Category Archives: Business

Fixderma Organizes Insightful Women’s Health Event at DLF Magnolias

Gurugram, January 28 – Fixderma, the popular dermat-prescribed skincare brand hosted a highly successful event at DLF Magnolias, focusing on critical health issues faced by women. The event brought together over 100 women and featured an esteemed panel of experts who engaged in a meaningful discussion on often misunderstood and overlooked topics like hormonal imbalances, PCOD, PCOS, perimenopause, and menopause.

The panel included Ms. Ishi Khosla, a leading nutritionist; Dr. Anjali Kumar, senior consultant gynecologist; Dr. Deepti Dhillon, an expert in skin health; and Shaily Mehrotra, Co-Founder & CEO of Fixderma, who collectively addressed the emotional, physical, and dermatological impacts of hormonal health.

Reflecting on the event, Shaily Mehrotra, CEO and Co-founder shared: “It was truly inspiring to see so many women open up about their experiences and actively participate in the discussion. At Fixderma, our goal is to not only provide effective skin solutions but also to empower women to make informed health related decisions.”

Dr. Anjali Kumar highlighted: “Perimenopause and menopause bring about significant changes in a woman’s body, and it’s essential to recognize these signs early on. Conditions like PCOS are also becoming more common due to poor lifestyle choices. Women need to prioritize their health and take care of themselves.”

Ms. Ishi Khosla emphasized the role of nutrition: “A balanced diet is key during these phases. Foods rich in omega-3s, antioxidants, and essential vitamins can help combat many of the symptoms women face during menopause and beyond.”

Dr. Deepti Dhillon shared practical advice for skincare: “Hormonal changes during menopause can cause dryness, thinning, and pigmentation issues. Incorporating hydrating serums with hyaluronic acid and moisturizers with ceramides and peptides can help maintain glowing, healthy skin.”

Cybersecurity in the AI Era: Protecting a Hyperconnected World

By Mr. Ashutosh Upadhyay, Founder, Cognio Labs

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern finance and cybersecurity, artificial intelligence stands at a fascinating crossroads. Like a guardian angel equipped with quantum-speed processing power and superhuman pattern recognition abilities, AI offers unprecedented protection. Yet, this same power harbors potential for sophisticated deception and attack. For auditors and accountants, understanding this duality isn’t just academic—it’s becoming a critical professional necessity.

The Protective Shield: How AI Safeguards Systems

The days of sample-based auditing are fading into history. Modern AI systems analyze every transaction in real-time, identifying anomalies that would take human teams months to uncover. Consider a recent case at a global manufacturing firm: an AI system detected a complex accounts payable fraud scheme by identifying subtle patterns in seemingly legitimate vendor payments—patterns invisible to traditional audit procedures.
In fraud prevention, AI systems are revolutionizing detection capabilities. Neural networks don’t just match known fraud patterns; they predict new ones. A European bank recently prevented a massive fraud attempt when its AI system detected anomalous patterns in international wire transfers that appeared legitimate but deviated microscopically from established business relationships.
Security protocol automation has evolved from convenience to necessity. AI-driven continuous monitoring adapts in real-time to emerging threats, learning from every transaction, login attempt, and data access pattern to build an increasingly sophisticated understanding of normal versus suspicious behavior.

The Dark Side: AI as a Weapon

However, this same sophistication that makes AI an effective guardian also makes it a formidable weapon in the wrong hands. Criminals now deploy AI systems to create nearly undetectable fraudulent transactions that mirror legitimate patterns. In a striking example, an AI-generated deepfake voice recently convinced a bank manager to authorize a $35 million transfer by perfectly mimicking a trusted client’s voice and speech patterns.
The rise of polymorphic fraud schemes—attacks that constantly evolve to evade detection—represents a new frontier in financial crime. These AI-driven systems automatically adjust their patterns based on success and failure, learning from each attempt to become more effective. Traditional rule-based fraud detection systems increasingly struggle against these adaptive threats.

