Category Archives: Business

Celebrating The Goodness of Walnuts

8th July 2024  Delhi, India  Despite three months of scorching heat, summer is full of reasons to celebrate. From the beautiful sunshine, the temptation of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and, of course, international and national food days to keep you in a celebratory mood all season long even though the current health situation may make you feel otherwise.

An annual food day that captures our attention the most is National Walnut Day, which falls on May 17 every year. Why? You may ask. Let’s take a look at our big three reasons.

1. Packs a nutritional punch

Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and offer other heart-healthy fats, protein, fiber, and vitamins (including vitamin B6), among others. Munching on this daily may reduce the risk of heart disease1, improve brain health2, ensure a healthy gut3, and help in weight management. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)’s Eat Right During COVID-19 guidelines mention foods with omega-3, zinc, selenium, protein, and vitamin B to help maintain a healthy immune system and play a role in our body’s healing and recovery4. And each of these nutrients is present in walnuts. Now, while no single food can prevent or treat illness, it is important to eat a balanced diet.

2. Easy to incorporate in meals

Munching on a handful of walnuts isn’t the only way to reap the health benefits of this nutritious food. They are incredibly delicious and crunchy and boast great potential on the cooking front because of their ability to absorb flavors and work equally well in both sweet and savory dishes. To add some much-needed excitement to your daily meals, you can pair these with a variety of food groups, including fruits and veggies, dairy, and breads and cereals, to name a few. Toss it into your salad, cake, or ice cream, blend it with fruits and veggies for your morning smoothie grind it into a paste to use in dips or gravy, or simply make a trail mix – there are so many creative ways to work them into your diet.

3. Easy to store

Contrary to popular belief, walnuts can easily remain fresh at home provided you store them away from moisture, light, and warmth. Shelled or unshelled, put the walnuts into a resealable bag or an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator or freezer based on the period of use. If you’re going to use them within a month, keep them in the refrigerator or move them to the freezer.

Grant Thornton Bharat Acts as Exclusive Advisor to Biorad Medisys for its Fundraise of up to INR 400 Crore from Kotak Strategic Situations India Fund II

8th July 2024  Delhi, India  Biorad Medisys Pvt. Limited (“Biorad Medisys”), a leading medical device manufacturer in India, recently completed another round of funding, raising INR 400 crore from Kotak Strategic Situations India Fund II (“KSSF II”) managed by Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Ltd. (KAAML). This bolsters Biorad Medisys’ financial standing and marks an exit for their existing investor, DMI Finance Group, which had previously invested in the company. Grant Thornton Bharat was the exclusive financial advisor to Biorad Medisys for the transaction.

Biorad Medisys is a leading medical device manufacturer with products across therapeutic areas like Urology, Orthopedics, Gastroenterology and Neurovascular. The company boasts a solid domestic and international presence, selling products in India, Latin America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Headquartered in Pune, it has manufacturing operations in Bangalore, among other offices across India, and global offices in Switzerland and UAE.

Abhay Anand, Partner and Medical Devices Industry Leader at Grant Thornton Bharat, who led the transaction, said, “This is one of the largest growth equity investments in India’s medical device sector. Historically, investments in the healthcare segment in India have predominantly targeted healthcare delivery and pharma. However, there is a growing interest in India’s medical device sector, fueled by the emergence of companies that are scaling up and focusing on innovation, product development and manufacturing. We see the indigenisation of the entire medical device value chain and exports as a huge growth opportunity and expect a strong investor appetite, tapping into the same. Biorad Medisys stands out as one of the few scaled-up platforms in India. We are pleased to have worked closely with Biorad Medisys in their journey.”

Sumeet Abrol, Partner and National Deals Leader at Grant Thornton Bharat, said, “The healthcare sector continues to attract significant investor interest given headroom for growth across the spectrum, particularly medical devices. This transaction reinforces our focus at #GTBharat to continue working for dynamic healthcare businesses to realise their growth and value-unlock aspirations.”

