Author: Rabindra

Skechers Named Official Kit Partner of Mohun Bagan Super Giant

Mumbai, 24th September, 2024 – Skechers, The Comfort Technology Company®, and a global leader in performance and lifestyle footwear, announces its official kit partnership with one of India’s most celebrated football clubs, Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG). Players on the team will be outfitted in Skechers-branded match kits, training attire and lifestyle wear.

Founded in 1889, Mohun Bagan Super Giant is one of the oldest and most prestigious football clubs in Asia. The club’s rich history includes being the first all-Indian team to win a championship against a British club, a significant milestone during India’s struggle for independence. MBSG is more than just a football club; it symbolizes pride, sentiment, and identity for West Bengal and across India. The club’s matches are cultural spectacles deeply embedded in the East Indian market, with a passionate fan base that mirrors the enthusiasm of European football. Currently, MBSG is one of India’s top-performing clubs, having won the ISL League Title for the 2023-2024 season.

While Skechers has widely been recognized for its supreme comfort in footwear, the brand continues to focus on expanding its influence in the performance category. Skechers has partnered with athletes around the world who compete in the brand’s footwear across various sports including football, cricket, basketball, golf, pickleball, and running. Along with existing official partnerships with the Indian Pickleball Association and the Mumbai Indians, these initiatives reflect Skechers’ commitment to enhancing its reputation in the sportswear market and providing athletes with innovative, high-performance gear.

Rahul Vira, CEO of Skechers South Asia Pvt. Ltd., said, “We are incredibly proud to partner with a club as iconic as Mohun Bagan Super Giant. With more and more players globally experiencing our signature Comfort That Performs on the pitch, this association is an extension of our commitment to develop a strong sports culture in India while reinforcing Skechers as a leading performance brand to consumers everywhere. Mohun Bagan’s legacy and its passionate fan base align perfectly with our brand values, and we are excited to be part of their journey as they continue to inspire and achieve further milestones on the field.”

Vinay Chopra, Director of Mohun Bagan Super Giant, said, “We are thrilled to partner with Skechers, a global leader in performance and lifestyle apparel, to fuel our pursuit of excellence on and off the pitch. This association is a testament to our shared values of innovation, quality, and a passion for performance. With Skechers by our side, we’re confident that our team will be equipped with the best apparel to take on the toughest challenges in the Indian Super League and beyond. We look forward to a winning partnership that will inspire our fans and take Indian football to new heights.”

As the new ISL season approaches, Skechers looks forward to seeing its brand proudly displayed on the jerseys of Mohun Bagan Super Giant. This partnership not only aligns with Skechers’ mission to be a key player in the performance sportswear category but also honors the legacy and cultural significance of MBSG.

Star Union Dai-ichi Life Collaborates with QuantumStreet AI to Launch Investment Offerings Powered by IBM watsonx

Mumbai, India, September 24, 2024 – Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co. Ltd. (SUD Life), a leading life insurance company in India, and QuantumStreet AI, a global leader in the field of AI-powered investment solutions, today announced their plans to collaborate to incorporate cutting edge generative AI powered by IBM watsonx into the investment offerings of SUD Life. The announcement was made at IBM Think Mumbai 2024, where QuantumStreet AI also formally launched their India service offerings.

As part of the collaboration, SUD Life and QuantumStreet AI will design an investment product aimed at providing superior performance in the large market capitalization (large cap) space. Similar to the trend seen in western capital markets, it is becoming increasingly harder to generate outperformance in Indian large cap portfolios, as well. To address this scenario, the two firms plan to leverage the advanced capabilities of the IBM watsonx platform for generating insights that will form the core of the investment product and differentiate the offering. Ultimately, the investment solution is projected to benefit retail clients by taking advantage of AI in a trustworthy and responsible manner.

