India Press Releases

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Business Accounting Platform Vyapar Acquires NeoDove, a Sales & Marketing Automation Platform for SMEs

Business Accounting Platform Vyapar Acquires NeoDove, a Sales & Marketing Automation Platform for SMEs

Bengaluru, India: Bengaluru headquartered business accounting platform Vyapar has acquired SaaS startup NeoDove for an undisclosed amount. This is Vyapar’s first acquisition with which it hopes to further strengthen and step up its efforts to cater to the SME sector.

“Building on our six years of success, the acquisition of NeoDove is our next big step to broaden the scope of problems that we solve for the MSMEs of India aligning to our larger goal of solving 360-degree problems of MSMEs” said Sumit Agarwal, founder & CEO at Vyapar

Vyapar recently raised $30 Million in Series-B funding led by WestBridge Capital with participation from existing investors Indiamart & IndiaQuotient. Fortytwo.VC also participated in the round.

Vyapar’s mobile-first solution helps businesses generate bills and GST invoices, manage transactions, make smart decisions on inventory purchases, and provides access to accounting reports on the smartphone to owners. The app is available on the Google Play Store.

NeoDove, founded in 2020 by Arpit Khandelwal and Ankit Kumar Agrawal, provides a unique telecalling and sales engagement solution for small and medium-sized businesses. Through their unique CRM system, NeoDove provides their customers with features that are required to drive better results from their sales, marketing, and customer engagement efforts.

Both NeoDove and Vyapar are driven to make life easier for small and medium-sized businesses, and this acquisition comes on the back of meeting the growing demand for cutting-edge technologies for the less technologically-savvy SMEs.

“It’s incredibly inspiring to see how far we’ve come, as well as how our users have been able to scale and grow their businesses. Now with Vyapar’s support, we look forward to reaching even greater heights.” – Arpit Khandelwal, Co-founder, NeoDove

“Human Beings Are A Product of Their Own Psychology about Life” – Author Aniket Vats On His New Novel Psychological Love

“Human Beings Are A Product of Their Own Psychology about Life” – Author Aniket Vats On His New Novel Psychological Love

Author Aniket Vats is one of those young authors in India who dare to think differently and succeed in their attempt in sharing fresh thoughts and ideas with their readers. Aniket has studied human psychology intimately both academically and as an observer. His recently released e-book traces the journey of an individual who adheres to certain notions and how his belief system leads him to where he reaches in life.

Talking about the novel, the young author says, “Human beings are a product of their own psychology about life. I have tried to explore this concept through this book. Psychological Love’, which happens to be the title of the novel, gives you a clear glimpse of what you should expect from it. It explores several things that a young individual faces in his life at different points. The book explores the relationship between the protagonist and different people in his life like his teachers and friends who play an important role in shaping his life.

Apart from drawing experiences from his own life, the kind of situations he saw people around him dealing with also helped Ankit in his writing process. While many books have revolved around love and its different aspects, there are very few authors who have been able to link it to one’s psychology. Interestingly, this book explores the love of a person for his psychology and how deeply it impacts him.

“The book also touches upon the complexities of a father-son relationship which is seldom talked about. I have explored the issue of peer pressure and the kind of psychological effect it has on students. I have also written about the ‘hermit point of view’ which is essentially about how you can have a broader view of the world around you. Most people don’t realize this but our individual psychology is responsible for how we navigate through life”, he says.

Aniket considers himself to be a ‘life learner’. He believes one lifetime is not enough to learn and process all that the world has to offer. According to him, every day one must make it a point to observe life closely and understand what it is trying to teach us. Every day, he says, can teach us an important lesson if we are observant enough. His philosophies and ideas on life reflect in the books authored by him.

Elaborating on what inspires him as an author, he says, “To have original ideas and offer something new to the readers, you must keep your eyes and mind open. I am a keen observer of human behaviour and try to understand how an individual’s thoughts influence their actions or the decisions taken by them. When people read my books, they can relate too many of the situations depicted in them. My books are steeped in realism and I make an attempt to delve deep into ideas that have not been explored or discussed earlier.”

