Archive: November 29, 2022

Business

Talkwalker and Twitter come together to release their latest Birdseye report, focusing on the #FinTwit (Financial Twitter) community

Nov 29, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

David Low – CMO – Talkwalker

Mumbai – India, 29th November 2022 – Talkwalker, the leading consumer intelligence and deep listening company and Twitter have released their latest Birdseye report, focusing on the #FinTwit (financial Twitter) community. As a Twitter Official Partner, Talkwalker was able to dive deep into the conversation on Twitter, to provide consumer insights on this audience and the conversations they are having.

Talkwalker has teamed up with Twitter to dig into the finance conversation, revealing the topics and trends making it tick

As the financial crisis is felt across the world, it’s critical to understand what’s behind those monetary conversations, the audience driving them, and how brands can use these insights to enable their consumer connections.

While the majority of #FinTwit profiles are focused on cryptocurrency and NFTs, those most active in the conversation are still discussing investment opportunities (42%)

In India, tech-savvy millennials are helping grow the popularity of crypto, while Southeast Asia is seeing a vibrant Web 3.0 scene
The growth of crypto and NFT-focused discussions is encouraging the expansion of the community, up by +102% in Asia, +57.3% in Europe, and +19.7% in North America, from August 2021 to August 2022

The community is broadly forward-thinking, moving away from traditional finance, and looking more towards a decentralized finance model
As an industry-leading consumer intelligence platform, Talkwalker uses proprietary AI technology to derive insights from the community. Their ongoing investment in AI means Talkwalker clients can identify actionable insights faster and more accurately than ever before.

The report helps brands to understand this audience, and quickly take action based on the insights provided, providing a vital resource given the fast-moving nature of the FinTwit community.

“Twitter is a soundboard for the world,” said David Low, Talkwalker CMO. “When it comes to finance, #FinTwit has its finger on the pulse, discussing the major changes of the day as they happen. If there’s a monetary issue bubbling, they will know about it first. By partnering with Twitter on this report, Talkwalker analyzed the audience in-depth to uncover vital insights.”

Business

Bank of Baroda organises Mega Kisan Mela 2022 in Vijayawada,

Nov 29, 2022 by Sujata Muguda 0 Comments

Hyderabad/Vijayawada, November 29, 2022: Bank of Baroda (Bank), one of India’s leading public sector banks, today announced that the Bank is organizing a Mega Kisan Mela 2022 in Vijayawada on Monday, November 28, 2022, as a part of the 5th Edition of the Baroda Kisan Pakhwada, an annual farmer outreach program.

‘Baroda Kisan Pakhwada’ has been designed to help the Bank boost engagement with the farming community and create awareness about various Agri products, schemes & delivery channels offered by Bank of Baroda, and initiatives taken by the Government for the benefit of farmers.

The Mega Kisan Mela in Vijayawada was inaugurated by Shri Man Mohan Gupta, Chief General Manager & Zonal Head – Hyderabad Zone, Bank of Baroda.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Man Mohan Gupta, Chief General Manager & Zonal Head – Hyderabad Zone, Bank of Baroda said, “Agriculture is an important sector in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, generating employment and providing livelihoods to a large number of people. We at the Bank of Baroda are pleased to organize this Mega Kisan Mela in Vijayawada. Through this farmer meeting, our aim is to reach out to the farming community and provide details on the various types of Agri loans and banking services available as well as the various Agri initiatives launched by the Government. This will enable our farmer customers to get the right assistance when required, helping them to grow their income.”

Advances to the Agri sector in Telangana & Andhra Pradesh have grown to over Rs 12,000 crore as of 30th Sept 2022. In this year’s ‘Baroda Kisan Pakhwada’, 394 branches from Telangana & Andhra Pradesh are conducting a number of programs such as farmer meets, couples, soil testing camps, cattle health checkup camps, etc to engage with and reach the maximum number of customers. In the Baroda Kisan Pakhwada program last year, the Bank of Baroda reached out to over 11,000 farmers in Telangana & Andhra Pradesh.

Through outreach programs such as farmer meetings, Kisan Melas, etc, the Bank will provide detailed information about various agricultural lending products like the Baroda Kisan Credit Card, tractor loan, gold loan, financing to Self Help Groups (SHGs)/ Joint Liability Groups (JLGs), credit for agriculture allied activities, etc and offers available to farmers. The Bank has also introduced digital banking services specifically for the Agri segment to enable them to conveniently apply for agriculture loans.

