Category Archives: News

Legrand and Amaal Malik Electrify Audiences with ‘Kamaal ka Switch’ Music Video – A Symphony of Innovation

Mumbai, August 9th, 2024: In an exciting collaboration, Legrand, a worldwide pioneer in electrical and digital building infrastructure, has teamed up with renowned musician Amaal Malik to reintroduce its innovative Lyncus Range. The new campaign, titled “Kamaal ka Switch,” features a vibrant music video showcasing the standout features of the Lyncus Range, aimed at engaging a millennial audience.

A Fresh Marketing Communication

Originally launched in 2019, the Lyncus Range has evolved in response to the changing preferences of consumers. Today, audiences seek new and innovative experiences, prompting Legrand to refresh its marketing communication. “Kamaal ka Switch” represents this new direction, blending modern aesthetics with cutting-edge technology.

Highlighting the Lyncus Range

The Lyncus Range is distinguished by its touch switches, pillow finish plates, and elegant design. These features set it apart from other products in the market. The touch dimmer and switches offer smooth functionality, while the unique pillow finish adds a touch of sophistication. Additionally, the nose pinch design on the switches is a unique element that enhances the user experience.

The “Kamaal Ka Switch” Music Video

The storyline of the “Kamaal ka Switch” music video is simple yet engaging. Amaal Malik receives a package and discovers the Lyncus switches, leading him to compose a groovy song inspired by the product. The video showcases the smooth functioning of the touch dimmer and switches, visually highlighting the innovative features of the Lyncus Range.

Measuring Campaign Success

The success of the “Kamaal ka Switch” campaign will primarily be measured through social media impressions, given the campaign’s major presence on these platforms. Additionally, insights from partners and market feedback will be used to evaluate the impact of offline promotional activities.

Looking Ahead

Legrand remains committed to innovation, with plans that focus on bringing fresh and exciting elements to its customers. The reintroduction of the Lyncus Range exemplifies this commitment, setting the stage for more groundbreaking products in the pipeline.

Mr. Sameer Saxena, Marketing Director, Group Legrand India said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Amaal Malik for the ‘Kamaal ka Switch’ campaign, a significant step in redefining how we connect with our audience. The Lyncus Range, with its touch switches and unique pillow finish, represents the perfect blend of technology and style, embodying the spirit of innovation and modernity. This campaign not only highlights the innovative features of our products but also reinforces our commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences through engaging contemporary communication strategies. The tagline ‘Upgrade to New’ emphasizes the need for an upgrade to modern solutions, reflecting our focus on providing advanced and aesthetically pleasing electrical fittings that meet the evolving needs of our customers”.

Further, he added, “At Legrand, we continuously strive to enhance customer experiences through innovative solutions, and this campaign is a testament to our commitment to staying ahead of the curve.”

Mr. Laxman Tari, Head of Brand & Digital Business, Group Legrand India, commented, “Our approach to customer experience is centered on creating meaningful and engaging interactions with our audience, particularly the millennial demographic. The ‘Kamaal ka Switch’ campaign is a testament to this commitment, as we leverage a blend of digital platforms, out-of-home (OOH) advertising, and experiential activations to make a lasting impression. By utilizing digital media, we aim to connect with tech-savvy consumers where they spend most of their time, ensuring our innovative electrical solutions are top of mind. The strategic use of OOH advertising helps us reach a broader audience in high-traffic areas, creating widespread visibility and reinforcing our brand presence. Additionally, our experiential activations are designed to provide hands-on, immersive experiences that highlight the unique features of the Lyncus Range, fostering a deeper connection with our products.”

Further, he added, “This multi-channel approach not only showcases the distinct advantages of our offerings but also solidifies Legrand’s position as a leader in the home automation and electrical fittings industry. Through these efforts, we are committed to driving engagement and encouraging consumers to explore and experience the transformative benefits of our innovative solutions.”

Instahyre Academy Introduces Free Talent Sourcing Fundamentals Course to Upskill HR professionals

August 2024: Instahyre Academy, an industry leader in upskilling and training HR professionals to help them build stellar careers, has added a new free course – Talent Sourcing Fundamentals – to its already impressive roster of courses that have helped thousands of talent acquisition specialists gain an edge over their peers, and land high-paying, top jobs in the industry.

