Archives 2023

February 10th, 2023, (Bangalore): India’s first social learning platform, Bluelearn, today announced the funding of $3.5 Million in a seed round led by Elevation Capital and Lightspeed. The round also saw participation from Titan Capital, 2 am VC, along with angel investors Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal (founders of Meesho), Awais Ahmed (Founder of Pixxel), Vivek Mohan (Private equity), and others. This is in addition to the previous rounds led by Lightspeed and 100x VC.

The company was founded in 2021 by Harish Uthayakumar and Shreyans Sancheti while they were studying at BITS Pilani, Goa. Bluelearn started off as a telegram channel for students to help each other with common questions and today their app has over 150,000 members from over 5,500 colleges and startups across 20+ countries and is growing 30% month on month organically.

Bluelearn has also recently launched its internship and freelancing platform, Bluelearn Work – which matches the top 2% of community members with companies looking to hire exceptional young talent quickly. In under 2 months, BL Work has seen more than 1100+ companies and individuals post gigs and internships and more than 30k total applications.

Commenting on the fundraiser, Shreyans Sancheti, Co-founder, Bluelearn said, “People are at the core of everything we do, from our team to the entire community. With the new capital, we plan on accelerating our market expansion to newer and previously untapped markets in India and globally. By strengthening our core tech and product teams we will continue building impactful products that help people grow in their careers and lives.

Harish Uthayakumar, Co-founder, of Bluelearn added “Over our journey, we have witnessed that a lot of our community members have started companies together, started freelancing, found internships, made life-long friendships, and met mentors all on Bluelearn. The company is enabling previously unimaginable possibilities, and with this fresh round of funds, we will continue to grow”.

Most students and early working professionals don’t get the opportunity to explore interests beyond the academic curriculum or develop other aspects of their personality and soft skills in the current framework. Bluelearn helps in bridging this gap by providing holistic learning opportunities through the power of community. They host large-scale events like AMAs with top entrepreneurs, gaming tournaments, music concerts, and hackathons and have created micro niche communities such as the finance club, coding club, and 20+ more.

Amit Aggarwal, Principal at Elevation Capital said, “We are firm believers that the future of learning will be social, as learners are actively engaged and it’s just more fun in a collaborative setup. Bluelearn is uniquely building both a social network and a learning destination by bringing together communities of young learners, anchored around shared interest areas. We envision that Bluelearn will be the social learning destination for networking, upskilling, and discovering the first employment opportunity for Gen Z.”

Rohil Bagga, Investor at Lightspeed said, “At Lightspeed, we believe that the future of learning is social & community-based and have been fortunate to partner with Bluelearn from day one. Over the last couple of years, the platform has grown to become one of India’s largest digital communities of students, presenting its members with unique opportunities to learn new skills, connect with like-minded folks and participate in the formal workforce via gigs & internships. We feel excited to continue supporting the incredible team at Bluelearn in their mission to redefine the digital learning landscape!”

Bluelearn plans to use the funds to further strengthen the product and team as well as to grow their community user base by 10x within the year. The brand is actively hiring across functions such as product, tech, marketing, and operations and plans to almost double the team size by the end of the year.

India, 10 February 2023: MediBuddy, India’s largest Digital Healthcare platform announced today that it has acquired the ‘vHealth by Aetna’ business (Indian Health Organization Private Limited) in India.

‘vHealth by Aetna’, is one of India’s most innovative primary healthcare service providers. ‘vHealth by Aetna’ is a leader in the B2B healthcare space and offers subscription-based primary healthcare services such as telehealth consultations, an extensive outpatient network, pharmacy, diagnostics and dental among other benefits to customers.

Commenting on the acquisition, Satish Kannan, Co-Founder, and CEO at MediBuddy said, “We made a strategic decision to go ahead with this critical acquisition as it is in line with our commitment to making high-quality healthcare accessible to a billion people. We believe that this acquisition will further strengthen our market leadership by giving impetus to our distribution channels, helping us in scaling our operations and offerings to a much wider section of the population. ‘vHealth by Aetna’s subscriber base will now have the convenience and the opportunity to access the full spectrum of the healthcare services provided by MediBuddy.” He further added, “vHealth by Aetna’ business has shown an impressive rate of growth in the past and with the expertise of the current team and MediBuddy’s existing strengths, we expect the combined business to grow significantly over the coming years.”

