Author: Rabindra

Guidewire Celebrates First Year of Bengaluru Office

Guidewire (NYSE: GWRE) celebrated the one-year anniversary of its office in Bengaluru, India. The staff in the Bengaluru office exemplify Guidewire’s commitment to global innovative research and development and strive to redefine excellence in the insurance industry. Guidewire is providing its 128 employees with a state-of-the- art work environment, while also offering remote and flexible working practices and wellness benefits. The office expects to grow, is actively hiring across multiple product development teams, and is ideally situated to take advantage of access to top new engineering and IT graduates from the top Indian universities. Open positions can be found on the Guidewire Careers website.

“In a very short time, ‘Team Bengaluru’ had an impressive impact, with many new capabilities designed, built and delivered to production,” said Guidewire Chief Product Development Officer Diego Devalle. “I look forward to seeing what the team will continue to accomplish working with the most advanced cloud stack.”

Guidewire Vice President of Engineering for Cloud Infrastructure Anoop Gopalakrishnan commented, “Marking the remarkable first anniversary of our Bengaluru office, we take immense pride in showcasing the exceptional achievements of our Cloud Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) teams. With an unwavering dedication to secure supply chain, enhanced developer experience, and cutting-edge platform  engineering, these teams have been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of innovation. By harnessing the power of the latest technologies from the open-source world and actively contributing to the community, they are forging a path towards revolutionizing the PaaS landscape and driving remarkable growth for Guidewire.”

“The Bengaluru team, led by Director of Engineering for Cloud Data Platform Raman Venkateswaran, is actively building a cloud-native, enterprise-grade data and analytics platform,” added Guidewire Vice President of Engineering for Cloud Data Platform Premjith Rayaroth. “The big data platform is built on the latest tech stack, processes petabyte-scale data, and provides a rich set of artificial intelligence and machine learning software-as-a-service applications. I am amazed and thrilled to see how this team built and delivered many platform capabilities to production in such a short period of time!”

“Player vs. Environment,” by May Berchon, Continues to Garner Fans as It Barrels Through the Literary Community and Festival Circuit

Casper, WY, July 26, 2023 — It’s the novel that’s proving to be the little engine that could in 2023. While moviegoers are clamoring to get a taste of the Barbenheimer phenomenon, savvy readers are making their way to author May Berchon’s steamy ode to gamer culture, skateboarding, and interracial romance.

To date, “Player vs. Environment,” by May Berchon, has competed in or was an official selection of several prestigious literary contests including the 2023 International Book Awards and even the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in the Literature category.

“The feedback from readers has been so exciting,” Berchon says. “The other day, someone slid into my DMs and asked if I was really the author of my book and then told me how it was their favorite summer read. It was both strange and flattering.”

The hip literati and those looking for what’s new-now-next are loving Berchon’s debut novel for its audacious views on affirmative action, sex, and romance, as well as its incendiary rebuke of women losing agency when it comes to their bodies. “Player vs. Environment” is a controversial read from preface to epilogue. However, in Berchon’s mind, she wouldn’t have it any other way:

“I knew I was taking a massive risk addressing gender politics, race, and antisemitism the way that I do in the book. But all you hear nowadays is people talking about, ‘Let’s have a conversation,’ and then they proceed to fire off the same old tired perspectives while not offering any kind of realistically enforceable recommendation or resolution. People are scared to confront the issue of racism in the same way that, say, Spike Lee did when he hit the scene. Like, intellectualizing it. Stylizing it. Or the way Tarantino has lambasted the stupidity of antisemitism in his recent works. There’s barely any fire anymore. Just a few people puffing smoke or idiots trying to be hateful or bullying to curry favor with people that they’re scared to challenge. I wanted to just come out and address the real elephant in the room: there are factions that want to drive a wedge between minority groups and sadly, many of us are falling for it. PVE is a call to action to be more mindful about looking after each other.”

Berchon’s love of cinema and her inspiration from it motivated her to revise a small-screen adaptation of the work. She is also currently penning the sequel to PVE.

“’Player vs. Environment’ in its first iteration was meant to be a TV series,” she notes. “But retooling it as a novel during the pandemic allowed me more freedom with my storytelling and has really been the perfect glue for all the things I didn’t love when I initially wrote and started pitching the series back in 2016.”

It seems that recalculating the ingredients has created the perfect guilty pleasure for those who dare to partake.

“Player vs. Environment” is available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble.

