Saturday, January 30, 2021
Airtel Announces 5G Ready Network
Bengaluru, 29th January 2021 : In a major landmark, Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), India’s premier communications solutions provider, announced that it has become the country’s first telco to successfully demonstrate & orchestrate LIVE 5G service over a commercial network in Hyderabad city.
Airtel did this over its existing liberalised spectrum in the 1800 MHz band through the NSA (Non Stand Alone) network technology. Using a first of its kind, dynamic spectrum sharing, Airtel seamlessly operated 5G and 4G concurrently within the same spectrum block. This demonstration has emphatically validated the 5G readiness of Airtel’s network across all domains - Radio, Core and Transport.
Airtel 5G is capable of delivering 10x speeds, 10x latency and 100x concurrency when compared to existing technologies. Specifically, in Hyderabad, users were able to download a full length movie in a matter of seconds on a 5G phone. This demonstration has underlined the company’s technology capabilities. The full impact of the 5G experience, however, will be available to our customers, when adequate spectrum is available and government approvals received.
Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO, Bharti Airtel said: “I am very proud of our engineers who have worked tirelessly to showcase this incredible capability in Tech City, Hyderabad today. Every one of our investments is future proofed as this game changing test in Hyderabad proves. With Airtel being the first operator to demonstrate this capability, we have shown again that we have always been the first in India to pioneer new technologies in our quest for empowering Indians everywhere.”
“We believe India has the potential to become a global hub for 5G innovation. To make that happen we need the eco system to come together – applications, devices and network innovation. We are more than ready to do our bit.” added Gopal Vittal.
About Bharti Airtel
Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global telecommunications company with operations in 18 countries across South Asia and Africa. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its mobile network covers a population of over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated telecom provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. At the end of September 2020, Airtel had approx. 440 million customers across its operations.
Airtel’s portfolio includes high speed 4G/4.5G mobile broadband, Airtel Xstream Fiber that promises speeds up to 1Gbps, converged digital TV solutions through the Airtel Xstream 4K Hybrid Box, digital payments through Airtel Payments Bank as well as an integrated suite of services across connectivity, collaboration, cloud and security that serves over one million businesses.
Airtel’s OTT services include Airtel Thanks app for self-care, Airtel Xstream app for video, Wynk Music for entertainment and Airtel BlueJeans for video conferencing. In addition, Airtel has forged strategic partnerships with hundreds of companies across the world to enable the Airtel platform to deliver an array of consumer and enterprise services.
DVARA KGFS WINS THE “TECHNOLOGY FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION AWARDS 2020”
Bengaluru, 29th January 2021 : Dvara KGFS, a leading NBFC in India, was announced as the winner in the award category – Technology for Financial Inclusion at “The Inclusive Finance India Awards 2020”. The award was presented to Dvara KGFS in recognition for the robust technology offering a suite of financial services & products for the underserved section of the society and for their operational excellence over the last year.
The award was presented by Shri. Anurag Thakur, Honorable Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India to Mr. Joby C O, CEO, Dvara KGFS.
Upon receiving the award, Mr. Joby. C. O., CEO, Dvara KGFS said, “We are delighted to receive this award for ‘Fintech for Financial Inclusion’. Dvara KGFS caters to more than a million customers across 6 states and provides comprehensive wealth management services to people living in remote rural areas where they have limited or no access to financial products. We believe that rural households require guidance and support for planning their income and investing in as many financial instruments such as savings, insurance, pension funds & other forms of investments to secure their financial future. This would enable them to achieve financial freedom in the long term with adequate support of short term loans for their immediate requirements. Today, nearly 30,000 of our women customers from different geographies save around INR 500 per month through our innovative ‘Dvara Sampoorna Sampath Plan’ taking care of their savings, insurance & investments needs.”
Dvara KGFS is one of the pioneers in financial inclusion by deploying technology to remote rural population to access financial products, enhance customer experience and strengthen internal digital capabilities. The technology has helped in diversifying the product portfolio through API integrations with Banks & other Financial Service providers. Dvara KGFS has branched into crop loans & insurance products by proving real-time banking services like AePS module, gold loan, savings products.
The award was presented by Shri. Anurag Thakur, Honorable Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India to Mr. Joby C O, CEO, Dvara KGFS.
Upon receiving the award, Mr. Joby. C. O., CEO, Dvara KGFS said, “We are delighted to receive this award for ‘Fintech for Financial Inclusion’. Dvara KGFS caters to more than a million customers across 6 states and provides comprehensive wealth management services to people living in remote rural areas where they have limited or no access to financial products. We believe that rural households require guidance and support for planning their income and investing in as many financial instruments such as savings, insurance, pension funds & other forms of investments to secure their financial future. This would enable them to achieve financial freedom in the long term with adequate support of short term loans for their immediate requirements. Today, nearly 30,000 of our women customers from different geographies save around INR 500 per month through our innovative ‘Dvara Sampoorna Sampath Plan’ taking care of their savings, insurance & investments needs.”
Dvara KGFS is one of the pioneers in financial inclusion by deploying technology to remote rural population to access financial products, enhance customer experience and strengthen internal digital capabilities. The technology has helped in diversifying the product portfolio through API integrations with Banks & other Financial Service providers. Dvara KGFS has branched into crop loans & insurance products by proving real-time banking services like AePS module, gold loan, savings products.
An Enterprising Initiative towards Securing the Future of Sustainability in Sugarcane Supply Chain sector in India
Bengaluru, 29th January 2021 : India is the world’s largest consumer of sugar. The country’s sugarcane industry, second only to cotton in size, relies on more than six million smallholder farmers and countless labourers to produce its sugar. However, sugarcane farming is highly water-intensive, and recent years have witnessed significant depletion of ground water resources—threatening food security, economic growth and livelihoods of the farmers. Solidaridad, along with its consortium of partners, brought together multiple stakeholders in a policy consultation event on Friday to deliberate on the moot issues and the way forward for sustainability in sugarcane farming in India. The diverse cross-sectoral participation led to a milieu of strategic discussions on creating an enabling environment for resource-efficient supply chains in the sugarcane industry.
The virtual advocacy event was designed to facilitate exchange of thoughts and ideas amongst sustainability practitioners, sugar companies, sugar mills, local and state governments, financial institutions and civil society organisations from India, Netherlands and across different parts of the world, working on a wide range of issues related to sustainable development, agriculture, water efficiency and business responsibility in the sugarcane sector. The event centred around influencing, advocating and exploring business and policy action strategies for sustainable and inclusive development in India’s agriculture sector. The emphasis was on taking learnings from current sustainable initiatives in India to develop recommendations on various thematic challenges, such as:
- Income and food security of farmers in the context of water and climate change
- Use of inclusive technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture
- Access to finance for farmers to adopt mechanisation and water-efficient practices
- Issues and opportunities with sustainable certification in India
The shared experience of implementing an FDW Sugarcane programme in India with a consortium of partners over the past years has led Solidaridad to take this step forward in building a platform to share the experiences and achievements from the programme. Supported by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Solidaridad launched the water-efficient sugarcane production programme during 2014-2015 in the states of Karnataka and Telangana in India. The FDW Sugarcane programme on increasing water-use efficiency in sugarcane farming in India was one of the first public-private partnership (PPP) programmes. It is currently running in its sixth year of implementation on the ground.
Implemented by Solidaridad, the PPP programme comprises sugarcane companies, such as NSL Sugars Limited and Natems Sugar Private Limited and their respective sugar mills; knowledge partners Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) and Osmania University; and technological partner eLEAF, which facilitates satellite mapping of the sugarcane plots for information on water, crop, crop-water productivity through robust monitoring systems.
The programme aims to address over-exploitation of groundwater resources and alternatively focus on water-efficient practices. The objective of the FDW Sugarcane programme is to create a comprehensive and powerful impact at the ground level to support 35,000 farmers in sustainable agricultural practices by providing regular agriculture and financial literacy trainings, exposure visits to different sugarcane growing states, support in the uptake of latest technologies, development of local entrepreneurs and building robust infrastructures. The programme has so far been able to increase sugarcane productivity, reduce production cost and raise the farmers’ income from sugarcane production in the two states.
Solidaridad, along with its consortium of partners, organised this multi-stakeholder sugarcane and water event by bringing together various stakeholders from the water and sugarcane industry. Sugar mills, sugar companies, agricultural universities, local and state government, financial institutions and NGOs alike were present at the virtual event today to discuss the opportunities and possibilities of building a more sustainable and resilient sugarcane sector. The diverse cross-sectoral participation created a milieu of strategic discussions on the way forward to the creation of an enabling environment for a resource-efficient supply chain in the sugarcane industry.
The advocacy event was addressed by H.E. Marten van den Berg, Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands; Ms Ella Lammers Senior Advisor, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO); Dr Pandith Madhnure, Director, Ground Water Department, Government of Telengana; Dr Bakshi Ram, Director, Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI); Dr. Shatadru Chattopadhayay, Managing Trustee, Solidaridad; Mr Shivajirao Deshmukh, Director General, Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI); Mr Roshan Lal Tamak, Executive Director and CEO, DCM Sriram; Ms Ritu Baruah, India Programme Manager, Bonsucro and Mr Manish Pandey, Director & Head -Project analysis, Quality Council of India (QCI), along with other relevant stakeholders of the sugarcane and water industry.
Embarking on this initiative, Dr. Shatadru Chattopadhayay, Managing Trustee, Solidaridad said “Sugarcane is historically called 'honey without bee'. It is the crop of the future with many potential uses from food, bagasse, fuel, fodder to even paper providing income source to around six millions of small farmers in India. However, sugarcane sector faces significant sustainability challenges relating to water use, soil health, productivity, profitability and smallholder livelihoods. The situation is exacerbated by increased rainfall variability due to climate change, which may reduce sugarcane yields by up to 30%. Solidaridad works across the sugarcane value chain from farmers, mills to sugar buying companies and financial institutions to make sugarcane sector more sustainable. Solidaridad experts also demonstrate that farmers and mills can increase profit while taking care of the environment. So far, We have achieved an increase in farmers average productivity between 20 to 40 per cent while saving billions of litres of water.”
