PAYING TRIBUTE TO 35 YEARS OF GREATNESS, ADIDAS LAUNCHES THE L10NEL M35SI PACK

Adidas has recently launched the L10NEL M35SI Pack, celebrating the legendary journey of Lionel Messi. At 35 years old and fresh off having won his first World Cup, ´El Diez´ (Number 10) continues to make history, showing no signs of slowing down. His latest signature boots draw inspiration from the Argentinian magician´s unparalleled playing style which he has honed to perfection throughout his storied career.

Boasting a striking orange, black and light blue colourway, the expressive and fluid design taps into Leo´s incredible history in three stripes footwear. It features distinctive graphic elements which will be instantly recognizable to the fans familiar with some of his most iconic adidas boots from the past, including the f50.6, the Messi f50 adizero ´Mirosar 10´, the Messi15, the f50 adizero Messi 370 or the Messi16 Spacedust.

The L10NEL M35SI Pack is the latest chapter of a long line of signature products delivering high performing technology so that football players worldwide can be the best version of themselves. The X Speedportal boot has a soft, durable coated textile or synthetic upper that feature at least 50% recycled content as well as a cushioned midsole that work together for comfortable high-speed play.

Underneath, the boot is built on a chassis to enable optimal changes of direction for players who value a sense of security in their football footwear, especially when they make sharp cuts and movements just as Leo Messi does on the pitch.

The L10NEL M35SI Pack is available to purchase online as of today at https://www.adidas.co.in/lionel_messi and selected retailers. The price range for the collection starts at INR 1,999 & INR 3,999 for apparel and footwear respectively.

For further information, visit adidas.com/football

pTron debuts Calling Smartwatch with crown control & peak brightness just at 1199/-

· The Force X12N comes with 1.85″ fully immersive touch display, 580 nits display brightness making the watch UI screen highly visible in bright outdoor environments with crown function control

· The smartwatch with advanced Bluetooth calling function and a robust full-suite health tracking feature is priced at Rs 1,199 for the launch and is available starting Feb 21 on Amazon India in four color variants

(NSE: PALREDTECH) pTron, the Indian innovator in smart digital accessories and leading brand for the youth, announced the launch of its newest version of the Force Smartwatch series, the X12N. The revolutionary wearable packs fashion-friendly aesthetics with marquee features such as pre-installed watch faces, built-in games, full-touch 2.5D curved display, and rotatable crown control.

Sporting a large vibrant and crisp display on a slim and lightweight profile accompanied by a feature-rich performance, the X12N is designed to be your daily companion. Lightweight and ergonomically made in a premium alloy metal casing, it is a versatile package for style, fitness, and assistance.

The smartwatch features a rectangular 1.85″ super large HD screen with a fluid, clean interface that’s easy to use and effortless with unique features like 130+ watch faces, and multi-sports mode with up to 5 days of battery life. The Force X12N features an array of trackers such as Heart Rate Monitor (HRM), Sleep tracker, Daily activity tracker, Blood oxygen saturation (SP02 monitor), and guided breathing exercises as well for stress control that enables users to monitor and improve their wellness at regular intervals.

Equipped with Bluetooth 5.0, Force X12N lets you enjoy complete calling functionality through the smartwatch with functions like incoming call alerts, text message alerts, social media alerts, and saving favourite contacts (up to 8). Additionally, the watch also allows music control & camera control via Bluetooth, thus providing a seamless functional experience to the users. The watch features a soft silicone band that never goes out of style and sits comfortably on the wrist to give a fashionable look.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Ameen Khwaja, Founder & CEO, pTron said, “We have witnessed incredible growth for our Force Smartwatch series as consumers have been able to avail the benefits and convenience of smart wearables at an entry-level price point. Our latest addition, the Force X12N is a game-changing product that combines top-notch tech with the best-in-class design that will bring unmatched convenience and functionality directly to the wearer’s wrist. With our proprietary health-suite App, this watch is a revolution in the wearable category at a never seen before price”

The pTron Force X12N smartwatch comes with pTron’s proprietary pTron Fit+ App for Android & iOS. Intuitive & effortless the pTron Fit+ app features smooth animations and a tailored smartwatch UI that, together, allow seamless navigation for better insights into users’ health data.