Luminous Power Technologies’ CSR Initiative ‘LAMP’ Illuminates Underprivileged Lives in Haridwar

Haridwar, 20th July 2023: Luminous Power Technologies, India’s leading power and electrical company, announces the continuation of its transformative Luminous Advanced Mentoring Program (LAMP) in Haridwar, in association with Happy Horizon Trust, a non-profit organization. Embarking on its second batch, the program is dedicated to empowering children of financially poor families. By providing essential educational assistance and nurturing their potential, Luminous aims to create a brighter and more promising future for these young individuals. The program is set to commence from July 19th, 2023.

The second batch in Haridwar aims to empower 50 more students, with a noteworthy 80% of the cohort being girls, who face challenges such as high dropout rates and social barriers. By addressing these issues, Luminous Power Technologies aspires to break limiting cycles and create transformative pathways towards a brighter future for these underprivileged students.

The event was graced by esteemed guests, including Aakansha Rathor, BEO (Block Education Officer) from Roorkee, at Mehwadkalan village in the Roorkee area of Haridwar. She emphasized how corporates often consider CSR as a burden, but Luminous has demonstrated genuine interest in contributing to education. She highlighted the importance of education in empowering every child, regardless of their gender, caste, or social status, and how knowledge shapes their future, whether they are from a city or a village. She also encouraged students to be resourceful, as it’s not just aptitude but attitude that determines their path ahead. Her powerful words resonated deeply with the children and their parents who were present, leaving them inspired and motivated. Representing Luminous Power Technologies, Ms. Smita Kumari, General Manager of Battery Manufacturing at Haridwar, Mr. Atul Dadhich – Assistant Vice President HR and Mr. Sudarsan Pillai, Assistant Vice President, Manufacturing were also present at this launch function, where they highlighted the role of women in shaping the society. They highlighted that in today’s world, girls are excelling in almost every field and creating a brighter future, for themselves.

Beyond academic support, the LAMP program offers a comprehensive approach that nurtures the overall development of the students. The program also offers guidance, counselling, and new-age skills such as digital literacy, adolescent health awareness, and environmental consciousness. This holistic approach equips the students with the necessary tools to thrive in today’s world and evolve as responsible citizens. They get equipped to be the next change-makers in their communities.

Since its inception in 2016, LAMP has successfully supported 978 students, including 700 young girls. This year, the initiative is set to induct 250 new students from locations like Gagret, Baddi, Hosur, Haridwar, and Gurugram, expanding its reach and impact.

About Luminous Power Technologies

Luminous Power Technologies is a powerful and trustworthy brand with a wide range of innovative products in the power backup and residential solar space that covers inverters Batteries & Solar solutions. Luminous has been in business for 35 years now. Recently CRISIL has upgraded its credit rating to AAA+. With 6 manufacturing units, more than 28 sales offices in India, and a presence in over 40 countries, our 6000 employees serve more than 60,000 channel partners and millions of customers. Our motto has always been Customer Delight through Innovation & Passion with a focus on Execution & teamwork.

Brewsters Bar and Kitchen Garden: A New Culinary Retreat in Hyderabad’s Booming Financial District

Hyderabad: July 20th, 2023: Brewsters Bar & Kitchen Garden, the highly anticipated Hyderabad’s largest Roof Top Bar and Restaurant, is thrilled to announce its grand opening in the heart of Financial District, Near US Consulate Hyderabad. Spread across a sprawling 20000 sq feet with two floors of dine-in and bar experience boasting a remarkable 500-seat capacity and the city’s most eye-catching rooftop seating area along with Live Band performances, Brewsters guarantee an amazing experience for all of its patrons, including fans of international food.

Brewsters provide two extremely different tones and traits. The ground floor showcases a bustling cantina with an ever-growing menu consisting of an evolving regional and global meal experience. The rooftop kitchen garden transports you into a world of sunny skies, white-washed walls of beauty and magic with sapphire-toned doors and lush greenery all around. Cabana-style seating for those magical sundowners.

Speaking at the Launch the promoters of Brewsters Bar & Kitchen said, “We are thrilled to introduce Brewsters Bar and Kitchen Garden to the dynamic Financial District of Hyderabad, The visionary behind the establishment. Our goal is to create a dining destination that offers the perfect blend of a lively bar experience and a tranquil outdoor setting. Whether you’re looking for a vibrant night out with friends or a peaceful dining experience with your loved ones under the stars, Brewsters has something to offer everyone.” Brewsters is more than a place to enjoy great Cocktails, Mocktails, and delicious food—it’s a destination where people can come together and create lasting memories.

