corporate clients, as well as domestic and international tourists.

Pride Hotels Group’s current locations span New Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur, Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa, Jaipur, Indore, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Mussoorie, Puri, Gangtok, Anand, Alkapuri, Manjusar (Vadodara), Sasan Gir, Dwaraka, Ambaji, Rajkot, Bhopal, Haldwani, Ranakpur, Rishikesh, Digha, and Rudraprayag, among others. Upcoming destinations include Daman, Bhavnagar, Surendranagar, Agra, Dwarka, Jabalpur, Gangtok, Bharuch, Nainital, Jim Corbett, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Lucknow, Varanasi, Rajkot, Kanpur, Neemrana, Mysore, Gurugram, Aurangabad, Halol, Yavatmal, Greater Noida, Motera (Ahmedabad), Lonavala, Ambaji, Veraval, Amritsar, and many more.

 17th February 2024: Mortein, one of the world’s leading brands in pest control, has released an ad film under its ongoing campaign, #MorteinKiRakshaJyoti, expressing gratitude to the caregivers of the society. The film encourages people to recognize the selfless work of the community workers, who are working round the clock and extend the “Raksha Jyoti” to them and safeguard them from mosquito-borne diseases.

To stay protected from disease-carrying mosquitoes, every family relies on various pest control solutions, however, the individuals who tirelessly ensure the safety of the entire society are often exposed to diseases such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya. With this campaign film, Mortein emphasizes the importance of taking care of those who care for society, providing them with the shield of Mortein’s protection.

Saurabh Jain, Regional Marketing Director, South Asia – Hygiene, Reckitt said, “For years, Mortein has been a trusted pest control solution across Indian homes and is committed to protect families against mosquito-borne diseases. With the release of our film, we want to draw attention to the health and safety of the community workers, the unsung heroes who work tirelessly to ensure our security. The film’s core message ‘Unki raksha kare jo roz hamari raksha karein’ urges people to protect the protectors with Mortein Liquid Vaporisers, safeguarding them from disease-carrying mosquitoes.”

Conceptualised by Havas Worldwide India, the film beautifully captures the message in a poignant scene, where a mother and her kids demonstrate compassion to the security guard of their housing society by providing him with a Mortein liquid vaporizer for his cabin. The film highlights the selfless dedication of the community workers who are consistently looking out for the world and ensuring our overall safety. The mother then urges her kids to protect the ones who protect the world, hence encapsulating the campaign message – ‘Unki raksha kare jo roz hamari raksha karein’ with Mortein.

Anupama Ramaswamy, Chief Creative Officer, Havas Worldwide India said, “Mortein’s mission against mosquito-borne diseases sparked our inspiration. Having grown up under the protection of diligent security guards, we now recognize the risks they face. Identifying an opportunity for meaningful change through compelling storytelling, our goal is singular: to enhance the lives of community workers under Mortein’s Raksha Jyoti initiative. We envision extending this effort to contribute to a Malaria and Dengue-free India.”

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aVmtjc7314

Creative Agency Credits:

Anupama Ramaswamy, Chief Creative Officer

Tarun Jha, Chief Executive Officer

Anirban Mozumdar, Chief Strategy Officer

Kundan Joshee, Managing Partner

Avinash Chandra, Vice President

Annie Joshi, Associate Account Director

Kokila Srivastava, Copy Supervisor

Anuraag Srivastava, Vice President – Strategy

Aatur Sharma, Films Consultant

Production house: The Film Folks

Director: Pooja Khemani

VIJAYAWADA, India,17th February 2024 —HCLTech, a leading global technology company, will conduct a recruitment drive on February 17 at its campus in Gannavaram, Vijayawada to recruit people for more than 500 positions across technologies.

HCLTech’s recruitment drive presents opportunities for professionals with three or more years of work experience across technologies (including Java Full Stack Developers, Java + AWS Developers, Microsoft .Net Developers, Oracle/PLSQL Developers, SAP: ABAP, Hana, Basis, C/Linux Developers, and SQL/Oracle DBA).

“HCLTech Vijayawada campus was established on Feb 14, 2020, and in just a short span of time, it solidified its position as one of the largest IT services employers in Andhra Pradesh. Our diverse workforce here now serves over 100 global clients with expert skills in the latest and most niche technology advancements. Through the mega recruitment drive, we are excited to welcome stellar minds to the team,” said Shiva Prasad, Associate Vice President, and Center Head of Vijayawada, HCLTech.