Commenting on the partnership, Arindam Ghosh, Chief Technology Officer and Prashant Sharma, Chief Investment Officer of Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance, said, “We are excited to partner with a world leading fintech to bring innovative products to our clients. In today’s data-driven world, it is nearly impossible for individuals to process the vast amounts of information available, and AI has become an indispensable tool for fund managers, helping derive meaningful insights from growing data volumes. It is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ but a ‘must-have.’”

Subhra Tripathy and Chris Natividad, Principals at QuantumStreet AI, stated, “This partnership is a reflection of SUD Life’s innovative culture. We would look to deliver our capabilities to them as we have done for leading banks, wealth managers and pension funds around the world.”

Sandip Patel, Managing Director, IBM India & South Asia said, “As India’s capital markets undergo a pivotal transformation, the role of AI in enhancing investment solutions has never been more important. The collaboration between IBM and QuantumStreet AI sets a new standard for the Indian insurance industry with IBM watsonx at its core. With powerful AI-driven insights that are governed with the highest levels of trust and transparency, this will usher in a new era of responsible investment practices.”

As part of the future plans of the collaboration, QuantumStreet AI and Dai-ichi Life will also explore joint product development in Japan. In addition to India’s life insurance industry, QuantumStreet AI will offer its services to the asset management and wealth management sectors where generative AI can be leveraged for research, as alpha generation platform, and risk management.

With QuantumStreet AI utilizing IBM watsonx as the foundation for the solution, institutional investors will get an opportunity to benefit from its generative AI-powered data insights. watsonx is IBM’s next-generation AI and data platform, which enables businesses to build and refine both new, generative AI foundation models as well as traditional machine learning systems. IBM watsonx makes effective adoption of responsible AI possible by training, validating, tuning and deploying AI systems across the business with speed, trusted data and governance.

Quess Corp Subsidiary Allsec Technologies Ltd. rebrands itself to Alldigi Tech Ltd

Mumbai, 24th Sep 2024: Allsec Technologies Limited, a subsidiary of Quess Corp and one of the leading HRMS players in the APAC region, today announced a significant milestone in its journey as it rebrands itself to Alldigi Tech Ltd – emphasizing the company’s commitment to infusing AI services and aligning with the evolving needs of its global clients.

Alldigi Tech has established itself as a leader in the Customer Experience Management & Employee Experience Management spaces over the past two decades. Backed by Quess Corp and Fairfax Holdings, the company provides comprehensive payroll and HR management solutions globally, serving 400 clients including Fortune 100 companies, across 42 countries. Alldigi Tech takes pride in its unmatched service delivery, boasting a 99.8% accuracy rate and the highest customer Net Promoter Score (NPS) in the industry at 80%. The company’s suite of services includes end-to-end digital HR solutions, payroll processing and payroll related compliance services, all designed to meet the diverse needs of its clientele.

Commenting on Alldigi Tech’s role in realizing Quess Corp’s forward-looking strategy, CEO – Quess GTS Mr. Gurmeet Chahal, stated, “As Alldigi Tech embarks on this new chapter, it remains steadfast in its commitment to quality, technology, and people. The company is poised to continue delivering exceptional services while expanding its global footprint and enhancing its technological capabilities. This rebranding reflects our vision of integrating AI and tech with human expertise to create a more efficient and responsive service model.

As part of Quess Corp’s ongoing demerger into three distinct entities, Alldigi Tech will eventually operate under Digitide Solutions Ltd, which focuses on providing a comprehensive suite of solutions, including BPaSS; Technology Services; CLM; EXM & Insuretech, targeting to achieve a revenue milestone of $1 billion, which denotes a significant increase from its current revenues of just over $350 million.”

Commenting on the rebranding, Mr. Naozer Dalal, CEO of Alldigi Tech, said, “The rebranding to Alldigi signifies a renewed focus on digital transformation and innovation in service delivery whilst retaining its ethos of customer centricity & integrity. The new brand name embodies our dedication to providing cutting-edge digital solutions that enhance operational efficiency and improve user experience. We aim to leverage advanced technologies, including AI and automation, to offer seamless and responsive services to our clients.”