A Noble Step towards Sustainable Agriculture
India's sugarcane industry relies on more than six million smallholder farmers to produce its sugar. Due to small farm size and the associated inefficiencies, Indian productivity lags far behind other parts of the world. Solidaridad has been working with all the stakeholders of the industry to improve productivity, increase water efficiency and deploy climate-smart agricultural practices throughout the country. One component, the VSI training programme, prepared by Solidaridad with funding from PepsiCo, and supported by the International Finance Corporation and Olam, enrolled 400 women from the Kolhapur and Belgaum Districts of Maharashtra and Karnataka states. Sugarcane is a labour-intensive crop and more than 60% of that work is done by women. The curriculum emphasised on water management, soil health, pest control and fertiliser optimisation and other good agricultural practices, which prepared the women to improve farm productivity. This new-found knowledge had a significant effect on their roles within their families, leading to increased confidence and greater self-esteem for many of them. The ability to improve their family’s wellbeing through greater productivity of their farms has been empowering.
India is reported to have the highest groundwater depletion rates in the world, and, in Northern India, it is at crisis levels. With agriculture as the dominant consumer of water, it is imperative that action be taken now, at a national scale, not only to reduce consumption but also to harvest rainwater. Solidaridad is expanding its sugarcane programme to address this crisis. But this effort needs the sustained support of the companies buying sugar produced by these farmers. The six million sugarcane farmers, the majority of whom are women, must be enlisted in this effort. The programme underway in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madya Pradesh is working with around 25,000 farmers. Other Solidaridad’s programmes in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere involve another 300,000 sugarcane farmers.
H.E. Marten van den Berg, Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands “India and the Netherlands are committed to contribute towards global sustainable development thereby contributing towards the Sustainable Development Goals. We’re keen to work together with India on shared challenges and joint, innovative and cost effective solutions. Public-private partnerships between India and the Netherlands create win-win opportunities. In the field of water, several Dutch companies have been active in India for years who have reinforced several successful sustainable partnerships between India and the Netherlands.”
About Solidaridad
Solidaridad is an international solution-oriented civil society organization with partners all over the world. A journey spanning over five decades, Solidaridad has more often than not been the cradle of innovation in the sustainable development sector worldwide, pioneering several sustainable initiatives such as the global fair-trade movement among others. The organisation stands by its agenda of accelerating global sustainable and inclusive development through meaningful and strategic partnerships. Solidaridad’s mission is to bring together supply chain actors and engage them into creating innovative solutions towards improving production and ensuring transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy. Solidaridad aspires to transform production practices in a way that leads to fair and profitable livelihoods and business opportunities for the producers and guarantees them decent working conditions and a living wage, without depleting their land of its essential resources.
Thursday, January 28, 2021
Aakash Digital Registers an Impressive 5X Growth in Live Class Usage, and massive growth in enrollments
Bengaluru, 28th January 2021 : Owing to the emergence of Covid-19, the already flourishing Edtech industry has undergone a paradigm shift due to the adoption of cutting-edge technology by consumers across the world. Aakash Digital -- a part of Aakash Edutech Pvt. Ltd. (AEPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL), the national omni-channel leader in test preparatory services -- has seen a stupendous growth in enrollments and engagement on the platform across the country post the emergence of the pandemic vis-a-vis before the existence of Covid-19.
Of note is the growth in engagement, wherein Aakash Digital recorded a nearly 5X growth in time spent by students on the platform since the beginning of Covid-19. Approximately 5X growth was received in minutes of Live Class consumed while there was a 4X growth in minutes of videos watched on different subjects by students.
An increase of 3X in comparison with pre-covid times has been recorded in the enrollment numbers across pan India. The growth has been consistent both across the country and across the various course offerings of Aakash Digital namely - NEET, JEE and Foundation courses.
The percentage increase is calculated comparing the enrollment and engagement figures of the pre-lockdown numbers and post lockdown. The impressive growth includes the growth of users on the Aakash iTutor app as well as Aakash Live.
The year 2020 has been exceptional for Aakash Institute with Aakashian Chirag Falor securing AIR 1 rank in IIT JEE and Soyeb Aftab, Akanksha Singh and Snikhita T securing the Top 3 ranks in NEET.
Aakash Digital saw an impressive 2x growth in number of students qualifying NEET and 3X growth in JEE Main results in 2020 over last year. So much so that one out of every three students at Aakash Digital qualified NEET and JEE Advanced 2020 respectively.
About Aakash Edutech Pvt. Ltd.
Aakash EduTech Private Limited(AEPL) is a leading online learning platform that caters to the K12 segment and also offers comprehensive online test preparation services for students preparing for Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations. A subsidiary of the prestigious AESL group (Aakash Educational Services Limited), AEPL comprises two distinct divisions namely, Aakash Digital and Meritnation.
Aakash Digital powerfully leverages the over 30 years of Aakash academic legacy and discipline to bring to the students an edu-tech platform that helps them prepare for JEE, NEET and other competitive exams online by bringing quality coaching, similar to that being offered in Aakash classroom, to their laptops, desktops, tablets and mobiles.
Meritnation is India’s 1st online learning platform for school students with over 2.5 crore students across CBSE, ICSE and leading state boards. It uses the power of technology to deliver personalised & engaging content to nurture the student's learning curve. The first to launch Live Classes in 2014, today Meritnation’s Live Class platform connects the best teachers in India with students, from the safety and comfort of their homes. It also offers ‘Self- Study’ courses, where the learner studies at his own pace with the help of a variety of study resources ranging from concept videos to tests & smart reports.
ADITYA BIRLA FASHION AND RETAIL ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH DESIGNER BRAND “SABYASACHI”
Bengaluru, 28th January 2021 : India’s leading fashion company, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited has announced a strategic partnership with India’s largest designer brand “Sabyasachi” by signing a definitive agreement for acquiring 51% stake in Sabyasachi brand.
Sabyasachi is India’s largest and most influential luxury designer brand with strong Indian roots and global appeal. The brand straddles categories such as apparel, accessories and jewelry and has a strong franchise in India, US, UK and the Middle East. The ABFRL platform will complement brand Sabyasachi on its journey to becoming a global luxury house out of India.
This partnership will add significant weight to ABFRL’s growing ethnic wear portfolio. This will accelerate the company’s strategy to capture a large share of ethnic wear market through a comprehensive & attractive portfolio of brands, across key consumer segments, usage occasions and geographies. The company expects to build a large ethnic wear business over next few years to complement its strong and diverse portfolio in western wear segment of the Indian apparel market.
Commenting on the partnership with ace designer Sabyasachi, Mr. Ashish Dikshit, Managing Director, ABFRL said: “We believe that over the next few years, ethnic wear is going to be an increasingly important category as young and confident Indians rediscover their culture and heritage. The Sabyasachi brand, through its emphasis on excellence in design and craftsmanship has set new benchmarks and captivated the imagination of the sophisticated global Indian consumer. We are proud to partner Sabyasachi in its journey to become the only global luxury brand from India. We see a ‘Made in India’ global brand like Sabyasachi occupying the pinnacle of our ethnic wear portfolio. Over the next few years, ABFRL intends to craft a portfolio that addresses the entire gamut of ethnic wear segments: value, premium and luxury.”
Mr. Sabyasachi Mukherjee, CEO and Founder, Sabyasachi Brand, said: “Over the course of the last couple of years, as my brand evolved and matured, I began searching for the right partner in order to ensure continuity and long-term sustainable growth. I am honoured and excited to have found that partner in Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla and ABFRL. Aligned in our vision, and committed to excellence, we will work together to grow a truly global luxury brand out of India.”
The proposed acquisition is subject to necessary statutory approvals and signing of definitive agreements. EY, PWC and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co were the transaction advisors for Sabyasachi; ABFRL was advised by KPMG, Khaitan & Co and Transaction Square LLP.
About Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited
ABFRL is part of a leading Indian conglomerate, The Aditya Birla Group. With revenue of Rs. 8,788 Cr in FY19-20, it is India’s first billion-dollar pure-play fashion powerhouse with an elegant bouquet of leading fashion brands and retail formats.
As on 30th September 2020, The Company has a network of 3,025 stores across approximately 26,000 multi-brand outlets with 6,500+ point of sales in department stores across India.
It has a repertoire of market leading brands such as Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly and Peter England established for over 25 years. Pantaloons is one of India’s largest value retail brand.
The Company also holds exclusive online and offline rights of Forever 21. The International Brands portfolio includes - The Collective, India's largest multi-brand retailer of international brands, Simon Carter and select mono-brands such as American Eagle, Ralph Lauren, Hackett London, Ted Baker and Fred Perry. Additionally, the company has also made a foray in the branded ethnic wear through investments in Jaypore and Shantanu & Nikhil.
About Sabyasachi
Since 1999, Sabyasachi has been sharing with the world a unique story of Indian excellence. The brand has emerged as one of the most influential cultural voices in the country — shaping modern fashion and lifestyle while celebrating artisanal craftsmanship and traditional techniques in each and every product. Today, with solid footing in the domestic retail landscape, several major global collaborations, and international flagships opening soon, Sabyasachi continues on its path to becoming the first global luxury house out of India.
WORLD FIRST: THE SPORTY, SMART, STUNNING RENAULT KIGER MAKES ITS DEBUT IN INDIA
New Delhi, January 28, 2021: After the initial exhilaration created by the reveal of its show car, Groupe Renault globally premiered the eagerly awaited Renault KIGER in India today. A brand-new compact SUV designed and developed for India before making its international debut, Renault KIGER is the latest in the line of revolutionary products to be launched by Renault in India. Just like DUSTER, KWID AND TRIBER, Renault KIGER will also change the dynamics in its segment and promises to be another gamechanger from Renault.
Renault KIGER has already made a striking presence thanks to its Stunning design, which depicts a very strong personality. Renault KIGER has been designed with a host of sporty and muscular elements and stands out as a true SUV. On the inside, Renault KIGER’s Smart cabin combines technology, functionality and roominess. Renault KIGER will be powered by a new turbocharged 1.0L petrol engine for more performance and driving pleasure. The engine has been tested for reliability and durability, and offers the latest technological innovations already featured on Renault’s global range. This high performance, modern and efficient engine will ensure a Sporty drive and will be complemented by multi sense drive modes which offer the flexibility to best suit the customers driving preferences.
“After Duster, Kwid and Triber, we are now preparing for the launch of Renault KIGER, a modern SUV that is a perfect fit for the Indian market. KIGER combines the best Renault has to offer: our expertise in innovative cars with the creativity and in-depth knowledge of customer needs. A strong proof that Renault really is a game-changer,” shared Fabrice Cambolive, SVP, Renault Brand, Sales & Operations.
