Archive: October 14, 2022

International Education Network Istituto Europeo Di Design (Ied) Set to Strengthen Ties With India

Mumbai: October 14th, 2022 – Italy’s Istituto Europeo di Design (IED), an international education network that offers undergraduate and master’s courses in the fields of design, fashion, visual arts, communication and management, is all set to deepen ties with India.

The 22-year-old Luca De Prà, a Fashion Design graduate from IED Milano will present his collection Dividit, along with the graduates of other international schools during the Graduate Fashion Week competition of the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) that will be held for the first time in Mumbai’s Pearl Academy on October 16. In addition, 10 students from IED Milano and 10 from IED Barcelona will also be featured in an online portfolio exhibition graduate Fashion Week website.

This partnership will pave the way for students and university representatives to take part in events and networking activities across multiple verticals.

“India is a vibrant country with a huge pool of young, creative talent willing to embark overseas for international education. We, at IED are always looking for creative minds that are willing to be challenged. It is in this spirit of uniting different cultures through creative pursuits that IED participates in LFW’s Graduate Fashion Week. Furthermore, our participation at LFW also gives us the opportunity to bring to India – through the creative work of young fashion talent – an additional sight on the Italian design approach, which will be very useful for fashion graduates who want to go global,” Istituto Europeo di Design comments.

With 6 branches in Italy, 3 in Spain and 2 in Brazil, IED is the largest Higher Education Network in the creative field to have maintained a global outlook and a deeply Italian cultural matrix, since 1966. It makes the most out of each location’s peculiarities and allows the blending of different experiences, people, and cultures. In this way, IED forms a truly inclusive and transdisciplinary school that uses design as a universal language for change.

Apart from LFW’s graduate Fashion week IED is also a part of DesignIndia, an innovative contest promoted by the Embassy of India, Rome and Sākshi (an Italian no profit which works at improving people-to-people relations between India and Italy). IED, along with La Sapienza, the University of Rome and Accademia Delle belle arti di Brera is a part of this innovative venture, which works at empowering and encouraging young Italian designers on the use of Indian elements in modern fashion, especially handloom textiles. 10 IED Milano students have been selected to create new outfits made of Indian fabrics like cotton, jute, silk and khadi among others.

Every year more than 2000 students at the Undergraduate level and 3500 students at the Postgraduate level inquire for information about IED courses.Of those, over 100 students from India enrolled to IED between 2019/2020 – 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. IED expect around 40 students from India in the just begun 2022/2023 Academic Year, and to reach 60 incoming students in 2023/2024 with a growth rate of 50%.

Ranbir Kapoor joins hands with Storia, one of the fastest growing F&B start-ups

Mumbai, October 14, 2022: Storia Foods, one of India’s most disruptive F&B start-ups continues to carve its path to become the beverage brand of choice by joining hands with Ranbir Kapoor, one of India’s biggest youth icons. As consumers continue to lean towards a healthier lifestyle, the quest for natural and preservative-free alternatives have witnessed a surge in demand. Epitomizing its youthful personality, the brand has joined hands with Ranbir for further bolstering its promise to build a nutritionally stronger India and spread awareness for India’s highest fruit content shakes alongside it’s 100% natural tender coconut water and 100% juices which contain no added sugar or preservatives.

The brand association has kick started with the launch of an enthralling digital film, conceptualized by The Script Room, that captures a quirky interaction between Ranbir Kapoor and his new friend, a very endearing chimpanzee that will immerse you in a world you’d not want to leave.

On the launch of the digital film, Vishal Shah, Founder & Managing Director, Storia Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., said, “We have always strived hard to create differentiation and moments of optimism, not only with our products but with our brand communications as well. With Storia, we take great responsibility towards what we serve our consumers and encourage our consumers to make healthier lifestyle choice while remaining young and quirky with our brand messaging. Over the years, we have been able to create a brand that breaks through the clutter with innovation, technology, and creativity at its core. Our association with Ranbir is a further testament to our commitment to innovate and keeping our brand promise in place, while attracting the youth of India.”