This rebranding marks a significant milestone for Allsec Technologies as it evolves into Alldigi Tech, ready to meet the challenges of a dynamic market while continuing to provide exceptional value to its clients.

A Rare Feat: Narayana Institute of Neurosciences Performs Over 20,000 Neuro-surgeries in 20 Years Journey

Bengaluru, September 2024 – Narayana Institute of Neurosciences at Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, has reached a remarkable milestone by successfully performing over 20,000 neurosurgeries in its 20-year journey. With a commitment to innovation and patient well-being, the institute has been at the forefront of treating complex neurosurgical cases with precision and expertise. The institute was started by Dr. Thimappa Hegde, Director, in 2004, and was inaugurated by the then President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

Commenting on achievements of a two-decade journey, Dr. Komal Prasad, Clinical Lead and Senior Consultant- Neurosurgery at Narayana Health, said, “Over the last two decades, Narayana Institute of Neurosciences has become a pioneer in neurosurgical care. Our team has performed an average of 1,000 surgeries annually since its inception, making us one of the leading institutions in the country. Our neurosurgical capabilities extend across neuro-oncology, skull-base surgery, endoscopic surgery, epilepsy surgery, functional neurosurgery, and minimally invasive spinal surgery. The institute’s wide range of capabilities positions it as a center of excellence in neurosurgery, with specialized focus on technology, professional or clinical excellence and a patient-first approach.”

Spinal surgery, a major area of focus at the institute, covers a range of conditions from degenerative spine diseases to spinal cord tumors and trauma-related injuries. Robotic spinal surgery is a newly added advanced technique furthering precision and accuracy.

Pediatric neurosurgery, addressing neurological conditions in children, is another area where the institute excels, treating congenital brain malformations and tumors. Dr. Shibu Pillai, Senior Consultant – Neurosurgery(Narayana Institute of Neurosciences) said, “We have been performing highly complex pediatric surgeries, and advanced technologies such as brain and spinal mapping have significantly contributed to better outcomes.” Pediatric neuro-surgeries are delicate and very complex, particularly cases involving brain tumors and brain bypass procedures for and children are among the most challenging due to the tiny and fragile blood vessels and nerves.

AI-powered SaaS platform aims to eliminate “generic demos” and boost sales productivity

Bangalore, September 24, 2024 — Pepsales, an AI-powered SaaS platform for sales teams, today announced it has raised $1.1 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Chiratae Ventures, with participation from angel investors in the Bay Area and founders and CXOs from India’s startup ecosystem.

Founded by Ajay Singh and Abhinandan Sahgal in 2023, Pepsales leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to help B2B SaaS companies create personalized product demos that click with potential buyers. The platform aims to address a critical pain point in the sales process, where 80% of demos fail to impress buyers due to their generic, one-size-fits-all approach.

“Imagine if every B2B SaaS company in the world is able to create personalized demos for every buyer at every touchpoint with their buyer. Software buyers want to see product demo in the first meeting with the sales team,” said Ajay Singh, Co-founder and CEO of Pepsales. “Our solution is designed to make this vision a reality, empowering sales teams to deliver truly tailored demos that captivate their prospects.”

Pepsales’ proprietary technology analyzes customer and product data to tell what buyers want, which features to show, and create live demos with personalized data. This approach automates the personalization process, mimicking the expertise of seasoned sales engineers while saving valuable time and resources.

The $1.1 million in pre-seed funding will enable Pepsales to aggressively scale its operations and take on the massive global enterprise software market. The company will leverage the fresh capital to develop an enterprise-grade AI SaaS platform and assemble a world-class team of product, technology, and AI talent. Additionally, Pepsales will bolster its sales and marketing functions to drive adoption among B2B tech companies in key markets like the United States and India. The company is currently working closely with reputable SaaS clients in these regions to gather real-world feedback and refine its product offering.

