Author: Neel Achary

DXC Technology Surpasses Gender Diversity Target of 40% Women Employees in India Workforce in Less Than Three Years

Bengaluru, India, 09 June 2023 – DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC), a leading Fortune 500 global technology services provider, today announced it has achieved the significant milestone of having 40% women in its India workforce, one year earlier than anticipated.

DXC Technology has about 43,000 employees in India. In June 2020, the company pledged to increase the percentage of women in their workforce in India from 28% to 40% by 2024. The company exceeded this objective in less than three years.

To achieve this feat, DXC not only increased its intake of women graduates from universities but also amplified outreach to women candidates for experienced hiring. Furthermore, DXC focused on building mid- and senior-level women leaders by instituting a series of leadership programs for women, in addition to fostering an inclusive culture by implementing several industry-leading programs, initiatives and engagement practices thoughtfully designed for taking care of women employees.

Speaking on this accomplishment, Nachiket Sukhtankar, Managing Director – DXC Technology, India, said, “The technology industry in India is grappling with the challenge of underrepresentation of women, both in terms of their entry into the sector and their advancement to leadership roles. I am immensely proud to be a part of an organization dedicated to bringing about a transformative shift through equality and representation. We still have miles to go as we aspire to set new benchmarks in gender diversity and inclusion. Nonetheless, I firmly believe this step holds immense significance in achieving an equal future. We will continue to work towards dismantling barriers and creating an empowering environment for women to thrive in the technology sector.”

Lokendra Sethi, Head of HR – DXC Technology, India, said, “We are proud of our unwavering commitment to fostering a corporate culture that is inclusive. We believe that diversity and inclusivity are not mere destinations but an ongoing journey towards cultivating an organizational environment built on trust, empathy, and purposeful collaboration. The milestone of 40% women in DXC India’s workforce fills us with great excitement as we realized this goal in a very short time and six months ahead of our expectations. Our purpose remains to keep paving the way for a future where women are encouraged, enabled, and empowered to become catalysts of change and the next generation of industry leaders.”

This achievement reflects DXC’s commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment where every employee, regardless of gender, feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential. Further to its mission of becoming a diverse and inclusive employer, DXC is also investing in training underprivileged women students to create a workforce of skilled women for the industry. It recently trained 10,000 women engineers to enhance their job opportunities with the same curriculum used for the company’s employees.

Isya Aesthetics launches V face in Delhi NCR

Isya exclusively launched V-Face in collaboration with Brera Medicals, Italy, in Delhi on 28th May 2023. Only available at Isya, V-FACE – the event was attended by influencers, press and KOLs who enjoyed Smoke Vodka, Blue Moon Gin mixed with Sepoy tonics and lemonades; skin friendly appetizers by Uncafe and experienced their first V Face session.

“ First ever in India, V face can give you a needle-free botox free uplift you always wanted that is natural, safe and fabulous and it is safe for any age or skin type. One session of V face is like a year of face yoga, it helps tone those muscles” – Dr. Kiran Sethi

About Dr Kiran

With over 14 years of practice, Dr. Kiran Sethi, MD, is a New Delhi-based award-winning celebrity skin, aesthetic, and wellness specialist and author of the bestselling book Skin Sense. An Ivy League graduate from Columbia University, Dr. Kiran is an industry pioneer in dermatology and aesthetics with certifications from the American Board of Aesthetic Medicine and the American Board of Laser Surgery. An esteemed member of several cosmetic and aesthetic dermatology associations in the US and India, Dr. Kiran Sethi is also one of the few expert physicians in the world with both cosmetic formulation and dermatology degrees. She is also a global trainer and speaker for BOTOX, fillers, threads, and lasers.

Jindal India Limited Launches NEUCOLOR+ Premium Colour Steel Sheets with 15-year Warranty

Chennai, June 2023: – Jindal India Limited, a leading manufacturer of steel products, has announced the launch of its new product, NEUCOLOR+ premium colour steel sheets. The launch event was held in Chennai and was attended by dealers and sub-dealers from across the region.

The NEUCOLOR+ premium colour steel sheets are a high-quality product that comes with a 15-year warranty. The product is designed to provide customers with a durable and long-lasting solution for their roofing and cladding needs.