Professional Implications: The New Frontier

This technological arms race has profound implications for audit professionals. The traditional sampling approach to audit evidence is becoming obsolete. Today’s auditors must understand:

• How AI models make decisions and what constitutes appropriate evidence
•  The potential for AI systems to be compromised or manipulated
• The importance of maintaining professional skepticism even with AI-generated conclusions
•  Methods for validating AI model outputs
•  Techniques for documenting and justifying AI-assisted decisions

Future Outlook: Evolution of Professional Judgment

The future of auditing lies not in replacing professional judgment with AI, but in augmenting it. Tomorrow’s auditors must be as comfortable evaluating AI systems as they are analyzing financial statements. This includes developing expertise in:

•  AI model validation techniques
•  Risk assessment of AI-generated conclusions
•  Documentation standards for AI-assisted auditing
•  Ethical considerations in AI deployment

Conclusion
The AI safety net in financial security is neither inherently good nor evil—it is a sophisticated tool whose impact depends entirely on its deployment and monitoring. For audit professionals, the challenge extends beyond learning to work with AI systems to developing the wisdom to know when to trust them and when to question their conclusions.
In this new landscape, professional scepticism remains your most valuable asset. As AI systems become more sophisticated, the ability to question, validate, and understand their conclusions becomes not just valuable, but essential for professional survival. The future belongs not to those who simply embrace AI, but to those who understand both its promise and its perils.

5 EV Leasing Startups that are Powering EV Adoption

Innovative financing and leasing solutions are needed to address the unique challenges of EV adoption, as traditional financing models often prove to be adequate due to high upfront costs, battery ownership concerns, and limited access to credit. A new wave of startups is emerging to overcome these barriers by providing specialized EV leasing and green financing options that prioritize affordability and accessibility, enabling more individuals and businesses to transition to electric vehicles.

These startups are eliminating the need for substantial upfront investments and converting costs such as battery ownership into manageable monthly payments through flexible leasing models. They also partner with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and fleet operators to deliver comprehensive solutions that encompass vehicle acquisition, maintenance, and real-time fleet monitoring. By leveraging advanced technologies like IoT-based fleet management systems and data-driven credit assessments, they are improving operational efficiency and reducing costs.

Through their innovative approach, these companies are accelerating EV adoption, contributing to the growth of sustainable mobility, and making EV ownership a reality for a wider audience, thus propelling India toward a greener and more inclusive future.

Revfin:

One of the top online consumer loan platforms, Revfin, works to increase financial inclusion in India. Through its cutting-edge technologies and unconventional data analysis, Revfin provides people with easy-to-access lending solutions. By collaborating with Zappit to offer airport pickup services, Revfin has recently extended its offerings to the 4W EV market. Additionally, it has expanded its financing options and established a micro secondary market for EVs by working with other EV manufacturers and leasing firms.

Urja Mobility

UrjaMobility is a brand owned by MTOW Mobility Private Limited based at New Delhi.This Energy focused Company focus to work towards making owning an EV easily and believe “Battery is the new fuel” and this belief it presents battery leasing for commercial category for Electric Two Wheelers (L2), Electric Three Wheelers (L3, L5) and convert this upfront cost towards the battery (energy) to an easy MLV (Monthly Lease Value).

ALT Mobility

ALT Mobility is an EV leasing platform specialising in fleet management across seven cities. The Delhi-based startup offers easy financing for EV-as-a-service and last-mile delivery, with zero upfront costs. By paying a small security deposit and monthly lease, you can save up to 20 percent on monthly expenses. Partnered with 8+ OEMs like Piaggio and Euler Motors, ALT Mobility also provides a Fleet OS app for real-time vehicle and fleet monitoring.

Ecofy

Ecofy, India’s green-only NBFC, supports sustainable initiatives by offering affordable, hassle-free EV loans with minimal documentation and competitive interest rates. Financing up to 90 percent of the vehicle’s on-road price at 1/6th the cost per km compared to diesel, Ecofy is becoming a key player in EV financing. Partnered with brands like Ather, Mahindra, and Ola Electric, Ecofy provides financial assistance for electric two- and three-wheelers in both individual and corporate segments.

