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New StartupTN Regional Hubs in Salem, Hosur and Cuddalore, says MSME Minister

Chennai, April 7, 2023: Increase in Tamil Nadu SC/ST Startup Fund to Rs. 50 Crore, establishing new Regional Startups Hubs in Salem, Hosur and Cuddalore, a plug and play Startup Manufacturing Centre in Chennai, Global Coordination Centre in Dubai and a Bilingual Call Centre were among the slew of announcements for Startups in 2023-24 by the Hon’ble Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Thiru. T.M. Anbarasan in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday (06.04.2023).

StartupTN Mission Director and Chief Executive Officer Thiru. Sivarajah Ramanathan expressed confidence that these announcements by the Hon’ble Minister for MSME in addition to the announcements by the Hon’ble Minister for Finance Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Thiru M.R.K. Panneerselvam in Budget 2023-24 will add strength to the efforts taken by the Government of Tamil Nadu to create a robust Startup Ecosystem in the State. The Tamil Nadu SC/ST Startup Fund is being increased to Rs. 50 Crore this
financial year from Rs. 30 Crore last year.

With the aim of ensuring social justice at all levels, the Government of Tamil Nadu, in the financial year 2022-23, launched the Rs. 30 Crore Tamil Nadu SC/ST Startup Fund. Implemented through StartupTN, the special fund was launched to provide financial assistance in the form of equity investment or collateral-free loans to innovative Startups founded and run by entrepreneurs from the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities. Considering the overwhelming success of the scheme, the fund is being increased to Rs. 50 Crore in the financial year 2023-24.

“StartupTN Regional Hubs” will be established in Salem, Hosur and Cuddalore with the aim of taking Startup activities across the State. Launch of Regional Startup Hubs at Madurai, Tirunelveli and Erode districts
as announced in the budget 2022-23 has created a positive impact in spreading awareness of the Startup culture and increased Startup activities in the respective regions. Establishment of the Thanjavur Regional Startup Hub was announced in the Agriculture Budget this year to promote Agro Technological Startups. StartupTN Regional Hubs will also be established in Salem, Hosur and Cuddalore.

The uniqueness of Tamil Nadu is taking Startups and Innovation to Tier II and Tier III cities and towns across the State, unlike most developed and developing ecosystems in the country, and globally, where the concentration is in their metros.

“Through our existing hubs we organised nearly 200 events in 2022-23 and reached over 29,000 persons including Startups, students, aspirants, officials and other prospective Startup ecosystem stakeholders,” Mr. Sivarajah Ramanathan said. “By adding four more hubs this year, the total number of Hubs will climb to eight and strengthen the Startup ecosystem further in the corners of the State,” he added.

“Startup Manufacturing Centre” will be established at the SIDCO Industrial Estate in Guindy, Chennai, as a plug and play facility on rental basis for eligible Startups for a period of three years.

A “Startup Manufacturing Centre” will be established in the upcoming multi story industrial park at the SIDCO Industrial Estate in Guindy, Chennai, to encourage Startups by enabling them to commence production without having to heavily invest on land. Eligible Startups will be provided with manufacturing space on rental basis
for a period of three years.

One of the major misconceptions about Startups is generalisation that they need a few seats for a small team to work. But many new age enterprises in EV, IOT, Robotics and a host of other sectors require ample space for production
facilities. Investing in land and constructing physical structures for a manufacturing facility to commence operations is an uphill task for Startups. The Startup Manufacturing Centre is the first step to bridge the gap, Mr. Sivarajah Ramanathan said.

“Global Coordination Centre” will be established in Dubai to coordinate and provide resources required for Startups in Tamil Nadu With the aim of raising investment and increasing market access opportunities for Tamil Nadu-based Startups, Global Coordination Centres will be established in various countries with the support of the Tamil diaspora. In the first phase, the centre will be set up in Dubai this year.

“We took extensive steps to directly reach out to the Tamil diaspora entrepreneur, investor and trade bodies in Dubai and in a few other countries directly and online last year for investment, market access and R&D partnerships. They are eager to give back to their homeland and their role will be instrumental in strengthening the Tamil Nadu Startup ecosystem,” Mr. Sivarajah Ramanathan added.

