Category: interview

Exclusive Interview with Mathew Joseph, CEO & Co-Founder, Sleepyhead

-SWS editorial Team

We at Shreyas WebMedia Solutions (SWS) thank Mr. Mathew Joseph- CEO & Co-Founder, Sleepyhead for the exclusive interview opportunity. Mr. Mathew Joseph (MJ) discussed Sleepyhead’s expansion plans, D2C brand trends, and many more.

SWS: Can you tell us about Sleepyhead’s founders and the motivation for the company’s formation?

MJ: Sleepyhead was launched in 2017 to address the unmet needs of mattress shopper in India. Mattress purchases traditionally come with many pain points, such as dependency on retailers for the right information, high logistical costs resulting in high prices for the customer, poor shopping experience and no return option. 

We solved this by introducing the revolutionary ‘bed-in-a-box’ concept in India that allowed us to send a full-sized mattress roll packed into a nifty box. This gave way for massive benefits to the customer like doorstep delivery and attractive prices. 

Sleepyhead’s products are created for customers seeking design differentiation at accessible prices without compromising on quality and service. We ensure that our designs are contemporary and our service delightful. 

Before starting Sleepyhead in 2017, I was the primary shareholder and the Marketing Director of Duroflex, an industry leader in the mattress category. My knowledge of the category and understanding of the need gaps in the way India shopped for mattresses motivated me to launch Sleepyhead – a revolutionary and intelligent d2c brand, built for the digital native young India. 

SWS: Could you tell us about the products and services you provide? 

MJ: With our first product launch of ‘Bed-In-A-Box’, Sleepyhead broke all category norms and became India’s fastest-growing D2C mattress brand with 100K+ customers. Today, Sleepyhead is a home lifestyle brand focused on making everyday living fun and fabulous with its thoughtfully designed products. We also introduced the much loved 100-nights trial concept for our mattresses, this takes off the stress on the customer to choose instantly, lets them try it for long and commit to it only when it suits their comfort requirements. 

Apart from mattresses, Sleepyhead offers beds, sofas, sofa-beds, recliners and other bedding accessories like pillows, protectors and comforters. We will focus on scaling our furniture and home décor business next fiscal year. 

SWS: What can you tell us about Norwest Venture Partners and plans for expansion? 

MJ: In total, we have raised 200 Cr from two rounds of funding, initial funding from Lighthouse Ventures and growth funding from Norwest Venture Partners. We have found great partners who understand our brand vision in both Norwest Ventures and Lighthouse. We will be focusing on strengthening our furniture and home décor portfolio, bolstering production and distribution, technology, brand marketing, and investing in the right people as part of our expansion plan. 

SWS: Can you tell us about the increase in your product portfolio, which includes beds, sofas, recliners, and sofa beds? 

MJ: Our furniture range is designed to elevate the home lifestyle with stunning aesthetics and make everyday living more comfortable. Our brand’s uncompromising commitment to quality ensures that the products are made from high-quality materials and are long-lasting. The products are designed to keep customer needs at the centre and solve the multiple new-age home living requirements like work, study, leisure, relaxation and much more. Sleepyhead’s furniture range has the potential to transform any space into a comfy, trendy nook perfect for chilling. The furniture range comes in a DIY format and can be assembled without any tools with great ease.

SWS: After the United States, India is the second-largest income source in terms of mattresses—a rapidly changing scene in India your thoughts on this? 

MJ: India is seeing massive growth in the mattress category accelerated by new-age d2c brands like us. People spent a lot of time at home during the pandemic and that has had a direct impact on home furniture buying.

Mattresses went from a place to sleep to a multi-purpose space for working, lounging, sleeping and chilling. This lifestyle change made people aware of the importance of a good night’s sleep and subsequently realize the value of good quality, comfortable mattress. A D2C brand like ours gave them access to good quality mattresses at attractive prices with the added conveniences of shopping at home and doorstep delivery. We extended our customer-centricity through the 100-nights trial concept. This lets the customer feel reassured about their purchase and try the mattress for a longer duration and make a well-informed decision. 

SWS: There is a lot of room for D2C brands to grow in India. What are your thoughts on this? 

MJ:D2C brands are revolutionizing the way India shops. D2C brands are able to provide solutions that were underserved by the traditional players and uphold customer-centricity. We are also able to solve for specific customer needs and preferences and focus on customer delight. The pandemic has also accelerated the growth of e-commerce in India, giving room for more D2C brands to play. Sleepyhead leveraging the D2C play is able to focus on providing the complete shopping experience to customers and improvise with ongoing trends and requirements. 

SWS How do you explain the entire journey? From a mattress manufacturer to a fast-growing lifestyle brand?  

MJ:The success of our mattress segment inspired us to take a step forward and create comfortable, stylish and ergonomic furniture that resonates with the lifestyle of our millennial and GenZ customers. The range aims to make everyday life easy and fun through creatively designed products. Sleepyhead comes in a DIY format and can be assembled without any tools with great ease.

We are focusing on expanding our portfolio in the furniture category and planning for 2x growth, this financial year. We have many more exciting products lined up for launch and were also featured as India’s fastest-growing furniture start-up brand by INC 42 recently!

SWS: Can you explain the concept of the 100-Night Trial? 

MJ: Comfort is a very personal experience. According to studies, it takes at least 30 days for our body to get used to a mattress. In traditional mattress buying a customer barely gets to try the mattress for a minute or so as is expected to make a binding decision. This speed dating approach to mattress buying is not very reassuring for the customer.

Our unique 100 nights trial allows for customers to fully experience the mattress for 100 full nights before committing to it. If they feel that it is not for them, we understand and fully refund the money. It is a testament to the quality of our product and has helped build trust. 

SWS: What are your accomplishments and awards in the industry so far?

MJ: Our steadfast growth story is getting recognised in the industry. Inc 42 featured us as the fastest-growing furniture start-up brand and we were ranked No 7 in growth category for the d2c brand in India. We are also the preferred e-marketplace emerging unicorn for the groundbreaking and innovating technology by IWPS (Integrated WorkPlace Solutions). We have also been awarded as Gold Seller Status on Flipkart consecutively for the last three years. We strongly feel that a great brand is built by a strong team, our efforts to build a collaborative work culture have been recognized and we were awarded the Great Places to Work certification last year.

About Sleepyhead

Sleepyhead is a D2c lifestyle home décor brand made for the digital native Indian millennial & Gen Z headquartered in Bengaluru. Launched in 2017 with the unique Bed-In-A-Box concept, Sleepyhead broke all category norms and became India’s fastest-growing D2C mattress brand. Today, Sleepyhead is a home lifestyle brand focusing on making everyday living fun and fabulous with its thoughtfully designed products. The brand caters to the underserved needs of the new-age Indian customer by making great designs accessible without compromising on quality and service.

Exclusive Interview – Serge Da Motta Veiga, Professor of HRM, EDHEC Business School

– SWS editorial Team

We at Shreyas WebMedia Solutions (SWS) thank Serge Da Motta Veiga, Professor of HRM, EDHEC Business School for the exclusive interview opportunity. Serge Da Motta Veiga discussed the importance of Artificial Intelligence in HR recruitment and in new technologies and tools, workplace diversity and inclusion, and many more. 

What criteria do firms use to select the top candidates? 

The selection criteria will depend on the type of company, the industry, and the position they are hiring for (entry-level vs senior-level). For most jobs and companies, though, the rule of thumb is that HR managers seek candidates who fit the company in terms of the position (skills and expertise) and the organisation (its culture).

Could you provide any advice on how to go about networking for career opportunities?