The event was graced by the presence of several key personnel from Jindal India Limited, including Mr Sachin Mishra (HOD Sales and Marketing), Mr.Nandkishore Parmar (GM Sales & Marketing), Mr Bhaskar Cherekar (Zonal Head – South India), and Mr Bharath Venkatesan (Area Sales Manager – Tamil Nadu Region). Representatives from SMPC Steel Processors, Jeyam Group, Pushpa Traders, and Krishna Steels were also present at the event.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Sachin Mishra said, “We are thrilled to introduce our new product, NEUCOLOR+, to our customers in Chennai and the surrounding regions. This premium colour steel sheet is a testament to our commitment to providing high-quality, durable, and long-lasting products to our customers.”

Mr Nandkishore Parmar added, “We believe that the NEUCOLOR+ premium colour steel sheets will revolutionize the roofing and cladding industry. With its 15-year warranty, customers can trust that they are investing in a product that will stand the test of time.”

The launch of the NEUCOLOR+ premium colour steel sheets marks a significant milestone for Jindal India Limited and demonstrates the company’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.

Basu Chatterjee: Remembering Bollywood’s God of Small Things

SUNDEEP BHUTORIA

By the end of the 1960s, Hindi cinema was poised for a change. The decade had largely been about escapist cinema, and though some of these had great songs, there was little that was creative and path-breaking by way of content. The odd exceptions – Bandini, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Anupama and Teesri Kasam – only proved the rule about a decade that replaced the artistic aspirations of the 1950s with what has in effect come to define ‘Bollywood song-and-dance’ cinema.

The advent of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in 1962 played an important part in this change, with its first batches beginning to enter the industry, bringing in a change in aesthetics. The year 1969 was to be a watershed in the history of Hindi cinema, with three films that proved instrumental in ushering in a new language, heralding the New Wave in Hindi cinema: Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome, Mani Kaul’s Uski Roti and Basu Chatterjee’s Sara Akash (all three were shot by K.K. Mahajan, who had graduated from the FTII in 1966, and who became synonymous with the New Wave and with the cinema of Basu Chatterjee).

Of these three film-makers, Mrinal Sen remained rooted largely to Bengali films and Mani Kaul carved a space for a personal cinema free of commercial considerations. It was Basu Chatterjee who, in conjunction with the films of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Gulzar, provided an alternative to the big-budget extravaganza of mainstream films of the era (the Manmohan Desais and Prakash Mehras) and the spare aesthetics of arthouse cinema (driven by Shyam Benegal).

The importance of Basu Chatterjee lies in the kind of cinema he popularised when juxtaposed against the cinema that ruled the box office at the time. The 1970s was the decade of the big blockbuster – Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Deewaar, Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony. Yash Chopra and Ramesh Sippy, Nasir Hussain and Shakti Samanta were the dream merchants. Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra, Rishi Kapoor and Rajesh Khanna were the role models for the filmy hero, while Zeenat Aman and Hema Malini set a million young hearts aflutter. The aesthetic of Hindi cinema was larger-than-life.

They were not heroes and heroines, but the man and woman next door

Basu Chatterjee provided an alternative. His debut, Sara Akash, belonged firmly to the New Wave school of spare film-making. He however jettisoned this soon, opting for a middle road between this and the big-budget extravaganza. In doing so he made ‘small’ beautiful and commercially viable. With Rajnigandha (1974), he revolutionised Hindi cinema, casting rank newcomers in a literary classic by Mannu Bhandari. The film, unlike any other film of the time (a runtime of approximately two hours, no lip-synched songs, no fights, no flashy clothes and make-up for its actors who looked nothing like Greek gods) broke all records at the box office. He had already shown a penchant for a different approach to the cinema of the city in Piya Ka Ghar (1971), dealing with a couple finding their way to love and domesticity in the confined spaces of a one-room tenement in Mumbai shared by the extended family. While the latter starred Jaya Bhaduri (in one of her early roles) and Anil Dhawan (fresh from the FTII), Rajnigandha made stars of the unlikely duo of Amol Palekar and Vidya Sinha.

