TradeIndia’s first COVID-19Essential Expo 2020 witness 18000 attendees on Day 1

TradeIndia’s first COVID-19Essential Expo 2020 witness 18000 attendees on Day 1

New Delhi, 7th August: In an attempt to resuscitate the ailing small and medium industries of the country that have suffered from the business-numbing impact of the pandemic, TradeIndia, India’s largest B2B marketplace offering global buyers and sellers a reliable platform to identify trustworthy business partners have initiated a first-of-its-kind virtual trade the exposition that aims to usher new business opportunities and collaborations between the various brands and entities of the country.

India’s leading online trade platform is leaving no stones unturned in helping the severely affected MSME sector reclaim lost footing and the state of the art virtual trade expo is verily a manifestation of this endearing endeavour. The exhibition will guide the industry towards transforming the unprecedented losses and chaos ensued by the pandemic into a favourable opportunity. By showcasing via the virtual medium, the various hidden growth prospects and lucrative openings that can be leveraged amidst the pandemic, TradeIndia is remarkably enough, covering the distance where none has ventured before.

The first day of the event itself proved instrumental in heralding a new ray of hope for the sector comprising of the various pandemic-affected SMEs and MSMEs. By extending unique solutions through combining technological promise and innovative brilliance, TradeIndia is seemingly aiding these small-ticket enterprises in maintaining business continuity in such chaotic times. The jubilant event witnessed a great number of business participants as it displayed the various essential products and the companies that manufacture them. By coupling the existing know-how with the progressive tech-advancement and digitization, the event underlined the need for companies to constantly renovate and upgrade their current offerings. Besides focusing and brainstorming on the various innovative guidelines that companies can instil in their product development, the expo also revealed the various alternate channels of revenue for companies that are suitable for tapping into the current market dynamics.

Sandip Chhettri, COO, TradeIndia said, “The trade expo hosted an expansive multitude of brands, their products through a virtual exhibition solution that allowed the exhibitors to demonstrate their products at a very low cost but with high scalability. The pioneering tradeshow also featured never-before-seen 3D stalls or immersive virtual spaces that enabled attendees to sift through the various product lineups, access business catalogues while interacting with exhibitors through chat or video conference”

The event organized by TradeIndia featured were surgical dressing and disposable, personal safety equipment, personal care products, common medicines and drugs, temperature instruments, medical, diagnostic & hospital supplies, home cleaning appliances, etc.

iFFALCON’s QLED and UHD Models Sold Out within Less than Half a Day of Launch

New Delhi, August 07, 2020: In another major development, TCL’s sub-brand iFFALCON reported that its latest QLED and UHD H71 and K71 models were sold out within less than half a day of their launch. The brand recorded maximum demand from South and East India. They have already prepared with fresh stock and embracing the demand of the market.

The high market demand and consumer traction reflect iFFALCON’s growing popularity and success among Indian consumers. This positive growth trajectory shows that the brand has seamlessly met consumer expectations by offering them best-in-class Smart TVs at affordable prices.

The models offer cutting-edge features such as hands-free voice control for seamless remote-less control, smart inter-connectivity to connect and operate other smart home devices with the TV itself, and Quantum Dot and 4K HDR for the optimized TV viewing experience, among others.

H71

Available in two variants, 55-inch and 66-inch at INR 49,999 and INR 69,999, respectively, the H71 sports a metallic body, bezel-less design, and comes packed with a Quantum Dot and Dolby Vision for unmatched picture quality.

K71

The K71, on the other hand, comes in 43-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch at INR 25,499, INR 35,999, and INR 53,499, respectively. It has 4K upscaling that enhances low-quality video in terms of details, clarity, quality, and frequency, no matter what the source is. It also offers dynamic colour enhancement that ensures the display effect close to a high gamut screen. Additionally, K71 comes with hands-free voice control.

