Archive: January 11, 2023

U.S. Ethanol Industry Praises India on Achieving Blending Target

New Delhi, 11th January 2023 —The U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association congratulated India for recently achieving its ethanol fuel blending target of 10 percent, five months ahead of schedule. The three groups issued the statement ahead of India’s upcoming 2023 AutoExpo, one of Asia’s largest automotive trade shows that’s expected to welcome more than 115,000 visitors to New Delhi next week. The U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy and RFA will all be on-site at the trade show.

“Ethanol presents an immediate solution to tackling two of the world’s greatest modern challenges: it represents an efficient alternative to petrol without infrastructure change and is a preeminent solution to mitigating the impending climate crisis,” the groups said. “When adopted through clear and long-term public policies, ethanol can also significantly contribute to the reduction of air pollution in urban centers leading to more positive public health outcomes.

“India’s decision will provide economic benefits to domestic producers, facilitating new cycles of innovation and investment. By reducing dependencies, this forward-looking policy will equally allow the country to save up to $4 billion or 32,000 Crores every year in foreign exchange.

“We are delighted to be so warmly welcomed here in India at the AutoExpo 2023 and fully support India’s bright and ambitious goal of transitioning toward higher blends. We look forward to working together with Indian businesses on the path toward net zero.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in 2021 that India would attain net zero emissions by 2070, with ethanol set to play a prominent role in the country’s reduced reliance on fossil fuels. India’s transition toward renewables is further supported by a target of 20 percent ethanol blending by 2025, driving the country to use ethanol to fast-forward to a resilient and sustainable economy.

Pazcare receives ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification of Information Security Management System

Bangalore, January 11, 2023: Employee benefits & Insurtech platform Pazcare is now ISO 27001:2013 certified. It certifies that Pazcare maintains the quality, safety and efficiency of its services and systems as per the global standards.

ISO 27001:2013 is a gold standard that specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system (ISMS). It shows that the company takes adequate steps to protect the data shared and adheres to compliances and guidelines as per global standards.

The certification was performed by BQC Assessment Private Limited. BQC is a leading provider of Geniune management system certification as per International Norms.

Pazcare achieved this ISO certification within a month. Earlier they were ISNP certified as per IRDAI regulations and followed the best practices in managing data in flow and at rest with encryption.

“As a company, we are proud to uphold high standards when it comes to data safety and security. All of our systems are VAPT certified and all that data is stored within India-based data centers. These efforts, alongside our SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications, demonstrate our commitment to the security and privacy of our customers’ data,” said Mr. Sanchit Malik, Co-founder & CEO, Pazcare.

Sterlite Power secures INR 305 crores funding from Aseem Infrastructure Finance for Kishtwar Transmission project

Mumbai/Hyderabad, 11 January 2023: Sterlite Power, a leading power transmission developer and solutions provider in India and Brazil, has achieved financial closure for its Kishtwar Transmission Limited (KTL) project located in J&K. It has successfully secured the entire debt funding of INR 305 crores from Aseem Infrastructure Finance Ltd. – an NBFC–IFC (Infrastructure Finance Company), promoted by the Strategic Opportunity Fund (SOF) of National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), with anchor investments from Government of India and Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC).

Sterlite Power acquired the KTL SPV in December 2022 to execute the inter-state transmission system project. The project involves construction of a transmission system comprising of a 400/132kV GIS substation at Kishtwar and a 400 kV transmission line from Kishenpur to Dulhasti. The transmission system will aid evacuation of 1000MW of power from Pakaldul Hydro Electric Project to the Kishtwar substation.

Apart from bringing additional power flow, it will also help in decongesting the downstream networks in the region, improving the quality and reliability of power flow in Kashmir valley.

Commenting on the financial milestone, Mr. Akshay Hiranandani, Executive Director- Corporate Finance, Sterlite Power said, “We are pleased to conclude this deal with Aseem Infrastructure Finance Limited in record time. We are proud to play a role in providing reliable power and building a secure energy future for J&K. This will be our second project in the region after delivering the mega NRSS Kashmir project ahead of schedule.”

Mr. Virender Pankaj, CEO, Aseem Infrastructure Finance Ltd., said: “Aseem Infra is glad to have supported Sterlite Power by providing long-term debt financing for the Kishtwar project which would contribute immensely to the infrastructure growth story of J&K. The debt solution was structured in a manner so as to balance the unique requirements of all the stakeholders involved while delivering a swift TAT. In line with its vision to help create a futuristic India through transformative infrastructure financing, Aseem has been making rapid strides as reflected in its high-quality asset book crossing INR 10,000 crores mark in 25 months of operations.”

