Author: Rabindra

The third of four Royal Stag Boombox original music tracks to be released across platforms

August 19, 2023: Royal Stag Boombox, in collaboration with Viacom18, is all set to bring a completely new genre of music where the melody of Bollywood meets the gully of hip hop creating the original sound of generation large. Music evokes emotions in people across generations, making it a significant passion pillar for Seagram’s Royal Stag. In this modern era, the younger audience is more inclined towards exploring exciting new forms of music. Celebrating the spirit of ‘Living it Large’ and having enthralled thousands of music lovers in Manipal, Bhubaneshwar, Pune, Indore & Dehradun with its unique on-ground experiences, Royal Stag Boombox enters its next phase with launch of 4 original music tracks. The third original music track to be released is a unique collaboration between music maestro, Amit Trivedi and the spunky rapper SlowCheeta.

The new song ‘Mohabbat’ reinforces our belief in the most powerful emotion ever known to us – LOVE. Amit Trivedi plays the love guru (philosopher) and coaxes a nervous fresher, SlowCheeta, to express his love freely. This song is a perfect blend of Desi melody and Hip-Hop beats and showcases the different phases of falling in love.

It’s the third original song under the series of Melody x Hip Hop music tracks to be released across platforms, as part of Royal Stag Boombox’s unique, phygital format.

Rapper SlowCheeta shared, “Royal Stag Boombox is an incredible platform where artists like us can come together to collaborate and express ourselves. The opportunity to work with an icon like Amit Trivedi and create something as special as this track is priceless. I am going to cherish this for a long time.”

Music composer and singer Amit Trivedi added “I had a lot of fun making Mohabbat with SlowCheeta. It’s a lovely song that captures the entertaining vibe of Bollywood music combined with the energy of rap. Royal Stag Boombox is doing a great job bringing such fresh new sounds to the audience.”

Music is a significant passion pillar for Seagram’s Royal Stag and today’s youth tilt towards exploring exciting new forms of music. Contemporary genres such as hip-hop are becoming increasingly popular, while Bollywood melodies remain integral to the youth’s cultural milieu. Royal Stag Boombox intends to stir the imagination of this generation, blending music they have inherited – Bollywood scores, with the genre that speaks to them, Hip Hop. The third song, Mohabbat is live on YouTube, social and major audio platforms.

Global Fintech Fest 2023 Set to Emerge as World’s Largest Thought Leadership Platform

Bangalore, August 19, 2023: The Global Fintech Fest (GFF), emerging as the world’s largest fintech conference, is back with its second physical edition. GFF 2023 is scheduled on September 5 – 7, 2023, at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Global Collaboration for a Responsible Financial Ecosystem: Inclusive | Resilient | Sustainable’.

GFF 2023 is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MietY), the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and is organized by the Payments Council of India (PCI), Fintech Convergence Council (FCC), and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Among the leading international agencies which are partnering with GFF 2023 are the World Bank, the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD), the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), and Women’s World Banking. Australia, Brazil, Great Britain, Germany and Israel are the Country Partners of GFF 2023.

Among stalwarts from India who will share their insights at the GFF 2023 are Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance, Government of India; Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister for Commerce and Industry, Textiles and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India; Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India; Smt. Madhabi Puri Buch, Chairperson, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI); Shri Debasish Panda, Chairperson, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI); Shri K Rajaraman, Chairperson, International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA); Dr. Vivek Joshi, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, Shri Dinesh Kumar Khara, Chairman, State Bank of India Mr. Vijay Shekhar Sharma Founder & CEO, Paytm; Mr. Kunal shah Founder, CRED and many other policymakers, regulators and industry captains.