Greaves Finance

Greaves Finance Ltd., through its 100% ev-focused lending platform evfin, is India’s only ev-focused non-banking financial company (NBFC) and a wholly owned subsidiary of Greaves Cotton Ltd. With a mission to democratise the EV experience, Greaves Finance Limited, under its platform evfin, provides innovative financing solutions exclusively tailored to electric vehicle ownership, supporting the growth of sustainable mobility in India.

Insight Cosmetics Earns PETA Cruelty-Free Certification

28th January New Delhi: Insight Cosmetics, a proudly Made in India brand, has officially earned Cruelty-Free PETA certifications, marking a significant milestone in its journey toward creating ethical beauty solutions. This achievement reflects the brand’s dedication to producing cruelty-free products that align with the values of today’s conscious consumers.

Founded on the belief that every living being deserves love and respect, the brand has always been driven by a deep sense of responsibility to both people and the planet. This commitment is evident in its promise to create products that are not only high quality but also ethically produced, without harm to animals.

According to Mr. Mihir Jain, Sales and Marketing Director, Insight Cosmetics, “We’ve always believed that true beauty is compassionate, and today we stand proud as a cruelty-free PETA-certified brand. For us, this certification is more than just a badge; it’s the culmination of years of hard work, passion, and a promise to create beauty that is cruelty-free and full of kindness.”

The brand is dedicated to making ethical beauty accessible, showing that consumers don’t have to compromise on quality or style to make responsible choices. Insight’s product range is not only PETA-certified and vegan but also dermatologically tested and Safe-certified by Bureau Veritas, ensuring that every product meets the highest standards of safety and efficacy.

To promote its Cruelty-Free PETA status, the brand has also launched a series of innovative campaigns like “Bus Shelters.” Along with the creative campaigns, the brand is also collaborating with influencers who share the brand’s ethical values to showcase products with the prominent vegan badge in stores and on digital platforms.

Federal Bank Posts Record Profit, Decadal Best Asset Quality, Eyes Growth

CHENNAI: Federal Bank announced the Financial Results for the quarter ended 31st December 2024. The key highlights of the results are as follows:

The Bank has delivered its highest-ever operating profit, achieving a remarkable ₹1,569.46 crore. The Bank’s sustained focus on growth and operational excellence has also led to an impressive financial trajectory, highlighted by the following key metrics:

•  Operating Profit: Highest ever at ₹1,569.46 crore.
•  Net Interest Income: At an all-time high of ₹2,431.34 crore, reflecting a 14.50% YoY growth.
•  Fee Income: Witnessed a strong 21% YoY growth.

The Bank has achieved its best asset quality performance in over a decade, reflecting its robust risk management framework and commitment to financial prudence. Key highlights are:

•  Gross Non-Performing Assets: Reduced to 1.95%.
•  Net Non-Performing Assets: Declined to 0.49%.
•  Provision Coverage Ratio: Strengthened to 74.21%.

The Bank continues to demonstrate strong business momentum, with substantial year-on-year growth across deposits, advances, and key product categories.Highlights of the Bank’s performance include:

• Total Deposits: Increased by 11% YoY, reflecting strong customer trust and engagement.
•  Total Net Advances: Achieved a growth of 16% YoY, driven by focused lending strategies.
• Average CASA: Grew by 11% YoY, underlining the strength of the Bank’s core business engine
•  NRE Deposits: Registered a solid 10% YoY growth, showcasing the Bank’s popularity among non-resident customers.
•  Credit Cards: Expanded by 24% YoY, reflecting enhanced customer adoption.

 Commercial Vehicle/Construction Equipment (CV/CE) and Micro Advances: Delivered robust growth of 39% and 50% YoY, respectively.

Management Commentary

Mr. KVS Manian, MD & CEOstated “This quarter has been pivotal for us as we strategically reoriented both the asset and liability sides of our balance sheet, addressing fundamental aspects to position the Bank strongly for the future. We have chosen to focus on granular retail deposit growth instead of high value, expensive deposits. We have also consciously avoided low yielding or high-risk assets for the sake of growth. Notwithstanding this disciplined approach, we have achieved a year-on-year growth of 15% in advances and 11% in deposits, positioning us competitively within the sector. We achieved this with minimal disruption. Our asset quality has reached its strongest levels in a decade. In alignment with our commitment to building a robust foundation, we have undertaken accelerated provisioning for certain riskier asset classes this quarter. We remain steadfast in our focus on building a high-quality franchise that delivers value to all stakeholders whether through superior customer service and relationships, an enhanced employee proposition, or consistent and sustainable earnings quality. As we look ahead, we are optimistic about future opportunities and confident in our ability to create enduring value for all our stakeholders.”

