The week ahead in business and finance

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/07/17/the-week-ahead-in-business-and-finance/
The owner of Bargain Booze and Wine Rack Conviviality will unveil its preliminary results today after a “transformational” year.

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Girggit Introduces A Big Change In The Apparel Industry

New Delhi, July 05, 2016: First time in India, the indigenous apparel brand ‘Girggit’ has introduced a revolutionary concept in clothing with the launch of men’s t-shirts that change their designs and colours in exposure to sunlight. The same t-shirt looks different in design and colours when the wearer shifts from indoor to the outdoor environment and vice versa. Seems magical but true with Girggit’s new t-shirts collection.

Made from super fine-combed cotton (170 GSM with 24 counts), these trendy and youthful t-shirts will be available in Extra Small (XS), Small (S), Medium (M) and Large (L) sizes on all the leading MBOs and e-commerce portals.

The collection is designed by an ingenious team of young fashion designers and the fit & pattern of these t-shirts are snazzy as well as comfortable and are priced very reasonably within a price bracket of Rs. 855 to Rs. 1155.

At the launch of this offbeat collection, Mr. Himanshu Thakur, “Founder of Girggit said, “As the design and colours of the t-shirt change with the change in location, a consumer pays for one but buy two different products in the real sense. It is a new concept and people are loving it.”

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Myntra clocks $800 million in annualized average GMV in January 2016

Bangalore, January 28, 2016: Myntra, India's leading platform for fashion brands and pioneer in m-commerce play, has clocked $800 million in annualized GMV in January 2016, taking it closer to the target of reaching $1 billion GMV byFY 2016-2017. Sales volumes for the month were propelled by growth of Myntra Fashion Brands, increased contribution of international brands including new marquee brands such as M&S, Forever 21, high growth in womenswear category and a hugely successful End of Reason sale. Also, discounts have dropped by 6% and supply chain cost reduced by 5% in the last quarter.

According to Ananth Narayanan, CEO, Myntra, “January has been the biggest month ever for Myntra. I am happy to share that we have achieved an annualized GMV of $800 million. Our focus for the year will be to attain positive gross profit while maintaining scale during the year. We plan to build on the momentum in the first month to touch $1 billion GMV by FY2016-17.”

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE IN 2015

In 2015, three key strategies were adopted which has helped the company to clock growth of 70 % YoY.  First, there was a focus on brand mix that appealed to the price conscious as well as the fashion & brand conscious. Second, the company worked towards greater efficiencies arising out of increasing scale and better management of business processes. Finally, better cost management through a series of rationalization measures have ensured better bang for the buck, be it in marketing or infrastructure.

PERFORMANCE OF BRANDS & CATEGORIES

The focus for 2015 was on building a large portfolio of domestic and international brands. “Online fashion consumers are largely brand seeking. Brands will grow and define future of fashion. We expect the branded fashion market to grow twice as fast as the overall fashion market in the next 5 years. We now plan to be profitable at scale in FY 2016-17, with consistently high growth rates,” says Prasad Kompalli, Head – eCommerce Platform, Myntra.

By the end of December 2015, there were over 2000brands on the Myntra platform, of which 800 new brands had been on-boarded in 2015. The top brands for the year were Roadster, Puma, Nike, Vero Moda & UCB.

The year also saw a growth in Myntra Fashion Brands, led by Roadster, whichbecame the highest performing brand on the platform.  Roadster aims to clock Rs.400 crore in 2015-16 &become a $100-million or Rs650-crore brand by end of 2016.The in-house brands saw an increase in contribution in overall revenue to 20% in 2015. The focus area for FY 2016 is to increase contribution of in-house brands to ~25%.

Currently, on Myntra there are more than 30 international brands on the platform, including Scotch &Soda, Harley Davidson, Ferrari, Desigual, Forever 21,The North Face, Timberland and Marks & Spencer out of which 25 were added in 2015 alone.

The overall contribution by December end was 5%, which will increase to 15% by FY 2017. The leading international brands were Forever 21, Mango, Antony Morato, Scotch & Soda and M&S.

WOMENSWEAR

Among categories, the womenswear category grew by 73% in 2015.In January 2015, Myntra had a total of 995 womenswear brands and 90,000 styles catering to the women consumer. A year later, in Jan 2016, Myntra has approximately 1250 womenswear brands and 141,000styles. This represents a 25% increase in brands, and a 55% increase in the womenswearcatalog. In the women's category, Western wear has been the top performing category which was followed by lingerie.