“True to the promise of the show-car, Renault KIGER is a robust, dynamic and generous SUV. Armed for travel in the urban jungle, we also designed it for the outdoors and to easily navigate any type of road conditions. KIGER has a distinctive SUV look and its long wheelbase enables great space and volume on board. Its ‘smart cabin’ has been specially designed to encourage sharing and convenience,” added Laurens van den Acker, EVP, Head of Design, Groupe Renault.
Renault KIGER will demonstrate the competence of India’s design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities and highlights Renault’s strong commitment to the ‘Make in India’ mission. In India, Groupe Renault has always focused to be disruptive and innovative which is amply proven with its product range. Renault will further build on this with the launch of the all-new Renault KIGER.
Commenting on Renault KIGER and the importance of the India market, Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO & Managing Director, Renault India Operations, shared, “Renault has continued to move forward in India and has navigated the challenging macro-economic environment, bettering the industry trends. We have managed this by our robust business strategy which includes our exciting product range, laser-sharp focus on quality and customer centricity and our aggressive network ramp up across the country. Today, we take another major step in India with the global reveal of Renault KIGER, our all-new B-SUV which will stand out as an excitingly sporty, super smart and attractively stunning offering. Following Duster, which made SUVs accessible to a large set of people, not just in India but across the world, Renault KIGER will once again make SUV aspirations accessible to a whole new set of customers and we look forward to building on our increasing customer base with this new game-changer.”
RENAULT KIGER: STUNNING DESIGN
With its distinct, athletic design that is bursting with energy, the KIGER SUV combines urban modernity with agility, whichever road it takes. With its muscular bodywork that exudes sturdiness and dynamism, the KIGER is a real invitation to escape the urban jungle and experience a new kind of driving.
The KIGER’S design was inspired by the KIGER show-car that was unveiled at the end of 2020. A sculpted bonnet that enhances the car’s personality sits at the front, above an impressive bumper. The wings boost the design with their pronounced shoulder lines, while the black sills and wheel arches provide further protection. The high ground clearance (205 mm) and functional roof bars heighten the vehicle’s silhouette and complete its bold SUV look.
Wheels built for adventure
At higher trim levels, the KIGER’S 40.64 cm alloy wheels have a black diamond-cut finish for a sporty and stylish look. The protective wheel arch cladding makes the bodywork look bolder and sturdier. The 2,500 mm long wheelbase places the wheels at the four corners of the vehicle, offering increased stability on any type of road while optimising the space inside the car, providing optimum comfort for each passenger and boot volume of 405 Litres that is unrivalled in the segment.
Strong and agile, athletic curves
The top of the KIGER boasts a dynamic silhouette with sleek and taut lines, in contrast with the more muscular and solid lower part. The slender windscreen extends into a floating roof that runs down to a steep-sloping rear window, giving the car a coupé-style SUV look. The aerodynamic spoiler with cut-outs featured on the roof drop is topped by a shark fin antenna to give the car a very distinctive look.
Sporty design expression
Renault designers have equipped the KIGER with several features to give the car a sporty look. The front grille’s 3D graphic finish with honeycomb-shaped chromed effects is a perfect example, while the Aluminium Finish skid plate further enhances the rear bumper.
The boot door’s sloping and sporty rear window, finished off with the integrated spoiler, once again highlights KIGER’S aerodynamic silhouette.
Modern and striking front end
The upper strip formed by the front grille and the LED daytime running lights positioned at both ends give the car an elevated stance. The highly recognisable lower part divides the bumper into two areas, each large corner featuring three LED headlights separately encased in a chrome octagonal unit with PURE VISION and a chrome reflector. This coherent and overlapping split-design contrasts with the bodywork and gives a strong identity with modernity and sophistication.
Rear lighting signature
All-new LED taillights light up the rear of the car. The tail lamp units with glossy black inserts are resolutely modern and distinctive within the segment, outlining the KIGER’S rear double C-shaped lighting signature. They are featured at each end of the bodywork and extend out over the wings, providing Kiger a distinct unique personality.
Two-tone body colour
The KIGER comes in six exciting body colours: Ice Cool White, Planet Grey, Moonlight Grey, Mahogany Brown, Caspian Blue, Radiant Red with Mystery Black Roof. All trim-levels include a two-tone option. Providing an opportunity to customers to choose from the wide range of single or dual tone colour options, Radiant Red which is an exclusive colour will only be available as a top variant under two-tone colour scheme.
RENAULT KIGER: SMART CABIN
A compact yet surprisingly spacious vehicle
KIGER interiors are called the smart cabin as it combines technology, functionality and roominess. KIGER is just under four metres long and falls into the compact SUV category, yet thanks to the CMFA+ platform DNA, just like Triber it offers segment leading roominess, cabin storage and cargo space. The interior has been designed to perfectly combine the sturdiness of an SUV with a focus on sophistication and technology. With a high centre console, 20.32 cm floating display link and wireless smart phone replication, KIGER interiors have been specially designed to encourage sharing and convenience.
Attractive style
The chiselled curves that play with light and shade give the impression of a floating cockpit, accentuated by piano-style control dials, suspended air conditioning controls and a pedestal that is easily accessible from the centre console. The console features a 20.32 cm floating touch screen, giving the passenger compartment a modern look, and so does a 17.78 cm Multi-Skin Reconfigurable TFT colour cluster.
Unprecedented comfort and roominess
The KIGER provides record levels of roominess with space onboard that you can feel. At the front, the KIGER offers a 710-mm Couple Distance between seats – the best in its segment. At the rear, KIGER provides best in segment second row legroom (222 mm) and elbow room (1431 mm). The seat height provides a commanding driving position accentuating driving comfort.
Optimum Boot capacity
The Kiger sets a very high standard when it comes to load capacity, offering the best boot capacity in the segment (405 litres which extends to 879 litres with second row folded).
Optimised storage space
The KIGER provides passengers with a whole host of clever storage compartments for a total onboard capacity of 29L including four 1L water bottle holders and 2 cup holders – an outstanding figure in the segment. The central armrest hides a 7.5 litre storage space while the glove compartment has an unprecedented volume of 10.5 litres. Smart solutions like these allow multi-level access organised with the needs of passengers in mind.
Smart and practical passenger compartment
The KIGER’S smart cockpit was designed to give a practical onboard experience without detracting from the style. Its new technology makes every day driving easy and enjoyable.
Modern and smart central console
The KIGER’S high, wide centre console is focused around a large 20.32 cm floating touch screen that features wireless smart phone replication for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at higher trims. Wireless smart phone replication allows passengers to connect their smartphones seamlessly and access the special driving and multimedia apps. Passengers can select five permanent shortcuts for faster access to apps and features. The system not only offers voice recognition through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but also Bluetooth connectivity that can pair with up to five devices, a USB socket for faster charging and a built-in MP4 video player.
MULTI-SENSE driving experience and ambiance lighting
At higher trim levels, the driver has access to MULTI-SENSE settings to select different driving modes. Engine mapping, gear changes (for automatic transmissions), the responsive steering column and the digital speedometer are reset when changing driving modes, for an optimum driving experience.
• Multi-Skin 17.78 cm Reconfigurable TFT cluster changes its colour and widget configuration according to the mode selected, displaying useful information relevant to selected driving mode:
• Normal mode: Provides an optimum driving parameter of the engine apt for city driving conditions. It also provides handy information like real-time & average fuel consumption all in a blue colour look.
• Eco mode: Provides a drive which is inclined towards economic driving practices. Changing the overall appearance of the TFT into green, the indicators, like an animated leaf provides real time feedback to maximize economic driving.
• Sports Mode: Provides a driving environment which is full of fun and sportiness, with crisper engine response and faster shifting. The overall TFT screen appearance turns into red with quick information of acceleration gauge, torque / power ratios etc providing drivers to have all the fun!
Premium sound system
The KIGER boasts a brand new, well-tuned quality sound system: The Auditorium 3D Sound system by Arkamys, with a technology that diffuses 3D sound tailor-made to suit the materials and shape of the passenger compartment. All in all, there are eight onboard speakers (four boomers, four tweeters). The system also automatically adjusts sound volume according to the speed of the vehicle at higher trim levels. The system can be activated and adjusted on demand to ensure the best sound quality whatever the route.
Hands-free smart access card
With the modern hands-free card for everyday convenience, doors can be opened and closed automatically, and the engine started without a key. The sensors in the card allow drivers to lock and unlock the doors without having to take the card out of their pocket or press a button. They can also start the vehicle without having to insert the card. The hands-free system also includes a door auto-lock function when drivers walk away from the vehicle. This feature is a real time-saver and incredibly convenient.
Easier manoeuvring
The KIGER uses technology to ensure safety with radar sensors and a reverse camera with guiding lines. The driver can enjoy greater visibility and precision when reversing or manoeuvring for parking. The turning radius is 5.02 metres.
Additional all-new exclusive features
The KIGER boasts a variety of unique features, including automatic air-conditioning, which can still be adjusted manually via the air-conditioning control.
Another new feature available at higher trim levels is the white ambient lighting in the passenger compartment. It lights up the storage compartment at the front of the centre console and the back of the front door grip handles.
Cockpit features back-lit steering wheel controls. These have a whole host of settings such as access to the onboard computer menu, speaker volume, phone and radio features and voice recognition. Kiger will also feature a first in segment PM2.5 Clean Air Filter. This advanced atmospheric filter fitted in to the ventilation system ensures good air quality inside the vehicle.
RENAULT KIGER: SPORTY DRIVE
Platform and Engines
The KIGER features a new turbocharged petrol engine for more versatility and driving pleasure. The modular platform, designed by the Renault-Nissan Alliance and already featured on the Triber, provides the right balance between performance and efficiency.
A platform full of advantages
The KIGER shares the same modular platform as the Triber, meaning that it offers key advantages unparalleled in the market:
• Roomier passenger compartment
• Optimisation of engine compartment size
• Best in Segment Cabin Storage space. Best in segment Cargo Space
• Best in segment Rear elbow width - 3 passengers accommodated comfortably
• Best in Segment turning Radius
• Best in Segment dashboard visibility from rear seat
• Comfort and driving pleasure
• Best in segment fuel efficiency
• Higher Ground Clearance
The KIGER’S platform and new engine guarantee response and versatility for the best possible driving experience.