Mr. Roopesh Sagar, Director – Business Operations further added that to enhance the experience of the guests Brewsters will soon start its own Brewery that promises to be a game changer for beer enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike, as it brings an unparalleled brewing experience to the heart of Hyderabad city. “We believe that great beer starts with the finest ingredients. Our team of passionate brewers combine traditional brewing techniques with groundbreaking experimentation, pushing the boundaries of flavor profiles and craftsmanship. The brewery will feature a diverse lineup of handcrafted beers, from classic styles to bold, avant-garde creations that will tantalize even the most discerning palates”, Roopesh said.

Our team of renowned chefs have created a global as well as regional favorites food offering that complements the busy bar at Brewster’s with an extensive focus on Asian, Western, and genuine regional delicacies. They placed a strong emphasis on culinary innovation, exceptional flavors, and the use of premium ingredients. The menu features redesigned versions of classic dishes including Malabari Kathal Cutlet, Beer Braised Chicken Taco, Dak Bulgogi, Gongura Fish Tikka, Jack Daniel’s Chicken Wings, and more that are responsibly and locally sourced to maintain freshness and flavor. “With Hyderabad’s sophisticated palate, we are thrilled to introduce a melee of authentic yet playful dishes that mirror the best of what the world’s cuisine has to offer with a variety of home dips and recipes at Brewsters Bar,” the Head Chef, Naveen Singh said.

Adding more to it Mr. Sairam Goud and Mr. Chaitanya Adhikary Mixologists Brewsters said, “Our striking bar serves Craft Beers and an array of heady cocktails such as beer cocktails, margaritas, a large collection of spirits, and freshly prepared non-alcoholic beverages. With a special emphasis on handcrafted cocktails that are designed for every mood and palate, may it be fruity or floral, spicy or sparkling. Choose from an array of signature cocktails such as the Hidden Gem, Cinnamon smoked bourbon cocktail – Up in Smoke, The Double Whammy, Gentle Punch, Pickle Tickle, Tamarindo, and more.

Lakshmikumaran and Sridharan advises ETS on Series C funding round in Leverage Edu along with other investors

New Delhi, 20th July 2023: Lakshmikumaran and Sridharan (LKS) acted as legal advisors to ETS and another co-investor on the Series C funding round for Leverage Edu. The round was led by ETS, a renowned US-based entity, along with prominent investors Blume Ventures, DSG Consumer Partners, and Kaizen. LKS provided comprehensive transaction support including advising on structuring, legal due diligence, negotiations, finalization of transaction documents, and closing-related assistance.

Leverage Edu is a technology company operating an overseas-focused higher education counseling platform.

The LKS team, led by Mr. Kunal Arora (Partner) and comprising of Mr. Anupam Misra (Associate Partner), Ms. Dikshita Damodaran (Senior Associate), Ms. Anjali Menghani (Senior Associate), Mr. Archit Gupta (Senior Associate), Mr. Kumar Mangalam (Associate), and Mr. Ashutosh Sharma (Associate), played a crucial role in facilitating the transaction.

Brandcasting’s CEO & Founder Prateek Chandani affirms how a company can be more profitable through effective public relations strategy and PR articles

With the growing grip of digital transformation all over the world, it had become extremely essential for companies to put forth their objectives, vision, and mission. Brandcasting, a 360-degree media solutions firm is strategically strengthening companies to build and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders such as customers, employees, and investors, as well as with strategic partners, members of the media, and industry leaders.

Helmed by Prateek Chandani, CEO & Founder, Brandcasting, the firm is sending the right messages to the right place and the right people, creating a stronger brand reputation for numerous companies from diverse sectors as well as eminent personalities. Brandcasting is developing monumental campaigns that help companies and individuals increase their credibility within the given industry, enhancing their overall reputation. This is often done through thought leadership pieces, influencer and media connections whether it be local, national or international level, and networking strategies, customized by the team.

Prateek Chandani stated, “We, at Brandcasting, ensure that the right message is specifically curated for companies and individuals to resonate with their target audience in impactful ways. We are not just a media solutions firm but a change-maker for companies and individuals, communicating the right message that shall reaffirm or echo their values and vision correctly. I am emphasizing on ‘right message’ because a PR strategy shall be the window for audiences to look into the company’s or an individual’s body of work. Publishing articles in newspapers which we call PR Articles is useful for founders and companies as it put their ongoing updates and their timely progress in public. Not only this PR articles also keep the Individual or company updated in media hence helping in remaining in the public eye if done on a regular basis and properly.”