Speaking on the transaction, Jitendra Hegde, Managing Director of Biorad Medisys said, “This investment marks a momentous occasion for us. We are excited to have an investor on board who shares our vision of transforming the Indian medical devices industry and has a strong pedigree and successful track record of investing in the healthcare sector in India. At Biorad Medisys, we have demonstrated our prowess as a leading supplier of medical devices catering to several segments by providing quality medical consumables, implants, and equipment. We will now strive to scale the business to newer heights through sustainable value creation and providing best-in-class quality and performance.”

TIPS 4.0 Sparks Deeptech Innovation: 40+ Startups Steal the Show

8th July 2024  Mumbai, Maharashtra, India  The 4th National Workshop on Technology Innovation in Cyber-Physical Systems (TIPS 4.0), a bi-annual event, was conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the aegis of the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).

The event, held on 13–14 May 2024, was hosted by the Technology Innovation Hub for IoT & IoE (TIH-IoT) at IIT Bombay. It witnessed the participation of 48 deep tech startups and a promising investment commitment towards 44 innovative startups. Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director – IIT Bombay, addressed the gathering, followed by Shri Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST. The inaugural session concluded with the remarks of Smt. Dr. Ekta Kapoor, Mission Director – NM-ICPS and Head of FFT Division, DST.

Commenting on the occasion, Shri Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), stated, “This is the first time that TIPS featured deep tech startups taking center stage to present their work to potential investors, while their supporting Technology Innovation Hubs showcased their developments and progress in the workshops. This milestone demonstrates significant progress towards our mission, as we continue to foster lab-to-market opportunities to support deep tech innovators in our nation.”

Padmaja Ruparel, Co-founder, Indian Angel Network, shared, “The NM-ICPS programme is one of a kind in India. It moves research to commercialisation and creation of startups and value. It is focused on sectors that are imperatives for the new India. It will take India to a $5 trillion economy by 2047, the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. This is a programme that has been launched, and TIHs have been set up around the country, so a national mission with a national footprint is building the national imperatives of India.”

A total of 25 hubs and 48 deep tech startups from across the country participated in the expo and the startup pitchfest along with 35 senior venture capitalists and angel investors from leading firms. These included Shreya Hasurkar, Corporate Venture Capital, 100X.VC, Neha Aggarwal, Vice President, Mumbai Angels (360One Fund); Ramesh Mangaleswaran, Senior Partner Emeritus, McKinsey & Company; Hitesh Oberoi, Co-promoter, MD, and CEO, Info Edge India Limited; and Ajay Bhatia, an angel investor. Other firms that participated include 360 ONE, Equanimity Investments, Beyond Next Ventures, and GEF Capital Partners.

Sanjay Sehgal, Founder, Managing Partner, and CEO, East West Capital Partners, one of the participating investors, said, “I have been investing in India for a couple of decades and am amazed by the level of creativity here. TIH Foundation for IoT and IoE has pulled together an excellent programme where they have brought together investors and other stakeholders of the ecosystem and showcased a lot of companies across various sectors. It was a marvellous display of entrepreneurial innovation, and we look forward to keeping in touch.”

The event witnessed the use of innovative technology such as a motion sensor-based diya for the inaugural session replacing the traditional one. This diya is a unique innovation developed by the TIH-IoT team, which can be activated using motion detection.

Numerous deep tech startups – innovating in domains such as agriculture, healthcare, defense, security, infrastructure, environment, education, mobility, IT, and SaaS – found a platform to showcase their innovations to the VCs. Among these was Borse Automotive Pvt. Ltd., an innovative agritech startup. Its advanced autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) are transforming India’s agriculture landscape by boosting efficiency, productivity, and sustainability for farmers.