‘Psychological Love’, authored by Aniket Vats, is available in e-book format on Amazon. The novel is available for free and can be read on a Kindle device and other e-book readers as well.

Website: – https://aniketauthour.com/

DaveAI, A Nasscom Deeptech Club start-up specializing in Visual AI, raises strategic round of funding by Marquee Investors from Japan and India

DaveAI, A Nasscom Deeptech Club start-up specializing in Visual AI, raises strategic round of funding by Marquee Investors from Japan and India
  • Investment led by Maruti Suzuki, GHV, Hakuhodo Inc., with participation from existing investors Mumbai Angels & IIIT Seed fund
  • First investment made through the Maruti Suzuki Innovation Fund

Bengaluru: DaveAI, a virtual AI avatar led sales experience platform announced a strategic round of investment led by Maruti Suzuki India Ltd – India’s largest automobile brand, GHV – India’s first and biggest industry Co-Creation innovation and investment group for Japan, Singapore, and South East Asia, and Hakuhodo Inc. – A global top 10 Integrated Marketing & Innovation Company. The round also saw participation from existing investors Mumbai Angels Network and IIIT Seed fund.

Talking about the investment, Sriram P H, Co-founder & CEO said “This strategic round of investment will help us meet growing global demand for assisted digital sales experiences. We have scaled rapidly in the last year with these strategic partnerships and are in early discussions about our Series A round to take us through the next phase of global growth.”

DaveAI was the winner of the Maruti Suzuki MAIL program, powered by GHV India’s largest mobility testbed. Maruti Suzuki is leading this round by making its first investment through the Maruti Suzuki Innovation Fund. “The investment would help MSI strengthen its offering to customers by creating a customised sales experiences on the web, virtual reality, and augmented reality,” the auto major said in a regulatory filing. DaveAI’s Virtual AI avatars power Maruti Suzuki’s digital car-buying journey across cars delivering a>30% increase in sales metrics.

DaveAI virtual avatars mimic a human sales brain coupled with state-of-the-art 3D Visualization, which is an industry first. “We are at the forefront of enabling some of the country’s largest brands in retail & banking, to take their first step in creating brand avatar-powered immersive Metaverse experiences,” said Dr. Ananth, Co-founder & CTO of DaveAI.

DaveAI has already leveraged GHV’s Digital transformation Lab & Industry Co-Creation programs to engage & scale with large enterprises in India & South East Asia. According to Mr. Vikram Upadhyaya, founder, GHV Group – “We, as GHV, are delighted to back DaveAI with additional capital, as the company has shown a consistent performance on T.E.S.T.PoC (C), GHV’s proprietary venture evaluation thesis. Further, the company aligns well with GHV’s vision of empowering Deep tech digital portfolios, as a part of its Digital Transformation framework for Enterprises such as Maruti Suzuki. This is one of the first examples of the most successful outcomes of the Maruti Suzuki MAIL program powered by GHV, and I am sure there would be many more to come.”

DaveAI witnessed 300% YoY growth in revenues in FY 2022. The platform is leveraged by large enterprise customers that include Maruti Suzuki, Hero MotoCorp, BPCL, Landmark Group, Raymond, Karnataka Bank, etc. “Hakuhodo Inc. is very bullish on Indian Startups’ Innovation capabilities.

DaveAI’s technology will be integrated with Hakuhodo’s Advance MarTech Stack and will be made available in 150 offices across 20 countries, creating an edge for the Global Network” – Rakesh Yadav, CEO of Hakuhodo Group’s India Digital arm, AdGlobal360, said.

DaveAI has strong partnerships with leading technology companies such as Intel and SAP. With MSIL & Hakuhodo joining in, DaveAI is all set to build an Industry first platform that will help create the next generation of sales experiences.