Through the course, one can learn how to effectively engage both active and passive prospects, create job posts that are appealing to the right people, and automate and scale the candidate selection process using AI-enabled matching. It teaches recruiters to optimize their productivity by automating the pre-screening process with tools like InstaScreen and streamlining their workflow with Instahyre’s ATS Chrome extension to import candidates from GitHub and LinkedIn with ease. In today’s cutthroat hiring industry, the course helps a professional to differentiate themselves as a future-ready 10x recruiter and ensure success in their field by finding the most appropriate talent.

The course is specifically designed to help professionals who are looking to stay ahead in the game by enhancing their skill sets. Unlike other HR upskilling courses in the market that use a virtual classroom setting or theory-heavy teaching techniques, Instahyre Academy uses real-life examples that can be applied in achieving day-to-day KRAs, and equips learners with the practical tools necessary to be a well-rounded HR professional.

The course is administered via fully animated videos to add an element of fun to upskilling. After the completion of the course, a digital and verifiable certificate is also provided, which is shareable across social media and professional networking platforms. Additionally, recruiters can add the unique Instahyre Product Academy certificate to their resumes and/or LinkedIn profiles.

Commenting on the addition of the new course, Sarbojit Mallick, CEO of Instahyre said, “We are excited to present the Talent Sourcing Fundamentals course, which demonstrates our dedication to providing HR professionals with the most up-to-date resources and techniques to help them succeed in their jobs. Recruiters need to keep ahead of the curve in a field that is always changing, and this course provides the hands-on, real-world training necessary to do just that. We are providing our students with the skills and self-assurance necessary to take on leadership roles in talent acquisition by fusing state-of-the-art technology with practical instruction.”

Step into a New Era of Surface Décor at Dorby’s Thane Experience Centre

Mumbai, 09th August 2024: Dorby– India’s Leading Surface Décor Brand inaugurated its second Experience Centre in Thane, Mumbai on 8th August 2024. As one of the first companies in the sector to launch an experience centre with an investment of INR 1.16 Crore, the centre provides consumers with an immersive, hands-on experience.

Following the successful launch of the Delhi Experience Centre, the Thane centre features the pioneering concept of ‘Design with Dorby’, showcasing bespoke and eccentric furniture pieces designed with Dorby laminates. This centre highlights the transformative power of laminates, turning mundane pieces of furniture into unique, designer creations. The center is designed to be a creative hub for architects, designers, and freelancers, encouraging collaboration within the Architecture & Design community to develop innovative designs. At the same time, it will serve as a showroom for general consumers, catering to their retail needs. Furthermore, the Experience Centre seeks to provide a platform to upcoming designers and students, providing them the opportunity to design unique and out-of-the-box creations with Dorby laminates.

The launch saw the presence of various renowned architects and interior designers, who gathered to witness the unveiling of the store. This initiative not only showcased the versatility of Dorby’s products but also provided a platform for budding talent to explore and experiment with new design ideas.

Mr. Mehul Agarwal, CEO & Director of Dorby, expressed his excitement about the new experience centre, emphasizing its value in showcasing the extensive range of laminate options available. “The design and quality of laminates are often overlooked, yet they play a crucial role in transforming the aesthetic and ambiance of any space,” he stated.

He elaborated on how the experience centre provides a comprehensive glimpse into the myriad of laminate designs, patterns, and textures. “With the launch of our second Experience Centre, visitors can visualize how different laminates can dramatically alter their spaces. This hands-on experience is invaluable for anyone looking to understand how our products can meet their unique design needs. Dorby’s goal is to make high-quality, innovative laminates accessible to a broader audience, enhancing our footprint in the surface décor industry.”

The grand opening included an array of engaging activities designed to showcase the centre’s offerings. Guests were treated to the exhibit of Dorby’s latest design trends inspired from across the world, insights from industry experts on the future of design and sustainable living, and personalized tours of the Experience Centre led by Dorby’s knowledgeable staff.

IIMC Leading the Way in Media Education: VC

New Delhi, August 9: During the inaugural session of the orientation session for the academic session 2024-25 of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Vice Chancellor Dr. Anupama Bhatnagar said that the IIMC is the best educational institution in the country in the field of media education.