Commenting on the development, Chief Marketing Officer of Storia Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd. Shalin Desai, said, “The association with Ranbir is a perfect blend of creative and strategic intent and truly in sync with the brand’s persona. In a highly cluttered category, our task was to develop a communication which is unconventional and distinctive. The communication is simple, quirky & memorable and it will surely cut across all age groups.”

On his collaboration with Storia Foods, Ranbir Kapoor, said, “Homegrown Indian brands are the future, and I am glad to associate with Storia that intends to make a difference on the back of its innovation and technological know-how. What makes Storia stand out for me is its unique vision to create products for the consumers of today. When you have a great product proposition, it does all the talking for you. I am happy to associate with a brand has a real pulse of its target audience.”

The ad film can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/cK62RTgzIZs

Storia’s range of India’s highest fruit content shakes that are trans-fat and preservatives-free, are available at all the leading e-commerce platforms including Big Basket, Amazon, Zepto, Blinkit, JioMart and offline retail chains like Reliance, More Retail, Metro Cash & Carry.

IKF Group launches its new branch at Solapur

National, 14th October 2022: IKF Group (IKF Finance & IKF Home Finance) has today launched its new branch at Solapur, Maharashtra. As part of their aggressive business expansion plans, the new branch promises to cater to the growing demand of financial needs and affordable housing units in and around Solapur which is a hub to many small industries and retail trading units. Smt. Praniti Shinde, Hon’ble MLA – Solapur inaugurated this new branch along with, Shri. Rama Raju, Chief Executive Officer – IKF Finance & Shri. Aryendra Kumar, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer – IKF Home Finance.

IKF Finance is one of India’s prominent Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), with over three decades of experience in the asset financing business while IKF Home Finance is a new age Housing Finance company with a vision to transform lives. The path adopted by the group is to provide flexible financial assistance to their customers. Over the years, both the companies IKF Finance & IKF Home Finance which are headquartered in Hyderabad have transformed the lives of their customers with heartfelt efforts for enlightening lives. IKF Group shares a vision to transform the lives of mainly underserved segments mostly in tier-II & tier-III cities pan India.

The new branch at Solapur is IKF Finance’s 112th branch and the 55th branch of IKF Home Finance. Specifically talking about Maharashtra, this Solapur branch is the 10th branch of IKF Home Finance & 20th branch of IKF Finance. With its constant efforts, IKF Finance and IKF Home Finance are enabling customers to avail housing and vehicle finances providing them approachable assistance to upgrade and meet their growing family needs.

Speaking at the inauguration of the branch, Smt. Praniti Shinde, Hon’ble MLA – Solapur said,I am extremely delighted to be launching the new branch of IKF Finance & IKF Home Finance.  I firmly believe that IKF Group with its experienced and integrity driven leadership team will offer the best of their services to the people of Solapur. Flexible loans are the need of the hour specially to the underserved sector. Many people aspire to avail small loans yet do not have the provision or eligibility to utilize them. I encourage the people of Solapur to make the best of the services which are being provided at the new branch of IKF. I look forward to IKF Finance & IKF Home Finance for providing the best services to the natives of towns present in and around Solapur”.

Speaking during the inauguration Mr. Aryendra Kumar, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer – IKF Home Finance said,We thank the Hon’ble MLA, Smt. Praniti Shindeji for coming and inaugurating our new branch. We at IKF Home Finance promise to help the people in and around Solapur who have a dream of building an affordable housing unit yet do not have the finances to support their dream can come true. The processes here are simple, hassle-free, and quick, offering not just financial assistance, but also a happy experience of making dreams a reality through the support they offer to their customers. The path adopted by our company is to provide flexible financial assistance to our customers.  Our motto as an entity is to serve the underserved. We are delighted to begin this new branch in the hub of the city and cater to the people of Solapur”.

Expressing his joy at the opening of the new branch Mr. Rama Raju, Chief Executive Officer – IKF Finance said, “It gives us immense joy to be launching our 112th branch in Solapur. We thank the Hon’ble MLA of Solapur for accepting our invitation and launching our new branch. As a company, we have come thus far and we take pride in carrying forward the legacy. Our unique income assessment underwriting model at our branch will help a large section of self-employed customer base to avail finance assistance & MSME loans. Small time business people who have low book keeping and at the same time have loan servicing ability can avail our services the most. We tend to cater to such customers who are in need and this enables us to strongly believe that a loan provided to them at the right time will act as a binding factor for their families.”