This round also saw participation from DaveAI’s existing investors Mumbai Angels – India’s premier platform for private investment that holds an AUM of USD 130 Mn and a 200+ strong portfolio spanning a wide range of sectors, & tech startup investor IIIT Seedfund.

Talking about DaveAI’s capability in reshaping businesses, Nandini Mansinghka, Co-founder & CEO of Mumbai Angels said “AI-driven retail applications are coming into the limelight as the need for advanced data-driven analytics and engagement become the norm. DaveAl, with its real-time analytics solutions for customized recommendations, holds immense potential in boosting retailing KPIs for businesses. I am confident that the fresh capital will enable them not only to scale up but also maximize the profitability of retailing businesses.”

Talking about the investment, Mr.Viiveck Verma, Co-founder of IIIT Seedfund said “We have a longstanding association with DaveAI since their early stage when our network investors were mentoring them as part of IIIT CIE’s Avishkar program. It is great to see this deep tech platform now being used by several global enterprises and one of them making a strategic investment. As existing investors, we are glad to continue supporting the team at DaveAI as they venture into the next phase of growth.”

ONCE AGAIN! A Tribute to Arijit Singh by DJ Prithvi Sai at Glocal Junction, Hyderabad

ONCE AGAIN! A Tribute to Arijit Singh by DJ Prithvi Sai at Glocal Junction, Hyderabad

India’s top DJ, Prithvi Sai pays Tribute to his favorite singer once again on 4th June, this time at Glocal Junction Kondapur, is where to spend the weekends.

Everyone needs a retreat from their busy schedules, a space where they can switch off their brain, enjoy some gourmet food and catch up with their friends over some chilled drinks or dancing all night on the floor.

After the successful series of sold-out Tribute shows for A R Rahman, Arijit Singh, Amitab Bachchan, and Khans Special, on popular demand, India’s most popular and energetic DJ, Prithvi Sai is all set to pay Tribute to Arijit Singh once again on Saturday, 4th June at Glocal Junction, that will allow audiences in Hyderabad to enjoy his dynamic and energetic performances compiling the popular songs of Arijit Singh, mixed in a fusion style, blending western music with Indian roots. Prithvi will be creating an unprecedented audiovisual experience with a live visual show that will offer a concert-like experience for Arijit Singh music lovers and is sure to make everyone’s next get-together a good time. The multi-genre live performance will feature more than 100 best songs from Arijit Singh’s repertoire.

Glocal Junction provides a unique experience to wake up the weekends with fun and frolic at Hyderabad’s most central location. The place offers electrifying music and ambiance at the modern & stylish meeting point. For party lovers and those looking to spend the weekends surrounded by delicious food and great music, Glocal Junction Kondapur is a one-stop club for them.

Glocal Junction is all about bringing people the best flavors from around the world. The mouthwatering dishes that their expert chefs prepare can leave anyone spellbound. The interiors of this place also transport you to a whole different world, making it one of the best hangout spots in the city of Hyderabad. The club also hosts live performances by famous DJs every weekend, Friday and Saturday to make nights more fun and memorable. Every Friday will be Ladies’ Night with one of the most famous artists performing. Ladies are sure to be lured by the charm that this cafe offers. From oh-so-delicious food to jaw-dropping aura and great music, one will find everything to make their weekends a blast. Saturdays’ will be special shows with popular artists performing.

The charming ambiance of the club is sure to keep people glued. This is one of the most happening clubs in the city on weekends. One won’t find a better place in all of Kondapur for any party or celebration, and this great lounge bar is certainly worth checking out! All in all, featuring live performances by popular DJs, great food & drinks, and a fun atmosphere, Glocal Junction promises to have the first-time visitors coming back for more again! So, Hyderabad! Get ready & experience a revolution in clubbing happening right in the heart of the city.

Don’t miss the Special Show on Saturday 4th June, A Tribute to Arijit Singh – Special & Exclusive Night featuring DJ Prithvi Sai.