Networking starts with the people you know best – your colleagues, your former colleagues, and your friends and family. Never rule out relatives or schoolmates. When you find the company (or companies) you want to work for, think about who in your circle might have a contact there, and then go to that person and ask how best to get an interview or at least an introduction. As an HR management professor and researcher, I study the job search, and I encourage job seekers to reach out to a potential employer, ask questions, and show their interest. Nowadays, with social media (e.g., LinkedIn), the reach of networking is much broader than in the past. 

What is the best way to seek a job and make a career plan?

At EDHEC Business school, where I am a professor, I teach a course where I challenge students to consider their future careers carefully and how those careers will line up with their personal goals and interests. Surprisingly, many young people don’t take the time to figure out what they truly want out of life and what will make them happy. Instead, they run after a job with a high salary or an impressive title. This often leads to burnout at a young age. Research shows that the average age of burnout is now 32. Instead, young professionals should evaluate the different career options in front of them, which ones align best with their interests, and which ones offer the skills and competencies that will help them succeed in the future. 

Could you tell us about the importance of Artificial Intelligence in HR recruitment and new technologies and tools?
Artificial Intelligence is being used more and more in the hiring process. The use of AI to analyse an applicant’s resume, voice, facial features, or social media activities is gaining acceptance in business, but that doesn’t mean that everyone agrees that it is the best way to select an employee. There are still ethical questions around using these technologies, and I advise that HR managers take a balanced approach to using AI. Specifically, when AI is used for more intrusive purposes, such as analysing job applicants’ social media profiles, this may be perceived by job applicants as violating their privacy. That said, AI can expedite certain stages of the recruitment process, such as resume screening, but human interaction is critical. Research shows that automated interview videos, for example, can be challenging for underrepresented categories of job seekers. There is also evidence of gender and race bias in these technologies, so HR managers must be vigilant or miss worthy candidates.

How to maintain composure during a job search and how to deal with one’s feelings after a rejection? 

Looking for and securing a new job can be emotionally draining. As rejections mount, job seekers can begin to feel that their skills and experience don’t have value in the job market. But this isn’t true, and so job seekers need to take time to psychologically detach themselves from their search as often as possible. By taking time away from the search and participating in other activities such as sports, entertainment, or family time, job seekers will feel more energised and motivated, and they will be more likely to stay focused on their search. Research I have conducted shows that job seekers who take time out tend to receive more interviews and, therefore, more opportunities.

Can you shed some light on workplace diversity and inclusion? 

It is more important than ever to take diversity seriously in the workplace. Research shows that a diverse team is a more productive and creative team. I encourage company leaders to be transparent about their own diversity—a parent who is an immigrant, a physical handicap, a hardship they overcame, etc.—and ask them to encourage their teams and job applicants to be transparent about who they are and where they came from. By telling our true story, we spotlight our unique talents and strengths. Furthermore, companies should invest in training employees to understand differences in the workplace and how they can all work together to make their workplace more inclusive.

What advice would you provide to young people regarding a career? 

I encourage students in my career development course at EDHEC to carefully consider how they want to live their lives. Where do they want to live? How much time do they want to spend travelling for work? What kind of work makes them the happiest? Do they want to have a family, and how much time are they willing to be apart from their family? I am often surprised by how little some students plan for their careers and how many of them charge ahead with a degree and job because of pressure from society, their families, or peers. In my course, students discuss their career plans with their peers, who often push back and tell them they need to reassess their goals. It’s an activity that helps some students rethink their future and make completely different plans. I also ask students how they would like to measure their life when they are older; what do they want to see when they look back at their career and life experiences? 

Exclusive interview with Bahruz Asgarov, Deputy CEO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board

Shreyas WebMedia Solutions team thank Bahruz Asgarov, Deputy CEO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board for this exclusive interview. We also thank Malak Mammadova, Communications specialist, Azerbaijan Tourism Board for the opportunity & for his support in making this happen.

1. Please let us know about Azerbaijan Tourism Board

Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) is a national promotion body established under the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2018. It has been bringing the country to the global stage of in-demand tourism destinations through the global marketing campaign “Take Another Look” unveiled the very same year.

Its main objectives are to support the growth of Azerbaijan’s tourism industry and encourage visitors to explore the country’s rich cultural offerings and experience its ancient heritage. The country is being positioned in core markets as a destination of new travel experiences full of distinctive flavours, colours, monumental heritage, and natural beauties, providing a range of accommodation options from luxury hotels to affordable hostels.

2. What is your plan to boost tourism in 2022?

As part of our recovery strategy from the pandemic, we have been focusing on building sustainable tourism in the country, catering to the needs and expectations of today’s travellers. To do this, ATB has been putting a strong emphasis on reinforcing the existing assets of Azerbaijan, which it has in abundance, from ancient cultural and historical heritage to breath-taking landscapes, organic produce, and delicious cuisine. Thanks to this strategy, we have been able to develop new experiences that are both environmentally friendly and suitable to the health and safety measures implemented because of the pandemic.

One such experience is Slow Food Travel – a concept that has been developed within an EU-funded project. This project was jointly implemented by ATB and Slow Food International, and it was successfully completed in 2021.
The SFT model brings local producers and gastronomic communities in certain regions and multiple parts of the tourism value chain together. It allows travellers to enrich their experience through farmers, cheesemakers, herders, winemakers, and other local producers by learning about different types of food which have been produced since ancient times. This experience is now planned to be expanded to the subtropical south of Azerbaijan where citrus and tea plantations, as well as distinctive flavours, will create a different vibe within Slow Food Travel.

Another important development in sustainable experiences is that there are now 16 new hiking trails across the northern and north-western routes of Azerbaijan, passing through remote mountain villages, forests, lakes and waterfalls. We are also cooperating with the Transcaucasian Trail Association, which is developing a long-distance hiking trail through the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains, and a 97-km hiking route through the lush, forested mountains of the Sheki and Zagatala regions of Azerbaijan has recently been added to this project.

The opening of the Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex is also planned for this year. This centre is expected to increase the already-high interest in the amazing collection of mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan and facilitate a combination of experiences from quad biking and zip-lining to workshops for children. It is also located in close proximity to the UNESCO-protected Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape where an astonishing collection of ancient petroglyphs can be explored and thus will allow travellers a doubly memorable visit.

Among other new experiences are safari tours in Shamakhi surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains for eco-tourists and wildlife lovers, the Alpine Coaster at Shahdag Mountain Resort, the world’s first oil tanker museum, and the reconstructed zoo in the capital city, Baku. We are working on interesting thematic routes as well.

Other plans for 2022 include continuing research on how best to develop tourism offerings in Karabakh, where major restoration work continues at full speed. With one airport – Fuzuli International Airport – opened and two more under construction, this region has great potential to develop multiple experiences across outdoor activities, health and wellness, cultural routes, and other directions.

3. Any mega business event on the cards? If yes, please provide us with the details.

The pause during the pandemic allowed the Azerbaijan Convention Bureau (AzCB), which is the main body in charge of developing the business events industry in Azerbaijan and operates under ATB, to expand its research database of possible association events which could be attracted to the country.

Together with local partners, AzCB had already managed to win the bid for the International Astronautical Congress which will be held in Baku in 2023. This event is expected to bring together over 6,000 representatives of the space industry.

That very same year will be a series of events that Azerbaijan won the right to host, such as the conference of the European Association for Cranio Maxillo Facial Surgery, and the 99th Session of the European Youth Parliament. As for 2024, Baku will be preparing for the Leadership Symposium of the University Scholars.

Speaking of the business events industry, I would also like to mention the importance of incentive travel to Azerbaijan from India. Along with interesting experiences, a lot of new hotels have opened, including Courtyard Baku by Marriott and InterContinental while Ritz Carlton and Hotel Indigo will soon open too. There are also interesting types of accommodation that are fast becoming popular, such as runaway houses surrounded by perfect landscapes.

