Archives February 2023

21st February 2023: Hipi, India’s leading short video app that encourages creativity and passion, successfully concluded the voting phase for the viewers’ choice categories of the Zee Cine Awards 2023. Celebrating the excellence in Indian cinema, this collaboration offered Hipi users an exclusive opportunity to cast their ballot for their favourite celebs, movies, and songs. In addition, the short video app will also bring exciting celeb content from the red carpet of the award ceremony, exclusively for its users.

As a part of this association, Hipi enabled its users to cast their votes for the viewers’ choice categories in the Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Film, and Song of the Year of the Zee Cine Awards 2023.

The Award night will also witness the culmination of Hipi Stunner – India’s first digital fashion pageant. The six winners of this unique fashion pageant will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rub shoulders with their favourite celebrities, basking in the limelight of acknowledgment and stardom. They will also be accompanied by the gorgeous Nikita Anand, Miss India Universe 2003, the host of the six-month-long, Hipi Stunner pageant.

At the Zee Cine Awards red carpet, Hipi will engage and interact with Bollywood celebrities to create fresh and exciting new content as they make their way through the event. Users and fans will be able to access this exclusive content, featuring behind-the-scenes moments and fun videos from the red carpet.

Hipi has continuously brought forth such wonderful opportunities through ground-breaking challenges and contests, in which users can participate from the comfort of their homes. GBS Bindra, Chief Business Officer of Hipi mentioned, “Hipi has always aimed to provide a stepping stone for talented creators to reach for the stars. With contests like Hipi Stunner, Hipi G.O.A.T and the ongoing challenge, Hipi Lipsync Battle, the platform is teeming with opportunities waiting to be seized by any creator with a desire of making it big.”

Keybridge Global Education Partners with U.S.-based Maryville University to Co-Develop Learning Content Aimed at Improving Employability for Learners

The university will co-develop content with Keybridge in areas such as leadership, project management, digital marketing, business acumen, etc. to upskill working professionals to help them become job-ready and grow in their career

New Delhi, January 2023: Keybridge Global Education, an innovative higher edtech organization set up to bridge the gap between traditional career preparation and outcomes expected by employers, has partnered with U.S.-based Maryville University to co-develop learning content aimed at preparing learners to become job-ready. Maryville will provide curated learning content as part of the Keybridge career building framework to help professionals grow and remain industry relevant on an ongoing basis.

“At Keybridge we are keen to work with a university and other content partners that are invested in creating education programs more relevant to employers and that believe in our vision and approach. Maryville University and its workforce development arm – MaryvilleWORKS – is focused on helping businesses in the greater St. Louis, Missouri region of the U.S. They have a proven approach of designing learning content and developing evaluative criteria to demonstrate success in corporate environments. This is aligned with what Keybridge brings to the table and complements our strengths in career planning, management and career skills development,” said Amol Dani, co-founder and CEO, Keybridge Global Education.

The partnership aims to extend opportunities for early- and mid-career professionals who feel disillusioned about their professional growth or overall career trajectory. Without different options and guidance, they settle for existing course templates and mass market badges that may or may not work for them in the context of their career advancement. Maryville and Keybridge will co-develop learning content to upskill learners in areas such as leadership, project management, digital marketing, business acumen and professional skills, to name a few. These will be complemented by Keybridge’s proprietary tools designed for developing employability skills and aiding in career planning and management. These programs aimed at advancing or boosting career goals are hosted on a learner-centric learning management system where participants can access content, tools and resources at any time anywhere.

Dr. Scott Chadwick, chief of corporate partnership acquisitions for Maryville University said, “At Maryville, we don’t focus on the one-size-fits-all education model, be it for individuals or businesses thinking of upskilling or reskilling their workforce. Because Keybridge and Maryville share a common goal of empowering working professionals and support businesses that must meet the evolving demands of their industries, we are sure our partnership will positively improve their workforce development and help them grow and thrive.”

With the parent company headquartered in the U.S., India is Keybridge Global Education’s launch market to offer learner-centric skill development programs. Keybridge has developed a unique learning framework that keeps learner at the center of the conversation and provides tools and resources for learners to be job-ready and employable on an ongoing basis.