Another promising startup that participated is 4CLIMATE, an R&D manufacturing company. It develops specialty control and monitoring solutions for industrial and agricultural spaces using intelligent automation solutions. These solutions can be licensed, white-labeled, and branded to reduce carbon footprint and positively drive climate management.

The NM-ICPS is a comprehensive mission that brings together academia, industry, government, and international organizations. It has created an ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurship, develops next-generation skilled manpower, catalyzes translational research, and promotes the commercialization of cyber-physical system (CPS) technologies.

Under the NM-ICPS, 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) have been established in reputed institutes across the country in various areas of advanced technologies. These areas include artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics, cybersecurity, data analytics and predictive technologies, intelligent collaboration systems, technologies for agriculture and water, technologies for mining, advanced communication systems, and quantum technologies.

AITMC Ventures Ltd. (AVPL International) Bags DGCA Type Certification for Agriculture Drone VIRAJ

8th July 2024  Gurgaon, Haryana, India  Gurugram-headquartered integrated agri-drone company AITMC Ventures (AVPL International), has announced that its Agriculture Drone VIRAJ has received type certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This significant milestone enhances the company’s credibility and opens new opportunities in the burgeoning drone market in India.

Mr. Himanshu Sharma, CEO of AITMC Ventures Ltd. (AVPL International), acknowledges the AVPL’s first type certificate of VIRAJ UAS (Agriculture Drone), under a small class hexacopter RPAS UAS with a “proper design, material, specification, construction, and performance for safe operation.” The drone market in India is poised for significant growth, with estimates indicating that it could reach nearly 2.5 trillion Indian rupees by 2030. As a well-established player in this burgeoning market, AITMC Ventures Ltd. is strategically positioned to become one of the industry leaders. According to him, The VIRAJ Drone has all the latest features like endurance, stability & performance.

Mr. Deep Sihag Sisai, Founder and Managing Director of AITMC Ventures Ltd. (AVPL International), expressed his delight at this achievement, “Receiving this certification is a testament to our commitment to safety and quality. It will undoubtedly boost our scalability and penetration in the market. This certification is not just a recognition of our product’s quality, but it also serves as a stepping stone towards achieving our ambitious sales target of 5,000 drones in the fiscal year 2024-25. We believe that with this certification, we are well-positioned to become a leader in the drone market in India.”

The company plans to achieve this target through cross channel sales of their existing network across 12 states and 70+ Training institutes across india.We have inaugurated 20 COE,s for Drones with Foundation of 46 centres in December 2023. Mr. Deep added that, “We are delighted to share till 15th May 35 locations in total got operational with Drone Servicing ,Agriculture & Drone training facilities and rest 31 Locations will be operationalised before 30th September 2024. In futures these Drone Center of excellences will be known as World Skill and Incubation Hubs (WISH) and Global Skill and Incubation Hub (GSIH).”

Preet Sandhu, Co-founder and Executive Director, AITMC Ventures Ltd. (AVPL International), spoke about the company’s Drone Entrepreneur Programmes. “Our Drone Entrepreneur Programmes are designed to empower individuals with the skills and knowledge to operate our drones effectively. We believe this initiative will significantly contribute to our sales target.”

VIRAJ UAS drones are designed for various applications, including seed broadcasting, agrochemical spraying, and remote pilot training. These applications demonstrate the versatility of the company’s drones and their potential to revolutionise various sectors, particularly agriculture.

Preet Sandhu also shared that their Drone Production unit in Gurgaon will be inaugurated within a week with Type certification submission of the next version of VIRAJ 2.0 Medium category Agriculture Drone with Co-Axial feature First time in India.

Himanshu Sharma, CEO of AITMC Ventures Ltd., shared his thoughts on the company’s growth strategy, “Our presence in 12 states not only allows us to reach a wider audience but also provides an opportunity for customers to learn about our diverse course offerings. From Remote Pilot Certification Course to Agriculture Drone Spraying Course, we offer a range of courses that equip our customers with the necessary skills to operate our drones effectively.”He shared that we already have Submitted Type certification for our training and Photographic drone as well,soon all of our training centres will be equipped with our own training drones.”