Some of the key brand launches in the past one year include All About You (MFB), Guess, Label by Ritu Kumar, Chumbak, Emporio Armani innerwear, Calvin Klein innerwear, ALDO, Nine West, Accessorize, FURLA and Kenneth Cole.

MENSWEAR

Menswear brands on the platform went up from 263 brands in 2014 to 419 brands by the end of 2015 and the category grew overall by 70%. Shirts, Jeans/Denims and Winterwear were the top 3 menswear products.

In the menswear category, the top performing market brands were UCB, Jack & Jones, Wrangler, US Polo Assn and Levi’s. Among the in-house brands, Roadster and Mast & Harbour were the top performers.Wrogn, which was launched in February last year, is among the top 10 brands in this category.

SPORTSWEAR

The category saw the addition of Adidas NEO,Timberland, The North Face, Columbia Sportswear- ExclusiveReal Madrid, Barcelona, DC, among others. For the category, the top 5 brands were Nike, Puma, adidas, Reebok, Fila and Vans. In the sports category, products for running , training &fitness (especially those for women engaged in dance, yoga, aerobics and zumba etc.) continues to do well.Sporty lifestyle footwear and winterwear are also doing well.New categories like outdoor, skateboarding and basketball are picking up faster than other categories.

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CNBC-TV18 News - Top news stories

Here are the top news stories for today. pic.twitter.com/1EM2NDPFg1

— CNBC-TV18 News (@CNBCTV18News) December 17, 2015

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Mphasis wins The Economic Times Best Tech Brands Awards 2015

Mphasis, a leading IT services and solutions provider, today announced that it has been awarded the ‘ET Best Tech Brands – Most Distinguished Digital Company 2015’ by The Economic Times. Mphasis was evaluated on brand equity, recall, usability and technology across 300 global technology brands. The award was presented under the category - Technology Service Providers in IT Services at the ET Best Tech Brand Summit that was held on December 17, 2015 at New Delhi.

The Economic Times Tech Brands 2015 is an initiative to recognize the best hardware, software and service providing companies in the country and the USP that defines the leaders in the B2B technology space. The Summit is based on a survey conducted by MRSS and The Economic Times across 300 technology brands by taking feedback from over 2500 people across eight selected cities. With an objective to obtain an innate understanding about consumer preferences, the survey is also an attempt to understand the reasons that prompt channel partners to choose specific brands over others.

The Best Tech Brands were chosen through a study and survey of CIO’s and End-users by The Economic Times & MRSS (largest independent Market Research Agency in India).

“Deep immersion into our customer's business has enabled us to live our brand. Powered by inquisitive minds, we are promoting a culture of experimentation and co-creation. This recognition from Economic Times is a morale booster and an encouragement for us to increase our momentum.” said Ganesh Ayyar, CEO & Executive Director, Mphasis

Source: business news

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Airtel rolls out Platinum 3G network for customers in Bhopal

Bhopal, 04 November, 2015: Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced the launch of its Platinum 3G network for customers in Bhopal. Airtel’s Platinum 3G network has also been rolled out in the nearby towns of Sehore and Hoshangabad. Now available at 3G tariffs, Airtel’s Platinum 3G will boost indoor coverage, enhance voice clarity, deliver faster internet speeds and offer a superior network experience for customers. Additionally, Platinum 3G will help optimize the backend engagement between the network and mobile devices, thus allowing customers to enjoy extended battery life on their phones.

Commenting on the launch of Platinum 3G, Vir Inder Nath, Chief Executive Officer, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Bharti Airtel said, “As a leader in the telecommunication space, it is our endeavor at Airtel to consistently innovate and make investments that help us move closer to our vision of delivering a seamless network experience to our customers. The launch of Platinum 3G is an integral part of this commitment and will deliver enhanced voice as well as data connectivity for customers - at existing 3G tariffs. We now invite data savvy customers in Bhopal to enjoy Airtel Platinum 3G and experience our world class ‘Smartphone Network’.”