A “Bilingual Call Centre” will be set up to get information pertaining to Startups and entrepreneurship with ease.
A bilingual call centre is being set up with a team conversant in both Tamil and English to answer any queries related to Startup and Entrepreneurship over the phone. Startup founders can get the information they need by calling ‘155343’. This initiative will help Startup aspirants, early-stage Startups, investors and mentors to get the required information and complete their activities with ease.

Easter Indulgence at Raffles Udaipur: Luxurious Getaway with Exceptional Dining and Special Drinks

07 April 2023,  Raffles Udaipur offers the perfect destination for those looking to spend a luxurious and relaxing Easter weekend with their loved ones. Nestled in the heart of Udaipur, this beautiful property offers breathtaking views of the Aravalli mountain range and the serene Udai Sagar Lake.

With its tranquil surroundings, world-class amenities, and exceptional service, Raffles Udaipur is the ideal place to unwind and indulge in a memorable Easter celebration. Our Easter brunch menu features a wide range of delectable dishes that are sure to delight your taste buds and satisfy your cravings.

At Raffles Udaipur, we have curated a few Easter special drinks that are sure to enhance your Easter celebrations. Sip on our Amarula-based concoction, Easter in the Glass, which is infused with strawberry cream, or indulge in our Sweet Tooth, a vodka-based drink mixed with gummy bears and cranberry.

Easter is a time for renewal and rejuvenation, and what better way to celebrate than with an indulgent meal with your loved ones? Start your meal off right with our salad bar featuring lemon cous cous, corn with mint, dill, and feta cheese. For those who love seafood, we have poached prawns with snow peas cocktail onion and French style tuna, beans, and egg salad.

Our International, homemade cold cut, meats, and cheese station includes chicken pastrami, turkey pastrami, chilli chorizo, black forest ham, served with homemade preserves, crostini, pickles, and more. Cheese lovers will be delighted with our selection of goat cheese, marinated feta, Emmenthal, brie cheese, gouda, and cream cheese. Satisfy your sweet tooth with our cheese crackers, prunes, marinated olives, and nuts. The assortment is followed by delectable mains and desserts for every taste palette.

In addition to our culinary offerings, we also offer a range of activities and experiences that are perfect for families and couples alike. From a mesmerizing sunset high tea at the Belvedere Point to rejuvenating spa therapies at the Raffles Spa, there is something for everyone at Raffles Udaipur.

Our luxurious rooms and suites are designed to provide the utmost comfort and relaxation, with each room offering stunning views of the surrounding mountains or lake. Our attentive staff is always on hand to ensure that your stay is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

So if you’re looking for the perfect destination to spend your Easter weekend with your loved ones, look no further than Raffles Udaipur. Book your stay today and experience the ultimate in luxury and relaxation.

Zscaler Extends CNAPP Capabilities with Integrated Data Loss Prevention and Threat Intelligence from the World’s Largest Security Cloud

Bengaluru, April 7, 2023 –– Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), the leader in cloud security, today announced enhancements to Zscaler Posture Control™, strengthening its cloud native application protection platform (CNAPP) capabilities with data loss prevention (DLP) and ThreatLabz threat intelligence powered by the world’s largest security cloud.

Integrating DLP and threat intelligence into Posture Control makes it the only CNAPP that delivers an accurate cloud risk view by correlating risk impact and likelihood using sensitive data discovery and security signals. Deep insights into how incidents will occur, and the resulting data exposure, give DevOps and security teams an unprecedented understanding of where to focus their limited resources. For example, an internet-facing container with a critical unpatched vulnerability represents a significant risk because attackers can exploit it to gain access to personally identifiable information (PII). With this new integration, organizations can reduce costs and resources while staying agile and proactive in securing sensitive data and secrets in the public cloud.

Research shows that 78% of organizations use more than 50 cybersecurity products. Businesses were initially forced to either piece together point tools, like CSPM, CIEM and vulnerability scanning, or rely on loosely integrated solutions that required agent installation and did not correlate and prioritize findings. Recent solutions shifted to a streamlined, agentless deployment and introduced correlation, but the narrow focus on misconfigurations and unpatched vulnerabilities was only a small piece of the risk puzzle.

Zscaler Posture Control, combined with its data protection and threat prevention capabilities, helps world-leading organizations more effectively correlate and prioritize risk across their entire cloud estate, reducing the time, effort and resources needed to piece together these risks.