“If you show a demo to Nike which is meant for Nike and not for Mercedes, chances are you can improve your wins by 50%. Using Pepsales, you can do it in 3 clicks,” added Abhinandan Sahgal, Co-founder and CTO of Pepsales. “Our proprietary AI and ML technology automates the process of creating personalized demos, saving sales teams countless hours.”

“We spoke to 140 sales leaders in 80 B2B SaaS companies and realized that demos are mission critical to sales but 80% of demos fail to impress buyers due to their generic, one-size-fits-all approach,” said Ajay Singh. “Pepsales is on a mission to change this, helping companies win more deals by delivering demos that truly resonate with their target customers.”

Venkatesh Peddi, Managing Director at Chiratae Ventures, commented, “At Chiratae, we invest in visionary teams addressing large, untapped market opportunities. Pepsales is tackling a critical pain point in the massive B2B tech sales landscape with an innovative, AI-driven approach. Their solution has the potential to transform how companies conduct product demos and close deals. We’re excited to support Ajay, Abhinandan, and their team as they work to revolutionize the sales process for B2B tech companies globally.”

Chiratae Ventures is a 18 year old fund with $1.3 Billion AUM known for IPOs and Unicorns like Newgen Software, Uniphore, Flipkart, Lenskart, Policybazaar, etc.

Pepsales is targeting the global enterprise application software market, which has an estimated annual sales and marketing expense exceeding $190 billion. Demo Automation Category was recognized by Gartner as the Top ranked new category of 2023.

Ajay Singh emphasized, “Growth rate of even the best B2B SaaS companies became half in 2023 compared to what it was in 2020. There is no better time to attack this problem than now.”

“We use Gen AI and Machine Learning to analyze all customer interactions and product usage to create personalized demos for a buyer in 3 clicks. Most of the existing solutions create clone of product and requires manual edits which creates more problems than solving it,” said Abhinandan Sahgal. “A salesperson does 10 to 15 demos per week and each demo requires 2 hours to 8 days to personalize depending on the product complexity, buyer needs, and experience of sales person. This is an overstretched team which is expected to spend time which they don’t have on a critical task important to their buyers. Pepsales solves this problem elegantly.”

New Fiction Novel “Zaira” by Vinita Dhondiyal Bhatnagar Set to Captivate Readers

New Delhi, September 24, 2024: The Oxford Book Store, New Delhi hosted the highly anticipated fiction novel by Vinita Dhondiyal Bhatnagar titled, “Zaira”. The book is available in bookstores and online starting September 22, 2024. Brigadier Sanjay Agarwal, Sena Medal & Bar, Retd and Professor Malashri Lal were amongst the august gathering of academicians, thinkers, editors and intellectuals were present at the occasion.

Zaira is a thrilling journey that explores the complexities of love, a gripping mystery. Zaira is a college student in Bhopal who watches her favorite star, Layla, plunge to her death and feels responsible for the murder. Rajyawardhan Singh is the strikingly handsome paramour of Layla who Zaira hankers for to make her own. Their story plays itself out against the backdrop of Bollywood and of the drug mafia and glamour and digital fame.

Will Zaira be able to avenge Layla’s death? Can a young woman take on the combined might of power and money? If she fails, she dies and her family suffers as the criminal drug traffickers continue to turn the youth of this country into addicts. This book belongs to the genre of young adult fiction and is especially interesting for all those who believe that evil can be challenged and that the world can be changed.

Renowned author Prof. Vinita Dhondiyal Bhatnagar is a distinguished academic, storyteller, and a multifaceted individual. She currently serves as a Professor at the Department of Humanities at RGPV Bhopal. Prof. Bhatnagar has authored numerous books, monographs, and articles across various subjects.

In recent times, she has embraced the art of storytelling. Notably, she was part of the Team Ramayana during the telling of the epic at the FEAST festival.