Anurag Khosla, CEO of Aetna India and IHO said, “MediBuddy and ‘vHealth by Aetna’ share a common vision of a future, where primary and digital healthcare comes together to redefine accessibility and delivery of quality healthcare services. We are confident and excited that the coming together of MediBuddy and’ vHealth by Aetna’ will not only benefit our existing ‘vHealth by Aetna’ customer base but will also advance the combined business with MediBuddy’s expertise.”

Over the next six months, ‘vHealth by Aetna’ business will transition to be rebranded as ‘MediBuddy vHealth’. The existing IHO management team and employees across all functions will continue to be employed by IHO, which is now part of MediBuddy. Both the existing and new subscriber base of ‘vHealth by Aetna’ will have access to MediBuddy’s technology and scale prowess, leading to an enhanced customer experience. The latest acquisition will bring on board ‘vHealth by Aetna’s’ customers to MediBuddy’s platform further strengthening the existing customer base of 30 Mn+. MediBuddy recently concluded its merger with DocsApp and the company raised $125 million in Series C funding in the first quarter of 2022.

Hyderabad, February 10th, 2023: Social Audit Network (SAN), India, the Indian chapter of Social Audit Network, UK; has signed an MoU with EQUIPPP Social Impact Technologies Ltd. Its flagship offering “EQUIPPP Insights Exchange (ix)”, is an AI/ML-enabled marketplace for insights and impact assessments with end-mile connection spread across ~30,000 villages in India. The MoU was signed by Mrs. Latha Suresh, Director, on behalf of SAN India, and Mr. Sreenivasa Chary Kalmanoor, Director, on behalf of EQUIPPP, recently in Hyderabad.

This agreement facilitates EQUIPPP to provide tech tools to SAN India for a period of two years on mutually agreed terms. SAN, India, and EQUIPPP will jointly leverage mutual competencies and offer innovative solutions in the Rs 25,000 crores CSR spending space. The solutions range from impact assessment and social audit services to entities including obligated CSR agencies, non-profits, and social stock exchange ecosystems, through the tech platform of EQUIPPP Insights Exchange (ix).

The services being offered jointly by SAN, India, and EQUIPPP, hold great significance considering SEBI’s specification to social enterprises raising funds using Social Stock Exchange. These details are required under listing regulations of the SEBI circular numbered SEBI/HO/CFD/PoD-1/P/CIR/2022/120 released on September 19, 2022. Such social enterprises are expected to disclose Annual Impact Report within 90 days from the end of the financial year. This report has to specifically capture the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the social impact generated by the entity and where it is applicable, for the funds raised on SSE.

Mumbai, 10 February 2023: CollegeDekho, India’s largest higher education services ecosystem has won the award for the ‘Best Enrollment & Admissions Management Solutions of the Year’ at the recently concluded Education Innovation Summit & Awards 2023, held in Bengaluru. After their win in the last year’s edition of the same awards in 2022, CollegeDekho’s positive impact on the higher education ecosystem and value proposition proved critical in ensuring this victory for a second consecutive time.

Since 2015, CollegeDekho has guided over 85 lakh students while successfully ensuring 1.3 lakh admissions, across all its platforms. They began with a vision to create a globally trusted student guidance ecosystem. The company has a unique and innovative Common Application Form (CAF) platform where students can apply to multiple colleges with a single click. Students also benefit from CollegeDekho’s website which offers various information on more than 35,000 colleges and universities across the country. Along with its offerings for students, CollegeDekho also helps more than 1500 colleges with their student recruitment.