Available in four beautiful colors – Carbon Black, Gold Black, Blazing Blue, and Champagne Pink, the Force X12N comes with interchangeable straps that will get you to play strong in the trend game and catch all eyes with just a flick of your hand in the air. The pTron Force X12N is priced at INR 1499/- and is launched with an introductory offer at INR 1199/- on 21st February at 12 noon and comes with one year warranty.

pTron Force X12N – Technical Specifications
Design & Display:	Stunning 1.85” touchscreen digital display Sturdy & corrosion-resistant Zinc Alloy case, top ring & crown 130+ Cloud based watch faces
Connectivity:	Bluetooth V5.0 up to 10M
Sensors:	Heart Rate, SpO2, Blood Pressure
Battery & Charging	3 Hrs charging for 5 days battery Easy magnetic charging
Audio & Video:	Built-in Mic & Speaker for BT Calling
Sports Modes:	24H Health Monitoring, 8 Active fitness modes
Daily Activity Trackers:	Calorie Burnt Count, Step Count, Sedentary Reminder, Sleep Monitor, Distance Travelled
Water Resistant:	IP68
Other Functions	BT Camera Remote & BT Music Player Raise & Wake Display Shake the Watch to Take a Picture Digital Crown Control
Other Built In Features	In-built Games Calculator/Calendar Pre-Installed Watch faces (10) Noise Detection 3 Sound Modes (Mute, Vibrate & Ring)

Product Link:

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BRVRDXG4

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BRVQZ9QK

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BRVRG946

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BRVR4LNK

MS Dhoni trains the next generation of women cricketers at Mastercard’s ‘Cricket Clinic – MSD’

The former Indian cricket captain gives tips to players on batting, managing pressure

Former Indian national cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni mentored a group of aspiring under-19 women cricketers during a specially curated workshop by Mastercard. Titled ‘Cricket Clinic – MSD’, the workshop was organized recently at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede stadium, where the ace cricketer held a training session with 15 players and shared some valuable tips along with his on-field experiences and learnings. These players were selected through a social media contest hosted by Mastercard for young women cricketers.

The event was part of Mastercard’s efforts to help young women cricketers develop a passion for the game through such interesting and insightful experiences. During the course of the workshop, Dhoni guided the players on managing pressure, making a career in cricket, maintaining fitness, devising the right game plan, and a lot more. There are more such clinics planned in the coming weeks.

The legendary wicketkeeper batsman also passed on valuable tips to players on batting technique, body movement, and wicketkeeping. The event concluded with Dhoni posing with the girls and giving them Mastercard bats autographed by him.

“India has always been a sporting powerhouse and women cricketers today are breaking the glass ceiling with their consistent performance and strong determination. My interactions with several women cricketers during Mastercard Cricket Clinic – MSD have deepened my confidence in the future of women’s cricket in India. I am extremely excited to partner with Mastercard for furthering the women in sports movement and offering them a priceless learning experience,” said Mahendra Singh Dhoni, former Indian national cricket team captain.

“Mastercard is deeply invested in encouraging women in sports through priceless experiences in the form of mentorship and training. This cricket clinic with legendary Indian captain MS Dhoni is an initiative that will help aspiring women cricketers realize their dreams and make the country proud both on and off the field,” said Manasi Narasimhan, Vice President & Head of Marketing & Communications, South Asia, Mastercard.

“We are thrilled to bring alive Mastercard’s priceless proposition in cricket with this experience with MS Dhoni. This effort will pave the way for the growth of women in cricket in India,” said Swaminathan Sankar, Commercial Partnerships, Midas Deals.