AITMC Ventures Ltd. is an India-based company that prides itself on its cutting-edge drone manufacturing and expert training programs. The company’s mission is to ensure customers “soar confidently into the world of unmanned aerial excellence.” With its ambitious sales target and strategic initiatives, AITMC Ventures Ltd. is poised to make a significant impact in the drone industry.

JK Maxx Paints Launches #SingleBrandSharmaJi Campaign Reinforcing Commitment to Home Beautification

8th July 2024  New Delhi, Delhi, India  JK Maxx Paints proudly unveils its latest brand campaign, #SingleBrandSharmaJi, aimed at solidifying its position as a premium home beautification solutions provider.

Rooted in a legacy of trust and excellence spanning two decades, JK Maxx Paints builds upon the success of JK WallMaxX Wall Putty as the undisputed leader and custodian of beautiful walls and homes. Recognized for its strong distribution & market presence, brand leadership, and commitment to quality & innovation, JK WallMaxX Wall Putty enjoys the unwavering trust of consumers nationwide. Understanding customers’ evolving needs, JK Maxx expands its portfolio to now offering a complete range of decorative paints and finishes.

The campaign resonates deeply with JK WallMaxX customers who prioritize trust and consistency in their choices. Featuring renowned actor Jimmy Shergill as Sharma ji, a discerning homeowner who values quality & fervent brand loyalty, the campaign underscores the reliability of JK Maxx Paints as the preferred choice for home beautification needs.

Mr. Nitish Chopra, Dy. Business Head of JK Maxx Paints (JK Cement Ltd.), expressed excitement about the campaign, stating, “We are delighted to introduce our latest campaign, #SingleBrandSharmaJi, which encapsulates the essence of JK Maxx Paints and our unwavering commitment to trust, excellence and quality. With over two decades of leadership and innovation in enhancing wall aesthetics, exemplified by our flagship product JK WallMaxX Wall Putty, we are poised to elevate the standard of home beautification with JK Maxx Paints.”

In addition to television, the campaign will leverage various digital platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to reach a wider audience.

JK Maxx Paints offers a diverse range of wall, wood, and metal paints, as well as textures and designer finishes, combining aesthetics with durability and protection. Grounded in core values of quality and customer satisfaction, the products offer superior performance, longevity, and visual appeal.

6G: The Next Technological Leap The Future is Here!

8th July 2024 New Delhi, Delhi, India 5G expansion is continuing throughout the world, with networks providing new communication capabilities and services that are set to transform society. The next wave of development is now taking place through 5G. Future networks will be a fundamental component for the functioning of virtually all parts of life, society, and industries, fulfilling the communication needs of humans as well as intelligent machines. To make the best out of this situation, both the industry and research community should work together toward a common vision. 6G needs to continue to push beyond the technical limits of 5G, moving toward critical services, immersive communication, and omnipresent IoT.

In this backdrop, Bharat Exhibitions organized the second edition of BHARAT 6G 2024 International Conference & Exhibition on 15th of May 2024 at Hotel Le-Meridien, New Delhi. Key leaders, innovators, developers, and experts from all industry verticals converged to share their thoughts, experiences and predictions for the “6G standardization and deployment in India”.

The conference started with the Plenary Panel Discussion on the topic: Research and Standardization Roadmaps for 6G. Distinguished guests included Mr. T.V. Ramachandran, President, BIF, who gave the welcome speech. “6G standards will bring and mandate a new much-elevated baseline performance for both the networks and the devices. Recent 5G-advanced have developed many different capabilities on energy efficiency, on uplink performance, on coverage enhancements, and more,” he said. He also stressed on the extensive research conducted on 6G standards. “India will go places,” he harnessed.

