Category business

CRC Group, one of NCR’s leading real estate developers, is back with the 8th edition of the Noida Grand Marathon (NGM). Commenced on February 10th, this year’s edition promises to be bigger, better, and more inclusive than ever before, with a lineup of events designed to celebrate fitness and promote community engagement.

The event, which kicked off with Ride (Cycling) on February 10th, will be followed by the Run & Walk on February 11th. Participants from all walks of life are invited to join the festivities, whether seasoned athletes or enthusiastic beginners looking to embrace a healthier lifestyle. Being organized by Piku Sports, the Edition promises to be a memorable experience for participants and spectators alike, with exciting activities planned for people of all ages, from thrilling races to fun-filled activities.

NGM is an initiative that is not only aimed at serving as a platform for fostering a healthier lifestyle but also aligns with our collective responsibility to campaign for ‘Road Safety Awareness’. February is Road Safety Month, so we encourage road users to adopt responsible behavior and create a safer environment for everyone through this event.

“We are thrilled to organize the Noida Grand Marathon as we believe in the transformative power of fitness, and events like these provide the perfect platform to inspire and motivate individuals to lead healthier lives. With a focus on fostering a culture of health consciousness, we aim to inspire individuals to prioritize their physical and mental well-being. We look forward to a successful event that brings the community together to celebrate fitness, camaraderie, and well-being,” says Salil Kumar, Director (Marketing & Sales), CRC Group.

Hyderabad, 12th February 2024: The first edition of Realty+ Conclave & Excellence Awards 2024 in Hyderabad on February 9 at Novotel Convention Centre, Hyderabad concludes on a high note.

The stalwarts of Hyderabad real estate graced the first edition of Realty+ Conclave & Excellence Awards 2024 making it a grand success. The event saw the presence of leaders of Hyderabad real estate and eminent professional from across the country joining in the knowledge-sharing conclave followed by a grand evening of award presentations.

The trendsetting event was Presented By – Sattva Group, held In Association with CREDAI Hyderabad and was Powered By – Upwisery

The partners of the event were Co-Partner – Colliers, Technology Partner – Propacity and Digital Partner Realatte Ventures LLP. The Event Associates were – MYK Laticrete, Issara Projects and PR Partner Konnection IMAG.

Setting the tone of the event, Dr. Annurag Batra, Chairman BW BusinessWorld Media Group and Founder exchange4media Group in his inaugural address shared his positive sentiments about the real estate sector and Hyderanad as the hub of real estate growth. He said, “Hyderabad in the last decade has come up as a prominent real estate market of the country and is growing at a fast pace. Across the segments of realty, the growth is visible and the maturity of the realty sector is making the city an attractive destination for the investors.”

Striking Discussions

The conclave of the day kick started with the first panel discussion on budget “Decoding Budget 2024: Hits & Misses For Real Estate”. The panel was moderated by Sesha Sai, Managing Director – Central Management, Hyderabad, Savills India and speakers were, Amit Jain, Partner, Price Waterhouse & Co LLP, C Shekar Reddy, Chairman, CII Telangana, Past National President, CREDAI, Mahabir Prasad Agrawall, Chairman, Koncept Ambience, Nanda Kishore, Managing Director, Ramky Estates, V. Rajasekhar Reddy, President, CREDAI Hyderabad. The discussed the wish list of the real estate sector and the government policies that can aid the sector’s growth across India and I Hyderabad specifically.

In the second panel Next Big Idea: Disruptive Real Estate Tech Interventions, was chaired by Abhishek Prasad, Lead, IDEA Labs, JLL and the speakers were, Sudhanshu Kejriwal, MD, Keydemand, Imran Shaikh, Co-founder, Propacity, Manjusha Pingalli, Portfolio Growth, Brigade REAP, Uttam Reddy Managing Director, PropChk, Rahul Goyal, Co-Founder Realatte. The speakers shared their on best use cases and how they are making a difference in the real estate landscape through tech interventions.

