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Mumbai, February 20, 2024: The cost to fit out workplaces in India continues to rise, mirroring ongoing inflationary pressures, higher commodity prices and increased construction costs. According to global real estate consultant JLL’s (NYSE:JLL) Asia Pacific Fit-Out Cost Guide 2023/2024, the average cost to fit-out workplaces with medium specification across India increased by 4.5% with the average fit-out cost per sq ft rising to INR 5,788 from INR 5,546 last year. Mumbai continues to be the most expensive city in India for office fit outs at an average of INR 6,588 per sq ft followed by New Delhi at INR 6,068 per sq ft.

 In the Asia Pacific, despite regional differences, we see that the inflation levels are starting to stabilize. This trend mirrors the recent news of the worldwide economy, where inflation is gradually reaching the closer target and economic growth has been better than expected. JLL’s APAC fit-out guide details the nuances of cost variations across the regions, mapping construction price shift, outlook for capital procurement activities, strong client sentiment and ESG commitments gaining prominence.

 “In 2023, a year marked by global headwinds, the annual numbers for gross leasing in India’s top seven markets crossed the significant 60 million sq ft milestone for the very first time. This solidifies India’s position and firmly establish its credentials as the ‘office to the world. We anticipate this momentum for Grade A office demand to continue in 2024 with new entrants to the country, especially in the GCC and new tech sectors. Despite a 4 to 5% rise in construction prices, there is confidence within the India market as flight-to-quality remains a theme. India’s supply-chain performance has improved significantly over the last two year, coping better to the global disruption, and varying regulatory frameworks. Largely, input costs have decreased due to reduced global raw material prices, however increasing labour costs remains set on an upward trajectory. This industry is also making efforts to modernise and streamline the supply chain to enhance efficiency and competitiveness. And with average fit-out cost across all 7 major cities remaining much below the regional average, it makes India a strong market for global companies and investors” said James Jipu Jose, Managing Director, Project & Development Services (PDS), India, JLL.

“Our clients continue to remain bullish despite the continuing impact of price inflation, and our teams report robust pipelines. There is a renewed focus by clients to attract staff back to the office, improve productivity and well-being, and meet net zero carbon (NZC) commitments,” James added.

 “While inflation in Asia Pacific markets is returning to normal levels as widely projected, certain supply chain challenges remain for mechanical, engineering and plumbing, information technology and audio-visual items. Going forward, we foresee factors like commodity prices, energy costs, and wage increases continue to impact pricing, lead to delays for some fit-outs and unpredictability of selection items into Asia Pacific,” said Martin Hinge, Executive Managing Director, Project Development Services, JLL Asia Pacific.

 Sustainability remains top of mind for corporates.
Leasing office space in sustainable buildings is becoming non-negotiable for occupiers committed to ESG. Among other factors, sustainable fit outs are gaining prominence as an initiative to decarbonise workplaces. In a survey of 240 CRE leaders across Asia Pacific, one-in-two cite sustainable fit-outs as a priority to be actioned within the next three years. This confirms that sustainability is now a key driver in the way occupiers acquire, fit out, and manage their assets.

 While ESG commitments are a key driver of sustainable fit-outs, cost savings over the long term can offset upfront Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) costs. Sustainable materials or pieces of equipment may be more expensive upfront but those with better energy ratings or longer lifespans will save businesses money in the long run.Responding to inflationary pressures that projects are facing, one-third of JLL market leaders in Asia Pacific report that pursuing a sustainable design is dependent on the overall project cost. 56% also confirmed that reduced CAPEX on initiatives was being considered to work within budgets, the bulk of which was in Australia and Southeast Asian markets.

 Way forward
In the last 12 months, leaders have been reporting increasing sentiment and strong pipelines, in face of inflation continuing to increase. The greater stability in the supply chain and a normalizing of raw material costs has started to reduce risk premiums and lead to tighter pricing in many locations. JLL believes fit-out cost increases will continue their trend in moderation over the next 12 months as these challenges unwind, unless a significant economic event flattens or reverses current trends.

New Delhi, February 21, 2024: OPPO India will launch its F25 Pro 5G on February 29th, 2024. The F Series is renowned for its flaunt-worthy design and sterling camera setups, and this new smartphone is no different. It sports an ultra-slim 7.54mm profile and comes in Lava Red that transitions from rich burgundy colour to deep sunset tones thanks to its OPPO Glow finish. Its advanced 64MP triple-camera system pioneers 4K video recording on both—its front and rear—shooters to set a new high standard in the sub-INR25K smartphone market.