News_StepOne launches National COVID Telemed Helpline

New Delhi, August 7, 2020: StepOne, a non-profit volunteer-driven collective of 7000 doctors, has announced a National COVID Telemed Helpline, offering inclusive and 24×7 access to Healthcare experts to citizens of India, free of cost.  The helpline, +91-9745697456, is now live for citizens across the country living in the shadow of the rising pandemic. The helpline will provide TeleMed services under COVID related, mental help and video consultation for non-COVID related cases.

Citizens can call the helpline number anytime from anywhere without any charge and will get a call back from a healthcare expert within minutes to understand the needs of the caller. Callers can share the basis of their symptoms which, if required, a doctor would call back and guide them on the next steps. StepOne has also come up with a web-based tele-screening bot that interacts with citizens who wish to share their symptoms and passes the information to a doctor based on the symptoms. It has also come up with a mental health helpline providing counselling to citizens for expressing their issues for appropriate resolutions.

Announcing the National COVID Telemed Helpline, Raghavendra Prasad T S, Founder, StepOne, said, “As India battles the spread of COVID-19, there are many questions and fears people across the country have. With a mission to help state governments identify, locate and treat COVID-19 suspects, StepOne aims at serving people with their COVID, non-COVID and Mental Health queries. Through a collective effort of 4000+ verified doctors, technologists, entrepreneurs & operators, we aspire to reach every nook and corner of the country and extend our support to the ones in need. Our volunteer doctors are working round the clock and have been able to identify over 40,000 high-risk COVID-19 suspects and also managed to prevent about 3.2 lakh people from getting infected and we wish to continue our efforts in this direction.”

Working very closely with StepOne, Dr. Shuchin Bajaj, said, “COVID-19 has been one of the biggest challenges humanity has faced in the recent times and it is heartening to see that volunteers have risen from the ranks of all industries including doctors and techies to help reach out to patients and provide them succour. The fact that 7000 plus doctor volunteers are working day and night without any money or recognition, just to provide help to patients, rekindles our faith in humanity. StepOne is committed to providing high-quality healthcare to all communities in the long run and we see ourselves as a charitable online hospital which will ensure healthcare access to all regardless of their financial or social status.”

For the next phase of expanding its services, StepOne plans to launch a mobile app for citizens of the country to share their symptoms with a doctor remotely for e-consultation and free of charge. It has introduced and launched “Isolation Monitoring” services across 4 states to monitor citizens who have been recommended quarantine and if they are following the given protocols.

Franklin Templeton: Letter to investors by Sanjay Sapre

Dear Investor,
I hope you continue to stay safe and healthy. I am writing to update you on the latest developments on the six fixed income schemes under winding-up.

Schemes continue to receive cash flows:

• From April 24 till July 31, 2020, the schemes have received INR 4,280 crore from maturities, pre-payments, and coupons.
• From July 1 till July 31, 2020, the schemes have received cash flows of Rs 1,005 crore from various issuers.
• As on July 31, 2020, while two schemes were already cash positive, the borrowing levels in the other schemes continue to come down steadily. Franklin India Low Duration Fund (FILDF) and Franklin India Credit Risk Fund (FICRF) now have an outstanding borrowing of only 1% and 4% of their AUM respectively.
• These cash flows have been received without the ability to efficiently monetize assets. The schemes will endeavour to accelerate monetization post the successful completion of the e-voting exercise and the Unitholder meet, which can only take place after the completion of the legal process.

As you can see from the above, we continue to make good progress in terms of receiving cash flows and bringing borrowing levels down in these schemes.

Many of you have asked why borrowings should be paid before paying investors. Regulation 41 of SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996 lays out the procedure and manner of winding up of a mutual fund scheme. The regulations require that the proceeds realized, shall be first utilized towards discharge of due liabilities (including borrowings) of the scheme. I would also like to clarify, that AUM of the scheme is shown net of borrowings by the scheme. Repaying the borrowings neither impacts the AUM nor the NAV of the schemes. NAV or AUM represents the net assets of the scheme after reducing liabilities and expenses. Therefore, repayment of borrowings does not impact AUM or the NAV.