On receiving the award for the category of ‘Best Enrollment & Admissions Management Solutions of the Year’, Ruchir Arora, CEO & Co-Founder, CollegeDekho, expressed his excitement and said, “We are delighted to receive this title twice in a row, which is a testimony of our hard work and goal-oriented vision to create a globally trusted student guidance ecosystem. This motivates us to continue our mission of guiding students from across the country on various higher education-related choices that not only open avenues for their employability but also match their interest and capability.”

In the past year, CollegeDekho has increased its workforce and made key additions to its senior leadership. The company also made strategic acquisitions which have enabled CollegeDekho to strengthen its existing offerings while opening up avenues to explore newer opportunities to positively affect the lives of students. The value proposition of the company has also led existing investors to double down on their investment by pumping USD 9 million into the company.

February 10, 2023: Senco Gold & Diamonds, the largest organized jewellery retailer in Eastern India (based on the number of stores) is all set to make your Valentine’s Day memorable with ‘Perfect Love’ & ‘Love23’. Senco Gold and Diamonds rolled out the new campaign with brand ambassador Kiara Advani. Through the digital video campaign, Kiara Advani will be promoting newly launched Valentine’s Day special heart-shaped solitaire diamond jewellery collections – a perfect gift for loved ones.

To make this season of love more memorable and affectionate, Senco Gold & Diamonds launched special solitaire diamond jewellery collections – Perfect Love and Love23. Love23 Collection comprises of special heart-shaped solitaire. This enchanting range of intricately designed diamond jewellery will express more affection to your loved one. Each piece is carefully curated to capture the spirit of a modern love story. Another exquisite range of rarest hearts and arrow cut solitaires express the love that is true, selfless and authentic known as Perfect Love. The Hearts and Arrows diamonds are precision-cut and are certified by SGL Labs London and GemEx USA.

Expressing her views on the occasion, Ms Joita Sen, Director, of Senco Gold & Diamonds said, “Our aim has always been to bring out the best for our esteemed customers. To celebrate the season of Love, we at Senco Gold and diamonds are offering exquisitely designed solitaires and diamonds, which are a perfect balance of classic, yet contemporary approach and are specially crafted for gifting loved ones. The campaign featuring our brand ambassador Kiara Advani will help the people find the perfect gift for their better halves.”

To mark the occasion, Senco Gold & Diamonds has announced an irresistible array of offers on its jewellery collections. Special offers are available across all 130+ Senco Gold & Diamonds stores nationally and online. Also, Customers can buy jewellery using a monthly purchase scheme.

•  Up to 15 % discount on making charges for Gold Jewellery
•  Up to 100% discount on making charges for Diamond Jewellery
•  Up to 20 % discount on making charges for Polki Jewellery
•  Up to 30% discount on making charges for Platinum Jewellery
•  Upto 15% discount in gross value on Silver & Gossip Jewellery
•  10% discount on making charges for all Gemstones

10th February 2023, New Delhi: In a rare feat, doctors at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Shalimar Bagh performed a successful revision total knee replacement surgery on a 92-year-old man, making him one of the oldest people in India to undergo revision total knee replacement surgery.

The nonagenarian underwent a revision total knee replacement surgery, 17 years after his first surgery, at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh under the care of Dr Palash Gupta, Director- of Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement and his team.

Revision surgery is required when knee replacement no longer functions correctly.

Mr Satya Swarup at the age of 75, in 2005, had undergone knee replacement surgery post which his knees were functioning well. However, in the last 2 years, he complained of acute pain and progressive swelling in his knees which was impacting his mobility. Mr Satya Swarup then came to Dr Palash Gupta, Director- Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh.

After investigation and evaluation, Dr Palash Gupta explained to the patient that he required total knee replacement surgery as the implant life had expired. Initially, the patient and the family were hesitant to undergo the procedure considering his age and all associated co-morbidities which are usually present at this age, but since he was in disabling pain, he agreed to go ahead with the surgery.

Elaborating, Dr Palash Gupta, Director– of Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, said: “Revision surgery at this age is unheard of in India. This was quite a complicated surgery as the
patient was 92 years old and had co-morbidities but thanks to the team and resources available to

us at Max Shalimar Bagh, it was a success. The very next day of the operation, he was able to
stand up and even walk”.