India, 21st February, 2023: AIX Connect, operating as AirAsia India, launched its Start of Summer sale with fares starting from ₹1,400 for routes such as Mumbai-Chennai, along with similar special sales fares across its network. Bookings are open till 24th February 2023, for travel between 12th March and 30th September 2023. The sale fares are available on the AirAsia India website, AirAsia.co.in, the AirAsia India iOS and android mobile apps, and other major booking channels. NeuPass members who book through Tata Neu or on the airline’s website and app can also earn up to 8% NeuCoins.

The launch of the Start of Summer sale presents an unbeatable opportunity for travelers to plan their spring and summer vacations to a wide variety of both popular and off-the-beaten-path destinations on the AirAsia India network. The airline also offers direct connectivity from major metros to Kochi in the South and Srinagar in the North to Goa’s picturesque beaches and vibrant nightlife. In the North-East, the airline also offers flights to Guwahati, nestled in the hills of Assam, offering scenic views of the Brahmaputra river and lush greenery, while Imphal, the capital of Manipur, boasts of a rich cultural heritage and beautiful landscapes dotted with lakes and hills. With over 50 direct and 100 connecting flights to 19 destinations, AirAsia India caters to both business and leisure travelers with Gourmair hot meals, all-leather seats, and a new in-flight experience hub, AirFlix.

The airline recently announced the expansion of its network to the city of Surat, Gujarat. Operations will commence on 3rd March 2023, with direct flights to Bengaluru, Delhi, and Kolkata, and convenient one-stop itineraries to other destinations on its network, including Bhubaneswar, Kochi, Guwahati, Goa, Hyderabad, Ranchi, Bagdogra, Lucknow, Chennai, Jaipur, Visakhapatnam, and Srinagar. The addition of Surat aligns with the airline’s ongoing commitment to providing seamless connectivity and exceptional service to its guests and patrons.

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By Akash Pharande, Managing Director – Pharande Spaces

Millennials, usually described as those born between 1981 and 1996, have been hogging the news as the new ‘power user’ group of Indians who are buying homes. Are they really such a big deal? Let’s look at some facts to understand why millennials are such an influential homebuyer segment in India today.

The United Nations found in 2020 that India has an estimated population of about 1.38 billion, and a 2021 report by the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) found that the number of Indians in the age group of 20-39 years was about 470 million. In short, roughly 1/3rd of the Indian population are millennials.

A TransUnion CIBIL study found that the number of home loans taken by millennials in India increased by 96% between 2015 and 2018. And this was before COVID-19. According to a report by the real estate consulting firm ANAROCK, millennials accounted for about 42% of all homebuyers in 2020. The report also finds that the COVID-19 pandemic increased demand for homes among millennials due to their need for more space and the desire to scrap the zero-returns financial burden of rented homes.

Over the next two years, more millennials than ever before will reach the median buying age of 32. When such a vast and influential segment of residential real estate buyers starts making solid moves on the housing market, there is no way we can ignore them. More and more Indian millennials are now entering their prime buying years.

Beyond COVID-19

COVID-19 was undoubtedly a game changer for millennials buying homes – including in the types of homes they prefer. From 2020 onward, millennials began looking for homes with dedicated office space for remote work. Initially, the demand was in response to lockdowns and other significant changes to daily living during the pandemic. Market pundits expected that the trends of millennial homebuying and the demand for bigger homes would change after everyday life resumed.

That prediction failed to come true. Even today, with companies having opened their offices for regular work again, millennials continue to scan the Indian housing market for bigger homes in less expensive locations. Unlike their parents, they have no aspiration for the perceived prestige of inner-city living. Also, remote working has retained its spark as was previously predicted.

A 2021 survey by job portal Naukri.com found that approximately 70% of Indian millennials were working remotely, and a survey by competing job site Indeed determined that 78% of Indian millennials were determined to continue working remotely after the pandemic because of better work-life balance, lower commuting stress, and improved productivity.

A survey by HR consulting firm Mercer had similar results, finding that 58% of Indian employees – which, as we have already seen, has a substantial millennial component, intended to continue working remotely even after the pandemic. Notably, not only millennials now prefer remote work – even older employees have taken a shine to it. However, since millennials are generally more tech-savvy and open to new work arrangements, it is predominantly the millennial demographic that drives this new mindset.

