December, 2021 - Business News Week

news

Hipi signs India’s Shakira Rupali Jagga to host its nationwide virtual talent hunt Hipi G.O.A.T.

Dec 1, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

India, December 1st, 2021: Hipi, India’s leading short video platform, has signed Rupali Jagga to host the country’s first mobile short-form video talent hunt Hipi G.O.A.T. Rupali Jagga is an absolute delight on the stage and has starred in multiple national and international singing reality shows. She got crowned as ‘India ki Shakira’ as a participant of Zee SaReGaMaPa. Not just that, she has been an integral part of the winning team for Indian Pro Music League. Her young and prolific singing career has attracted numerous accolades, which would inspire contestants to scale up their limits. With her magical voice Rupali has converged an overwhelming 1.3Mn followers on her Instagram handle.

Hipi G.O.A.T. is a 8-week digital hunt will give the participants a unique opportunity to fulfill their dreams. Every week the best performer will sing a duet with Rupali Jagga and also get a one-on-one mentoring session with her.

Commenting on the announcement, Charmie Kanabar – Marketing Director, Hipi, said, “Hipi G.O.A.T is one of our ways to stage a uniform ground for budding talented singers by leveraging modern consumer technology. We needed a young and enthusiastic anchor for our 8-week contest. Rupali Jagga’s impeccable singing record and her cheerful personality is a great combination and hence a perfect fit for this virtual singing talent hunt”.

Being enthusiastic about this association, Rupali Jagga mentioned, “Music has always connected people through centuries.I am delighted to be the host and a mentor of this digital-first event and look forward to to bringing out the fresh singing talent in the country via Hipi G.O.AT.

The first round of the contest – ‘Best foot forward’ began on 29th November and has received tremendous response. Hipi G.O.A.T. will continue to push the boundaries of singers in the upcoming weeks in three unique and exciting rounds- best foot forward, what’s your theme, and the final cut. The weekly winners will get a mentoring session and perform a duet with one and only Rupali Jagga. Also weekly cash rewards will be declared for the top performer.

To know more visit: www.Hipi.co.in/goat

business

World’s youngest woman commander, Captain Anny Divya to now represent Faith by AS Motiwala

Dec 1, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

An icon to the youth and a covid warrior with many Vande Bharat Mission flights to her credit, Captain Anny Divya and Faith find common ground in diamond bijoux

In a world of Zoom and Google Meets, the young consumer wants to invest in fine jewellery that can be worn as everyday essentials. They’re not interested in buying expensive fine baubles only to lock them away in a safe. So when we think of dainty trinkets in diamonds and other gemstones, there’s only one brand that stands the test of loyalty and a century-old trusted legacy – Faith by AS Motiwala.

Representing the prestigious family legacy of AS Motiwala is Faith that stems from the inspiration that young women are to the founder, Mr. Ashraf Motiwala. As he calls them ‘Women of Faith’, women who dare you to dream and achieve the impossible, Faith picks Captain Anny Divya as its brand ambassador, the world’s youngest woman commander.

As the youngest jet flier across categories, Captain Anny Divya is one of the six daredevil women of the world to be featured by Bloomberg. Symbolic of her audacious life choices and charming personality is the brand Faith by AS Motiwala. “Faith is the very reason for my success. It’s what kept me going from strength to strength until I achieved my dreams”. With the mission to re-imagine the design process according to the needs of the modern woman, Faith prides in everyday trinkets, gifting, wedding trousseau finds and much more.

About Faith by ASM: Founded by Ashraf Motiwala, is a contemporary brand that reassesses itself to fit the tastes of the millennials, it focuses on ethical sourcing of all their natural diamonds and provides hallmarked gold while being IGI certified. Faith transposes precious metals and diamonds to a selection of contemporary bijoux that can take you from dusk to dawn, boardroom to brunch, all while offering a residual value to your purchase.

news

Bhajan Samraat Shri Anup Jalota is performing with Pt Aditya Narayan Banerjee on Tabla at the Satyajit Ray Auditorium