Revision surgeries are always a challenge because they are much more complicated as blood loss, tissue loss and bone loss had to be avoided to make the surgery successful and lasting. The surgeon should be well experienced in revision surgeries as these are very uncommon.

The patient also commented, “At 92, I never thought I’d have the strength and courage to undergo knee surgery, but I did it and I couldn’t be more proud of myself. All of this is possible because of Dr Palash and his team of dedicated staff that has taken the utmost care of me during this difficult time in my life. ”

The patient was regularly monitored during his stay in the hospital and was discharged 5 days after the surgery.

MONTRÉAL, February 10, 2023 – KRAFTON Inc., a collective of independent game development studios, is proud to announce today the opening of its first Canadian AAA game studio located in Montréal, Quebec. KRAFTON Montréal Studio will be led by Patrik Méthé, a prominent figure in the gaming industry with over 20 years of experience in leadership roles on some of the world’s most renowned franchises. 

A team of industry veterans including Benoit Frappier, Producer; Frédéric Duroc, Game Director; and Martin Paradis, Technology Director; has already joined Méthé. The studio is looking to hire 150 people in the next 3 years with key positions including animation, programming, and Head of HR. 

KRAFTON Montréal Studio’s first project will be the adaptation of the acclaimed fantasy novel series The Bird That Drinks Tears, created and written by Yeong-do Lee, who is widely acknowledged as the pioneer of the Korean fantasy genre. As one of the best-selling fantasy authors in Korea, Mr. Lee is an exceptionally imaginative writer who builds elaborate worlds and fills them with complex characters. 

The Bird That Drinks Tears has been loved by readers for the past 20 years for its elaborate worldview and three-dimensional characters. It is characterized by its unique settings and characters that exquisitely encompass the East and West, and it tells the story of four races, humans, Leckorn, Dokkaebis, and Nagas, which begin as they become entangled through events.

Since 2021, KRAFTON has been working on visualizing the world and characters of the novel to expand the IP of The Bird That Drinks Tears. In particular, the art book, prepared in November 2022 to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of the serialization of The Bird That Drinks Tears, topped the weekly bestseller list of major Korean Internet bookstores within four days of pre-sale.

“We are thrilled to open our first Canadian AAA studio in Montréal, one of the world’s top cities for video game production. The local pool of creative and specialized talent is impressive, and we hope that many will join our team. KRAFTON Montréal Studio will be our third studio in North America and we have found a great leader in Patrik who has extensive experience bringing franchises to new heights,” explains CH Kim, CEO at KRAFTON, Inc.

“Our team is currently made up of seasoned talents with a proven track record of successful games. We share a common goal: to deliver the finest adaptation of the novel and to provide an exceptional experience to gamers. As a fan of medieval fantasy since my teenage years, I’m excited to bring to life a fantasy masterpiece as an ambitious and memorable game. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of the KRAFTON family,” shares Patrik Méthé, Head of Studio, KRAFTON Montréal Studio.

Bangalore, 10th February 2023

Snowman Logistics, India’s leading integrated temperature-controlled logistics service provider, opens its first-ever state-of-the-art A-Grade dry warehouse for the chemical industry in Shoolagiri, Tamil Nadu. This is the cold-chain logistics company’s first venture into the chemicals business and first step into storing and distributing Hazardous chemicals.

Snowman Logistics will work with BDP UGL Global Logistics (I) Pvt. Ltd – one of the world leaders in automobile chemicals – and will soon extend to other chemicals & related customers.

The Shoolagiri facility is situated in Horizon Industrial Parks Pvt. Ltd. and is 50,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space with a capacity of 5500 MTs with G+5 racking, equipped with all safety equipment and compliances. The warehouse is equipped with modern storage and handling equipment and provides an efficient and secure storage solution for goods. It is also well-wired with cutting-edge technology to provide a 24-hour monitoring system and fire protection for the safety of the stored goods.

