New Delhi,1st march 2023Asian Paints ColourNext, the most authoritative voice in the Indian subcontinent for trends and material forecasting completed 20 years this year. Renowned for their exemplary insights, ColourNext continues to share design directions for the year inspired by the cultural and social influences on colour and decor trends. ColourNext revealed the four forecast design directions for 2023 – ‘Gothilicious’, ‘Edge of the Forest’, ‘Sleep Sense’ and ‘Shroom’, the stories of which address sociocultural topics ranging from how we express ourselves, to a newfound urgency for wellness, and forming deeper connections with others and the world around us. The forecast also launched Wallpaper of the Year – AION, breakthrough natural and earth-safe paint – Nilaya Naturals, and imaginative palette of wall finishes called Material Finishes by Royale Play.

ColourNext’s forecast for 2023 is all about building a better future, embracing the past and present and creating with joy, hope and intention. The year is the silver lining everyone waited for, after the dark clouds of the past few years and the colour of the year ‘Silver Escapade’ encapsulates the optimism with which we are going forward. On the occasion of ColourNext’s 20th edition, Asian Paints has also launched the new logo for ColourNext.

Mr. Amit Syngle, Managing Director and CEO, of Asian Paints Ltd. commented, “As we celebrate 20 years of ColourNext with pride & zest, we look ahead to share with the world, the colour and material forecast for the year. The design directions for the year – Gothilicious, Edge of the Forest, Sleep Sense and Shroom highlight self-expression, wellness, fantasy and connecting with the world, addressing socio-cultural and consumer shifts which have emerged from getting out of a rather difficult and tough phase of the last two years. The Wallpaper of the Year- Aion speaks about time and eternity through art and design and Nilaya Naturals along with Material Finishes by Royale Play align perfectly with our forecasted themes for the year. We are excited to see the multitude of interpretations of our directions across landscape and medium. It is definitely going to be an interesting year where we see the application of our forecast and our colour and material intelligence behind them come to life.”

The dazzling and enchanting Wallpaper of the Year, AION (pronounced Ahee-ohn) has a mesmerizing visual palette with deft use of tones in different sections of the design. In the foreground, strong powerful and modern graphic lines, blaze with a white intensity. Receding totem silhouettes signal the way back into myth and mist, hanging chandelier-like against a soft wash of colour. ‘AION’ offers more than the eye can see and tells a tale of the universe’s greatest puzzle: Time.

Each of the forecast stories outline a narrative that connects with individuals differently.

Gothilicious is the trend of self-expression and being unapologetically bold and sensual. It can be seen as challenging the traditional ideas of dark and nebulous and exploring the intensity of pensive and powerful human emotion. There is a shift towards an understated gothic essence with colours like charcoal warm matt black, deepest dark skies, blackest black pigment, deep dark forest olive greens, dark reds, sheen & shimmer of mother of pearl and molten metal.

Edge of the Forest is a life-affirming and a restorative forecast story. When the pandemic hit we were clouded with loneliness, people found themselves turning to nature for answers, as per big data reports. This is because people know from instinct that nature allows them to connect to a world larger than themselves. Inspired by unfiltered forests, woods and its many enchanting creatures, this forecast story includes deep forest greens, mud, moss browns and mystical fluorescence inspired by wildflowers, rare bees, bugs and worms, along with the magical sheen and shimmer of gleaming lake waters. This trend signifies reconnecting with nature and its joy and vitality and a new kind of ‘inland living’ at the edge of the forest.

Sleep Sense refers to a new frontier in wellness – a sleep revolution i.e. prioritizing good quality sleep and rest of mind as the movement towards health, wellness and slow living gains ground. There is a renewed focus on breathable, handcrafted fabrics and locally sourced natural materials. The overall colour palette is a collection of broken whites that give a feeling of stillness and lightness. Comforting, nourishing, soft adaptive, familiar, and tranquility are the colour and material qualities of this forecast story.