All in all, Azerbaijan has a lot of opportunities to attract incentive travel, and we would be more than pleased to welcome back Indian travellers from this segment too with even more to offer.

4. Which are the most attractive tourist destinations?

The pandemic has certainly caused a tremendous shift in traveller behaviour and choices. I think those who can adapt to the changes observed in travel trends will be among the winners. Here we are talking about those destinations that are actively working on building sustainable and responsible tourism while developing unique experiences.

However, it is not going to be enough. Empowering local partners and communities is more important than ever. It is now not only about what tourism destinations can offer in the short term, but also about how to make it work in a way that they are stronger with all local partners involved in the long term as well.

5. How was the impact of Covid?

The pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for the whole world, and the tourism industry suffered a great deal from the travel restrictions. The very first concern for all of us was the health and safety issue. In fact, Azerbaijan was one of the very first destinations to introduce nationwide health, safety, and hygiene standards through the SAHMAN programme (Sanitation and Hygiene Methods and Norms), which was designed for local industry players to improve hygiene and sanitation across accommodation, F&B, and touristic transportation providers.

Early on we prepared a four-phased recovery plan, beginning with closed borders and lockdown in phase one and returning to a “new normal” with international travel restrictions lifted in phase four, which we are in at the moment.

In the first phases of this recovery plan, the ATB team designed an e-learning platform, Azerbaijan 101, for travel agents and representatives across the global tourism industry to provide them information about Azerbaijan’s offerings across health and wellness, gastronomy, wine tours, and cultural heritage. Also, the highest number of people who got certificated as an Azerbaijan travel experts was from India. These training continue to this day so that our international stakeholders can access relevant information from anywhere in the world, and there are courses added regularly on different themes, such as filming in Azerbaijan, birdwatching, hiking, etc.

What is more, we developed the website salambaku.travel for visitors to go on a virtual tour of Baku, from the UNESCO-listed Old City and Flame Towers to world-class museums and other tourist attractions.

Another issue the pandemic brought was obviously the restrictions on international travel. However, this created an opportunity too, as we have witnessed an increasing demand for domestic travel among citizens and residents of Azerbaijan. To address this and support the industry, we launched a domestic tourism campaign called “Macəra Yaxındadır” (“Adventure is Near”) to encourage locals to re-explore the beauties Azerbaijan has to offer.

Now, with the vaccines rolled out, the daily number of cases going down, and the number of countries from where travellers are allowed increasing, we find ourselves in the fourth phase, where our borders are currently open to 87 countries for travel by air. The situation with the pandemic in Azerbaijan is getting much better and we have a positive outlook on the future of the tourism industry.

6. How many Indians visited last year and what are the measures you are taking for promotion in India?

In 2021, our borders with India were still closed. However, as of this year, India has been added to the list of countries from where air travel is allowed. For this, passengers aged over 18 need to submit both an official document confirming complete vaccination or immunity certificate following recovery from COVID-19 and a negative PCR test was taken within 72 hours before the flight, while for minors only the latter needs to be provided within the indicated period of time.

Despite the long pause, India remains an important market for us. I would like to specifically mention that when we reached an all-time record of 3.2 million arrivals in 2019, the most remarkable markets were Central and South Asia with substantial growth of about 67%, with 65 thousand Indian travellers visiting. We are confident that India will soon return to the list of countries with the most arrivals in Azerbaijan just like before the pandemic with easy e-visa procedures and interesting offerings in place.

As for the measures to promote Azerbaijan in India, I would like to mention that we had quite extensive activities here before the pandemic. We participated at OTM and SATTE and organised a nice media dinner in Mumbai. There were also cover photo shoots arranged for Brides India and Harper’s Bazaar. We have also been communicating with wedding planners from India. We hosted fam trips for wedding planners from Delhi and Mumbai, both virtually and physically. In particular, we are present on the platform of ‘wedding sutra’ with our own destination profile. We also participated in the World of Wedding 2020 virtual event in India.

As soon as the borders opened with India, we decided to participate at OTM as a first step to restarting our promotional activities in this beautiful country. We are looking forward to exploring new collaboration opportunities to bring India back to our top source markets just like before the pandemic.

7. Any message you would like to give to the business fraternity in India?

As I mentioned earlier, we are delighted about finally being able to welcome Indian travellers back to Azerbaijan, be it for pleasure or business. We are also looking forward to reconnecting with our esteemed counterparts in India face to face at OTM in Mumbai after such a long time. India is a very important source market for the inbound tourism of Azerbaijan, and we look forward to working together with multiple parties from this beautiful country to redefine our strategic connection in this new normal at the highest level possible.

8. Do you feel the war situation is going to affect tourists from Russia and Europe?

It is quite early to predict anything at this point, but all we can say is that peace and order are essential for the development of the tourism industry. As Azerbaijan Tourism Board, we wish that this conflict will be resolved soon, and peace will come, not only for the sake of the tourism industry but also for all humanity.

Interview with Rimo Bose, PR Manager, TCL India

Interview with Rimo Bose, PR Manager, TCL India on the occasion of Women’s Day.

• How has your journey been?

My journey has been pretty inspiring given each hurdle, be it personally or professionally has made me the person I am today. My mother and father have been a great source of inspiration. Being part of the media industry has its own pros and cons but I have been guided by good leaders, sometimes in my earlier days there were incidents that questioned the fact how one survives this rat race, but then every challenge is an opportunity. Recently, after losing my mother I have realized that so much depends on a woman when it comes to family, and following her footsteps my aim is to strike a balance between my home and work. We need to understand we can only empower ourselves and push ourselves.

• Who has inspired you and how do you inspire your team?

I would like to give the credit of my success to my mother who has always inspired me. She was the one who encouraged me to pursue Public Relations and excel in the field even when the odds were against me. One thing that I have learnt from her is that no matter what situation you are in, you should not lose hope and stay self-motivated. As far as inspiring my team is considered, I always make it a point to communicate with my team, incorporate their suggestions while making or taking critical decisions. Apart from that, one major thing that I think all leaders should do is to be empathetic towards their team, because if you will try to understand the team, they will certainly put in their 100% which will in turn impact the performance of the company.

• Your thoughts on Empowerment of Women?

Women empowerment for me is not only a term. I strongly believe that women empowerment should be executed strongly across industries. Women should be encouraged and empowered for a better future. As a part of the society we should ensure that the women around us feel safe at home and work and they should be given equal opportunities to grow and prosper. Also let’s practice giving equal respect to both men and women, we are first human beings, let us not forget that.

Rimo Bose, PR Manager, TCL India

Rimo Bose is currently heading the PR & Communications department of TCL India. She has 6 + years of experience in the field of corporate communications. She joined TCL in the year 2020, and continues to be the lead for all PR and media related activities. As the spokesperson of the company, Rimo believes that TCL brings an array of technologies that the Indian audience will highly appreciate. Her aim is to bring the brand communications closer to the audience via strategic PR techniques; she also believes that TCL as a product brand gives an open door to branding professional to create wonders.

Previously Rimo has worked with Continental Automotive, where she managed both internal and external communications, has worked both in India and Germany, also supported US market. She has also worked at Akshaya Patra Foundation in marketing communications. Additionally, she has also worked in agencies for clients such as – Bosch, 3M & Scania. Also, started her career as member of press board for Kolkata Film Festival and enjoyed working at Silicon India as a tech editor.

Rimo is a Masters in Mass Communications from Calcutta University and has a PGDM in Public Relations from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans. Apart from being a communications professional, she is an avid reader, enjoys sketching and practices classical dancing.