Sleek Design & Exceptional Endurance

The sleek OPPO F25 Pro 5G weighs just 177g. Its 6.7-inch borderless 120Hz AMOLED display is protected by doubly reinforced Panda Glass for strength, scratch resistance, and durability. The handset—with a 93.4% screen-to-body ratio—boasts super-narrow bezels around its display to provide an immersive viewing experience, complete with vibrant colours and sharp details, whether for gaming, streaming, or everyday use.

Its Lava Red body is fabricated out of PC-GF – a polycarbonate resin mixed with glass fibre as a reinforcement material. The overall look is a combination of matte, flat sides with rounded corners and a smooth polished back for that luxurious in-hand feel; its Sunshine Ring camera panel’s bevelled design draws attention to its sterling set of triple-rear cameras.

Furthermore, the OPPO F25 Pro is the slimmest 5G smartphone with an IP65 rating, which means it has the highest level of dust protection and can withstand water jets from all directions. So, whether it is used at the poolside or gets wet in the rain, the F25 Pro 5G is built for endurance.

Triple Rear Cameras with 4K Front & Back

The F25 Pro 5G’s Ultra-Clear Triple Camera setup comprises a 64MP OV64B 1/2” sensor with a f/1.7 aperture for exceptional clarity and detail in every shot, an 8MP 112-degree ultra-wide camera backed by the Sony IMX355 sensor and a 16mm focal length for expansive landscape shots and group photos, as well as a 2MP macro camera with an OV02B10 sensor that can capture intricate details from as close as 4cm away.

Its 32MP IMX615 selfie camera with an f/2.4 aperture and a 21mm focal length—housed in a punch-hole display—delivers vibrant and sharp selfies.

A first in this segment, the F25 Pro 5G supports 4K video recording on both front and rear cameras to provide four times the number of pixels for razor-sharp clarity. 4K video enhances quality by offering 8MP per frame compared to conventional 1,080P Full HD video, where each frame is 2MP. The 4K@30fps video recording delivers crisp and detailed footage in well-lit daytime and static environments – ideal for cinematic content, vlogging, and sharing on social media platforms.

AI & Photography

The OPPO F25 Pro 5G introduces AI Smart Image Matting—another segment-first feature—that enables one-tap extraction of subjects from photos and turns them into a transparent PNG for effortless recreation and sharing. The AI can also handle multi-subject recognition that enables the identification and extraction of multiple subjects within a single photo with precision and efficiency.

The photography AI on the OPPO F25 Pro 5G recognises the race, gender, and age of the subject to provide customised beauty effects, including brightened and smoothened skin, removal of facial imperfections, touch-up effects (lips and cheeks), and a lifted face. It adjusts the brightness in photographs based on the actual environment to prevent overexposure and ensure natural skin tones and makeup colour. The algorithm applies to four types of scenarios: Normal, high colour temperature, low colour temperature, and backlit.

Photography AI also removes facial imperfections in portraits by the 32MP front camera. Proprietary algorithms accurately identify and remove blemishes such as spots, acne, and acne marks; AI minimises pores for a polished skin effect while—at the same time—preserving the original features such as beauty spots.

Face clarity is optimised through OPPO’s AI portrait super-resolution algorithm that is based on the aesthetic opinions of a global team of portrait experts. It is automatically activated in medium-lit/dark environments to reduce noise and improve face clarity for portrait photos that cater to local aesthetic preferences.

The OPPO F25 Pro 5G is the perfect smartphone for those who demand the best. With its sleek beautiful design, amazing camera setup, and AI-powered features, it promises the ultimate smartphone experience in the sub-INR25K segment.

The city that never sleeps is on the cusp of a significant transformation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is soon expected to inaugurate the first phase of the much-anticipated and ambitious Coastal Road project. The project, a state-of-the-art expressway stretching along Mumbai’s western coastline, is poised to be a major game changer, especially for residential projects in western suburbs. Already a preferred location for luxury residential projects, the Western suburbs of Mumbai is expected to see a rise in property values. The improved connectivity offered by the Coastal Road along with the metro connectivity will make it an even more attractive destination for prospective homebuyers and investors.

The completion of Coastal Road is anticipated to boost property values, attract investments, and foster a new wave of urbanization in the western suburbs. Leading real estate developers in the region have voiced their optimism regarding the project’s impact.