Commenting on its new business line, Mr. Sunil Nair, CEO of Snowman Logistics says, “Being a market leader in the cold chain space for over three decades, we have come out of our comfort zone this time. We are very excited to serve and grow in this new segment and are committed to continuing to provide our customers with the highest quality services in the Chemicals space, as well.” He further added, “We are looking forward to working with BDP UGL Global Logistics (I) Pvt. Ltd, which is one of the world leaders in automobile chemicals and together implementing global standards and practices and developing world-class capabilities for storing and distributing hazardous chemicals in the region and beyond.”

Speaking on their association with Snowman Logistics, Pavithran M Kallada, Managing Director, BDP India, says, “With our expertise in global chemical supply chain management and in-depth domain knowledge in dealing with chemical clients, we are expanding our capabilities in contract logistics. While we continue to add value to our global customers in the Chemical sectors, we will also expand into other industries. The most important objective for BDP is to create a culture of compliance-focused contract logistics eco-system with our business partners.”

Manish Chaturvedi, Regional Director, BDP India, says, As we consider expanding our warehousing and contract logistics space in India, finding a partner with the same value systems is crucial. As we sought to expand our solution offerings for our large chemical customers in the south of India, we were pleased to find a partner like Snowman, who has a focused approach to infrastructure creation and shares the same values as BDP. This partnership is so exceptional because we were able to bring this fully compliant chemical storage facility from concept to operation within 100 days.”

At Shoolagiri, Snowman will operate the warehouse 24X7 and provide transportation services with a solid process mechanism. A central team of professionals will continuously monitor their services end-to-end, from the first to the last mile, ensuring that the client assets are safe at all times.

New Delhi: February 10th, 2023 – Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to revel in a romantic rendezvous and shower your partner with love and affection. As romance fills the air, Hyatt Regency Delhi gears up to make this Valentine’s Day the perfect start to your week. Sweep your partner away as you experience a romantic getaway replete with gastronomical delights, intimate settings and a host of luxurious offerings that include a dedicated butler for a truly unforgettable experience.

Couples can choose to either dine at any of the hotel’s restaurants — La Piazza, TK’S Oriental Grill, Café, The China Kitchen, Syrah or Aangan Reloaded — or book an overnight stay with their exclusive staycation offer.

The Valentine’s Day special stay package is priced at INR 99999 plus taxes for two people in a luxurious suite. Couples who check in on February 14 will be welcomed with a bottle of sparkling wine and have a dedicated butler for the duration of their stay. The package includes dinner in a cabana overlooking the pool, breakfast at Cafe the next morning, lunch at Syrah and a late check out on 15 February.

Culinary celebrations for Valentine’s Day:

A gastronomical affair at La Piazza

Indulge in a romantic dining experience at La Piazza with its picturesque setting and a delightful brunch concept for dinner. Savour Italian trattoria-style authentic Italian Cuisine and choose from a selection of non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, cocktails, and prosecco. With its warm and inviting atmosphere, La Piazza is the perfect destination for any special celebration.

Valentine’s Day Package (Dinner only):

INR 4500 plus taxes per person with soft beverages only

INR 6950 plus taxes per person with alcoholic beverages

*Special prices for Club at the Hyatt members

Romantic Escape at TK’s Oriental Grill

Treat your taste buds to exotic flavours with the specially curated set menu for dinner. Choose from a range of non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, cocktails and prosecco, and celebrate your love in a unique and memorable way.

Valentine’s Day Package (Dinner only):

INR 4500 plus taxes per person with soft beverages only

INR 6950 plus taxes per person with alcoholic beverages

*Special prices for Club at the Hyatt members

Lavish buffet at Café

Café is a 24-hour restaurant offering a scenic view of the lush green gardens of the hotel. Enjoy a lavish buffet spread for dinner at Café. With a range of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, cocktails and prosecco, this is the ideal venue for a romantic meal with your loved one. Savour the flavours, delight in the ambience, and create lasting memories with your special someone.