Sterlite Power has a strong track record of executing complex projects successfully and has set new benchmarks in the industry by use of cutting-edge technologies and innovative financing. Despite the weak market conditions owing to the pandemic, the company has been successful in forging relationships with India’s leading financial institutions – a testimony of the continued trust reposed on the company by the banking and investor community.

Lions Club International launches world’s largest e-waste drive

New Delhi, 11th January 2023: Keeping in mind its social commitment, Lions Club International today announced the launch of world’s largest e-waste collection campaign titled as ‘Dump and Donate’ in partnership with Hindustan E-Waste Management Pvt. Ltd. (HEW), Primus Partners and National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA).

Announcing the launch of this campaign in a press conference held at The Constitution Club, Mr. A. P. Singh, International Third Vice President of Lions Clubs said, “India is hosting the G-20 summit 2023 and with this, the agenda also includes environmental protection and conservation. From January 13, 2023, this campaign will be started across over 120 cities of the country. Under this month-long campaign, the members of Lions Club International, will reach out through various schools, institutions and other mediums, and create awareness among the masses about E-waste and its harmful impact on health and environment. Keeping social commitment at the forefront, Lions Club International has designed this campaign in a unique manner”.

Union Minister of State for Education Dr. Subhas Sarkar lauded the efforts of Lions Club International in discharging its social commitment and responsibility. He also said that, “Our Prime Minister has already propagated the importance of e-Waste Management and different ministries have cleared their e-Waste inventories. India having taken the Presidency of G20, it is all the more an important endeavour taken up by Lions Clubs at this juncture”.

Emphasizing on the importance of creating awareness about e-waste, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Singh, CRPF Commandant further said, “Most of us do not know how to eliminate e-waste and hence this campaign is important not only for India but for the whole world. Through this campaign, Lions Clubs is not only giving the message of environmental protection and security, but also protecting the future of the coming generation.

“Managing e-waste is a big problem all over the world and this can be mainly attributed to widespread use of smartphones, gadgets, and other electronic devices, which is causing harm to both health and environment. With rapid internet penetration, use of smartphones and electronic devices is also increasing faster than expected”, added Mr. Shekhar, Founder & CEO, Hindustan E-Waste.

A report titled ‘The Growing Impact of E-Waste in India’ prepared by Lions Club International and Primus Partners was also released on the occasion. Mr. Sameer Jain, MD Primus Partners said that, “This report highlights the harmful impact of e-waste as a menace with regard to health and environment in India. It highlights the responsibility each stakeholder can play towards the cause and also stresses on the importance of spreading awareness for the same”. This report is what motivated Lions Clubs to initiate this nationwide drive on e-waste management.

IESA Participates as Knowledge Partner and Co-host in VLSID 2023

Semiconductor Driving Disruptive Innovations in Global Digitalisation

• The 36th International Conference on VLSI Design

• The 22nd International Conference on Embedded Systems

Hyderabad, January 11th, 2023: India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), India’s leading industry association for ESDM (Electronics System Design and Manufacturing) sector, is participating as a knowledge partner and Co-Host in the 36th International Conference on VLSI Design and 22nd International Conference on Embedded Systems. The prestigious event kick-started with tutorial sessions on January 8 and January 9, 2023. The main conference started from January 10 and will culminate on 12 Jan at HICC, Hyderabad.

The current edition is witnessing over 2,000 delegates from across the globe. Themed ‘Semiconductor Driving Disruptive Innovations in Global Digitalisation semiconductors and electronic business experts experts from semiconductors and electronic business on a singular platform.

The summit saw eminent speakers like Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Govt of India & Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao, Minister for Information Technology, Municipal Administration and Urban Development at Government of Telangana, and Shri Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Information Technology (IT), Industry and Commerce, Government of Telangana.

The inaugural day had speakers from the industry Mr. Sumit Goswami from QUALCOMM, Dr. Shivananda Koteshwar from Synopsys, Mr. Suraj Rengarajan from Applied Materials, Mr. Sridhar Rangarajan from Cadence, Mr. Venkata Simhadri from MosChip, along with other eminent industry members.

VLSID 2023, the first physical conference post-pandemic, will act as a platform to bring the top researchers and R&D engineering personal to discuss, learn and find ways to solve some of the upcoming technological challenges in the frontiers of VLSI semiconductor design space that could eventually enable many disruptive technologies for global digitalization to accelerate and succeed.

The conference has a large representation from all members of the IESA. A large amount of planning and ideation has gone behind this conference and such landmark conferences will only pave way for a more vibrant ecosystem in chip design and development, says Mr. K Krishnamoorthy, President , and CEO of IESA.