“Writing ‘Zaira’ has been a deeply personal journey for me. I wanted to create a story that not only entertains but also resonates with the reader on an emotional level. I hope that as you dive into these pages, you find reflections of your own experiences and connections to the characters. I can’t wait to share this adventure with you!”, says Vinita Dhondiyal Bhatnagar. The book has already garnered attention from early readers and literary critics alike, praised for its emotional depth and intricate plot.

Zaira is a novel about transitions, the constantly changing moments that change the directions of our lives unexpectedly. This novel is pertinent, specifically as it tracks the changes in a young woman from a tier two city— where the dramatic changes in post millennium generation are happening.

DEVI Sansthan Unveils Global Learning Lab to Enhance ALfA Pedagogy at 14th Ed Leadership

Lucknow 24 September 2024: The 14th Ed Leadership, hosted by DEVI Sansthan, officially kicked off today with the inauguration of the First Global Learning Lab by Shri Brajesh Pathak Hon. Dy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Shri Manoj Kumar Singh, Hon. Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh. This three-day event hosted by City Montessori School, Lucknow and Dr Bharti Gandhi along with Dr Sunita Gandhi at the World Unity Convention Center, focuses on strengthening teacher training and fostering collaborations for the ALfA (Accelerated Learning for All) Pedagogy, a cutting-edge approach recognized as one of the most relevant teaching methodologies today. Other prominent dignitaries like Dr. Abdulla Rasheed Ahmed, Former Minister of Education, Maldives graced the event.

With a mission to drive India towards the NIPUN Bharat mission of universal foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026-27, the Global Learning Lab will highlight strategies and training that empower teachers to make learning more impactful and engaging for young learners. Educators from 15 Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Goa, Manipur, Assam, Odisha, Chattisgarh etc, International educators from 7 countries like USA, Maldives, Kenya, Ghana, Malaysia, Peru and Nepal are participating the 3-day empowering event making this a truly collaborative and innovative platform for transforming education.

Shri Brajesh Pathak, Honorable Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, expressed his pride in acknowledging the remarkable efforts of Dr. Sunita Gandhi and the entire team at DEVI Sansthan, both within India and globally. He emphasized the Uttar Pradesh government’s commitment to revolutionizing education throughout the state. Highlighting the importance of partnerships between government initiatives and innovative solutions like ALfA, he underscored their role in ensuring every child, regardless of their location, receives access to quality education and opportunities for success. “The Uttar Pradesh government pledges its support to DEVI Sansthan in their mission to enhance education in the state”, he shared.

Shri Manoj Kumar Singh, Hon. Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, emphasized the critical role of education in shaping the future of any nation. He remarked, “Education is the cornerstone of both developed and developing countries. In Uttar Pradesh alone, we have around 138,000 state primary schools with approximately 7 lakh teachers educating over 2 crore children. With 15% of the state’s total budget allocated to education, it’s crucial to assess whether we are achieving the right outcomes. Are students from state primary schools equipped to compete with those from other institutions? There’s a pressing need to restructure our educational system. The new pedagogy introduced by DEVI Sansthan will undoubtedly contribute to this transformation, serving as a valuable supplement, though not a substitute, to traditional learning.”

The first Global Learning Lab is showcasing an innovative child-led paired learning model. This new pedagogy is expected to empower Indian classrooms and help students complete their curriculum in half the time, driving rapid progress in FLN. India needs 11,16,846 new teachers for the next three years if it’s to make up the shortfall and cater to new student enrolments. Education system is at the threshold of a complete flip. This is the most opportune time to matter.

Dr. Sunita Gandhi, Founder of DEVI Sansthan, emphasized the mission of Synergy Summit 3.0 and the Global Learning Lab, stating, “The focus is on creating a significant transformation in the education system. We’ve identified the educational goals that need to be achieved and brought together strong representation from across India and internationally. The goal is to unite experts and leaders in education to collaboratively reform the system, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to receive quality education and excel in their learning journey.”