Shankar Mahadevan supports “Me For My City” initiative by Canara HSBC Life Insurance

Akriti Kakar , Bhoomi Trivedi, Lakhwinder Wadali & Hamsika Iyer encouraged the budding folk singers of the country

Canara HSBC Life Insurance (Company) concludes Season 5 of its flagship initiative #MeForMyCity with legendary singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan’s energetic performance. The grand star-studded event saw some of the finest music performances by handpicked folk singers from across the country.

Through its #MeForMyCity initiative, Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company promises to conserve and protect the traditional diversity of our cities, whether it’s our culture, people, or music. Season 5 of #MeForMyCity by the Company brings alive the essence of protection, which also is at the core of Company’s culture. The campaign was launched in November 2022 and called for entries from fresh folk voices from around the country and gave them a platform to showcase their talent and love for folk music.

In line with the initiative, Canara HSBC Life Insurance is also supporting “Swar Dharohar” Foundation which empowers talented artists to showcase their best of the talents on the same platform of Me For My City held in Mumbai. During the event Mr. Anuj Mathur, MD & CEO, Canara HSBC Life Insurance presented a cheque of Rs. 2 Lakh to Swar Dharohar Foundation to work with the organisation and provide a platform to local artistes who are connected to the roots of Folk Music and can take forward the legendary art and culture of India.

Present at the event, Mr. Anuj Mathur, MD & CEO, Canara HSBC Life Insurance stated, “The #MeforMyCity initiative was conceptualized to bring positivity within the society in a way in which masses could relate with and are able to propagate the ideology in their lives ahead. With Season 5, all lights are on folk music of India, which empowers local communities to promote and protect their cultural heritage. Working alongside country’s finest singers like Shankar Mahadevan, together we strive in protecting the much-celebrated folk music of India. Our collaboration with the Swar Dharohar Foundation will help local artistes to showcase their talent and help them to create dedicated funds to support folk music projects. We want to express our deepest gratitude to all participants and the maestros for their time and a splendid evening of reviving Indian folk music.”

Ms. Tarannum Hasib, Chief Distribution Officer, Canara HSBC Life Insurance further added, “We are elated and honoured to provide a platform through #MeForMyCity in honing and protecting India’s lineage of folk music, which serves as a powerful reminder of Canara HSBC Life Insurance's brand philosophy of protecting and keeping promises made to our loved ones. With Season 5, we aspire to revive our traditional culture by bringing in fresh voices of folk music and in catalysing their much-deserved recognition. The campaign is intended to bring traditional folk music closer to the younger generation who rarely get to experience the the warmth of rich cultural music of India . We are also elated to announce that the Company has decided to release a limited edition set of NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens) and present them to our 12 participants of the MeForMyCity finale. These NFTs are symbol of our gratitude for the contributions made by these super singers.”

Shankar Mahadevan, renowned music composer and singer further added “Folk music has been a part of our society for centuries. The beauty and uniqueness of folk lie in its ability to connect people by bridging language barriers and bringing them together. Music reflects the emotions, beliefs and attitudes of its creators and performers. I am very pleased to be associated with Canara HSBC Life Insurance's initiative to strengthen folk music in India. By bringing back the spotlight on folk music, we can ensure that future generations continue to appreciate and enjoy these musical pieces – including their stories, meanings, values, and backgrounds. Not only would this strengthen our collective national identity, but it would also help strengthen our communities by providing more opportunities for collaboration between different cultures.”

The winners of the two months long #MeForMyCity musical entries which ran across the digital platforms of the Company were also announced during the glitzy event by none other than the musical maestros. The folk music entries portrayed a glimpse of our culture with the flavours of different folk songs from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Patna, Guwahati, Shillong and many other genres of folk music beautifully highlighting the rich Indian heritage. Winners also got an exclusive chance to share the stage and sing along with none other than Shankar Mahadevan.