Powerful engine and driving pleasure
The KIGER is fitted with a three-cylinder turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol engine, with a power output of 100 Ps and a torque of 160 Nm (available from 3,200 rpm). The engine has been tested for reliability and longevity, and offers the latest technological innovations already featured on the Clio and the Captur in Europe. It boasts the best fuel economy of its category with 20 km/litre consumption.
The 1.0-litre 100 Ps turbocharged engine is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. An X-TRONIC automatic continuously variable transmission will be available shortly after the KIGER’S commercial launch. This latest-generation CVT gearbox designed by the Alliance provides smooth and responsive transitions enhancing drivability and comfort in urban areas, along with excellent fuel efficiency.
The ENERGY 1.0-litre 72 Ps and 96 Nm naturally aspirated engine is also available in the KIGER range, with either a five-speed manual or the EASY-R five-speed robotised gearbox AMT, which provides the comfort of clutchless driving at affordable pricing. It features a manual mode that allows the driver to drive either in fully automatic or sequential mode. It ensures efficient engine starting, safe car-overtaking manoeuvres and the best possible driving pleasure, with an outstanding power-to-weight ratio and best in segment torque-to-weight ratio in the compact SUV segment.
Onboard safety
On board, the two front seats and the two rear side seats are fitted with three-point seatbelts, while the rear middle passenger seat features a two-point seatbelt.
The two front airbags for the driver and front-seat passenger along with the two side airbags round out the safety suite.
Both front seats get seat belt reminder alert for enhanced safety.
Saturday, January 16, 2021
AMAZON LAUNCHES ITS WORLDWIDE FIRST MOBILE-ONLY VIDEO PLAN IN INDIA: PRIME VIDEO MOBILE EDITION
Bengaluru, 13th Jan 2021 : Accelerating its efforts to increase access to high-quality entertainment for every Indian, Amazon today introduced Prime Video Mobile Edition – a mobile-only plan at an amazing introductory price of ₹89. India becomes the first Amazon Prime country in the world to offer customers a mobile-only Prime Video plan. Powered by affordable data, the ubiquitous smartphone has become the country’s preferred screen for entertainment. Prime Video Mobile Edition is a single-user mobile-only plan, providing SD quality streaming to customers which is created especially for a mobile-first country like India. Prime Video is collaborating with Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), India’s premier communications solutions provider, for the “first roll-out of Prime Video Mobile Edition”.
As part of the Prime Video Mobile Edition launch in India, all Airtel customers on bundled pre-paid packs can avail a 30-day free trial by simply signing up to Amazon from the Airtel Thanks app using their mobile number. After the 30 day-free trial, Airtel customers can continue to enjoy Prime Video Mobile Edition through pre-paid recharges starting at an introductory offer of ₹89, to get 28-days of Prime Video Mobile Edition along with 6GB data or choose a ₹299 pack of 28-day validity that includes Prime Video Mobile Edition along with unlimited calls, data access of 1.5 GB per day.
Customers who want to get the complete Prime Video experience including multi-user access, streaming across devices including Smart TV and the ability to enjoy content in HD/UHD in addition to having access to all Prime benefits including ad-free music with Prime Music and free fast delivery on Amazon.in, Prime Reading and other Prime benefits, will have the option of recharging with a 30-day Amazon Prime membership at ₹131 or recharge with a ₹349 pack of 28-day validity that includes Amazon Prime membership along unlimited calling, data access of 2 GB per day.
The recharges will be available on the Airtel Thanks app or at over a million recharge points across the country. These offerings provide unlimited access to Prime Video’s entire entertainment content library and empowers the customer with even more choices and options to access Prime Video.
Talking about the launch, Jay Marine, Vice President, Amazon Prime Video Worldwide, said: "India is one of our fastest growing territories in the world with very high engagement rates. Buoyed by this response, we want to double-down by offering our much-loved entertainment content to an even larger base of Indian customers. Given high mobile broadband penetration in the country, the mobile phone has become one of the most widely used streaming devices. With the launch of Prime Video Mobile Edition we look forward to entertaining every Indian with our Exclusive and Original content.”
Airtel users can watch Prime Video on their mobile by choosing from a wide range of pre-paid bundles
₹89 recharge: Prime Video Mobile Edition for 28 days and 6GB data.
₹299 pre-paid bundle: Prime Video Mobile Edition, unlimited calling, 1.5 GB per day, for 28 days
₹131 recharge: Amazon Prime membership for 30 days with full Prime Video access, free fast delivery and unlimited ad-free music and other Prime benefits.
₹349 pre-paid bundle: Amazon Prime membership with full Prime Video access, free fast delivery and unlimited ad-free music and other Prime benefits along with unlimited calling and 2GB per day for 28 days
Customers can purchase these pre-paid packs on the Airtel Thanks app or at over one million Airtel stores across India.
Gaurav Gandhi, Director and Country General Manager, Amazon Prime Video India said: “Over the last 4 years, Prime Video has become the country’s most loved premium streaming service with viewership coming from over 4,300 towns and cities. We believe that the Mobile Edition plan will further accelerate Prime Video’s adoption in India and allow an even larger number of customers to access our popular entertainment content. This initiative for Amazon, is designed not just to give customers more choice (of plans) but also easy access to subscribe to Prime Video along with mobile data plans. We are happy to collaborate with Airtel as our first partner in India for Prime Video Mobile Edition."
Shashwat Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Bharti Airtel said, “At Airtel, we are deeply passionate about delivering a differentiated experience to our customers through our Airtel Thanks program. We are happy to partner with Amazon to democratize quality digital entertainment in India by leveraging Airtel’s core strengths of quality customers, deep distribution and best-in-class network for video.”
Speaking on the collaboration with Airtel, Sameer Batra, Director, Mobile Business Development, Amazon, “We are delighted to have Airtel as our first roll-out partner for Prime Video Mobile Edition. This collaboration marks the deepening of the strategic association between Amazon and Airtel. Smartphones powered by pre-paid connections and affordable data are ubiquitous to a large base of Indian customers – Mobile Edition will make Prime Video synonymous to quality entertainment for this large customer group. We look forward to expanding the reach of our service to the entire pre-paid customer base in India.”
ABOUT AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
Prime Video is a premium streaming service that offers Prime members a collection of award-winning Amazon Original series, thousands of movies, and TV shows—all with the ease of finding what they love to watch in one place.
Available On Prime Video: Thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood, including Indian produced Amazon Original series such as The Family Man, Mirzapur, Inside Edge and Made In Heaven, and award-winning and critically acclaimed global Amazon Original series including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and movies such as Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and My Spy are available for unlimited streaming as part of a Prime membership. Prime Video includes titles available in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi and Bengali. Find out more at PrimeVideo.com.
About Bharti Airtel
Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global telecommunications company with operations in 18 countries across South Asia and Africa. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its mobile network covers a population of over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated telecom provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. At the end of September 2020, Airtel had approx. 440 mn customers across its operations. Airtel’s portfolio includes high speed 4G/4.5G mobile broadband, Airtel Xstream Fiber that promises speeds upto 1Gbps, converged digital TV solutions through the Airtel Xstream 4K Hybrid Box, digital payments through Airtel Payments Bank as well as an integrated suite of services across connectivity, collaboration, cloud and security that serves over one million businesses. Airtel’s OTT services include Airtel Thanks app for self-care, Airtel Xstream app for video, Wynk Music for entertainment and Airtel BlueJeans for video conferencing. In addition, Airtel has forged strategic partnerships with hundreds of companies across the world to enable the Airtel platform to deliver an array of consumer and enterprise services.
Odisha wins Best State & Civic Agency, Indore – Best Municipality, Gujarat – Best SEC and Kerala – Best SFC in Janaagraha City Governance Awards
13th Jan 2021 : Odisha took home the Best State and the Best Civic Agency award, while Gujarat took home the Best State Election Commission and Kerala the Best State Finance Commission. Indore for its PPP Based Integrated Solid Waste Management took home the Best Municipality at Janaagraha City Governance Awards. Meanwhile, Maharashtra won runners-up in four of the five award categories.
Held in memory of Mr V Ramachandran, a doyen of decentralisation, the awards recognize ground-breaking work in decentralisation in urban context by institutions across government. The awards were conferred in a virtual ceremony by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Mr Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
Delivering the keynote address, Mr Hardeep Singh Puri said that cooperative and competitive federalism are in-built into the design and execution of various schemes and missions. “My Ministry is clear that only a partnership between citizens, municipalities, states and MoHUA can deliver transformative urban change in this country. We have seen such a partnership in action, at scale, across hundreds of cities, in schemes like the Swachh Bharat Mission. In the next phase of urban development, we need to invest in building the capacities of municipalities as institutions of local self-government. As part of Atmanirbhar Bharat, there is sharp focus on shoring up own revenues of municipalities through property tax and user charge reforms,” he said.
“An innovative, effective and elegant way to catalyse the change at scale throughout the country is by showcasing best practices, celebrating them and facilitating healthy competition and peer learning,” Mr Puri added.
Odisha won the Best State for its JAGA Mission under the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Meanwhile, the Best Civic Agency was awarded to Piped Water Supply Scheme for all Urban Households, Public Health Engineering Organisation, Odisha. G Mathivathanan, Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, Odisha, received the awards for both the categories.
“Government of Odisha launched the JAGA Mission with a noble and ambitious objective of transforming slums into livable habitats through a combination of land rights and a comprehensive slum improvement programme. Meanwhile, under the Piped Water Supply Scheme, 900 projects across the state with an investment of Rs 4000 crores were rolled out. As a result, nearly 100 per cent pipe water supply in 114 ULBS was possible in 3 years’ time,” G Mathivathanan said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has made decentralization no more an option but urgent compulsion and we are happy the Slum Dwellers Associations are emerging as fourth tier of governance structures with urban poor communities actively participating in development and governance process,” G Mathivathanan added.
Gujarat emerged winners in the Best State Election Commission category for E-Voting. “Gujarat has a strong tradition of strong self-government institutions. Sardar Patel was the President of the Ahmedabad Municipality from 1924 to 1928. Gujarat Panchayat Act was enacted in 1960 and the state has a strong three tier panchayat system. The State Election Commission has adopted technology in a big way. Gujarat was the pioneer in the adoption of the online voting system. The Commission has mobile compatible website with two way interface upto the voter level. There are more than 1.5 lakh elected representatives in the self-government institutions of Gujarat. The State Election Commission is proud to receive the Janaagraha Award from the institution that is totally committed to empowering the citizens of the country,” said Sanjay Prasad, Honourable State Election Commissioner, Gujarat.