Baroda Kisan Pakhwada will also promote various Government Agri initiatives such as lending schemes under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Package viz. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PM-FME), etc.

Entertainment

Urvashi Dholakia on Coto

Nov 29, 2022 by Rabindra 0 Comments

National, 29 November 2022: An iconic face on Indian television for over two decades, Urvashi Dholakia isn’t the one to mince words or worry about society’s perception. She’s fiercely independent, unapologetic, and unabashedly herself. Aptly named I Am Enough, Urvashi Dholakia’s community on coto, a social community app exclusively for women is all about embracing self-love, learning to be content with yourself, and knowing, you’re all you need.

In one of her recent posts captioned, “If I can be the reason for my own happiness, so can you”, Urvashi upholds her own life mantra of being the architect of her destiny. And it is this belief that mirrors all that coto stands for – a safe online space where women can be themselves, have meaningful conversations, ask questions and seek answers!

Here’s some of the content that Urvashi has shared in her coto community:

“Women have been judged and trolled for whatever they do that doesn’t fit the norm. I have always been outspoken without worrying about what people have to say and I am glad I can just be myself on coto. My community ‘I Am Enough’ will have everything – truth bombs, facts, my own life experiences & learnings. And if I can touch/help even 10 women who are a part of my community and learn from them as well, that would make me very happy.”

– Urvashi on her community ‘I am Enough’ on coto

Health

Negative calorie food

Nov 29, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

By Soumita Biswas, Chief Nutritionist, Aster RV Hospital

Negative calorie food refers to those items that consume more energy during their digestion, in comparison to the amount of energy they give to the body. We can say that the calorie cost of digesting the food would be greater than its energy content.

These foods are typically high in fiber and have a low glycemic index. Calories are an important component of food and everything we eat has calories. Calories are of 2 types. One is empty calories which don’t have much nutritive value but just have calories and promotes weight gain. Foods with high fiber and water content usually have fewer calories and we need more energy to digest them, these are called negative calorie foods. These foods help to lose weight as they are not only low in calories but also help to burn out more calories than others. Most negative calorie foods are plant-based.

10 negative calorie foods:

Celery: It contains 16 kcal/100g.It is rich in fiber, vitamin A, C and Folate. It is one of the most popular negative food items as most of its calorie value is stored in cellulose. Our body receives very few calories from celery as it is full of undigested fiber.

Berries: Colorful berries such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries typically contain just 32 kcal for a half-cup quantity. Berries are called negative calorie foods because of their low glycemic index & their protein content. It also contains antioxidants, which protects us from various cancers.

Tomatoes: It has 19kcal/100g. Apart from its water content, it is an excellent source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Tomatoes also contain lycopene, an antioxidant known to protect us from skin cancer.

Carrots: They contain 41 kcal/100g. Its vitamin A content is good for the eyes. Carrot fiber content keeps the stomach full for a longer time thus helps in weight loss.

Cucumber: It contains 15 kcal/100g. This vegetable has high water content which is great to satisfy thirst along with providing all the necessary vitamins and minerals. The water content present in cucumbers is great for hydration. Along with quenching thirst, this fruit provides dietary fiber and is good for irritable bowel syndrome and diabetic patients.

Watermelon: It has 30 kcal/100g. Some of the benefits of watermelon rind include a healthy heart, provide hydration & regulation of blood pressure. Additionally, watermelon seeds also have many health benefits starting from the prevention of anemia to immune-boosting properties. The water content present in watermelon & vitamins A, B6, C along with lycopene act as an immune-boosting food.

Apple: It provides 52 kcal/100g. Apple contains a good number of antioxidants, vitamin C & fibers. Apple’s high fiber content helps in weight loss & it also helps to boost cognitive performance. Quercetin, an antioxidant present in apples, is also associated with lowering the risk of type 2 Diabetes.

Broccoli: It contains 34 kcal/100g. Its vitamin A content improves vision. Calcium, Phosphorus, vitamin K content is essential for healthy bone development. Iron and folic acid help to prevent anemia. Kaempferol, a flavonoid present in broccoli, has anti-inflammatory properties. Broccoli is also rich in Alpha linolenic acid (ALA)which is crucial for brain growth & development.

Zucchini: It contains about 17 kcal/100g. It is packed with many important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This has a high fiber content & a low-calorie count. Fiber plays an important role in digestion. Zeaxanthin, present in Zucchini, plays an important role in preventing oxidative stress & improves eye health.