Rimo’s mantra: “A good communicator can tell you the difference between noise and news.”

Exclusive Interview with Mr. Siddharth Chaturvedi – Executive Vice President of AISECT

We at Business News This Week (BNTW) thank Mr. Siddharth Chaturvedi- Executive Vice President of AISECT for the exclusive interview opportunity. Mr. Siddharth Chaturvedi (SC), discussed various aspects such as AISECT’s mission and vision, collaborations, and also about AISECT’s skill development courses with our Chief Editor, Mr. Neel Achary, BNTW.

BNTW: Could you tell us about AISECT’s origins and founders?

SC: AISECT is the brainchild of Mr. Santosh Choubey. While in the Civil service, continuing his work at Delhi Science Forum in the ’80s, Mr Choubey realized that the need of the hour was to communicate in the local language on key subjects like general science, electronics, agriculture, environment, water and soil management etc. Under his leadership, AISECT was established in 1985 and has been steadily reaching out to the remotest corners of the country to empower people, generate employment for the youth and unfold entrepreneurial initiatives.

It reflects the larger vision of Mr. Choubey to build a social organization aimed at disseminating science and technology (S&T) knowledge, services, and solutions to underserved rural areas in India and generating job opportunities for rural youth.

Over the past three decades, AISECT has grown to become India’s leading Social Enterprise that is working in the areas of Skill Development, Higher Education, Financial Inclusion, e-Governance and other ICT-based services to bring about an inclusive change in the semi-urban and rural areas of the country.

BNTW: What services do you provide and to whom do you provide them?

SC: AISECT has various pillars across Higher Education, Skilling, Financial Inclusion and ICT based education, directed at the youth of our nation.

The AISECT Group of Universities has established five premier universities at locations that were that required a quality higher education ecosystem. These include the Dr. C.V. Raman University in Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh), the Rabindranath Tagore University in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), the AISECT University in Hazaribag (Jharkhand), Dr. C.V. Raman University in Vaishali (Bihar) and the Dr. C.V. Raman University in Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh).

Under financial inclusion scheme, AISECT works as a National Business Correspondent for three nationalized banks and two Regional Rural Banks. The AISECT Banking Kiosks also offer a host of services under Government schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, etc.

In terms of ICT based services, the group has carved a strong presence in 475 Districts, 1500 Blocks and 7200 Panchayats across 29 States and 3 Union Territories through over 20,000 Centres, 12 State Offices and 28 Regional Offices. Till date, it has imparted skills-based training to over 20 lakh people, created employment opportunities within the network for more than 75,000 people and empowered the lives of over 50 lakh people through various innovative products and services.

AISECTMOOCS.com is India’s largest free online open learning platform while RojgarMantra.com addresses the entry level manpower requirements of private and public sector enterprises at the small town, district and block levels.

BNTW: What is AISECT’s mission and vision?

SC: Our collective vision is to be recognized as India’s preferred Skilling and Training organization creating sustained livelihood opportunities for millions of people.

Our larger mission is to deliver a variety of skill development programs to semi urban and rural youth to ensure they become employable.

BNTW: Could you tell us about your collaborations? 

SC: AISECT is successfully executing a number of skill development projects of the Central and State Governments ministries like Rural Development Ministry, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, NIti Ayog, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Elevation, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. We are also the affiliated partners of 15+ state skill development missions like (MPSSDEGV, UPFDM, BSBM, RSLDC, GLPC, OSBA, ASBM, PSDM).

We are the implementation partners for Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs), Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM), National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Project, etc.

We have also collaborated with some of India’s leading corporates and multi-national companies like (SBI, Airtel, Microsoft, Arcellor, IBM, NTPC, Power Grid, JSW and more) Bilateral Agencies like UNDP Educational Tie-ups – Microfocus, Wadhwani Foundation, TCS ion, HP, Dell, to set up Centres of Excellence and provide on the job learning experience for our students.

BNTW: What are some of the accomplishments and awards that you’ve received thus far?

SC: Over the years, my areas of interest have been in the welfare of the rural population of India through various initiatives across different domains. The innovations brought by the organization have yielded great results and have been widely acknowledged as well as awarded by renowned international and national organizations such as World Bank, Schwab Foundation, SKOCH, Manthan, NASSCOM, ASSOCHAM, NSDC, SBI.

In our quest to improve access to financial services in the semi-urban and rural regions the ICT centre model, has contributed significantly towards improving the access to banking in the unbanked and underbanked regions across the country. The scheme has enabled the setting up of over 4500+ banking kiosks and 95 lakh bank accounts that have carried out transactions worth over 35000 crores.

BNTW: What areas have you expanded your services to so far, and what are your future plans?

SC: With a keen focus in the areas of skilling and development, AISECT has forged strong industry relations with corporates and policy makers to provide inroads to the youth. In the years to come, the focus will continue in the areas of job creation and upskilling, especially in the Tier 2 cities that are home to a vast pool of talent. We have been instrumental in parting skills-based training to over 20 lakh people, created employment opportunities within the network for more than 75,000 people and empowered the lives of over 50 lakh people through various innovative products and services. We would like to broaden our horizon to build entrepreneurial opportunities for women and create opportunities to further empower them.

AISECT is developing its online learning portal. In the next few years, AISECT aims to bolster learning in regional languages in addition to offering courses in fields such as health care and humanities. AISECT students, as well as students from India and abroad, can enroll for the courses. There is already keen interest from countries like Ghana for online training on retail, banking and other subjects. The portal is set to go live in April 2022.

BNTW: What kind of skill development do you believe India’s youth require?

SC: India is at the cusp of innovation and entrepreneurial growth as we speak. While there is a large pool of talent in areas like science and technology, bio-tech and information sciences, the need of the hour is to hone soft skills and communications. In order to help students achieve their dreams, the need of the hour is to focus on ‘on-the-job’ training and build overall business acumen to thrive in a highly competitive landscape.

BNTW: Are your skill development courses focused on future or current needs?

SC: The AISECT Model is a multi-purpose, self-sustainable, scalable and entrepreneurial model designed to cater to the industry requirements, while preparing the youth to stay abreast with changing times. With inputs from industry veterans and key policy makers, our curriculum has a keen focus on innovation and skill sets required for the next few years.

BNTW: Is your training practical and certified?

SC: All our Vocational and Skill based training programs are practical. We also provide blended mode of training. All our programs are NSQF aligned and certified by respective government bodies like AICTE, NAAC.

BNTW: Is there anything you’d like to say to the youth to encourage them to prepare for a good future?

SC: The world today is a canvas of opportunities. There are plenty of opportunities for the youth of our nation to explore and create a niche for themselves. Students need to focus on the latest trends of technology and innovation along with working on their communication skills. It is only when the youth is well-educated; the country can prosper and reach new heights.

“I was my inspiration” says, Adil Meraj Founder and CEO of Gurucool

Here’s an exclusive interview of Mr.Adil Meraj, Founder and CEO of Gurucool only on Business News This Week (BNTW). He shared his insights on the prospects of Edtech sector on many more aspects with BNTW.

Let’s know more about his success story and his vision.

Tell us about Gurucool? What was the inspiration behind Gurucool?