Mr. Vedanshu Kedia, Director, Prescon Group, a prominent real estate developer in Mumbai, commented, “The Coastal Road is not just an infrastructure project; it’s a catalyst for urban transformation. We anticipate a surge in demand for residential properties in Central-South Mumbai especially in Mahim-Matunga due to its close proximity to the Sealink and reclamation – a core connector to the coastal road plan.”

The Coastal Road which will be an another infrastructural marvel, envisioned to ease traffic congestion and enhance connectivity between the northern and southern parts of the city, is also expected to have far-reaching impacts on the real estate landscape of the western suburbs, an area known for its high-end residential properties and bustling commercial hubs.

Mr. Aayush Patel, Director, Atul Projects India Private Limited stated, “The Coastal Road is a crucial step towards decongesting Mumbai’s perennial traffic issues. It will not only benefit daily commuters but also boost the real estate market along the western suburbs. The enhanced accessibility and reduced travel time are likely to attract more residents and businesses to the area.”

As per a recent Knight Frank India analysis, of the total properties registered in January 2024, Central and Western suburbs together constituted over 75% as these locations are a hotbed for new launches offering a wide range of modern amenities and good connectivity. 86% of Western suburb consumers opted to purchase within their micro market. This choice is influenced by the familiarity of the location, along with the availability of products that align with their pricing and feature preferences.

The Coastal Road project is expected to significantly impact the residential real estate market in the western suburbs. Developers predict a rise in property prices, spurred by the improved infrastructure. Moreover, the enhanced quality of life, coupled with the scenic coastal views, is likely to attract a more affluent demographic, leading to a shift in the area’s socio-economic fabric.

Mr. Umesh Jandial, Chief Business Officer of Omkar Realtors & Developers, commented, “The Coastal Road is more than just an infrastructural development; it’s a vision that will redefine living in the western suburbs. The projects here offer ease of commute to business districts like BKC & Andheri and therefore this location is witnessing premium quotient and strong demand. For instance, we foresee a surge in demand and price appreciation for residential properties in the Malad-Goregaon region, especially luxury segments, given the improved accessibility and scenic locales.”

Similarly, Mr. Rohan Khatau, Director of CCI Projects, believes that the project will unlock new opportunities. “The western suburbs have always been attractive for homebuyers. With the Coastal Road, there’s an added advantage of reduced commute times and enhanced connectivity to key business districts, making it an even more desirable location for residential investments. Areas like Borivali and Kandivali are particularly attractive, offering a lifestyle upgrade and seamless connectivity, drawing residents from south and central Mumbai,” he stated.

The project also includes the development of green spaces, cycling tracks, and pedestrian walkways along the coastline, adding to the quality of life for the city’s residents. These features are expected to complement the high-end residential projects, offering a blend of luxury and sustainability. While the project promises numerous benefits, it also brings challenges, particularly in terms of environmental sustainability. Developers and urban planners are advocating for eco-friendly construction practices and emphasizing the need to balance development with ecological preservation.

The Coastal Road is set to be a transformative force for the western suburbs, offering a blend of improved connectivity, enhanced real estate value, and a better quality of life. As the project progresses, the anticipation among Mumbaikars is palpable. This project is more than just a roadway; it represents a new chapter in Mumbai’s urban development, promising a brighter future for the city and its residents.

NEW DELHI, India – February 21, 2024

RAH Infotech, India’s leading value-added distributor and solutions provider of technology products and digital transformation solutions and services, today announced its collaboration with Varonis, a leader in data security. RAH Infotech has been chosen as a distributor for Varonis in India and SAARC.

“We are delighted to team up with Varonis, a global leader in data security,” said Ashok Kumar, Founder & Managing Director of RAH Infotech. “Data is the most valuable asset for any organization, and it is also the most vulnerable to cyberattacks. Varonis’ cloud-native Data Security Platform enables organizations to secure their data from insider threats, ransomware, and data breaches while ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. We are confident this collaboration will help us deliver cutting-edge data security solutions to our customers across India and SAARC regions.”

Varonis is a DSPM leader, delivering automated outcomes for customers worldwide. Varonis helps organizations reduce their blast radius — the potential damage attackers can do if they land in your environment. The Varonis Data Security Platform continuously monitors data and automatically locks down exposures from excessive access, third-party app connections, and misconfigurations.