Kerala’s Fourth State Finance Commission was feted for its recommendations on participatory governance and robust data ecosystem Decentralisation.
“The Government of Kerala is delighted that the Janaagraha City Governance Award has been given to Kerala's Fourth State Finance Commission for its work on the devolution of funds to the local governments of Kerala. As you know, Kerala has a very strong democratic devolution structure. The Fourth State Finance Commission actually ensured that 25% of the state’s plan outlay would be given to the local bodies, panchayats, municipalities, block and jala panchayats. It also gave several far reaching recommendations in terms of the horizontal devolution of the funds, use of the deprivation index and also suggested various measures to augment revenues of the local bodies. It also made far reaching recommendations regarding maintenance of assets, the cost to borrowings including municipal bonds and setting up of a web based software for financial transaction for the local bodies of the state,” said Rajesh Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Kerala Fourth State Finance Commission.
“We are particularly delighted to receive this award which is in honour and memory of Mr. V.Ramachandran, who is also former Chief Secretary of Kerala and inspiration to all of us and who worked in the field of democratic decentralisation,” he added.
Indore Municipal Corporation was feted with the Best Municipality award for its PPP Based Integrated Solid Waste Management.
“The residents of Indore have taken upon themselves to make Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi' s Swachh Bharat Mission successful. Indore has been awarded the cleanest city for 4 consecutive years, for which I would like thank the residents of Indore, the garbage tippers and the various municipal body officials. I would like to express my gratitude for the award that has been presented by Honourable Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri to the city of Indore. I would also like to acknowledge the unwavering commitment of our Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh, for making the Swachh Bharat Mission successful,” said Ms Malini Laxmansingh Gaur, Mayor, Indore.
The winners were chosen by an eminent jury comprising Priyank Kharge and Arvind Bellad (Members of Legislative Assembly, Karnataka), Amitabh Kant (NITI Aayog), Ashutosh Varshney (Brown University), Niranjan Rajadhyaksha (columnist and economist, IDFC Institute),Sanjeev Chopra IAS (Director, LBSNAA), Yamini Aiyar (Centre for Policy Research) and SK Das IAS (Retd.) (Chair of Jury, Member of Janaagraha’s Governing Board).
“Covid 19 has starkly reminded us of the need for government to be close to citizens, at the ward and even polling booth level. Decentralised governance with citizen participation inherently built into its design is inevitable for surmounting the challenges of our cities and neighbourhoods. We need more and more governments, and more and more political and administrative leaders, to put their might behind empowering our municipalities and neighbourhood communities. Through the Janaagraha City Governance Awards we are committed to amplifying such efforts,” said Srikanth Viswanathan, CEO, Janaagraha.
Online Event Link can be accessed here –
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/janaagraha/posts/4022398434439845
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/janaagraha
Winners of 2nd Edition of Janaagraha City Governance Awards
Best State
Winner - JAGA Mission, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Government of Odisha
Ist Runner-Up – Decentralisation of Plan Approvals, Urban Development Department, Government of Maharashtra
IInd Runner-Up – Geo-spatial Mapping of Urban Properties, Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration Department, Government of Telangana
Best Municipality
Winner – PPP Based Integrated Solid Waste Management, Indore Municipal Corporation
Ist Runner Up - My City Beautiful City, Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation
IInd Runner Up - GIS Based Property Tax Administration System, Raipur Municipal Corporation
Honourable Mention - Zero Waste Initiative, Kollam Municipal Corporation
Honourable Mention - Decentralised Solid Waste Management, Vellore Municipal Corporation
Honourable Mention - Decentralised Solid Waste Management, Petlad Municipality
Best Civic Agency
Winner – Piped Water Supply Scheme for all Urban Households, Public Health Engineering Organisation, Odisha
Ist Runner-Up – Municipal E-Governance Project, Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company
IInd Runner-Up – Integrated Transport Management System, Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport
Honourable Mention – E-Platform and ERP System, Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority
Best State Election Commission
Winner - E-Voting, Gujarat State Election Commission
Ist Runner-Up – Bifurcation of Assembly Rolls and Digitisation of Local Body Voter List, Maharashtra State Election Commission
2nd Runner-Up- E-Election Software, Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission
Best State Finance Commission
Winner - Kerala 4th State Finance Commission
Ist Runner-Up - Bihar 5th State Finance Commission
IInd Runner-Up - Maharashtra 4th State Finance Commission
Panel Discussions
The award ceremony was followed by 3 panel discussions on topics:
Power to the People: Is a truly empowered City Government possible in India?
Making Decentralisation work in India: Learning from Successes
Women Leader’s as Change Agents in India’s Cities
The panelists consisted of senior Indian and foreign politicians at the center, state and city levels, senior bureaucrats, and inspirational women leaders.
Janaagraha City Governance Awards
Janaagraha City Governance Awards are instituted in the memory of Mr V Ramachandran, a doyen of decentralisation, to recognize ground-breaking work in decentralisation in urban context by institutions across government.
V Ramachandran, a former civil servant, known as the father of democratic decentralisation, set many a precedent with his visionary efforts and contributions in formulating participatory planning practice and Panchayati Raj. He also played a seminal role as a Member of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission in pushing the envelope on administrative reforms in India, and especially on decentralisation to local bodies. He was also a Member of the Governing Board of Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy.
About Janaagraha
Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy is a non-profit trust in the Jana group co-founded by Swati Ramanathan and Ramesh Ramanathan in 2001. Janaagraha's mission is to transform the quality of life in India's cities and towns. It works with citizens to catalyse active citizenship in city neighbourhoods and with governments to institute reforms to city governance (what we call "City-Systems").
The "City-Systems" framework is a whole-of-systems approach to solving for India's cities. It comprises four distinct yet interdependent components: Urban Planning and Design (master plans, design standards for public utilities), Urban Capacities and Resources (municipal finance, municipal staffing and technology), Political Leadership (empowerment, legitimacy) and Transparency and Citizen Participation (public disclosures, citizen participation, service level guarantees and grievance redressal).
Held in memory of Mr V Ramachandran, a doyen of decentralisation, the awards recognize ground-breaking work in decentralisation in urban context by institutions across government. The awards were conferred in a virtual ceremony by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Mr Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
Delivering the keynote address, Mr Hardeep Singh Puri said that cooperative and competitive federalism are in-built into the design and execution of various schemes and missions. “My Ministry is clear that only a partnership between citizens, municipalities, states and MoHUA can deliver transformative urban change in this country. We have seen such a partnership in action, at scale, across hundreds of cities, in schemes like the Swachh Bharat Mission. In the next phase of urban development, we need to invest in building the capacities of municipalities as institutions of local self-government. As part of Atmanirbhar Bharat, there is sharp focus on shoring up own revenues of municipalities through property tax and user charge reforms,” he said.
“An innovative, effective and elegant way to catalyse the change at scale throughout the country is by showcasing best practices, celebrating them and facilitating healthy competition and peer learning,” Mr Puri added.
Odisha won the Best State for its JAGA Mission under the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Meanwhile, the Best Civic Agency was awarded to Piped Water Supply Scheme for all Urban Households, Public Health Engineering Organisation, Odisha. G Mathivathanan, Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, Odisha, received the awards for both the categories.
“Government of Odisha launched the JAGA Mission with a noble and ambitious objective of transforming slums into livable habitats through a combination of land rights and a comprehensive slum improvement programme. Meanwhile, under the Piped Water Supply Scheme, 900 projects across the state with an investment of Rs 4000 crores were rolled out. As a result, nearly 100 per cent pipe water supply in 114 ULBS was possible in 3 years’ time,” G Mathivathanan said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has made decentralization no more an option but urgent compulsion and we are happy the Slum Dwellers Associations are emerging as fourth tier of governance structures with urban poor communities actively participating in development and governance process,” G Mathivathanan added.
Gujarat emerged winners in the Best State Election Commission category for E-Voting. “Gujarat has a strong tradition of strong self-government institutions. Sardar Patel was the President of the Ahmedabad Municipality from 1924 to 1928. Gujarat Panchayat Act was enacted in 1960 and the state has a strong three tier panchayat system. The State Election Commission has adopted technology in a big way. Gujarat was the pioneer in the adoption of the online voting system. The Commission has mobile compatible website with two way interface upto the voter level. There are more than 1.5 lakh elected representatives in the self-government institutions of Gujarat. The State Election Commission is proud to receive the Janaagraha Award from the institution that is totally committed to empowering the citizens of the country,” said Sanjay Prasad, Honourable State Election Commissioner, Gujarat.
Kerala’s Fourth State Finance Commission was feted for its recommendations on participatory governance and robust data ecosystem Decentralisation.
“The Government of Kerala is delighted that the Janaagraha City Governance Award has been given to Kerala's Fourth State Finance Commission for its work on the devolution of funds to the local governments of Kerala. As you know, Kerala has a very strong democratic devolution structure. The Fourth State Finance Commission actually ensured that 25% of the state’s plan outlay would be given to the local bodies, panchayats, municipalities, block and jala panchayats. It also gave several far reaching recommendations in terms of the horizontal devolution of the funds, use of the deprivation index and also suggested various measures to augment revenues of the local bodies. It also made far reaching recommendations regarding maintenance of assets, the cost to borrowings including municipal bonds and setting up of a web based software for financial transaction for the local bodies of the state,” said Rajesh Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Kerala Fourth State Finance Commission.
“We are particularly delighted to receive this award which is in honour and memory of Mr. V.Ramachandran, who is also former Chief Secretary of Kerala and inspiration to all of us and who worked in the field of democratic decentralisation,” he added.
Indore Municipal Corporation was feted with the Best Municipality award for its PPP Based Integrated Solid Waste Management.
“The residents of Indore have taken upon themselves to make Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi' s Swachh Bharat Mission successful. Indore has been awarded the cleanest city for 4 consecutive years, for which I would like thank the residents of Indore, the garbage tippers and the various municipal body officials. I would like to express my gratitude for the award that has been presented by Honourable Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri to the city of Indore. I would also like to acknowledge the unwavering commitment of our Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh, for making the Swachh Bharat Mission successful,” said Ms Malini Laxmansingh Gaur, Mayor, Indore.