Dec 1, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Bhajan Samraat Shri Anup Jalota is performing with Pt Aditya Narayan Banerjee on Tabla at the Satyajit Ray Auditorium, ICCR, Ho Chi Minh Sarani, Kolkata on December 2, 2021, between 5 pm and 9 pm, maintaining all Covid protocols

CalCallingTV is organizing a musical evening: “Ek Safar Sangeet Ki / Ek Sahar Samajhdaro Ki” with Bhajan (and Ghazal) Samrat Anup Jalota ji. He will be accompanied by a talented group of musicians named “MUSIX” led by Pt Aditya Narayan Banerjee, the only Indian percussionist to have played at the White House and who used to play tabla with the legendary late Pandit Jasraj Ji along with music composer Koustav Rana Sarkar on keyboard, Sandip Banerjee on Sitar, Gourab Datta on flute, Gautam Chatteeje on Guitar & Ashok Ghosh on side rhythm and percussion.

GIMA winner Prodyut Mukherjee, another famed musician known for his body drumming and mouth percussion, will also enthrall the audience with a scintillating performance by his group- RhythmExpress.

The programme will be held at the Satyajit Ray Auditorium, ICCR, Ho Chi Minh Sarani, Kolkata on December 2, 2021 between 5 pm and 9 pm, maintaining all Covid protocols.

Ruchir Arora, Founder & CEO, CollegeDekho

business

CollegeDekho closes Series B funding round with US$ 35 million

Dec 1, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Gurugram, Dec 01, 2021: CollegeDekho, India’s largest college admissions and higher education services platform, closes its Series B funding with Disrupt ADQ and QIC coming on board recently. The USD 35 million (~INR 260 crore) round has been led by Winter Capital, ETS Strategic Capital – the private equity investments arm of ETS (creator of the TOEFL® tests and GRE® General Test), Calega and existing investor Man Capital.

CollegeDekho is planning to use the funds to further improve its offerings for students and colleges both within India and Abroad. The company will increase its investment in products and technology while growing new verticals like Ed-Fin-Tech, student accommodation and coaching for higher Education. It is also considering expanding its study abroad services in global markets. The company will also use the funds raised for acquisitions and consolidation that make strategic sense.

Founded in 2015, CollegeDekho is on a mission to institutionalize students’ counselling in India. It connects prospective students with colleges using its proprietary technology and AI-based conversation bot. Its Common Application Form platform, which enables students to apply to multiple colleges with a single click, is largest of its kind in India. For Study Abroad students, CollegeDekho offers a full range of services from Profile Building, Test Preparation, to Application Assistance, University Selection and Visa Assistance.

CollegeDekho has recently launched innovative 0% EMI based education financing and insurance products to enable more and more students to get access to an education of their choice. The platform helps colleges by making their admissions more efficient and predictable. The company plans to build services to help students with higher education coaching as well as student accommodation services.

In his comments about closing of Series B funding, Mr. Ruchir Arora, Founder & CEO, CollegeDekho, said, “We believe that our sound business model, innovative products, our commitment to excellence in service delivery, and growing Student base continue to help us win the trust of investors who have global exposure and experience in higher Ed tech. Their participation in our growth story is a testimony that we are delivering on our mission of transforming the higher education journey of students. Following the fruitful completion of Series B funding, we will be expanding our team, and platforms to serve a larger number of students and colleges. We will also increase our investment in products and technologies, while fueling our growth in our new verticals such as education loans, student accommodation and coaching for higher ed. Even as we double down on our efforts to increase our reach in the Indian market, we will also consider expanding our presence abroad.”

In their comments the existing investors placed on record their hopes of the promising growth prospects of CollegeDekho. Mr. Anton Farlenkov, Managing Director at Winter Capital Advisors, said: “We are happy to welcome ADQ and QIC along with ETS Strategic Capital as our co-investor in CollegeDekho. We are convinced that partners as solid as these joining the pool of investors further strengthens the prospects of success for CollegeDekho and proves the value of investment in EdTech, which is poised to reach US$10 billion in size in the next 5-10 years, from about US$ 2.5 billion today. We see our investment in CollegeDekho as promising and well aligned with our strategy to expand our investment portfolio via dynamic, high-quality assets.”