Upon being presented with this question, Mr Adil Meraj says, ‘I was my inspiration.’ He recounts his experience as a high schooler, when he created a confession page on Facebook for his fellow Hamdardians but later realised that the page became more of a space for slanders and rumours than the intended constructive connecting platform for students. Consequently, he closed the page but his quest for doing something towards establishing a purposeful community, continued. Later, while pursuing his civil engineering, he felt out of place. Feeling very disengaged from his classroom, he realised the passion in him to initiate something that would bring actual and significant changes in society. And finally, in 2019, he had his eureka moment. Over a random discussion in a cafe with his schoolmates, he came up with the idea of Gurucool – an Educational Networking Platform for Educators and Learners, where people come together purposefully, and empathetically. The vision of this project, though, boils down to providing an academic space for learning and making quality education accessible for the underprivileged that began with ‘The Parking Kids Project’ and is currently being ensured and advocated through the ‘Padhaai’ Initiative of Gurucool. 

What were the challenges faced while setting up the company? 

Gurucool was set up from ground zero and up. Stepping foot into the venture, the CEO and other core members were new and naive to entrepreneurship and the start-up community. Consequently, the first challenge was to build a skilled, motivated and supportive team to execute the idea of Gurucool. This was overcome with great ease as Mr Adil’s very own friend circle took lead and paved for the Gurucool we know today. 

Secondly, finance is a big aspect of starting a company. The team needed a work-place and renting one initially was quite costly. However, Gurucool now has an established centre to its name and is set to launch many more.

Being an edtech platform, Gurucool required a skilled technical team that could work closely with the interests of the core members and create a platform accessible for all. The search for technically skilled persons proved to be a great challenge initially too. 

Another challenge faced by the team was fluidity in the system. For a new team that is struggling to establish a name and place in the edtech community, coming to a unanimous decision can be a struggle. But it’s all made easier by a common goal and motive. And that defines Gurucool today ~ in our own space and time.

How did the name Gurucool come about?

Gurucool, the name comes about from the past custom of guru (teacher) and shishya (student). The name emphasises the pure, unhindered relationship between a teacher and a student that highlights a transactional bond over knowledge and experience. With the name Gurucool, we hope to invoke similar intimate, and meaningful relationships between our educators and learners, but with an added pinch of coolness. Keeping this in mind, the name Gurucool was coined- a mixture of traditional integrity with some newfangled coolness.

A Coolguru, at Gurucool, aims to pass their patrimony to the CoolLearners’ facilitated by empathetic learning and evolving approach. So, this was the inspiration behind naming the company Gurucool. 

What do you think is the future of Edtech?

Undeniably, education has now become a basic necessity much like food and clothing. And history bears witness to civilizations adopting new educational techniques to cater to different social requirements. With the pandemic, the pace of education has only accelerated. Education clubbed with technology may be a new norm, but is here to stay for long. From schools adopting smart teaching techniques to various skill e-courses available, edtech is facilitating accessibility and availability of quality education for all.

However, the challenge of many edtech platforms is imperative, and it is possible that the sellers outnumber consumers. In such a case, edtech platforms are furthermore challenged to evolve and improve to cater to their learning audience. This positive competition only goes on to prove how much education has progressed and will continue to progress.

Another challenge that edtech platforms face is commercialising. With investments from VCs, edtech platforms are expected to give profitable results. And this takes away from the essence of quality education for all. We, at Gurucool are working to make education digital and democratised to enhance the learning experience for all.

What are the future plans for Gurucool?

Speaking firstly about the short-term plans for Gurucool, we aim to launch 15 centres in 6 different cities pan-India. Gurucool is looking to collaborate with various state governments under the Padhaai venture, and will soon launch an improved version of Paadhai- Padhaai 2.0. The new version will include better features and improved learning resources to facilitate a healthy learning environment.

Gurucool, recently launched its first YouTube channel, and is aiming to launch a few more over the span of the next few months. The upcoming Youtube channels will include Gurucool for Coding, Gurucool for Commerce, Gurucool for Graphic Designing etc, all set for launch shortly. Additionally, Gurucool aspires to achieve one lac learners on the Padhaai platform over the coming 3 months.

As for the long-term goals, Gurucool is planning to become a unicorn venture in terms of valuations and hopes to achieve a user base of 200 million learners by 2025. 

Summing up his entrepreneurship venture with Gurucool so far, Mr Adil concluded with quoting Sultanpuri,

‘ maiñ akelā hī chalā thā jānib-e-manzil magar
log saath aate ga.e aur kārvāñ bantā gayā’.

Exclusive Interview with Mr. Anik Jain, CEO & Co-founder of Symbo…

Business News This Week (BNTW) Team thanks Mr. Anik Jain, CEO & Co-founder of Symbo India Insurance Broking Private Limited (Symbo) for the exclusive interview opportunity. Mr. Anik Jain, (AJ), discussed various aspects such as plans to dominate the embedded insurtech market, strategies set for expansion and fundraising and many more with our Chief Editor, Mr. Neel Achary, BNTW.

BNTW: Can you tell us about Symbo and people who founded it?

AJ: Symbo is an insurtech startup focused on the insurance distribution space. We work with retail and ecommerce partners to distribute relevant insurance products right at the point of purchase. With a simple opt-in in the purchase journey, consumers can insure the product they are buying against common issues like accidental damage, theft, etc which standard warranties might not cover. The insurance coverage is powered by leading insurers of India and some of our largest partners include Lenskart, Bata, Decathlon, among others. We also run a Saas platform business which provides insurers with all the tools they need to manage key aspects of their business effectively i.e purchase, distribution and administration of insurance.

Apart from me, (Anik Jain, CEO & Co-founder of Symbo comes with experience of more than 17 years across varied fields) the other co-founders include Mitesh Jain, CTO & Co-founder, an Experienced Founder with a demonstrated history of working in Technology Consulting and product management and Adrit Raha, Co-founder & Co-CEO, who shares responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the business – from the company’s mission, vision and goals to setting strategy, direction and, most significantly, managing my super talented troupe.

BNTW: What are the advantages that Symbo offers for both online sellers and consumers? 

AJ: Insurance has been traditionally “sold” and we are trying to change that by making insurance a product that is “bought” by the customers. We do so by embedding deep into the buying journey with our partners and attaching insurance products which are relevant and intuitive. For eg: we sell Eyewear insurance which customers can buy when they are purchasing their sunglasses at our partners’s stores.

Consumers get affordable, relevant insurance coverage with zero-friction in the buying process. Sellers can offer a better customer experience and for the first time deliver a care program which their standard warranties might not cover. This leads to brand loyalty and higher revenues.

The insurance on products fosters a feeling of assurance which helps the customers connect with the brand with a heightened sense of built trust and security.

BNTW: Can you describe how Symbo’s plans to dominate the embedded insurtech market? 

AJ: Insurance companies are often considered very monotonous and are known for their lengthy paperwork and legacy processes. Symbo as an embedded Insurtech platform aims to revolutionize this traditional approach and build an “Insurtech” platform that is innovative, agile and backed by advanced technology. We have ushered a new robust approach by providing insurance online, in a seamless and easy manner with hyper-personalized insurance covers on an array of products. By also providing covers in more product categories, we aim to be the leading embedded Insurance platform in the Insurance market space. We also are cultivating an ecosystem for the millennials to educate them about insurtech and the insurance industry through stories on various social media accounts to ensure innovation in the consumer experience. In the long term our goal is to provide at least one insurance by Symbo to every citizen of the country and provide bite size insurance for everything from head to toe.

BNTW: In which categories do you want to grow? 

AJ: We are seeing great traction in e-commerce, logistics and fintech and are doubling down on that.

BNTW: What are your expansion and fundraising strategies in the future?

AJ: We are sufficiently capitalized post our last Series A funding. However, like most high-growth startups we are in talks with a bunch of investors and would bring in the right strategic partner who can help us fuel our expansion.

BNTW: How do you envision the insurance sector evolving in the future to provide better services?