Shroom is a story of revival and rebirth. It involves taking all that is dead and turning it back to life, in many ways mirroring the year itself, as people come out of the biggest health scare this generation has witnessed. It seems simple from the outside but has complex layers of ecological memory. A palette of profound tones combined with luminous and saturated hues with mesmeric quality make up this forecast story.

Earlier this year, Colour of the Year – Silver Escapade was unveiled as a representative colour of the times we live in. Wellness and hope for the future have emerged as the two most important design trends this year which inspire silver, a ubiquitous colour of hope, festivities and glamour. Silver has been the colour of auspicious new beginnings in India for centuries. Given the hybrid lifestyles we live, the colour is timeless and expansive transcending physical and digital realms, the past, present and the future.

Having been in existence for 20 years, Asian Paints ColourNext has evolved as the subcontinent’s most-awaited and one-of-its-kind, intelligence in colour and material. The entire forecast takes into account the impact of the socio-political-economic climate backed by the science of research tools and colour psychology. It is put together based on comprehensive research involving the country’s prominent tastemakers from the fields of architecture, art, interiors, fashion, sociology, media and FMCG. Over 20 years, ColourNext has grown its influence and manifestation having immensely contributed to and shaped the world of colour and design.

Along with ColourNext, Asian Paints has revealed its new breakthrough product, Nilaya Naturals, a uniquely luxurious earth-safe, lime-based paint. Nilaya Naturals is made with 90% earth-positive ingredients making it robust and breathable, with a clean, fresh smell. Its tonally perfect palette with a vintage, flawlessly matte finish, has a beauty that only grows deeper with time. For projects which require an artistic colour, this will prove to be a perfect choice.

Material Finishes by Royale Play which are designer plaster solutions will showcase textures, styles and decor effects inspired by the colour of the year and forecast stories. This dynamic product offers a variety of options to fit evolving consumer tastes, such as The Archi Argilla, an imitation of nature with natural clay and lime composition; fit for houses with a trendy-chic rustic style, or W2F Decorative for differentiated luxury spaces. Some other options include Opaco Matt’s complete matt styling, and Marmorino’s marble like effect among others.

Bengaluru,1st march 2023: Tata Motors, India’s leading automobile manufacturer, today, took a significant leap forward in its commitment towards sustainable mobility with the launch of Re.Wi.Re – Recycle with Respect, its first Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Inaugurated by Hon’ble Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, this state-of-the-art facility has a capacity of 15,000 vehicles per annum and follows world-class, eco-friendly processes for safe and sustainable dismantling of end-of-life vehicles. It is developed and operated by Tata Motors’ partner Ganganagar Vaahan Udyog Pvt. Ltd. to scrap end-of-life passenger and commercial vehicles of all brands.

Inaugurating Tata Motors’ maiden Re.Wi.Re RVSF, Hon’ble Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, Shri Nitin Gadkari said, “The National Vehicle Scrappage Policy was introduced with the aim to promote circular economy by creating an ecosystem for phasing out unfit and polluting vehicles and to achieve a lower carbon footprint in the country by replacing them with greener and more fuel efficient vehicles. I congratulate Tata Motors for setting-up this quality facility that is at par with global standards. We are working towards positioning India as a vehicle scrapping hub for the entire South Asian region and need more such state-of-the-art scrapping and recycling units in India.”

Speaking on the launch of Re.Wi.Re., Mr. Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors, said, “At Tata Motors, we are committed to delve into every aspect of mobility to make it greener and sustainable. The inauguration of this RVSF (Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility) heralds a new beginning in responsible scrapping of end-of-life vehicles. With globally benchmarked and optimised recycling processes, we intend to yield maximum value from the scrap for future use and minimise waste for the overall betterment. We appreciate the visionary efforts of Shri Gadkari ji in enabling the National Vehicle Scrappage Policy and look forward to setting-up Re.Wi.Re facilities across the country in collaboration with our partners. These decentralised facilities will benefit the customers, share the economic value generated, create employment while addressing the need of scrapping vehicles in every part of the country in an eco-friendly manner.