Shopsy becomes the Third Most Downloaded App in India in 2022

Bengaluru, January 11, 2023: Shopsy, Bharat’s fastest-growing hyper-value e-commerce platform, has emerged as the third most downloaded Android app in India in 2022. Shopsy has clocked more than 650% year-on-year growth according to Sensor Tower, a leading market intelligence and performance metrics evaluation platform. Since its launch in July 2021, Shopsy’s aim has been to make digital commerce accessible across India by enabling a wide-range of value product selections and a zero-commission marketplace. Today, the platform provides 150 million products spanning 800+ categories for customers across India. Most of this growth and adoption has come from tier 2 and 3 markets, indicating how hypervalue e-commerce has made online shopping more attractive and accessible to consumers who are looking for affordable products.

In 2022 alone, Shopsy witnessed a 5X growth in its product catalogue with a 6X growth in transacting customers. The platform extends its offerings across 1,000+ product verticals servicing a total of 14,300 pin codes in the majority of tier 2 and tier 3+ cities. Notably, 40% of Flipkart’s new buyers today come from Shopsy.

Adarsh Menon, Senior Vice President & Head – New Businesses, Flipkart, said,“We are delighted to see the strong growth and love, that Shopsy has received from customers across the country especially in tier 2 and 3 cities. The platform has recorded a y-o-y growth of more than 7.5X app instals which is a testament to the increasing popularity of Shopsy. The wide-range of value-based selection that we bring to our consumers, and the platform’s easy accessibility across all serviceable pin codes of India has made us the favourite. Shopsy has been designed to provide value for users who desire a budget-friendly shopping experience. We are positive that this will continue to be the change drivers in the e-commerce ecosystem in the country.”

Shopsy has over 75% of products being sold at price points below INR 300. The platform’s hyper-value positioning helps customers with a seamless transition from an offline shopping experience to a virtual one where they can access an expansive product catalogue to fulfill their nuanced needs. Among several categories, sarees emerged as the most popular segment among shoppers observing a jump of 25X y-o-y. This was followed by men’s t-shirts and other men’s fashion products that registered more than 7.5X growth in demand in 2022.

Shopsy aims to continue working towards its vision to offer a wide-range of products for customers at affordable prices while being a value-based and reliable platform. It has strived to deliver on its commitment of building a community that truly levels the playing field of commerce in the country. Shopsy was also recently awarded the Google Play Best of Users’ Choice Award for 2022.

47 differently abled persons enjoy sea outing at Goa festival, thanks to Drishti Marine lifesavers

Hyderabad/Goa, January 2023:  In a unique initiative, as many as 47 differently abled persons, who were delegates at the recently concluded ‘Purple Fest’, got an opportunity of a lifetime to wade into the sea off Panaji’s popular Miramar beach, with the help of Drishti Marine’s trained lifeguards. 

The “Purple Fest: Celebrating Diversity,” organized by the Goa government’s State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in Goa, drew 5000 delegates from across India. The three-day festival was aimed at encouraging people to overcome personal stereotypes and creating an environment that educates people about the disabled community and their abilities, while also respecting and celebrating diversity and inclusivity.

Among the plethora of events held in the capital, Panaji, one event “Fun at the Beach” was supervised by Drishti Marine, Goa’s state-appointed lifesaving and rescue organization. 

Drishti’s lifeguards (also referred to as lifesavers) oversaw the event, assisting the delegates in taking a brief, but memorable dip in the sea off Miramar beach. 

Miramar Beach was specially outfitted with a customized ramp for the festival, allowing delegates in wheelchairs to visit the shore. The delegates were then transferred to specially modified wheelchairs with inflatable wheels. The special wheelchairs were supplied by a Mumbai-based company, Seedee Wheelchairs. Two lifesavers escorted each delegate into the water, where they were free to enjoy the waves and cool sea water. 

Speaking about the unique event, Navin Awasthi, Operations Head at Drishti Marine, says “Drishti is in collaboration with the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities to oversee the comfort of the various delegates from across India at the beach. We have welcomed delegates from Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and so on. The tyres of the specially modified wheelchairs have adequate buoyancy to float in the water. The lifesavers helped the individuals wade into the water, giving them an opportunity to feel the sea and its joys for themselves.” 

Pooja, a delegate from Delhi who has been in a wheelchair for ten years, shared her experience in the waters of Miramar. “I’ve had a really enjoyable time being able to experience water in the manner I have. I felt free and very much alive,” she said.  

For the duration of the festival, the Drishti lifesavers assisted forty-seven delegates to wade into the shallow end of the sea. The delegates were from various Indian states and from various walks of life. The event drew both children and adults. Doctors, dentists, and software engineers were among the attendees.