“We continue to identify and invest in companies both domestically and internationally whose missions and long-term vision align with that of ETS,” said Ralph Taylor-Smith, Managing Director of ETS Strategic Capital.

“We are pleased to see continued investment in College Dekho that furthers our shared goals of advancing access and equity in education for all learners around the globe” concluded Ralph.

Mr. Mohamed Mansour, Chairman of Man Capital, commented: “We are glad to have partnered with CollegeDekho’s founders since day one and delighted to have been joined by Winter Capital and ETS Strategic Capital along with ADQ and QIC as co-investors. We continue to believe and support the company’s vision. CollegeDekho is at the forefront of a rapidly expanding and growing Ed-Tech market in India. In addition to the exponential growth in college admission and wider India Ed-Tech market, we are also seeing a rise in integrated solutions for college students across the globe. We believe that CollegeDekho is very well positioned to expand its services and reach to become a leading global player over the coming years.”

The higher education market accounts for over 50% of the Indian education market. At US$ 135 billion in FY20 its larger than the K-12 market in value terms. With India’s higher education Gross Enrollment Ratio targeted to grow to 50% in the next ten years along with the initiatives led by NEP, the higher education market is expected to grow at a fast pace over the coming years.

business

A Touch of STRIPES UNDER YOUR FEET BY NOTION

Dec 1, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

When it comes to adding warmth and elegance to a room, nothing beats the beauty of a genuine wood floor. Wood Floors are tough and strong which brings elegance to your home decor forever. If you’re thinking about installing a wood flooring in your home, then don’t give it a second thought as wood flooring not only wins the credits of beauty but it is very durable and lasts for decades.

With advancement in time and technology, so many designs and patterns come in the wooden flooring, and NOTION is the pioneer company in India known for their exotic range, patterns and textures in the wooden floor industry. “NOTION”-a company engaged in luxury wooden flooring, cladding and decking products have introduced ‘Stripes Flooring Collection’ recently.

According to Mr. Akash Saini-MD-NOTION, “Our strip wood flooring collection is designed to meet the most individual requirements. Therefore, if you’d like to upgrade the look and ambiance of your dream place this season in a stylish and convenient way for many more years then do check the collection. The collection will certainly stand on your expectations within your budget. The aim of such unique flooring collections is for giving you the warmth of wood for decades to come and improve the aesthetic and appeal of your house”, he further added.

The floor consists of three-layer to avoid expansion and contraction. It has warmth, luxury and the feel of natural wood. It gives a royal, ambiance and feel of luxury and it is just not limited to individual rooms or gardens, it looks great in corporate houses, hotels, decks, clubs or anywhere one can imagine it to be. The best part of it is that it comes in multiple varieties that are resistant to moisture and climatic changes, it’s a premium class product and strong enough. It’s easy to install so you can do it by yourself.

The Stripes collection by NOTION looks really classy and no matter what kind of interiors you own, it will go well with your furniture and walls. So, if you are looking for a kind of flooring which is unique, elegant and strong, the latest collection by NOTION is the one you should rely on.

Price tag:On request

Available at all NOTION Galleries

Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Jabalpur, Dimapur, Surat, Kota, Kohima, Warrangal and more

Customer Care: +91-8010-450-450

Web: www.notion.net.in

technology

Tenable Shifts Left: Enhances Open Source Capabilities and Expands Cloud Native Support

Dec 1, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Mumbai, India (December 1, 2021) — Tenable®, the Cyber Exposure company, today announced new features for Terrascan, the leading open source cloud native security analyser that helps developers secure Infrastructure as Code (IaC). The new capabilities enable organisations to embed security into their DevOps tooling, pipelines and supply chains, mitigating risks before infrastructure is provisioned.

“It’s now more critical than ever for developers to have tools that can detect compliance and security violations across their entire cloud systems, including IaC,” said Nico Popp chief product officer, Tenable. “Just as IaC opens the door to programmatically embed policy checks earlier in the development lifecycle, Terrascan detects compliance and security violations across IaC to mitigate risk before provisioning. We are committed to ensuring Terrascan remains open and available to all development teams and are excited to contribute to its growth.”

