Transforming Facilities to Meet Global Standards
In 2024, Mercedes-Benz transformed 18 facilities across India to meet its international standards, with seven new outlets and eleven revamped ones. By year-end, a total of 40 facilities are expected to have the brand’s global luxury format, enhancing the customer experience.
Celebrating Three Years of “Retail of the Future” Model
The innovative “Retail of the Future” (ROTF) business model, which completed three years in India, allows for a direct-to-customer retail experience. ROTF has facilitated the sale of over 50,000 cars in India and has become a global standard, adopted in key markets worldwide.
Launch of the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE: A Racing Enthusiast’s Dream
The high-performance Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE was launched, featuring Formula 1 hybrid technology. The car boasts a P3 hybrid drive, a 2.0-liter AMG turbo engine paired with a rear electric motor, generating 680 hp, 1020 Nm torque, and achieving a 0-100 km/h sprint in just 3.4 seconds.
Key Features:
- Powerful Hybrid System: Combines front combustion and rear electric motor, delivering 680 hp.
- Driving Modes: Eight AMG Dynamic Select modes for tailored experiences, including Sport, Race, and Comfort.
- Advanced Suspension & Steering: AMG Ride Control and rear-axle steering improve agility and handling.
- Luxurious and Customizable Interior: Premium materials, MBUX infotainment, and customizable options.
- Safety: Includes seven airbags, active brake assist, and 360-degree cameras.
Price and Availability
The AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE is priced starting at ₹1.95 crore (ex-showroom, India), with bookings open for deliveries beginning in Q2 2025.
Follow for more information.
]]>Delhi: The International Clown Festival is here! Prepare for a fantastic time filled with laughter and entertainment from a stellar lineup of award-winning clowns. Enjoy interactive performances, engaging workshops, and a variety of activities designed to delight audiences of all ages. A theatre show with 25 Clowns from 10 Countries and 120 minutes of non-stop laughter, comedy, juggling and music. The International Clown Festival will be held between 15th Nov to 17th Nov, 2024, at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Auditorium, Pragati Vihar, New Delhi (Near JLN Stadium) with daily shows at 11 AM, 3 PM, and 7 PM.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the International Clown Festival, celebrating a decade of spreading joy and laughter to audiences worldwide. Over the past ten years, the festival has grown into a beloved event, showcasing the best of international clowning across the country. The festival is curated and produced by Martin Flubber D’Souza, an award-winning international clown, former Vice President of the World Clown Association, and the recipient of the International Clown of the Year award. Flubber has performed on the biggest stages across 7 countries and now brings his wealth of international entertainment experience to your city. “Clowning is far more than just makeup and costumes; it involves a high level of skill and practice, which the professional clowns performing at this festival have developed over years of dedication. We hope that our characters can bring as much happiness and delight to your lives as they do to ours,” says Martin Flubber D’Souza, also known for his beloved clown persona, Flubber.
The International Clown Festival aims to make the world a better place by bringing people together through family-friendly live entertainment. The festival’s mission is to create joyous, shared experiences for families. The vision is to spread happiness, one family at a time. This year’s event proudly features 10 talented female clowns, highlighting the festival’s commitment to celebrating women’s contributions to the arts.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, ‘Points for Good’, a platform allowing loyalty program members to donate points to causes, has partnered with the International Clown Festival. This collaboration aims to bring joy and laughter to underprivileged children across 12 Indian cities and 80 shows. Credit cardholders from major banks like SBI, HDFC, Axis, ICICI, and all nationalised banks can redeem their points to sponsor a child’s attendance at the festival, offering them a unique and joyful experience. This partnership aligns with both organizations’ missions: Points for Good promotes “happy giving” through loyalty points, while the International Clown Festival brings smiles to children worldwide.