“It is due to the tireless efforts of IIMC’s excellent faculty that we have consistently maintained the first position in media education for many years,” she said, advising students to make the most of their time at the institute for a successful future.

Dr. Brajesh Kumar Singh, Group Editor of Network 18 Group; Major General (Retired) Dhruv Katoch, Director of India Foundation; and Mr. Shalabh Upadhyay, Founder and CEO of ‘NewJ’ were present on the occasion.

Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Brajesh Kumar Singh informed students about the changing trends in the media industry. He said that the needs of the media are evolving with time. “Today, media companies prefer to hire individuals who have linguistic skills, technical awareness, and fundamental knowledge,” he said. Students should always have the desire to learn, he added.

Major General (Retired) Dhruv Katoch, Director of India Foundation, said that knowledge and skills lead you on the right path. Identify your goals and pursue them. He also advised students not to try to sell their products but to inspire people to buy them, as that is their true talent.

In his address, Mr. Shalabh Upadhyay, Founder and CEO of ‘NewJ, emphasized the importance of content and technology. He advised students to stay updated with the latest technologies and focus on creating unique content to establish a distinct identity as mass communicators.

In the second session of the inaugural ceremony, IIMC faculty members introduced themselves to the students. On the final day of this two-day programme, on Friday, Mr. Vishnu Prakash Tripathi, Executive Editor of Dainik Jagran, Mr. Anand Narasimhan, Managing Editor (Special Projects) of CNN-News 18, Mr. Shali Ittaman, Consultant, Prasar Bharti, New Delhi and Mr. Prasad Sanyal, Business Head of Times Internet, will address the students.

CRISIL MI&A : CRISIL named Category Leader in Chartis RiskTech report

Chartis’ Credit Lending Operations Solutions Quadrant Report 2024 recognises CRISIL

CRISIL, the global provider of advanced analytics and credit risk management solutions, has been recognised as a category leader in the Credit Lending Operations Solutions Quadrant Report 2024, published by Chartis Research in August 2024.

The recognition underscores CRISIL’s strengths in providing cutting-edge credit origination products and market-leading early warning solutions to clients across the globe, emphasising its position as a global leader in the credit risk management space.

The report evaluates CRISIL’s capabilities across loan origination, loan management, portfolio monitoring, analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and technology, and incorporates the customer feedback and market potential for its solutions.

Says Ashish Vora, President, CRISIL Market Intelligence and Analytics, “We are proud to be recognised as a Category Leader in Chartis’ Credit Lending Operations Solutions Quadrant Report 2024. This achievement is a result of our offerings that strengthen clients’ risk and lending practices. We continue to invest in AI-based analytics, cutting-edge technology and credit risk capabilities to stay ahead of the curve and enhance our client centricity.”

CRISIL’s Credit+ suite is used extensively by leading financial institutions across the globe. The key solutions of the Credit+ suite for credit lending operations include:

• Credit+ Early Warning Signals: The solution helps financial institutions actively monitor the quality of their credit portfolio and lower loan-loss contingencies. It leverages internal and external data, rule-based flags, and multi-dimensional trigger libraries to detect changes in credit quality and provide risk managers with actionable insights and ability to track corrective action plans.
•  Credit+ Loan Origination: It enables clients to seamlessly manage and automate their origination processes and incorporate credit-decisioning parameters, including internal rating, ESG, climate risk and covenants.
•  Credit+ Pricing Engine: It helps banks’ relationship managers identify mis-priced transactions, relationships and products.

Says Arunkumar Iyer, Senior Director – Risk Solutions, CRISIL Market Intelligence and Analytics, “Our recognition is a direct result of our commitment to client excellence. Our Credit+ Loan Origination solution enables banks to automate their loan origination processes with ease, while our Credit+ Early Warning Signals solution provides unparalleled post-sanction monitoring capabilities that help them proactively manage their credit portfolios and reduce non-performing assets. We will continue to innovate and improve our offerings to help clients transform their credit origination, pricing and monitoring.”