Strong Growth and Resilient Balance Sheet Performance

The Bank continues to demonstrate strong growth and resilience, with the total business of the Bank reaching ₹4,96,744.97 crore as of 31st December 2024, reflecting a robust year-on-year growth of 13.21%.

•  Deposits: Total deposits increased from ₹2,39,591.16 crore as of 31st December 2023 to ₹2,66,375.43 crore as of 31st December 2024.
•  Advances: On the asset side, net advances grew from ₹1,99,185.23 crore as of 31st December 2023 to ₹2,30,369.54 crore as of 31st December 2024. Key segments contributing to this growth include:

o Retail Advances: Up by 13.00%, reaching ₹73,498.54 crore.

o Business Banking Advances: Increased by 13.21% to ₹18,923.18 crore.

o Commercial Banking: Registered a substantial growth of 24.76%, reaching ₹25,880.00 crore.

o Corporate Advances: Achieved a 7.62% growth, totalling ₹77,464.94 crore.

o Commercial Vehicle/Construction Equipment Advances: Recorded outstanding growth of 38.53%, reaching ₹4,235.00 crore.

Highest Ever Operating Profit

Federal Bank delivered its highest-ever operating profit of ₹1,569.46 crore for the quarter ended 31st December 2024. This achievement underscores the Bank’s strong financial performance and operational efficiency. The Bank also reported a robust net profit of ₹955.44 crore for the same period.

Highest Ever Net Interest Income:

•  NII grew by an impressive 14.50%, reaching an all-time high of ₹2,431.34 crore as of 31st December 2024, compared to ₹2,123.36 crore in the previous year.
•  Total income increased by 17.17%, reaching ₹7,724.90 crore.
•  Earnings per Share on an annualized basis stood at ₹15.45.

Robust Asset Quality:

•  Gross NPA: ₹4,553.31 crore, constituting 1.95% of gross advances.
•  Net NPA: ₹1,131.17 crore, representing 0.49% of net advances.
•  Provision Coverage Ratio (excluding technical write-offs) stood at 74.21%.
•  Recovery and upgradation during the quarter totalled ₹335 crore.
•  The Bank has recognized accelerated provisioning of ₹292 crore during the quarter.

Net Worth and Capital Adequacy:

•  The Bank’s net worth increased to ₹32,077.05 crore as of 31st December 2024, compared to ₹28,084.72 crore in the previous year.
•  Capital Adequacy Ratio, as per Basel III guidelines, was a strong 15.16%.

Expanding Footprint:

• The Bank now operates 1,550 banking outlets, including 46 new outlets in FY25, alongside 2,054 ATMs and cash recyclers (including Mobile ATM) as of 31st December 2024.

Affordable housing crisis – will Budget 2025-26 turn the tide

Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Group

Going by the sagging sales and supply of affordable housing(*) in India over the past few years, it is easy to forget that this segment was once the housing industry’s veritable poster child. Nevertheless, not too long ago, Indian real estate developers took it very seriously, regularly engaging with their architects to design smaller units to contain prices and ensure sales continuity.

This trend peaked when the Union Government put in concerted efforts to promote affordable housing via the ‘Housing for All’ program. In this period, the government announced many attractive incentives for buyers and developers of such housing. The affordable housing story took on an appealingly patriotic ‘nation building’ sheen and even big brand developers got into the fray (albeit at times by creating ‘sister’ brands for it) to not dilute their reputations as ‘lifestyle housing’ creators.

The supply share of this segment was nearly 40% of the total supply in 2018 and 2019. Cities like Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, and NCR were witnessing consistently high supply of such homes, riding on stimuli such as lower GST rates and tax breaks.