Not only from India, global luminaries from the fintech and finance ecosystem will also converge at GFF 2023. Among them will be: Mr. Maha Prasad Adhikari, Governor, Nepal Rastra Bank; Dr. Maxwell Opoku-Afari, First Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana; Soraya M Hakuziyaremye , Board Vice-Chairperson and Deputy Governor, National Bank of Rwanda; Mr. Aleksi Grym, Head of Fintech, Bank of Finland; Mr. Eduardo Enrique Torres Llosa Villacorta, General Manager, Central Bank of Peru; H.E. Khaled Al Basias, Director Financial Sector Development, Saudi Central Bank; Ms. Doris Dietze, Head of Division, Federal Ministry of Finance, Germany; Mr. Masaki Bessho, Head of FinTech Centre, Payment & Settlement Systems Department, Bank of Japan; Mr. Andy White, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Payments Network (AusPayNet) and Mr. Thomas Kurian, Chief Executive Officer, Google Cloud.

Highlights of Global Fintech Festival 2023:

3 days | 13 tracks | 800+ Speakers | 15+ Thought Leadership Reports |81 Academic Papers| 50+ Workshops | 125+ Countries | 250+ Sessions | 250+ Investors |500+ exhibitors |150K Sq. Ft Exhibition Area|3 Hackathons| 50000+ Delegates

Explaining the key objective and vision of GFF 2023, Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chair, Advisory Board, GFF 2023, Chairman Axilor Ventures and Co-founder Infosys, said, “At the Global Fintech Fest 2023, we converge as orchestrators of transformation, bringing together diverse stakeholders onto one platform to engage in discussions and debates concerning the future of the industry. Our vision extends further than just embracing innovation; it encompasses nurturing ingenuity within our startup community, cultivating an environment where every stakeholder can flourish and be part of a journey towards building an ecosystem that fosters growth, inclusivity, and collaborative progress.”

“The Global Fintech Fest has been a testament to the fintech community’s prowess, showcasing success stories and milestones that inspire us all. Our commitment to promoting collaboration, innovation, and growth has never been stronger. Through this platform, we invite industry leaders, startups, and investors to seize networking opportunities and forge partnerships that will define the future of finance. Together, we will embrace cutting-edge technologies, data privacy and cybersecurity as the cornerstones of trust in our evolving landscape,” said Ms. Praveena Rai, Chief Operating Officer, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Mr. G Padmanabhan, Former Executive Director, Reserve Bank of India, Former Chairman, Bank of India and Advisory Board Member, Global Fintech Fest 2023, underlined how the conference was aligned with India’s economic progress: “Global Fintech Fest 2023 is going to be the most vibrant celebration of the industry’s exponential growth. We aim to create more than just a fintech engine and the event is expected to architect a powerhouse that would propel India towards a $30 trillion developed economy by 2047. In this endeavour, we are committed to establishing a sustainable, inclusive, and affordable ecosystem that serves as the destination of first choice for foreign capital to invest and participate in India’s transformation into a developed nation”

“The fest since its inception has been showcasing breakthroughs and fostering connections that transcend boundaries. In an era where partnerships drive prosperity, this gathering empowers us to pioneer solutions that navigate regulatory complexities, ensuring a nurturing environment for fintech’s growth. As we celebrate women in fintech, in GFF 2023, we acknowledge their pivotal role and strive to amplify their influence. The fest’s interactive workshops offer a first-hand glimpse into fintech’s dynamic landscape, where technology is not just a tool, but a transformative force. We honour exceptional contributions, driving our industry forward, and emphasize that data privacy, cybersecurity, and trust aren’t just buzzwords – they’re the foundations of fintech’s future,” said Mr. Srinivas Jain, Executive Director & Head of Strategy, SBI Mutual Fund and Advisory Board Member, Global Fintech Fest 2023.

Mr. Naveen Surya, Organiser and Advisory Board Member, GFF 2023 and Chairman, Fintech Convergence Council said, “India has proven its leadership in the international fintech landscape by being the 3rd largest ecosystem in the world. As our country gears up to move up to the largest top three economies, the fintech ecosystem would also play an important role and is all geared up for global leadership. Global Fintech Fest 2023 is our effort towards setting up India as the largest thought leadership platform and collaborating with the world and also fostering responsible innovation. We are looking forward to working with the global fintech ecosystem and delivering a future-proof model suitable for the two third of the financially excluded population across the globe.”

While PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is the Knowledge Partner of GFF 2023, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is the thought leadership partner.

Global Fintech Fest 2023 will witness policymakers, regulators, administrators, and industry leaders from India and around the world engaging in invigorating discussions on fostering extensive collaboration for a robust and resilient financial ecosystem.

Also instituted under the GFF 2023 are the Global Fintech Awards (GFA), which honour and celebrate the success of fintech companies worldwide. GFA recognize outstanding emerging start-ups, disruptive technologies, unique business models and innovative founders and entrepreneurs across the globe. Fintech companies, financial institutions and start-ups can nominate their works for Fintech Awards in 21 diverse subcategories under 3 classifications.

Dollar Industries Limited Announces Q1 FY24 Results

Kolkata, 19th August, 2023: Dollar Industries Limited, one of the leading Garment & Hosiery companies in the country has announced its financial results for the quarter ended 30th June, 2023.

Highlights for Q1FY23 Standalone Financials

“The financial results for the first quarter of FY23-24 indicates that the Company has given favorable margins as compared to previous quarter Q4FY23.The year 22-23 was very challenging for hosiery industry due volatile raw material prices and high-cost inventory and it had a domino effect on our Q1FY24 financial results as well if we compare it with Q1FY23. But things have started to stabilize now and the effect of the same can be seen in our margins which has improved from previous quarter. Overall, we expect FY24 to be good with increased demand for the products and controlled raw material prices will help us to maintain our margins.Our commitment to sustainability remains a top priority. We continue to implement environment-friendly practices throughout our operations, focusing on reducing our carbon footprint and promoting responsible manufacturing processes. For this company has planned a capital expenditure of Rs 35 crore towards power generation capacity through Solar Power which would generate 6 MW of power. This capital expenditure would help us in reducing our operational cost and will improve margins”, said, Mr Vinod Gupta, Managing Director, Dollar Industries Limited.

The company’s flagship Project Lakshya has done well and has increased the share of revenue contribution in the domestic sales from 19% in FY23 to 27% in Q1FY24. It has shown volume growth of 13% on a Y-o-Y basis. The company has added 20 distributors in Q1FY24 under project Lakshya. The company has also started rollouts of Distributors in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. We are

confident of our long-term growth on the back of Project Lakshya, industry and economic drivers”, said Mr Ajay Kumar Patodia, Chief Financial Officer.

Dollar is poised to open 125 Exclusive Brand Outlets mostly in Tier 2 & Tier 3 cities by 2025. These outlets are a one-stop destination for all Dollar products and will cater to the hosiery needs of men, women, and kids. Currently, 17 such EBOs are operational.

Maximal Finance recognized as Most Influential NBFC of the Year at the 15th NBFC & Fintech Award 2023

Chennai, August 19, 2023: Maximal Finance, a trailblazing force in the realm of financial inclusion, has been distinguished with the coveted title of the “Most Influential NBFC of the Year” at the esteemed 15th NBFC & Fintech Award 2023. This prestigious accolade underscores Maximal Finance’s commitment to reshaping the financial landscape and propelling inclusive economic growth through innovative approaches.

The 15th edition of the NBFCs & Fintech Conclave and Awards explored the dynamic intersections of technology, from current advancements to future possibilities, and their profound impact. Focused discussions centered around the evolving landscape of Loan Management Software, the persistent challenge of Cyber Crimes, and the transformative role of Digital Payments in fostering inclusivity within organizations and society at large. Eminent experts from the NBFC and IT sectors engaged in thought-provoking dialogues, sharing their invaluable insights.

“Receiving the ‘Most Influential NBFC of the Year’ award at the 15th NBFC & Fintech Award is a moment of immense pride and humility for us,” commented Mr. R. Vignesh, CEO of Maximal Finance. He further added, “This recognition underscores the distinctiveness of our approach in driving financial inclusion through the strategic application of technology. We believe in ensuring that every individual has access to and benefits from the financial ecosystem, and we remain dedicated to innovation and leadership in this pursuit.”