Valentine’s Day Package (Dinner only):

INR 3750 plus taxes per person soft beverages only

INR 5950 plus taxes per person with alcoholic beverages

*Special prices for Club at the Hyatt members

Intimate dining at The China Kitchen

Experience the richness of traditional Chinese cuisine with The China Kitchen’s curated set menu for dinner. With a range of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, cocktails and prosecco, this is the perfect destination for a Valentine’s Day celebration.

Valentine’s Day Package (Dinner only):

INR 4500 plus taxes per person soft beverages only

INR 6950 plus taxes per person with alcoholic beverages

*Special prices for Club at the Hyatt members

A Mediterranean affair at Syrah

Savour a romantic dining experience at Syrah and choose from a range of non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, cocktails, and prosecco. With its charming ambience, Syrah is the perfect venue for a memorable Valentine’s Day celebration.

Valentine’s Day Package (Dinner only):

INR 4500 plus taxes per person for soft beverages only

INR 6950 plus taxes per person with alcoholic beverages

*Special prices for Club at the Hyatt members

Dine under the stars at Aangan Reloaded

Celebrate your love with a romantic a la carte dining experience at Aangan Reloaded. Savour the flavours and revel in romance while you dine under the stars.

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Bikaner, 10 February 2023: Re-emphasizing the need for road safety awareness among the people to build a collision-free India, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India’s (HMSI) National Road Safety Awareness Campaign reaches Bikaner in Rajasthan.

The three-day camp (7 – 9 February 2023) at Basic PG College witnessed spirited participation from over 2800 college students and staff members who set out to imbibe safe riding practices. H MSI’s road safety instructors utilized age-appropriate road safety learning programs to enhance the retention of road safety awareness among all.

Speaking on HMSI’s commitment towards sensitizing India on road safety, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Operating Officer – Brand & Communication, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India said, “Road safety education is essential for developing a road safety mindset. HMSI has been conducting Road safety awareness campaign to develop more responsible road users across the country. With this campaign, we aim to cultivate the right road safety habits amongst the new and upcoming riders as well as help them in understanding the importance of using the roads safely.”

H MSI’s National Road Safety Awareness program made learning fun yet scientific through:

1. SCIENTIFICALLY DEVISED LEARNING MODULE: Honda’s skilled instructors set the foundation with theory sessions on road signs & markings, driver’s duties on the road, riding gear & posture explanation, and safe riding etiquette.

2. PRACTICAL LEARNING: A special training activity on Honda’s virtual riding simulator was executed for all to experience over 100 possible dangers on road before actual riding.

3. INTERACTIVE SESSION: Participants were given danger prediction training known as Kiken Yosoku Training (KYT) which helps in enhancing rider/driver’s sensitivity to danger and ensures safe driving behavior on roads.

4. EXISTING DRIVERS HONING RIDING SKILLS: Students & school staff members who are already existing riders tested & honed their riding skills through slow riding activities and riding on narrow planks.

5. LEARNING IN A FUN WAY: To ensure that the young students could learn more about road safety, Honda also conducted fun educational activities like road safety games and quizzes on daily basis.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India’s CSR commitment towards Road Safety:

For Honda globally, road safety comes first. As announced in April 2021, “Honda will strive for zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles globally by 2050”. Fulfilling its corporate social responsibility (CSR), HMSI has been promoting road safety in India since its start in 2001. Working towards the realization of Honda’s global safety vision, today HMS I’s road safety awareness initiative has already spread to more than 50 lac Indians. Its team of skilled safety instructors conducts daily programs at its 10 adopted traffic parks across India and 7 Safety Driving Education Centers (SDEC).

Not only this, all HMS I’s 1000+ dealerships across India spread road safety awareness. H MSI’s proprietary virtual riding simulator increases the risk-prediction ability of riders; while new customers to are given predelivery safety advice (PDSA) before they start riding at every dealership across India.

Additionally, to ensure that learning does not stop in the new normal, HMSI started the digital road safety education initiative – Honda Road Safety E-Gurukul. Since its start in May’20, this initiative has sensitized more than 8 Lac Indians on the importance of being aware & responsible road users.