The winners were chosen by an eminent jury comprising Priyank Kharge and Arvind Bellad (Members of Legislative Assembly, Karnataka), Amitabh Kant (NITI Aayog), Ashutosh Varshney (Brown University), Niranjan Rajadhyaksha (columnist and economist, IDFC Institute),Sanjeev Chopra IAS (Director, LBSNAA), Yamini Aiyar (Centre for Policy Research) and SK Das IAS (Retd.) (Chair of Jury, Member of Janaagraha’s Governing Board).
“Covid 19 has starkly reminded us of the need for government to be close to citizens, at the ward and even polling booth level. Decentralised governance with citizen participation inherently built into its design is inevitable for surmounting the challenges of our cities and neighbourhoods. We need more and more governments, and more and more political and administrative leaders, to put their might behind empowering our municipalities and neighbourhood communities. Through the Janaagraha City Governance Awards we are committed to amplifying such efforts,” said Srikanth Viswanathan, CEO, Janaagraha.
Online Event Link can be accessed here –
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/janaagraha/posts/4022398434439845
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/janaagraha
Winners of 2nd Edition of Janaagraha City Governance Awards
Best State
Winner - JAGA Mission, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Government of Odisha
Ist Runner-Up – Decentralisation of Plan Approvals, Urban Development Department, Government of Maharashtra
IInd Runner-Up – Geo-spatial Mapping of Urban Properties, Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration Department, Government of Telangana
Best Municipality
Winner – PPP Based Integrated Solid Waste Management, Indore Municipal Corporation
Ist Runner Up - My City Beautiful City, Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation
IInd Runner Up - GIS Based Property Tax Administration System, Raipur Municipal Corporation
Honourable Mention - Zero Waste Initiative, Kollam Municipal Corporation
Honourable Mention - Decentralised Solid Waste Management, Vellore Municipal Corporation
Honourable Mention - Decentralised Solid Waste Management, Petlad Municipality
Best Civic Agency
Winner – Piped Water Supply Scheme for all Urban Households, Public Health Engineering Organisation, Odisha
Ist Runner-Up – Municipal E-Governance Project, Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company
IInd Runner-Up – Integrated Transport Management System, Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport
Honourable Mention – E-Platform and ERP System, Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority
Best State Election Commission
Winner - E-Voting, Gujarat State Election Commission
Ist Runner-Up – Bifurcation of Assembly Rolls and Digitisation of Local Body Voter List, Maharashtra State Election Commission
2nd Runner-Up- E-Election Software, Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission
Best State Finance Commission
Winner - Kerala 4th State Finance Commission
Ist Runner-Up - Bihar 5th State Finance Commission
IInd Runner-Up - Maharashtra 4th State Finance Commission
Panel Discussions
The award ceremony was followed by 3 panel discussions on topics:
Power to the People: Is a truly empowered City Government possible in India?
Making Decentralisation work in India: Learning from Successes
Women Leader’s as Change Agents in India’s Cities
The panelists consisted of senior Indian and foreign politicians at the center, state and city levels, senior bureaucrats, and inspirational women leaders.
Janaagraha City Governance Awards
Janaagraha City Governance Awards are instituted in the memory of Mr V Ramachandran, a doyen of decentralisation, to recognize ground-breaking work in decentralisation in urban context by institutions across government.
V Ramachandran, a former civil servant, known as the father of democratic decentralisation, set many a precedent with his visionary efforts and contributions in formulating participatory planning practice and Panchayati Raj. He also played a seminal role as a Member of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission in pushing the envelope on administrative reforms in India, and especially on decentralisation to local bodies. He was also a Member of the Governing Board of Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy.
About Janaagraha
Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy is a non-profit trust in the Jana group co-founded by Swati Ramanathan and Ramesh Ramanathan in 2001. Janaagraha's mission is to transform the quality of life in India's cities and towns. It works with citizens to catalyse active citizenship in city neighbourhoods and with governments to institute reforms to city governance (what we call "City-Systems").
The "City-Systems" framework is a whole-of-systems approach to solving for India's cities. It comprises four distinct yet interdependent components: Urban Planning and Design (master plans, design standards for public utilities), Urban Capacities and Resources (municipal finance, municipal staffing and technology), Political Leadership (empowerment, legitimacy) and Transparency and Citizen Participation (public disclosures, citizen participation, service level guarantees and grievance redressal).
Sterlite Power completes merger of subsidiary and announces consolidated PAT of INR 942 Cr for FY 2020
Bengaluru, 13th January 2021 : Sterlite Power, a leading global power transmission player, has announced the completion of merger of its wholly owned subsidiary Sterlite Power Grid Ventures Ltd. with the parent entity. With this merger, the company further strengthens its position in the marketplace by integrating operations and streamlining the corporate structure. Post the merger, Sterlite Power has announced the audited annual results for Financial Year 2020 recording outstanding growth in revenue and profit.
Key Financial Highlights
Consolidated Revenue up by 44% y-o-y at INR 5,158 Cr
Consolidated EBITDA up by 434% y-o-y at INR 2,406 Cr
Consolidated Profit After Tax up by 280% y-o-y at INR 942 Cr
ROCE of 28%
Sterlite Power is increasingly focused on integrating renewable energy (RE) to the grid and has been awarded vital projects connecting the national grid to clean and green energy. The company has added several Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) projects to its portfolio in FY20 including the Lakadia-Vadodara Transmission Project Ltd. (LVTPL) which is part of India’s Green Energy Corridor (GEC). The company also commissioned its first project in Brazil (Arcoverde) 28 months ahead of schedule, which was designed to evacuate renewable wind energy. Through its unique asset monetization strategy, the company has realized additional liquidity of INR Rs 2450 Cr from the monetization of three projects in India (NRSS 29, OGPTL and ENICL) and three projects in Brazil (Pampa, Arcoverde and Nova Estado).
Apart from achieving significant milestones in terms of project wins, execution, and asset monetisation, it has been an exceptional year for the company in terms of prestigious global and national recognitions:
Winner of ‘Construction Project of the Year’ at the S&P Global Platts Energy Awards 2019 for NRSS-29 project in Kashmir.
Gold Winner in the mega-sized project category at the IPMA Global Project Excellence Awards 2019 for NRSS-29 project.
Economic Times (ET) Innovation Awards for Skyrob™ – a semi-autonomous robot developed in-house to ensure safe OPGW stringing under live-line conditions.
Featured as case studies by India’s premier management institutes: IIM Ahmedabad and ISB Hyderabad.
Commenting on company’s performance, Mr. Pratik Agarwal, Managing Director, Sterlite Power, said, “We are driven by our core purpose to enable access to reliable power while minimizing the impact on climate change. As the world makes rapid transition towards clean energy, and India targets 450GW of renewable energy by 2030, we will contribute towards this noble cause by creating the required transmission infrastructure so that green energy can reach the most underserved households.”
As humanity adapts to the new normal defined by the pandemic, access to uninterrupted power has become the lifeline for society and economy. With the added urgency to avert the bigger crisis of climate change, Governments across the globe have accelerated the transition from fossil fuel to clean energy. In this new era, Sterlite Power is playing a critical role by enabling access to reliable power with an increasing focus on integrating renewables to the grid.
With its unique asset monetization strategy and strong project execution capabilities, the company has delivered strong financial results. Sterlite Power’s Annual Report 2019-20 can be accessed here.
About Sterlite Power
Sterlite Power is a leading global developer of power transmission infrastructure with projects of over 13,700 circuit kms and 26,100 MVA in India and Brazil. With an industry-leading portfolio of power conductors, EHV cables and OPGW, Sterlite Power also offers solutions for upgrading, uprating and strengthening existing networks. The Company has set new benchmarks in the industry by use of cutting-edge technologies and innovative financing. Sterlite Power is the sponsor of IndiGrid, India’s first power sector Infrastructure Investment Trust (“InvIT”), listed on the BSE and NSE. Sterlite Power has been recognised with The Economic Times Innovation Awards 2020 and is a recipient of prestigious global awards from S&P Global Platts and International Project Management Association (IPMA).
www.sterlitepower.com
Key Financial Highlights
Consolidated Revenue up by 44% y-o-y at INR 5,158 Cr
Consolidated EBITDA up by 434% y-o-y at INR 2,406 Cr
Consolidated Profit After Tax up by 280% y-o-y at INR 942 Cr
ROCE of 28%
Sterlite Power is increasingly focused on integrating renewable energy (RE) to the grid and has been awarded vital projects connecting the national grid to clean and green energy. The company has added several Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) projects to its portfolio in FY20 including the Lakadia-Vadodara Transmission Project Ltd. (LVTPL) which is part of India’s Green Energy Corridor (GEC). The company also commissioned its first project in Brazil (Arcoverde) 28 months ahead of schedule, which was designed to evacuate renewable wind energy. Through its unique asset monetization strategy, the company has realized additional liquidity of INR Rs 2450 Cr from the monetization of three projects in India (NRSS 29, OGPTL and ENICL) and three projects in Brazil (Pampa, Arcoverde and Nova Estado).
Apart from achieving significant milestones in terms of project wins, execution, and asset monetisation, it has been an exceptional year for the company in terms of prestigious global and national recognitions:
Winner of ‘Construction Project of the Year’ at the S&P Global Platts Energy Awards 2019 for NRSS-29 project in Kashmir.
Gold Winner in the mega-sized project category at the IPMA Global Project Excellence Awards 2019 for NRSS-29 project.
Economic Times (ET) Innovation Awards for Skyrob™ – a semi-autonomous robot developed in-house to ensure safe OPGW stringing under live-line conditions.
Featured as case studies by India’s premier management institutes: IIM Ahmedabad and ISB Hyderabad.
Commenting on company’s performance, Mr. Pratik Agarwal, Managing Director, Sterlite Power, said, “We are driven by our core purpose to enable access to reliable power while minimizing the impact on climate change. As the world makes rapid transition towards clean energy, and India targets 450GW of renewable energy by 2030, we will contribute towards this noble cause by creating the required transmission infrastructure so that green energy can reach the most underserved households.”
As humanity adapts to the new normal defined by the pandemic, access to uninterrupted power has become the lifeline for society and economy. With the added urgency to avert the bigger crisis of climate change, Governments across the globe have accelerated the transition from fossil fuel to clean energy. In this new era, Sterlite Power is playing a critical role by enabling access to reliable power with an increasing focus on integrating renewables to the grid.
With its unique asset monetization strategy and strong project execution capabilities, the company has delivered strong financial results. Sterlite Power’s Annual Report 2019-20 can be accessed here.