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Deeksha launches ‘NTSE Cracker’

November 4, 2015: Deeksha today announced the launch of its NTSE Cracker, a web based test preparation content for students aspiring to crack the NTSE. Having the expertise in the subject after acquiring ranks for NTSE over the years, Deeksha intends to extend its service to more students, providing opportunity to prepare and crack the examination.

Having a full-fledged in-house knowledge management team, Deeksha has developed content, which is accessible free of cost through the web platform. NTSE CRACKER is a pure play test prep program that consists of Video lectures, Practice papers, Test-prep questions, Scheduled daily tests and Full length tests nearing the exam. This programme serves as a medium for exhaustive practice of advance problems helping students weave together the fundamentals and their knowledge of concepts for gaining a strategic approach towards problem solving.

“There is no dearth for motivation and interest amongst students, but what is lacking is proper guidance and support in the form of right study material for preparation. Students often fail to develop analytical thinking. NTSE CRACKER is an easily available all in one platform for students to prepare and excel in NTSE” says Dr. Sridhar, Founder Deeksha Network

Deeksha is of the view that all students should have equal access to quality education. Having to spend not even a penny, Deeksha urges students to avail this one time opportunity and make the most out of it. To avail the NTSE CRACKER students can call 1800 419 4109.

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Yamaha Motor registers 29% growth in Sales in Oct 2015

India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd. announced that it has registered a growth of 29% in domestic sales in October 2015 as compared to the corresponding period last year. This can be attributed to the company’s innovative ongoing customer-centric activities and exciting product line up including Yamaha Saluto, Fascino and YZF-R3 which continued to strengthen their position with great sale numbers across the country.

The company sold 70800 units in October 2015 as against 54698 units sold in October last year in the domestic market thereby registering a domestic sales growth of 29%.

Exports for October 2015 recorded 12797 units which are 5.34% more than 12148 units logged in October 2014.

Commenting on the company’s achievement, Mr. Roy Kurian, Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Yamaha Motor India Sales Pvt. Ltd. said, “The overwhelming response of Fascino in the market due to its glamorous design and fashionable appeal has boasted our confidence to sustain this momentum in the coming days. The month has ended on a very positive note for us as our recent launches of new color variants of FZ-FI, Fazer-FI and single seat YZF-R15S also made it to the growth trajectory. The continued expansion of customer touch points to Tier 2 and 3 cities have also enabled us to reach out to a larger set of target customers which is expected to drive volumes in future.”

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BSE Sensex, Nifty tank nearly 3% This Week

Lingering uncertainty pulled down the Indian equity markets this week (Sep 26-31), snapping four-week gaining spree. The markets plunged nearly 3 percent this week. BSE Sensex ended below the psychological mark of 27,000 and NSE Nifty finished below 8,100 points.

The market sentiments were tumbled by factors like US rate hike fears and weak corporate earnings this week. The scrips in FMGC sector came under heavy selling pressure following bearish sentiment, which dominated the trading the entire week.

Despite rate cut in China the domestic markets could not sustain the gain momentum as witnessed in the beginning of the week. Following the bearish sentiment investors were shown no interest in fresh buying in the market.

The BSE Sensex resumed higher at 27,575.04 and hovered between the range of 27,618.14 and 26,585.20 before closing at 26.656.83. In the week, the Sensex lost 813.98 points or 2.96 per cent. In last four weeks, the Sensex had gained 1,607.51 points or 6.21 per cent.

The NSE Nifty dropped by 229.65 points or 2.77 per cent to 8,065.80. In previous four weeks, Nifty had gained 426.95 points or 5.43 per cent.

Among the S&P BSE Sectoral Indices, Capital Goods fell by 4.40%, Realty 3.68%, bankex 3.48%, FMCG 3.31%, Metal 2.98%, Oil&Gas 2.91%, Power 1.95% and Auto 1.3%. The BSE Small-cap and Mid-cap fell by 1.77% and 1.47% respectively.

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PNG Jewellers presents Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Collection

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo(PRDP), directed by Sooraj Barjatya , starring Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor will showcase traditional and exclusive jewellery designed by PNG Jewellers. For PNG and Rajshri, It is the coming together of two brands, bound by Legacy, family values and their constant urge to deliver the best. The magnum opus of Sooraj Barjatya is one of the most awaited movies of this year and has a stellar star cast. The PRDP Jewellery range would be showcased in two segments at the PNG stores, five showrooms will have the full collection and thirteen other stores will be presenting a mini collection.