The third panel on Commercial Realty: Occupier Demands & Market Dynamics was moderated by Kishore Veeraghattam, Sr. Executive Director, Office Services, Hyderabad, Colliers and speakers present were Abhijit Banerjee, Co-founder & Partner, Upwisery, Anuj Munot, CEO and Founder, UrbanWrk, SP Reddy, Founder & CMD, Terminus Group, Venkat Neelakantan, Global Head of Real Estate and Sustainability – Office Transformation at Capgemini, Vinitha Kannambroth, Regional Head, South – IFM Operations. The panel discussed the present landscape of hybrid working, the challenges faced by the segm,ent and the future roadmap for the commercial realty of Hyderabad.

The conclave concluded with the discussion on Out of Box Financing Strategies: Real Estate Investment Trends that was led by Anuj Kapoor, Partner & Founder, Upwisery and speakers included, Abdul Kader Suriya, Chief Investment Officer, SBICAP Ventures Limited, Ajitesh Korupolu, Founder and CEO, ASBL, Anand Lakhotia, Managing Director & Co-Head, Motilal Oswal Real Estate, Jitendra Singh, Head – Construction Finance, Hero Fincorp, Parvesh Sharma, Country Head India, Tishman Speyer Private Limited. The discussion highlighted the investment trends, the funding need of the real estate and recommended the changes in banking regulatory environment.

Shining Achievers

The dazzling evening of the First edition of Realty+ Excellence Awards 2024 Hyderabad showcased the exemplary work done in real estate of Hyderabad region. The winners selected by a distinguished Jury panel walked the red carpet to receive their awards from the Jury members. The felicitations were presented to the best in the industry from various categories for their exemplary performance and their contributions towards the sector

Bengaluru:12th February 2024: Board of directors of Capri Global Capital Ltd (CGCL), a diversified Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) with a presence across diverse segments like MSME, Affordable Housing, Construction Finance segments among others has approved stock split and 1:1 bonus issue. The company board also approved the issuance of Non-Convertible Debentures through Public issue/private placement for an amount up to Rs. 500 crore in tranches.

The Board of Directors at its meeting held on January 27 has approved a sub-division of one equity share of the face value of Rs. 2 each fully paid up into two equity shares of the face value of Re. 1 each fully paid up. The company board also approved 1:1 bonus issue i.e one new fully paid-up bonus equity share of face value of Re.1 each for every one fully paid-up equity share of face value of Re.1. Company has fixed the record date as Tuesday, March 5, 2024, for the stock split and bonus, subject to the approval of shareholders at the ensuing Extra-ordinary General Meeting of the Company scheduled to be held on Thursday, February 22, 2024.

For the Q3FY24 company has reported net profit of Rs. 68 crore, rise of 81.7% Y-o-Y from the net profit of Rs. 37.4 crore reported in Q3FY23. Asset under management of the company rise 54.4% to Rs. 13,362.1 crore as on Q3FY24, rise of 54.4% Y-o-Y from Rs. 8,654.5 crore in Q3FY23. Company has inducted Mr. L V Prabhakar, Mr. Shishir Priyadarshi, and Ms. Nupur Mukherjee as additional independent directors on its Board of Directors subject to shareholder approval.

Capri Global is a diversified Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) with a presence across diverse and high growth segments like MSME, Affordable Housing, Construction Finance segments, and Car Loan distribution. Company also forayed into Gold Loans in Aug 22. Company is promoted by first generation entrepreneur, Mr. Rajesh Sharma and listed on BSE and NSE. With 917 branches in 14 states & UTs across North and West India and over 10,150 employees, company has reported AUM of Rs. 124 billion in Q2FY24. Promoter Group holds 69.89% stake in the company as on 31st Dec 2023. Going forward company is targeting AUM of Rs. 300 billion and earning target of mid-teen ROE over medium term with a strong focus on the business segments including Gold Loan, Affordable Housing and MSME loans.

On 16th January 2024, company received a composite Corporate Agency license from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in December 2023 to distribute life, general, and health insurance products.

Company has also emerged as the Most Consistent Wealth Creator in the 28th Annual Wealth Creation Study Report (2018-2023) released by Motilal Oswal. It has outperformed the BSE Sensex in all the last 5 years, and has the highest price CAGR of 50%. It is also among the fastest wealth creators in the period. During the period of 2018-2023, company has reported robust CAGR of 26% in Net Profit and 33% in Sales. With the excellent consistent growth in the financials, share price of the company went up by 7.6 times during 2018-2023.