InCruiter enters 2023 with a positive growth trajectory, secures INR 10 Mn from Recur Club

January 11th, 2023: InCruiter, a leading Interview as a Service (IaaS) Brand, has raised INR 10 Mn in a revenue-based funding round led by Recur Club. The company plans to deploy this capital to promote its recently-launched Interview-as-a-Service, in the US, Canada and Dubai markets to accelerate geographical expansion. As part of this initiative, InCruiter will set up new offices in these geographies and recruit new talents in tech and sales to ensure seamless operations.

Anil Agarwal, CEO & Co-Founder InCruiter said, “We are delighted to secure this funding from a leading player like Recur Club. We take pride in the fact that they believed in our relentless efforts of scaling InCruiter to new heights despite the ongoing macroeconomic headwinds. It also underlines our dedication to transforming traditional hiring practices through our all-in-one Interview-as-a-service solution. We will continue to launch more such innovative products in the coming times – a new product is already in the pipeline and is expected to go live by the end of 2023. At InCruiter, we believe in staying at the forefront of innovation, and with pioneering expertise, we aim to set our bars higher than ever before.”

Since its inception in 2018, InCruiter has conducted about 50 thousand interviews, engaged 2200+ interviewers and completed 1.51 million interview mins. It has successfully served over 250 domestic and international clients, including some top industry players like Practo, Mahindra, Adecco, and Spinny, among others, scaling their hiring processes by 1.5X.

It is one of the profitable startups that onboarded 127 clients in 2022 alone, when the entire startup ecosystem was going through turmoil due to various factors, including the funding winter. The company demonstrated constant progress during these challenging times and continued to hire talent, thus increasing the employee headcount by more than 60%.

The founders, Anil Agarwal and Ritu Mathran, believe that the hiring landscape presents immense growth and innovation opportunities for players like us, and we strive to make the most of them with our in-house interview solutions. InCruiter has already built a leadership stance in India and aims to foray into other geographies. The latest funding from Recur Club will be a game-changer in this endeavour.

Michelin partners DHL Express to trial Michelin UPTIS puncture-proof tires on Singapore roads in first-ever pilot

Hyderabad/ Boulogne-Billancourt/Mumbai, 11 January 2023: Nearly 50 DHL Express vans will begin running on the Michelin UPTIS^[2] airless tire to make last-mile deliveries in Singapore by the end of 2023. The pilot program begins with the first vehicles making the first delivery trips from January 10. Thanks to a partnership between DHL and Michelin, Michelin’s airless prototype tire, has taken another step forward. One year ahead of schedule, the very first Michelin UPTIS tires are now marketed in real-world conditions.

The Michelin UPTIS prototype is a puncture-proof wheel/tire assembly with no compressed air and is intended for cars and light vans. The air has been replaced by a revolutionary structure capable of supporting the vehicle. This ensures the wheel’s robustness and guarantees driving comfort and safety. It was designed as a plug-and-play solution that allows users to drive conveniently and not worry about road hazards impacting the tires. It also limits the number of tires scrapped due to punctures.

With the Michelin UPTIS tire, DHL can optimize its fleet’s productivity and ensure business continuity, as tire pressure issues and punctures are eliminated. This will lower the frequency of tire replacement, leading to less wastage.

“As a pioneer in green logistics, we are excited to partner Michelin to trial its airless tires on our vehicles in Singapore. To drive sustainability efforts here, we have since converted 80 vehicles in our ground fleet to electric vans. This collaboration marks another milestone for us as we set out to green our last mile operations and achieve net-zero carbon emissions across the DHL network globally,” says Christopher Ong, Managing Director at DHL Express Singapore.

“Michelin UPTIS is a major breakthrough innovation in the tire field. This is a result of some fifty patents linked to the tire’s structure and high-tech materials. It demonstrates Michelin’s capacity for innovation in favor of safer mobility that is better for the environment. We are delighted that DHL is trusting Michelin to equip its fleet with the very first Michelin UPTIS tires, marketed one year ahead of schedule,” declared Bruno De Feraudy, Director of OEM activities for the Michelin Group.

Airless technology is the key to Michelin’s vision of a fully sustainable tire by 2050. Today, 20% of tires are scrapped prematurely due to flats and blowouts (12%) or irregular wear and tear caused by poor tire pressure (8%). Based on internal research^[3], Michelin projects that UPTIS airless technology could prevent premature scrapping of up to 200 million tires a year worldwide or 2 million tons of material – a material savings roughly equivalent to the weight of 200 Eiffel Towers.