“RAH Infotech has established itself as a leading value-added distributor in India,” said Maheswaran Shanmugasundaram, Varonis Country Manager, India. “Their deep understanding of the local market dynamics, strong regional presence, and commitment to helping their customers with advanced solutions make them an ideal collaborator for Varonis in India and SAARC. Together, we aim to secure our customers’ data from cyber threats while ensuring compliance with ever-changing data privacy regulations.”

RAH Infotech offers a comprehensive range of solutions to effectively manage data, network, security, regulatory environments, or operating sectors through an integrated ecosystem. The company’s distribution and reseller program nurtures partners to ensure their success. RAH Infotech has always been focused on developing a strong partner ecosystem by aligning its business with emerging technologies that are reflected in its product portfolio.

INDIA — Feb. 21, 2024 — With global spending on digital technologies and AI projected to exceed $3.4 trillion by 2026, the urgency to embrace digital business has never been greater. Recognized as a strategic differentiator crucial for revenue growth, digital business remains elusive for many companies. Despite this, traditional approaches often hinder adoption, leaving today’s complex technology as a debt rather than an asset. Altimetrik’s unveiling of its Digital Business Methodology (DBM) leverages 10 years of experience in delivering outcomes and growth for customers. At the core of the DBM is the business taking the ownership and engagement which enables successful implementation of GenAI/AI. Altimetrik’s launching of its business-facing digital business brand is a unique and proven model within the industry.

Business stakeholders are grappling with challenges and confusion surrounding GenAI/AI stemming from issues such as data quality, complexity, silos, and an abundance of tools. The inability to align business intuition with GenAI/AI language models due to data challenges further undermines confidence in decision-making and a reluctance for the business to take ownership. As noted by McKinsey and other industry leaders, strong digital business and AI capabilities generate value and create a sustainable competitive advantage. The paradigm has shifted from digital transformation to digital business, and here, businesses take the ownership to drive the outcomes by taking a holistic approach.

To address these hurdles, DBM, a business-facing holistic approach is necessary. It brings in the needed discipline within a cloud agnostic ecosystem and is supported by simplified technology and end-to-end workflows. Empowering businesses to consolidate and analyze data from various sources with agility, at the sprint level, facilitates the convergence of data that supports intuition with market intelligence. Applying end-to-end business rules at each stage enhances understanding of language models, boosting productivity, operational rigor, and growth. By moving away from the current complex enterprise ecosystem to a business-facing model represents a simplified approach to technology that supports data, GenAI/AI, and business intuition.

With an agile engineering approach and the right technology talent, businesses can unlock the full potential of digital business and GenAI/AI, fostering the creation of data and innovation assets, operations rigor, higher productivity, security, and compliance. Altimetrik’s groundbreaking DBM is the solution. No one else in the marketplace has a focus on engaging the business, the DBM introduces a unique approach to navigating the complexities of the digital age, unlocking previously untapped growth opportunities.

“Our DBM represents the first proven approach to digital business in the market, empowering companies to foster collaboration and drive innovation, there is no other company that offers this today.” said Raj Vattikuti, Executive Chairman at Altimetrik. “I am excited with the launch of our unique digital business brand and take great pride in our team’s successful track record as a strategic partner to customers creating innovative solutions that drive growth.”

The DBM is technology agnostic and business facing, employing engineering methodologies that remove data silos, establish SSOTs, and develop the necessary assets for GenAI/AI — fueling continuous innovation while ensuring security and compliance throughout the process. This engineering approach helps to ensure quality, security, and compliance that is auditable, and traceable. Data scientists and engineering teams work together to identify language models and algorithms related to their business intuition. Leveraging new data technologies such as Snowflake and Databricks, independent of the existing complex environments, creates valuable data, innovation, and AI/ML assets through a rigorous engineering approach.

Central to DBM is business taking the ownership and engagement through a holistic, incremental approach that prioritizes outcomes. Instead of relying on consultants that are focused on high level strategy, practitioners simplify business cases and end-to-end workflows to establish a specific use case that integrate real-time data from various sources. This is achieved in a tool-agnostic environment, leveraging a combination of tools. Further, specific GenAI/AI language models and other algorithms drive significant productivity gains through smart interfaces and real-time interactions.

The DBM is enforced by a cloud agnostic Digital Business Platform (DBP) tailored to each customer’s environment yet operating independently from their existing complex and siloed infrastructure. This fully automated end-to-end platform empowers the organizations to adopt automation seamlessly, ensuring outcomes are achieved with greater speed, consistency, and scale. With Altimetrik’s accelerators, implementation can be achieved within a very short time in the customer environment.