IKF Finance &Home Finance through this branch would be servicing a wide segment of customers who are in small businesses and employees working for industrial and private units.  The dominant catchment areas that the branch would be serving would be employees and business people in and around Pandharpur, Sangole, Bale, Hipparge, Mulegaon, Kumbhari, Kegaon. Through its diversified product portfolio the branch will offer Housing loans for Purchase, self-construction, Home Improvement, and Small Ticket MSME loans backed by collateral to the target segment.

Ap Cm Ys Jagan Mohan Reddy Reviews School Education Department

Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, 14 October 2022: “The top priority has been given to the field of education, health, and agriculture in Andhra Pradesh with revolutionary schemes in the last three years. But a section of the media is constantly spreading misinformation. Irrespective of it, steps should be taken towards our goals,” said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy while chairing the education review meeting in his camp office in Tadepalli on Thursday.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that Rs.1120 crores released so far in the financial year for the development works, and a definite plan for the academic year 2023-24 are in place.

AP CM YS JAGAN MOHAN REDDY

Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the officials to ensure the integration of Byju’s content into the school curriculum as early as possible. “The Biju’s content integration in the curriculum is important since it will help the children through ease of learning,” said the Chief Minister.

Regarding the distribution of Tabs to 8th standard students, officials said more than 1.5 lakh tabs are available, and the rest is in process. “We are planning to give 5,18,740 tabs including the teachers,” said the officials.

Before the Tabs are given to the students, teachers will receive the first batch, and they would receive the training. “Students can download the content that costs thousands of rupees in the market for free on their cellphones too,” said the Chief Minister.

The officials presented the works taken by the department in implementing the second phase of Nadu-Nadu and the action plan to the Chief Minister. He ordered the officials to provide an internet connection to all schools before digitalizing the classrooms. The officials said the internet connection works will be completed by January or February 2023.

The department officials said the process of tenders for the next academic year has started and preparing for the educational kits to be ready by April. Apart from agreeing to increase stitching prices for the school uniforms from Rs.40 per pair to Rs. 50, the Chief Minister also gave a nod to give medium size bags to students of classes 1 to 5 and big-size bags from 6 to 10th class. For better management of schools, the officials said that they are appointing another officer with the Mandal Education Department officer.

The Chief Minister reviewed the works taken by officials in the Jagananna Gorumudda scheme and the department’s efforts to directly deliver the rice to schools. They also discussed the perseverance of eggs, which are being provided in schools.

Gunjan Foundation Presents 100 Years of Bollywood Music

New Delhi October 2022: Gunjan Foundation presents “100 years of Bollywood Music” at Kamani Auditorium, Copernicus Marg to celebrate its journey throughout. Ms. Richa Anirudh hosted the show, and there was a speech by Ms. Sushma Singhvi, founder of Gunjan Foundation, to welcome the guests and to elaborate the achievements and motto of the organization to the audiences. Later the show was followed by performances of a few of the golden year’s songs of Artist Mr. K.L. Saigal till the modern bollywood songs along with some dance to mesmerize the aura of the audiences present in the auditorium.

Time: By 6:30 p.m. onwards.
Performances by Singers:
Jitendra Abhyankar
Chaitanya Kulkarni
Kunal Phadke
Abhishek Havaragi
Upendra Inglikar
Sagar Khambe
Tejas Deodhar
Ms. Riya Desai
Ms. Aishwarya Kale
Ms. Deepika Datar
Ms. Krisha Pandit

The show was witnessed by Journalist MS. Nalini Singh, Padma Shri Shovana Narayan,Padma Shri Indian Broadcasting Journalist and Writer Mr. Alok Mehta,  the host of the show, radio journalist at 92.7 Big FM Ms Richa Anirudh, Photographer Mr. Avinash Pasricha and his wife Ms. Santosh, Art Collector Ms. Rama Thakur.