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, is set in the backdrop of Rajasthan and depicts the story of a royal family. The jewellery designed by PNG Jewellers for this Salman and Sonam starrer is exclusive, elegant and diverse. Sonam Kapoor, Salman Khan and Neil Nitin Mukesh have adorned thirty six, eighteen and five designs by PNG respectively. Since the movie has a very princely and noble undercurrent, PNG has ensured that the PRDP jewellery collection reflects the same.

The Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Jewellery range is predominantly made in Gold, CZ with a few exceptions of Kundan, Jadau and heavy gold along with diamonds were used to complete the traditional Rajasthani appeal. Each design is different and has been created to compliment not only the character but also the scene.

The PRDP Jewellery range highlights the traditional values of Jewellery by catering to those who are fond of Kundan and Jadau Jewellery. Although they have used glass and CZ in most of the jewellery, real polki stones were encrusted on certain pieces as well. Every design comes with BIS Hallmark as a measure to maintain the supreme quality. The USP of PRDP Range by PNG is the scope of customization. A customer can choose between materials for their respective orders and PNG Jewellers would maintain authenticity and sense of personalization simultaneously.

Mr. Saurabh Gadgil, Chairman & Managing Director of PNG Jewellers stated with enthusiasm, “Sooraj Barjatya is doing a movie under the banner of Rajashri Productions after a really long time. With all these legendary names being associated with each other, expectations are riding high. We are excited to bring you this new range. Mr. Barjatya, along with our team has worked really hard to create some beautiful and intricate designs and we are hoping to see a hike in our sales with the launch of the PRDP range”

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Galderma bags Two Prestigious Marketing Awards

Mumbai, 19th October 2015 - Galderma India’s unique and advanced depigmenting and skin lightening cream BI-LUMA has won the prestigious Dr. H.R. Nanji Memorial OPPI Marketing Excellence Award for the Best ‘New Pharmaceutical Introduction’. This award is in recognition towards Galderma’s relentless commitment towards Dermatology benefiting many patients across the country.

The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) represents the research-based pharmaceutical companies in India and is committed to supporting India’s healthcare objectives and engaging with the Government and other stakeholders to find sustainable healthcare solutions.

The award was conferred to Galderma by Dr. V. K. Subburaj, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals during OPPI’s 49th Annual General Meeting and Golden Jubilee celebration held in Mumbai. Other dignitaries at the event included Hon’ble Governor of Maharashtra Shri. C V Rao who was the Chief Guest, and Dr Jagdish Prasad, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) who was the Guest of Honour at the event.

Last week, AIOCD AWACS, a pharmaceutical market research organization, also conferred BI-LUMA with their Gold award for Marketing Excellence under ‘New Introduction Category’ in Mumbai. This back-to-back recognition truly showcases BI-LUMA’s innovative formulation and differential strategy.

Galderma, part of Nestlé Skin Health and whose innovative dermatology medical solutions are recommended by HCPs across the world, had launched BI-LUMA last year and it has already won the hearts of many dermatologists and the consumers across the country. BI-LUMA’s unique formulation is the dermatologically tested and clinically proven solution for dark patches and unevenness of the skin that surface due to various hyperpigmentary disorders. - BI-LUMA cream is scientifically formulated to provide skin with an even tone & glow.

“As per the latest IMS audit report, the category of Demelanising agents in India is pegged at Rs. 450 crores and is one of the fastest growing categories in overall dermatology market. Indians generally suffer from various hyperpigmentary disorders such as melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) that result in uneven skin tone. At Galderma, we are committed to the future of dermatology by offering unique and innovative medical solutions to millions of Indians and thereby improving their quality of life. BI-LUMA’s unique product attributes, cosmetic elegance and aesthetic appeal has benefitted many consumers across the country. Now, with this overwhelming success of an indigenous project of BI-LUMA, we are confident to expand its presence in other countries and achieve many more milestones in future”, said Mr. G Sathya Narayanan, MD, Galderma South Asia.