Shri A. Robert Jerard Ravi, DDG (SRI), DoT presided over the session as the session chair. “India is preparing for the arrival of 6G wireless technology, with commercial deployment to be expected by 2030. We are actively working on standardizations in various verticals within the country. Can we have 6G run network in India that is our vision,” he stated.

Shri S. K. Marwaha, Scientist G & Group Coordinator, MeitY, “We have already working in standard research in some educational institutions within the country. Our industry collaboration and operators should come together more actively to make things work things work efficiently,” he mentioned in his speech.

Prof. Kiran Kuchi, Dean – R & D, IIT, Hyderabad, “I would like to thank DoT and MEITY for active cooperation in standards development. We need to increase our output. Time is right for 6G, funding is the key now,” he stressed upon.

Shri AK Mittal, Advisor, TSDSI, mentioned his speech, “India’s active role in 5G and 6G standardization has increased interest in India’s technological breakthroughs, with countries such as the United States expressing a strong desire to receive India’s cutting-edge 6G technology. We are taking Indian requirements and Indian innovations to global standards organizations.”

Mr. Pradeep Bhardwaj, Sr. Strategy Director & Head of Industry Standards, Syniverse, in his speech emphasized, “In 4G we spent 48 months, what did we did in 5G, 27 months, we rolled out 5G standards, we should have taken more time, as it is affecting each and every domain in the world now. The key is how we approach the new way of life, set new standards and now we are seeing results.”

Mr. Dinesh Chand Sharma, Director – Standards & Public Policy, SESEI said, “It’s a great time for 6G standardizations. Participation has gone up. Start-ups are playing a major role in helping 6G standardizations. We need to have a funding mechanism for this, a consortium is always there for collaboration, and we just need to push it more.”

The session was then open up to questions and answers among the participants.

Inaugural Session: Network Evolution beyond 5G & India’s Vision for 6G

Chief Guest, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India captivated the audience during Inaugural Session of the Bharat 6G 2024 conference. He mentioned, “Both 5G and 6G roll outs happen simultaneously, we at the Govt level are trying our level best. We are setting standards, connecting with players, and bringing in all key components together so that everything functions across all sectors. It is a national goal for us, and we are on the right track”. He further added, that ‘6G has the potential to enhance India’s digital economy’ and that it will lead to data proliferation and provide better input for AI to be used. “All industry leaders should come together,” he stressed upon.

Mr. Ashwani Rana, Vice President, BIF gave the introductory address. In his speech he mentioned, “Lot of activities are taking place in 6G standardization and implementation. Evolution of networks is quite exciting for a country like India, with diverse background. AI, ML, IoT will play pivotal role in 6G deployment within the country.”

Mr. Shyam Mardikar, Group Chief Technology Officer – Mobility, Reliance Jio was the next to speak. He mentioned, “The role of 6G in cementing India’s digital leadership. The 6G Core must support exceedingly dense telecom networks given the high frequency bands the network will use. Moreover, 6G must be backward compatible with 5G and 4G. JPL is therefore working on evolving the core network so that all the telecom generations – 4G, 5G, and 6G – can interwork.”

Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General, COAI in his special address was heard saying, “I would like to congratulate the Govt, DoT for a speeder rollouts. An amalgamation of information technology is the need of the hour. Networks, Data, Speed and Applications, are key components and the dynamics of these will add to the success and application of 5G and beyond.”

Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman, and MD, TCIL stressed on the importance of 6G or high-speed internet facilities in rural areas. During COVID-19, healthcare centers were highly impacted by connectivity. Financial or digitalization of the banking system is the most important, homeland security too needs to be mentioned in this regard.

Mr. Sandeep Saxena, Head of Technology & Solutions (Mobile Networks) India, NOKIA delivered the Industry Address. He touched upon the economic aspect vis a vis network connectivity in India. He said, “In the 6G era, the digital, physical and human world will seamlessly fuse to trigger extrasensory experiences. Intelligent knowledge systems will be combined with robust computation capabilities to make humans endlessly more efficient and redefine how we live, work and take care of the planet. Even though there is still a lot of innovation in 5G with the Nokia Bell Labs has already begun the research work on 6G to make it commercially available by 2030.”