The International Clown Festival is an annual festival that aims to showcase the art of clowning while providing a fun and engaging experience for attendees of all ages. It is a gathering of International Clowns from across the Globe: USA, Canada, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Italy, France, Germany, Russia, Spain and India. Over 100 shows, each bringing their unique culture to the stage, this year’s festival promises to be bigger, better, and more entertaining than ever before. Get ready to laugh, be amazed, and rediscover the magic of live entertainment. Don’t miss out on the fun – book your tickets early and secure your spot at this one-of-a-kind event! Tickets available on: https://in.bookmyshow.com/events/international-clown-festival-india-delhi/ET00407421
Follow for more information.
]]>Salesforce Tower Bengaluru: A Landmark Expansion
Salesforce continues its commitment to investing in its physical presence across key global markets. With the new Salesforce Tower Bengaluru, the company expands its footprint in India, becoming part of the broader growth strategy that includes similar towers in cities such as San Francisco, New York, London, and Tokyo.
- Location: The new 12-story tower will be located in Bagmane Capital, Mahadevpura, Bengaluru.
- Facilities: The building will feature an immersive lobby, a Salesforce Innovation Centre, and spaces designed for modern work environments that focus on collaboration, sustainability, and employee wellness. Additionally, there will be training spaces for in-person AI upskilling opportunities for both employees and the community.
- Sustainability: The tower will pursue LEED Gold certification, aligning with Salesforce’s commitment to sustainable building practices.
- Timeline: Salesforce employees will begin moving into the tower upon its completion in 2026.
Fueling Customer Success and Innovation
As Salesforce continues to grow in India, it is also making strides globally with new innovations. The company recently unveiled Agentforce, a new layer of the Salesforce Platform that enables businesses to build AI agents capable of autonomously taking action across various business functions.
- AI-first Era: In an AI-driven world, Salesforce is empowering organizations in India and globally by using AI to enhance productivity, strengthen customer relationships, and foster growth.
- Talent Hub: Bengaluru has emerged as a top talent hub, enabling Salesforce to deliver new innovations and support global customers. Industry leaders such as Air India, Tata Consumer Products, and Monte Carlo are leveraging Salesforce technology to drive customer success.
Salesforce’s Long-term Investment in India
Salesforce has been investing in India for over a decade. The company opened its Hyderabad Centre of Excellence in 2016, expanding it in 2023 to solidify India as a critical hub for talent and global innovation.
- Employee Base: With over 13,000 employees across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, and Jaipur, Salesforce is deeply embedded in India’s tech ecosystem.
- Growing Ecosystem: The Salesforce ecosystem in India includes over 2 million developers and Trailhead users—Salesforce’s free online learning platform, which has a larger user base in India than in any other country outside the United States.
Statements from Key Leaders
Arundhati Bhattacharya, CEO & Chairperson of Salesforce India, emphasized the importance of this growth:
“We have demonstrated a strong growth trajectory in India over the last few years. The launch of the first-ever Salesforce Tower in India further strengthens our commitment to the region, providing employees with a stellar experience and state-of-the-art space for collaboration and innovation.”
Relina Bulchandani, Executive Vice President, Real Estate & Workplace Services at Salesforce, highlighted the importance of the new tower:
“Salesforce Tower Bengaluru will serve as a beacon of Salesforce’s culture and values, creating a central gathering place for employees, customers, and partners from around the world. This space will foster collaboration and innovation as we embrace the future with AI and agents.”
Industry Leaders on Salesforce’s Impact in India
Dr. Satya Ramaswamy, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Air India, commented on the role of AI in business success:
“AI and automation are ushering in a new economic era, revolutionizing how businesses interact with customers. Salesforce will make a difference, especially in a country like India, where businesses are striving to enhance productivity and growth.”
Sunil D’Souza, CEO & Managing Director at Tata Consumer Products Ltd., praised Salesforce’s role in shaping business transformation:
“Salesforce’s expansion in India will continue to empower businesses with the latest AI technology, fueling growth, and strengthening customer relationships.”