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Hari Krishna Chaudhary conferred with Rotary Lifetime Achievement Award

Pic Credit: IndiaCSR News Network

Kolkata, October 13, 2015: Shri Hari Krishna Chaudhary, Chairman of Vikram Group of Industries was felicitated with the prestigious Rotary International Lifetime Achievement award at ‘Shreshtha Samman 2015’. The ceremony, held at Chowringhee’s Rotary Sadan, was graced by the Hon'ble Governor of West Bengal, Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi as the Chief Guest, besides eminent presence of Retd. Justice Ashok K Ganguly, Sharbani Das Roy and Utpal Chatterjee.

A successful businessman, renowned philanthropist and above all a selfless humanitarian, Shri Hari Krishna Chaudhary has been devotedly working towards upliftment of the society for the past four decades. He has touched and changed the lives of millions through his efforts and contributions in the field of education and poverty alleviation. He firmly believes that in order to realise the full potential of today’s youth, access to education is of the utmost importance. It not only transforms an individual’s life and future but that of the country too.

On receiving the award, Shri Hari Krishna Chaudhary said, “I feel deeply honoured to receive this award. I have always believed that education is the weapon to fight socio-economic challenges that our society is facing. I graciously accept this recognition, but not as a personal achievement- this is also a success for all those who helped me in my vision of an educated India.”

With an aim to fulfil his dream of an empowered India, Shri Chaudhary established BRHD Charitable Trust in 1977. Today, the BRHD Charitable Trust stands tall as the manifestation of a bold dream to enable transformation and build a country that will encourage and provide support to its youth to realise their potential.His contributions towards spreading literacy and making the rural and semi-urban Indian society functionally literate are noteworthy, some of which are mentioned below

• Heritage Group of Educational Institutions
• BRCM Public School
• Gyankunj, Bahal
• Vidyagram, Bahal
• BRCM College of Engineering & Technology, Bahal
• GDC Memorial College, Bahal
• RDNL VidyaMandir, Bahal
• Free School “Nanhe Kadam”, Bahal
• Agrasain Balika Shiksha Sadan, Howrah
• Agrasain Boys School

Born on 4th December 1943, Shri Hari Krishna Chaudhary graduated from BITS Pilani in 1961 and founded Vikram Group of Industries in 1974. With global footprints in more than 32 countries, Vikram Group today has more than 4000 employees.

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Airtel launches first 4G LTE in Shimla - Queen of Hills

Shimla, October 13th, 2015: Bharti Airtel Limited (“Airtel”), the third largest mobile services provider globally with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced the commercial launch of its high speed 4G services (also called LTE) in Himachal Pradesh starting with Shimla – the “Queen of Hills”. With this, customers across Shimla will be the first in the state to experience high speed wireless broadband on Airtel 4G and get on to the digital superhighway to enjoy uninterrupted HD video streaming, super fast uploading and downloading of movies, music and images. Airtel 4G is available to customers across a range of smart devices including mobile phones, dongles and 4G hotspots.

Commenting on the launch of Airtel 4G in Shimla, Manu Sood, Hub CEO – Upper North, Bharti Airtel said, “As customers in India show an increasing propensity for consuming data services, we at Airtel are excited to take the lead in introducing the market to the power of blazing 4G speeds. With the help of the feedback received from the beta launches, we have now built India’s first commercial 4G network. Today, as we launch Airtel 4G for our customers in Shimla, they will be uniquely positioned for a superlative 4G experience. We are committed to building a world class 4G network in the region”.


Airtel has led the 4G story in India, having launched India’s first 4G network in Kolkata in April 2012. On 6th August 2015, Airtel announced that its 4G services were available in 296 towns across India. Prior to that, Airtel had successfully conducted trials of its 4G services in select cities and leveraged feedback from customers towards strengthening its service experience. Special demo zones and kiosks have been installed at Airtel Stores at SDA Complex (Block No 11 A, Kasumpti, Shimla) and The Mall (Shop no. 2 Opposite Shehzadi, near Indira Gandhi Complex, Shimla).

Customers can enjoy Airtel’s recently launched carrier agnostic mobile app – ‘Wynk Movies’ – a first of its kind movie mall that will offer a specially curated library of thousands of movies and other popular videos.

Additionally, customers can leverage a host of strategic initiatives announced by Airtel as part of its national 4G rollout.

Unmatched value
·         4G at 3G prices: Airtel customers can enjoy 4G at 3G data prices with prepaid packs starting at INR 22. In addition, with every prepaid 4G SIM swap, Airtel is offering six months of unlimited music streaming and downloads on ‘Wynk Music’ and five free movies per month for six months on the Eros Now channel of ‘Wynk Movies’.

