Archive: November 28, 2024

Amul Clean Fuel Rally received at Delhi, by Minister of State, Animal Husbandry & Dairying

India celebrates 28 November, the birthday of Dr Verghese Kurien, as the National Milk Day. The dairy cooperative movement inspired by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led to the formation of Amul in 1946 which was replicated across the country, resulting in India emerging as the largest producer of milk in the world.

Amul organized four Clean Fuel Rallies in celebration of National Milk Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien, the “Milkman of India.” These rallies, aimed at raising awareness about the benefits of the Circular Economy and Bio CNG, highlighted how the use of clean fuel improve farmers’ livelihoods while also contributing to a cleaner environment. Powered by Maruti Suzuki and Bajaj Auto, the Amul Clean Fuel Rally began in Himmatnagar, Kolkata, Pune, and Jammu. Covering more than 5,000 kilometers combined, the rally concluded in Delhi, where it was part of the National Milk Day celebrations organized by the Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, on November 26th.

More than 77 riders from Amul joined the Clean Fuel Rally initiative to spread awareness about Circular Economy and sustainability. During their journey, they engaged with various State Cooperatives, institutions, and farmers on the way to celebrate the legacy of dairy cooperatives and spread awareness about the principles of circular economy and the importance of sustainability.

The rally culminated at Delhi to celebrate National Milk Day, where rallies which started from various parts of the country, together embarked a final leg from Dhaula Kuan to Manekshaw Enclave, Delhi. The rally which started from Dhaula Kuan was flagged off by Smt. Alka Upadhyaya Secretary (DAHD), in the esteemed presence of Shri Shamalbhai B Patel, Chairman, GCMMF (Amul), Shri. Valamji Humbal, Vice Chairman, GCMMF (Amul), Ms. Nirmala Kurien, Daughter of Dr. Verghese Kurien, Shri. Jayen Mehta, Managing Director, GCMMF (Amul) and Board of Directors and officials from DAHD.

The rallies proceeded to Manekshaw Enclave, where they were received and felicitated by Prof. SP Baghel, MoS in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and other officials of Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.

Prof S.P. Baghel, MOS, Animal Husbandry & Dairying speaking on the occasion remembered Dr Kurien’s contribution to the cooperative sector and white revolution. He also recalled the role played by Shri Tribhuvandas Patel in the foundation Amul.

Smt. Alka Upadhyay also mentioned that they are working to drive efforts for improving the milk productivity and the various steps being taken by DAHD for the same.

At the National Milk Day Celebrations held at Manekshaw Centre, Delhi, the Chief Guest Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh), Hon’ble Minister of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, highlighted the critical role of cooperatives in ensuring fair pricing for farmers. He stated, “Cooperatives play a vital role in ensuring that farmers receive fair prices for their produce. It is crucial that we work towards organizing the dairy industry, which will eliminate intermediaries and middlemen, enabling farmers to directly benefit from the cooperative structure.

It is also a matter of pride that India is hosting the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA)’s global conference from November 25-30 the first time in its 130-year history at New Delhi. Shri. Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister, inaugurated the conference and launched the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 at the event which was attended by representatives of over 100 countries at Bharat Mandapam.

At the event, Shri Narendra Modi highlighted the co-operative movement’s large scale in India, where one in five people is a member of a cooperative. He also mentioned “With dairy cooperatives, the independence movement took a new direction and Amul, a dairy cooperative is now one of the world’s top brands.” Shri Amit Shah, Hon Minister of Home & Cooperation and Mr Shombi Sharp, UN representative in India also lauded Amul as the flag bearer of cooperative movement in India

In celebration of the National Milk Day and to showcase the pivotal role of cooperatives in India’s dairy industry, a special screening of Amul’s national award-winning film Manthan was also organized at ICA’s Global Conference for all the delegates on 26th November at Bharat Mandapam.

Mother’s Recipe Introduces Upgraded Pickle Variant with Eye-Catching Packaging

New Delhi, November 27, 2024:  Mother’s Recipe, India’s cherished homegrown ethnic food brand, is thrilled to announce the return of its iconic 1kg jar, now optimally designed to contain 900g of its beloved pickle variants. This reintroduction is a nod to both tradition and modernity, aimed at providing our loyal customers with a blend of familiarity and innovation.