In a phenomenal response to Season 5 of #MeForMyCity, the Company received folk music entries from 29 states of India with over 1,827 participants between the age of 20 to 35. The North zone led the race with 1,132 submissions, followed by East (296), South (212) and West (187) zones respectively. Uttar Pradesh along with Rajasthan topped the charts for entries followed by Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Punjab, Jharkhand, Telangana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Tripura, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Diu and Daman and Nagaland.

Global Head-hunter Sets Decarbonisation Targets in Line with the Paris Agreement

Odgers Berndtson, the global executive search, interim management and leadership advisory business, has committed to, and set, science-based decarbonisation targets.

Odgers Berndtson – Leadership for a Sustainable Future

Odgers Berndtson has a long history of advising clients on board level environmental and sustainability appointments across all sectors, and is supported by a depth of insight and broad network in this critical area. These targets will hold the firm accountable to its own sustainability strategy as it continues to focus on providing clients with expert advice on energy transition.

The firm, which operates in 32 countries, has applied for verification of these targets from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The targets encompass significant emission reductions in line with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Odgers Berndtson supports the reduction in climate risk through its influence and work with organisations and their leaders around the world. The firm advises clients on finding board level environmental and sustainability specialists, as well as sustainability-conscious CEOs and other leaders. Odgers Berndtson's leadership assessment methodologies also help drive sustainable performance in organisations by measuring a leader's competencies and motivations across a plethora of challenges, including climate change.

Dr. Prasad Medury, Managing Director India, Odgers Berndtson said, “We have supported our clients’ sustainability plans for many years and are deeply mindful of the positive impact our work can bring and our responsibility towards this goal. Over many years we have actively developed a deep and broad network, knowledge, and insight in this field to help our clients find exceptional talent towards fulfilling their sustainability objectives. We also recognise that we must run our own business responsibly and here in India we are happy that as an organisation, through the SBTi, we are holding ourselves to account through an independent third party to support our own journey towards sustainability.”

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsoir India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same)

Piaggio Vehicles pioneers 3-Wheeler electric mobility in Philippines through India-made Apé Electrik, introduces swappable EV solutions

Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd (PVPL), a 100 % Indian subsidiary of the Italian Piaggio Group and India’s leading manufacturer of small commercial vehicles as well as pioneers in 3-wheeler electric mobility announced the entry of their Apé Electrik vehicles in the Philippines. The electric 3-wheeler vehicles will be manufactured in PVPL’s plant in Baramati, Maharashtra and exported to the Philippines. The company will be deploying the Apé E-City and Apé E-xtra vehicles equipped with SUN Mobility’s advanced battery-swapping technology.

The Apé Electrik vehicles will be Philippines’ first electric 3 wheelers, revolutionising the last-mile mobility and the small commercial vehicle industry. The electric 3 wheelers will be available in the Philippines through PHILIPPINERIMEX INC. a subsidiary of Rusco Motors Inc.

Speaking about the milestone, Mr. Diego Graffi, Chairman and Managing Director, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd said, “In 2019, we introduced to India the first 3W EV in the market and now in 2023 we are happy to be the first movers in this segment in the Philippines. For Piaggio Vehicles, entry into the Philippines is a stepping- stone towards accelerating the adoption of EVs across the world and towards a sustainable planet. We see huge export potential to the market and also aim to meaningfully contribute to their EV ambitions.”

Mr. Ajay Goel, Co-Founder and Executive Director, SUN Mobility, said, “SUN Mobility is the leader in battery swapping for 2 & 3 wheelers in India and has deployed ~300 Swap Points™ in 18 cities across the country, powering over 68 million kms and 3.7 million swaps so far. We are glad to further strengthen our association with Piaggio as we extend our partnership to Philippines. We share the vision of smart, affordable, urban electric mobility and are keen to jointly deploy our solution first in Philippines and rest of S.E. Asia.”