The Future of the Indian Millennial Homebuying Trend

Will millennials continue to dominate the housing market? As more of them enter the housing market, there is no reason for the trend to dissipate. Many Indian companies have realized the advantages of more cost-effective, flexible work arrangements. This means the millennial aspiration to own bigger homes in cheaper suburban areas will continue.

Can rising property prices dampen the millennial homeownership zest? That is unlikely. Before the pandemic, many Indian millennials preferred to invest their spare money in the stock market and even crypto assets because of superior ROI. In the last two years, they have turned to residential property as their preferred investment asset class.

Property prices have been increasing steadily in the last year. However, the rising property prices strengthen the overall housing investment logic. The long-term benefits of owning an appreciating asset are a convincing reason for Indian millennials. This is borne out by a survey conducted by housing market aggregator portal Magicbricks, which found that 67% of Indian millennials continue to see owning residential property as a superior option to renting homes.

In short, Indian millennials will continue to see homeownership as an excellent long-term investment that will provide financial security and stability, despite short-term fluctuations in housing prices.

– by Akash Pharande, Managing Director – Pharande Spaces

In a recent report on housing prices in the country’s top cities, real estate consultants PropTiger.com found that average residential real estate price tags rose by 7% in 2022. In Pune, prices rose by 8% when compared to 2021. The consultants correctly attribute the price rise to the increased construction cost and the continuing demand wave, which began after Covid-19 and had been going strong ever since.

The fact that housing prices are rising like this after many years of relatively slow or neutral growth is notable. It means different things to different people – those who have already bought their homes are grateful for having acted in time. Those sitting on the fence feel the heat rising – the time to postpone the decision is running out.

Housing prices tend to increase due to a combination of factors, including inflation, supply and demand dynamics, and the overall state of the economy.

Inflation

Inflation plays a significant role in driving up housing prices, but what is it exactly? To put it simply, inflation is the overall increase in prices and concurrent decrease in money’s value or purchasing power over time. As inflation rises, the value of the rupee decreases, meaning that people must spend more money to buy the same amount of goods and services.

Like everything else, the cost of building materials, construction labour, and other expenses associated with housing construction also rise. In a slow housing market, developers will try to safeguard their customers from this increased cost as much as possible since demand would ebb otherwise. However, they can only do it for so long – and when housing demand is healthy, there is no reason not to pass on the increased costs to homebuyers in the form of higher prices.

Demand and supply

The dynamics of supply and demand also contribute to increasing housing prices. When there is more housing demand than supply, prices tend to rise. This can happen for several reasons. For example, if there is a growing population or a large influx of people into a specific area, there will be more demand for housing in that area, but the supply of housing may not be able to keep up. At a more micro-level, a well-known builder’s project may sell so well that there is more demand than supply. This leads to higher prices for the available homes.

There is another angle to the supply-demand argument – namely, that if interest rates are attractively low and it is easier for people to obtain home loans, more people can afford to buy homes, increasing demand and driving up prices. Interestingly, while home loan interest rates are increasing in India, this has not dampened housing demand by much.

Indians are still gung-ho about buying homes because they know that property prices are rising even faster than interest rates. In India, buying a home is one of the top-most priorities for most families. They will wait and watch for a certain amount of time to see if prices and/or interest rates are likely to fall. When they see them rising instead, the homebuyer instinct is activated.

State of the economy

The state of the overall economy can also impact housing prices. When the economy is strong, and people have more money and feel confident in their job security, they are more likely to buy homes, increasing demand and driving up prices. In contrast, when the economy is weak and people are struggling to make ends meet, they may delay buying a home or choose to rent instead, reducing demand and putting downward pressure on housing prices.

The state of the economy does not affect every category of homebuyer equally. In the Indian context, we have seen that luxury housing buyers who come from a place of existing wealth are less impacted by overall economic performance and least affected by interest rate hikes. Middle-class buyers are affected, but as already mentioned, their homebuying decisions are based on more than just how well the economy is doing.