For more details contact

Glocal Junction, Kondapur, Hyderabad

Zardouzee: The Indian Company That Is On the Verge of Becoming a Global Luxury Handmade Bags Brand

Zardouzee: The Indian Company That Is On the Verge of Becoming a Global Luxury Handmade Bags Brand

As an embroidery type, Zardozi has been around for a very long time. However, its popularity was limited to women, of a certain age group, in North India. Now, Zardozi is becoming popular all across the country among girls and women of all age groups courtesy of Zardouzee, a brand from the house of the renowned Ganeshi Lall Emporium in Agra in Uttar Pradesh. Though Zardouzee was launched just six months back, the umbrella brand is more than 175 years old.

While Zardouzee manufactures a wide range of products, they plan to build its identity as a luxury and designer handbag brand. The brand specializes in hand-crafted Zardozi embroidery and employs artisans who have studied this branch of embroidery for years. While most of the products that come from the house of Zardouzee are affordable, there are some premium-priced products as well. The brand’s target consumer base comprises those who prefer buying medium-range or high-value products.

Talking about the vision behind the brand, Alark M. Lall, founder of Zardouzee, says, “The brand aims to make the magnificent artistry of Zardozi more accessible to the younger generation. Handmade bags have been one of our highest selling product categories. We ensure that our designs reflect Zardozi in its most authentic form and are contemporary at the same time. We have provided artisans with a well-designed platform to showcase their skills in Zari work in various forms. Zardouzee comprises a team of skilled artisans who handicraft hand-embroidered clutches and bags, among other products, for women.”

‘Zardouzee’, the brand name has been derived from Zardozi art. Zardozi itself is a mixture of two Persian words. While zar refers to gold, dozi roughly translates to sewing. Professional artisans used metallic fleeces to design three-dimensional artworks using Zardozi techniques. In these designs, artisans use metallic threads incorporated with precious and semi-precious gemstones. In ancient times, silver thread and real gold leaves were two of the primary components that were used to craft Zardozi artwork. Now, most artisans use copper wire with threads made of gold, silver, and other material.

Since Rigveda. Embroidery with gold and silver threads has been prevalent in India. It gained further popularity during the Mughal era owing to its semblance in the form of Zardozi art, the intricate metal embroidery work done on fabrics such as silk, velvet, and satin. While Zardozi has been a prominent handicraft item in the Persian culture for ages, it has been adapted quite well by Indian artisans. The kind of intricate Zardozi work you see artisans doing in India is truly unique and one-of-its-kind.

“An artisan, with fine art skills, needs to put in hours to put together a simple Zardozi item. These are highly trained artisans for whom Zardozi is not a means of livelihood but their passion. They live to pursue this craft and take it further in different directions. I strongly feel that the amount of effort they put in cannot be measured in terms of money. However, the products offered by Zardouzee are reasonably priced. We are taking several steps to ensure the popularity of Zardozi embroidery reaches far and wide. While we are already offering a wide range of products to our customers, we will be launching more soon. We are committed to making Zardouzee a global brand”, says Lall.

Zardouzee has been built on the promise of preserving the nation’s heritage and representing it on a global platform. With the finest quality material and the creativity of the most qualified artisans, Zardouzee has the vision to create a global market of ancient handmade and sustainable accessories for women. The brand’s handmade products are skilfully embroidered and inlaid with different types of gemstones.

Zardouzee manufactures handbags, hand bracelets, jewellery boxes and several other items that represent Zardozi embroidery in its purest form. The entire catalog of the brand can be viewed at its official website www.zardouzee.com

Brand Concepts’ search for excellence brings Retail Pioneer Mr. Govind Shrikhande on Board

Brand Concepts’ search for excellence brings Retail Pioneer Mr. Govind Shrikhande on Board

Brand Concepts Ltd announces the appointment of Mr. Govind S Shrikhande as a Board Member

Adding another feather to its crown, Brand Concepts Ltd expands its Board of Directors to 7 by inviting Mr. Govind S Shrikhande in the capacity of Non-Executive Independent Director as well as Mentor in the field of his expertise and experience viz. customer-centric strategy, innovation, people, retail, etc.