·         ‘Infinity Plans’: Airtel has introduced a new range of ‘Infinity Plans’ starting Rs.999. These high-end plans offer unlimited voice calls on mobile (first time in India) along with data benefits and access to ‘Wynk Movies’ and ‘Wynk Music’.


Seamless customer experience
·         Instant SIM swap in minutes

·         Home delivery of SIMs

·         Flexpage: This breakthrough technology is an automated platform that allows customers to track their data usage and get real time usage alerts. With Flexpage, customers can also upgrade their mobile plan on the go, as and when they exhaust their monthly data quota.  http://airtel.in/applications/airteldongle.jsp

Innovative alliances and faster customer acquisition
·         Alliance with Flipkart:  Numerous 4G devices on Flipkart are now bundled and delivered with Airtel 4G SIMs. Customers can choose from a range of 4G devices (from brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola, Lenovo, Asus and Huawei) and enjoy a host of attractive Airtel 4G data benefits.

Mega Airtel 4G brand campaign
·         Aimed at driving the commercial launch of its 4G services, Airtel also has launched an all new brand campaign.  The TVC invites mobile users across India to experience blazing Airtel 4G speeds and opens the ‘Airtel Challenge’ to demonstrate the superior internet experience that Airtel’s smartphone network delivers for its customers.

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DEROU & PARTNERS GROUP creates a new third-generation city in Togo

LOME, Togo, 12 October 2015 --  CONFORTIS INTERNATIONAL Inc.  (www.confortis.org) is investing sustainably in Togo by building « WellCity », a new city where the Togolese middle class will be able to buy " good quality, ecological housing, at competitive prices and on repayment terms that are manageable in the long term, " announced architect Dontou Hiloukou Derou, founder of the group and  CEO of CONFORTIS INTERNATIONAL Inc.

On October 2, the showroom of this very innovative building complex was inaugurated in the Palm Beach Taba building, downtown Lome, by the Togolese Minister of Urban Development, Housing and the Living Environment, Me Fiatuwo Kwadjo Sessenou. The event, during which the minister symbolically cut a ribbon, was attended by several dignitaries including the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic, Mr. Patrick Date Tevi-Benissan. The minister promised to accelerate the delivery of basic networks, saying that "WellCity is an innovative project that meets the vision of the Head of State, because it solves the problem of decent housing and prevents land disputes."

Located on the outskirts of Greater Lome, 30 minutes north of downtown, on the National No. 1 road, this "City of well Being" will offer 500 housing units (200 villas and 300 apartments) in its first phase and then a further one thousand lodgings with a water park, a MICE hotel, a school, a clinic, a shopping center and 10,000 m2 of offices and shops. "Yesterday, the contemporary world experienced industrial cities. Today we have the second generation of cities that are business cities (Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore). Tomorrow, the third generation of cities will focus on well-being and ecology,” stated architect Dontou Hiloukou Derou, who is also the designer of the WellCity project.

According to its promoters, the three essential assets of WellCity are in the land title it offers, in the standardization of its dwellings with a monitoring of the quality of its materials and finally, in the possibility to benefit from a fifteen year refundable credit at subsidized rates. "WellCity was designed to facilitate access to property for the middle class. If the Togolese State grants us the necessary facilities throughout the construction chain, it will be possible to offer very competitive prices", the group CEO promised.

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Airtel rolls out Platinum 3G network in Ankleshwar

Ankleshwar, October 12, 2015: Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced the launch of its Platinum 3G network for customers in Ankleshwar in Bharuch district of Gujarat state, Now available at 3G tariffs, Airtel’s Platinum 3G will boost indoor coverage, enhance voice clarity, deliver faster internet speeds and offer a superior network experience for customers. Additionally, Platinum 3G will help optimize the backend engagement between the network and mobile devices, thus allowing customers to enjoy extended battery life on their phones.