Maximal Finance’s vision seamlessly aligns with the Government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, aimed at fostering self-reliance and financial empowerment among entrepreneurs.

Distinguished for pioneering a fully digitized loan disbursement and collection process, Maximal Finance sets industry benchmarks. This comprehensive system encompasses every aspect, from client prospecting and credit assessment to loan approval and repayment collection. By integrating cutting-edge technologies, Maximal Finance offers customers a seamless and secure experience, exemplifying the highest standards of efficiency.

Maximal Finance’s ambition is to redefine the existing model of financial partnerships within the MSME segment, playing an integral role in propelling the nation towards achieving its ambitious $5 trillion economy goal by 2024.

Steelbird Helmets: A Stylish, Comfortable, and Safety-Driven Choice for Men and Muscular Machines

Introduction: Men who love muscular machines also value style, comfort, and safety when it comes to their riding gear. Steelbird Helmets perfectly cater to their preferences, offering helmets that not only match their machines but also provide superior protection. With unique design elements, advanced features, and a focus on comfort and technology, Steelbird Helmets have become a favorite among big boys in the biking community. In this blog, we will explore the exceptional features that make these helmets a true work of art while ensuring the safety and satisfaction of riders.

Italian Design by Global Designers: Steelbird Helmets are a testament to the style and craftsmanship of Italian design. Created by a team of global designers, each helmet stands out as a unique piece of art. The aesthetics perfectly complement the muscular machines and appeal to men with a discerning taste for style.

Perfect Fit for the Male Head: The shell design of Steelbird Helmets is specifically crafted to fit the male head shape, providing a comfortable and secure fit. This attention to detail ensures that the helmet sits perfectly and does not compromise safety or comfort.

Odor-Free and Washable Inner Lining: Steelbird Helmets prioritize hygiene and convenience with their odor-free, replaceable, and washable inner lining. Riders can maintain a fresh and clean interior, ensuring a pleasant experience every time they wear the helmet.

All-Weather, Anti-Fog Visor with Anti-Scratch Treatment: The visor of Steelbird Helmets is designed to tackle any weather condition. The all-weather feature, along with an anti-fog coating and anti-scratch treatment, ensures clear vision regardless of the external environment. This durability allows riders to handle the helmet confidently without worrying about scratches or impairments to their line of sight.

Robot-Made Visors for Precision and Clarity: Steelbird Helmets take visor perfection to the next level. Each visor is made by robots, eliminating human error and guaranteeing precise vision. Whether riding in sunlight, rain, fog, or at night, the visor ensures that external lights and weather conditions do not obstruct the rider’s view.

Double Visors for Extreme Sunlight and Regular Riding: For riders facing extreme sunlight, Steelbird Helmets offer models with double visors. This additional feature provides optimal protection against intense glare, allowing for a comfortable and safe riding experience. For regular riding, the helmets come with a single visor, catering to different needs.

Convenient Mechanisms for Visor Release and Flip-Up: Steelbird Helmets incorporate user-friendly mechanisms for convenience on the road. With just a click of a button, riders can easily release the visor. For those using flip-up helmets, the design allows for single-handed operation, eliminating the need for both hands to flip the helmet open or closed. The chin guard ensures a secure fit and eliminates the risk of loosening while riding.

Helmets as Stylish Tech Gadgets: Steelbird has redefined the concept of a helmet by transforming it into a stylish tech gadget. These helmets offer features such as air vents for improved airflow, Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free communication, and sweat-free materials. These technological advancements make Steelbird Helmets a valuable investment for every biker.

Steelbird Helmets offer men and muscular machine enthusiasts the perfect blend of style, comfort, and safety. With their Italian design, precise fit for the male head, odor-free and washable inner lining, all-weather anti-fog visor, and advanced features like double visors and convenient mechanisms, these helmets provide an unmatched riding experience. Embracing technology, Steelbird Helmets have become more than just protective gear—they are stylish gadgets that cater to the needs of modern riders. Choose Steelbird Helmets and ride with confidence, knowing you have invested in the best for your safety and enjoyment.