The state-of-the-art Re.Wi.Re. facility is designed to dismantle end-of-life passenger and commercial vehicles of all brands and ensures de-pollutioning. It is fully digitalised for hassle-free, paperless operations and has dedicated stations for safe dismantling of components such as tyres, batteries, fuel, oils, liquids and gases. The vehicles go through a stringent documentation and dismantling process, curated individually for passenger and commercial vehicle requirements.

Hyderabad/New Delhi, 1st march 2023 Home Credit India (HCIN), a local arm of the leading global consumer finance provider, today launched the third campaign under its ‘Zindagi Hit!’ brand thought. In the run-up to the Holi festival, the new digital AV showcases Home Credit as an enabler towards fulfilling consumer aspirations and helping them lead a life of financial independence. The value proposition of Home Credit India’s campaign centres on traits such as optimism, progress, trustworthiness, transparency, and that of an enabler, making it a brand of choice when it comes to consumer loans.

This campaign is an effort to have sustained brand connect with Home Credit consumers and potential loans seekers. Home Credit India had launched its new brand thought “Zindagi Hit!”, during Diwali in October last year. It was followed up with the second leg of the brand campaign – ‘Khushiyon Mein Der Kaisi’ – launched in December.

The narrative of the new digital campaign revolves around a mother-son relationship where a mother is disheartened as neither her son is able to visit her on Holi nor is she able to video call him as her phone is broken. The worried son, while strolling in the market, spots a local mobile shop promoting Home Credit finance. The mobile retailer suggests him to get a new phone financed in lieu of a small amount. Herein lies the value of Home Credit, who financially empowers borrowers through easy and hassle-free loans that bring to reality every wish & aspiration. The video ends with the son gifting his mother a new smartphone and affirming to her that it has been bought ethically (“izzat se liya hai”). With Home Credit, he has found a new hope and confidence in being able to give a better life to his family.

Speaking on the new campaign under ‘Zindagi Hit!’ brand thought, Ashish Tiwari, Chief Marketing Officer, Home Credit India, said, “The narrative of this new brand campaign hinges on accessibility, convenience, and trust. The brand thought ‘Zindagi Hit!’ aims to foster financial freedom to millions of people and help them celebrate all moments of life with respect. Home Credit believes loan is an empowerment for right use cases and we are focused on addressing the unmet credit needs of our customers by combining the convenience of varied financing options such as EMI Card to transparency and accessibility.”

The brand campaign is live across all Home Credit’s social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn.

Toronto, ON, Canada, 1st march 2023– Pankaj Gupta, a transformation champion who has been on the leading edge of video evolution across wired, wireless and cloud infrastructures, has joined Quickplay as Head of Solutions Engineering, APAC and MVPD.

Gupta, who joins Quickplay after three years with Synamedia, will leverage his expertise in helping content distributors shape and build video delivery systems as he spearheads go-to-market strategies in the APAC and India markets for Quickplay’s industry-first, cloud-native OTT platform.

“The success and rapid growth of deployments with aha, PLDT and others have spurred increased interest in how MVPDs, telcos and other providers can transform every aspect of their businesses by moving to cloud-based architectures,” said Chris Drake, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Sales and Revenue for Quickplay. “Pankaj Gupta is highly regarded for his extensive knowledge, especially of the APAC market, and his ability to help each video provider create the system that meets their specific needs.”

During Gupta’s tenure as director, solution consulting for Synamedia Asia, his consultative approach to identifying customer pain points and possible resolutions was key to the company’s APAC sales strategy. Previously he was head of sales and business development/video cloud product SME during a five-year career with Cisco that included execution of the world’s first hybrid video cloud platform deal. Gupta also was CTO for Airtel International’s direct-to-home project and general manager and head of DTH NOC for Airtel India.