Lettuce: It provides about 15 kcal/100g. Its vitamin C, Calcium, vitamin K, vitamin A content helps in boosting immunity. The fiber content of lettuce helps in weight loss. It is also associated with a healthy heart and maintaining eye health.

Are there any side effects?

There is no evidence that eating negative calorie foods leads to side effects. However, directly eating low amounts of calories is not advised if you are not under the supervision of a dietician. The calorie requirement to reduce weight is individualized. The requirement varies depending on the person’s height, weight, BMI, BMR, and physical activity.

These foods can be added to our daily diet as snacks or cooking ingredients. Cucumber, tomatoes, carrots and lettuce can be used in various salads. Berries, apple or watermelon fruit can be used as a midmorning or evening snack. broccoli, zucchini or lettuce can be used in various preparations during cooking.

Technology

TRL Software-Enables Trial of Connected Vehicle Technology That Helps Drivers to Minimise Wait Times at Traffic Lights in Manchester

Nov 29, 2022 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

An innovative trial of connected vehicle technology in Manchester is using open data provided by TRL Software’s SCOOT 7® traffic management software to create a demonstration app that helps drivers minimise wait times at traffic lights. KL Systems, an intelligent transport consultancy and engineering firm based on Teesside, is using this data to generate in-vehicle alerts to inform drivers how long there is to go until the next change of lights. The trial is part of a wider deployment that also examines the provision of in-vehicle messages that can instantly alert drivers to hazards on the road.

Thanks to SCOOT® 7 data provided by TRL Software, KL Systems is able to show that live second-by-second traffic light information can be fed to vehicles without the need for additional, expensive hardware to be installed. The KL Systems app tells the driver how long they have until the next change of lights and the optimal speed to drive at in order to minimise time spent at red lights.

Although this is not the first Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA) deployment, it is one of the few ones still active and providing real world benefits. “Once we had created the app for displaying the information to the driver and then successfully linked it up to interpret the data that SCOOT® 7 was firing into the cloud, there was no need to instal any hardware, or take any down afterwards,” says George Brown, Founder of KL Systems. “The open data is still being transmitted, because that’s what SCOOT® 7 does, and our app continues to work with it.”

“When it comes to GLOSA, the potential benefits are massive in terms of journey times, fuel savings and emission reductions, all of it realised by cutting down on the time spent at red lights,” George continues. “However, we’re still quite far from seeing GLOSA available to the general public, because we’d need to ensure people can use the system without getting distracted or it encouraging dangerous behaviour such as accelerating excessively to make a green light. That risk could be tackled with good system designs that would only inform the driver when they need to slow down rather than speed up,” he concludes.

“We’re super excited that George has been able to capitalise on our open-data philosophy by using our market-leading UTC SCOOT,” says Subu Kamal, Head of Product at TRL Software. “We strongly believe that open data drives innovation and liberates legacy-locked industries. There is no better evidence to support this view than KL Systems’ innovative solution, which drives down costs while providing a better end-user experience. It’s also fantastic that it is being done on the ground, in one of the UK’s biggest and most progressive cities.”

“We are focused on making sure that all of our traffic software range remains best in class and that we continue to push the boundaries of innovation for our customers (and ultimately the users of their road networks) to ensure that we keep roads flowing, make them safer, reduce congestion and help to deliver on clean-air targets,” he concludes.

TRL’s UTC software is designed to work with any hardware in a user-friendly, easy-to-learn, cost-effective manner that supports all modes of transport – saving users up to 60% on the total cost of ownership compared to other traffic management software on the market. To find out more about TRL Software’s open-data philosophy please visit https://trlsoftware.com/.

For more on KL Systems technology and systems see https://klsystems.co.uk

Education

Lighthouse Learning Launches First ‘Billabong High World School’ in Mumbai

Nov 29, 2022 by Rabindra 0 Comments

Mumbai; 29 Nov 2022: In a huge leap towards building a community of learners who are driven by ‘passion and purpose’, Lighthouse Learning (formerly EuroKids International) has announced its first Billabong High World School – The School for Innovation in Mulund, Mumbai.

Billabong High

The schooling ecosystem at Billabong High World School is designed to build an ‘innovator mindset’ in learners. All initiatives, programs, and also infrastructure have been designed to empower learners with the skills and resources to connect the dots, to ideate, innovate and implement.

The school will offer the Cambridge Curriculum (CAIE) from Playgroup up to Grade 10 and has a unique learning framework – Innoverse. The Innoverse Learning Framework comprises contemporary teaching-learning techniques such as Socratic Dialogue, Inquiry Based Learning, Collaborative Learning, Field-Based Learning and Case Study Methods. The techniques will be delivered using age-appropriate learning plans.

