ICICI Bank commits a contribution of Rs 1,200 crore to Tata Memorial Centre

Mumbai: ICICI Bank today announced a commitment to contribute Rs 1,200 crore towards Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), a premier institution that runs cancer treatment and research centres across the country.

ICICI Bank will donate the money from its CSR funds to set up three new buildings spanning over a combined area of 7.5 lakh square feet and equip them with state-of-the-art machines at TMC’s centres at Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, Mullanpur in Punjab and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

With the largest contribution from any institution to TMC, ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth (ICICI Foundation), the CSR arm of ICICI Bank, will implement the initiative, which is likely to be completed by 2027.

With modern equipment and specialised multidisciplinary teams, these new centres of excellence in oncology treatment will provide advanced and evidence based therapies to nearly 25,000 new patients a year, doubling the present capacity and providing a significant boost to the country’s cancer treatment infrastructure.

ICICI Foundation has signed an agreement with TMC to express this commitment. Mr. Sanjay Datta, President, ICICI Foundation and Dr. R. A. Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Centre signed the agreement in the presence of Mr. Girish Chandra Chaturvedi, Chairman, ICICI Bank and Mr. Sandeep Batra, Executive Director, ICICI Bank.

Mr. Chaturvedi also inaugurated the ICICI MRI Facility today at Tata Memorial Hospital at Parel in Mumbai in the presence of Dr. Badwe and Mr. Batra. This facility is equipped with an advanced MRI machine supported by ICICI Foundation.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Girish Chandra Chaturvedi, Chairman, ICICI Bank, said: “ICICI Bank has a long-standing legacy of being in service of the nation. In line with this philosophy, ICICI Foundation has been working continuously to improve the well-being of citizens through its various initiatives in the areas of environmental conservation, skill development for sustainable livelihood, affordable healthcare and community development projects. Over the years, ICICI Foundation has planted over 2.6 million trees across the country, created capacity of harvesting 17.1 billion litres annually of rainwater at 5000 rural schools and watershed structures, implemented rooftop solar panel for rural schools, benefitted more than 2.9 million lives through skilling initiatives, with more than half being women. It has also benefitted over 6.5 million individuals through its social initiatives and over 1.5 million lives through its healthcare initiatives. Overall, ICICI Foundation has positively impacted more than 10.9 million beneficiaries through its various initiatives.

Today, we are committing Rs 1,200 crore for building three new blocks at TMC’s centres at Navi Mumbai, Mullanpur and Visakhapatnam by 2027. As part of our commitment towards promoting healthcare, this initiative will enhance comprehensive cancer care services in different regions of our country by providing patients access to advanced and latest cancer therapies. These new buildings will also serve as regional referral centres and mitigate the need for patients to travel long distances to visit Tata Memorial Hospital at Parel in Mumbai.”

Adding on the occasion, Dr. R. A. Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Centre, said, “We are extremely grateful to ICICI Foundation for embarking on one of the largest CSR initiatives to improve cancer care across the country. The infrastructure which is being added at the three hospitals of Tata Memorial Centre at Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Mullanpur will provide timely and high-quality treatment to people in the region at highly subsidised costs. It is critical that advanced cancer care is delivered closer to home so that more people from the region benefit from accessing such therapies.

The radiation therapy block at ACTREC, Navi Mumbai will play a vital role in not only providing timely radiotherapy to a large number of patients but will also be delivered with the most advanced techniques, both of which are critical for a successful outcome. Childhood and adult blood cancers are highly curable but require very intense therapies. The ICICI centres being established at Visakhapatnam and Mullanpur are dedicated children and blood cancer centres and will provide state-of-the-art multidisciplinary care. These centres will soon become regional hubs offering advanced therapies such as bone marrow transplant and cellular therapies to patients from the region.”

The salient features of ICICI Bank’s commitment are:

ICICI Foundation will set up an ‘ICICI Radiation Oncology Block’ at TMC’s Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC) at Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. This block will be equipped with state-of-the-art radiology facilities including CT scanner and MRT, new facility for outdoor patients, laboratories and radiotherapy facility for in-patients. All these together under one roof will help reduce waiting time significantly for investigations and hence enhance the quality of treatment.

ICICI Foundation will set up two ‘ICICI Paediatric and Haematological Oncology Block’ at TMC’s Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre at Mullanpur in Punjab and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. These centres will provide an array of advanced equipment and therapies, which are required to treat paediatric and haematological cancer. The facilities will include intense chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation, radiation therapy and newer immunotherapies like CAR-T cell, which are available only at super specialised centres. For the convenience of in-patient care, the centres will also have dedicated beds, day care units, ICUs, MRI and CT – PET Scan facility as well as laboratories for advanced testing including genetics, which are critical for treating paediatric and haematological cancers. These centres will also become regional referral centres in the entire southern and northern parts of the country.

World Environment Day | Quote | Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head of Marketing, Acer India

By Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head of Marketing, Acer India. Request you to please share this with the relevant media.