Sushma Singhvi, Founder of Gunjan Foundation said, ”Gunjan Foundation is the combined effort of all the dreams of our students to leave a mark in society. Their dreams are our hopes to make every section of our society contribute equally to our nation. We encourage the underprivileged children specially girls to be self- dependent and to be able to empower themselves with the light of education for a better future.”

The Importance of Data Loss Prevention for Macs

By Mr. Filip Cotfas, Channel Manager, CoSoSys

In the last ten years, Macs have gradually made their way into the workplace. Their number has increased through Apple’s own efforts to improve their products for use in the enterprise, such as their transition to M1 chips and system extensions, but also the implementation of Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) and Choose-Your-Own-Device (CYOD) policies, which allowed employees to decide on the type of device they want to work on.

macOS device use across enterprises has increased in the business environment. This widespread use of Apple devices in business is making many companies rethink their approach to endpoint provisioning, management, and, more importantly, security.

The risk of insider threats

With its solid Unix-based architecture, native encryption options, and new kextless mode, macOS has never been more secure. However, while Macs might be more secure against brute force and malware attacks, they are just as vulnerable to one of the biggest threats to data security: the people operating them. Employees are at the root of some of the most disastrous data breaches in history, whether through carelessness, turning malicious, or falling for phishing or social engineering attacks.

The number of security incidents caused by insiders has increased by a staggering 47% since 2018, according to the Ponemon Institute’s 2020 Cost of Insider Threats Global Report, with human error alone accounting for 23% of all data breaches. A further 7% were due to malicious insiders, and 17% of external attacks used employees as an entry point into the company network.

The rise of data protection legislation

While in the past, companies may have been tempted to take their chances and rely on Macs’ advanced security to prevent data breaches, nowadays, protecting sensitive customer data is no longer a choice. Some of the world’s biggest companies, such as Google, H&M, and Marriott, have already been hit by fines. Reputational damage is also harder to overcome for small to mid-sized organizations as it increases the likelihood of lost business as customers choose competitors without a history of bad data security practices.

Protecting sensitive data with Data Loss Prevention

When it comes to sensitive data protection on Macs, solutions like antivirus and antimalware software that protect an entire device from outside tampering, are not effective. Employees need access to data to effectively perform their duties. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions were developed to help companies secure data from human error by protecting sensitive data directly.

Using DLP, organizations can define what sensitive data means to them, whether it’s personally identifiable information (PII) or different categories of intellectual property (IP). Once defined, DLP policies can be applied to identify, monitor, and control the movements of files containing sensitive information. In this way, companies can prevent sensitive data from leaving Macs and ensure it is not transferred via insecure channels such as messaging apps, personal emails, or file-sharing services.

Removable devices, which can easily be lost or stolen, are another common data security concern for computers running on any operating system, including macOS. Device control features can help companies monitor the use of removable devices and identify which user has copied files to which devices, making it easy to spot suspicious insider activity that may result in data theft. DLP device control policies can limit or block the use of USB and peripheral ports as well as Bluetooth connections.

Some DLP solutions offer a higher degree of flexibility in policies, allowing companies to set restrictions and privileges based on groups, departments, devices, and even individuals. In this way, employees with access to sensitive data daily can have stronger policies without affecting the rest of the workforce.

When protecting data on Macs, companies must choose DLP products offering zero-day support for new macOS releases. This means that the product developers have access to macOS updates ahead of their public release and can test their software with them. Incompatibility with new updates can compromise a company’s data protection efforts and open the door to data loss. Organizations can ensure continuous data protection by choosing DLP products offering zero-day support.

Great Place To Work® Felicitates Top 10 India’s Best NGOs to Work For™ 2022

14th October 2022, New Delhi, India: Great Place To Work® India has announced the Top 10 India’s Best NGOs to Work For™ 2022. The annual list of India’s Best NGOs to Work For™ represents that any organization regardless of its size or industry can be a Great Place To Work – meaning that the organization empowers all individuals to reach their full potential. The study shows that NGOs have and will continue to be the key contributors to India’s HDI Indicators as well as improving the standard of living for the underprivileged population, either through direct employment or by the way of their impact.