Update on the Future Group:

On July 31, 2020 coupon/part maturity payments were due to be paid by 3 issuers belonging to the Future group, viz., Rivaaz Trade Ventures Pvt Ltd (RTVPL), Nufuture Digital (India) Ltd (NDIL), and Future Ideas Co Ltd (FICL) on various Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) issued by them. RTVPL met its payment obligations but FICL and NDIL were unable to meet their payment obligations. Due to default in payment, the securities of FICL and NDIL have been valued at zero, basis AMFI prescribed standard hair cut matrix and interest accrued and due has been fully provided. Securities of RTVPL will continue to be valued at 75%, basis recommended valuation. We wish to reiterate that these valuations only reflect the realizable value and do not indicate any reduction or write-off of the amount repayable by these companies. The impacted schemes include Franklin India Short Term Income Plan, Franklin India Dynamic Accrual Fund, Franklin India Income Opportunities Fund and Franklin India Credit Risk Fund.

It has been reported in certain sections of media that Reliance Industries Ltd. is in the final stages of negotiations to buy a controlling stake in Future Group’s retail business. It was also mentioned that both companies have supposedly agreed on certain terms and conditions and a deal could be announced shortly. Such a deal could potentially benefit all the above issuers held in the scheme portfolios.

Update on Reliance Broadcast:

Franklin India Short Term Income Plan and Franklin India Corporate Debt Fund are invested in ‘Reliance Broadcast 9.50% (Series C) 20-Jul-2020’ secured NCDs issued by Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) having a put option on Reliance Capital. On maturity, the issuer was unable to meet the maturity obligations (including interest). We are in the process of initiating appropriate enforcement action to recover dues from the issuer and other connected parties. The schemes will continuously monitor the developments in RBNL.

Update on cases filed against Franklin Templeton:

I understand that the delay due to various legal cases continues to add to your disappointment and inconvenience and I am truly sorry about this delay. The Hon’ble Karnataka High Court has scheduled the next hearing of cases on the winding up of debt schemes of Franklin Templeton on August 7, 2020.
The e-voting and the unitholders meet to continue to remain suspended till we get further directions from the Hon’ble Karnataka High Court and efficient monetization of assets of the schemes and distribution of investment proceeds to the unitholders will be possible only after successful e-voting.

Update on SEBI’s audit:

We continue to fully cooperate with and provide all assistance to the auditors. Some of you may have seen certain unsubstantiated rumours and insinuations around the audit completion and findings in the media. I would urge you not to be swayed by such reports which often lack a basis in fact.

As I end this message, I want to re-affirm our commitment to India and our investors. The decision on winding up of the six schemes was taken with the sole objective of safeguarding the interest of our investors. Our focus is to return the maximum possible value to all investors in the shortest possible time in these unprecedented times, and we continue to make progress in this regard.

We will continue to share progress and updates on matters that are important to you. Thank you once again for your continued patience and co-operation.

In case of any further queries, please feel free to call our dedicated helpline at 1-800-258-4255 or 1-800-425-4255 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Alternatively, you can also e-mail us at service@franklintempleton.com.

Yours sincerely,
Sanjay Sapre
President, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.

Thai Vietjet commences its 10th domestic service in Thailand, linking Bangkok and Nakhon Si Thammarat

(New Delhi, August 7, 2020) – Thai Vietjet has inaugurated its maiden flight VZ330 from the capital city of Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) to Nakhon Si Thammarat, an administrative centre of southern Thailand and one of the most ancient cities of the country. The debut flight took off with guests of honour onboard – Mr Siripat Phatthakun, Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat and safely landed with lively greetings by water salute and flowers to passengers from Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport and Tourism Authority of Thailand Nakhon Si Thammarat Office.

Celebrating the inaugural flight, Thai Vietjet delivered an enjoyable experience surprised with an in-flight entertainment performed by Thai singer “GunGun”, along with corporate souvenirs gifted to all passengers.

Thai Vietjet’s latest service operates from August 6 with one return flight daily and increases to four flights daily within October, with a flight duration of around 1 hour 15 minutes. Having received excellent response from the market for this new route to Nakhon Si Thammarat, the airline has also completed its operational readiness for up to five flights daily by end of the year.