Over the next few films, Basu Chatterjee made his school of cinema an audience favourite. Chhoti Si Baat and Chitchor, both 1976, starred Amol Palekar, who soon came to be termed ‘the Amitabh Bachchan of middle-of-the-road cinema’. In Vidya Sinha, the director gave Hindi cinema the very antithesis of the ’70s heroine. His characters epitomised the Everyman. They were not heroes and heroines, but the man and woman next door. The men were not macho style icons. They were often gentle, hesitant and even lacking in ambition. The women were down to earth and real, not coy and simpering. And their world consisted of humble middle-class drawing rooms, local bus stops and trains, and office corners. Even when he cast superstars like Amitabh Bachchan (Manzil, inspired by Mrinal Sen’s Akash Kusum) and Dharmendra (Dillagi, with Hema Malini), the stars willingly shed their starry mannerisms to play everyday characters.

His spotlight was on literary classics, communities and women

No one brought alive particular communities as lovingly as he did in his films like Khatta Meetha (the Parsis) and Baaton Baaton Mein (the Christians in Mumbai). And few film-makers of the time were as adept at adapting literary classics as he was – Sara Akash (from a novel by Rajendra Yadav), Piya Ka Ghar (Vasant Kale, or Va Pu), Rajnigandha (based on a short story by Mannu Bhandari), Ratnadeep (Prabhat Mukhopadhyay), Swami and Apne Paraye (based on novels by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay) – giving his cinema a unique literary sensibility.

One of the most revolutionary aspects of his cinema lay in the woman his films portrayed. Right from Malti in Piya Ka Ghar, they were independent women with a mind of their own. They were determined, focused and unwilling to bow down to convention just because society demanded it. Vidya Sinha’s Deepa in Rajnigandha is revolutionary in the way she is shown as unable to make up her mind about the two men she is dating. Zarina Wahab’s Geeta in Chitchor decides to follow her heart in the face of family opposition. In Swami, the woman reads Thomas Hardy and is torn between the man she thinks is her intellectual equal and her ‘simple’ husband. These women challenged the existing tropes on the portrayal of women in Hindi cinema.

Wah, what songs! ‘Yeh jeevan hai’ to ‘Kai baar yunhi dekha hai’ to ‘Rimjhim gire sawan’

This ability to carve out a different cinema was visible in the songs in his films as well. From ‘Yeh jeevan hai’ in Piya Ka Ghar to ‘Rajnigandha phool tumhare’ in Rajnigandha (‘Kai baar yunhi dekha hai’ from the same film won a National Award) to the evergreen songs of Chitchor to ‘Rimjhim gire sawan’ (arguably the finest rain song in Hindi cinema) in Manzil, the cinema of Basu Chatterjee provided Hindi cinema with some of its most loved and enduring classics.

The dream of 1969 was to prove short-lived. By the end of the 1970s, the cinema of the Basu Chatterjee-Hrishikesh Mukherjee-Gulzar School was shutting shop. Driven by a changing demographic, the onslaught of video piracy, some indifferent films by the film-makers themselves, and the advent of TV as a popular medium, kitschy commercial films were making a comeback in a big way and the next decade would witness a new low for Hindi films.

Basu Chatterjee, of course, led the first wave of top-notch and popular content in television with serials like Rajani, Byomkesh Bakshi, Darpan and Kakaji Kahin proving to be trailblazers. His legacy lives on in the cinema of every filmmaker who explores the life and world of the Everyman.

Genpact Teams With Google Cloud to Accelerate Artificial Intelligence Adoption for the Enterprise

New Delhi, June 9, 2023 – Genpact (NYSE: G), a global professional services firm focused on delivering outcomes that transform businesses today announced it is working with Google Cloud to help businesses accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) strategies, including taking advantage of generative AI’s adoption to drive actionable business insights.

Genpact is continuing to invest in its AI capabilities by establishing a generative AI (GenAI)practice teaming with Google Cloud. This partnership will leverage Google Cloud’s advanced GenAI capabilities to cater to enterprises in key industries, including consumer goods, retail, life sciences, healthcare, hi-tech, and financial services. Through this partnership, Genpact and Google Cloud will accelerate their shared clients’ cloud, data, and analytics modernization journeys to address the evolving needs of today’s businesses.

This new investment builds on Genpact’s deep expertise and commitment to AI innovation – from a decades-long focus on advanced data analytics to strategic AI acquisitions, industry-specific responsible AI Frameworks, and extensive experience with large language models (LLMs) across numerous industries.