Spanning across 30 acres, HCLTech’s Vijayawada campus holds the prestigious Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Platinum certification, reflecting its commitment to sustainability and eco-friendliness. Women represent 43% of the workforce at HCLTech’s Vijayawada campus.

HCLTech has a global footprint across 60 countries and is rated as Top Employer in 26 of these countries. Its Comprehensive portfolio spanning digital, engineering, cloud, AI and software to help clients navigate end to end digital transformation.

Mumbai, 17th February 2024: ManipalCigna Health Insurance has announced the launch of its latest campaign, “Mere Choice ka Health Insurance” (MCHI) to empower young adults in Navigating Adulthood with Financial Security of Health Insurance. As young adults embark on the journey of adulting, they are faced with a myriad of first-time experiences from budgeting and financial planning to experimenting, caregiving for parents, taking self-care and in this journey ManipalCigna is proud to stand alongside them as an expert partner as they take their first step into Health Insurance.

Commenting on the new brand films, Sapna Desai, Chief Marketing Officer at ManipalCigna Health Insurance said, “Health Insurance as a category typically targets families, individuals of a certain age, but there’s also a “New to Health” individuals, stepping into adulthood, who face significant decisions like purchasing health insurance amidst their daily responsibilities. Based on this insight we have launched our latest campaign Mere Choice ka Health Insurance or #MCHI. The campaign #MCHI (Mere Choice ka Health Insurance) as synonymous with ManipalCigna, aims to make ‘Health Insurance’ an intrinsic part of the adulting journey so young adults, who live in the fast lane, are better prepared. Desai further added, “Recent IRDAI data also highlights that Young Adults are much more financially savvy than previous generations and that 70% of young adults actually have financial security as one of their key life goals. Most likely, young adults understand that having a health insurance is a first step to adulting. With this campaign we want to communicate that investing in health insurance early in life is not just cool, but also the smarter thing to do, as it ensures lower premiums and broader coverage options, securing both health and financial stability in every step of the adulting journey.”

Nikhil Shahane, Chief Operating Officer of 21N78E Creative Labs, the agency behind the campaign, added, “In a category that is typically associated with T&Cs and belonging to “the parents” we wanted to find a way to be relevant to the young adults. And one need not look beyond their messages to see that Emojis and Acronyms are an integral part of our lives now. For a financially savvier younger generation, we wanted to make sure that our communication resonated with them in a nuanced and relevant manner. The answer was staring us in our face. And what better way to land everything that ManipalCigna has to offer than by inserting the brand into contextually relevant conversations, in a way that can be appropriated by the customers themselves.”

The campaign Mere Choice ka Health Insurance features protagonist Hrishi and Mishi, a young couple aged between 25-28, who live together and skillfully navigate their journey to adulthood, with the safety and peace of mind provided by ManipalCigna Health Insurance. The four-part films highlight some of the key features that are available with the comprehensive products of ManipalCigna Health Insurance especially for the youth such as Cashless OPD, Global Cover, Preventive Health check-ups, Unlimited tele-consultations, Non-Medical Expenses and their quick and easy claim settlement. For couples planning parenthood, it provides cover for assisted reproductive treatment and newborn expenses such as maternity cover of a Sum Insured of Rs.1 lac and first-year vaccinations. It also highlights ManipalCigna’s expertise in the health insurance industry to provide high-quality healthcare experience to its customers.

The UPS India Technology Centres and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support skill development for India’s diverse talent pool. The MoU was signed in the presence of Shri. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India.

According to the India Skills Report, only 49% of Indian youth meet employability standards, highlighting the critical need for initiatives to close the education-employment gap. India’s goal of becoming a US $5 trillion economy is a collaborative effort that will unlock opportunities for India’s workforce. Industry ready technology skills can help meet this goal by preparing India’s youth for local and global opportunities.

The UPS India Technology Centres and NSDC will provide skilling programs and initiatives focused on technology, logistics, and supply chain management, including:

Community bootcamps, workshops, career counselling, technical training, management and soft skills training, aimed to prepare India’s next generation workforce.
Continue to work with similar youth initiatives such as the Tamil Nadu government’s skill development program – ‘Naan Mudhalvan’.

“UPS is excited to support the government’s aim to skill our youth with speed and high standards to achieve its vision of a ‘Skilled India’. We are grateful for the support from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the NSDC. Through our partnership with the NSDC, UPS and the UPS India Technology Centres are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable world that empowers local talent from diverse background and shine a spotlight on the vast potential of India’s talent pool.” said Dr. Subramani Ramakrishnan, Vice President, UPS India Technology Centre.

