Archives March 2023

Bangalore, 08 March 2023: mPokket, India’s fastest-growing digital lending platform, has witnessed an astonishing 100x increase in female users in 2022. The digital lending platform has improved financial inclusion across the country, which has impacted the lives of aspirational millennials, especially women. The company onboarded over 1 lakh female users in 2022, the majority of whom are from tier 3 cities. 48% of the women are between the ages of 18 and 21 years; 30% are between the ages of 21 and 25 years of age.

Commenting on the growth, Mr. Gaurav Jalan, Founder & CEO, mPokket, said, “Over the past seven years, our female user base has grown enormously, and we are proud to have added more than 1 lakh new women users in 2022. We see this trend as a reflection of the rising financial independence of women across India, and the success of our platform in driving this financial inclusion, especially among young women in tier 2 and tier 3 cities in India. We will continue to leverage technology to empower our users, the aspirational youth of India, and assist them in realizing their full potential through financial inclusion.”

It’s noteworthy that more than 63% of mPokket’s female users come from tier 3 cities, with another 18% hailing from tier 2 cities. The company has witnessed a sharp rise in demand for its financial products from tier 3 cities by boarding over 2,00,000 women users from tier 3 cities, followed by over 60,000 women users from tier 2 cities. mPokket’s services are increasingly in demand in central and southern Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. The surge in growth can be credited to millennials and Gen Z who are embracing digital lending platforms for their financial requirements.

With more than 10 million downloads, mPokket has become one of the most popular mobile lending platforms in the country. The platform’s success can be attributed to its unique business model, which offers quick and hassle-free loans to students and young professionals. mPokket offers loans up to INR 30,000, with repayment periods ranging from 1 to 3 months. The platform is a popular option for students who require quick and easy access to finances owing to its user-friendly interface and speedy processing times. mPokket is positioned to contribute even more to the cause of financial inclusion and ensure that everyone has access to credit.

New Delhi, March 08, 2023: Advantage Club, a global employee engagement platform, has launched its latest lucky draw competition with its campaign #JackpotJunction. The lucky draw offers a chance for participants to win exciting prizes, from a BMW bike to a 55″ LED Tv, Smart Watches, Headphones, and gift cards. The lucky draw is open for all the employees of the companies engaged with Advantage Club. The competition is live till April 20th, 2023, and the winners will be announced on April 21st 2023, on the website and app.

The lucky draw is simple to enter. Users can visit the “Redeem” section on Advantage Club Web/App and purchase a product of their choice. For every ₹1 spent, the user will get 5 A-Coins. With 1000 A-Coins, users can get 1 lucky draw ticket. The lucky draw is being held to allow participants to win outstanding prizes and rewards they would not find elsewhere. This competition will boost engagement among the employees and enhance their overall experience with their respective companies and Advantage Club.

The first winner of the competition will be awarded a BMW Bike, while the first runner-up & the second runner-up will be given a 55″ LED TV and Headphones, respectively. There are 50 prizes, and the remaining winners will be given either smartwatches or gift cards based on their rank. All prizes have been carefully selected to maximize the participants’ value and excitement.

Sourabh Deorah, Co-Founder & CEO, Advantage Club, said, “We are very excited to launch this lucky draw to help our customers reward their employees for their loyalty and support. We believe this competition will not only give the employees a chance to win some amazing prizes but also help us engage with them on a more personal level and build stronger relationships. The #JackpotJunction contest is part of our larger AC Raffle campaign, and we will also continue to organize more such competitions in the future.”

New Delhi, 8th March 2023 – A joint initiative of Naredco Mahi, the women’s wing of Naredco, and JLL has revealed insights into women’s workforce statistics in India’s real estate sector. The report was released on the sidelines of Naredco Mahi’s 2nd convention held in New Delhi.

The report found that women make up only 12% of the real estate workforce in India, with 15% lower pay than men in leadership roles. Only 2% of women hold executive-level positions in construction companies. To reach a $5 trillion economy, India needs to include more of its underrepresented women workforce.

The report highlights several areas where progress has been made, such as a greater focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, the adaptability of women in the sector, and the entry of multinational firms. However, there are still challenges to overcome, such as unconscious biases, the gender gap, the glass ceiling, and the lack of women in leadership roles.