Ashwini Sumanth, Head of Real Estate Strategy & Marketing at Bagmane Developers Pvt. Ltd., expressed excitement about the project:
“We are excited to support Salesforce’s growth in India. This partnership represents a new era in reimagining workspaces as destinations for collaboration and connection.”
About Salesforce
Salesforce helps organizations reimagine their business for the AI-driven world. Through Agentforce, Salesforce enables companies to bring humans and AI agents together to drive customer success. By leveraging AI, data, and action, Salesforce empowers businesses to build stronger relationships with their customers.
For more information, visit www.salesforce.com.
Follow for more information.
]]>KEEP READING
A Shocking Blow to the Terrorist Organization
New Delhi: In a shocking turn of events, a suspected cyberattack on Tuesday left thousands of Hezbollah members injured across Lebanon. The incident, which occurred around 3:30 PM local time, involved the detonation of pagers used by the terrorist group for communication.
Devastating Consequences
According to Lebanese health officials, the attack resulted in approximately 4,000 wounded individuals, with 200 in critical condition and at least 11 fatalities. The majority of those affected were Hezbollah members, highlighting the significant blow dealt to the organization.
Shockwaves Through Lebanon
The incident sent shockwaves through Lebanon, as the country grappled with the devastating consequences. The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was reportedly among those injured in the explosions. Several senior Hezbollah officials and relatives of the group’s parliamentary members were also affected.
Israeli Response
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) closely monitored the situation, conducting a situation assessment with their high command. While there were no immediate changes to defensive guidelines or movement restrictions, Israeli defense officials anticipated a potential retaliation from Hezbollah.
Hezbollah Investigation
In an initial statement, Hezbollah acknowledged the explosions, stating that their pagers had detonated. The group launched an investigation to determine the cause of the blasts, with various theories circulating.
Israeli Allegations
Lebanese security sources pointed fingers at Israel, alleging that the country had infiltrated the communication system of individual devices and detonated them remotely. Reports suggested that the pagers were specifically targeted, with callers enticing recipients to pick up the devices, leading to maximum casualties.
Advanced Technology
The pagers used by Hezbollah were reportedly the latest model acquired in recent months, indicating that the group had invested in advanced communication technology. Some Hezbollah officials speculated that malware might have been responsible for the explosions, causing the devices to heat up and detonate.
Significant Setback for Hezbollah
The incident marked a significant setback for Hezbollah, which has been involved in a prolonged conflict with Israel. The group’s leadership acknowledged the devastating impact of the attack, describing it as the “biggest security breach” they had faced in nearly a year.
Humanitarian Crisis
Lebanese authorities responded to the crisis by mobilizing ambulances and urging health workers to report to hospitals. The attack also sparked widespread panic among residents, with reports of explosions continuing even after the initial incidents.
Cybersecurity Concerns
The cyberattack raises serious concerns about the vulnerability of communication systems and the potential for such attacks to inflict significant harm. As the investigation into the incident continues, the full extent of the damage and the perpetrators behind the attack remain to be determined.
Escalating Tensions
The incident comes at a time when tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have been escalating. The Israeli government has been grappling with the challenge of creating a new security situation in the north, particularly following a series of rocket attacks launched by the terrorist group.
Potential for Further Escalation
While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the cyberattack, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict between the two countries. The potential for further escalation remains a significant concern, as both sides continue to assess their options and respond to the evolving situation.
Follow for more information.
]]>This project aims to create a positive impact on the quality of life across over 1,500 households within these villages by illuminating the streets and community centres such as primary healthcare buildings, places of worship, and other public places. Despite the availability of grid electricity, there is minimal provision of street lighting in rural border villages. Through this project, we aim to improve the safety and security of 7,500+ local citizens while creating awareness among the masses around the benefits of sustainable lighting solutions.