AJ: The pandemic has already brought in a digital explosion. I can confidently say that it will not be long when all insurance companies will start going digital and get into the Insurtech space that we are in today. While the space and services will go digital, they will also evolve drastically in their technology capabilities that will be used even 5 years from now. It is safe to say that there might be a time where Insurance of any kind will be available online and the customers will not have to worry about filling cumbersome paperwork for the same. The next couple of years are going to be very intriguing to look forward to and see how fast this digitally driven world will change the insurance space in the best way possible.

BNTW: What sets Symbo apart from other companies in the same field?

AJ: As I mentioned earlier, Symbo is an embedded “Insurtech ” platform, so transforming the tiring processes of claiming the physical insurance processed to an online, single-click process, is the main difference between us and any other company.

We are also creating categories of insurance products which are new and innovative. With this, we are able to benefit not only the customers but the sellers as well as for the first time, sellers have the right product and technology to start selling insurance.. In this technology-driven world, our biggest advantage is having our services online which makes it all even easier and accessible for everyone by saving their time. Traditionally, insurance has always been ‘sold’ and not ‘bought. Symbo is trying to change that by creating relevant and intuitive coverage products available to the user right in their buying journey, making the entire process seamless and easy.

BNTW: Could you describe how personalized insurance and protection plans work? 

AJ: The personalized insurance varies according to the evolving customer’s need. For example, we provide covers in the mathathon, fitness, spectacle and other spaces as well. Any company that sells a particular product can integrate the API system that is provided by Symbo, which allows the brand/seller to insure the products that they are selling. While on the other hand, for customers who buy products from such brands and Symbo powered sellers they are able to insure the products that they are buying, be it a shoe, spectacles or any other products. Symbo has over 100+ products in their integration system till date that are insured/covered.

BNTW: Could you tell us about your collaborations? 

AJ: We have collaborated with Lenskart wherein we have insured over a million spectacles that are being sold by them. Symbo’s ‘Eyewear Insurance’ is offered to Lenskart customers as an add-on in the buying journey, with a simple click of a button. Similarly, we work with other partners like Redtape, Himalaya opticals, Decathlon, Playo, and have curated coverage programs running for their customers.

BNTW: What have been your accomplishments thus far? Any recognitions?

AJ: We have been awarded the “Digital Insurance Innovation” of the year award from ET BFSI at the World BFSI Congress and Awards 2020. We have also won “Digital-Insurance Broker” award at SBR Technology Excellence Awards in the year 2020.

We aim to democratize quality education and diagnostics at the fingertips of every child, says Mr. Sandeep Kavety, Head of Product, ConveGenius Insights

We at Business News This Week (BNTW) thank Mr. Sandeep Kavety, Head of Product, ConveGenius Insights., for this exclusive interview opportunity. Mr. Sandeep discussed his vision for India’s future educational system and on many more aspects with Mr. Neel Achary, Chief Editor, BNTW.

BNTW: Can you tell us about the services by ConveGenius Insights (CGI)?

Mr. Sandeep Kavety (SK): We assess the impact of education interventions with the help of standardized assessments. In 2013, we started with a sense of curiosity around tactical, rigorous methods to assess the quality of schools in India. Since then, we have come a long way. We now provide a range of assessment services including designing impact assessment studies, evaluating the cost-effectiveness of interventions, conducting diagnostic assessments, data collection for education assessments and many more.

BNTW: What is the mission of CGI?

SK: We at CGI believe that every child, irrespective of the background they come from, is born with the potential to learn. We are on a mission to make quality assessments accessible and affordable so that every parent, teacher, school and system can have diagnostic data on learning levels so that they can use it to improve the learning outcomes of children. Through our work in assessments and expertise in measurement, we aim to enhance this journey of every child by helping the key stakeholders in the system understand and bridge the learning gaps.

BNTW: What types of tests and evaluations do you do and at what level? Whether it is at an individual level or institutional?

SK: Our offerings are both at an institutional level and at an individual level. Since our larger focus is bringing in a systemic change through quality education assessments, our focus has been institution-level assessments that evaluate the programmatic impact of interventions that guide systems/policymakers for better decision-making in education.

BNTW: How do these evaluations benefit educational institutions, parents, or teachers?

SK: Impact evaluations form a very critical aspect of any intervention. In the context of education, they are even more important because they can enable us to course correct and mirror what the realities are. These impact evaluations can help every stakeholder part of the system, helping
– parents diagnose learning levels of their child,
– teachers to understand the distribution of students at different proficiencies,
– institutions to build a program, solicit feedback for existing programs, or set targets to maximize the impact

BNTW: Do you propose suggestions based on the results in addition to doing tests and evaluations?

SK: Since, we have collected data points from millions of students across the country and globally, evaluating impact of 10s of interventions, we do understand why certain results arise. 

BNTW: How many schools have you worked with and in how many locations? Are there any that you can think of?

SK: We have assessed over 15,000 schools through field assessments and over 30,000 schools through digital assessments across 16 states Indian states. CGI has also set its footprint in UAE and African region.

BNTW: How do you think data analysis will aid in the development of new educational standards in India?

SK: There is enough evidence from across the globe that, modern measurement techniques such as Item Response Theory can enhance the ability to diagnose student learning. Moving away from traditional approaches to these techniques can not just make the results of our assessments robust, but also guide the system in the right direction.

BNTW: Can you tell us about your accomplishments?

SK CGI has been able to leverage its expertise in measurement science to solve the complexities that exist in Indian education by building a proprietary scale that can measure the learning outcomes of students across the country on a single scale. Just the way, how we measure height on a height scale.

– CGI is the only organization, which has integrated an ORAL assessment and written assessment on a single measurement scale.

– CGI has been instrumental in the Saksham Haryana project enabling stakeholders from the grassroot level to think in the lines of competencies which is a great shift in mindset.

– CGI is the outcome evaluator of world’s largest education development impact bond which is in its last year of evaluation.

BNTW: What is your vision for India’s future educational system?

SK: No child has to be left behind because of the background they come from. With the power of assessments and technology, we aim to democratize quality education and diagnostics at the fingertips of every child.

BNTW: What are your upcoming projects, and can you give us any insight into your ambitions for the future?

SK: COVID-19 has impacted the education system drastically. There is a need for state transformation programs that are data-driven. CGI aims to partner with policymakers and state systems, to transform state education through large-scale assessments.

About Sandeep Kavety: 

Sandeeep Kavety works towards guiding organizations to solve problems strategically & structure work methods with cost-effective solutions. He holds over 9 years of experience in Project Management in Software & K10 education with a proven track record in Measuring Outcomes. He specializes in measuring learning outcomes and evaluating longitudinal quasi-experimental educational interventions & RCTs based on methodologies like item response theory (IRT) & Rasch model. Currently, he is leading multiple Large-Scale Education Assessment projects, measuring learning outcomes of students across the country to help policymakers in transforming the education system in the country. He worked with multiple high-stakes large-scale K-10 assessment projects across different geographies of India working with various stakeholders including state government officials, service providers, NGOs, and funding organizations. Previously, he was associated with Deloitte and Accenture.

About ConveGenius Insights 

ConveGenius Insights (CGI) (Ex Gray Matters India) believe in the power of data and assessments to unlock the potential of millions of children and make them future-ready and services including – Impact Assessment, Early Childhood Assessment & All India Critical Test. It measures learning outcomes in a reliable, valid and standardized manner to enable data-driven decision-making for all stakeholders in education. And create access and affordability for assessments so that every parent, teacher, school and system can have diagnostic data on learning levels and use it to improve outcomes. CGI has worked with 15 states & more than 10,000 schools and executed in 1,000,000 test administrations. They are working reluctantly to establish academic standards and performance benchmarks that are inclusive of all students in the country so that progress in education can be measured with equity.