Waimea, the American denim brand synonymous with urban street style, proudly announces the launch of its latest SS’24 collection. Tailored for the daring and adventurous, this collection showcases a fusion of bold aesthetics and over-the-top jeans.

Inspired by the pulsating energy of the streets, the collection captures the essence of individuality and self-expression. Designed to resonate with sneakerheads and rap-music artists, this line speaks volumes to those who thrive on pushing boundaries and making a statement through their attire.

At the heart of Waimea’s philosophy lies a commitment to crafting denim apparel that not only exudes style but also embodies resilience and strength. Each piece in this collection is designed to withstand the demands of an urban lifestyle while reflecting the wearer’s unique personality and attitude.

“We are thrilled to introduce our latest collection, where we are transforming from the classic skinny jeans to stacked jeans which embody the new bootleg fit for this generation,” saidMahesh Khemlani, Creative Director at Waimea. “With this collection, we aim to empower individuals to embrace their true selves and embrace their unique sense of style without hesitation.”

Drawing inspiration from iconic denim brands, Waimea’s collection seamlessly blends elements of street culture with a touch of luxury, creating a truly distinctive aesthetic that resonates with today’s fashion-forward generation.

From statement denim jackets adorned with bold graphics to distressed jeans that exude effortless coolness, each piece in Waimea’s collection is a testament to the brand’s dedication to innovation and authenticity.

IDBI Bank has introduced its latest offering of “Special Limited Period Callable FD Offer of 300 Days” with peak rates of 7.55% p.a. This initiative is introduced under the Utsav FD scheme, and caters to customers seeking attractive rates in shorter tenures. Besides this, the existing Utsav FDs for 375 and 444 days continue to offer competitive rates of up to 7.60% p.a. and 7.75% p.a. respectively.

Mumbai, 17th February 2024: NeoGrowth, the MSME-focused digital lender in India, announced its financial results for the third quarter that ended December 31, 2023.

Performance Highlights of Q3FY24 (October – December):

• Asset Under Management (AUM) grew 51% to INR 2,456 crore in Q3 FY24, compared with INR 1629 crore during the same period last year
  Disbursements climbed 39% to INR 672 crore in Q3 FY24
• Gross revenue jumped by 67% to INR 160 crore in Q3 FY24
• Return on Equity (ROE) stood at 13.19%
• Return on Assets (ROA) was at 3.68%
• Operating Costs to Net Revenue improved to 34.19% in Q3 FY24
• Profit Before Tax (PBT) rose to INR 28 crore in Q3 FY24
• For the nine months period (April to December 2023), PBT stood at INR 67 crore
• Net Non-Performing Assets (NNPAs) remained low at 1.42%
• Capital Adequacy (CRAR) stood at 30.69%, above the regulatory requirement of 15%

Mr. Arun Nayyar, Managing Director & CEO, NeoGrowth, said: “Our robust performance in Q3 FY24 is fuelled by our innovative product offerings, deep understanding of the customer segment and strong digital lending capabilities. By combining Digital Public Infrastructure with data science and analytics, we continue to enhance our customer selection and risk management processes. We not only aim to empower countless small businesses nationwide but also constantly strive to simplify lending across the value chain for MSMEs.”

Y-o-Y change in the financial performance

Figure in Crores

Additionally, rating of NeoGrowth has been upgraded by ICRA to [ICRA]BBB+ from [ICRA]BBB.

Beyond the Numbers: Qualitative Metrics

NeoGrowth follows a flow-based lending model and analyses the digital financial transactions of MSMEs to assess their creditworthiness. The company leverages India’s expanding digital payments ecosystem combined with its own robust data and analytics capabilities. NeoGrowth harnesses the existing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs), including e-KYC, Account Aggregator framework, DigiLocker, eSign, and UPI. The digital lender’s strong growth is driven by its holistic product suite, robust data-driven underwriting model, deep customer connect, strong data science capabilities, and analytical models across the value chain.

NeoGrowth boasts a robust portfolio of 26,000 active MSME borrowers across 75+ diverse industries and 25+ locations. This translates to more than INR 11,000 crore in loans disbursed and engagement with more than 150,000 MSMEs.

NeoGrowth’s success is further enhanced by the backing of esteemed investors such as Omidyar Network, Lightrock, Khosla Impact, Accion Frontier Inclusion Fund – Quona Capital, 360 One Asset, FMO, and Leapfrog Investments.