The report also includes survey inferences, with 80% of employees feeling that companies are working towards addressing the gender imbalance at senior levels. However, 75% of employees believe there is no focus on developing or fostering female leadership talent in-house, and 70% feel that there is still a need to bridge inherent and/or unconscious bias in hiring.

The joint study calls for upskilling and reskilling, structured interventions such as mentoring and sponsorship programs, building a more flexible and hybrid working model, improving safety and working conditions, and enabling more women to enter the workforce.

“Women participation has almost doubled in the last five years in the workforce of surveyed companies, pointing to positive reinforcement of diverse hiring,” said President Naredco Mahi Dr Ananta Rghuvanshi. “However, there is still much work to be done to ensure gender equality in the real eastate sector in Indira.”

“This study further states that only 2% of women hold leadership roles in construction companies, which needs to be addressed. Women constitute 33% of the workforce in India, compared to 67% of men. Employable women make up 52.8% of employable men, rwith the employability ratio increasing from 46.2% in 2021 to 50.3% in 2022.

Dr. Ananta S Raghuvanshi, Founder Member, and President of NAREDCO Mahi, observed that gender integration in real estate would prove to be an important milestone in the growth of the real estate sector in India. She recognized the contribution of women employees equally and felt that a skilled workforce in real estate is critical to achieving near-perfection in construction.

The joint insight underscores the need to address the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles and to include more women in India’s real estate and construction sector to enable India to reach a $5 trillion economy..
The 2nd NAREDCO Mahi Convention, featured panel discussions on various subjects such as Water Way to go – Jal Bachao Kal Bachao, Green Building and Sustainability, and Scale and Growth of Indian Startups etc. The convention was addressed by leading Real Estate players including Sanjay Dutt CEO & MD Tata Realty Infrastructure Limited

Atlanta, 08 March 2023: Airbus Corporate Helicopters has won an order for two ACH160 helicopters in India – the first sale of the type in the region.

The helicopters will be delivered with the ACH160 Exclusive configuration for business use by the customer who is an experienced helicopter operator. Under the terms of the contract, Airbus Corporate Helicopters will provide a turnkey solution to ensure a smooth entry into service of both the helicopters.

Olivier Michalon, EVP – Global Business, Airbus Helicopters, said “We are proud to announce this milestone contract for two ACH160 helicopters for our Indian customer.  We thank them for their pioneering vision and I am confident that the entry into service of this helicopter will set a new benchmark for helicopter operations in India, especially for private aviation and premium charters.”

Airbus Helicopters is proud to be a key contributor to the Indian government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ mission. “This new order – the first in India for any helicopter in the H160 range – further reinforces our commitment to the Indian market where already more than 120 Airbus helicopters are flying,” added Olivier Michalon.

The ACH160 is the latest member of the ACH family and is the world’s most technologically advanced helicopter, with 68 new Airbus patented technologies.

It provides 20% greater volume per passenger compared to previous generation medium twin helicopters and 35% larger windows than its competitors, resulting in the brightest cabin in its class.

The ACH160’s advanced air conditioning technology allows precise temperature control and optimal cabin air quality with highly efficient air exchange. In the ACH160 Exclusive version, mood lighting contributes to reduced fatigue.

Under the program HELP: Himalayan Education Learning Program a one day workshop to Train the Teachers on “Design Thinking Led Innovation at Schools” under the aegis of Ministry of Education was successfully conducted at “The Gurukul Foundation School, Kashipur” Jaitpur Campus through Navaashay- Design Innovation Centre,IIM Kashipur.

Prof. Kumkum Bharti and Prof. Smarak Smarjeet trained the teachers during the workshop. In this program, Teachers were told how they can make teaching work more interesting even by teaching in the traditional way and we must make some changes everyday in the continuous learning process. They said that there must be harmony between the teacher and the student. Students must be taken into the confidence that the Teachers are in the school only for them. Teachers should evaluate their teaching work every day and should be done in such a way that the children learn to apply the knowledge acquired from the teacher in their lives.

The best part of this workshop was that both the professors presented their point very briefly and in simple language. School administration and teachers who participated in this program were honored by giving participation certificates.

Mumbai, 8 March 2023: In commemoration of International Women’s Day celebrated worldwide on the 8th of March, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, one of India’s largest networks of eye hospitals, is conducting free eye checkup camp for women of all age groups across all branches in Mumbai till March 31, 2023. For registration, contact 080-48193434.