The Pandemic Effect

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly changed these dynamics, and as of today, we cannot say whether this change is temporary or long-term. In any case, as the nation awaits the Union Budget of the Modi 3.0 government, there is no doubt that the stakes for the languishing affordable housing sector are very high. In fact, it is hoped that Budget 2025-26 will be a resuscitating turning point for it.

After the pandemic, housing demand changed considerably. Now, Indians wanted larger and multi-functional homes with a comprehensive spread of lifestyle amenities. In a very real way, the movement restrictions of COVID-19 gave rise to national-level claustrophobia. Also, the concept of homes as separate spaces from workplaces was displaced – they now had to be able to serve as both residential facilities and offices.

In a fairly short time, the once robust supply of affordable housing tottered and dwindled. Its total supply share reduced from 40% in 2018 to 16% in 2024. The target clientele, consisting of blue-collar workers, lower-paid workforces and those just starting out in their careers, were severely cash-strapped and obviously, buying homes did not feature among their immediate priorities. Instead, the rental market picked up after the pandemic abated and businesses sent out their ‘return to office’ call.

The previously popular model of modest beginnings with smaller ‘starter’ homes and leveraging capital appreciation and career growth to eventually upgrade to bigger ones lost its appeal. Indians who were considering homeownership at all had their eyes on the biggest units they could afford. This trend continues even today, and essentially small-sized affordable housing plays no role in it.

Shrinking Supply

At the developers’ end, constantly rising input costs comprising of land, labour and construction materials (compounded by the low profit margins of affordable housing and the withdrawal of all relevant fiscal benefits) caused their previous enthusiasm for affordable housing to dwindle. Instead, they turned their focus on what was and continues to sell well – bigger units with good lifestyle amenities.

In 2024 and as of now in January 2025, Bangalore is devoid of any supply in this segment. Hyderabad and Chennai are seeing only a minimal 2% supply share. The only cities with any sizeable activity in this segment are Kolkata and MMR. In both these cities, nearly 31% of the total upcoming supply is priced below INR 40 lakh.

NCR has witnessed a drastic reduction in its share of affordable housing, falling from 62% in 2020 to only 11% in 2024. In terms of both demand and supply, NCR is showing far greater interest in high-end and luxury properties, which is evident from the rise in the value of inventory sold during the year. Residential apartments sold in the NCR primary market in 2024 is estimated to be valued at INR 90,000 Cr, which is 32% more than in 2023. In value terms, NCR is second only to MMR.

PMAY – Current Status

While certainly not breaking any records, the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – PMAY (Urban) – has made steady progress since it was announced in mid-2015. Data by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs indicates 118.64 lakh homes have been sanctioned as of 20th January 2025. Nearly 90.22 lakh units have been completed, and nearly 112.50 lakh have been ‘grounded’. In terms of the financials, nearly INR 200,000 Cr of central assistance has already been committed.

Despite fairly good progress, PMAY must be made accessible to more people, and awareness about it also needs a big shot in the arm. New adaptable, sustainable and low-cost construction technologies can be used to rapidly develop large mass housing projects. The government should also try to eliminate bottlenecks in property records.

An important aspect of PMAY is interest subsidy on home loans, and direct subsidy for individual house construction or enhancement. However, to qualify for these subsidies, properties need title documents – a big hurdle, since India’s land records system is far from sophisticated enough right now to address the task holistically and at scale.

Any announcements that Union Budget 2025-26 will make in context with affordable housing will doubtlessly involve PMAY. Creative solutions and strong political will can bring this vitally important programme back to centre stage, which is where it belongs.

Is the Tide Turning?

Nationally, rising prices have led to a gradual tapering down of luxury housing, and this may trigger an inflection point where the cycle can once again turn positive for the affordable segment. Any substantial announcement for the affordable housing segment in the upcoming Union Budget can strengthen the trend and give affordable housing a seriously needed leg-up.

Even if such measures don’t initiate a full-blown revival, they can at least improve this segment’s overall prospects. Finally, a healthy housing market caters to a broad range of buyers and doesn’t favour just one segment.