Commenting on the launch of Platinum 3G, Murthy Chaganti, CEO, Gujarat, Bharti Airtel (India) said, “As a leader in the telecommunication space, it is our endeavor at Airtel to consistently innovate and make investments that help us move closer to our vision of delivering a seamless network experience to our customers. The launch of Platinum 3G is an integral part of this commitment and will deliver enhanced voice as well as data connectivity for customers - at existing 3G tariffs. We now invite data savvy customers in Ankleshwar to enjoy Airtel Platinum 3G and experience our world class ‘Smartphone Network’.”

With Airtel Platinum 3G available in the city now, Airtel is uniquely positioned to become the only network in Gujarat to leverage these world class technologies towards delivering the ultimate ‘Smartphone Network’ experience for its customers in Ankleshwar.

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AntWorks acquires Benchmark Systems

Barely four months into existence, AntWorks Pte. Ltd. (http://ant.works/) has made its first acquisition by taking over U.S.-based Benchmark Systems (http://www.benchmark-systems.com/) to make possible the development of leading-edge solutions that will advance patient care across the world.

Technology startup AntWorks and Benchmark Systems, a leading cloud-based Healthcare Application Services Provider, today announced that the Board of Directors of both companies have unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which AntWorks will acquire Benchmark Systems, which will generate $10 mln in revenue in the next 12 months.

Through the acquisition, AntWorks expects to play an even greater role in improving physician practices and ambulatory care globally and achieving greater levels of efficiency and reducing healthcare costs for its customers. The addition of Benchmark Systems significantly boosts AntWorks’ presence in the global healthcare solutions sector which is slated to touch $150 billion by 2020.

Healthcare providers in over 120 specialties and sub-specialties use Benchmark Systems’ integrated solutions on a daily basis and its suite of software has been built by leveraging 35 years of expertise in working with ambulatory healthcare providers to solve profitability and limited time issues.

Benchmark Systems will continue to operate as a standalone brand with integrated R&D activities with AntWorks’ existing infrastructure.

The healthcare industry is undergoing a major transformation due to the challenge of providing more cost-effective personalized care.

Majority of the demand for healthcare IT solutions is driven by the growing need to reduce healthcare costs while adhering to the regulatory requirements set by government organizations for ensuring safety, security, and confidentiality of patient information. The growing adoption of health information exchanges (HIEs) and electronic health records (EHRs) systems and improved quality of care and clinical outcomes are some other factors driving growth of the global healthcare IT market.

In addition to the demand for information technology solutions from healthcare providers, the growing need of healthcare insurance providers to efficiently manage an in-depth record of claims and reimbursements is also expected to contribute to the growth of the global healthcare IT market during the forecast years.

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HomeShop18 launches ‘18 Shringaar’

New Delhi, October 10, 2015: Its new, its revolutionary and it is the first time ever on any television shopping channel in India. HomeShop18, India’s first comprehensive television shopping channel also available on the web and mobile, is all set to create history yet again with the launch of ‘18 Shringaar’, a makeover show for women. The products featured during this show will give a complete new look to women this festive season. This ‘not to be missed’ new lifestyle show will be launched on 12th Oct ’15, 1 PM onwards is all set to inspire today’s women to adorn themselves with the latest products and trends to get that perfect look they’ve always wanted.

The show aptly called ‘18 Shringaar’ will feature three products that will offer one complete look in a single show, an innovative concept, for 6 days a week. Hence, 18  products in a week or 6 makeovers or complete new looks. This first ever ‘makeover show’ by any television shopping will guarantee an extra tinge of glamour to the wardrobe of shoppers.

Speaking on the show, Mr. Vikrant Khanna, Chief Operating Officer Homeshop18 said, “HomeShop18 has always been at the forefront of innovation. With the launch of 18 Shringaar, we maintain our pioneering status by launching the first ever makeover show on any Indian television shopping channel. The show is poised to bring another wave of disruption in the Indian television shopping segment and alter the way Indian consumers perceive  virtual retail. The show targeted at women, our core customers will offer products that are specially designed to fulfil an aspirational look   with respect to their personal style statements.”

“With the onset of the festive season 18 Shringaar focuses on the latest fashion and trends that our customers across India can replicate to get anew dazzling look,” added Vikrant  Khanna.

Products available on 18 Shringaar will be centred around a particular theme every day and will feature categories such as apparel, jewellery, beauty and footwear. Every show will have a central theme that will focus on a particular look for that day and all products will be in-line with that theme. The looks curated during the shows will range from Bollywood Diva to College Look to Office and many more.