In the insurance business foray, company is planning to leverage technology to revolutionize the way insurance products and services are delivered to customers. The Company is planning to use data analytics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain to deliver insurance solutions. This will enable CGCL to automate claims processing and customer support services, thereby reducing the cost of operations while improving customer satisfaction. Hence, the key goal of the Insurtech platform will be to create an ecosystem of insurers who can offer coverage in a more affordable, customer-friendly way. This in turn will assist the Company to immensely contribute to the ‘Insuring India by 2047’ mission of IRDAI.

The Company’s basic motto is to offer a customer-centric approach to insurance. CGCL will provide a wide range of insurance products and services through website, app, and call centers. Moreover, the platform will adopt a customer-friendly payment policy too that will allow customers to pay in several ways, including through digital wallets, credit cards, net banking, and debit cards.

With this tech-centric focus, CGCL aims to leverage its robust active client base of 270K to cross-sell insurance products. In H1 FY CGCL disbursed total loans amounting to Rs. 62 Bn and added 107K live clients. Further, the Company has on behalf of the partner Banks originated Car Loan of Rs. 44 Bn i.e. 39K new clients. The rapidly increasing client relationships offer CGCL a captive base to improve insurance penetration and help CGCL strengthen its fee incomeand deliver better returns to its stakeholders. The Company expects to generate a net fee income of Rs. 200 Mn from insurance cross-sell in FY 25.

Dehradun, 12th February 2024: Reckitt, the world’s leading consumer health and hygiene company, along with partner Plan India, partnered with season 3 of OHO Hill Yatra for its Dettol Climate Resilient School Project, with the theme – ‘Kedarkhand Se Manaskhand Ek No. Uttarakhand’ and culminated grand finale in Dehradun in presence of the Honourable Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami. The month-long on-ground initiative hosted by RJ Kaavya, reached over 25,000 students and 43 schools, engaging and educating students and communities across 13 districts in Uttarakhand on the issue of climate change. To further its commitment to cover 100% districts of Uttarakhand by 2025, Dettol Banega Swasth India will develop 1 Climate Resilient School per district, focused on reinforcing state’s climate mitigation & adaptation efforts and contributing to the achievement of SDGs.

Hosted at the CM Camp Office in Dehradun, the grand finale was also graced by Special Guest Mr. Ravi Bhatnagar, Director, External Affairs and Partnerships, SOA, Reckitt and RJ Kaavya, CEO, OHO Radio. During the event, students from the Climate Resilient Schools presented cultural performances and models on waste management, energy saving, and solar panel retrofitting implemented in their schools. The event also witnessed the launch of Dettol Climate Resilient School Preamble, encouraging children to commit to preserve and safeguard the environment by taking environment-friendly actions for a greener and healthier tomorrow.

Commenting on the grand finale event, Chief Guest Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister, Uttarakhand, said, “I congratulate Dettol Banega Swasth India and OHO Radio for this unique campaign in Uttarakhand to drive education among children on the important issue of climate change. The OHO Hill Yatra season 3 campaign by Dettol Climate Resilient School Project, with the theme- ‘Kedarkhand Se Manaskhand Ek No. Uttarakhand’ engaged children and communities across 13 districts of the state. Aligned to the vision of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi – Mission LiFE, this endeavour is truly remarkable and holds an important value as it encourages children to inculcate behavioural change in their everyday lives.”

India is the seventh most vulnerable country to climate change impact, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021. Due to geological factors such as melting glaciers, increased population pressure, seismic activity, and over-exploitation of natural resources, the state of Uttarakhand is vulnerable to climate change. In alignment with Government of India’s Mission LiFE curriculum, Reckitt aims to create a cadre of environmentally conscious children to drive climate resilience in school and community across the state of Uttarakhand with Dettol Climate Resilient School project. Through this project, retrofitting in 4 schools in 4 Dhams of Uttarakhand were done with solar panels, energy efficient lights & fans, low flow water fixtures, waste management. Following schools were covered – Government Upper Primary School, Damta, Uttarkashi (Yamunotri), Government High School, Athali, Uttarkashi (Gangotri), Government Upper Primary School, Ratura, Rudraprayag (Kedarnath) and Government Upper Primary School, Pakhi, Chamoli (Badrinath). The impact of retrofitting in schools translated to a 65% reduction in water wastage, and 64.5% reduction in electricity units charges.