“We are seeing increased demand from our clients to leverage generative AI to improve productivity, minimize risk, and provide enhanced employee and customer experiences,” said Katie Stein, Chief Strategy Officer and Global Business Leader, Enterprise Services and Analytics, Genpact. “This expanded partnership highlights the strategic role that partner ecosystems will play in the massive enterprise AI market. Combining Google Cloud’s suite of
products with Genpact’s domain, process, and data expertise provide a differentiated strategic partnership to our clients, driving competitive advantage and meaningful growth in a fastevolving world.”

“We’re proud to share that Genpact will launch the application of Google Cloud’s generative AI capabilities,” said Jim Anderson, Vice President, NA Partners Ecosystem & Channels at Google Cloud. “We know Genpact’s deep expertise will enable enterprises to accelerate their generative AI development swiftly and responsibly.”

The new practice will focus on helping enterprises accelerate their GenAI journeys, building regenerative AI for custom enterprise LLMs, business processes, and augmenting operations. The practice will house a dedicated team of data scientists, data engineers, and domain experts focused on the rapid development of generative AI capabilities on the Genpact Cora platform which is already integrated with more than 250 enterprise ecosystems handling more than 20 million transactions a month.
Visit these pages for more information on Genpact and Google Cloud’s partnership and Genpact’s GenAI solutions.

Shoppers Stop launches new SSBeauty store in Elante Mall Chandigarh exclusively for Estée Lauder brands!

New Delhi, 9th June 2023 – Shoppers Stop, India’s premier fashion and beauty destination, in collaboration with Estée Lauder Group, with the world’s leading skincare, makeup and fragrance products, proudly announces the grand opening of the exclusive SS Beauty store in Elante Mall, Chandigarh.

Chandigarh, known for its discerning consumers and high-spending population in the beauty industry, serves as the perfect location for this exquisite beauty destination. The city’s residents have a keen sense of style and a penchant for beauty, making it an ideal market for SSBeauty. With this exclusive launch, SSBeauty is revolutionizing the beauty retail market, combining its expansive retail network with Estée Lauder Group’s unrivaled extravagance.

Spread across 1200 sq.ft. the SSBeauty store is dedicated solely to Estée Lauder Group brands such MAC, Clinique, Tom Ford, Jo Malone & Kilian. The store launch was graced by actor, singer and model Himanshi Khurana.

Mr. Biju Kassim, Customer Care Associate & President Beauty, Shoppers Stop, expressed his excitement about the launch, stating, “Our enduring partnership with Estée Lauder Group has been defined by remarkable vision and dedication. By introducing the exclusive Estée Lauder Group SSBeauty store in Chandigarh, we are setting new standards in beauty retail, providing customers with unparalleled access to a wide range of world’s best beauty brands.”

“Our 17+ year partnership with Shoppers Stop has helped us grow our presence in India exponentially. We are extremely proud to partner with Shoppers Stop to bring quality beauty experiences for our consumers. We plan on opening more exclusive SSBeauty stores across India to intensify our reach in India,” said Rohan Vaziralli, General Manager, Estée Lauder Companies India.

SSBeauty at Elante Mall, Chandigarh, invites beauty enthusiasts to immerse themselves in a world of transformative products and unforgettable experiences. The store offers a diverse range of services, including beauty masterclasses, make-over services, skincare consultations, fragrance discovery stations, gifting options and personalized services. The stores house the finest assortment of makeup, skincare & fragrance brands to cater to every consumer’s unique beauty needs.

JIS Group Ignites a pathway to transform Indian Tourism with the help of Ministry of Tourism

Kolkata, 9th June 2023: Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology under the JIS Group hosted the formal inauguration ceremony of YUVA TOURISM CLUB, formed by the colleges Guru Nanak Institute of Hotel Management (GNIHM), Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (GNIPST), Guru Nanak Institute of Dental Sciences & Research (GNIDSR) and Guru Nanak Institute of Technology (GNIT) in association with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Esteemed dignitaries like Sayak Nandi, Asst. Director, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India with his team; Prof. Pralay Ganguly, Principal GNIHM; Dr. Prof. Lopamudra Dutta; Principal GNIPST along with Xavier Gomes, Advisor GNIHM; Dr. Prof. Bhavesh Bhattacharya, Vice Chancellor JIS University; Dr. Abhijit Sengupta, Director GNIPST; Jayanta Ghosh, Vice Principal GNIHM; Anurupa Pal, Asst Registrar GNIHM; Sudipto Kr. Pal, HoD Front Office Dept. of GNIHM were also present at the event.