Commenting on this collaboration, Nikhil Gupta, Head of Marketing, Strategy, Govt. Affairs & CSR – Signify, Greater India said, “We are elated to be working with the Indian Army in creating a lasting impact for rural villages along the Indian border. The Indian Army plays a crucial role in aiding civil authorities and infrastructure to provide a safe and equitable environment for the citizens of our country. Alongside our NGO partner BharatCares, these street lighting solutions will improve safety and security, especially during the night, support educational activities by providing well-lit spaces for studying, and facilitate local businesses by extending their operational hours. By bringing reliable and sustainable lighting to the people of Tawang, including Lumpo which is one of the last villages close to the LAC, we aim to empower the community and contribute to its overall development and prosperity.”
By installing a variety of high efficiency LED street lighting products totalling to around 350 individual fixtures, Signify hopes to create a long-lasting and sustainable solution that will improve the quality of life in these border villages. This project is set to leverage technology and innovation for isolated communities by providing essential services such as lighting solutions to brighten the path to a brighter future.
]]>
New Delhi: The J&K Police have unveiled sketches of four terrorists who were last seen in the Dhoks of Malhar, Bani, and Seojdhar regions of Kathua district. To aid in their capture, the police have offered a reward of ₹5 lakh for any credible information leading to their arrest.
The police shared this update on the social media platform X, stating, “Kathua Police releases sketches of 04 terrorists last seen in Dhoks of Malhar, Bani & Seojdhar. A reward of ₹5 lakhs will be given for actionable information on each terrorist. Anyone with reliable details will also receive a suitable reward.”
This announcement comes in response to a series of recent terror attacks in the Jammu region, including an attack on an army convoy in Kathua and encounters in Doda and Udhampur. On August 6, security forces launched a search and destroy operation in the Khaneed area of Basantgarh, Udhampur district, following intelligence about terrorist activity. DIG Udhampur Reasi Range, Rayees Mohammad Bhat, reported that contact had been established with a group of terrorists, and efforts are ongoing to neutralize them. The challenging hilly terrain and adverse weather conditions, including fog and rain, are complicating the operation.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai also highlighted that there have been two attacks on pilgrims in the past five years, resulting in 14 fatalities. The security forces remain committed to addressing the ongoing threat posed by terrorism in the region.
New Delhi: A new study commissioned by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and completed by Accenture shows that an effective way to minimise the environmental footprint of leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) is by moving IT workloads from on-premises infrastructure to AWS cloud data centres in India and around the globe. Accenture estimates that AWS’s global infrastructure is up to 4.1 times more efficient than on-premises. For Indian organisations, the total potential carbon reduction opportunity for AI workloads optimised on AWS is up to 99% compared to on-premises data centres.
The research states that simply utilising AWS data centres for compute-heavy, or AI, workloads in India yields a 98% reduction in carbon emissions compared to on-premises data centres. This is credited to AWS’s utilisation of more efficient hardware (32%), improvements in power and cooling efficiency (35%), and additional carbon-free energy procurement (31%). Further optimising on AWS by leveraging purpose-built silicon can increase the total carbon reduction potential of AI workloads to up to 99% for Indian organisations that migrate to and optimise on AWS.
“Considering 85% of global IT spend by organisations remains on-premises, a carbon reduction of up to 99% for AI workloads optimised on AWS in India is a meaningful sustainability opportunity for Indian organisations,” said Jenna Leiner, Head of Environment Social Governance (ESG) and External Engagement, AWS Global. “As India accelerates towards its US$1 trillion-dollar digital opportunity and encourages investments into digital infrastructure, sustainability innovations and minimising IT related carbon emissions will be critical in also helping India meet its net-zero emissions by 2070 goal. This is particularly important given the rising adoption of AI. AWS is constantly innovating for sustainability across our data centres —optimising our data centre design, investing in purpose-built chips, and innovating with new cooling technologies – so that we continuously increase energy efficiency to serve customer compute demands.”