Country Delight’s NMR-Tested Honey: A New Benchmark for Purity and Trust

Hyderabad, January 28, 2025: Country Delight, a trusted name in premium and natural essentials, has announced the launch of 100% Pure Farm Honey (NMR Tested). Country Delight’s Farm Honey is Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) tested by a certified lab in Germany, making it one of the most authentic and reliable kitchen ingredients available to Indian homes. It also undergoes rigorous testing on 36 quality parameters as per FSSAI standards, including physicochemical, antibiotic and microbial, to rule out the presence of added sugars.

Honey is not just a natural sweetener; it is increasingly valued for its functional benefits. With Country Delight’s NMR-tested honey, consumers can enjoy a product that supports wellness through its natural composition, which is rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients and offers advantages over refined sugars.

Adulteration with cheaper sugars or syrups like high-fructose corn syrup or rice syrup is one of the most significant issues in the honey market. As a result, NMR spectroscopy is increasingly being used in the honey industry to assess its purity, quality, and origin. The test helps detect and identify various adulterants, including sugar syrups and synthetic or chemically-created additives. NMR can also detect subtle differences in chemical profiles, revealing if extraneous sugars have been added. It also provides a detailed spectrum—a kind of ‘fingerprint’—showing the unique distribution of honey’s natural components.

The EU Reference Laboratory for Honey (European Commission) has indicated that NMR-based methods can help track honey authenticity by building databases of authentic honey samples and comparing suspicious batches against known reference spectra. At the same time, NMR can simultaneously identify various compounds in honey—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and more.

Talking about the new launch, Mr Chakradhar Gade, CEO & Co-founder at Country Delight, said, “We are thrilled and excited about launching NMR honey and setting a new benchmark in transparency of quality to our customers. Our single-minded mission is to deliver pure and better quality products that make India live better. Every batch of Country Delight Farm Honey is NMR tested and the quality report is easily available on the Country Delight App.”

Honey has several advantages over refined sugar, particularly regarding nutrient composition and metabolic impact. Beyond these immediate benefits, honey’s bioactive compounds—such as flavonoids and phenolic acids—may contribute to better long-term health when part of a balanced lifestyle. Compared to sugar, which offers only empty calories, honey’s added phytonutrients may provide modest but cumulative health advantages over time.

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 small short-term trials suggests that certain types of honey may lower fasting blood sugar slightly. They may also increase the healthy type of cholesterol in the blood. The authors found that honey had the following effects: It decreases fasting serum glucose, which a doctor measures after a person has fasted for at least 8 hours. It increases levels of fasting C-peptide, which helps the pancreas know how much insulin to secrete and plays a crucial role in keeping blood sugar levels stable in a healthy range. It increases 2-hour postprandial C-peptide levels, which indicates the amount of peptide after a person eats. In 2018, a review of studies concluded that honey might be useful for treating type 2 diabetes as it may have a hypoglycemic effect. In other words, it may help lower blood sugar.

Street Child and Infosys Join Forces to Revolutionize Education Access in Ukraine Using Digital Tools

Bengaluru, India – January 28, 2025: Infosys, a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced a critical milestone in its three-year collaboration with Street Child, an international children’s charity, with the establishment of seven Digital Learning Centers (DLCs) to address the educational challenges faced by children in crisis-affected areas of Ukraine.

This collaboration addresses the profound disruption to Ukraine’s education system caused by the ongoing conflict, which has affected over 3,700 educational institutions and destroying 365 schools, as reported by Save the Children. The conflict has forced roughly 1.9 million children – nearly half of Ukraine’s school-aged population – to rely on partial or fully remote learning solutions. Recognizing this critical need, Infosys joined hands with Street Child in 2024 to launch two impactful initiatives: creating DLCs–secured physical spaces equipped for online learning and a Digital Transformation program, leveraging Infosys Springboard, Infosys’ flagship digital learning platform, to provide tailored courses for students and teachers.

Initially focused on creating and renovating five DLCs in Dnipropetrovsk, an Oblast in Eastern Ukraine receiving less international aid due to its proximity to the front line, the collaboration remarkably delivered seven within 12 months into the engagement. Notably, one center was renovated by an all-female team of contractors, as conscription limited the availability of male workers.