DBS and Infor Nexus collaborate to enhance SME cashflows with data-based trade financing solutions

Bangalore, 19 August, 2023 – Infor Nexus™ and DBS Bank, in partnership, have announced the launch of pre-shipment financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) suppliers in the Infor Nexus™ supply chain ecosystem. This pathbreaking solution utilises historical data from the Infor Nexus™ platform to provide data-based lending solutions that help suppliers meet their working capital requirements. While post-shipment financing solutions already exist in the market, pre-shipment financing is a game changer as it allows suppliers to use their enhanced cashflows to fulfil orders before goods are delivered to buyers.

The partnership between DBS Bank and Infor Nexus™ was, until now, primarily focused on availing early payments to the suppliers on a post-shipment basis. The latest trade financing solution completes the entire pre-shipment and post-shipment financing cycle, establishing a robust end-to-end digital working capital financing solution. The offering builds upon the industry-leading digital trade financing capabilities of DBS, which have been seamlessly integrated into the Infor Nexus™ network since 2020. The Bank will use alternative supply chain data, such as historical and real-time milestone information on the physical movement of goods from the Infor Nexus™ platform.

The trade financing solution has been extended to SMEs in India, primarily in the apparel, footwear and textile industries, which are major growth sectors for the economy. As part of the Infor Nexus™ ecosystem, DBS Bank will underwrite the trade financing facility applications of prospective SME suppliers. The analytics-based data will act as the primary means to assess the risk and creditworthiness of suppliers instead of traditional documentation[1], which often results in many suppliers being underfunded or facing challenges in accessing necessary working capital. By obtaining financing for pending orders, even before invoices are confirmed, suppliers can mitigate cashflow needs that occur between shipment, delivery and when the payment is received. DBS is one of the first banks to offer such a unique solution, which has the potential to revolutionise SME financing.

Speaking on the partnership, Divyesh Dalal, MD and Head, Global Transaction Services, DBS Bank India said, “We are proud to partner with Infor Nexus™ to launch a one-of-a-kind, end-to-end working capital financing solution for SME & MSME suppliers. DBS Bank understands the critical importance of working capital requirements for small businesses to scale up in their respective industries. The innovative e2e working capital finance offering will not only address the manufacturer’s cashflow needs to produce goods (per PO) but also enable them to collect export proceeds in a timely and cost-effective manner through a trusted partner – Infor Nexus™. The availability of Purchase Order finance fulfils a long unmet need of the SME/MSME manufacturer. Leveraging our robust digital capabilities and Asian connectivity, this ecosystem partnership reinforces our dedication to business transformation through data insights and digital technology, connecting multinational anchors with SME suppliers at a significant scale, unlocking new avenues of growth.”

Gary Schneider, VP Financial Services, Infor Nexus™ said, “This new offering demonstrates how data can transform supply chain finance. The pre-to-post shipment financing will enable Infor Nexus™ to provide a complete and integrated solution to improve supply chain efficiency and suppliers’ cash flow. By partnering with DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest bank, we will bring a dependable and efficient source of capital to our customers, extending the range of attractive supplier financing options, such as purchase order financing, invoice invoicing and sustainable supply chain financing, to deliver added value to more suppliers on our platform.”

DBS Bank is committed to supporting SMEs as they navigate the ever-changing economic landscape with solutions that enable them to future-proof their businesses. The expanded network of DBS Bank India with ~530 branches across 350+ locations has resulted in more physical touchpoints for SMEs across the country, complementing the bank’s awarded digital offering. The DBS branch presence in India now covers more than 100 SME hubs and more than 80% of the addressable SME market in the country. Leveraging the power of its data-driven digital platform for customer onboarding and servicing, DBS Bank India has successfully achieved a 100% digital onboarding rate, with 85% of transactions now conducted digitally. The Bank’s approach of fostering ecosystem partnerships opens up business opportunities and enables enterprises to unleash their full growth potential.