Mr. Shrikhande aged 62 years is a Retail Professional with a Degree in Textile Technology (B.Text) from VJTI, Mumbai, and Masters in Marketing (MBA) from Symbiosis Institute of Management, Pune. He has 38 years of rich experience in the entire chain of Fabrics to Apparel to Multi-Format Retailing including Department Stores, Hypermarket, Airport Retail, Beauty, Home, Books, Music, etc. across Marquee Companies like Mafatlal, Johnson, Arvind, Bombay Dyeing and Shoppers Stop. In His long Journey, he has been closely associated with Many milestone events such as the Launch of Denim in India, the Launch of Arrow, the Revival of Vivaldi & Two Major Turnarounds at Shoppers Stop, etc.

He is also working as an Independent Director on the board of V Mart Retail, IR & H Pvt Ltd & Donear Industries Ltd, SDL Retail, and also on the Board of WeSchool & Symbiosis. He has been a Mentor with the Bombay Chamber of Commerce for the last 3 years under the shadow of The Leader Programme. He has been awarded several Awards like Retail Icons of India in 2019 by Images Magazine, Movers of Time by Samay Bharti in 2012, and Award of Excellence in 2012- For creating & nurturing excellence in the field of Business (Award by ASM Group of Institutes Pune) and many more.

Mr. Govind’s long history of successful leadership, coupled with his experience advising clients and people makes him an ideal person for this role. Mr. Abhinav Kumar, the CEO of the company, expressed his excitement at the addition to his team, saying, “We are immensely pleased to have Govind join our team. His vast experience makes me confident in the fact that being associated with him will surely make Brand Concepts a force to reckon with in the coming years. Together, we are poised to make our name globally and I look forward to working closely with Govind to continue to ensure Brand Concepts makes a positive impact on all stakeholders, including Our Customers, our people, Our shareholder & the society at large,” said Mr. Abhinav Kumar CEO & Whole Time Director, Brand concepts Ltd.

“I feel very privileged to take on this role at such an exciting time for our profession — the needs of customers, people, and other stakeholders are changing rapidly. Brand Concepts is dealing with these changes in thoughtful and innovative ways which will benefit all Brand Concepts stakeholders & businesses for years to come. I am positive that my experience will be put to good use and our association will enable us to give the company reach new milestones.” said Mr. Shrikhande.

About the Company:

Incorporated in the year 2007, Brand Concepts specializes in the retail of bags, backpacks & fashion accessories for the Indian markets. Brand Concepts is a premier resource for licensed fashion and lifestyle brands in the category – Travel Gears, such as Luggage Trolleys, Backpacks, and Small Leather Goods like Belts & Wallets for both Men & Women, Women’s Handbags, and Lifestyle accessories. We have some valued brands in our portfolio, like Tommy Hilfiger and some of Our in-house brands Sugarush and The Vertical. Our portfolio, with strategic product offering, makes us one of the preferred retailers across all formats. With the passage of time, we continue to get more efficient and stronger with our technical expertise and increasing market share. We make sincere efforts on transforming the latest trends into accessible fashion. Brand Concepts’ mission is to be the largest Multi-Brand Accessories Retail company in India and pioneer innovative concepts in Retailing to benefit the end consumer. Brand Concepts Ltd. has an Omni commerce business currently company runs 25 Stores in (COCO & FOCO format) and www.baglineindia.com

VISION -Become one of the world’s most regarded Fashion & Lifestyle Accessories retail entities, by consistently adding more valuable brands to our portfolio.