About Sterlite Power
Sterlite Power is a leading global developer of power transmission infrastructure with projects of over 13,700 circuit kms and 26,100 MVA in India and Brazil. With an industry-leading portfolio of power conductors, EHV cables and OPGW, Sterlite Power also offers solutions for upgrading, uprating and strengthening existing networks. The Company has set new benchmarks in the industry by use of cutting-edge technologies and innovative financing. Sterlite Power is the sponsor of IndiGrid, India’s first power sector Infrastructure Investment Trust (“InvIT”), listed on the BSE and NSE. Sterlite Power has been recognised with The Economic Times Innovation Awards 2020 and is a recipient of prestigious global awards from S&P Global Platts and International Project Management Association (IPMA).
www.sterlitepower.com
Paytm Payments Bank leads the market with 6 million Fastags as sales increase with deadline extension
Bengaluru, 11th Jan 2021 : India's homegrown Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) today announced that it is the leading issuer of FASTag in the country with over 6 million FASTags, as more citizens avail the service with the government extending the deadline for its adoption. Paytm FASTag has gained popularity amongst users in the country due to its seamless onboarding and integration process which requires minimum documentation, instant activation and unmatched customer care support. PPBL has now enabled cashless toll payments across 250 plazas in the country.
Paytm FASTag has become the country's most preferred toll payment method as it allows users to directly pay from the Paytm Wallet. Users do not need to create any separate account or download a wallet to recharge their FASTags. Tags issued by other banks require buyers to provide multiple documents like ID proof, photographs, share personal details & maintain separate accounts and login credentials. Also, unlike tags from other banks which may require a couple of hours to get activated, Paytm FASTags are activated instantly from the moment users receive it. All FASTag transactions can be monitored on the Paytm app. Users can raise complaints on the app itself which are addressed by a dedicated customer support team working 24x7.
Satish Gupta, MD & CEO - Paytm Payments Bank Ltd. said "It has been our humble endeavour to empower Indians with the same convenience and seamlessness on-road that our app provides to our users in their daily lives. The innovations that we have made in technology and the deep trust in our bank has helped us become the leading issuer of FASTags in the country. Users have embraced the convenience of paying for tolls directly from their Paytm Wallet and not create separate accounts. We continuously strive to ensure that customers are always charged the correct toll and have a hasslefree time on the road. We aim to expand our services across the length and breadth of the country and contribute towards building fully digital journeys on highways."
Paytm Payments Bank is the top issuer and the largest acquiring bank under the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) programme. It has also meticulously analyzed claims of higher toll charges raised by toll plazas against users. Paytm Payments Bank has fought on the behalf of users against higher charges owing to misidentification of vehicles and double taxation. It has also successfully reversed the vast majority of wrong toll charges. Ensuring that users are not inconvenienced, Paytm Payments Bank has the distinction of being the FASTag issuer which raised 60% of all disputes and 95% of all arbitration cases in the National Electronic Toll Collection Program.
DOCTORSMATRIMONY.COM - EXCLUSIVE SITE FOR DOCTORS LAUNCHED BY MATRIMONY.COM
Bengaluru, 11th January 2021 :Based on its successful history of matching lakhs of doctors over the past 20 years and its understanding that majority of doctors prefer life partners from the same profession due to shared values, Matrimony.com announced the launch of "DoctorsMatrimony.com" exclusively for the medical professionals. The service is available on the app, mobile site and desktop.
Through the matrimony.com services, lakhs of doctors have chosen another doctor as a life partner. In fact, Matrimony.com saw a 40% increase in the number of doctors registering over the past 3 years. Interestingly women doctors have no hesitation in signing up on Matrimony.com services as proven by the fact that 54% of the current doctor members are women and only 46% are male doctors.
The matrimony business opportunity is huge for this category. As per the National Health Profile 2019, the total number of registered allopathic doctors in India is 11,54,686, number of dental surgeons is 2,54,283 and registered AYUSH Doctors in India is 7,99,879.
Doctors can register and choose their match not only by religion, city, community, education but also by specialisation. DoctorsMatrimony offers privacy and safety while searching for their suitable life partner. The “Who Can See Me” feature helps doctors control who can view their profile and contact them. Other features offer doctors privacy by giving them control to choose who can view their photos.
Elaborating on why they launched an exclusive service for doctors, Murugavel Janakiraman, Founder and CEO – Matrimony.com says, “Most doctors feel the need for a companion who understands their profession and shared values well and that seems possible when the life partner is also a doctor. Through our current app, we have understood the unique preferences of the doctor community. Seeing lakhs of doctor couples find each other through our services over the past 20 years, it was but natural for us to launch DoctorsMatrimony.com. Covid also drove us to focus on serving the healthcare community heroes better through an exclusive service.”
Download Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.doctorsmatrimony
Visit https://www.doctorsmatrimony.com/
About Matrimony.com Limited
Matrimony.com is India’s leading consumer Internet Company. It is a signature consumer internet conglomerate, managing marquee brands such as BharatMatrimony, CommunityMatrimony and EliteMatrimony. BharatMatrimony is considered the largest and most trusted matrimony brand which has also established a considerable retail presence with over 130 self-owned retail outlets across India. The Company delivers matchmaking and marriage related services to users in India and the Indian diaspora.
Friday, January 8, 2021
Trane Technologies’ Thermo King Offers Complete Cold Chain Solutions for Transport and Storage of COVID-19 Vaccines in India
Bengaluru, 5th January 2021 : Thermo King, by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator, has launched its expanded portfolio of cold chain solutions in India, which can keep vaccines at temperatures from a range of +25 degrees Celsius to as low as -70 degrees Celsius.The company’s advanced cold chain technologies will help address the unique challenges of COVID-19 vaccine distribution in India, whose large population is spread across vast and varied geographies, from densely populated cities to far-flung rural communities.
“Safety and reliability of the cold chain is critical to meeting the urgent need for everyone to have access to vaccines,” said Allen Ge, president of Trane Technologies in Asia Pacific. “Our recently launched SuperFreezers were initially developed to flash-freeze high-end seafood. Our teams quickly adapted and developed a good solution for COVID-19 vaccines transport, which require ultra-cold temperatures to prevent degradation. We’re proud to support this historic effort in India and around the world with our technologies and cold chain expertise.”
COVID-19 vaccine distributionis expected to start in India in the coming weeks, following the central government’s announcement of guidelines for states and Union territories for distribution of vaccines once they become available.
The first approved COVID-19 vaccines must be kept at deep-frozen temperatures down to -70 degrees Celsius, and will be shipped in dry ice. A container using dry ice may require re-icing if it sits for an extended length of time, such as during a long haul or on the airport tarmac, or if the contents are exposed to ambient temperatures during transfers. Thermo King’s refrigerated solutions can extend the life of dry ice or even eliminate the need for it.
Now, Thermo King products are being used by transport companies such as FedEx and UPS which are directly involved in the transport and distribution of the Pfizer vaccine in US.
As more COVID-19 vaccines are approved, they will have different temperature requirements – some will need very low temperatures, while others will require typical refrigerated conditions. Thermo King stands ready to meet all these requirements with technologies to maintain and monitor temperatures across climate conditions, temperature needs, and modes of transportation – air transport, marine, rail, trailer, last-mile delivery.
Temperature control plays a critical role in safeguarding a vaccine. If there is a break in the cold chain, and a temperature-sensitive product like vaccine falls outside of the required temperature range, the result could be the loss of an entire load of high-value, life-saving medicine.
Safeguarding against breakdowns in the cold chain can quickly become a very complex operation from a logistics standpoint. And this is made even more complex when you consider the circumstances around a COVID-19 vaccine. Imagine devising a logistics plan to deliver more than 1.3 billion vaccines across the Indian sub-continent as fast as possible, not knowing exactly where the manufacturing points will be, the volume of doses, or how cold the vaccine will need to be kept.
And this isn’t the cold chain as we know. Aside from the stress caused from the vast number of vaccines that need to be distributed, we also need to plan for non-traditional delivery points, such as mobile clinics, which will require precise temperature control and safeguards in all modes of transport and storage. Reliable and temperature-controlled equipment that provides security, traceability and temperature monitoring is more critical than ever.
Thermo King’s end-to-end transport and storage solutions are flexible and able to scale up and down based on demand. Particularly, when ultra-low temperatures is needed, the SuperFreezers can provide transport and storage capability with an ultra-low set point of -70C and can store up to 60 times more doses compared to traditional reach-in freezers in use today.
“We are actively engaging with third-party logistics companies, policymakers, regulators and other industry partners to find ways to strengthen the vaccine cold chain,” said Kishor Patil, Trane Technologies HVAC & Transport, India & SAARC Country leader. “We will use our global expertise to address the complexities and challenges of getting these life-saving vaccines to people across India, as we are doing in other regions around the world.”
Thermo King works with a global network of nearly 900 dealers and partners, and around 60 dealers and partners in India, to ensure end-to-end temperature control solutions for food, medicines, vaccines and other perishable cargo. Along with SuperFreezers, its portfolio includes road transport solutions (truck & trailers), air transport solutions, marine transport solutions, containers and portable cubes that can easily be scaled and repositioned to different locations as demand changes.
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About Trane Technologies
Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane® and Thermo King®, and our portfolio of environmentally responsible products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes and transportation. For more information, visit www.tranetechnologies.com.
About Thermo King
Thermo King – by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator – is a worldwide leader in sustainable transport temperature control solutions. Thermo King is the only company that delivers connected, end-to-end temperature-controlled transport and storage solutions across the cold chain. For more information, visit www.thermoking.com or www.tranetechnologies.com.
GLOBAL REVEAL OF RENAULT KIGER IN INDIA ON JANUARY 28
Bengaluru, 5th January 2021 : After generating a lot of exhilaration with the showcase of the Renault KIGER Showcar, Group Renault will be globally premiering the eagerly awaited Renault KIGER in India on January 28, 2021. Slated to revolutionise the B-SUV segment in India, Renault KIGER is a Stunning, Smart and Sporty offering to be first launched in India, followed by other markets.
Renault KIGER has already made a strong impression for its distinctive styling, which is sporty, masculine and modern. Built on the CMFA+ Platform, Renault KIGER will come loaded with several smart attributes and features which will include some best-in-class offerings that will complement the design and styling of the car. Renault KIGER will be powered by an all new turbo engine and will offer an exciting drive.