In addition, the school pedagogy integrated programs will focus to facilitate the innovators’ mindset – a dedicated Critical Thinking Program, the Maker Program, a contemporary Visual and Performing Arts Program, a dedicated Outdoor Adventure Sports Program, and Outbound Education Program. In a bit to build global citizens, ready for the world – there will be a dedicated Career Guidance Program with top university tie-ups and profile building and a Community Service and Outreach Program.

Lobby

Located in Mulund, Billabong High World School campus will boast innovation-inspiring learning spaces such as Collaboration zones, Creative Zones including Maker Labs, Visual and Performing Art Arenas, a Pottery and sculpting studio, a 600-seater multipurpose auditorium, technology-enabled classrooms, a fully equipped labs, and libraries. The Sports amenities include fencing, archery, shooting, in addition to basketball, cricket, and football.

BILLABONG WORLD SCHOOL

Commenting on the launch of Billabong High World School, Rahul Deshpande, CEO, of K12 Schools, Lighthouse Learning, said, “It is a proud moment for us to launch our first Billabong High World School in India in Mulund, Mumbai. We are reimagining learning and have built this school on the foundation of ‘innovation’. As leaders in K12 education, we realize that the road to success in the new world will be paved by those who will nurture a passion for constantly finding creative solutions to challenges. The new generation will need to transcend the boundaries of technology and embrace innovation. Kudos to our team of curriculum and instructional designers, who have put in over 1,000 man-hours of research to put together the Innoverse Learning Framework. Learners will benefit immensely from the pedagogy, curriculum, and contemporary programs that will work in unison to build in them, the ‘mindset of an innovator, early on. We are looking forward to offering parents and children a world-class schooling environment, powered by innovation.”

Business

CASHe partners with Haptik to launch automated instant credit disbursals on WhatsApp

Nov 29, 2022 by Sujata Muguda 0 Comments

November 29, 2022, Mumbai: Jio Haptik Technologies Limited (Haptik), the world’s largest WhatsApp chatbot solution provider, today announced it has partnered with CASHe, India’s leading financial wellness platform to enable an industry-first automated instant credit line disbursals on WhatsApp.

The overriding technology powering this solution is Haptik’s advanced Conversational Commerce capabilities and CASHe’s AI-powered bot that matches the user’s inputs and automatically facilitates a formal application, along with a Know-Your-Customer (KYC) check. Once verified, it sets up a credit line in a few clicks through a guided conversational flow. The user’s details are generated and displayed based on the name entered – the only key input that the borrower needs to enter at the start of the conversation

The WhatsApp chatbot is a one-stop, end-to-end solution for young professionals who can access instance credit. Users can connect with CASHe on WhatsApp at +918097553191.

Here’s a demo of how the CASHe WhatsApp Bot offers a seamless borrowing experience by understanding loan eligibility, loan application approval, document verification, and loan disbursal.

Swapan Rajdev, Co-founder and CTO, Haptik, said: “Brands today need to be on WhatsApp. Haptik is pleased to be partnering with CASHe, India’s leading financial wellness platform, with the aim of helping borrowers get access to loans and credit seamlessly and in under a minute. The CASHe WhatsApp bot, powered by Haptik, offers users a smooth onboarding and borrowing experience that includes instant verification, document upload, automated underwriting, and more importantly, quick loan disbursal. Since going live with our WhatsApp bot, CASHe has witnessed 50,000+ credit line issuances, more than INR 25 Cr in loan disbursals, and more.”

Yashoraj Tyagi, CTO & CBO, CASHe, said, “We are happy to partner with Haptik to offer a unique digital experience for our customers by integrating our services into WhatsApp, a popular platform that is already familiar and frequented by millions of its users. CASHe and the team at Haptik developed a WhatsApp native comprehensive loan processing and disbursal module that allows users to interact within WhatsApp without having to leave the platform. With this solution on offer, we have successfully pivoted our credit model to adapt to the shifts in the lending space by offering instant sachet loans to existing and prospective borrowers through an engaging and conversational flow. The digital assistant on WhatsApp helps us to reach out to new customers and support the existing ones. We are very excited about the prospects that lie ahead of us.”