With increasing awareness, consumers and audiences are being choosy when it comes to associating with a brand or a product. For instance, no one would like to befriend a bad neighbour. Similarly, no one would want to associate with a company or individual that doesn’t care to enhance its reputation or chooses to stay with an accusation. PR articles definitely act as a tool that can be used to overcome challenges that may threaten a company’s or an individual’s success. But, at times, it’s not even about cleaning the damage but it’s about letting people know that you exist. PR and PR Articles today is sort of proof of your work body that shall help you prosper and establish yourself as a leader in your domain.

Prateek further added, “Today, a PR story is an equivalent of gaining people’s trust. Without trust, there can never be any PR. The audiences establish trust in a brand due to the consistent delivery of values, ideas, and innovation. This trust serves the purpose of strengthening the overall value of a company or an individual. A community that trusts a company and what it stands for will also trust what the company has to offer. Effective PR strategies often lead to leveraging profitable opportunities.”

Brandcasting is a well-equipped platform that helps businesses and individuals leverage 360-degree media solutions at a very reasonable range. Brandcasting provides services like SEO, web designing, promotional videos and templates, Google my business, PR articles, graphic designing; end-to-end digital solutions at your fingertips.

Know More on – https://brandcasting.co.in/

Plot vs Flat – Which Is Right for You in 2023

by Akash Pharande, Managing Director – Pharande Spaces

Plotted developments have been in the news fairly regularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. It appears that many Indians are now considering this option versus investing in built-up homes. Such preferences are dictated by many factors, including availability, infrastructure development, cultural preferences for low-rise homes, investment preferences, and knowledge – and, of course, the cost factor.

To begin with, we must consider the price of a plot of land suitable and cleared for residential development (technically, non-agricultural or NA land), or a plotted development.

How Much Land to Build a Home? – The amount of land needed to build, say, a small 2 bedroom bungalow may require 600-800 square yards of land, while a spacious 4-5 bedroom luxury bungalow may need 1200-1500 square yards. In prime urban areas, land availability is lower so a decent-sized bungalow can be built on 400-600 square yards while in the suburbs or in smaller towns, 800-1000+ square yards would be considered adequate.

Plot Cost – In Mumbai, a plot of 100-300 square yards in areas like Thane, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, and Panvel will cost anywhere between Rs. 60,000 – 90,000 per square yard, depending on the exact location and other factors such as nearby infrastructure facilities. In Pune, typical residential plot sizes range from 150 to 400 square yards and carry price tags of anywhere between Rs. 5,000 – 12,000 per square yard, again depending on the location within the city.

And this is just the cost of the land. Next comes the cost of building a home on it.

Construction Costs – Building on a Plot – According to a Anarock Property Consultants 2022 report, the average cost to construct a 2,000 sq ft standalone home in India is Rs 3,000-3,500 per sq ft, totalling an outlay of Rs 60-70 lakh. In contrast, a 2BHK apartment in many major Indian cities averages Rs 80-90 lakh, while 3BHK units average Rs 1-1.1 crores.

In short, there are significant up front savings with built-up apartments versus acquiring and building on a plot of land. However, people who buy plots are also focused on capital appreciation – the most important feature of land investment.

According to a report by PropTiger, also from 2022, land appreciation in the last decade has been very significant. In fact, it was 100-150% in non-metro tier-2 and tier-3 cities when compared to 50-75% in metros. So, apartments are more cost-effective but land value growth can recoup the cost of a plot over the long term.

Plotted Development Benefits

Apart from the potential returns on investment, there are other features to buying a plot and building your own home on it. For instance, you can customize the property as you wish, with your own layout, finishing, design elements, landscaping, and other features that match your lifestyle and tastes.

Built-up property formats like apartments constrain changes and personalization. As architect Rahul Kadri aptly stated, “Personalization gives a character to the space. This is only possible when one builds a home from scratch.”

According to Anarock data, custom homes represented 73% of new residential construction in 2021 – a year that saw several major waves of Covid-19. Vaccines were being rolled out, helping to reduce severe illness and death, but the pandemic’s shockwaves were still being felt and were influencing many kinds of decisions and preferences.

The world was a very different place in 2021. Fast forward to 2023, and now the question is – are self-developed homes still a better option than buying a decent-sized flat in a modern residential township?

Township Living Advantages

No doubt, plotted developments and even bare, undeveloped land became very appealing during and immediately after Covid-19 – but only for those with the right amounts of financial means, patience and investment temperament. For middle-class end-users, something very different became most important during the pandemic – community living.

What most working professionals and nuclear families sought in post-pandemic India included a sense of neighborhood, belonging, plug-and-play lifestyle features, and especially health-focused amenities.