“This research shows that AWS’s focus on hardware and cooling efficiency, carbon-free energy, purpose-built silicon, and optimized storage can help organizations reduce the carbon footprint of AI and machine learning workloads,” said Sanjay Podder, global lead for Technology Sustainability Innovation at Accenture. “As the demand for AI continues to grow, sustainability through technology can play a crucial role in helping businesses meet environmental goals while driving innovation.”
Sustainable chip technology innovation – purpose-built silicon
One of the most visible ways AWS is innovating for energy efficiency is through the company’s investment in AWS chips. Launched in 2018, the custom AWS-engineered general purpose processor, Graviton, was the first-of-its-kind to be deployed at scale by a major cloud provider. The latest Graviton4 offers four times the performance of Graviton, and while Graviton3 uses 60% less energy for the same performance as comparable Amazon EC2 instances (where the compute happens in a data centre), Graviton4 is even more energy efficient.
AWS customers are also benefiting from the carbon reduction potential of Graviton. Paytm, India’s leading payments and financial services distribution platform, witnessed a reduction in workload carbon intensity by adopting Graviton processors, reporting up to 47% estimated decrease in carbon emissions per transaction. Similarly, IBS Software, a leading SaaS solutions provider to the global travel industry, reported that other than improving performance and reducing cost by adopting Graviton processors, the company saw a 40% reduction in carbon emissions per instance hour.
Running generative AI applications in a more sustainable way requires innovation at the silicon level with energy efficient hardware. To optimise performance and energy consumption, AWS developed purpose-built silicon like the AWS Trainium chip and AWS Inferentia chip to achieve significantly higher throughput than comparable accelerated compute instances. AWS Trainium cuts the time taken to train generative AI models—in some cases from months to hours. This means building new models requires less money and power, with energy-consumption reductions of almost one third/up to 29%. AWS Inferentia is AWS’s most power-efficient machine learning inference chip. AWS Inferentia2 machine learning accelerator delivers up to 50% higher performance per watt and can reduce costs by up to 40% against comparable instances. These purpose-built accelerators enable AWS to efficiently execute AI models at scale. This translates to a reduced infrastructure footprint for similar workloads, resulting in enhanced performance per watt of power consumption.
Improving energy efficiency across AWS infrastructure
Through innovations in engineering—from electrical distribution to cooling techniques, AWS’s infrastructure is able to operate closer to peak energy efficiency. AWS optimises resource utilisation to minimise idle capacity, and continuously improves the efficiency of its infrastructure. For example, AWS removed the large central Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) from its data centre design to instead use small battery packs and custom power supplies that AWS integrates into every rack, which has improved power efficiency and has further increased availability. Every time power is converted from one voltage to another, or from AC to DC and vice versa, some power is lost in the process. By eliminating the central UPS, AWS are able to reduce these conversions. Additionally, AWS have optimised rack power supplies to reduce energy loss in that final conversion. Combined, these changes reduce energy conversion loss by about 35%.
After powering AWS’s server equipment, cooling is one of the largest sources of energy use in AWS data centres. To increase efficiency, AWS uses different cooling techniques, including free air cooling depending on the location and time of year, as well as real-time data to adapt to weather conditions. Implementing these innovative cooling strategies is more challenging on a smaller scale at a typical on-premises data centre. AWS’s latest data centre design seamlessly integrates optimised air-cooling solutions alongside liquid cooling capabilities for the most powerful AI chipsets, like the NVIDIA Grace Blackwell Superchips. This flexible, multimodal cooling design allows AWS to extract maximum performance and efficiency whether running traditional workloads or AI models.
According to the study, AWS’s additional carbon-free energy procurement in India contributes 31% in carbon emissions reduction for compute-heavy workloads and 44% for storage-heavy workloads. Aligning with Amazon’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions across all operations by 2040, AWS is rapidly transitioning its global infrastructure to match electricity use with 100% carbon-free energy. Amazon met its 100% renewable energy goal seven years ahead of schedule. In India 100% of the electricity consumed by AWS data centres was matched with renewable energy sources procured in country in 2022 and 2023. This is due to Amazon’s investment in 50 renewable energy projects in India with an estimated 1.1 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, enough energy to power more than 1.1 million homes in New Delhi each year.