Today, with the young generation entering the workforce – the future looks bright. The latest study on India’s Best NGOs to Work For ™ 2022 finds that the younger generation wants to work with companies that reflect their personal values. Not only this, but the younger generation wants to buy products from brands that are creating a positive impact. Hence, it’s imperative for NGOs to build and sustain a great workplace culture to attract/retain quality talent and continue to create a significant impact. The Best Workplaces in this segment are a true reflection of this.

“Organizations around the world dedicate their efforts to protecting human rights and public support is important for their success as they tend to have a greater impact when backed by strong public advocacy. NGOs are one such example of groups. Diving deep in the middle of communities, NGOs can ensure that the poorest of the poor in India experience sustainable growth and access to equal opportunities.

They are steadfastly becoming the pillars of societal development in India. Not only that, but NGOs are also becoming choice for people looking for career with a sense of purpose and wanting to contribute for a societal cause, Hence, it becomes imperative to enhance employee experience of the people working in this sector. At Great Place to Work, India, we take this responsibility and are mindful of the impact it creates.

Our research today, finds that NGOs on an average plan to increase their workforce by 19% which brings forth an urgency in being able to attract quality talent with the limitations that organizations in this segment have. It’s heartening to see NGOs consistently maintaining and getting better at creating a positive work environment for their people.

In our research we also found that there are aspects which largely enable NGOs to create a transparent culture and instil pride amongst their employees: Values and Purpose.

Our study shows that NGOs that have successfully embedded meaningful values within the organization through their leaders experience significantly higher intent to stay, have higher advocacy, motivation and pride as compared to those that haven’t been able to.

We hope to see increased support for NGOs by way of volunteering and financial support as organizations are also focusing on being more socially and environmentally responsible to attract and retain their people.

Congratulations to all our winners for this coveted recognition, the journey of Making India a Great Place

To Work For All is only getting started!” – Yeshasvini Ramaswamy, CEO, Great Place To Work® India.

A Webinar on “Cost-effective Alternatives to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace” Was Held by Synersoft Technologies.

14th October 2022: Synersoft Technologies, an Indian IT company, conducted a webinar on “Cost-Effective Alternatives of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365”. This webinar intended the platform to assess the current situation in India’s Email and Cloud services market.

Vishal Prakash Shah, the Co-Founder, and CEO of Synersoft, one of the speakers at the webinar, raised serious concerns over recent escalations in pricing by dominant cloud infrastructure providers like Google and Microsoft. He stated that a few players dominate India’s email and cloud infrastructure industry. The panel agreed that most corporate India and MSMEs depend on these services to maintain business continuity and communicate worldwide.

Many participants from the MSME sector confirmed that such price escalations on these essential services indirectly affect their profitability.

The webinar kicked off with a note that there is a need to educate corporate India and MSMEs about alternative products which could be affordable and equally effective. The session further discussed specific alternative technologies that can serve the purpose without compromising functionality. The session was divided into information about alternatives, sharing cost-benefit analysis, and helping enterprise owners make informed decisions.

The webinar covered the following topics:

Product and feature analysis of different versions of Google Workspace and MS 365

The cost implication of these services over the next five years

Equivalent alternatives to Cloud Drive, Mailbox, DLP, Security, and Virtualization services provided by dominant players

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Alternative services compared to the services provided by dominant players

Live Question-Answer session to clear the doubts and queries

Sudhir Chaubey, Co-Founder of Synersoft, led the session with an exciting number analysis. Vishal Prakash Shah led the session with a team of technical experts who demonstrated the alternative technologies. It established that alternative technologies could save upto 80% of the recurring cost compared to these services. The session explained the substitutes for cloud drives, mailboxes, and cloud security services.

The webinar was well participated by the leading industrialists, professionals, and executives from the MSME sector. They unanimously appreciated the webinar topic as the need for an hour. They confirmed the usefulness of such knowledge-sharing sessions for Indian businesses so that they are not victims of cartel or monopolistic practices and are well-informed about their options. The webinar ended with an insightful conclusion suggesting that BLACKbox OneCloud is a simple and affordable cloud service designed for MSMEs and can prove to be a vital substitute for the services provided by dominant players in the cloud industry in India. Sudhir Chaubey concluded the session with a vote of thanks and informed the audience that such webinars are Synersoft’s commitment to equipping Indian businesses with relevant knowledge and information.