Students from Goa and East Bengaluru Schools Win TCS InQuizitive 2024 Bengaluru Edition

BENGALURU, August 9, 2024: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 800 students across 200 schools at the Bengaluru edition of its flagship annual quiz, TCS InQuizitive. The event was open to students from classes 8 to 12 and showcased the intellectual prowess of the city’s youth.

After an intense five rounds of quizzing at the regional finals in Bengaluru, Vighnesh Shetye, 16, from Mushtifund Aryaan Higher Secondary School in Goa emerged as the winner, while Nithilan Ravikumar, 17 from Delhi Public School in Bengaluru East secured the runner-up position. The two students will now represent Bengaluru in the National Finals, competing with champions from 11 other regional rounds from across India. The prizes were distributed by the guest of honour, C.K. Venkataraman, MD of Titan, along with Sunil Deshpande, Regional Head, TCS Bengaluru.

“It is impressive how TCS is pushing relevant and futuristic knowledge at schools as early as 8th grade, building an amazing tech ready talent for the future. The level of knowledge among students, even in the audience today, was very impressive clearly demonstrating that are many more winners there. The consistency of the efforts and continuity of this quiz for more than two decades is very special and something only a TATA company can achieve,” said Venkataraman.

“TCS has been visionary in seeding IT awareness at the school level for over two and half decades through various quizzing and student engagement initiatives. To witness so many bright minds today vying for the winning spot is truly heartening and encouraging. We believe that such events give the much-needed exposure to the students across various cities towards trending technologies and will help them make the right choices in their bright careers ahead,” added Sunil Deshpande.

TCS InQuizitive is an innovative learning initiative designed to enhance curiosity and awareness among students in fields such as information technology, science, sports, engineering, and art. There is no entry fee for participation.

Shriram Finance introduces ‘Jitne Samay Ka loan Utne ka hi Byaj’ campaign for Gold Loans

Mumbai, August 09, 2024: Shriram Finance Limited, the flagship company of the Shriram Group, today announced the introduction of a campaign to drive awareness of the Jitne Samay Ka loan Utne Ka hi Byaj feature on their Gold Loans with the aim to make it cost-effective, easy and convenient for customers.

Speaking about this initiative, Ms. Elizabeth Venkataraman, Executive Director – Marketing, Shriram Finance Ltd said: “In our interactions with customers, we realized that customers are beginning to use Gold Loans as a regular line of credit for their various needs – pledging and taking back their gold as and when needed. Hence, this feature is a must-have and will be extremely useful for the festive season coming up.”

Customers seeking Gold Loans will have the advantage of paying interest only for the duration of the loan tenure, subject to a minimum of seven (07) days’ tenure, with Jitne Samay Ka loan Utne Ka hi Byaj feature. The maximum tenure for Gold Loans is 12 months which is offered at competitive interest rates.

Shriram Finance is launching a mass multi-lingual advertising campaign to amplify the Jitne Samay Ka loan Utne Ka hi Byaj Gold Loan feature via TV, Digital channels and Cinema halls across the states of Tami Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra.

Shriram Finance is India’s largest retail NBFC offering Gold Loan services across the country and as of June 30, 2024 (Q1FY25), its current Gold Loan AUM stands at Rs. 6,122 crores.

Merck’s Aarogya health program positively impacts communities in Patalganga

Merck, a leading science and technology company, introduced Aarogya, a quality healthcare program designed to address pressing health issues in the Patalganga region of Raigad district.

Launched in July this year, the Aarogya program aims to improve the overall health outcomes for the community by offering comprehensive health screenings, diagnostic support, and increased health awareness.

Since its inception, the initiative has made a significant impact benefiting around 800 community members through health camps held in the villages of Borivali, Sai Nagari, Washivalli, Kaire, and Vadgaon in and around Patalganga.

Under this program, Merck conducted extensive screenings to identify and address primary health ailments in the region, providing essential diagnostic services for accurate detection and timely treatment. The company also raised awareness and educated the community on best health practices. Additionally, Aarogya established a unique referral system and follow-up care to ensure consistent and equitable access to healthcare. The initiative aims to assess current health conditions and disease trends in the region to develop a strategic roadmap for future health interventions.

Merck Life Science’s state-of-the-art facility for providing lab materials and reagents to pharma and biopharma companies is located at Patalganga. The site came into operation in the middle of the pandemic and has worked with the community ever since 2020.