Business

CloudKeeper ranks in the top 5 partners globally in the Well-Architected challenge conducted by AWS

Nov 29, 2022 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

New Delhi, November 29, 2022: CloudKeeper, by TO THE NEW, an end-to-end AWS FinOps solution provider, has bagged Platinum Award for the Well-Architected Challenge organized by AWS. CloudKeeper has been recognized for their strong commitment to AWS best practices, expertise in leveraging the AWS Well-Architected Framework, and empowering customers to build and scale on AWS with operational excellence, reliability, security, cost optimization, and performance efficiency.

The AWS Well-Architected Challenge introduces the contesting organizations to the cloud infrastructures of multiple AWS customers participating in the challenge. CloudKeeper successfully conducted 131 well-architected reviews and remediated 419 high-risk issues, which made them one of the top 5 partners of AWS in the Platinum category – the highest category in the contest.

The AWS Well-Architected Framework Review is a systematic approach that helps competitively benchmark an organization’s cloud infrastructure and workloads against the AWS best practices. The review leverages a set of foundational practices based on the six conceptual pillars of the framework laid out by AWS. It helps providers access how well their customers’ cloud architecture aligns with the AWS best practices, and they also share their recommendations for improvements.

“It’s a proud moment for us to be recognized as a top player in this category. It speaks volumes about our core capability in understanding well-architected frameworks. It acknowledges our ability to work with varied clients, understand their current environment and share our recommendation basis the principles laid by AWS methodology,” said Deepak Mittal, Co-Founder & CEO, TO THE NEW. “By understanding the demands of our customers’ industries, clubbed with our premier partnership with AWS, we help them accelerate their digital transformation journeys.”

“We congratulate CloudKeeper on receiving the Platinum award and appreciate their effort in driving extra reviews and identifying high-risk items for immediate remediation,” said Jodie Wong, Program Manager APJC, AWS Well-Architected Program.

Business

Indian Immunologicals Limited, pioneers as the First in India to venture into Fish Vaccines

Nov 29, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Mumbai, 29th November 2022 – Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a leading vaccine manufacturer, has announced partnership with Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai, an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institute for the commercial development of vaccine against common bacterial diseases in freshwater fishes. IIL has forayed into Aqua business in October 2022 by launching products for aquaculture health market dealing with pond management and fish or shrimp gut management.

Aquaculture sectors play a vital role in meeting the rising global protein demand as world population is expected to reach 9.8 bn by 2050. India is the 3rd largest fish producer in the global sphere and more than 65% of India’s fish is through Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture. In terms of employment, the sector supports the livelihood of over 28 million people in India especially the marginalized and vulnerable communities. Export earnings from the fisheries sector was $ 7.76 bn during 2021-2022.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr K Anand Kumar, Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited said, “IIL has introduced several innovative veterinary vaccines first to the world, like Porcine Cysticercosis vaccine, FMD+HS+BQ combination vaccine and Theileria vaccine. IIL is again the first in India to get to fish vaccines. We are committed to introducing more and more products for the aquaculture market and help shrimp and fish growers to increase their productivity and protect fish schools from various diseases”.

IIL strive to explore solutions for the prevailing challenges faced by Indian fish farmers in their farm production system. CIFE will provide technology for two inactivated bacterial vaccines, one for Columnaris Disease, a serious condition affecting numerous freshwater fish species, and other for Edwardsiellosis that cause high degree of mortality, leading to severe economic losses. Both the diseases are extremely common in freshwater fishes and is generally considered to be ubiquitous.

Dr. Priyabrata Pattnaik, Deputy Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited added “IIL is planning to introduce vaccines and immunostimulants with tech transfer from various fisheries institutes under ICAR. Several fish vaccine candidates are currently being evaluated by IIL for commercialization. Launch of such vaccines may have a positive impact on reducing indiscriminate use of chemical or antibiotic based treatment methods, helping reduce antimicrobial resistance by fish farmers practicing environmentally sustainable ways of pond and fish health management”.

Dr. CN Ravishankar, Director and Vice Chancellor of ICAR-CIFE said “In support to India’s Blue Revolution, I am glad that CIFE and IIL have come together to partner in developing India’s fist bacterial fish vaccine”.

Aquaculture in India suffers economic losses due to infections caused by several bacterial, viral, fungal, and other aetiological agents. Currently these infections are being managed by anti-infectives and other conventional measures with varying degree of success. With the rising concern pertaining on anti-microbial resistance (AMR) and chemical free food products both at global and domestic platforms, there is a growing need for better control measures against these infections. Currently there is no fish vaccines available in India on a commercial scale to prevent aquaculture infections.