Altimetrik facilitates internalization of digital skills and culture, enabling clients to identify talent both internally and externally through the Digital Business Academy (DBA). As a catalyst we help customers to build an agile digital business culture where talent becomes practitioners that can simplify experiences. The company’s practitioner and engineering teams emphasizes simplifying user experience and providing data and SSOT for applying relevant language models and algorithms supporting business intuition. Initially implemented for Altimetrik’s 6,000+ engineers, leaders, GenAI/AI scientists, and practitioners worldwide, the DBA is now accessible to clients, as well.

Embarking on this journey over a decade ago, Altimetrik has been a pioneer of digital business. According to Raj Sundaresan, CEO of Altimetrik, “Through our DBA we have developed a proficiency in our leadership for data, product, and platform engineering, including legacy platform modernization, and market-facing industry solutions. Our holistic approach incorporates capability centers comprising of practitioners, engineering leaders, DevSecOps, and GenAI/AI experts, empowering business engagement and ownership through our DBM, DBP, and DBA accelerators.”

For digital business to be successful, it must be done separately from the existing environment to create the needed culture and talent. Altimetrik is a digital business pioneer and over the past decade has developed the tools and methodologies that ensures enterprises can transition to a true digital business.

To learn how Altimetrik’s DBM can revolutionize your business, contact us today or visit our website.

Nationwide Release, February 21st 2024 – Kulfi Collective, the award-winning content network based in Mumbai, has joined the prestigious Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA). SoDA is an exclusive global network, home to renowned agency founders, creative innovators and technology disruptors who help the world’s leading brands imagine and create the future of digital experiences.

SoDA serves as a dynamic community, fostering connections, collaboration and learning among creative visionaries and agencies who are shaping the forefront of digital innovation. Its members include some of the most innovative and celebrated agencies, product design studios, creative production companies and digital experience consultancies in the world such as Media Monks, Stink Studios, Buck, Jam3, Dept and more. SoDA represents a uniquely vibrant, diverse and collaborative community. Agencies are accepted after a rigorous selection process – endorsed by the SoDA community and admitted to the organisation by a unanimous vote from SoDA’s Board of Directors. Kulfi Collective is the first and only Indian company to secure membership in this exclusive global network so far.

This membership offers Kulfi Collective unparalleled opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing, and amplifies their capacity to craft cutting-edge digital experiences and access talent globally to create more value for their roster of clients. “We’re thrilled to be part of this incredible community that is committed to driving innovation and reshaping the digital landscape globally,” says Advait Gupt, Co-founder, Kulfi Collective. “As the only Indian member of SoDA, we are excited to represent creative voices from this region and immerse ourselves in collaborative learning with the finest minds in this space. “

“SoDA is a global community for founders and leadership teams at some of the world’s most progressive digital design, technology, and product studios. Kulfi Collective has an incredibly sharp, talented, genuine, and ambitious leadership team and they’re most definitely a leader in the Indian market. We’re thrilled to welcome the team into our community” adds Tom Beck, Executive Director, SoDA.

This marks a monumental moment in Kulfi Collective’s journey as they continue to work towards operating at the forefront of innovation, creativity and technology.

Newgen Software, a global provider of low code digital transformation platform, announced that Newgen’s accounts payable solution is recognized among 33 notable vendors in Forrester’s ‘The Accounts Payable Invoice Automation Landscape, Q4 2023’ report. This report assists CFOs, controllers, business leaders, and finance and payment professionals in understanding the value that can be expected from an APIA vendor and identifying the most effective and cost-efficient invoice automation solution for their business.

Newgen’s Accounts Payable Solution, built on NewgenONE—a low code platform—is strategically designed to guide organizations along the digital transformation journey to reach the next level of maturity by providing an end-to-end solution per industry expectations and best practices. This solution streamlines the complete finance process, from omnichannel invoice capture, multi-engine OCR extraction with voting logics, AI/ML validation, touchless processing, posting to ERP, payment processing, and archiving the Invoice document by automating standard operating procedures from initiation to completion. Inbuilt spend management provides tracking spending in real-time through Newgen’s Platform, where all the business spending data can be Centralized, Compiled, and Organized.

Organizations can leverage this solution to achieve true hyperautomation by using the best-in-class technology to achieve end-to-end automation. It also enhances overall process performance, improves SLAs, and ensures a seamless user and vendor experience through a user-friendly vendor collaboration portal.