The updated jar is accompanied by an enhanced recipe that has been fine-tuned in response to valuable consumer feedback, affirming Mother’s Recipe’s commitment to excellence and authenticity. The revised recipe and packaging are designed to meet contemporary tastes while continuing to deliver the rich, authentic flavors that our customers love.

The redesigned 1kg jar ensures ease of recognition and convenience, simplifying the shopping experience for our customers. This consistency across the product range aids in easy identification of our products, whether shopping online or in-store.

“Our decision to reintroduce the iconic jar and enhance our recipe stems from a deep understanding of our consumers’ desires and expectations. At Mother’s Recipe, we are passionately committed to preserving the authenticity of Indian flavors while also embracing innovation that meets the evolving tastes of our customers. With these changes, we aim to enrich your culinary experiences, ensuring that every meal feels both comforting and celebratory. We believe in growing with our consumers and it is their input that shapes our path forward,” shared Ms. Sanjana Desai, Executive Director of Mother’s Recipe.

Shishir Baijal Named Non-Executive Chair of Knight Frank’s Asia-Pacific Division

Mumbai, November 28, 2024 – Knight Frank is pleased to announce that Shishir Baijal will take on the additional responsibility of Non-Exec Chair of the Asia Pacific Region from 1 April 2025, expanding his remit to reflect the size of the business’ presence in this region as well as its strong growth prospects.

As one of Knight Frank’s most senior leaders and a member of the Group Executive Board, Shishir will add the broader Asia Pacific responsibility to his current role of Chairman and Managing Director of Knight Frank India. He will work closely with Craig Shute, who was recently announced as CEO of Asia-Pacific, effective 1 April 2025, to support the successful execution of the regional strategy in alignment with the wider group vision.

Knight Frank’s Asia Pacific region consists of 11,000 people in 300 offices across 15 territories.

William Beardmore-Gray, Senior Partner and Group Chair, Knight Frank, commented, “Knight Frank’s presence in Asia Pacific is growing at pace and delivering exceptional results. Reflecting on the opportunity to be captured, we wanted to ensure our top talent was effectively deployed to best shape the next phase of our development in this exciting region. Shishir stood out as the obvious candidate to support Craig in delivering upon a very clear growth mission, having successfully led Knight Frank India – one of our largest businesses outside of the UK – for the past decade.”

Shishir Baijal, Chairman & Managing Director, Knight Frank India, and Non-Exec Chair, Knight Frank Asia Pacific, added, “The Asia Pacific region is already one of the fastest growing and most accomplished areas of our global business, and I’m hugely excited by the opportunity to play a role in driving it further. I have no doubt that Craig’s extensive experience and strategic vision will ensure we maintain our growth trajectory across this dynamic region, and I look forward to supporting him and the wider team on this pivotal journey.”

Meril’s Myval Octapro THV Stuns at London Valves 2024, Showcased at GISE and PCR Events

New Delhi, 28^th November, 2024: Meril Life Sciences, a leading global med-tech company specializing in cardiovascular and structural heart solutions, marked a significant milestone with the launch of its Myval Octapro Transcatheter Heart Valve (THV) at GISE 2024 (National Congress of the Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology) and PCR London Valves 2024. These esteemed scientific events provided an ideal platform for Meril to showcase its commitment to advancing structural heart care.

The Myval THV series, known for its innovative contributions to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures, continues to set new benchmarks with the Myval Octapro THV. This latest iteration introduces low frame foreshortening, enhancing operator control and enabling precise deployment for improved procedural predictability. Additionally, its comprehensive size matrix, which includes conventional, intermediate, and extra-large valve sizes, ensures optimal valve selection tailored to diverse patient anatomies.