For further information on Brand Concepts Ltd. & Baglineindia.com write to media@brandconcepts.in

Hon’ble Governor of Haryana meets Yogiraj Swami Lal Ji Maharaj

Hon’ble Governor of Haryana meets Yogiraj Swami Lal Ji Maharaj

An exclusive Yoga Camp was organized by Haryana Yoga Sabha (Regd.) at Yog Chikitsalya, Sector 12, Panchkula, and Haryana from 08th May to 15 May 2022 under the sublime guidance of Yogiraj Swami Lal Ji Maharaj.

People of all ages including school children, and college students with their teachers, and working professionals, participated in the Yoga Camp. They performed various Yoga Asanas and Pranayama (breathing exercises) in presence of Swami ji and his instruction team.

The emphasis of the camp was to ensure that the people who are straining their neck and back for long hours, causing cervical spondylitis and back pain by Saral Sahaj yoga. Surprisingly each of them relives their aches and pains besides enhancing their workability even a large no of houses wife’s also participated in the said camp. These asanas, practically, had a therapeutic effect on migraine, sinus, eyesight, paralysis, and BP concerns.

A Yoga Workshop was held at Navodya Vidyalaya, Panchkul, and at the Govt Model Sanskriti Sr Sec School Sector 26, Panchkula, and Haryana. Besides yoga during this workshop, they were also given quite beneficial tips to improve their lifestyles which is laying at the root of so many illnesses today. All the participants were apprised about how, in today’s modern world, yoga is the only way to manage and manage one’s life. Swami Ji further emphasized “We should not just be concentrating on Asanas or Pranayama, but also should perform inner cleansing techniques of yoga (shatkarma) Meditation could be the master key to a healthy and wealthy life. Our rich scripts of philosophical and cultural traditions, nurtured by visionary yogis, saints, and sages, are based on some eternal humanitarian values, which have been influencing the world for ages. Yoga and natural cures, practices in ancient times, have now found fancy among the Indians and the world,”

While addressing the media swami Ji said “Over the years, I have developed a set of easy-to-do yogic exercises which are performed gently but strictly synchronized with deep breathing, to help people attain good health and peace of mind after each session. Simple Jeevan Tatav (crocodile yogic postures) founded Yog Yogeshwar Mahaprabhu Ramlal Ji Maharaj approx. 135 years ago or spinal manipulations have helped millions of people around the world to attain flexibility in their body, while at the same time, it has also helped rid them of chronic diseases like recurring issues like obesity, diabetes, constipation, gas and acidity, backache, indigestion, sciatica, cervical spondylitis, migraine, tinnitus, etc.”. The day got started with prayers for good health and peace and was followed by deep breathing and yoga exercises, chanting of mantras for beginners along with meditation.

Each participant was asked about the physical or mental issues, or both, that they are facing and the yoga routine they were asked to follow was tailor-made depending on their age, capacity, and health conditions. For those whose bodies remain stiff, they were assisted in performing ‘Saral sehaj yoga postures’ to make their bodies supple and flexible within the one week of the yoga camp. Participants were also taught the right way of breathing to de-stress and calm their minds. There were also exercises to enhance the endurance levels of executives working for long hours on computers as well as those who have to routinely drive long distances.

Swami Ji also demonstrated before the participants some of the Yogic Kriyas (Shatkarmas) or detox yoga practices that help detoxify the body from the toxins. They were also familiarized with the right sequence of yoga to be followed for the yoga exercises to derive optimal benefits.

Yogiraj Swami Lal Ji Maharaj is a part of the Guru Parampara of Yog Yogeshwar Mahaprabhu Ramlal Ji Maharaj, He is the 4th Gen Yog Guru in the lineage and is the only living Yog Guru in India who started teaching Yoga on Indian National T.V way back in 1975 and still teaches Yoga on various T.V channels ever since and has conducted seminars on Yoga in more than 22 countries. Apart from this His holiness meets the Hon’ble Governor of Haryana Shri Bandaru Dattatreya at Rajbhawan along with Guru Maa Smt Prabha Devi and Yogacharya Amit Dev and explained to him about the posture correction along with some yogic and lifestyle changes.