“At Newgen, we are committed to transforming the finance and accounts function by understanding the unique needs and expectations of finance, vendors, and other stakeholders. Our rich experience of over 30 years in invoice processing helps organizations cover their legacy to modern expectations being met and act as a launch pad for business inclusive strategies, which we believe this report acknowledges as well,” said Runki Goswami, Head of Marketing, Newgen Software.

To access the complete report, read Forrester’s ‘The Accounts Payable Invoice Automation Landscape, Q4 2023’ report. Click here to learn more about how Newgen transforms the finance and accounting function.

BIRKENSTOCK is elated to announce the opening of its latest store in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. This step marks the start of a series of store openings in the anniversary year 2024, with which the German-based global zeitgeist and purpose brand and inventor of the footbed (“Tradition since 1774”), is deepening its retail footprint in India – one of the largest white space regions. Strategically located in the prestigious Mall of India, the store opened doors to customers on February 3, 2024.

Spanning an impressive 1100 square feet, the new BIRKENSTOCK store promises to be a haven for footwear enthusiasts seeking both comfort and fashion-forward designs. This new store will showcase the latest collections and silhouettes, offering visitors a firsthand experience of BIRKENSTOCK’s iconic craftsmanship and commitment to quality. Classic silhouettes like Arizona, Gizeh, Madrid, Boston, Mayari, Bend, Uji, Stalon, Jackson and others will be available to shop from.

A store with a display of shoes

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“Birkenstock is excited for its expansion within the thriving Indian market and is delighted to unveil the new store in Noida. The aim is to increase the brand presence throughout key markets and to be able to bring our footwear to our patrons. We seek to continuously drive our efforts to elevate the brand’s visibility and presence across the country with many more successful openings”, says Jens Hattab, Regional Managing Director Middle East Africa India at BIRKENSTOCK.

Vinay Bansal, Managing Director, Birkenstock India, adds, “We are overjoyed to extend the Birkenstock experience to a new location. We look forward to welcoming our customers to explore the perfect fusion of foot health and style.”

As a brand celebrated worldwide for its iconic footwear and timeless legacy, Birkenstock is thrilled to expand its presence in Noida catering to the growing demand for premium footwear that effortlessly combines style with wellness.

21st Feb 2024: Rungta Group of Institutions, Bhilai organized the 9th International Conference Shaastrarth-2024 held at Rungta College of Engineering & Technology, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, India, on January 5th and 6th, 2024. The conference, featuring multidisciplinary sessions spanning various branches of Engineering, Sciences, and Pharmacy, aimed at fostering knowledge exchange, exploration of emerging technologies, and promoting multidisciplinary research for sustainable development. The conference was technically sponsored by ISTE and IEI local chapter Bhilai. The conference published the 60 number of Conference proceedings with ISBN number 978-81-964426-6-8 Sponsored by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Raipur.

The primary objective of Shaastrarth-2024 was to curate world-class, high-quality technical sessions. These sessions were designed to be practical, significant, timely, non-commercial, and relevant to all researchers, encouraging participants to seamlessly switch between disciplines based on their qualifications, interests, and research areas.

The inaugural function on Day One was presided over by Shri Santosh Rungta, Chairman of Rungta Group of Institutions, Bhilai. The event hosted esteemed dignitaries, including Chief Guest Dr. Anupam Agrawal, Director SVNIT Surat, and Guest of Honor Er. Peenut Choubey, Chairman IEI Local Chapter Bhilai. The four distinguished keynote speakers enlightened the audience with their insights:

Dr. Brij Singh, John Deere Inc., USA, on “Carbon Intensity Reduction in Ag Production Systems Enabled by Precision Farming.”

Dr. Virendra Singh, IIT Bombay, India, on “AI and Cybersecurity.”

Dr. Sonjaya S Gaur, New York University, USA, on “Unlocking the Potential: Artificial Intelligence in Marketing.”

Dr. Ravi Prakash Tewari, MNIT Allahabad, India, on “Emerging Trends in Robotics.”

The conference featured six parallel tracks that conducted paper presentations across diverse disciplines. More than 400 papers were presented, contributing to the success of Shaastrarth-2024. The tracks were organized as follows:

International Conference on Computer Sciences, Information Tech. & Computer Applications (ICCSITCA-2024).