“Quickplay’s cloud-native architecture, its spirit of innovation, and its results-oriented team are powering the company to new heights,” said Gupta. “I’m here to help Quickplay do what it does better than anyone in the industry: help streaming providers to seamlessly transition from the confines of legacy architectures to the limitless possibilities of platforms based entirely in the cloud.”

1st march 2023 Guwahati: Automovill, a Bengaluru-based Full-Stack Mobility solution provider, has announced aggressive plans to facilitate service to 1 lakh vehicles by the end of this fiscal year.The automotive brand has already delivered service to over 2 lakh vehicles to date. 53K customers had their needs met by Automovill between April 2021 and March 2022, and more than 60K vehicles have been serviced since April 2022 till NOV-22. Currently, the Automovill service network spans 20 major Indian cities and comprises of 500 workshops, 8 franchise workshops, 70 hubs, and rest spokes.

Automovill is a one-of-a-kind platform for aggregating automobile service providers, connecting vehicle owners with all kinds of automobile service providers under one roof. The unified platform enables users to book the service they require, and Automovill handles the request with the closest or most appropriate service provider in a hassle-free and intelligent manner.

MriduMahendra Das, Co-Founder & CEO of Automovill in a statement said, “At Automovill, we understand how essential it is for any business to achieve its strategicgoals. Creating value for customers, employees, and investors and judiciously passing on all set parameters is the primary driver that has been cruising our success story forward.”

“Since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a trend of people favouring personal cars over public transportation, which directly increased the requirement for automobile Services. At Automovill, we have been developing applications and solutions to become increasingly recognized as a preferred choice of customers looking for reliable services that save their time as well as money. We are also on a mission to develop futuristic automobile solutions that can encourage innovation and growth in the industry as a whole” Mridu added.

Operating under a hybrid and adaptable business model has enabled Automovill to become a well-known household name and one of India’s fastest-growing after-sales service companies. With its B2B and B2C revenue streams, Automotive plans to accelerate its revenue and growth momentum in the coming years as well. Simultaneously, the brand is developing a comprehensive platform for its technicians to maximize their learning and earning prospects. To add value to customers and streamline the auto after-service and maintenance sector, the brand also regularly updates its technology offerings.

Mumbai,1st march 2023: Under the aegis of the National Monetization Pipeline of Govt. of India, NTPC Limited (“NTPC”) completed the closing of the transactions in relation to consolidating its Renewable Energy (“RE”) portfolio under one umbrella entity i.e., NTPC Green Energy Limited (“NGEL”), on February 28, 2023.

This is a transfer of RE assets/ entities owned by NTPC to NGEL, its wholly-owned subsidiary, incorporated on April 07, 2022.

The transactions comprised of transfer of 15 RE Assets, through a Business Transfer Agreement (BTA), and the transfer of 100% equity shareholding of NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (“NREL”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC, through a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA), executed on July 08, 2022.

This scheme has been implemented as a part of the corporate business plan of the group to provide an impetus to its focus on achieving the 60 GW RE capacity target by FY32.

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New Delhi – 1st march 2023: Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering services and solutions, today announced an expanded partnership with Microsoft as an Azure Operator Nexus Ready Systems Integrator. The partnership will empower telecom operators and enterprises to build, host and operate Long-term Evolution (LTE)s and 5G networks by using virtualized/containerized network functions leveraging Azure Operator Nexus.

As an Azure Operator Nexus Ready Systems Integrator, Tech Mahindra will provide its talent, expertise, comprehensive solutions, and professional managed services offerings. The partnership will leverage a fully cloud-native and blueprinted 5G core running on Azure Operator Nexus that will enable telecom operators to provide enhanced and customized user experiences. It will further provide operators with streamlined business operations through simplified management, policies, and automation delivered through unified cloud management.