Among other advances, Terrascan now features:

The ability to identify security risks in more IaC and container definition formats
Integration with all major container registries, including to identify vulnerabilities in container images referenced by IaC
More flexible developer workflows, including the programmatic enforcement of security policies before changes are committed into the code repository and before they are applied to the runtime environment
Improved ability to filter and prioritise findings according to user needs
Deeper integration with external dashboards and reporting frameworks
A new graphical user interface to simplify creation and testing of new policies

Terrascan delivers a scalable way to ensure that cloud infrastructure configuration adheres to evolving security best practices. It helps identify issues such as missing or misconfigured encryption on resources and communication, and inadvertent exposure of cloud services. Terrascan fundamentally enhances the value of IaC used by organisations to define and manage cloud infrastructure, and improves security by enabling teams to eliminate risk before infrastructure is deployed.

For more information about Terrascan, https://runterrascan.io/docs/getting-started/ or learn more in https://github.com/accurics/terrascan.

In addition to Terrascan, Tenable offers Accurics by Tenable, so enterprise customers can protect the full cloud-native stack throughout the DevOps lifecycle, from the time it is defined in code through production usage.

About Tenable

Tenable® is the Cyber Exposure company. Over 30,000 organizations around the globe rely on Tenable to understand and reduce cyber risk. As the creator of Nessus®, Tenable extended its expertise in vulnerabilities to deliver the world’s first platform to see and secure any digital asset on any computing platform. Tenable customers include more than 50 percent of the Fortune 500, more than 30 percent of the Global 2000, and large government agencies. Learn more at www.tenable.com.

Education

FLAME University, the first University in India to launch the Taiwan Studies Project

Dec 1, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

~Signs MOU with the Education Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre (TECC)~

Pune, December 1, 2021: FLAME University, along with the Gateway House, the Center for South and Southeast Asia Studies (CSSAS) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India (TECC) hosted the ‘India-Taiwan: Partners for the Future’ roundtable. The event also witnessed the launch of the Taiwan Studies Project by FLAME University in the presence of H.E. Amb. Baushuan Ger, the Representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC).

During the roundtable, an MoU was signed by Peters Chen, Director of Education Division, TECC, and Prof. Roger Liu of the FLAME University, in the presence of Dr. Dishan Kamdar, Vice-Chancellor, FLAME University, and Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre Representative Ambassador Baushaun Ger, Deputy Representative Dr. Mumin Chen, Secretary Ms. Jen-Chun Tsai, Science Division Director Dr. Chin-Tsan Wang, Assistant Director Ms. Ellie Chiang, Ms. Manjeet Kripalani, Founding Executive Director, Gateway House, along with scholars and practitioners from India and abroad.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Education initiated the Taiwan Study Project in 2003 to work with top universities in the world including Cambridge University, University of California – Berkeley, Boston University, Japan’s Waseda University, as well as other prestigious higher education institutions in the world. The project aims at expanding the knowledge of international scholars about Taiwan.

Dr. Dishan Kamdar, Vice-Chancellor of FLAME University welcomed the participants and panellists at the roundtable and stated, “I am delighted to announce that FLAME University is the only university in India hosting the Taiwanese Studies project along with other prestigious global educational institutions. The process of getting to know about a different country, their values, their systems, etc. can be a good learning experience and I am sure that it would be beneficial for both scholars and students.”

H.E. Amb. Baushuan Ger, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center praised FLAME University for providing liberal education and also congratulated the University for this initiative and hoped that more academic links between the two democracies would happen. He also spoke about the possible actions that can be taken in the future to strengthen bilateral ties.

The research focus of the Taiwan Studies Project at FLAME, according to Dr. Roger Liu, the Principal Investigator of the Project, is to conduct a comparative study on democratic governance and its practice in India and Taiwan, both of which are democracies but with different political, economic, historical and geographical backgrounds. By comparing the democratic governance practices in areas such as environmental governance, public health, women’s rights, and foreign policy practice, the Project aims to create dialogues and conversations among the Indian, Taiwanese and international academic communities to produce high-quality research in comparative perspectives.