The new route’s tickets are available for booking on website www.vietjetair.com and “Vietjet Air” mobile app, starting from INR 480 (excluding tax and fees) for a one-way fare.

Online check-in service for domestic passengers travelling out of Suvarnabhumi airport is now available for more convenience. All Vietjet flights are in alignment with all global standards and guidelines from the local authorities, including aircraft disinfection.

Flight No.Departure from BangkokArrival at Nakhon Si ThammaratFlight No.Departure from Nakhon Si ThammaratArrival at Bangkok
(GMT +7)(GMT +7)
VZ336*05.5007.05VZ337*07.3509.05
VZ33011.0512.20VZ33112.5014.20
VZ338*13.1514.30VZ339*15.0016.30
VZ334 *18.4520.00VZ335*20.3022.00

(*) VZ334, VZ335 starting from 1 September, 2020 and VZ336, VZ337, VZ338, VZ339 starting from 1 October, 2020

Indian Companies from different sectors helping Startups to grow in this pandemic

At this time when the entire world is slumped by a COVID-19 pandemic, safety measures are taken worldwide and social distancing are hampering businesses. Startups have experienced huge impacts no matter how established they are. This is prompting them to re-look at their business strategies and different ways to maintain the steady growth of their Business.

While everyone is talking about the economic slowdown and financial setbacks, there are startups who have seen a surge in numbers with the by changing their business and marketing strategies and with the help of associating with different brands.

AdTech Marketing strategy – Promodome

Promodome is a full-service Advertising Agency based in Delhi. driven by two principal strengths: Creative and Media. Promodome helped startups to change their marketing strategy and grow their business even at the times of COVID-19. Promodome Communications is driven by a team of highly dedicated professionals with years of experience behind them in growing and nurturing brands.

Contactless Payment – DOTpe

A technology startup, DotPe provides neo digital transformation and commerce solutions to restaurants and F&B brands. By offering its QR code & WhatsApp based SCAN-ORDER-PAY solution, direct communication & digital ordering management technology to them, it can assist food courts to ensure streamlined business operations while following the social distancing norms and make customers feel safe through minimal human touch while ordering and settling the bill. Dotpe enables offline merchants/retailers to digitise their store in a matter of a few minutes and start accepting contactless orders.

C2B Data Marketplace – Aiisma

Aiisma, India’s first C2B data marketplace, rewards the users for exchanging anonymous data. In sync with the government’s mission of #AatmaNirbharBharat, AIISMA as a startup, is enabling 50 start-ups & SMEs to revive and stay relevant. C2B data marketplace is working towards reviving the local start-ups and SMEs hit by Covid-19. It is offering tech support, access to AiiAds&Aiisma Marketplace.

Conversational AI – Chatbot – Ori

Ori is a start-up that makes multilingual conversational chatbots. Covid19 has completely changed the working model of the businesses, now people can only connect virtually for sales and customer support which is the key for growth in business as it develops user’s trust toward the brand. Ori’s platform uses real-time insights and cues to help users improve their experience across calls, Emails, Conversations Over Chat. Several MSMEs were badly affected and in need of a quick, cheap solution. ORI created a simple solution, on Whatsapp, without any upfront charges to increase adoption and let MSMEs leverage the power of automation

Ways To Increase Breast Milk Supply By Dr Suresh Birajdar, Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist, Motherhood Hospital, Kharghar

During those early days of breastfeeding your baby, you may be stressed and face challenges if you are not producing adequate breast milk. Every cry, hiccup or burp coming for your newborn may hint that he/she isn’t getting sufficient milk. This can surely make you anxious and rob your peace of mind. Set your worries free as we are going to give some tips regarding how to boost the milk supply and make sure that your baby is breastfed properly.