However, there is no doubt that many lower-income Indians who typically buy affordable housing are forced to shelve their plans until the economy picks up, paid employment prospects to improve, or the government rolls out special incentives specifically aimed at helping them realize their homeownership dreams. Conversely, government policies such as tax incentives or subsidies for affordable housing buyers can increase demand and drive up prices.

While housing prices tend to increase over time, the rate of increase can vary significantly depending on various factors. For example, housing prices may be relatively stable in some areas or even decline over time due to a shrinking population or a weak local economy.

With all the action now happening in the Indian housing market, the Indian homeownership mindset now finds the pressure building. Will housing prices eventually edge into complete unaffordability? While interest rates may moderate over time, property prices will not follow suit as demand is high and prices have awakened after several years of stagnation. More than ever before, there may be no time like the present to get off the fence.

New Delhi, February 21, 2022 – Denodo, the leader in data management, today announced that it has been named a Customers’ Choice in the Gartner Peer Insights “Voice of the Customer”: Data Integration Tools, 25 January, 2023 report. With an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5*, Denodo is one of only three recognized Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Data Integration Tools Leaders to receive Customers’ Choice for 2023, and is the only vendor to receive this recognition for three consecutive years.
The complete list of Gartner Peer Insights user reviews and ratings for Denodo Platform can be found here.

“Gartner Peer Insights is a free peer review and ratings platform designed for enterprise software and services decision makers. Reviews go through a strict validation and moderation process in an effort to ensure they are authentic.” According to Gartner, “this aggregated peer perspective can play a key role in the buying process, as it focuses on direct peer experiences of implementing and operating a solution.”

In the 2023 Gartner Peer Insights “Voice of the Customer”: Data Integration Tools, comments from actual Denodo customers said::

“A must have to accelerate digital and business transformations and initiatives.”

“Denodo is quite easy to use, excellent performance & excellent customer service.”

“Smart solution for data integration, excellent support level.”

“Gartner defines data integration as the discipline comprising the architectural patterns, methodologies and tools that allow organizations to achieve consistent access and delivery of data across a wide spectrum of data sources and data types to meet the data consumption requirements of business applications and end users. Data integration tools enable organizations to access, integrate, transform, process, and move data spanning various endpoints and across any infrastructure to support their data integration use cases.” According to Gartner, “Vendors placed in the upper-right quadrant of the ‘Voice of the Customer’ quadrants are recognized with the Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice distinction, denoted with a Customers’ Choice badge. The recognized vendors meet or exceed both the market average Overall Experience and the market average User Interest and Adoption.”

“’We believe being recognized as a Customers’ Choice for the third year in a row is a real testament to our customers’ confidence in our product and services and to the value we provide them,” said Ravi Shankar, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Denodo. “As our customers bestow us with their positive reviews and ratings, we continue to strive to provide them with the best product and services.”

* Sources: Gartner, Gartner Peer Insights ‘Voice of the Customer’: Data Integration Tools, Peer Contributors, 25 January 2023. Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools, Ehtisham Zaidi, Sharat Menon, Robert Thanaraj, Nina Showell 17 August 2022.

Bengaluru, February 21, 2023: Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMBL) today goes live with Kotak fyn, a holistic digital platform developed specifically for business banking and corporate clients. The new integrated portal will offer Kotak Bank customers comprehensive digital banking and value-added services across all products, including trade & services, account services, payments, and collections.

Kotak fyn’s single platform reduces complexity and friction for customers. It eliminates the need for multiple logins and disparate user interfaces, making all trade and service transactions seamless and convenient for customers. Kotak fyn portal assures paperless transactions and the facility to unify data across multiple product-specific portals and back-office systems to create a single view of transactions, positions and balances, enabling self-service and driving operational efficiency. The data is presented via persona-based dashboards, with insightful widgets and the ability for users to tailor their experience.

KVS Manian, Whole time Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank said, “In today’s digital age we recognised that customers are in constant search for quick, agile and seamless banking. In our endeavour to offer superior banking experience we now introduce Kotak fyn, one stop digital platform that will take care of all your business-banking needs. We at Kotak truly believe that digital is the way forward, and with fyn, we are proud to not only embrace but promote the wave of digitization across the country.”