The hospital has made special arrangements for screening for certain eye diseases and disorders that women are at a higher risk of getting, and the prevalence rate of which has seen a rise among women in recent times. Such issues include ocular manifestations of autoimmune diseases, dry eye, low vision, thyroid eye diseases, and refractive errors. Dr Agarwals Group of Eye Hospitals has also launched their new state-of-the-art Eye Hospital in Chembur.

Dr. Nita A Shah, Head – Clinical Services, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, Chembur, Mumbai, said, “Biological sex differences affect ocular structure, gene expression and other functions of eye that influence eye health. Pregnant women could develop gestational diabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels become high during pregnancy, and some may develop diabetic retinopathy, vision issues caused by damage to blood vessels in the eye. Pregnancy can also cause dry eyes, and light sensitivity. Hormones in birth control pills can cause vascular changes, indirectly contributing to vision problems.”

Menopause and perimenopause, the time when the body makes the natural transition to menopause, usually accompany a dip in estrogens, a group of hormones. When estrogens drop, the oil glands in the eye produce less lubrication, causing dry eyes and blurry vision.

“About 80% of those affected by autoimmune issues are women. Eye inflammation is one of the many possible effects of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, psoriasis, Reiter’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and uveitis. Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder, which results in overproduction of the thyroid hormone affects more women than men. Thyroid eye diseases affect 16 in 100,000 women, while only 3 in the male population of equal size” added Dr. Nita A Shah.

Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital will also conduct awareness sessions on the steps women have to take to minimize the risks of eye diseases that arise from factors exclusive to them: hormonal surges during pregnancy, menopause, and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, among others. The month-long eye checkup and awareness campaign of the hospital throughout Mumbai would make women aware of the risks, better informed and would result in early diagnosis and early intervention for better eye health outcomes.

Mumbai, 08 March 2023: DBS Foundation has partnered with Haqdarshak Empowerment Solutions (HESPL) to undertake a social protection and financial literacy programme aimed at marginalized citizens across India, including daily wage earners, domestic workers, farm workers, sanitation workers, micro-entrepreneurs. The programme will educate 2,00,000 beneficiaries (70% women) to build their digital and financial capacity to access relevant government entitlements and private financial services.

The programme is being implemented in 10 districts in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, targeting some of the most vulnerable populations in these areas. The initiative’s ultimate aim is to establish a basic social safety net for these citizens and empower them with digital and financial training to take charge of their lives and households.

Under this initiative, a brick-and-mortar centre called a Yojana Kendra will be established in select communities. Women agents will be identified and trained as Haqdarshaks to serve and support the community. This agent cadre will mobilize potential beneficiaries, from low-income families i.e. those with minimal access to social protection and financial services.

The support agents will conduct financial literacy training camps using audio-visual tools and easy-to-understand content in local languages. Beneficiaries will be screened with the Haqdarshak mobile app to determine their eligibility for welfare programs and the agent will provide end-to-end support to fill forms, collect documents, and register beneficiaries under social protection programmes. A helpline will be available for any queries or grievance redressal. The programme will be executed by 400 support agents, and there will be one supervisor for every 40 agents.

The financial literacy rate among Indian adults is the lowest compared to other major emerging economies, with only 24% being financially literate, according to a report by the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center. This disparity is attributed to a need for formal training and awareness, as well as inter-state differences. Access to social welfare and financial inclusion services at the last mile is a critical challenge. According to a 2017 World Bank study, only 40 percent of Indians can apply for government services as they cannot afford the time and money to access them. The collaboration comes at a crucial time when marginalized communities continue to grapple with the economic impact in the wake of the pandemic.

Shoma Narayanan, Managing Director, Group Strategic Marketing & Communications, DBS Bank India, said, “As a socially responsible bank, we recognize the need to create impact beyond banking and to encourage solutions for a more inclusive world. Our partnership with Haqdarshak is a concerted effort to empower marginalized communities, particularly women, by providing them access to social welfare and financial tools, which will increase self-sufficiency and give them agency over their lives. We are also proud of Haqdarshak, which has scaled significantly as a Business for Good under the DBS Foundation’s Grant Programme, and shares our purpose to build a better future.”