Breastfeeding is beneficial for both, the baby and mother. For some women, breastfeeding is an intimate time with a baby. But, do you know that the benefits of breastfeeding tend to go beyond forming an emotional connection. Yes, you have heard it right! Breastfeeding is crucial as it helps your child build the immune system and prevents him/her from allergies, infections at bay. But, what if your child is not getting enough breast milk? Moreover, if you are a new mom, you will be tensed when it comes to making enough breast milk for your baby even after those first few weeks of breastfeeding. And this is a common fear that may be encountered by many new moms. If your breast milk supply is low then follow these vital tricks to boost it.

This is how you can increase the breast milk supply

Stick to a well-balanced diet: If you are a breastfeeding mom then you will need more healthy calories. Opt for foods that energize you. Including flaxseed, yogurt, eggs, fresh fruits, and vegetables in your diet can do the trick. Along with proteins also see to it that you go for enough vitamins. Calcium, vitamin D, iron, folic Acid as important vitamins and minerals for breastfeeding moms. Healthy fats (unsaturated fats) can be helpful in the development and growth of your baby. Include olive and peanut oil, avocados, and salmon in your diet. Also, avoid smoking and alcohol.

Opt for a breast pump: This can be helpful in boosting your milk supply quickly. You will have to pump for about 2-3 days in a row after every breastfeeding session. Doing so will allow you to fully empty your breasts and may give a sign to your body to produce more milk. Hence, consult your doctor about using a breast pump and start accordingly.

See to it that you get enough rest: Are you aware? Getting enough sleep can help you boost your milk production. You will feel fatigued after breastfeeding your baby. But getting enough rest can be helpful for your body to work at its best and enhance breast milk production.

Drink enough water: Hydration is the key. Around 8 glasses of water per day can be beneficial for the mothers in improving the breast milk supply.

Try to breastfeed longer: Breastfeed your baby on each side. If your baby falls asleep while nursing then wake him/her gently. The stimulation will be more if your baby spends more time at the breast.
Breast massage or compression while nursing your little one can also be beneficial. These techniques can help push more milk out. So, speak to your paediatrician or lactation consultant regarding the correct technique that you need to follow.

Breast massage or compression while nursing your little one can also be beneficial. These techniques can help push more milk out. So, speak to your paediatrician or lactation consultant regarding the correct technique that you need to follow.

Quote from Pritam Bisht, Director – Strategy & Business Development

“Very proactive on the part of the government, the much-needed lubricant is here.
What has hurt humanity and the world economy in recent times is not just the virus, but really the unpredictability it brought along and the resultant uncertainty that shrouds our future. Speaking of uncertainty, the entire RE sector was reeling under wide-spread and protracted liquidity crunch, which over the last 3 years cast a shadow upon under-construction projects.

Only such definitive moves from the government will bring back the missing mojo into our economy. Not just liquidity, this also brings back hope to all market participants. And we will soon see this trickling into greater consumer confidence and hopefully uptick in purchases in the near future.

While we await the specific guidelines for Real Estate, I will not comment upon the sufficiency of 5,000 cr., as it still is a great supply-side measure at absolutely the right time and we sense the direction in which the government is thinking as well as acting. Kudos!”

NEW ONE-STOP RESOURCE CENTER GIVES DEVELOPERS A ROBUST ARRAY OF TOOLS TO EASILY MANAGE, MONITOR AND INTEGRATE LIMELIGHT SERVICES

As demand for streaming video grows, the pressure is on content providers to deliver, protect, innovate and improve efficiency. To support developers in accomplishing these goals, Limelight Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: LLNW), a leading provider of edge cloud services, today introduced Developer Central. This one-stop resource centre puts Limelight’s innovation in developers’ hands offering unique and evolving content, training, and a library of tools to manage customers’ service environments today and into the future.

“Limelight is relentlessly focused on customer delivery toward our strategic areas in 2020 including expanding capacity, expanding on proactive management of the network, placing more control in the hands of our customers and driving innovation. Today, we’re pleased to announce Limelight Developer Central, a robust resource and a big advancement toward giving customers more control and driving innovation. It addresses the need for rapid prototyping, testing, and deployment in today’s changing business environment. Our customers now have the tools to manage and monitor Limelight services while also improving quality and reducing development time,” said Nigel Burmeister, VP of Product at Limelight.