Launched in September 2024, these centers have already served over 1,000 children in their first three months of operations. Each center is equipped with laptops, high-speed internet, multimedia projectors, educational materials, security systems, and accessibility features such as wheelchair ramps and modified bathrooms. Additionally, designated spaces for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) provide critical support to young learners.

The Digital Transformation program focuses on preserving Ukraine’s cultural identity by offering courses in Ukrainian Language and Geography for Grades 5 and 6. For teachers, topics such as Cybersecurity and Anti-Corruption are addressed through specially developed courses, aligning seamlessly with Ukraine’s national educational platform, All Ukrainian Online. Together, these initiatives are helping build a robust and resilient educational foundation for both students and teachers.

Tom Dannatt, CEO & Co-Founder, Street Child, said, “At Street Child, we’re working to create a world where every child is safe, in school and learning. Unfortunately, the reality for Ukrainian children is that a significant number of them cannot attend a physical classroom, and so we’re focusing efforts on where we can make the biggest difference. In this case, that means making the most of digital education. Although we’re still in the early stages, we’re proud to have worked with Infosys to support more than 1,000 children amid this terrible conflict. The early success of this scheme demonstrates the transformative potential to deliver quality education in many crisis-affected regions worldwide.”

Thirumala Arohi, Executive Vice President, Head – Education, Training and Assessment, Infosys, said, “The collaboration between Infosys and Street Child is crucial as it directly addresses the devastating impact of the conflict on Ukraine’s education system. With hundreds of schools destroyed and millions of children displaced or relying on remote learning, access to quality education has become a critical need. Infosys brings to this collaboration not only its technological expertise but also a deep commitment to social impact. Together with Street Child, we are providing tangible solutions through the establishment of seven Digital Learning Centers that offer secure physical spaces equipped with the necessary technology and are leveraging Infosys Springboard to enable a digital transformation program to offer tailored courses for effective online learning. This holistic approach empowers students to continue their education, supports teachers in adapting to new learning environments, and ultimately contributes to building a more resilient educational foundation for the future of Ukraine.”

Pre- Budget by Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist of BoB

by Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist of BoB

“We do believe that the starting point of the budget will be the fiscal deficit and efforts will be made to lower the ratio by 0.5% to probably close to 4.3-4.4% of GDP for FY26. Within this framework, the budget would work to maintain, if not increase capex, in the range of Rs 11 lakh crore which will provide a fillip to investment (the revised estimate for FY25 could be lower than what was projected). Benefits for MSMEs and industry are also expected through the PLI scheme with probably a special dispensation for the former. There could be some minor rationalization in subsidy outgo through better targeting of beneficiaries. It would, however, be interesting to see if there are any special rebates offered on income tax given that consumption has been affected due to high inflation this year. From the perspective of banks, a more favorable tax slab for interest on bank deposits will help to provide a level field with equity markets and also provide incentive to deposit holders.”

ISO 9001:2015 Certification Awarded to Cosmo Specialty Chemicals for Quality Assurance

Mumbai, 28th January 2025: Cosmo Specialty Chemicals, a 100% subsidiary of Cosmo First and a one-stop solution for a range of Adhesives, Masterbatches, and Coating Chemicals, has successfully achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for its Quality Management System.

The certification, issued in December 2024, recognises the company’s commitment to maintaining high-quality standards in the design, development, manufacturing, and delivery of adhesives, coatings, and masterbatch products at its MIDC Area facility in Waluj, Aurangabad.

The ISO 9001:2015 certification demonstrates Cosmo Speciality Chemicals’ dedication towards consistent delivery of high-quality products, and customer satisfaction through efficient quality management with a culture of continuous improvement of operational processes while meeting regulatory requirements and international standards.

“This certification is testimony to our ongoing commitment to quality management and customer satisfaction”, said Mr Raj Sharma, Business Head at Cosmo Speciality Chemicals. “It validates our systematic approach to ensuring product quality and reinforces our position as a trusted manufacturer in the chemical industry.”