The incorporation of wall murals focusing on the themes of Mission LiFE serves as a powerful tool to raise awareness among students. By actively engaging in environmental education workshops, the project not only aligns with the government’s emphasis on climate action but also directly supports the national goal of fostering environmental consciousness among citizens. The cultivation of environmental responsibility and conscious lifestyles among children through climate-friendly interventions echoes the government’s call for sustainable habits from an early age.

Gaurav Jain, Executive Vice President, Reckitt – South Asia, said, “In a remarkable stride towards sustainability, India has witnessed a substantial boost in its green energy initiatives, transitioning seamlessly from 2023 to 2024. At Reckitt, we believe we have a duty to combat climate change and empower the next generation towards building a sustainable and resilient future. With Dettol Climate Resilient Schools and the OHO Hill Yatra campaign, we have been working closely in the state of Uttarakhand to drive on-ground behaviour change and educate the younger generation through three pillars – Campus, Curriculum and Collaboration. Bearing the flag of Mission LiFE, we look forward to expand the initiative by developing more climate resilient schools in Dev Bhoomi-Uttarakhand, where elements of nature meet in the purest form. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Uttarakhand for their invaluable support as we together work towards building a greener and more resilient Uttarakhand.”

The Dettol Climate Resilient project partnered with OHO Radio, a coveted local digital radio, to conduct an immersive month-long campaign during the OHO Hill Yatra. Designed to deepen students’ understanding of environmental issues, the campaign focused on promoting Mission LiFE and informing the audience on the critical issue of climate change. The grand finale event encompassed of various cultural performances by students from selected schools of Khatima, Rishikesh, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi, and showcased impact of OHO Hill Yatra campaign, based on the theme ‘Kedarkhand se Manaskhand Ek No. Uttarakhand’.

The Dettol Climate Resilient School Project, under the visionary leadership of Reckitt and implementation of Plan India, has emerged as a crucial player aligning itself with the national green goals set by the Indian government. This innovative initiative has demonstrated a profound commitment to environmental sustainability, education, and community engagement, contributing significantly to the broader vision of a greener and more resilient India.

Since its inception last year, the Dettol Climate Resilient School Project has emerged as a crucial player aligning itself with the national green goals in alignment with the vision of the Government of India. This innovative initiative has not only demonstrated a steadfast commitment to environmental sustainability but has also actively contributed to the broader vision of a greener and more resilient India. The project’s endeavours have resulted in significant achievements, with four schools retrofitted with solar panels, energy-efficient lights, fans, low-flow water fixtures, and waste management systems. These efforts have led to tangible impacts on water wastage and electricity units charges, seamlessly aligning with the country’s broader objectives for sustainable resource management.

In essence, the Dettol Climate Resilient School Project has intricately woven its initiatives to not only align with but actively contribute to the national green goals of India. As India moves from 2023 to 2024, the trajectory is clear – a determined march towards a greener, more sustainable future. The financial allocations, initiatives, and collaborations underscore the nation’s commitment to aligning economic growth with environmental responsibility, forging a path towards a resilient and eco-friendly tomorrow.

The captivating Instagram stories published on the official Instagram pages of India Fashion Awards and Sanjay Nigam, the visionary behind the India Fashion Awards, offered intriguing glimpses of pivotal discussions within the fashion industry, alongside Molly Gambhir, one of the esteemed WION senior news anchors. This enticing preview serves as a compelling invitation for audiences to delve into the heart of fashion’s evolution through the upcoming India Fashion Awards (IFA).

In partnership with WION, IFA’s thematic focus on ‘Fashion for Good’ takes center stage, emphasizing the imperative role of sustainability in shaping the future of fashion. Across two exhilarating days, the event promises a fusion of insightful discussions, meticulously curated to challenge norms and inspire innovation within the industry.