“On this World Environment Day, let us unite against the grave consequences of plastic pollution. It is an environmental crisis that devastates ecosystems, imperils marine life, and threatens human health. Urgent action is paramount, and technology companies play a pivotal role in combating this peril. Through eco-friendly technologies and responsible consumption, we can reduce our reliance on single-use plastics and champion the principles of a circular economy. Collaboration among industry leaders, investors, policymakers, and governments is vital for lasting change. As a frontrunner in technology, Acer embraces its duty to minimize plastic waste across our operations. We actively seek sustainable alternatives, integrating them into our products and processes to pave the way for a more sustainable future. Acer’s Earthion initiative leads the charge in developing eco-friendly technologies and forging alliances with like-minded organizations. Together, we can spark innovation, raise awareness, and build a plastic-free future. Our collective actions today will carve an indelible legacy of sustainability for generations to come.”

5 Brands That Are Leading the Way in Sustainable Initiatives

In an era where environmental concerns are at the forefront, many brands are taking significant steps to adopt sustainable practices. These brands are taking initiatives and working towards reducing their carbon footprint, conserving resources, and promoting ethical practices. In this article, we will explore brands that are leading the way in sustainable initiatives, setting a positive example for others to follow.

1. Ecofy

Ecofy is a pioneering NBFC created to finance India’s green transition. Promoted by Eversource Capital, Ecofy’s vision is to be a catalyst in accelerating the transition toward a net zero-carbon world. It partners with individuals and small businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint and restore balance to the planet. Ecofy offers loans for EV, rooftop solar, and small-medium enterprises providing E2E digital experience.

2. Nurture.farm

Nurture.farm is an open, digital platform for sustainable agriculture globally. At nurture.farm, our mission is to make agriculture simple, profitable and sustainable for generations to come. nurture.farm offers complete integrated solutions to secure sustainable outcomes. nurture.farm’s ecosystem reaches across the food system, expanding choice – making access transparent, affordable, and fast for all.

3. Aretto
At Aretto, we aim to reduce waste not only by reducing consumption with 3x growth in 1 shoe, but the manufacturing process for our uppers is also such, that it limits the waste produced. Our 3D knitting technology allows for a single machine to produce a complete shoe upper that can be directly connected to the shoe, resulting in less waste compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This, combined with our efforts to reduce consumption, allows us to minimise our environmental impact.

4. Locus

Locus, a cutting-edge technology company, is making significant strides in promoting sustainability through its innovative solutions. By focusing on optimizing logistics operations, it helps businesses reduce their environmental footprint, enhance efficiency, and foster a more sustainable supply chain. Through its advanced technology and commitment to sustainability, the company is playing a pivotal role in transforming the logistics industry. By promoting efficient resource utilization, reducing carbon emissions, and enabling data-driven decision-making, Locus is paving the way towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future for logistics and supply chain management

5. TCI

Transport Corporation of India Ltd. is India’s leading integrated multimodal logistics and supply chain solutions provider working hard towards maintaining ESG goals across the industry. The company recently launched a Supply Chain Sustainability Lab in collaboration with IIM-Bangalore at their campus, with a focus on supply chain management. The TCI-IIMB SCSL is a one-of-its-kind centre of excellence in sustainable supply chain practices, dissemination and advocacy. Apart from the lab, TCI’s Safe Safar events across the country, aims to spread awareness about road safety and sustainability norms.

These brands serve as inspiring examples of sustainability in action. Through their commitment to ethical practices, resource conservation, and environmental responsibility, they are making India’s future sustainable and redefining sustainability.

Air India Digitalises its Feedback Mechanism to Boost Customer Participation in its New Initiatives

Bangalore, 3rd June 2023 Air India today said that its new, digitalized customer feedback mechanism has received over 140,000 responses in three months, as it continues to enhance its consumer experience across the board. The Net Promoter Score (NPS)-based customer feedback mechanism was adopted in March 2023.

With this digital initiative, Air India has established a comprehensive system to draw customer participation in its ongoing transformation, which enables it to enhance customer experience based on its active feedback.

“The ‘new’ Air India is all about the positive changes that our customers around the world would like to see in their favorite airline, and NPS helps us to move forward in that direction to deliver long-term and sustained improvements. We are overwhelmed by the huge participation from our customers, which shows the trust and love they have for Air India. This brings new energy to our ongoing transformation programme, Vihaan.AI, and we are delighted to have our customers on board with us in these exciting times,” said Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience & Ground Handling Officer, Air India.

Air India’s new NPS adoption marks a significant shift from a paper-based feedback system to an advanced digitalized interface, reinforcing its commitment to embrace technology to create customer delight. The platform identifies key parameters that influence customer satisfaction at every touchpoint, whether on the ground, on board, or post-flight experiences, effectively capturing customers’ sentiments.

Air India remains committed to achieving excellence in its products and services, and the customer will remain at the center of all new initiatives.