The inaugural day also witnessed government representatives from schools from Lucknow, Unnao, and Barabanki sharing their experiences on the ALfA (Accelerated Learning for All) Pedagogy in their regions. Lalita Pradeep, Former Director of Education for Uttar Pradesh, remarked, “Any approach that promotes learning is a valuable pedagogy. The DEVI Sansthan’s focus on quick learning will enhance student proficiency and contribute to achieving the SDG goals.”

The Synergy Summit 3.0 which is also underway has brought leadership from prominent organizations like the Tata Steel Foundation, Adani Foundation, Hindalco Aditya Birla Foundation, Kotak Mahindra Foundation, The World Bank, HCL Tech, and NCERT. Over 4,000 participants will engage in the summit and the 14th Ed Leadership Conference in the coming days, with a strong focus on accelerating India’s journey towards achieving the NIPUN Bharat Mission – the national mission aimed at universal foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026-27. The event runs from September 23rd to 25th, 2024.

Kanupriya Misra from World Bank while speaking at the event shared, “We at the World Bank are committed to help Governments In India and across the world to improve the FLN. According to Learning Poverty, children in India are not able to read by the age of 10, this is a emergency that needs to be tackled. It has to be a collective effort with Government, Public Sector, Pvt Sector and associations like DEVI Sansthan to come together to find a solution which will ensure the children are educated.”

New Phishing Campaign Exploiting Google App Scripts: What Organizations Need to Know

Harmony Email Researchers have recently identified a concerning phishing campaign that spoofs Google Apps Script macros – a tool used to automate tasks in Google applications.

Google Apps Script macros are popular due to their abilities to automate workflows and integrate with assorted Google services, making them prime targets for cyber criminals.

Campaign overview:

The campaign involves approximately 360 emails written in multiple languages, including English, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, Italian, German, and French. The emails falsely claim to provide “account details” for a user registration that the recipient never initiated.

The campaign remains ongoing.

Should employees fall victim to this email-based scam, risks to organizations include the exposure of sensitive data, the fraudulent transfer of funds, and operational disruption, among other things.

How it works:

The phishing emails feature a link, in the subject line, which leads to a Google Apps Script page. On the page, users will find a deceptive URL that includes scrip.google.com.

The URL claims to be a “secure and trusted” payment service. Because the URL overtly appears legitimate, it may deceive users into potentially disclosing sensitive information.

Detection indicators:

To spot these types of threats, look for emails with subject lines that claim to provide “account details” for an unrecognized registration. URLs that include “scrip.google.com,” but that direct users to pages requesting the input of sensitive data are also red flags.

Mitigation strategies:

• Apply advanced email filtering. This is sophisticated cyber security tooling that employs algorithms and machine learning to identify and filter out phishing emails
• Leverage real-time URL scanning tools, which can identify and block links that direct users to malicious pages.
• Utilize tools that employ AI-powered Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze the context and intent of email content
• Obtain tooling with built-in AI-powered threat intelligence. This enables organizations to apply the most powerful mitigation measures available at any given time
• Implement phishing awareness training to increase employees’ knowledge concerning the identification of suspicious emails and to elucidate internal reporting best practices

Explore Study Opportunities: Ireland’s Education Roadshow Comes to Delhi

Mr. Barry O’Driscoll, Regional Manager, India & South Asia for Education in Ireland also expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Ireland’s new international education strategy, Global Citizens 2030, aims to position Ireland as a top location for international talent and as a thought leader in education, research, innovation and science.  These education fairs present the opportunity for Indian students to learn about undergraduate and postgraduate programmes offered by Irish higher education institutions. The fairs are a chance for students to chat face to face with representatives from 18 of Ireland’s HEIs. The exhibiting institutions are committed to addressing students’ queries around entry requirements, course content and post-study career opportunities”