Searching for Summer Camp in Gurugram; time to participate in the best

Searching for Summer Camp in Gurugram; time to participate in the best

Earlier schools had the same essential components: books, teachers, and numerous theories/facts that we had to cram into our heads. Expectations were high, and we were asked to learn these up, but without knowing the base. We did not have enough practical knowledge to help us with the ever-evolving world. Our summer vacations were spent lazing around or in different studies during coaching classes.

Now, the scenarios have changed, and we have new and better teaching and learning methods. Our children are growing up in a world where creativity and innovation hold more importance than just learned facts, thus giving more weightage to extracurricular activities like dancing and cooking. These activities teach students what books can not. Our summer vacations were either spent lazing around or in different studies during coaching classes, but schools now come up with new and better ideas to indulge students.

GD Goenka, Sector 10A, Gurugram is coming up with an innovative summer camp that will allow students to learn new skills, from enhancing body coordination, fitness, public speaking skills, honing creativity, and much more. The activities range from dancing to elocution and theatre; the camp even provides cooking, martial arts, and sports so that students can choose from a wide variety and find their true calling.

The Principal GD Goenka, Sector 10A, Gurugram, Dr. Nidhi Nijhawan, says, “we believe that students should learn things apart from basic studies because these skills are what prepares them for daily life. Summer vacations can make children bored throughout the vacations and can not find a worthwhile activity for themselves. Thus, we came up with a summer camp that would provide activities that pique the interest of every child.” she further says, “We endeavour to develop a child’s cognitive and social skills so that our students are in no way deficient when facing the real world.”

Dr. Nijhawan told us that proper measures would be taken to combat the pandemic spread, and an adequate environment would be created for the children to keep them safe while giving them a chance to find their passion. The Children can choose any four activities of their choice and dedicate their summer holidays to the best of memories.

GD Goenka strives to fill the gaps traditional education has left, and our children can enjoy a happier and brighter future if given an opportunity. Thus finding them a school that resonates with their passion and works on it is significant for our kids, developing their talent into finesse.

To connect and know more about the summer camp taking place at GD Goenka, Kindly connect at 8800537222 and 8800538222.

And, to know more about school and the activities at school, you can search more on www.skoodos.com

Noida’s First Plastic Heist to make Noida a plastic free city

Noida’s First Plastic Heist to make Noida a plastic free city

HCL Foundation’s Clean Noida Project has achieved many milestones in the last three years of its operations. Through their myriad efforts and endeavours, Noida bagged 1st position as India’s Cleanest Medium City (3-10 Lakh population) in Swachh Survekshan 2021, an annual survey of cleanliness, hygiene, and sanitation in India.

The Foundation has now launched Plastic Heist Campaign to bring awareness regarding the harmful effects of single-use plastic. As the government planned a ban on most single use plastics, which should be in effect from July 1, 2022; this campaign will educate the masses, mainly shopkeepers, about the responsible use of plastic, and the dangers of overflowing landfills that are full of toxic, non-biodegradable plastic and to encourage people into recycling waste, boycott plastic bags, and microplastic waste that makes its way into the oceans and its harmful presence is felt at different levels of the food chain. The campaign shall continue for six months and through this initiative, HCL Foundation will divert kilos of waste from informal dumpsites.

The Campaign was launched in Sector 18 marketplace of Noida on May 7. The plastic heist campaign was accompanied by an open mic, a street play and will act out the harmful ways plastic affects us, and social experiments to educate the masses and create an impact. Hundreds of visitors gathered to watch the street play that was beautifully conceptualised and explained the harmful effects of plastic. The campaign will continue to other popular market places such as Bharmputra market, Ganga market, Godavari market, and Sector 50 market. The aim of this campaign is to encourage shopkeepers in these marketplaces to stop using plastic. HCLF and Noida Authority will recognize the business owners as Sustainable Businesses for working towards minimizing the hazardous impact on the environment through means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.