During the roundtable organized by Dr. Roger Liu, Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, FLAME University and chaired by Ms. Manjeet Kripalani, Executive Director, Gateway House, scholars and experts discussed political, educational and technological development and its lessons for India-Taiwan relations.

business

Indian Cricket Star’s Funded Startups

Dec 1, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Once a cricketer nears retirement, speculations begin about his future; some choose to do what they do best – cricket as coaches, managers, mentors, selectors, etc., and others take the unconventional route. One such unconventional route that many cricketers of late have taken is investing in budding startups. Some people may feel that cricketers trying to invest in startups seems a bit out of their league, but you would be surprised to know that modern cricketers and the startup ecosystem have an inherent connection, as evident by the sponsors and brand associations in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Furthermore, Indian cricket team players have been the face of numerous brands over the years.

The Indian startup ecosystem is just another pitch for Indians to showcase their talent. Below we list cricketers turned businessmen who, with their sheer dedication, passion, and talent, have achieved the best in both fields:

Virat Kohli’s Universal Sportsbiz

Sportsbiz is a prominent Fashion startup that recently received funding of Rs. 19.3 crores by Cornerstone Sports LLP, representing Virat Kohli.

In fact, Virat Kohli and Cornerstone Sports firm hold a total of 4282 shares of the company. And the cost of each share is around Rs. 47,571 along with Rs 10 of nominal value.

Founded in 2012 by Anjana Reddy, Universal Sportbiz has forged multiple partnerships with famous sports and movie personalities to co-create apparel brands, which are sold to customers via online and offline channels. It has previously collaborated with Kohli for his fashion brand Wrogn.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Khatabook

Popularly known as ‘Captain Cool’, former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has donned the hat of an investor by infusing capital in multiple startups. Dhoni invested an undisclosed amount in the Bengaluru-based business ledger app Khatabook. Besides investing in that startup, he has also become its brand ambassador.

Khatabook was launched in 2018, and the company has raised $87 Mn from investors such as Sequoia Capital’s Surge, partners of DST Global, Falcon Edge Capital, Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin’s B Capital Group, Tencent Holdings, Better Capital as well as angel investors such as Cred founder Kunal Shah, Snapdeal co-founder Rohit Bansal.

Yuvraj Singh’s Healthians

After successfully combating a cancerous tumour in his left lung, Yuvraj Singh started his foundation, YouWeCan. YouWeCan Ventures, one of the entities of the YouWeCan Foundation, supports entrepreneurs. Started in 2013, YouWeCan Ventures invested aggressively in 10-11 startups. One of the most promising among these investments was Healthians, founded in 2015 by Deepak Sahni, a serial entrepreneur with a passion for new-age diagnostics.

Healthians is a technology-driven D2C healthcare service that offers pathology testing and follows it up with advice and consultation for screening, monitoring and checkup. At present, Healthians is amongst India’s leading ‘health test at home’ service providers. The company currently owns and operates through a network of over 30 government-certified labs and is expanding swiftly. Healthians has also been recognised for its constant efforts and endeavours in the healthcare space.

Gautam Gambhir’s FYI Health

Cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir also stepped into the field of investments. Gambhir has invested an undisclosed amount in a health tech startup, FYI Health, a company dedicated to developing solutions for offices as they reopen post the pandemic.

FYI Health works on educating employees at workplaces primarily focuses on conducting daily health checkups in offices.

Sourav Ganguly

Former India captain and Board for Control of Cricket In India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly invested an undisclosed amount in an Edtech startup, ClassPlus. He has also been appointed as its brand ambassador.

ClassPlus was founded in 2018 by Mukul Rustagi and Bhaswat Agarwal. The Delhi NCR-based startup provides mobile-first software for coaching institutes, tuition centres, and private tutors to set up online classes.

health

Laparoscopic liver transplantation saves two Amritsar patients with liver cirrhosis

Dec 1, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Two Amritsar Women becomes life saviours, donate liver to save family members

Amritsar, 1st December, 2021: Making use of the advancements in the field of liver transplant surgeries, doctors at Fortis Hospital Gurugram successfully saved lives of two men from Amritsar, who were severely suffering from liver cirrhosis.