Zscaler Posture Control is a CNAPP solution that helps organizations build, deploy and run secure cloud applications. Launched in 2022, it presents a unified approach to understanding, prioritizing and remediating security risks in public cloud environments. With the seamless integration of Zscaler DLP, security, IT and DevOps teams can understand whether sensitive data such as PII, PHI and PCI are exposed as a result of cloud security weaknesses. These new innovations mean organizations can now realize even greater benefits from Zscaler Posture Control, including:

• Risk identification, correlation and prioritization: Integrated DLP and threat intelligence identify attack paths and detect ongoing attacks by automatically correlating misconfigurations or activities that seem low-risk when viewed individually but can be great risks when viewed holistically.
• Efficiency at scale: An integrated graph-based correlation and prioritization engine expedites remediation and reduces alert fatigue by focusing on the risks that matter most.
• Point product consolidation: A single, easy-to-deploy agentless platform eliminates point products by unifying CSPM, CIEM, CWPP and DLP, continuously securing every stage of the application life cycle.
• Native, end-to-end platform without silos: Posture Control reduces security and DevOps team silos with 360-degree, in-depth visibility of risks across the entire multicloud footprint – including virtual machines (VMs), containers and serverless workloads – from build to run.

“CNAPP platforms have started to gain wide popularity in recent years, but they all suffer from the same weakness: they do not help organizations understand sensitive data exposure,” said Willie Tejada, Senior Vice President at Zscaler. “Zscaler Data Protection technologies offer a deep understanding of sensitive data that we’ve built and developed over many years. By integrating these technologies, Zscaler gives organizations a view of cloud risk that security teams have never seen before.”

These enhancements will be made available by June 2023. For more information, please visit zscaler.com/products/posture-control.

St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2023 Visiting Session

This year, the kick-off international event under the auspices of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2023 was the India–Russia Business Forum in New Delhi. The main theme is ‘Strategic Partnership for Development and Growth’.

The main focus of the discussions was on economic convergence between Russia and India along the following tracks: smart cities, healthcare, IT, as well as creating a favorable business climate in the Russian Federation and creating the necessary legal conditions for business structures to operate.

“For many years, SPIEF has been one of the leading business platforms for dialogue and strengthening economic ties between Russia and India. Russian-Indian ties are steadily developing, and this momentum needs to be maintained. Science and technology occupy an important place in the cooperation between the countries. In the near term, the economic agenda of the Russia–India dialogue will focus on such issues as structural transformation of the economy, expanding export potential, improving the business climate, and human capital development,” emphasized Anton Kobyakov, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation.

The changes unfolding before our eyes signal the beginning of a new era in international relations. India and Russia are facing not only new opportunities, but also challenges, including the trade and economic problems of the regional business space, and the issue of digital transformation of the transport complex in the context of technological sovereignty is becoming acute.

During a pitch session, Alexey Valkov, Director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, answered how SPIEF creates opportunities to discuss plans for mutually beneficial partnerships and the development of joint projects on the way to business modernization: “The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is a unique brand that has earned its status through the contribution of hundreds and thousands of specialists and experts in various fields from Russia and foreign countries with the widest geographical reach. We know our target audience and every year we work to improve the effectiveness of the tools that enable participants to find new partners and open up business opportunities.”

 More than 600 delegates and experts attended the two-day Forum and two important strategic agreements were signed between RISING Technology, RUSSOFT, the Technological Sovereignty Export Association, ICL Services, as well as the Indian Business Alliance and The Indian Lawyer and Allied Services.

“Russia and India are actively strengthening their business partnership. Our goods are increasingly in demand, and Russian exporters are ready to step up deliveries. As part of the Business Forum, the Russian Export Center organized a two-day business mission of Russian high-tech companies where exporters held more than 200 business meetings with leading technology companies, government officials, educational institutions and the banking sector in India and signed a number of cooperation agreements. Over 90 Indian counterparties expressed interest in our technology. The business mission that we organized laid a good foundation for cooperation between companies from the two countries,” said Veronika Nikishina, General Director, Russian Export Center.