Paritosh Kashyap, President & Head Wholesale Banking, Kotak Mahindra Bank said, “Kotak fyn will be a game changer. fyn’s innovative user interface with several industry-leading features will further provide superior banking experience for our corporate customers. Kotak has always been at the forefront of implementing best-in-class digital interventions in our offerings. With the launch of fyn, we have tried to enhance the customer’s experience through multiple features across the banking journey under a unified platform.”

Shekhar Bhandari, President-Global Transaction Banking, Kotak Mahindra Bank said, “fyn is intuitive, easy-to-use, comprehensive, and integrated offering to our enterprise customers. It allows all our customers a universal access across Trade, Collections, Account Services, Loans and Payments through all channels like Mobile, API and web enabling a seamless customer experience. fyn is “For Your Needs” and a future ready portal designed to reduce complexity and friction for our customers and provide a truly differentiated user experience”.

How to get started with Kotak fyn:

1) Click here www.kotak.com to access Kotak fyn

2) Login with Net Banking credentials and start your fyn journey

A must-watch show for its extraordinary storyline, Alex Rider showcases the life of an ordinary teenager who is recruited by a subdivision of MI6 as a teenage spy. This engaging show will take the viewers through the thrilling adventure and skills that Alex uses to solve the mystery. Watch the show exclusively on Colors Infinity every, Monday to Friday at 9 pm.

Since we’re talking about spies so much, we couldn’t help but come back home to Bollywood with some extraordinary thriller spies. Here are a few that we think are mind-blowing, check them out!

Vidya Bagchi – Kahaani
Kahaani is a Bollywood movie that features a pregnant Vidya who wanders the streets of Kolkata in search of her husband. The tactics and tricks that Vidya uses in her mission are indeed commendable. The plot is highly intriguing and a treat for those who love suspense thrillers. This film resonates with the audience as you watch with bated breath, the techniques used to solve the cases in Alex Rider.

Vishwanath – Vishwaroopam
The character, Vishwanath, in the thriller movie Vishwaroopam is immensely popular among the audience. Just like Alex, even Vishwanath works on different missions without revealing his real identity. He uses different names and tries to solve the case by hiding who he actually is, making every story just that much more intriguing.

Shabana Khan – Naam Shabana
In the action-thriller Naam Shabana, the undercover agent Shabana Khan tries her best to solve the case of illegal smuggling in and around the city. In similar spirit, Alex tries his best to deal with arms smuggling and other illegal activities with his extraordinary planning without giving a thought for his life.

Sehmat Khan Syed – Raazi
Sehmat Khan Syed is a spy in the Indian Army who was sent across the border as an agent to spy nefarious activities and share the same with the Indian counterparts. Alex also proved to be the best spy for his team as he went all out, just like Sehmat to do anything for the wellbeing of his country.

Meenakshi Mehta – Ankhen
Ankhen is considered to be the pioneer of spy thriller movies in Bollywood. It is one such movie that gained immense popularity because of the extraordinarily thrilling elements it held. Alex’s story is also full of twists and turns that will glue the viewers to their screens.

Tune into Colors Infinity every, Monday to Friday at 9 PM to watch the exciting thriller Alex Rider that will keep your heart & mind edgy!

February 21, 2023; Udaipur: Indian Institute of Management Udaipur has launched a unique Summer Program in Management primarily designed for MBA aspirants. This program is for students who want to experience student life at an IIM as a build-up to applying for an MBA program and those interested in a one-time experience. This ten-day summer program is the first ever offered by any IIM. The program will be held at IIM Udaipur campus from May 02, 2023, to May 12, 2023.

The program will cover the essential aspects of management studies, focusing on Business Environment, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Digital Transformation, and Business Communication. The participants will get exposure to the Case Method of teaching and earn an IIM Udaipur – Summer Program in Management – Certificate of Participation on completing the program.

The program provides a unique opportunity to learn from the distinguished faculty of IIM Udaipur, visiting industry experts and their peers from the entire country in a dynamic, supportive, and thriving academic environment. Participants will get an opportunity to network with faculty and MBA students of IIM Udaipur.

Students above 18 who are either graduates or completed the first year of graduation can apply for this Summer Program. On can visit the official website of IIM Udaipur (https://www.iimu.ac.in/) to learn more and to apply for the program. Interested students can apply for the program from February 21, 2023, till April 21, 2023.