At its essence, IFA is driven by a mission to unite the diverse voices of the fashion fraternity, transcending conventional boundaries to foster collaboration. As anticipation mounts, glimpses into IFA’s array of award categories showcase a jubilant celebration of excellence spanning all facets of the industry, from behind-the-scenes stalwarts to emerging stylists and visionary photographers. WION’s active engagement underscores its unwavering commitment to spotlighting the transformative potential of fashion and its resonance with global issues.

Kolkata,12th February 2024: The second edition of the city’s biggest exhibition embarks today. Organized by India’s No.1 News Network, TV9 Network’s Bengali news channel, TV9 Bangla is all set to paint the city of joy with a vibrant festive mood to cheer over the lifestyle exhibition, food festival, and musical extravaganza. Sprawling across 1 lac sq. feet of the area, this remarkable event of epic proportions christened ‘Kolkata’s Biggest Expo’ has unbeatable deals and attractive discounts for a variety of cars, bikes, automobiles, electronics, electric two-wheelers, furniture, home and wall décors, hand-crafted products of homegrown artisans, stylish jewelry, traditional and trendy fashion wear.

TV9 Bangla Lifestyle Exhibition, Music carnival, and Food festival have spread its platter with shopping sprees at unbelievable prizes, lip-smacking and delectable cuisines from across the continent, and outstanding musical gigs.

The city’s musical bands like Dohar and Mir -O- Bandage will be live on February 9 and 10 respectively 7 pm onwards, followed by Chandrabindoo live on February 11 from 7:30 pm onwards from the venue.

TV9 Bangla Lifestyle Expo: TV9 Bangla Lifestyle Exhibition, Music Carnival and Food Festival unveiled today

Amritanshu Bhattacharya, the Managing Editor of TV9 Bangla said, “It is always difficult to plan something which is out of the genre. As a responsible media house, we are trying to do something for the society. We want to spread the word with the help of media platforms like yours that Bengal is a huge market with vibrant and colourful culture and delectable foods.”

“Honestly, we are organising this expo for the second time. No other Bengali News channel has even thought of executing such kind of an extensive lifestyle expo before in this city. Being a news channel, we generally intend to capture the happenings at every end from every corner of society, across city, state, national and global. News channel touches the daily incidents that touch our lives. News channel reaches to identify the touchpoints to understand where a person stands or wherein the demand lies, thereby connecting the audience, such kind of lifestyle is essential and is much needed in the lives of Bengalis. This is the ultimate destination where the product ranges from car automobiles, food, apparel, fashion, and jewellery, all are available under the same roof. Besides, there are other product variations for one and all. There is a special room for handicraft sections to promote the small-scale industry. Here, the live performances of musical bands are there to entertain day long. Since we are a network channel, hence we seek to prevail our presence to reach all sets of audiences and enthral them through this second edition of TV9 Bangla Lifestyle Expo, Music Carnival & Food Festival”, adds Amritanshu Bhattacharya.

Hyderabad, 12th February 2023: Airtel Payments Bank, India’s only profitable multi-segment fintech operating at scale with a banking license, today announced its consolidated results for the third quarter ended December 31, 2023.

The Bank continued to witness a strong growth trajectory with revenues at Rs. 469 crore, up by 47% YoY, while net profit stood at Rs. 11 crore, up by 120% YoY. The Bank’s Monthly Transacting Users (MTU) grew to 59 million giving a boost to customer deposits, which grew by 50% YoY to Rs. 2,339 crore during the quarter. The Bank’s annualised Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) stood at over INR 2,628 bn. The Bank also witnessed an increase in uptick in fee income, driven by newly launched products including debit card and savings bank account.

Commenting on the results, Anubrata Biswas, MD and CEO of Airtel Payments Bank said, “We have delivered yet another quarter of consistent and competitive growth backed by a surge in customer demand for our safe digital products including savings bank account, debit card and other offerings including FASTag. Compliance continues to be the bedrock of everything we do as a bank, and we are confident that this will help us stay on course to be India’s only profitable fintech”

With Safety being a prime concern in this digital world, customers have found the Bank’s safest digital account offering beneficial, with a higher number of customers using it as their secondary account for daily and monthly payments. Airtel Payments Bank continues to register healthy demand for its digital offerings and customised account plans.