Women from their family stepped forward to save lives of their loved ones and donated a part of the liver. Both of them successfully underwent laparoscopic liver transplant surgery, which was performed in a minimally invasive manner, thus making a swift recovery with minimal risk of infection.

Mr Harsharan Singh (47-Year-old) was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis due to alcohol and had been suffering for over 10 years. Mr Gurpreet Singh (51-year-old) was diagnosed with Non – Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) related Liver Cirrhosis, 5 years back. They were initially taking medicines in consultation with the local doctors, however, their illness continued to progress requiring hospitalization multiple times in Amritsar with complaints of jaundice, fluid in stomach, pain in chest & stomach and mental confusion. Accordingly, both patients consulted the doctors from Fortis Hospital, Gurugram who makes their monthly OPD visits to Sarvhit Gastrocity and were advised to undergo liver transplant.

Dr. Vivek Vij, Chairman, LTP & HBP Surgery, Fortis Hospitals, Delhi-NCR said, “These patients were brought to us at a stage of Cirrhosis, a late stage of scarring (fibrosis), in which normal liver functioning is severely affected and undergoing liver transplant is the only option. At this stage it is imperative that the patients should be referred to the liver transplant team on time. “

Liver is a very unique which has the capacity to grow back to the near normal size and functioning in a period of few months to a year. Any healthy family member who is of age 18-50 years with no major medical problems can be assessed for being a liver donor. Over the years, the donor surgery procedure has evolved and become very safe.

Dr Vij further added, “The main problem we face with such patients is delay in referral to liver transplant centre and finding a suitable liver donor. The laparoscopic liver donor surgery which is the latest innovation in this field, is very advantageous over conventional open donor surgery due to less pain, faster recovery, and better aesthetic outcomes.

After being diagnosed with liver disease 10 years back, I did not follow the treatment regime and discontinued medications. I was told to completely cut down on alcohol strictly, which I dint adhere to. During the COVID- 19 lockdown my alcohol consumption increased further which impacted my liver even more and in December 2020 my pain aggravated and I had to get admitted due to continued jaundice. Whenever I used to drink, I had chest and stomach pain along with vomiting. While admitted in hospital for two month I started to lose my consciousness, my oxygen level dropped and I was shifted to ICU with oxygen support. Dr Vivek and his team during his OPD visit at Sarvhit Gastrocity advised me to undergo liver transplantation. Now I do not have any pain, don’t have nausea and have resumed my work like normal.” Said Mr. Harsharan Singh, the patient.

I am thankful to my sister who volunteered to donate a part of her liver and the treating doctors. I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease in 2016, and my condition has been deteriorating ever since, with complaints of heaviness in chest and nausea. After confirmation of liver cirrhosis through an ultrasound, I was managed through medications along with necessary precautions. After a year I started to bleed from the mouth even though endoscopy reports were clear. Due to severe hypotension (due to loss of blood) I was hospitalized and continued on medication until I witnessed breathing difficulties and continuous swelling in stomach and feet, due to fluid accumulation. While the only option to save my life was a liver transplantation.” Said Mr Gurpreet Singh, the patient.

Dr Gurbilas Singh, Director, Gastroentrology, Hepatology & Interventional Endoscopy, Sarvhit Gastrocity, Amritsar said, “Sarvhit Gastrocity is a centre for all gastroenterology and liver diseases serving the patients in this region for over the last 3 years. We have been treating patients with liver diseases and guiding them for tertiary care procedures like liver transplant surgeries which are not done as a routine in Punjab. Contrary to the popular misunderstanding, the doctors here strongly believe that quality of life as well it’s meaningful prolongation is possible after such procedures in carefully selected patients. Team of doctors from Fortis Gurugram coming to Sarvhit makes it easier for timely intervention in serious cases.”

Archive: December 1, 2021

Virat Kohli’s Universal Sportsbiz

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Khatabook

Yuvraj Singh’s Healthians

Gautam Gambhir’s FYI Health

Sourav Ganguly