Zee 24 Taas to host the inaugural edition of Sahkar Parishad on 3rd June 2023

India,3rd June 2023: Zee 24 Taas, one of the leading Marathi news channels of Maharashtra, is all set to host its first season of Sahkar Parishad on Saturday 3rd June 2023 in Pune. The सहकार परिषद will include the collaborative participation of influential leaders, policymakers, and experts from various fields discussing and exchanging ideas on the ‘Harnessing the Power of Co-operation’.

Maharashtra is one of the leading states in the country that initiated the cooperative movement. It has been one of the most effective instruments in the social and economic development of the state particularly in the rural areas. This cooperative movement was majorly confined to the field of agricultural credit during the initial stages. However, it is now existent among other sectors such as the agro-processing industry, agro-marketing, sugar cooperatives, fisheries Cooperative societies, Cooperative dairy societies, housing societies, etc. This has also led to urban cooperative banks, sugar mills, and other units across Maharashtra facing issues that hamper their functioning, thus bringing to light the need for improving their credibility.

The upcoming Zee 24 Taas Sahkar Parishad will comprise a series of panel discussions on the Co-Operative Dairy, Co-operative Farming Agriculture & Animal Husbandry, Sugar Industry, Banking, and Rural Credit and Co-operative Housing Societies. This event will be graced by Chief Guest and keynote speaker – Shri Sharad Pawar, Member of Rajya Sabha & Former CM, of Maharashtra, and will also be attended by influential dignitaries like Raju Shetty (MP, Government of India) Pravin Darekar, Satish Marathe (Executive Director, RBI), Shekhar Gaikwad (IAS) (Former Sugar Commissioner, Maharashtra), Vidyadhar Anaskar, an expert in the field of cooperative banking and experts in the cooperative sector.

Highlighting the key objective of the upcoming summit, Dr. Nilesh Khare, Editor, Zee 24 Taas, highlighted, “Co-operative Movement has been one of the greatest contributions given by the state of Maharashtra to the nation. However, improvisation in policies is the need of the hour for harnessing the Power of Cooperation across different sectors and boosting the socioeconomic growth of our nation. The Sahkar Parishad is conceptualized with the sole purpose of enabling in-depth discussions on the same, thus making it a prominent future-ready platform.”

Abhay Ojha, CEO, of ZMCL, further highlighted, “Zee 24 TAAS is the voice of Maharashtra. Hence, it becomes important to provide a platform to experts, policymakers, and the brightest minds across the cooperative sectors to debate, exchange ideas and have a dialogue on broader governance, priorities challenges, and initiatives that can promote collaborative development in cooperative associations. We hope to make the upcoming summit a successful one.”

The show is powered by Dudhkandi & Associate Sponsors are Calton Paints, Pune Peoples Co-op Bank, GP Parsik Co-Op Bank Ltd, Washishthi Dairy, and Rajasthani Multistate Co-Op. Credit Society Ltd.

Zee Media Corporation Ltd, one of India’s leading media companies, has a strong presence in the news and regional genres, with 16 news channels in seven different languages, reaching more than 528+ million viewers through its linear and digital properties

Simplilearn Strengthens Ai/ml Program Offerings With Modules on Generative Ai and Chatgpt

Bengaluru, 3rd June 2023: Simplilearn, the world’s leading online boot camp for digital skilling training, announced the introduction of live sessions and a self-paced module on the latest AI trends such as Generative AI, ChatGPT, Explainable AI, etc., into its AI and ML programs. These offerings will help learners get a holistic understanding of these latest technological developments. This introduction aims to assist learners in acquiring knowledge on the potential of Generative AI and its relevance in the industry. This module is integrated as part of all three AI programs (listed below) and will cover the introduction to ChatGPT and the different use cases of this trending chatbot in improving productivity across application areas. The learners enrolling in Post Graduate Program in AI and Machine Learning and Professional Certificate Course in AI and Machine Learning will also get access to live sessions by industry experts on Generative AI and ChatGPT applications.

Accenture’s “AI for everyone” report states, “42 percent of companies want to make a large investment in ChatGPT in 2023.” These latest technologies are garnering a lot of interest from businesses across industries and hold relevance for companies in functions like compiling research, content generation, coding, ideation, process automation, and improving customer experience and efficiency. The Simplilearn programs in which these modules are integrated are:
Post Graduate Program in AI and Machine Learning Professional Certificate Course in AI and Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence Engineer

In each of the above, learners will be able to understand some of these trending AI topics at no additional cost and will ensure application-based upskilling for the learners. Commenting on the same, Mr. Krishna Kumar, Founder, and CEO of Simplilearn, said, “Given the sheer buzz and impact made by Generative AI and ChatGPT in the age of frontier technologies, it is essential for AI/ML aspirants to understand the tool and its applications to keep pace with global advancements. The self-paced module, along with the live sessions, will enable learners to gain a holistic understanding of the Generative AI landscape and applications of this trending technology. With this, we hope to bring more value to our learners and help them understand some of the applications of this latest AI trend.”

Simplilearn is committed to providing high-quality digital economy upskilling to all learners and hence designs well-thought-out, industry-relevant programs equipped with modules on current trends to boost the overall learner experience on the platform.