Airtel Payments Bank has three clear segments in which they serve customers across geographies – the Urban Digital, the Rural Underbanked, and Industries & Businesses. They offer complete end-to-end digital banking solutions along with a bouquet of digital financial services – insurance, lending, and investment solutions. Airtel Payments Bank now processes over 7 billion annualised transactions across its platforms, making it the fastest-growing digital bank. The Bank is solving the problem of access by taking banking to the deep rural pockets of the country with the largest retail-banking network of 500,000 neighbourhood-banking points. Today, Airtel Payments Bank is also the largest micro cash player in the country, with more than 3,000 corporate partners. Here, the Bank is in a rare space of solving for last-mile cash digitization by utilizing its distribution and technology.

Mumbai, 12th February 2024: Global Vikas Trust (GVT), under the visionary leadership of Mr. Mayank Gandhi, has spearheaded a transformative movement in the lives of farmers across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, particularly in suicide and drought-affected regions like Beed and Parli. The remarkable impact of GVT’s initiatives has been unveiled in an Assessment Impact Study conducted by the prestigious Tata Institute of Sciences (TISS), highlighting astounding progress in agricultural development and farmer welfare.

The unveiling ceremony of the Assessment Impact Study took place today in Mumbai, attended by key dignitaries including Mr. Mayank Gandhi, Managing Trustee at Global Vikas Trust, Prof. S. Siva Raju, Professor & Deputy Director at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad Campus; Sandra Shroff, Vice Chairman – UPL; Raamdeo Agarwal, Chairman – Motilal Oswal financial Services; Sushil Kumar Jiwarajka, Hon. Consul General of Greece in Mumbai and Chairman of GVT advisory board and Ashwini Saxena, CEO – JSW Foundation. This event highlighted the pivotal role of GVT in revolutionizing agriculture practices and elevating the socio-economic status of farmers.

The comprehensive report, prepared by the Centre of Excellence in CSR at TISS, analysed the impact of GVT’s agriculture development initiatives across various districts including Palghar, Nanded, Beed, Solapur, Osmanabad (Dharashiv), Jalgaon in Maharashtra, and Burhanpur and Dhar/Barwani in Madhya Pradesh. Based on meticulous surveys encompassing 1248 farmers and stakeholders, the study provides compelling evidence of GVT’s transformative impact.

Mr. Mayank Gandhi, Managing Trustee of Global Vikas Trust said, “While education and healthcare support etc is good for maintaining the status quo of the nation, the only way for transforming India is sustainable agriculture at scale. Therefore, multiplying incomes of small and marginal farmers can make India a “sone ki chidiya” again. Thus, a tenfold increase in tens of thousands of farmer’s incomes in some of the worst area validates our path of transforming India.” TISS is the gold-standard in ethical and virtuous impact assessment. Established in 1936, it has worked on its own and helped other organizations in promotion of sustainable, equitable and participatory development.

Prof. S. Siva Raju, Professor & Deputy Director at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad Campus, “The Centre for Excellence in CSR at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has conducted a study to assess the impact of the agriculture development initiatives of Global Vikas Trust (GVT). It is observed that the availability and utilization of high-quality saplings hold the key to ensuring increased agricultural production and resilience against the challenges posed by pests and climate change. The adoption of the quality saplings not only contributed to greater agricultural productivity but also played a crucial role in ensuring crop diversity and economic prosperity in the Western region. GVT’s promotion of horticulture also contributed to environmental conservation, as the organisation employs sustainable farming practices, such as organic farming and permaculture.”

“From planting hope to reaping prosperity – that is the magic of Global Vikas Trust under Mayank Gandhi’s leadership. Their ten times income growth for farmers is remarkable! MOFSL & I are honoured to be part of this journey, of building a sustainable and thriving rural India.” Mr Raamdeo Agarwal, Chairman, Motilal Oswal Group.