Aniket Doegar, Founder & CEO, of Haqdarshak, commented on the partnership, saying, “DBS Foundation has been an early partner of ours since 2018. They have always put impact at the forefront and supported us, whether it was when Haqdarshak was a young organization, through the pandemic, or now, as we have achieved scale. For us at Haqdarshak, this is our largest project so far. We are excited about our impact footprint — we will be touching the lives of 2,00,000 citizens, the majority of them women, across disadvantaged sections of the community via digital and financial literacy training and by linking them to relevant welfare entitlements. We are grateful to the DBS Foundation for collaborating with us on this important program. We hope to grow our partnership manifold in the years to come.”

Haqdarshak aims to improve the lives of citizens and MSMEs by leveraging technology solutions to provide access to government welfare and financial services. With an extensive database of 7000+ state and central welfare schemes, available in 11 Indian languages through web and mobile channels, Haqdarshak offers features such as beneficiary onboarding, a customizable eligibility engine, and an end-to-end application workflow.

In 2018, as an early-stage venture, Haqdarshak received DBS Foundation’s Social Enterprise Grant for their digital platform. Again in 2020, in response to the pandemic, DBS Foundation reinforced its commitment to supporting social enterprises by awarding all its past grantees the Business Transformation and Improvement (BTI) Grant, empowering them to continue during an exceptionally difficult year. Haqdarshak utilized this grant to serve its beneficiaries and the wider MSME community through a new platform providing access to government-assisted schemes for registrations, documentation, and financing applications.

Earlier this year, DBS bank committed an additional SGD 100 million to further its efforts to improve lives in Asia. This would allow the bank and DBS Foundation to boost their support for purpose-driven businesses and contribute towards finding solutions to the region’s increasingly pressing societal issues.

Kolkata, March 08, 2023: Matter, an innovation-led tech start-up, named its much-anticipated motorbike, “AERA,” representing the “winds of change.” Matter aims to disrupt through tech innovations and lead the electric vehicle (EV) transition towards a sustainable future.

Matter AERA variants are called AERA 4000, AERA 5000, AERA 5000+ with pre-register price for AERA 5000 will be ₹ 1,43,999/- and AERA 5000+ will be ₹ 1,53,999/- with one uniform pre-register price across India. Matter AERA comes with 5kWh battery pack, the pre-register prices are considering the central governments support through subsidies and GST slab. The state government benefits can be availed of by the customers during the registration process. Further, AERA 6000+ will soon be launched with a 6-kWh battery pack.

Featured with contemporary sporty looks, cutting-edge technology, powered by a state-of-the-art in-house built liquid-cooled battery pack and powertrain Matter AERA is more than just a motorbike, but it is poised to represent the 22^nd Century motorbike.

Matter AERA disrupts existing paradigms by incorporating manual gear shifting in an electric motorbike and challenges paradoxes by delivering thrilling performance at an economical cost of ownership.

Mohal Lalbhai, Founder and CEO of Matter Group, said: “AERA truly represents our philosophy to be an agent of change, challenging the status quo through the tech innovations. We not only sought to create a mobility solution that defies expectations of what an EV can achieve in India but also create the pathways for a wider transition to sustainable means of mobility. While achieving it, we would not like to accept that consumers need to pay a hefty premium to bring about the change. And hence, over the last four years, Matter has built a product from scratch, adopting vertical integration as its core principle and incorporating the invaluable feedback of its consumers. Today we are extremely delighted to make the most futuristic motorbike, the AERA, available to all fellow countrymen at an interesting price and with options to choose from. We are thankful to the motorbikers out there for their response and appreciation towards AERA’s design and technology, and we see that the AERA will be a pivot for a major shift towards EVs, as motorbikers take that one step along with Matter”

Arun Pratap Singh, Co-founder and COO of Matter Group, said: “We at Matter would like to continually work with technology and innovation to create new mobility forms and experiences, AERA is a true representation of our values, and we are happy to offer range of tech features through AERA to our customers. AERA will help consumers to adopt the new cleaner means of mobility and ensure the wider transition to EVs, we have created the product which suits to Indian geographic and climatic conditions, our teams’ deep thought process is always working towards creating the new products and experiences through tech innovations.

AERA Prebook will soon be announced in the Indian market.