“I usually come to this marketplace with my friends and was delighted to see such as engaging play and the social message. There are small eateries that use straws and plastic cups and I am sure this will bring in awareness to a more biodegradable change,” said Ritika, a college student.

To make sure that the impact of their initiatives lingers, HCL Foundation has also been making wall graffities to amplify the message and educate the public. The foundation shall also be installing air purifier and waste machines to ensure prompt action and the building of a clean city.

“Citizen Engagement is an important part of Swachh Survekshan and of any campaign citizen participation is imperative. Plastic Heist is part of our social experiment to trigger the message of Say-No-To-Plastic and engage with the citizens in a fun way to maximize the impact and encourage a sustainable change in the city,” said Abhishek Saini, Founder of Those In Need, Implementing partner of HCL Foundation.

This campaign is the beginning and going by the previous success of HCLF, we hope the campaign drives a positive and much-needed cleaner change.

The Highbrooks Cafe: A Cafe and Roaster Revolutionizing The International Coffee Industry With Their One Of Kind App

The Highbrooks Cafe: A Cafe and Roaster Revolutionizing The International Coffee Industry With Their One Of Kind App

Ever since it opened its first store in Jabalpur in the year 2018, The Highbrooks Cafe became a brand synonymous with high-quality coffee. Apart from offering coffee to its patrons, the cafe and roaster provide them with a wide variety of iced drinks and food items. Now, the founders of The Highbrooks Cafe have taken a giant leap towards bringing a revolution in the coffee industry by launching an application called the THC app.

Talking about this app, The Highbrooks Cafe co-founder Sanket Sharma says, “This app is based on the principles of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It offers the kind of features that one wouldn’t have come across in any food and beverage app. Its optimum extraction program will enable cafe owners across the world to optimize all the poorly extracted coffee in a way that it takes the form of a well-brewed beverage. A large number of individuals who run cafes have tested the app and have benefited hugely from it. The positive feedback that we have received so far encourages us to work towards developing it further.”

This revolutionary app is being used by cafeterias which procure premium-quality roasted coffee from The Highbrooks Roastery. Shortly after its launch, the app was lapped up by several cafe owners instantly. The kind of goodwill The Highbrooks Cafe has earned through its high-quality products in the last couple of years made both restaurateurs and chefs try out this app without any hesitation. The kind of results they received would definitely lead them to keep using it in the future.

Elaborating further on the purpose of creating this app, co-founder Vipul Abhishek states, “We firmly believe that this app will play an important role in changing the dynamics of the coffee industry for the better in the near future. The objective behind developing this app was to minimize the consultation cost charged by the Q grader. We have attempted to do this by introducing a subscription plan at a nominal cost. The app comes with simple features and offers easy functionality. Even those who are not too familiar with new-age technology will be able to use it conveniently.”

Though the app has been launched just recently, it has already been accepted and is used by a large number of cafe owners. It is an app that has been developed in India and has the potential to make a huge impression on the coffee industry which is valued at 460 billion dollars globally. With the way it has been designed, The Highbrooks Cafe founders Sanket Sharma and Vipul Abhishek are very confident about the fact that it will go places.

THC App uses artificial intelligence to measure the extraction time or brew time of an espresso. If your customers have ever complained about the quality of the coffee offered by you being inconsistent, then the problem lies in espresso extraction. The app has been designed to offer AI-based solutions to cafe owners to ensure there is a certain degree of consistency in the espresso extraction process.

At the moment, The Highbrooks Cafe has as many as five physical stores in India, all of which are running very successfully. Some of its biggest competitors are Third Wave Coffee and Blue Tokai. The Highbrooks Cafe venture is a part of Littlegiants Hospitality Pvt ltd. which is on the verge of executing a major expansion plan.