“For the past five years, Global Vikas Trust, under Mayank Gandhi’s leadership, has been making a real difference in rural communities. Their work has empowered countless farmers and led to a remarkable ten times increase in income within a year, as confirmed by TISS. As a chairperson of the advisory board for GVT, I am hugely impressed by their impactful work. I am also very thrilled about Krishikul, and it has the potential to significantly enhance farmers skills and knowledge. I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with GVT, eagerly awaiting Krishikul’s launch.” said Mr. Sushil Jiwarajka, Hon. Consul General of Greece in Mumbai and Chairman of GVT advisory board.

“Global Vikas Trust, under Mayank Gandhi’s leadership, is not just planting trees, they are building hope! Witnessing a ten times income increase for farmers in 4,000 villages through their work, as shown by the TISS study, is truly inspiring. UPL and I are honoured to be part of this movement, empowering rural communities and fostering a brighter future for generations to come.” mentioned Ms. Sandra Shroff, Vice Chairman, UPL.

“Global Vikas Trust, led by Mayank Gandhi, is transforming rural landscapes and lives. With initiatives like planting 4.5 crore fruit trees, their impact is undeniable. The recent TISS survey showing a tenfold increase in farmer income in just one year speaks volumes. We are proud to support GVT’s mission, united in our commitment to sustainable rural development.” said Pradeep Kumar Kheruka Chairman, Borosil Renewables Ltd.

Guwahati, Assam: Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Guwahati-led Centre of Entrepreneurship (CoE), OctaNE launches its flagship AgTech Program called Assam AgTech OCP (Open Challenge Program) in collaboration with ARIAS Society, Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Assam on 9th February 2024 at STPI, Near LGBI Airport, Borjhar, Guwahati. Top Officials from the Central as well as State Governments along with representation from industry leaders, Academia, investors, startups, and students participated in the event. Shri S. Krishnan, IAS, Secretary, MeitY, Govt. of India Inaugurated the Incubation facility & Lab of IoT in Agriculture-CoE at STPI Guwahati under OctaNE and also interacted with STPICoE incubatee Startups and also visited exhibition stalls of startups showcasing their products & innovation in the field of AgriTech.

The AgTech summit was inaugurated by the lighting of the lamp by dignitaries followed by the welcome address given by Smt. Vandana Srivastava, Jurisdictional Director, STPI Guwahati. In her welcome address, she explained the initiatives taken by STPI in the development of a start-up eco-system. To date 23 CoEs domain-specific CoEs are being operational in different cities, of which 8 CoEs are operational in the NE Region.

Shri Kumaran Venkatesh, President, Astrome Technologies Private Limited, Chief Mentor – IoT in Agriculture – Guwahati addressed the audience about the importance of identifying problems which means half the job is done. He further added that the support and ecosystem created by various govt. initiatives such as state-of-the-art Labs created by STPI. He quoted” Great beginning bound to grow”.

S.K. Baruah, ED NEDFI during his address spoke about NEDFI schemes for startups and technological use in agriculture.

Address by Guest of Honour Shri Virendra Mittal, IAS, State Project Director, ARIAS Society, Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Assam has detailed the Open challenge program by ARIAS in collaboration with STPI to nurture promising startups in the agriculture domain it will engage farmers/ producers and facilitate to deployment of agritech solutions.

Guest of Honour Shri K.S.P.V. Pavan Kumar, IFS, Special Secretary, Department of IT, Govt. of Assam elaborated on the various initiatives taken by govt. of Assam to nurture startups and detailed about State Data Centre to host application and data exchange platform where all kind of data can be shared on a real-time basis.

While addressing at the summit, Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI elaborated “As India is a primarily agri nation, STPI is capitalizing on the emergence of technology in the agriculture sector. He also stated that for a startup, the most difficult task is to identify the problem statement. Technology such as AI can only solve the problem, but it can’t identify the problem. This has to be done by a human mind.

Guest of Honour Shri Kuntal Sensarma, Economic Adviser & Group Coordinator, MeitY, Govt. of India elaborated on the various issues in the Agriculture sector such as post-harvest supply chain issues, traceability, and productivity.

“The launch of OCP in IoT in AgriTech is a relevant, timely & important initiative. The opportunity for agriculture is huge in the Eastern part of India as it is abundantly endowed with water, land and greenery” Shri S Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, Govt. of India at Assam Agtech OCP launch. Address by Chief Guest Shri S. Krishnan, IAS, Secretary, MeitY, Govt. of India.