The Ministry of Tourism launched the campaign focusing on “YUVA Tourism Club” with the strategic objective of creating interest, awareness and a sense of responsibility towards India’s natural and cultural heritage and tourism amongst children and youth. The vision is to nurture and develop young ambassadors of Indian tourism who will become aware of tourism possibilities in India, appreciate our rich cultural heritage and develop an interest and passion for tourism.

Commenting on this occasion, Sardar Simarpreet Singh, Director, JIS Group, said, “We are thrilled to form this YUVA Tourism Club with the help of the Ministry of Tourism as it seeks to maximise the potential of prospective travelers as the rising tourism industry is crucial to India’s economic and cultural diplomacy. The club will provide the students with the knowledge and abilities they need to influence the direction of tourism in India by offering a setting for education, networking, and practical experiences.”

MamaEarth’s Phenomenal Growth Fueled by AR and VR: Abhishek Gupta, Senior VP Unveils 30-40% Revenue Surge

Mumbai, June 2023:

The second day of the India D2C Summit 2023 continued with industry leaders showcasing their dynamic and innovative spirit and sharing invaluable insights on building successful brands and achieving profitability.

During a session titled From Store to Closet: Enabling exceptional customer experience at every touch point, experts discussed the importance of safe and seamless payments in the sustainable growth of D2C brands. Abhishek Gupta, Senior VP of Growth-D2C Business at MamaEarth, shared the company’s learnings from COVID-19. He shared how clear fundamentals and personalized customer communications helped MamaEarth. The brand increased revenue by 30-40% through AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) funnels and the use of skin mapping AI technology. The brand prioritized consumer-led growth by implementing innovations based on feedback and needs.

Aparna Thyagarajan, Co-founder & Chief Product Officer of Shobitam, highlighted the strategies employed by her brand to target customers effectively. She stressed on the importance of making customer journeys seamless, enriching the experience through user experience (UX), and leveraging AI-enabled chat. Akash Valia, Managing Director, Docon (Pharmeasy), shared insights on how to look at repeat customers. For the company, profitability takes center stage. It aims to provide services easily without making customers wait for even 10 minutes. The company has also launched virtual clinics to enhance customer experience. Ravi Kabra, Co Founder, Skippi Icepops, who gained fame on reality TV show Shark Tank India, mentioned that the brand has a stronger presence offline than online. However, the company has realised the importance of an omnichannel shift to meet consumer expectations.

The session titled High Resolution Maps to Navigate The Purpose-to-Profitability Route discussed the importance of customer-centricity, trust-building, and aligning business strategies with customer needs. Dr. Drishti Anand, Co-founder of Letsdressup, a size exclusive apparel brand highlighted the significance of putting customers first in building a brand. She shared her experience of engaging with 3,000 women before developing her brand and encouraged entrepreneurs to test and embrace failure as part of the learning process. Durlabh Kumar Rawat, Founder & CEO of Barosi, a natural food brand, spoke about the connection between building a brand in Bharat (India) and selling it to the majority. He reiterated the importance of understanding cash flow and creating trust to ultimately build a successful brand.

Niranjan Kumar, Business Head – D2C E-commerce at Bombay Shaving Company, spoked about the key aspect of customer retention. He stressed that repeat rates should be a priority, ensuring that customers keep coming back to the brand’s website. Rahber Nazir, Founder of Kaamastra (Hotkei), an intimate products company, shed light on the untapped potential of manufacturing in India. He emphasized that there is a large scope for growth in this sector, and more awareness needs to be created among people. Rishubh Satiya, Co-founder of Plix – The Plant Fix, a plant-based nutrition products company, discussed the challenges of aligning different ecosystems with investors, highlighting the complexities and difficulties in the process. Vidhi Khandelwal, Founder & CEO of The Ink Bucket, an accessories company, shared the importance of planners and calendars throughout the brand-building journey. She expressed how the brand, being deeply personal to her, is considered a luxury.

During the insightful session titled Building a Great D2C eStore, the panellists explored the significance of brand emotion and its alignment with the emotions of customers during the purchasing process. Jugal Kansara, the Head of Data and Business Strategy at Souled Store, an apparel brand, discussed the brand’s journey from struggling to engaging in conversations with giants like Disney and Warner Bros. The brand later partnered with Disney in India. He attributed the company’s success to the unique touch it brings to graphics, which is highly valued by their partners at Disney.