Dr. Ashok Seth, Chairman of Fortis Escorts Heart Institute and Fortis Healthcare Medical council, Delhi

Congratulations to Meril Life Sciences on the launch of the novel MyvalOctapro. We are proud Meril has been consistently innovating to set fresh benchmarks in Transcatheter structural therapies as well as proving them to be safe and effective through well conducted perspective randomised studies. Octapro THV is next-generation balloon expandable valve minimal foreshortening to enable precise deployment and commisural alignment Furthermore, the nine valve sizes (which includes intermediate sizing and extra-large size) enables accurate and appropriate fit to patient’s anatomy. In fact, approx. 50% of Myval THV series implants are intermediate-sized devices, which gives operators a wider options to all possible annular anatomies

Dr. Rajneesh Kapoor, Chairman, Interventional Cardiology, Medanta the Medicity, Gurugram, Haryana 

We have a busy TAVI practice, and all my patients with MyvalOctapro have been successfully treated and continue to do well. MyvalOctapro THV is a landmark achievement in the evolution of transcatheter heart valve technology. Meril’s commitment to addressing unmet clinical needs and delivering precision-driven solutions continues to inspire the global medical community. Kudos to the entire team at Meril for their groundbreaking work!

Speaking on this achievement, Sanjeev Bhatt, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Meril Life Sciences, stated: “The positive reception of the Myval Octapro THV at these global platforms underscores our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions for severe aortic stenosis. We are proud to collaborate with clinicians worldwide in advancing TAVR technology and improving patient outcomes through innovation.”

At PCR London Valves 2024, Meril presented key findings from the LANDMARK trial subset analysis and comparative studies, further establishing the safety and efficacy of the Myval Transcatheter Heart Valve (THV) series. Published in EuroIntervention Journal, the findings confirmed the Myval THV’s non-inferiority to both Sapien and Evolut valve series at 30 days post-implantation, solidifying its position as a reliable solution for structural heart interventions.

The results highlighted comparable composite safety and effectiveness outcomes between Myval and Sapien (24.7% vs. 24.1%), with Myval demonstrating a lower rate of permanent pacemaker implantation (15.0% vs. 17.3%) and superior hemodynamic performance. Similarly, the Myval THV series performed on par with Evolut in composite endpoints (24.7% vs. 30%), while showing advantages in reducing pacemaker implantation rates and moderate/severe valve regurgitation. Effective orifice areas were also comparable between 26 and 29 mm of Myval THV series and Evolut THV series, underscoring its strong performance in key clinical measures.

The conference also featured the unveiling of the COMPARE-TAVI trial results. Presented by Prof. Henrik Nissen on behalf of the COMPARE-TAVI investigators, this first-of-its-kind randomized controlled trial directly compared the Myval THV series with the Sapien THV series in a real-world, all-comers population.

Key Findings from the COMPARE-TAVI Trial:

• Non-Inferiority Demonstrated: The Myval THV series met the non-inferiority criteria for the composite primary endpoint (death, stroke, moderate/severe aortic regurgitation, and valve deterioration) at one year, with comparable rates to the Sapien THV series (13.8% vs. 13.0%, p = 0.02).
• Reduced Patient-Prosthesis Mismatch (PPM): Myval THV exhibited a significantly lower incidence of PPM compared to the Sapien series (17.5% vs. 28.6%), a critical factor for long-term valve performance and patient outcomes.

Meril acknowledges the invaluable contributions of clinicians, partners, and patients in achieving this milestone. With the launch of the Myval Octapro THV, Meril continues its mission of improving lives through pioneering structural heart care solutions.

GoDaddy’s 2024 Survey Highlights Technology and Security as Key to Indian Small Business Success

New Delhi, 28 November 2024 — As small business owners continue to adapt to digital demands, GoDaddy’s 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Survey highlights the growing importance of digital tools for small businesses and the need for stronger cybersecurity measures to help ensure long-term sustainability and competitiveness.

Technology as an Enabler of Growth

The survey results underscored the critical role that technology plays in enabling small businesses to grow and compete, with 96% of Indian entrepreneurs reporting that digitization is a key competitive advantage.

What’s more, 97% of respondents reported digitization has significantly improved their work processes, and 93% recognized that combining online and offline sales is crucial for business success.

These statistics illustrate a widespread adoption of digital solutions to improve customer interaction and operational efficiency, as they become increasingly integrated into everyday operations. Indian entrepreneurs reported they most frequently use digital payment systems (95%), email notifications (92%), and online booking tools (91%) to communicate with customers and operate their businesses.

However, despite more small business adopting digital solutions, 69% of Indian small business owners currently use customer relationship management (CRM) systems to track and manage customer interactions, presenting an opportunity to further enhance customer engagement. GoDaddy is ready to support small businesses in this area by offering a wide range of services that help to reduce the cost and time associated with digital transformation.