The Forum was organized by the Roscongress Foundation; the Department of External Economic and International Relations of Moscow; the Russian Export Center; the Technological

Sovereignty Export Association; RUSSOFT, a non-profit partnership of software developers; the Global Council of Innovation and Industry; India’s National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency – Invest India; the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and the Business Council for Cooperation with India. ROSATOM became a partner of the Forum, and its representatives spoke about the latest developments in the areas of Smart Cities and Nuclear Medicine.

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will take place on 14–17 June 2023 at the ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Comment by Mr. Kaushal Agarwal – Chairman, The Guardians Real Estate Advisory.on RBI policy announcement – April 6, 2023

By Mr. Kaushal Agarwal – Chairman, The Guardians Real Estate Advisory

The recent decision by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to stand pat on repo rates is good news for the real estate sector. This pause in rate hikes will encourage homebuyers to take advantage of lower home loan rates and invest in property, driving growth in the sector. Stable interest rates provide attractive financing options, making it easier for potential buyers to purchase homes and stimulating the market. This move will also provide a breather to existing homeowners who were burdened with rising EMIs due to the rate hikes witnessed in the past six policies. All in all, the RBI’s decision is positive for keeping the real estate market vibrant and prosperous.

TVS SCS Secures contract from the UK Ministry of Defence for Land Rover Spares

India 07th April 2023: TVS Supply Chain Solutions (TVS SCS), one of the largest and fastest growing integrated supply chain solutions providers in India in terms of revenues according to the report titled “Logistics and SCS (Supply Chain Solutions) Market in India,” prepared by RedSeer (the “RedSeer Report”), today announced that they have won a contract for the supply of spares, consumables and accessories for the Land Rover Wolf Platform from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), acting through its Agent, Babcock Land Defence Ltd. This agreement is for two plus one year and will see TVS SCS use its accredited inventory management, procurement and supply chain expertise to ensure the optimum availability of spares for this legacy vehicle platform.

The Land Rover Wolf fleet has been in service with the UK MOD since the mid-1990s. TVS SCS along with the Post Design Services contractor will continue to address to support the availability and upkeep of the platform.

Mr Ravi Viswanathan, Managing Director, of TVS Supply Chain Solutions stated, “This business win is a testament to TVS SCS’ strong position in providing supply chain capability to support several of the UK MOD’s vehicle platforms. We continue to thrive on our expertise and believe in the power of adding value to our customers in every possible way.”

Mr Andrew Jones, CEO, of TVS Supply Chain Solutions-UK & Europe stated, “We listened to the customer’s needs and demonstrated our expertise by providing a robust solution which created value for the UK MOD. This contract aligns with our commitment to provide the UK MOD with innovative and resilient supply chain services to maximise the availability of equipment it operates across Land, Sea and Air domains.”

Mr Ben Slade, Head of Strategic Sourcing, Babcock, commented, “TVS SCS proposed the most robust solution, successfully demonstrating high-quality automotive supply chain capability to maximise parts availability supporting this critical vehicle platform whilst also ensuring value for money for our UK MOD customer”.

TVS SCS through its UK operations manages circa 3 million items per day for customers across automotive, beverage, defence, healthcare, rail, and utility sectors. These clients rely on TVS SCS’ ability to create and manage a resilient supply chain that actively mitigates the risk of supply from global disruptions.

Grand Poster launch of ‘Swadeshini Bideshini’: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Adventure

Kolkata, 7th April 2023: The official poster launch for the upcoming film “Swadeshini Bideshini” was held at the iconic pub Lord of the Drinks in Kolkata on 6th April 2023. The director, Indira Dhar Mukherjee, unveiled the poster alongside several prominent guests, including Mumtaz Sorcar, Indian Actress, and Jaya Seal Ghosh, Indian Actress & Dancer. The event was held in the afternoon, and Poila Baisakh Special new Bengali Menu was also unveiled at Lord of the Drinks, adding to the excitement of the day.

“Swadeshini Bideshini” is a heartwarming story about two old friends who reconnect after a period of time and realize that true friendship is about accepting each other’s differences rather than trying to change them. The film promises to be a comedy-filled delight for audiences of all ages. The film boasts an impressive cast of talented actors, including Rupsha Guha, Moubani Sorcar, Suman Sen, Sharmila Sen, and four-year-old Kabir Mukherjee. The guests at the event expressed their excitement and anticipation for the film, with many stating that it would be an excellent option for a family outing. Overall, the poster launch for “Swadeshini Bideshini” was a huge success, with attendees eagerly awaiting the film’s release. It promises to be a heart-warming and entertaining story that will leave audiences laughing and feeling good.