Piaggio Vehicles pioneered the 3-Wheeler commercial EV industry in India and is now the first auto company to provide EV solutions in 3Ws in the Philippines. Piaggio India, with partner SUN Mobility, aims to spread sustainable electric transportation in the Philippines aided by a battery swapping technology. This technology is aimed at quicker adoption and shorter turnaround times as vehicle and logistics operators will spend less time charging the vehicles and deploying more of their fleet on the road.

Velim Eco-Friendly pencils aims to combat usage of plastic pens in India: Kaydence Rodrigues

In an effort to reduce the use of plastic pens in India, Goa-based startup company Syamantaka Technologies Private Limited has launched ‘Velim’ EcoFriendly pencils made out of recycled newspapers collected from people in villages of Velim, Goa.

Velim eco-friendly pencils is the brainchild of 18-year old Kaydence Rodrigues. She wanted to find a solution to rising wastepaper and plastic menace in Goa and India. Combining the dual purpose of recycling waste newspapers and making them into pencils, Rodrigues decided to manufacture and promote eco-friendly pencils in order to reduce usage of plastic pens.

Speaking on the entrepreneurial idea, Kaydence Rodrigues, Co-Founder, expressed, “Our mission is to reduce the use of plastic pens in India and around the world. Education alone will not work. We decided to give people an eco-friendly option instead of plastic pens. An estimated 2.4 billion plastic pens are brought to the market every year. Reportedly, 91 percent of the plastic pens are not recycled. The fight against single-use plastic must start with plastic pens first. Secondly, if we put pen to a paper that paper cannot be reused unless recycled. However, if we use pencil to paper, we can reuse that paper after rubbing its content thereby to not wasting more paper which will lead to less cutting of trees. Therefore, we decided to launch ‘Velim’ EcoFriendly pencils in India and then take it to the global markets.”

Replying on whether her efforts would end the use of plastic pens, Rodrigues asserted, “Our aim is to create awareness about the harmful use of plastic pens and encourage people to use recycled pencils. We have to work collectively to save our planet and adopt good practices.”

Savio Rodrigues, Co-Founder & CEO informed that the ‘Velim’ EcoFriendly pencils are made out of newspapers that have been collected from the villages in Velim, Goa and then recycled into paper. The recycled newspapers are then repurposed into pencils. “Through the ‘Velim’ EcoFriendly we aim to create a circular economy for people who collect the newspapers, people who work in the workshop to repurpose it into pencils and people who distribute the pencils in the market.”

In the first phase of its launch the Velim’ EcoFriendly pencils will be available in retail stores in Goa, following which it will be made available in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai. “We have been positive responses from different markets in India. We have also got an order from United Arab Emirates and inquiries from France, Germany and Italy,” revealed Rodrigues.

GigChain Transforming Lives of Blue and Grey Collar Workers in India

GigChain aims to generate a mammoth 800 crore revenue by 2025

India is witnessing a significant growth in the number of blue and grey-collar workers, who form the backbone of the country's manufacturing and service sectors. These workers, who perform skilled and unskilled labour, are experiencing a surge in demand as more companies establish their manufacturing facilities and outsource their operations to India. This trend is creating new employment opportunities, promoting skill development, and boosting economic growth of the country. However, this growth has also brought about challenges, such as labour rights violations and inadequate social security measures.

The Indian gig market has seen a surge in demand for gig workers, as businesses are seeking flexible and cost-effective workforce solutions. However, there are several challenges that gig workers face, such as lack of job security, low wages, and limited access to benefits. Moreover, employers often struggle to find reliable gig workers who possess the required skills.

GigChain, an enterprise tech solutions company, has disrupted the way blue and grey-collar workers are perceived in India by providing location-based sales, store-onboarding operations, stock audits, and workforce management to organizations. The company's customer-centric approach assists organizations in employing blue and grey-collar workers, also known as gig workers, to do location-based low-level jobs such as security guards, retail shop workers, factory workers, delivery boys, and more.