International Conference on Mechanical, Automobile Engineering & Mining Technology (ICMEAUMI-2024).

International Conference on Electrical, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (ICCSITCA-2024).

International Conference on Civil, Environmental, Agricultural Engineering (ICCEAE-2024).

International Conference on Basic Sciences, Biotechnology & Management (ICIEM-2024).

International Conference on Pharmaceutical Sciences (ICPS-2024).

Shaastrarth-2024 was a successful event due the tireless efforts of the Organizing Chairman, Dr. Rakesh Himte, Principal RCET Bhilai, and the Convenor, Dr. Ajay Kushwaha, HOD (IT), RCET Bhilai, for their visionary leadership. Special thanks to the Co-Convenors, Dr. Ajazuddin and Dr. Padmavati Shrivastava, and the Organizing Secretary, Dr. R K Rathore.

Shaastrarth-2024 has been a platform for intellectual exchange, fostering collaboration, and exploring innovative solutions to global challenges. We thank all participants, speakers, reviewers, and the organizing team for their contributions. As we conclude this edition, we look forward to future endeavors and continued collaboration in the spirit of research and sustainable development.

Bengaluru, India – February 21, 2024– Developing the Galaxy S24 series has been the most rewarding period of my career. As an engineer, I have witnessed many examples of incredible innovations, but AI is the most transformative technology of the century. Few engineers get the chance to be involved in something with such seismic potential. It brings great change, not only for Samsung and the mobile industry, but for all humankind.

When integrated into phones, AI, is to put it simply, a revolution. This is a new era for mobile experiences and Samsung Galaxy has a leading role to play in it. Mobile devices will become the primary access point for AI, and Samsung Galaxy – with our broad and comprehensive product portfolio, heritage of innovation, and philosophy of open collaboration – is in a great position to accelerate its global expansion. We will make mobile AI easy to access and ignite new possibilities for all.

Opening Up New Possibilities

As we pioneer groundbreaking experiences in mobile AI, we’ve thought a lot about how this new and exciting technology can enhance our lives and inspire society’s next steps. Applied with care and consideration, Galaxy AI helps people communicate beyond borders, complete everyday tasks easily, and so much more.

Since the launch of Galaxy S24 series, we’ve had great feedback about how people actually use Galaxy AI features in their daily lives. One of the most welcomed AI features is Circle to Search with Google, an incredible new tool for intuitive discovery. Our communication tools for removing language barriers, such as Live Translate, Chat Assist and Interpreter, have captured the imagination of many. People also love Photo Assist, our tools for creativity powered by our ProVisual Engine.

Again, we’re only getting started. While developing the Galaxy S24 series, we had many ideas and concepts that we wanted to bring to life. Galaxy users will be able to enjoy more Galaxy AI features that build on these ideas and concepts over time as Samsung continuously enhances and grows the mobile AI experiences.

Moreover, we are already planning next steps for Galaxy AI beyond smartphones – optimizing it for various categories of devices, across various services. In the near future, the select Galaxy wearables will use AI to enhance digital health and unlock a whole new era of expanded intelligent health experiences. Samsung will keep enriching and expanding Galaxy AI experiences across categories through collaborations with more industry-leading AI partners.

The Next Big Thing is YOU

Over the past year, we frequently asked ourselves what users want or need and what they could achieve with a little assistance. These questions inspired the Galaxy S24 series, our first AI phone that invites users to imagine how their lives could change thanks to AI. It is the phone of the future, shaping the standard of mobile AI and defining this emerging category of AI phones.

Of course, there are challenges and responsibilities to consider. AI models in training are still susceptible to hallucinations, and the debate on intellectual property rights continues. It is crucial that companies openly collaborate to carefully define AI experiences, so users can confidently and reliably enjoy their new abilities.

It’s also important to raise the standards of security and privacy in this new era of data-intensive mobile experiences. That is one of the reasons we’ve taken a hybrid approach that combines on-device and cloud-based AI. Besides ensuring seamless usability, this lets users limit some features to function entirely on-device, giving them greater control over what they do with their data. We remain committed to enhancing Galaxy device security and privacy by providing users with transparency and choice.

In this new era of mobile AI, it is no longer a question of what any phone can do, but what individuals can achieve with the right tools. Galaxy S24 series provides just some of those tools and I can’t wait to see what you will do with them. It is you who decides what’s possible, useful, and meaningful. The next chapter of mobile experiences does not belong to us. It belongs to you, our Samsung Galaxy users.