“The Summer Program in Management at IIM Udaipur showcases what goes on inside an IIM. The rigour, networking, and fun are integral to management education, and participants of this unique Program will have first-hand experience of the life @IIM. The teaching methods of our accomplished faculty and the knowledge-driven culture of IIM Udaipur will add great value to the learning of the participants of this program.”- Prof. Ashok Banerjee, Director – IIM Udaipur.

“IIM Udaipur is offering the first ever Pre-MBA Summer Program in Management by an IIM, which is specifically designed for those students who aspire to study MBA in the future. This program provides a unique opportunity to experience campus life, study and learn at a prestigious IIM. Students will get the opportunity to network with faculty, MBA students, and fellow participants from throughout the country, and explore the historic city of Udaipur.”- Prof. Rajesh Agrawal, Chairperson, Summer Program in Management

Mumbai, February 21, 2023: Wardwizard Foods and Beverages Ltd. (BSE Code: 539132), one of India’s leading food manufacturers, is thrilled to announce its participation in the upcoming Gulfood Expo 2023 for the first time. This milestone event marks another chapter in WWFnB’s journey, as the company continues to craft delicious products of superior quality and serve the Indian market. Promising to make a similar impact in the Gulf region, the company will be launching its exports in the next financial year.

The Gulfood Expo connects industry experts and communities from more than 120 countries. It provides a platform to businesses to further increase their value whilst leveraging face-to-face interactions to build connections with leading industry players. As the F&B industry is a critical contributor in any economy, the Expo unveils digital adoption and breakthrough innovations as key components that can help a company grow further.

The Gulfood Expo will be held in Dubai on February 20-24, 2023, and is one of the world’s premier food expos. WWFnB will showcase the latest product offerings of its two flagship brands, i.e., QuikShef which deals in Ready-To-Eat (RTE) and frozen products and Snack Buddy which specializes in manufacturing beverages and
condiments. With a combined experienced of over 15 years, the company’s top management, including the COO and three Presidents, will attend the Expo to represent the brand, amongst their team of experts. They will be discussing the
current trends and answer questions related to the products they offer. The stand number is HP-E25, located in Hall Al of the Expo where one can visit to experience the delicious range of the company’s products.

Wardwizard Foods and Beverages Ltd.’s foray into the Dubai market will give them the opportunity to showcase their extensive range of products with their owned brands- QuikShef and Snack Buddy. With this participation, the company is eager to explore new distribution networks and gain greater visibility in the overseas market.
Speaking on the development Ms. Sheetal Bhalerao, Chairperson and MD, Wardwizard Foods and Beverages Ltd. said, “We are delighted to participate in the Gulfood Expo to explore opportunities in the overseas market. This is an
incredible opportunity for us to showcase our range of Ready-to-Eat (RTE) products, beverages and condiments to an international audience. Our high-quality RTE products bring the authentic taste of Indian cuisine to the Dubai market. Owing to the historic and cultural ties between Dubai and India, we believe our products are the
right fit for the fast-paced Dubai market. More than a million of the population in Dubai is the young working population. Living an apace lifestyle, our RTE products offer the warmth of authentic, homemade-like food with multi-dimensional and wavering flavours in just three convenient steps. We aim to bring Indian cuisine to
your doorstep with our wide range of products. With this expansion, we are looking

forward to exploring new distribution networks and increasing our visibility in the world markets. Our mission is to provide our customers with high-quality products they can trust and rely on, and this expo will help us achieve that goal. With this step,we look forward to catering to newer international markets in the near future and initiate our international operations & exports from the next Financial Year.” Through this exciting venture, Wardwizard Foods and Beverages Ltd. aims to bring its customer-centric products to a wider audience and strengthen its presence in the global market. With the opportunity, the company looks forward to gaining the trust of customers around the world and becoming a leader in the food industry. Wardwizard Foods and Beverages Ltd. is confident that its product, which has delivered excellence in taste, quality, and convenience, and made its mark in the Indian market, will be warmly welcomed in the Dubai market. The customers will be able to enjoy a unique and delightful food experience that will be sure to satisfy even the most discerning palate.