So if you have been waiting for the right opportunity to give yourself a stylish makeover without burdening your wallet, here’s your chance. Tune into Homeshop18 12th October, 1p.m.  onward and gift yourself a completely new look this festive season!

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Jet Airways introduces 'Seat Select' Option

Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, today announced a new customer-centric initiative, providing guests the opportunity to reserve their preferred seats well before their flight departure date.

Guests can reserve their preferred seats on domestic and select international routes for a nominal charge at the time of making a flight booking on the airline website jetairways.com, the Jet Airways mobile app or through a travel agent.

In case the flight booking has already been made, guests can also use the ‘Manage Booking’ facility on jetairways.com and mobile app to reserve their preferred seats.

The Seat Select feature is applicable for window, aisle and middle seats from row 11 to 15 and for exit row 24 of the Economy cabin for booking anytime between 331 days and up to 48 hours prior to departure. This feature is available only on flights operated by Jet Airways’ Boeing 737 aircraft.

Mr Gaurang Shetty, Sr. Vice-President, Commercial, Jet Airways, said, “Jet Airways constantly explores new opportunities for enhancing the experience of our guests at all stages of their travel with us. The Seat Select option provides Jet Airways guests another means to plan their travel as per their choice with greater ease and convenience. We are confident that this latest initiative from Jet Airways will prove to be extremely popular with our guests.”

Guests traveling in Economy can reserve their seats for a nominal charge of INR 500 on domestic sectors and INR 800 on international sectors exclusive of taxes. This facility is complimentary for JetPrivilege Platinum and Gold members. All guests travelling in Première can pre-reserve their seats at no cost.

For seats reserved outside India, guests will be charged an equivalent amount in their local currency.

* Seat Select for exit row 24 will be available for travel effective October 12, 2015. 

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SpiceJet initiates Major Network Expansion

SpiceJet, the country’s favourite low-cost carrier, has announced more frequencies and new onward connections to its schedule from Delhi effective from 25th October, 2015. The airline has augmented its frequencies between Delhi – Chennai (3rd flight added), Delhi – Kolkata (3rd flight added), Delhi –Udaipur (2nd flight added) and Delhi –Ahmedabad (2nd flight added). Onward connections have also been added on the Delhi – Madurai and Delhi – Agartala routes.

SpiceJet unveiled an all new winter schedule, with 291 daily flight from the current 250 daily flights, adding 10 new sectors, 30 new frequencies and 22 connecting flights. The airline also announced the induction of 6 new aircrafts to its existing fleet strength in the next 30 days, a first of its kind initiative in the history of Indian aviation.

Shilpa Bhatia, Sr. VP and Head of Sales and Distribution, SpiceJet, said, “We have been speedily moving on the growth path by consistently adding new flights to enhance our overall network. With the new network schedule we are offering better timings, increased frequencies. With this enhancement we have significantly growing our capacity by 16%. Our new winter flight schedule adds considerable depth to our existing operations to cater to the peak demand while enhancing connectivity and boosting customer value”.

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IndusInd Bank Q2 Net Profit up by 30% at Rs.560.04 crore YoY basis

During the quarter, Bank successfully completed a Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP) issue allotting 5,12,18,640 equity shares of Rs. 10/-  each at a price of Rs. 845.00 per share aggregating to Rs. 4,327.98 crores and a  Preferential Allotment of 87,81,360 equity shares of Rs. 10/- each at a price of Rs.857.20 per share to the promoters aggregating to Rs. 752.74 crores.”

The Bank integrated Diamond and Jewellery financing business acquired from Royal Bank of Scotland N.V. involving takeover various assets and liabilities including an advance portfolio of Rs. 4,130.40 crores.

Commenting on the performance, Mr. Romesh Sobti, MD & CEO, IndusInd Bank said, “This quarter, the Bank has shown consistent performance in its bottom lines given the challenging times, both globally as well as in the domestic market.  However, the overall industry sentiment is looking positive. Our Operating Profit rose by 39% and our NIM has grown to a healthy 3.88%. Digitisation continues to be a core area of thrust for us. We remain committed to our promise of Responsive Innovation theme with the introduction of ‘Onthego’ Social Banking which offers customers a host of banking services including transactions through social platforms like Twitter and Facebook without the necessity of downloading an additional app.”

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