Manish Mangal, Global Head, 5G & Network Services Business, Tech Mahindra, said, “The world is embracing telco network transformation becoming more open, edge-centric, hybrid, and data-driven. With Microsoft as a strategic partner, Tech Mahindra is helping operators realize the full potential of their networks and providing innovative and agile services. The partnership focuses on reinventing the customer experience with innovation at its core and transforming telco networks by building innovative cloud-native infrastructure solutions in the 5G Core and RAN domains. It will further strengthen our network service portfolio by combining the Microsoft cloud with our deep expertise and footprint in the telecom industry.”

Utilizing Azure Operator Nexus, Tech Mahindra will enable operators to run all their workloads (such as core, RAN mobile and voice core, operating support system, and business support system) on a single carrier-grade hybrid cloud platform. This will help meet the security, resiliency, observability, manageability, and performance needs required by operators to achieve meaningful results from digital transformation.

Shawn Hakl, Vice President – Azure for Operators, Microsoft, said, “Network operators are looking to adopt cloud technology to modernize and monetize the network – lowering network total cost of ownership; driving operational efficiency and resiliency; and improving security. Through our expanded partnership, Tech Mahindra will deliver innovative Azure Operator Nexus solutions and services, that will help customers drive business transformation and realize new growth.”

The expanded partnership is in line with Tech Mahindra’s DigitALL philosophy for comprehensive Business Transformation. As part of NXT.NOW™ framework, which aims to enhance ‘Human Centric Experience’, Tech Mahindra focuses on investing in emerging technologies and solutions that enable digital transformation and meet the evolving needs of its customers.

New Delhi, March 1st, 2023: Home-grown brand Fire-Boltt announces the launch of its all-new sporty & rugged smartwatch – ‘Sphere’ from its Outdoor series. An ultimate smartwatch for the adventurer in you, Sphere is designed to withstand even the toughest environments, while still keeping you connected and in control. Designed specifically for the outdoors, the smartwatch comes with military standard toughness and is equipped with a 1.6-inch HD display with 400*400 pixels resolution and 600 Nits brightness, providing an outstanding visual experience to the users. It is currently available on Flipkart & Fireboltt.com at an introductory price of INR 2999.

Fire-Boltt Sphere comes with a shockproof metal body and is fuelled by 600 mAh battery which is one of the largest in its segment. On a single charge, the smartwatch can run non-stop for up to 8 days in classic mode and 25 days in standby mode. It is equipped with multiple sports modes and an intelligent sports algorithm feature, the smartwatch helps in tracking down even the minutest of details of one’s workout sessions. The smartwatch also supports Bluetooth calling which comes with HIFI audio quality. With the availability of a quick dial pad on the watch, the users can make, reject or accept calls on the go. Rated IP68 for water resistance, the smartwatch can easily handle accidental water splashes and strenuous workouts in the gym. Additionally, the smartwatch is loaded with exciting features like periodical health reminders, sedentary reminders, remote camera control, weather forecast, alarm clock, timer, and stopwatch that allows user to fully utilize their time outdoors. The smartwatch is available in 2 striking color variants- Black and Green Forest.

Commenting on the launch, Aayushi Kishore and Arnav Kishore, Co-Founders of Fire-Boltt, said, “We are thrilled to expand our outdoor category and introduce yet another sporty and rugged smartwatch for our consumers. The overall response to our outdoor watches has been phenomenal which gives us a sense of pride as we have been successfully able to create a new category in the budget smartwatch segment. We will be even more aggressive with our portfolio expansion in the coming months and will leave no stone unturned to bring the best quality smartwatches to our customers.”

The Sphere smartwatch combines a sporty and rugged design providing an intuitive experience to the user. One can use this smartwatch for any activity or adventure, be it hiking, trekking, or thrilling environmental conditions like dust, water splashes, pressure, etc. Fire-Boltt Sphere can also track heart rate, sleep cycle, and SPO2 levels with its signature health suite. It comes with a dual chamfered crown and highly durable glass which gives a premium look and feel to the smartwatch. While the solid body of the smartwatch tackles outdoor activities with ease, its skin-friendly silicon strap with a sweat-wicking design ensures it stays dry and sits comfortably on the user’s wrist. Not only this, but one can also get an option of 6 menu interfaces to choose from along with 100+ cloud base watch faces.