GigChain identifies and empowers blue and grey-collar talent as micro-entrepreneurs under the safety net of a trusted brand, which aims to create an environment where the best of Bharat’s ground-level talents get a potential chance to deliver substantial outcomes for client companies. GigChain offers giggers, a conscious work environment and ongoing assistance to complete tasks with maximum efficiency, resulting in 3-4X monthly pay for gig workers. The company has already roped in over 55,000 verified giggers across India, with maximum traction coming from the northern part of India.

GigChain's team of over 22 experts provide significant solutions to over 27 client companies, with gig workers trained and certified for the model. Additionally, the company has had a strong growth trajectory, achieving over Rs. 100 crores in overall revenue in FY 2021-22. GigChain plans to achieve the Rs. 800 crore revenue mark by scaling its operations in the offline retail space in the next two years.

GigChain offers various benefits to gig workers, including higher earnings, steady networks, part-time and full-time job options, flexibility in choosing work timing, and career development prospects. The company has worked with a diverse range of clients across industries, such as e-commerce, finance, food and beverage, lifestyle, and retail. However, despite the significant growth in demand for gig workers, there are several challenges that gig workers face, such as lack of job security, low wages, and limited access to benefits.

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(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same)

Centrum Wealth Strengthens Leadership Team

MUMBAI, India, Feb. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Centrum Wealth Limited, the wealth advisory arm of the diversified financial services major Centrum Group, has strengthened its team PAN India by hiring senior industry professionals for its Sales and Product functions. Anticipating a sharp growth in the Wealth Management industry, fuelled by rising number of HNIs and Unicorns, Centrum Wealth has recently hired over 10 senior professionals in the last two months, to boost its client outreach.

Senior Private Bankers formerly with Domestic Wealth Management companies – Kartik Sabharwal, Siddhartha Kapila and Rahul Arora, each with approx. 18-20 years of experience have come on board as Managing Partners. Vinod Khatri and Gaurav Dange, both with approx. 20 years of experience have joined from Foreign Private Banks to further augment Centrum's sales efforts. Additionally, Umang Thakkar (20 years of experience) has joined as a senior member in the Product team and will work towards strengthening the third party products platform.

Further as part of its team expansion plans, Centrum Wealth plans to hire 50 additional members over the next few months across multiple functions.

Commenting on the recent team expansion, Deepa Poncha, Director & Head – Human Resources, Centrum Group, said, “Organised Wealth management players in India, currently manage only 12-15% of the total available wealth, whereas in developed nations, this number is as high as 50%. Attracting and retaining the right talent remains key to exploiting the huge growth potential. Our voluntary attrition is only 3% over the last 5 years, which is one of the lowest in the industry, whereas our average vintage (Employee lifecycle) is 5.5 years, one of the highest in the industry.”

For the first half of FY2023, Centrum Wealth has demonstrated a revenue growth of ~40% and a PAT growth of ~90%. It currently manages client Assets of over Rs 35,000 crore and employs approx. 300 members.

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same)

Bose Store Launch: Bengaluru has a New Music Destination

Sound connoisseurs in Bengaluru have a reason to cheer with the launch of a new Bose store by Ample. The new outlet at Bharatiya Mall of Bengaluru is the 29th Bose location in India. The action-packed opening on February 17, 2023, enthralled visitors and gave them a taste of pure, noise-free sound.

Bose store launch in Bengaluru

“Ample is thrilled to bring one more Bose experience to the audiophiles of Bengaluru. We are delighted to add to the amazing destination for sound enthusiasts in the city and also provide the music enthusiasts yet another means of expanding their soundscape,” Partha Sarathi Bhattacharya, Head, Retail – Ample.

The launch of the new Bose store follows the grand entry of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and Smart Soundbar 900 into the sound market.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II is a giant leap in noise cancellation. CustomTune technology, adjustable quiet and aware modes, and a perfect fit design give users the best possible sound experience. On the other hand, Bose Smart Soundbar 900, powered by Dolby Atmos technology, sets a new benchmark in immersive sound. It adds a layer of realism that no other soundbar can replicate.

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir India and this publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same)