Aarogya is one of Merck India’s many initiatives to empower communities with good healthcare services. The company is deeply committed to social responsibility, positively impacting over 120,000 lives through initiatives in education, healthcare, relief, and employee engagement. The company offers scholarships, access to quality education, and healthcare services, and also donates essential medical equipment during crises. Driven by its core values, the company remains a key player in India’s science and technology landscape, continually driving innovation and enhancing lives.

US Consul General visits Milk Mantra

Bhubaneswar, August 9, 2024: US Consul General Ms. Jennifer Larson, accompanied by her team, visited the Milk Mantra Headquarters today.She met the founders Srikumar Misra & Rashima Misra to know about their unique entrepreneurial journey of starting Milk Mantra in Odisha.

It is to be noted that Milk Mantra raised USD 10 Million in funding from the US Development Finance Corporation in 2020 to build a new plant at Puri. The plant is nearing completion and will further enhance the impact Milk Mantra has on the ecosystem from job creation to improving farmers economic livelihood and expanding the Milky Moo range of products. Meanwhile the founder Srikumar Misra has moved on to start his next venture called ‘aarna’ in the AI + Decentralised Finance space, whilst he continues on the Board of Milk Mantra. The management of the company is being led by cofounder & executive director Rashima Misra and a professional management team including Kailash Gahir as CEO and Pradeepta Jena as CFO.

The US delegation included Economic Chief Frank Talluto, Commercial Chief Raghavan Srinivasan, Political Advisor Srimali Kari, Economic Advisor Siba Prasad Tripathy, and Commercial Advisor Suniel Kumar.

Bangalore tops flex office stock in APAC region, outshines Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo

National – August 8th, 2024 – CBRE, world’s leading real estate consulting firm, announced the findings of its report, ‘H1 2024 Asia Pacific Flexible Office Market’. According to the report, Bangalore topped the list of 20 APAC cities with the highest flexible office stock at 15.5 mn. sq. ft. in the APAC region, including Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo. Delhi NCR ranks second in the city list with a total stock 10.7 mn. sq. ft. (till June’24) of flexible office space. Recent growth in the Asia Pacific flexible office space market has been primarily driven by Indian cities, where the expansion is supported by the demand for managed solutions offered by domestic flexible space operators.

The report highlights that Delhi NCR witnessed the highest increase of 26 % in the flexible office stock since CY 2023. Other Indian cities also did exceedingly well with Hyderabad and Mumbai making it to the top 10 cities, with 6.8 and 6.1 mn. sq. ft. of flexible office stock, respectively.

The Asia Pacific flex space market continues to display stable growth, with the total stock of flexible office space in the APAC region reaching 89 million sq. ft. as of June 2024, an increase of 3.9% from CY 2023. The report points out that the APAC region is home to approximately 3,000 flex space centers. With strong leasing activity by flex space operators during this period, it is anticipated that the pace of new flex center openings will continue to be rapid throughout the remainder of the year in these markets.

Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO – India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE, said, “Recent growth in the Asia Pacific flexible office space market has been primarily driven by Indian cities, where expansion has been underpinned by demand for managed solutions offered by domestic flexible space operators. The ongoing expansion of the flexible office space market in India highlights its significance as a strategic option for businesses adapting to the changing demands of workspace needs”.

Henry Chin, Global Head of Investor Thought Leadership and Head of Research, CBRE APAC, said, “Recent years have seen an evolution in business strategy by operators of flexible office space in Asia Pacific. In the post-COVID era, operators’ priorities have shifted towards income diversification, turn-key managed solutions, and maximizing centre utilization. Operators are increasingly differentiating their brands and exploring alternative deal structures, such as management agreements and CapEx contributions by landlords, to create more sustainable business models. Leveraging turn-key managed solutions enables operators to increase commitment terms while providing additional value to occupier solutions”.

The report also points out that despite a return to growth mode after the pandemic subsided, the Asia Pacific flexible office space market has now entered a period of normalized expansion compared to the pre-COVID boom years.

CBRE APAC study covered 20 major Asia-Pacific markets, including Japan, China, South Korea, Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, Taiwan, New Zealand and India.