Mr. Shashi Dharan, Managing Director, Bharat Exhibitions delivered the Vote of Thanks. In his speech, he said, “India is already moving beyond the deployment of 5G technology to create and install its faster and superior successor: the sixth generation of telecom networks, or 6G. The Bharat 6G Vision, is a strategy to create 6G technology in India by 2030. The objective of this vision is to create and deploy 6G network technologies that provide secure, intelligent, and pervasive connectivity, enabling people all over the world to live better lives. This might be a game changer for the Indian economy.”

The conference had other segments like 2 Technical Sessions and a Panel Discussion throughout the day.

Other eminent speakers who spoke during the conference were Mr. Jeevan Talegaonkar, Vice President, Reliance Jio; Mr. Vikesh Sharma, Head of Radio Technology, NOKIA India; Mr. Pradeep Bhardwaj, Sr. Strategy Director & Head of Industry Standards, Syniverse; Mr. Saurabh Mittal, Vice President (Network R&D), Bharti Airtel; Mr. Mahesh Basavaraju, Market Segment Manager – Wireless Communications, Rohde & Schwarz; Mr. Rohit Kumar, Head of Research & Development, CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd; Mr. Vikalp Dutt, Director RAN Sales Engineering, Mavenir Systems; Mr. Sanjay Kumar, General Manager & Project Director, TCIL; Mr. Soumen Bhowmik, Assistant Manager – IX, National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI); Mr. Manoj Gurnani, Head of Strategy & Technology, NOKIA India; Mr. Dharmender Khajuria, National Head – Network Partnerships, Bharti Airtel.

6G and India: A Glimpse

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT)’s efforts in 6G standardization have successfully resulted in the adoption of ubiquitous connectivity, ubiquitous intelligence, and sustainability as the key elements of the 6G technology. India’s 6G vision aims to introduce 6G technology in the country by 2030.

The summit was supported by Ministry of Communications, Department of Telecommunications (DOT), Bharat 6G Alliance, ETSI, COAI, ITU-APT Foundation of India and Partnered by Nokia, Syniverse, Rohde & Schwarz, CSC e-Governance Services, NIXI, Mavenir, C-DOT, TCIL, Anritsu, Khushi Communications, SyRotech Networks, Communications Today and Broadband India Forum.

BPTP Unveils The Amaario, Eyes a Revenue Potential of Rs. 1500 Crore in Sector 37D, Gurugram

8th July 2024  Gurugram, Haryana, India  BPTP, one of India’s leading real estate developers, proudly unveils The Amaario, a majestic residential project in Sector 37D, Gurugram. This visionary development redefines urban living by intertwining opulence with sustainability, offering a regal lifestyle that promotes holistic well-being. The Amaario promises an unparalleled living experience, meticulously designed to embody luxury and eco-consciousness.

The Amaario stands out in Gurugram’s dynamic landscape with its exclusive amenities tailored for an elite lifestyle. The project features iconic twin towers, comprising a stilt, podium, and 31 floors, introducing a one-community concept of only 248 4BHK luxurious apartments. Each apartment, spanning approximately 3700 sq. ft., is spaciously designed and equipped with three car parks and a provision for an EV charging point.

Residents will enjoy access to one of Gurugram’s most lavish clubhouses, boasting a grand welcome lobby featuring heights up to 10 meters, an exclusive banquet hall, an entertainment area, a covered heated pool and many other world-class amenities. The project also includes seven high-speed lifts per tower, a concierge desk, separate lifts for service staff, and a reception desk, ensuring convenience and luxury at every turn.