During the event, Indira Dhar Mukkherjee, director of Swadeshini Bideshini shared her personal connection with the story, stating that “The film’s narrative holds a special place in my heart, and every day of shooting felt like a trip down memory lane with my dearest friends. I can’t help but smile when I think about the good times we shared, and I believe that same joy and positivity will be reflected in the film. After a long and tiring day, this movie can serve as the ultimate stress buster.”

Vignan Online launches ‘VISA’ – Vignan’s Integrated Support & Assistance platform

Guntur, 7 April 2023: Vignan Online, the e-learning arm of Vignan’s Foundation for Science, Technology, and Research (Deemed-to-be University), Guntur, today announced the launch of Vignan’s Integrated Support & Assistance (VISA). The unique learner support and assistance platform provides an immersive experience for the learners enrolled in Online Degree Programs from Vignan Online. VISA is a comprehensive service platform that allows learners to post their queries at any time of day and track their progress based on the tickets they have raised.

The platform is a one-click solution for multiple queries of the learners ranging from change of program or electives, issues, and queries regarding fees, correction to the existing personal information, any issues related to the Online Degree Programs or subject, LMS login query, document verification query, and so on. Based on the generic queries, the service will provide automated solutions and a step-by-step process to be followed or will help the learner connect with the right person pertaining to the issue. The service provides a ticket number for each submission in the system to help the learners track the status of their tickets and act accordingly. The platform is designed to ease day-to-day queries, making the interface easy and uninterrupted. The turnaround time (TAT) is less than 24 hours, and it varies according to the nature of the query. If a query is not resolved by VISA, it is automatically escalated to the program manager.

Announcing the launch of VISA, Srinkant Nandigam, CEO of Vignan Online, said, “This is a unique initiative aimed at providing simplified solutions to the learners for numerous issues that require administrative support. Learners can operate on the platform without any stress through a single-click solution with 24 X 7 support. A specialized team of more than 50 technical and administrative staff works at the back end to make this service uninterrupted and effective. I am hopeful that VISA will prove to be a perfect platform for the learners and resolve their problems at the earliest.”

Newgen’s Contextual Content Services Platform (ECM) Now Available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace

April 07, 2023: Newgen Software, a global provider of the NewgenONE—low code digital transformation platform—today announced the availability of its content services platform, OmniDocs, in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, an online store providing applications and services for use on Azure. Newgen’s customers can now take advantage of the productive and trusted Azure cloud platform, with streamlined deployment and management.

OmniDocs — now commercially available – enables the end-to-end management­ of enterprise content, from origination to disposition. The platform connects content and processes in a contextually accurate manner and enables organizations to go digital. It comes integrated with smart tools to capture content from multiple sources, manage it in a secure centralized repository, and make information easily accessible for users. It offers flexibility to access or deliver content via mobile and the cloud, creating a highly connected and digital workplace.

With the commercial translatability status, Newgen shall be able to expand its solution portfolio and maximize profitability by entering new markets and optimizing its sales and marketing efforts. This will lead to greater opportunities for upselling and cross-sell faster sales cycles, and better marketing insights.

“By collaborating with Microsoft, we will be able to enhance our sales efforts and offer a top-notch solution to our customers that leverages the power of Azure’s cloud-based infrastructure,” said Rajvinder Singh Kohli, SVP at Newgen Software. “Our platform can be leveraged by users to create a boundaryless workplace with anytime-anywhere content access and document management.”

Jake Zborowski, General Manager, Microsoft Azure Platform at Microsoft Corp., said, “We’re pleased to welcome Newgen to the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, which gives our partners great exposure to cloud customers around the globe. Azure Marketplace offers world-class quality experiences from global trusted partners with solutions tested to work seamlessly with Azure.”

The Azure Marketplace is an online market for buying and selling cloud solutions certified to run on Azure. The Azure Marketplace helps connect companies seeking innovative, cloud-based solutions with partners who have developed solutions that are ready to use.