Digital Investments for the Future

Looking ahead, small business owners are preparing to further invest in digital solutions to drive growth. In 2024, 95% of Indian entrepreneurs said they planned to increase their investment in online sales and marketing efforts, reflecting a clear trend towards leveraging digital channels for business expansion.

“GoDaddy continues to serve as a champion of small businesses in the ever-evolving digital ecosystem, providing digital solutions and expert guides to entrepreneurs to start and grow a business, build a professional website, attract customers and sell their products or services. With its robust suite of online tools, GoDaddy is making opportunity more inclusive for all and supporting small businesses on their digital journeys,” said Apurva Palnitkar, Senior Director Marketing at GoDaddy.

Security: Accelerating Awareness for Small Businesses

As Indian entrepreneurs continue to adopt digital solutions, cybersecurity has also emerged as an area of increased awareness. The survey found that Indian entrepreneurs recognize the importance of having online security protections in place with 91% of small business owners reporting they feel they are appropriately prepared to face a cyberattack, most commonly taking preventative measures such as installing an antivirus software (74%) and regularly backing up data (62%). Additionally, 29% of those who have suffered a cyberattack believe it had a significant impact on their small business.

However, there are still further steps which small business owners can take to help decrease their vulnerability to a cyberattack – with only 35% implementing encryption software (SSLs) and 32% using firewalls. These additional protections can help to further protect a business’ digital assets.

Komaki launches MG PRO lithium series

28th November 2024: Komaki Electric Vehicle, a leading electric vehicle brand, has launched its latest model, the MG PRO Lithium series under its ‘Har Ghar Komaki’ campaign, which will be available at an ex-showroom price of Rs. 59,999. The series has been specifically tailored to meet the daily needs of Indian households.

The model comes with the benefits of affordability and long-range capabilities and promotes family-friendly design. It is a part of the high-speed category of the brand, offering a powerful and efficient 2.2 kW and 2.7 kW LiFePO4 battery that facilitates an impressive range of 150 km. Being a smart choice for busy families, this scooter is equipped with an auto repair feature that automatically addresses minor issues and ensures a smoother and safer ride for the users.

In addition to the features, the MG PRO comes with a 3-year or 30,000 km warranty on its motor, battery, and controller, alongside a 1-year warranty on its charger. It delivers high performance and exceptional value, and reinforces Komaki’s commitment to making quality electric mobility accessible for every household in India with the safest lithium ferro phosphate battery technology and app-based battery health updates.

“We’re excited to introduce the MG PRO Lithium series as the perfect family scooter. It’s not just an EV; it’s a smart choice for families looking to contribute to a greener tomorrow while enjoying an economical, reliable, and high-performance ride. With this new launch, Komaki continues to champion electric mobility for Indian families, bringing innovative, practical, and sustainable solutions to everyday travel,” said Ms. Gunjan Malhotra, Co-founder of Komaki Electric.

Trident Takes Action to Prevent Stubble Burning on Over 2000 Acres of Land

New Delhi – November 28, 2024 – Each year, stubble burning releases high concentrations of particulate matter, pushing the Air Quality Index (AQI) in regions like Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi NCR to “severe” levels. These pollutants not only degrade air quality but also contribute to seasonal health crises.

As a transformative step, Trident Group has adopted the use of parali (paddy stubble) as a fuel source in its industrial boilers, preventing the burning of stubble from approximately 2000 acres of land. This practice, commonly used to clear fields post-harvest, is a primary contributor to the hazardous Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in Northern India, with cities like Delhi seeing AQI readings exceed 400 during peak season—levels deemed “severe” and dangerous for public health.

Traditional stubble burning releases high concentrations of particulate matter contributing to respiratory issues, smog, and a significant rise in pollution across Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi NCR. These emissions, often attributed to over 44% of Delhi’s seasonal pollution spike, have made stubble burning a critical environmental and public health issue.

Trident’s use of parali as a sustainable fuel is a step towards mitigating these emissions, directly reducing air pollution and promoting a circular economy approach. By converting this agricultural waste into energy, Trident exemplifies a solution that addresses both environmental sustainability and public health, setting a benchmark for responsible industrial practices.