Modern townships, especially those built by leading developers, provide superior amenities and far more conveniences than you can add into a home you have built yourself. After all, township properties do not stand in solitary splendor – they are well-thought-out and immaculately enabled projects.

A modern township offers facilities like swimming pools, gyms, sports courts, walking trails and jogging tracks, children’s play areas and clubhouses by default. Maintenance is covered through association fees versus the individual upkeep costs of a standalone property. Townships and other forms of gated communities also provide far greater security than any standalone home can provide.

Housing Prices Growth

On a final note, since we already examined the capital appreciation of land, let’s also look at how much apartments gained in value. Different real estate consultancies have estimated the average price increase in the leading Indian cities to be anywhere between 5-18% over the past three years.

RBI’s All-India Home Price Index, which references transaction-level data provided by the registration authorities across the top 10 major Indian cities, finds that HPI has gone up by almost 10% in the last three years. It also states that housing prices rose by 4.57% between March 2022 and March 2023, which indicates that prices continue to rise across the metros.

The consistently high sales rate in townships and gated community projects by leading developers indicates that this is more than adequate for most Indians who prefer the convenience of plug-and-play homes over the complexities of acquiring land and developing homes on it.

Mystery behind discovery of giant ‘search’, ‘unlock’, and ‘download’ buttons across India solved

Bangalore: As the mystery surrounding the surfacing of giant buttons labelled as ‘unlock, ‘download’ and ‘search’ in garbage bins across the country deepens, a video posted on social media channels by smart lock screen platform Glance, has finally lifted the lid on the suspense. In this video posted across social media channels on Wednesday, Glance has shown photographs and videos of people dumping these giant symbolic buttons for its smart lock screen, which doesn’t require users to unlock their phones, download and search to access different content on the internet.

“Get everything you love from latest trends to sports updates, from 500+ games to shopping for fashion on your Glance smart lock screen. No need to ‘unlock’, ‘search’ or ‘download’. #JustGlance. Isn’t that Simply Smart?”, the Bengaluru-based unicorn start-up company said in a Twitter post along with the video.

Last week, giant buttons labelled ‘search,’ ‘unlock,’ and ‘download’ were discovered abandoned in various garbage dumps throughout the city, including prominent locations like Jyoti Niwas College, Cubbon Park, Lal Bagh and Church Street among many others. Surprisingly, these buttons were not limited to Bangalore alone, but they appeared in multiple cities and towns across the country, including Delhi, Indore, Chennai, Pune and more. This unexpected find ignited widespread curiosity nationwide, prompting people to express their thoughts and engage in discussions on social media. Thousands of people took to Twitter and posted these photos along with discussions on topics such as digital detoxification and pioneering digital advancements with hashtags #mysterybuttons and #buttonsdiscovered.

“My friend gifted me a phone two years ago, which has Glance smart lock screen, and since then, I have been actively using it. Best part – no downloading games to play! So when @glancescreen revealed it was behind the giant ‘download’ ‘search’ and unlock buttons being found across the city last week, I had to go 👏🏽” Sandeep Kishore said in a tweet.

Glance is a Bengaluru-based unicorn (start-up with a valuation of more than USD$1 billion) technology company known for its smart lock screen platform which is available in most of the leading Android smartphone brands in the country. The Glance lock screen today has an installed user base of over 450 million across India and Southeast Asia. The company also aims to enter multiple other geographies including the USA.

“The human spirit is indomitable, always thirsting to do more. Our smartphones were meant to be our companion on this epic quest for more – to help us keep up, get things done and spark new ideas. But in this fast-paced world, there is a firehose of information that keeps coming at us. Searching for info, downloading apps, switching between apps, and scrolling through feeds is leaving us drained. With Glance Smart Lock Screen less is more. Everything we seek comes to us on our lock screen, instead of us seeking it. We don’t need to spend any time searching for info, downloading multiple or even unlocking our smartphone. All we need is to just glance. #SimplySmart said Bikash Chowdhury, Chief Marketing Officer of Glance, on a LinkedIn post. 

Glance is not a downloadable app, but a feature that comes pre-integrated in the operating system (OS) of leading smartphone brands. It serves as a single gateway to a world of tailored content based on users’ interests and preferences in several regional languages including English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, and Bengali. Glance can be activated only with the user’s consent.

Users can stay updated and discover trending content, play over 400 games, livestream exciting game tournaments, shop for products, tune in to over 500 creators’ live shows, and more, all without unlocking their phones. It’s like having a personalized content feed at the user’s fingertips, ready to entertain and inform whenever one needs it.