Renault KIGER will be the latest in the line of revolutionary products launched by Renault in India. Just like DUSTER, KWID AND TRIBER, KIGER will also change the dynamics in its segment and will be yet another game changer from Renault. Renault KIGER will be launched in the B-segment which accounts for more than 50% of the total industry sales and will be instrumental in growing Renault’s presence across the country.
A collaboration between the Corporate design teams in France and Renault India design, Renault KIGER will be the third global car from Groupe Renault to be launched in India first, followed by other markets.
ABOUT RENAULT
Renault India Pvt. Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Renault S.A.S. France. Renault India cars are manufactured in the manufacturing facility located in Oragadam, Chennai, with a capacity of 480,000 units per annum. Renault India also has a widespread presence of more than 415 sales and 475+ service touchpoints, which include 200+ Workshop On Wheels locations across the country, with benchmark sales and service quality.
Renault India’s product line up and services have seen strong recognition among customers and industry experts alike, winning more than 60 titles, making Renault India one of the most awarded automotive brands in a single year in India. The Renault KWID has already bagged 32 awards, including 10 ‘Car of the Year’ Awards.
Lionsgate Play to exclusively premiere the most acclaimed show of 2020 ‘Normal People’ in India
Bengaluru, 5th January 2021 : Lionsgate Play, the newly launched premium streaming service is all set to premiere the most acclaimed show of 2020 ‘Normal People’ on its platform. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald ‘Normal People’ is an Irish drama television series based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Sally Rooney. The series is about the relationship between Marianne Sheridan (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell Waldron (Paul Mescal), as they traverse adulthood from their final days in secondary school to their undergraduate years. The series is about the on-again, off-again relationship between two Irish teenagers that portrays the beauty and ruthlessness of first love perfectly.
The show with 12 episodes has been recognized as The New York Times BEST TV SHOWS OF 2020 and have been nominated four times for Emmy awards for Acting, Casting, Writing and Direction.
Mr. Rohit Jain (Managing Director South Asia and Networks - Emerging Markets Asia at Lionsgate) commented, “We are delighted to bring Normal People exclusively on Lionsgate Play app for the Indian viewers. The show is a perfect combination of phenomenal storytelling, a talented star cast and thoughtful direction. The response received from the audiences across countries have been very encouraging. We are confident the that it will be appreciated by the fans in India as well.”
The series features Marianne and Connell through their time at secondary school in County Sligo on Ireland's Atlantic coast, and later as undergraduates at Trinity College Dublin. Marianne is shown to be bullied by her peers at school, but she refuses to care about her social standing. Despite her academic achievements, her family life is complicated with contemptuous mother, Denise, and her annoyed brother, Alan. Connell is a high-achieving student living with his single mother Lorraine, who is employed by Denise as a cleaner. He is popular in school, though he remains quiet while Marianne is constantly bullied. This creates complexity as their relationship develops. Watch the series on Lionsgate Play to know how their story unfolds.
About Lionsgate Play:
Lionsgate Play, a premium streaming service from Lionsgate India and Starz, offers bespoke Hollywood content for Indian consumers. It boasts of thousands of hours of Premium Hollywood content including Premieres, billion-dollar Franchise Movies and binge worthy Box Sets. Lionsgate Play has a widely distributed network in the region spanning across partnerships like Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel, Jio FTTH, Apple TV+, Amazon Firestick, OEM’s with an ambitious roadmap ahead. Lionsgate Play also develops and produces a diverse slate of high budget premium Indian originals.
Sunday, January 3, 2021
Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi lays the foundation stone for the permanent campus
IIM Sambalpur embarks on a new journey in the new year
2nd January 2021, Sambalpur : Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur, one of the most promising and dynamic management institutions among the new generation IIMs of the country, witnessed another giant leap in the advent of the new year. Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modilaid the foundation stone of the permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur virtually today.
The ceremony was also graced by Hon’ble Governor of Odisha, Shri Ganeshi Lal, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon'ble Minister of Education, GOI, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Hon'ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, GOI, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon'ble Minister of State of MOAHD & Fisheries and MSME’s, GOI, Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Shri Nitesh Ganga Deb, Hon'ble MLA, Shri J N Mishra, Hon'ble MLA, Shri Nauri Nayak, Smt. Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman, Board, IIM Sambalpur and former Chairperson of the State Bank of India, and Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur. The ceremony was virtually attended by over 5000 invitees, which include dignitaries from the Govt. of India, Govt. of Odisha, industry leaders, PSUs executives, directors of IIMs, IITs, IISERs, media journalists, members from the weaving community, members from farmer community, students, alumni, faculties, and staff of IIM Sambalpur.
In his addressal, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, said, “With the laying of the foundation stone of IIM Sambalpur, we also lay the foundation of a new era for the youth of the country. I am sure that IIM Sambalpur will make Odisha the hub of management education. This decade will be devoted to the development of new Multinational corporations (MNCs) in India. Despite of COVID, India has given a number of unicorns this year. These are largely growing in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Today’s startups are tomorrow’s MNCs. These startups need able managers and those passing out of this institution will lead the way.”
He further added, “With its core values of Integrity, Innovation and Inclusion, IIM Sambalpur will show the country the power of management education. It is the responsibility of the students at the institute to bring global recognition to ‘Brand India’ and encourage development and focus on inclusion of all. Students of IIMs must come up with new ways to turn local to global. I am confident that the efforts of IIM Sambalpur will contribute towards a ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.”
Hon’ble Governor of Odisha, Shri Ganeshi Lal, said, “Odisha and entire Eastern India will lead India towards transformation, innovation and change. Students are the sustaining factor of the eternal values, 'bhay se mukt aur bhav se jukt'. Odisha will be an engine for transformation of the country into a new India. I am sure, Odisha and entire Eastern India will lead India towards metamorphosis, innovation and change. IIM Sambalpur can transform the world through the management skills they impart.”
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik, said, “In its 5 years, IIM Sambalpur has already proved its mettle as a premium management institute and excelled in its ways. IIM Sambalpur has been aspiring to be an Entrepreneurial Hub in the State of Odisha. It has signed MoU with the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises with emphasis on nurturing the entrepreneurial talent of the local weavers and agro-based business models. We look forward to working with IIM Sambalpur in areas of common interest. I pledge the support of this government to IIM Sambalpur in all its endeavours.”
Hon'ble Minister of Education, GOI, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, said, “One day IIM Sambalpur will be renowned globally for its feats. The students of the institute will not only become responsible citizens but will also become entrepreneurs who help in job creation. They will become brand ambassadors for India in the world. I am sure that IIM Sambalpur will ensure through entrepreneurship and innovation Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of 5 trillion economy and help in building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Hon'ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, GOI, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, said, “I believe that IIM Sambalpur will become a hotspot of global economy. The institute will help in new economic model creation for the rich area of Sambalpur.”
Hon'ble Minister of State of MOAHD & Fisheries and MSME’s, GOI, Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi, added, “IIM Sambalpur is a premium institute and in a short span they have reached heights that are praiseworthy. They are among the top 75 management institutions of the country.”
Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Shri Nitesh Ganga Deb, said, “The new IIM campus will definitely improve infrastructure for the students and faculties alike. I hope the pass outs of the institute will prove themselves as the best entrepreneurs of our Country.”
Speaking on occasion, Smt. Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman, Board, IIM Sambalpur and former Chairperson of the State Bank of India, stated, “Our effort here is to go beyond giving degrees. Our ambition is that when the student leaves this Institute, they are more a mature entrepreneur with creative mindset and are employment providers to many others. Our new premises will imbibe the traditional architecture of Odisha and we are committed to ecological sustainability: to this end, our new premises will also be environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.”
Further, Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, stated, “IIM Sambalpur was setup in 2015 by the Government of India to nurture individuals with an entrepreneurial mind set. We work with Innovation, Integrity and Inclusion as our core operating principles. In line with the vision of the New Education Policy, IIM Sambalpur has embraced an innovative shift in its teaching learning pedagogy from teacher centric to learner centric. The concept of flipped classroom has been introduced by bringing industry live project to the classroom that increases student engagement and learning. We have had one of the best gender diversities with 49% female students. We want to thank our Hon’ble Prime Minister for laying the foundations stone. We also want to convey our heartiest gratitude to Hon’ble Governor of Odisha, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Hon'ble Minister of Education, Hon'ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel and all other dignitaries, friends and members of the IIM Sambalpur family who have been a part of this grand day.”
The permanent campus of Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur is to be developed in an area of land measuring approximately about 200 Acres at Basantapur village near Goshala near Sambalpur City. In Phase- I, 60,280 sqm approx. built-up area under various buildings of the Project shall be constructed.
The most striking feature of the campus will be the incorporation of regional art that creates a symbiotic relationship with the architecture. Odisha’s traditional IKAT—a patterned textile-dyeing technique—is mapped onto the brick facade with remarkable elegance, in colors similar to the soils of the state.
The 4-star GRIHA rated sustainable campus will follow energy efficient and ecologically sensitive principles of development. Domestic water consumption will be reduced by using Dual Flushing Cisterns, less water consuming urinals, showers, faucets, etc. The campus will be 100% day lit in regularly occupied living areas and fresh air ventilated interior spaces. Treated water from STP will be used for irrigation and flushing. Use of LED lighting and ECBC complied energy efficient electric appliances like DG Sets, transformer, lifts, pumps, motors etc. will help in considerably reduced electricity consumption.
The phase I works will have major buildings like Administration Building, Faculty Block, Academic Block, Auditorium Block, MDP Block including Guest House, Library & Incubation Block, Hostel buildings, Mess & Dining Block, Shopping & Activity Block, Sports & Recreation with OAT, Faculty Residence and Staff Residence, Directors Bungalow, Community Centre and Site development work etc.
About Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur:
Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur (IIM-S) is one of the most promising and dynamic management institutions among the new generation IIMs of the country located in Sambalpur, Odisha, India. IIM Sambalpur was established by MHRD, GOI in 2015 and was declared as an Institute of National Importance as per the IIM 2017 Act. The Institute is already taking positive steps since its inception as a place for Entrepreneurial Innovation and Experiential Learning. IIM-S currently offers full time Master in Business Administration (MBA) and PhD programs and more courses to be added in near future. The Institute outscores all other IIM’s in terms of its gender diversity and its unique experiential learning pedagogy called “Flipped Classroom”.
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