Hyderabad Runners Society unveils Finishers Medal of NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2023 powered by IDFC FIRST Bank

NMDC Hyderabad Marathon powered by IDFC FIRST Bank is the country’s second-largest marathon

Hyderabad, August 19, 2023: Hyderabad Runners Society and NMDC together with the Govt. of Telangana announced the 12th edition of the annual NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2023 powered by IDFC FIRST Bank. The run will have over 21000 registered participants. With thousands of outstation participants coming to run in this prestigious City Marathon, the annual sporting extravaganza is gaining massive appeal among serious and amateur runners across India and overseas.

The finishers Medal was unveiled by Shri Anjani Kumar, IPS, Director General of Police, Telangana, Shri Amitava Mukherjee, Chairman and Managing Director (Addl Charge) & Director Finance, NMDC Ltd, Shri Nirish Lalan, Head Branch Banking South, IDFC FIRST Bank in a press conference held on Thursday in a city hotel.

Addressing the gathering immediately after unveiling the Finishers Medal, Shri Anjani Kumar said, Hyderabad is competing with many cities globally on all fronts. Telangana is one of the top three states in India in per capita income. Mumbai is saturated. Hyderabad has a lot of scope to develop further Police are very much part of the event, It is our event. He promised full cooperation. We hope the participation will touch 30000 in future editions.

Shri Amitava Mukherjee said “As the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2023 approaches, we invite marathon enthusiasts and new runners from across the country to pay tribute to the Fit India Movement with NMDC. This year is special, we have demonstrated unprecedented resilience in overcoming the pandemic and as a society have become more health conscious. This edition of the Marathon will also be celebrated our resilience and a healthier India”.

The event days are the 26th and 27th of August 2023. The 5K- a curtain raiser will be held on 26th August at 7 AM at Hitex. On 27th August the runs will be flagged-off as follows: Full Marathon at 4.30 AM, Half Marathon and 5.30 AM (from People Plaza, Necklace Road) & 10K Run at 6.30 AM from Hitex, Madhapur.

The marathon route will traverse the important landmarks in the city giving the runners a picturesque view of the Hussain Sagar Lake, Raj Bhavan Road, KBR Park, Jubilee Hills Road No. 45, Durgam Cheruvu Cable Bridge, Bio-diversity Junction, University of Hyderabad and finishes at Gachibowli Stadium, while spreading the healthy lifestyle theme among Hyderabad citizens. The 10K Run will be starting from Hitex Grounds and will merge with the Half and Full Marathon route near IKEA Circle and will finish at Gachibowli Stadium.

“Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Prashant Morparia, Race Director – NMDC Hyderabad Marathon, said, “Hyderabad Runners Society is proud to lead the active lifestyle movement and the 12th edition of the Marathon is a step in that direction.

This year, we have seen a growth in the number of participants to about 21000 plus, coming from almost 30 states and UTs as well as international participation. Out of this number, 5000 are women. 500 from 14 NGOs are also participating. We are eager to make them experience world-class race facilities on this AIMS-certified course. The Prize money across all categories is about Rs.27 lakhs.

It is going to be the green marathon. 250 volunteers are pressed into the service for the purpose of keeping it green as well as for recycling.

We are also proud to support runners from many NGOs, who are working with different underprivileged sections of society and have also facilitated fundraising for various Charity organizations under the aegis of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2023 powered by IDFC FIRST Bank. We call out to all sections of society to support this initiative and make Hyderabad the health capital of the country. We thank the Govt of Telangana, the City Police and our Sponsors for their backing in this active lifestyle movement.”

Naarayan TV – Chief Marketing Officer – IDFC FIRST Bank said “As the Associate Sponsor of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon, IDFC FIRST Bank has an opportunity to connect with people in the dynamic city of Hyderabad. Participative sports have seen a growing interest in recent times, and being a part of this positive influence aligns with IDFC FIRST Bank’s philosophy of enabling social good in society. Through this partnership, we aim to promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle across all aspects – financial, physical and mental. We look forward to an event that is inspirational and promotes community building”