A few of the many features and functions developers can use Limelight Developer Central to support their applications and workflows include:

· OpenAPI Documentation: Provides consistency and access to endpoint links and syntax example. Automatically generated so developers always have the most current documentation.

· API Explorer: Enhanced interactive tool for developers that provides tutorials, sample code and the ability to try Limelight APIs in a realtime test environment before going into production.

· Software Development Kits (SDKs): Provide pre-packaged code with multiple operations to monitor, configure and manage Limelight services, including necessary authentication steps, that developers can copy and paste.

· Q&A Community Forum: The community’s open forum encourages developers to share ideas, technology and passion with peers and get expert answers to questions.

“With the range of new tools and resources in Limelight Developer Central, it’s easier than ever to configure, manage and monitor your streaming video and other Content Delivery Network workflows. Limelight also offers a range of edge compute options, both CDN-integrated and general-purpose, letting you run your own code in locations around the world. It’s all part of our expanded commitment to developer empowerment,” said Eveline Carr, Developer Community Manager at Limelight.

Developer Central is Limelight’s latest example of driving and developing innovation that delivers the highest performing content delivery and edge services solutions for customers worldwide. To learn more, visit https://www.limelight.com/developers/

Shapoorji Pallonji Group commemorates 60 glorious years of Mughal-e-Azam

Chennai, India, August 7, 2020: Mughal-e-Azam, an iconic Indian period film, commemorates 60 momentous years since its release on the 5th August 1960. The multiple award-winning historical saga, celebrated for one of the finest performances in Indian cinema, was directed by talented filmmaker K. Asif and produced by Shapoorji Pallonji Group.

The project faced multiple hurdles during its making, forcing its temporary abandonment. The political tensions and communal rioting surrounding India’s partition in 1947 stalled the film’s first version. Shiraz Ali, the producer, migrated to Pakistan. In the 1950s, Mr Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry salvaged the film and came on board to produce the film, despite no knowledge about film production. Mr. Shapoorji Pallonji had an inclination towards history and hence wanted to create a landmark historical film. The film cost Rs. 1.5 crores in 1960, ten times the cost of an average film in those days. The shoot commenced in the early 50s with the production canvas involving war scenes with 2,000 camels, 4,000 horses and 8,000 Indian military men.

Mughal-e-Azam was the first black-and-white Hindi film to be digitally coloured and the first to be given a theatrical re-release. Shapoorji Pallonji’s grandson, Mr. Shapoor Pallonji Mistry, the present Chairman of the group, undertook the restoration and colourization of Mughal-e-Azam, originally only 15% shot in colour. Original music composer Naushad Ali recreated the six-track surround sound version for the colour release. In 2004, the colour version of the film was re-released and it was also a complete commercial success.

On this occasion, Mr. Deepesh Salgia, creative visionary of Mughal-e-Azam who also holds a position as the CEO and Director at Grandview Estates Pvt. Ltd. (A part of Shapoorji Pallonji Group) states, “We are proud to continue the legacy of the group by commemorating the movie’s 60 years. Mughal-E-Azam is India’s finest artwork and has created new benchmarks in cinema as well as in theatre production. The Shapoorji Pallonji Group takes this opportunity to thank Director K. Asif, and legendary actors Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and the Creative & Technical teams of the original version, the colour version and the musical play. Their immense contribution makes this work of art relevant even today, after 60 years of its release. The Shapoorji Pallonji Group is proud of the love and appreciation the movie has received.”

In 2016, Shapoorji Pallonji Group produced the theatrical version of the film, Mughal-e-Azam; the Play directed by Feroz Abbas Khan. The musical play has also run to packed houses across Asia. Till date, the musical play has had 180 performances across eight Asian cities. It has won seven Broadway India world awards.

The Mughal-e-Azam film was itself a remake of the theatrical play ‘Anarkali’, written by Imtiaz Ali Taj. The popular epic love saga is remembered for its tragic love story between the Mughal prince Salim and court dancer Anarkali.