Located in the heart of Sector 37D, The Amaario offers unmatched connectivity and convenience. Situated near the Dwarka Expressway and NH-48, residents can enjoy seamless travel to Delhi and other key areas. The planned upcoming Rail Over Bridge by the authorities will further enhance connectivity, promising smoother commutes.

Sector 37D is transforming with initiatives by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) aimed at enhancing urban living standards. This prime location is also close to Aerocity, Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, Gurugram Global City, Diplomatic Enclave, Bharat Vandana Park, and IGI Airport. With Gurugram Haat and a new Metro Line on the horizon, Sector 37D is set to become a hub of culture and modern living, epitomizing urban excellence.

“BPTP The Amaario aims to cater to the growing demand for quality and well-designed residential spaces in Gurugram. With a legacy of successfully delivered marquee projects across key micro-markets, namely Dwarka Expressway, Golf Course Extension Road, Southern Periphery Road & NH8, this launch propels BPTP into a new realm of luxury,” said Rohit Mohan, Senior VP, BPTP Limited.

Rohan Builders Maintains CRISIL DA2+ Grading for 14 Consecutive Years, Demonstrating Financial Stability and Operational Excellence

8th July 2024  Pune, Maharashtra, India  Real estate developer Rohan Builders, announced that it continues to maintain its prestigious DA2+ Developer Grading from CRISIL for the 14th consecutive year, placing it among the select few developers in India to accomplish this remarkable achievement. CRISIL Developer Grading not only considers financial parameters but also evaluates operational parameters including management capabilities, timely delivery, and sales & collections.

“At Rohan Builders, our vision extends far beyond the present. We are not just constructing buildings; we are laying the foundation for an organization that is built to last for decades to come. To achieve this, we have developed a robust risk management framework that has held us in good stead even in challenging economic periods such as the 2008 financial crisis, demonetization in 2016 and the COVID-19 pandemic. The stringent conditions to earn the CRISIL Grading require strong corporate governance, project management, and execution capability, along with financial prudence. This further helps in ultimately delivering a great product to our customers in time and with quality,” said Suhas Lunkad, Chairman & Managing Director, Rohan Builders.

Rohan Builders’ real estate vertical has completed over 65 projects measuring over 15 million sq. ft. across Pune and Bengaluru. It has 7 ongoing projects measuring about 6 million sq. ft. under construction and 4 projects in the pipeline all of which are expected to get launched by Q2 of this year.

The residential real estate markets of Pune and Bengaluru, in which Rohan Builders operates, have been robust in terms of new launches and sales over the past few quarters. The latest real estate research report shows inventory levels at 8 and 7 months respectively in both these cities, the lowest in the past decade, indicating robust demand. The company expects this momentum to continue at least for the next 3-4 quarters.

Binaifer Jehani, Business Head, MI&A Assessments, CRISIL, said “The grading indicates that the developer has a ‘Very Good’ ability to execute real estate projects of specified quality within the stipulated time and to transfer a clean title. The real estate sector needs a distinct improvement in transparency to sustain the trust of buyers. Also, selecting the best property from among the host of projects that have RERA approval continues to be a challenge for customers. Objective benchmarking and third-party evaluations, along with self-regulation by developers, can address both these issues. This is where CRISIL’s Developer Grading comes in, providing a reliable benchmark for evaluating developers’ credentials. The CRISIL grading reflects operational and financial excellence, offering reassurance to stakeholders.”

TUMI Broadens Asia-Pacific Travel Retail Footprint

8th July 2024  Hong Kong, SAR  TUMI, the leading international travel, lifestyle and accessories brand, is redefining and reinvigorating travel retail with an expanded and refreshed presence at major international airports throughout Asia. The store opened on May 1, 2024, at South Korea’s Incheon International Airport and Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport preceding those at Indonesia’s Soekarno–Hatta International Airport and India’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, reaffirming TUMI’s commitment to creating sleek, sophisticated and inviting spaces that deliver an exceptional customer experience.