The Model – Feature details are as follows.

Hyderabad, March 2023: Naoki, the luxurious unisex salon that offers an indulgent experience like no other, has opened its doors in Hyderabad. Bringing the best of international brands to town, Naoki offers unparalleled pampering services in an extravagant interior space. From high-end haircare products to cutting-edge skincare solutions, Naoki has everything you need to look and feel your best.

To mark this launch, Naoki is hosting an exclusive launch preview, a gala evening at the Salon, which was attended by prominent influencers, socialites, and celebrities in the city.

The salon’s interior space is designed to transport you to a world of luxury and sophistication, with plush seating and intricate details that exude elegance. You’ll feel like royalty from the moment you step through their doors.

The unstoppable force behind Naoki is Nikshitha, a former Miss Telangana, influencer, and entrepreneur. Nikshitha’s passion for beauty and fashion has led her to pursue studies in fashion designing in Milan and Business Administration in Hyderabad. Her unique combination of skills and knowledge allows her to bring a fresh perspective to the world of beauty and fashion.

“We are thrilled to introduce Naoki to the world,” says Nikshitha. “Our goal is to offer our customers an indulgent experience that is unparalleled in luxury and sophistication. We have worked hard to curate the best international brands and create an interior space that is as beautiful as it is comfortable. We can’t wait to welcome you to our world of beauty and relaxation.”

Naoki Salon is excited to welcome customers to its world of beauty and relaxation. Visit Naoki at Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad to experience the ultimate in luxury beauty services.

India, 8th March 2023: PVR Limited, the largest and the most premium cinema exhibition company in India, post the merger with INOX Leisure Limited has announced the opening of a new 11-screen multiplex in Phoenix Market city, Chennai, Tamil Nadu today. The opening marks the re-launch of the earlier Luxe Cinemas, a popular destination for city residents in a new avatar.

With this launch, PVR crosses the 100-screen milestone in Chennai as part of the joint entity with a presence of 105 screens in 16 cinemas. The merged entity strengthens its foothold in Tamil Nadu with 136 screens in 22 properties and consolidates its presence in South India with 519 screens in 93 properties.

The multiplex is located in Velachery, one of the commercial and residential hubs in South Chennai and has a geographical advantage in terms of the connectivity to other parts of the city. The property has a seating capacity of 2688 and is also home to IMAX, PVR’s second in Chennai and its 17th IMAX Screen in the country making it the largest IMAX Partner in the Country.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Ajay Bijli, Managing Director, PVR Limited, said, “The Southern region is a critical market for us with a steady supply of regional content and passionate consumer demand. We are extremely grateful to audiences in South who came out to watch movies in large numbers in theatres post the pandemic signaling the revival of the film exhibition industry. Non- Hindi Indian movies have broken the thresholds of geographical and language barriers expanding the movie viewing market with subtitles/dubbing in multiple languages aided by their larger-than-life appeal in formats such as IMAX and 3D and have also provided us global recognition.”

The cinema is equipped with the best-in-class theatrical solutions including laser projection system, Dolby Atmos sound and 3D powered by Volfoni Smart Crystal Diamond solution. The expressive and opulent design of the cinema greets the guests with a grand atrium and a cozy and warm lounge creates an elegant and sophisticated experience. The stunning interiors with ample open spaces will offer a delightful experience to the movie buffs as they enjoy the thoughtfully curated ambience. Luxe will also be a go-to destination for innovative F&B concepts and elaborate gourmet choices. Patrons will also be able to enjoy these gourmet food options within the comfort of their homes by ordering them through food ordering platforms like Swiggy and Zomato.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Executive Director, PVR Limited, said, “We have always believed in setting new benchmarks as we aim to offer an unparalleled movie-watching experience to the movie-lovers in the city of Chennai. Luxe is also home to IMAX, which is the most immersive movie experience in the world, with heart pounding audio, 40% larger image, a dual projection system, highest quality 3D and remarkably striking interiors. The new cinema will also be destination of choice for food connoisseurs, thanks to a vast menu, serving gourmet delicacies.”

Chennai serves as the gateway of the culture of South India and is a major film production center, home to the Tamil film industry. The magic of southern cinema is spreading across India, bringing in a larger share to the overall revenue of the entertainment space than ever before.