During the summit MoU was signed & exchanged between STPI and North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) and a Video on STPI Startup Initiatives in the North East was shown along with Launch of the Assam AgTech Open Challenge Program (OCP).

The day-long AgTech Summit included a panel discussion, a session on Success stories of Agritech-focused startups and also pitching of startups to investors. Assam AgTech OCP aims to bridge the gap between the agriculture and technology sectors and would support innovators and existing start-ups to develop solutions that address challenges for smallholder farmers and the Farmer Producer Companies (FPC) serving them in the State of Assam.

The intent of conducting Assam AgTech OCP is to identify, select, and support Tech Startups under STPI OctaNE CoE for providing technological solutions to cater to the needs and challenges faced by the agricultural industry sector of the region. The outcome of the program is to Enhance the efficiency and profitability of associated FPCs through the adoption of technology solutions, generate employment for local youths through the selected technology Startups/Solution providers and FPCs, improve agricultural productivity, and Develop widely acceptable Agritech solutions with potential for IT exports from the country.

The selected Startups of Assam AgTech OCP will receive benefits under the STPI OctaNE CoE program like Seed Funding up to INR 25 Lakhs, state-of-the-art P-n-P incubation and Lab facility, Mentoring and Technical support, Marketing, Networking and Outreach, etc. AgTech Summit 2024 is a catalyst for change, a platform where collaboration and innovation shape the future of Assam’s agriculture sector.

Bharat Nirmaan Awardee Meghna Pant and celebrated Climate-Fiction Writer Rajat Chaudhuri were in conversation with Niladri Chatterjee for the session ‘Today’s Dystopias.’ The session began with the official book launch of Meghna Pant’s ‘Man Who Lost India’ by Indian actress Swastika Mukherjee. Following the launch, the actress read excerpts from the book to the audience. The conversation started with moderator Niladri Chatterjee asking both authors about their inspirations behind writing their respective novels.

While Meghna Pant pointed out “masochism, curiosity and patriarchy” as the key forces driving her, Rajat Chaudhuri alluded to his climate activism as the ultimate source of his creative vision. The ‘Man Who Lost India’ author was quoted as saying, “No female author in India has attempted a war novel before’” She pointed out how her attempt at writing a war novel was a heretic response to men who argue that women can’t write serious, let alone, war novels.

Rajat Chaudhuri also highlighted how the central character of his book loses his grip on his mental faculties in tandem with our planet, which is replenishing and breaking apart day by day. Speaking on violence in dystopian novels, he pointed out, “At the bottom of dystopian fiction is always happiness vs. freedom, and there is no freedom in dystopia”.

Their conversation with the panel discussing the recent glorification of war and violence in modern times. Rajat Chaudhuri said that social media is responsible for the desensitization towards violence. At the same time, Meghna Pant believed that “society changes from a molecular level, starting from individuals, families and then society.” Thus, we should start with ourselves. The session ended with both authors reading out parts from their book.

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AKLF Day 1’s concluding session, ‘Tablawallah Unplugged,’ had legendary table players Pandit Kumar Bose and Bickram Ghose in conversation with Rohen Bose. This session was a combined discussion on music, literature, and a walk down memory lane. The first question that started the discussion was whether the Tabla is the most evolved form of a drum. In response to which Pandit Kumar Bose said “Tabla is the finest instrument I have ever found; I have found advantages in Tabla that I have found nowhere in the world”.

Following this, Bickram Ghose responded, “I, too, regard the table as the greatest drum in the world.” He pointed out how the table can be tuned to any tonic, which not many instruments can do. He also added that the Tabla is not a secondary instrument; it is a unique instrument that has a life of its own. It responds to the player. Regarding Tablawallah, Pandit Kumar Bose said he wanted to put out his stories to tell upcoming Tabla players that behind all the glamour lay “years of riyaaz, sacrifice, and pain to come to this point. The road to success is one.” The session ended with a question-and-answer session where the legendary percussionists fielded questions from the enthusiastic crowd.