In Conversation with Mr. Siddharth Chaturvedi, Founder & MD, Boys And Machines Pvt. Ltd

Business News This Week (BNTW) Team thanks Mr. Siddharth Chaturvedi, Founder & MD Boys And Machines Pvt. Ltd., (Boys And Machines) for an exclusive interview opportunity. Mr. Siddharth Chaturvedi (SC), discussed various aspects associated with the buying patterns of customers during covid, market trends, Pan India service offerings, prospective expansion proposals, and furthermore with our Chief Editor, Neel Achary.

BNTW: It is a passion-driven business, how visualize your b-plan ahead? 

SC:  As the customers are willing to splurge on aspirational items and spending has increased significantly since Covid. We, at Boys and Machines, intend to leverage this fact and have ambitious growth aspirations by aggressively expanding our footprint across India.

 How customers from other states can check the cars available in the showroom?

SC: We’re dedicated to giving our customers the very best of our services with Pan India reach. We have our entire inventory available on your website which can be accessed by anyone across the country. They can come and check the vehicle in the nearest showroom. In case, the vehicle is not in that city, we transport the vehicle to that city once the booking amount for the vehicle is paid.

BNTW: Apart from Gurugram, how is the response from Kolkata, Mumbai & Hyderabad?   

SC:  

The response has been really good from all the four cities. People have started living in present because of this they have started splurging money on aspirational products.

When it comes to Mumbai, it’s a market that welcomes everything, such as a daily drivable luxury sedan or a high demand for convertibles. The city enjoys good weather to drive sports cars with the top down, and there is a steady ongoing demand for the latest SUV, as Mumbai customers want to enjoy and go for long drives with friends and family to nearby scenic destinations in Maharashtra. 

Kolkata has always been a good market for buying vehicles because the WB RTO offers a 5-year tax policy, which saves a lot of clients’ money on taxes. And this gives them the option to rotate vehicles frequently by paying a short-term tax for 5 years, which allows dealers like us to buy at very competitive prices and offer to our customers with the registration of their choice, which definitely acts as a plus point for customers as they feel comfortable driving their respective state registered vehicles. 

Hyderabad has always been the largest market for all supercars, so yes, it allows us to offer an exotic range of vehicles to the Hyderabad market. 

BNTW: Planning to launch in any other states in India? 

SC: In terms of physical space, we plan to open new showrooms in three more cities which are Ahmedabad, Indore, and Chandigarh in the following months. In addition, the company aims to open workshops in locations where it already has a presence to provide clients with more convenient ownership and service experience. With this, we intend to connect with customers and provide them with an experience rather than just selling cars. 

BNTW: Is there a boom in the luxury used-car segment in India? 

SC: There has been a boom in the used car segment in India. The Indian used car market is expected to reach a size of over 70 lakh vehicles by 2025-26, growing at around 12-14 percent over the next few years. The luxury pre-owned car market is no different. We noticed a spike in demand Pan-India. Within a year from the start, we were able to expand our reach throughout India, opening four stores in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Along with this, we opened our first after-sales service centre in Gurugram. Despite the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, we have been able to clock good sales since the beginning of our operations. It’s been a good start with learnings. We intend to grow our brand and reach new heights. 

BNTW: What is your USP? 

SC: Boys and Machines focuses on providing the highest quality pre-owned luxury cars at the most competitive prices. Our competitive pricing and superior quality provide us with a competitive advantage over our competitors. Aside from that, our continual process development, digitization, and robust physical presence around the country pave the way for an exponential growth curve. We strive to not only meet but also exceed our customers’ expectations. 

BNTW: What are the facilities you are giving to your customers?  

SC: We are entirely committed to providing our customers with the highest quality vehicles at the most competitive prices. We have a dedicated workshop in Gurgaon to address all the requirements. We are not just selling cars, but also helping our clients with a hassle-free ownership experience. For customers who aren’t based out of Delhi, we provide doorstep service to them for hassle-free ownership.  

BNTW: What are the quality checks you follow while purchasing luxury cars from the owner?  

SC: We do the complete due diligence so as to assure quality cars to be bought and sold. Boys And Machines strictly don’t deal with accidental cars as we get the history checked from the authorized dealership. Even if the bumper has been changed, we don’t purchase that car. Moreover, any car offered by Boys and Machines comes with a complete background check which makes sure that there is no litigation case on the car or previous vehicle owner. 

BNTW: Tell us about your passion for cars, how it started? (both Mr.Siddharth & Mr. Akash)

SC: Siddharth has been a bike racer in the past and has raced in JK Tyre superbike competition. He has also undertaken training on Formula 3 cars in Abu Dhabi. Siddharth has been an owner of supercars and exotic cars since quite a few years. At present, he owns India’s fastest Ferrari 488GTB that is capable of producing 900 HP. 

Akash has had a fascination with automobiles since he was a child. His love and enthusiasm for vehicles began with his father, whom he has always looked up to as a car racer and lover of speed. With a growing interest in cars, he engaged himself in automobile-related TV shows, magazines, and movies. Watching drag race or fancy cars being ripped on the streets was a treat to the eyes. Nothing excites him more than a long drive. After discovering his enthusiasm for cars, he joined a highly experienced sales team and worked for 4.5 years as Head Tech Sales-India at one of India’s largest luxury car dealerships, dealing in the sales and purchase of exotic luxury cars. 

BNTW: Your message to our readers, if they wish to purchase cars from you?

SC: I want our customers to have faith in us. We are entirely committed to providing them with the highest quality vehicles at the most competitive prices. We are not only here to sell them cars, but also to provide them with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We’re on a mission to build long-term relationships with our customers and partner with them by combining high reliability and ethical ideals with excellent service and satisfaction.

Mr. Siddharth Chaturvedi, Founder, Boys And Machines, is an ex-racer who is passionate about supercars and the automobile industry. His interest in the area forced him to quit his regular job and focus on extensive research in the automobile sector which led to the initiation of Boys And Machines.

BOYS AND MACHINES established in the year 2020 is dedicated to offering best-in-class services in pre-owned luxury cars with Pan India reach, focusing on delivering quality cars at the best market price. The company through the specialized team is involved in offering a comprehensive range of services spanning from sale/purchase/after sale/yearly maintenance/insurance renewal, financing facility and many more.

Exclusive Interview with Mr. Swapnil Dharmadhikari, Founder and Director, Splashgain Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Business News This Week (BNTW) Team thanks Mr. Swapnil Dharmadhikari, Founder and Director, Splashgain Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd., for this interview opportunity. Mr. Swapnil discussed how technological interventions and the hybrid learning culture are anticipated to bring major transformation in the educational sector with Neel Achary, Chief Editor, BNTW.

BNTW: Your objective behind starting Splashgain Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd. (Splashgain)?

Mr. Swapnil Dharmadhikari (SD): Splashgain was incorporated to create a splash in the ocean of education. Since 2009, our digital transformation products have been delivering great value to our customers, both in academics and across corporate organizations. The vision of the Splashgain team is to be a global leader in innovative IT products and solutions that effectively assist students and institutes, thus adding value and simplifying the education processes. The core values that enable us to be the most preferred partner for all our stakeholders are-
● Integrity: All our actions are inspired by Integrity.
● Passion: Our Team is empowered. We are passionate about what we do and have fun doing it.
● Execution: We walk our talk.
● Candor: We do not compromise on Product, Service Quality, and our Value System.
● Care: We care for our Stakeholders and always make every effort to delight them

BNTW: What are the major solutions you developed for educational institutions?