Located in one of the most important and high-traffic travel retail locations in Asia-Pacific, the new 50 sqm store at Incheon International Airport in Seoul boldly showcases TUMI’s evolution as a global performance luxury brand through the first-of-its-kind, large-scale architectural facade. The nearly 19-foot-tall facade, created by design firm CJ2 and local South Korean studio Design POOM, incorporates a T-icon pattern with raised 3D aluminum panels enhanced by a logo-inspired lighting effect.

The new TUMI store at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, also located in a high-traffic area, welcomes shoppers with an elegantly illuminated facade featuring a T-icon pattern. Both locations boast sleek and sophisticated interiors that bring to life the brand’s iconic design language while providing a comfortable and easy-to-navigate environment to browse the wide range of products curated to meet the needs of discerning travelers.

“The latest openings at Incheon International Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport are a testament to TUMI’s ongoing commitment to creating unique and exceptional experiences for our international customers through our high-performance products and stores. With more launches coming soon at Soekarno–Hatto International Airport in Jakarta and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, which are also among the busiest in the region, travel retail will continue to be a key focus through thoughtfully planned and skilfully executed designs that bring customers into our world and speak to the way they travel today,” said Aris Maroulis, Vice President for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East at TUMI.

Scheduled to open in late May, the new store at Soekarno–Hatto International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, joins various duty-free shops and restaurants inside its largest and newest Terminal 3. The airy, sophisticated space occupies a highly visible location, where up to 25 million international travelers pass through each year. The new store at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India, slated to open in mid-June, will feature a similarly sleek design in a high-traffic location inside the country’s second-busiest airport.

TUMI Incheon International Airport Store (Seoul)

Opening hours: 6:30 am – 9:30 pm daily

Address: 3F Hyundai Duty-Free Incheon Airport Terminal 2

TUMI Suvarnabhumi Airport Store (Bangkok)

Opening hours: 24 hours daily

Address: T1 DE4-38, Level 4, Main Terminal, East Concourse, International Departures Hall

TUMI Soekarno–Hatta International Airport Store (Jakarta)

Opening hours: 6:30 am – 11:30 pm daily

Address: Gate 7, Jakarta Duty Free (JDF), Terminal 3

TUMI Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Store (Mumbai)

Opening hours: 24 hours daily

Address: No. 4054, International Departures, Integrated Terminal 2

Zoozle Launches India’s First Membership Plan for E-commerce Buyers, Offers Exclusive Benefits with HDFC Bank

8th July 2024 Bangalore, Karnataka, India  Zoozle, a leading online e-commerce marketplace in India, has announced the launch of its revolutionary membership plan – a first in the Indian e-commerce landscape. Modeled after successful international concepts like Costco and Sam’s Club, Zoozle is set to transform the online shopping experience for its members by offering up to 18% lower prices compared to other online platforms.

However, in an exclusive partnership with HDFC Bank, Zoozle is offering its membership free of charge to all HDFC Bank credit and debit card holders until September 2024.

The membership program is otherwise priced at Rs. 999 (+GST) per year.

To activate the membership, HDFC Bank customers need to visit Google.in, click on “become a member”, select the HDFC customer option, and provide their name, city, mobile number, and email ID. After a quick OTP authentication, the membership will be activated within 24 hours.

Zoozle features a wide array of products across multiple categories including fashion, lifestyle, home, kitchen, decor, pets, kids, gifts, food and beverage, furniture, and lots more, making it a one-stop-shop for Indian consumers looking for quality and affordability.

“This initiative is not just about offering lower prices, but about creating an exclusive shopping community where members gain significant value with every purchase,” said Rajesh Dembla, Founder, Zoozle. “Offering free memberships through our partnership with HDFC Bank is our way of saying thank you to Indian customers.”

Zoozle’s membership program is now live, and all shoppers in India are invited to experience the benefits of this unique offering.