Access to Financing Increases Geographic, Gender, and Economic Diversity of International Students, According to New Study

14th October 2022:  MPOWER Financing, a mission-driven fintech firm and the leading provider of scholarships and no-cosigner loans to promising students from around the world, today released their second Social Impact Report. The report analyzes the role that financing plays in international education and student outcomes.

The Social Impact Report was produced in partnership with Dr. Rajika Bhandari – an international higher education expert, former international student, and author of America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility. The deeply personal memoir recounts her journey from India to the U.S. as a student and immigrant and appeals to countries to open their doors to international students.

A few key findings include:

  • Eighty-three percent of students report cost as the most significant barrier to studying abroad
  • Ninety-one percent of students state that the availability of an educational loan was instrumental to their ability to study abroad
  • Seventy-nine percent of students who responded to the survey came from Global South (emerging) nations
  • International students have a significant economic impact on their host country during their studies. MPOWER students alone have contributed US$363 million to 300 universities
  • International students also contribute significantly post-graduation to the economy and civil society in the U.S. and Canada: 18% of graduates have raised funds and advocated for key causes, and 10% have founded or co-founded a company or organization

The report concludes with a call to action for higher education institutions, policymakers, and the private sector to improve access to global education. Suggestions on taking action include:

  • Colleges and universities should consider a full suite of financial solutions for students, including scholarships, financial aid, and wider availability of cross-border student loans
  • Immigration reform is urgently needed in the U.S. to establish a clear pathway between higher education and skilled immigration to maximize the economic impact that international students can make
  • More scholarships and private philanthropic efforts focused on different groups of underprivileged students are needed to increase educational access and prevent “brain waste” or the loss of human capital. Displaced and refugee college students are particularly vulnerable

After Corona Pandemic Egg consumption has increased in India

World Egg day -14 October

Mumbai – World Egg Day will be celebrated across the globe on Friday 14 October 2022. The annual event honors the highly nutritious and brilliantly versatile egg, highlighting the vast range of unique benefits it brings to human and planetary health, contributing to a better life for all. Eggs are considered as the standard reference protein in nutritional science because they contain all the essential amino acids (the elemental form of proteins) which cannot be synthesized by the human body and can be acquired only on consumption of foods rich in them. Explaining more on Eggs Benefits Mrinali Dwivedi, Clinical Nutritionist and Dietician, from Apex group of Hospitals, Mumbai said “It would surprise you to know that in a lot of coronavirus quarantine facilities around the world, patients in recovery are offered eggs with their daily meals. In a welcome move, Government bodies & Hospital authorities are also providing a lot of healthcare workers and frontline heroes eggs daily to boost immunity. Eggs contain selenium, as well as vitamins A, B, and K. These can help to fight Covid and keep the body healthy. Eggs contain amino acids and antioxidants that can help patients build a strong immune system to combat the virus. That is why Covid patients are recommended to eat eggs. The composition of amino acids in eggs is such, that is it is the most desirable and readily absorbable form of protein for the human body. Along with 6 grams of protein, eggs contain a variety of vitamins like folate (B9), cobalamin (B12), thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2) from the B complex, vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin D; minerals like calcium, selenium, zinc and phosphorus and good fats like omega 3 acids. All of which are very essential for human wellbeing.”

Being the densest source of protein and a rich source of a number of vital nutrients, however, eggs are very cost-effective and any other food is very less likely to provide all these benefits at the same cost added by Mrinali Dwivedi, Clinical Nutritionist and Dietitian

Eggs are very widely consumed in all major as well minor meals of the day, that is breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack forms. They can be beneficial as a home remedy for good skin and hair also. The consumption of eggs is promoted by all governments and its importance has been highlighted even more after the Covid 19 pandemic due to its role in building immunity and coping with infections! A strategy to include eggs in mid-day meal programs at schools has also proven its health effects in children of lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Every year,14th October is celebrated as ‘World Eggs Day’ to mark its importance in the human diet and nutritional wellbeing. Eggs can be a great addition to your diet and help you keep away a number of common nutritional deficiencies.