Bengaluru March 1st, 2023: Fanzart, the pioneers of luxury fans in India, have yet again added another set of luxury fans to their incredible list of designer fans. The new set of fans, one being multi-directional and bladeless and the other being a new age ventilation fan, is an addition to the already existing outstanding range of more than 100 luxury designer fans customised to meet the unique needs of its connoisseur clientele.

Commenting on the latest launches, Tarun Lala, Co-Founder and Director, Fanzart, says, “Our latest launches are set to bring in elegance, finesse along with the benefits of modern technology into the interior spaces. While the twin models of silent exhaust fans will be much sought after in the utility and service areas – the bathrooms, kitchens, utility areas and more, the bladeless pedestal option will serve as a fitting tribute to a sleek contemporary interior.”

Orbit: Multi-directional and bladeless

Orbit fan from Fanzart is a bladeless option, the air circulation being multi-directional, the body totally sleek and contemporary in looks to fit in finely into a high end space. Built with Japanese technology, the black coloured 38.1 inch designer fan, aptly christened as Orbit, comes with an oscillation of 900 and an air velocity of over 7m/s.

The silent performer also comes with power saving, requiring barely 45W for its operations. The luxury fan has a smart touch LED control panel, facilitating operation through infrared remote control that can be easily stored in a remote control nest. A built-in dust filter ensures the circulation of clean and dust free air.

Pro and Max: New age ventilation

Fanzart has yet again come out with a differential approach to addressing ventilation through its twin options of Pro and Max exhaust fans. Packing in an ultra-silent technology, the twin fans come with a noise level of 35db. Working on a low power requirement of 25W, the light weight exhaust fans prove to be high performers, with the airflow amounting to 320 m3/h.

The company is renowned across the country for its exclusive designer fans that include fans with classic looks, customised unique options to cater to children’s room, elegant fandeliers, mini fans, humanoids, fans with blue tooth and customisable blades.

New Delhi, February 28, 2023: HDFC Life, one of India’s leading life insurers, endeavours to educate consumers by creating differentiated content about its diverse suite of products in a manner that is both informative as well as entertaining.

With its latest campaign, ‘The Missing Dulha’, HDFC Life aims to create awareness on the importance of life insurance and its various product categories through a set of ten films with the help of a story that revolves around a groom who goes missing on his wedding day.

Aptly titled ‘The Missing Dulha’, these ten byte-sized films humorously capture the nuances behind a classic Indian family wedding, the various characters and their idiosyncrasies. Each film ends with a cliffhanger to keep the audience interested in what’s coming next while communicating a feature of life insurance plans in a unique and humorous manner.

Life insurance is a must-have product for all individuals for their financial security and fulfilment of future financial goals, enabling them to face life’s challenges and live with pride. Through this campaign, HDFC Life aims to deliver the message as to how life insurance and its benefits are important for individuals in a simple yet relatable way.

Speaking on this unique campaign, Vishal Subharwal – Chief Marketing Officer & Group Head – Strategy, HDFC Life, said “One of the barriers to life insurance penetration in India has been the fact that the category benefits are not fully appreciated by potential consumers. Our purpose as an organisation has been to simplify products and come up with features that make a meaningful difference to the lives of our customers. The challenge put forth to the marketing team was to demystify life insurance and do it in a manner that make the category appeal to a wider audience pool.

With this objective we have launched ‘The Missing Dulha’ a first-of-its kind, 10-part ad-series which brings to the forefront the nuances of various life insurance product categories in a manner that is interesting and easy-to-understand. We believe this unique approach coupled with the right dose of humour set in a typical Indian wedding scenario, makes the film relatable to a large section of Indian consumers. We hope this campaign will go a long way in educating consumers about the importance of life insurance products and their features.”