SD: With a massive shift in the education system, a hybrid learning culture is becoming a new reality. As a company, we offer a host of specially curated services conducted and monitored with our cutting-edge technology platforms. We are currently conducting the following types of exams for different institutions:
 School Exams (Yearly/ Semester wise/ Unit Tests) where students attempt the exam with camera monitoring

• School Olympiad Exams: Olympiad exams for various subjects like mathematics and English where a certificate is awarded for successful completion
• University Exams: Semester/Yearly exams for higher education, (Graduate/ undergraduate-level) academic assessments
• Viva voce: Corporates and education institutes conduct oral/viva assessments to check communication skills and domain knowledge.
• Entrance Exams: Entrance test of university, higher education institute for Ph.D., MBA admissions
• Online Test Series: Private coaching institutes conducting practice tests to prepare students for competitive exams
• Video Interviews: Corporates and Education institutes are using this technique to conduct bulk video interviews simultaneously.

BNTW: What is the impact of Covid in the education sector and how does technology help to minimize the impact?

• The industry has gone through a digital transformation. With technology becoming the central player, the education sector has willingly or unwillingly opened its arms to greater possibilities.
• We believe that camera assessment was relatively new up until last year. Still, in the current times, we feel that the education industry understands the importance of such processes when everyone is studying remotely. Hence, they are more open to using new concepts to make a student’s life easier.
• The most satisfactory part happens to be those who long to make the digital shift but was undecided on the timing, had to make those changes and those who adopted this digital change, they are convinced that this is the way forward.

BNTW: Are you providing technology solutions to your clients in 15 countries, do they belong to the education sector alone?

SD:

• Being a global Edtech player, Splashgain has worked with more than 300 customers across 15 countries. With the advent of the pandemic and hybrid becoming the new normal, the acceleration in technology adoption is making these institutions understand the importance and need for Edtech platforms.
• Education institutes are changing their pedagogy/approach for learning and bringing in flexibility in education. They are reinventing education delivery, assessment and evaluation processes with the help of technology and innovation.
• More than 5 million students have easily used Splashgain’s assessment system(s). Teachers/ examiners/ evaluators in the multiples of lakhs use digital assessment methodologies for objective and subjective evaluations.
• Splashgain & ‘s AI algorithm-driven assessments are deployed by many schools, groups of institutes, universities, various private and Government certification exam authorities. In this new era, institutes and large-scale universities will now need a full-time CIO to adapt to the fast changes in the education sector.
• Online education is becoming the new normal with tangibility, and enhanced quality education has become a top priority. In the Higher Education(HE) space, Splashgain is contributing to universities like Mumbai University, Gujarat University, Alliance University, Dayanand Sagar University, IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Rohtak, IIITs and IIITMs. Apart from the vocational universities such as Tata Institute of Social Sciences(TISS), large school chains like Poddar Education Network, Global Indian International schools, Delhi Public School, have already embraced the new ways of assessing their students. And yes, we are contributing to the success of large corporate entities as well as MNCs in their L&D initiatives, Recruitment, and various Employee/Vendor Surveys.
• We work with a set of well-known corporate clients to bolster their candidate assessment and upskilling paths.

BNTW: What are the solutions you developed implementing AI technologies?

SD: Eklavvya is an easy system of Plug-and-Play SaaS platform to make the academic examination and hiring assessment process a lot more reliable, accurate and scalable. It can get tedious and overwhelming for institutions or larger enterprises to manually conduct every interview and examination process.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) proctoring systems has been taking precedence within the market in the last few years. Millions of assessments have been conducted across the globe using the Eklavvya platform. We can say proudly that our features and services are unmatched in digital assessments and proctoring domains.

BNTW: Your take/statement on digital adoption in India, what measures need to boost the digital adoption?

SD: India leads digital adoption (across various aspects in our daily lives) thanks to the proliferation of 4G internet and a range of budget-friendly accessibility devices like phones and laptops. The pandemic accelerated digital adoption across many age groups (including the young and old). This has proved a boon for learning to continue unhindered during the lockdowns. But boosting digital adoption cannot cure all challenges without knowing the right way to bring digital transformation. 

Products and technology have to understand the actual pain points of digital learning and solve them for all stakeholders. Not every child in India has access to a digital device. We think the Government can play a role in nudging state machinery and corporates towards ensuring inclusion for every student into the digital ecosystem.

BNTW: How are you simplifying the education process?

SD: We strive to solve every proctoring problem that institutions and enterprises face today during the online assessment process. Eklavvya is a smart AI proctoring tool that is efficient while being an extremely cost-effective choice for assessment, evaluation and assessment monitoring purposes. 

Eklavva is recognized as the most accurate AI proctoring system with a 99.96% accuracy in the results. We have made the system simple yet extremely capable of handling large workloads and anyone with a primary digital device.

BNTW: Online education is booming, how is your company prepared to come up with the most innovative solutions to meet the demand?

SD:

• In the coming days, the educational sector and the Government are all set to invest an enormous budget in technical aspects of education. This technological intervention will undoubtedly change the way educational institutes and universities operate.
• The students and parents are going to prefer the technical way of learning, in the coming time. Studying from home’s safety is becoming feasible for the students as they do not need to travel from home to the schools or institutes anymore.
• The educational institutes also appreciate the live classrooms as the relevant adaptability is a simple process to follow.
• As the students and educationists seem to be all caught up with the new learning techniques, the number of enrolments for live classes is increasing day by day. When it’s about managing the examination process, the institutes confidently adopt the proctored exam solutions to secure the whole exam conduction.
• Online Webinars, Video Conferences for discussions, and Online Streaming silently replace traditional classroom sessions, office meetings and informal in-person discussions.
• Eventually, the reliance on technology is increasing rapidly.
• A considerable number of academic units are planning to offer Online Courses for the traditionally traditional curriculum they used to teach.
• This technological adoption can reduce a lot of time and travel from the day-to-day lives of students and teachers.

BNTW: Technology is not easy in the education sector, what is your message to budding entrepreneurs and startups working in digital transformation?

SD: We believe that real impact is the product of focus and consistency. Sometimes, challenges can seem like they are insurmountable. If your value and belief system stay focused on the real challenge, then hard work over time pays off. Digital transformation seems easier on paper than when you get to it. This is true for a sector like education, which has stayed constant for a century before the pandemic. Adoption and customer appreciation will come with time. I think all budding entrepreneurs can positively influence how future generations will learn.

About Splashgain Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd.:

Since its inception in 2009, Splashgain Technologies’ digital transformation products are delivering great value to its customers. They are India’s education technology platform company working on innovative platforms targeted for the education and corporate segment. They have been working with many reputed organizations for the last many years. They have been serving clients across 15+ countries around the world and expanding rapidly. They have been growing 300%+ YOY since 2019. They have more than 300 happy customers globally. They filed a path-breaking EdTech Patent in India and USA and are continuing the same path to file more patents. They have expertise in Remote Proctoring, AI Proctoring, Digital Assessments. Splashgain Technology Solutions aims to be a globally renowned provider of innovative IT products and solutions that effectively assist students and institutes thus adding value and simplifying education processes. They stand tall on 3 pillars –

• Customized: Offers sophisticated customization through API integration that can meet the requirements both in the academic and organization settings to create a smooth, frictionless adoption of largely manual processes. Users can adapt existing content into the platform and smoothly conduct hundreds of assessments simultaneously cutting downtime.
• Competencies: Splashgain has built a PaaS platform that goes a step beyond just assessment to include automation and digitization of processes across the learner journey
• Connect: This is a highly scalable platform that connects job seekers and recruiters, learners and academies quickly and efficiently. It is the platform of its kind to bridge the assessment gap in both education and workplaces realms equally effectively.