New Delhi: Hyundai has expanded its Venue SUV lineup with a new mid-spec variant, the S(O) Plus, priced at Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). This addition brings the convenience of a sunroof to a more affordable price point, bridging the gap between the S(O) and SX variants.
New Features and Specifications
The Venue S(O) Plus is now the entry-level model offering a sunroof, making it a cost-effective option for buyers seeking this premium feature. This new variant is priced Rs 1.05 lakh less than the SX variant, which also includes a sunroof.
Under the hood, the S(O) Plus is powered by a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, generating 83 PS of power and 114 Nm of torque. It is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. This variant does not include the 1-litre turbo-petrol or 1.5-litre diesel engine options available in other variants.
Features and Safety
The Venue S(O) Plus maintains the feature set of the S(O) trim, including an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and manual air conditioning. It is equipped with essential safety features such as six airbags, a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and a rear parking camera.
Externally, the S(O) Plus features auto-LED headlights, LED daytime running lights (DRLs), and an LED tail light with a connecting bar design. The variant retains the 15-inch steel wheels and body-colored outside rearview mirrors (ORVMs) found in the S(O) model.
Market Position
With the addition of the S(O) Plus variant, the Hyundai Venue’s price range now extends from Rs 7.94 lakh to Rs 13.44 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). This new variant is designed to offer an accessible option for those interested in premium features like a sunroof, enhancing the Venue’s appeal in the competitive sub-4 metre SUV segment.
New Delhi: For nearly a century, the haunting visage of the “Screaming Woman” mummy has captivated the imagination of researchers and the public alike. Discovered in 1935 at Deir El-Bahari, Egypt, within the tomb of a royal architect’s family, this ancient mummy was found with a face frozen in a terrifying scream. Recent groundbreaking research has finally solved the chilling mystery behind her agonizing expression.
Unlike most mummies from ancient Egypt, where internal organs were typically removed, the Screaming Woman’s body retained all of its organs, raising questions about the mummification process. Initially, it was thought that her gaping mouth was a result of careless embalming. However, new scientific analysis has provided a different explanation.
Cairo University radiologist Sahar Saleem and anthropologist Dr. Samia El-Merghani have revealed that the woman’s horrifying expression is due to a rare condition known as cadaveric spasm. This phenomenon, occurring at the moment of death, particularly in cases of extreme stress or violence, causes the muscles to contract and lock in place, preserving the face in its final expression. Essentially, the woman likely died in intense agony, her muscles frozen in a scream.
The researchers used advanced imaging techniques, including computerized tomography (CT) scans and X-ray diffraction analysis, to “virtually dissect” the mummy. Their detailed examination showed that the woman, who stood about 5 feet tall and was around 48 years old at the time of death, had mild arthritis and lost some teeth. Her body was remarkably well-preserved, with internal organs such as the brain, heart, and lungs still intact—a significant deviation from the standard mummification practices of the New Kingdom period, where organs were usually removed except for the heart.
Further analysis revealed that her hair was adorned with a wig made from date palm fibers, treated with minerals to give a youthful appearance. Despite the care and high-quality materials used in her mummification, the embalmers were unable to close her mouth, leaving her face forever locked in its final expression of distress.
This new research not only resolves the mystery of the Screaming Woman’s frozen face but also offers a profound glimpse into the life and death of an elite member of ancient Egyptian society, showcasing the intricate details of her final moments and the sophisticated techniques used in her preservation.
New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has annulled Puja Khedkar’s IAS selection and imposed a lifetime ban on her from participating in any future UPSC exams due to identity fraud. Khedkar was found guilty of manipulating her personal details and misusing quotas to exceed the allowed number of attempts in the Civil Services Examination (CSE).
On July 18, 2024, the UPSC issued a Show Cause Notice to Khedkar after discovering significant irregularities in her application. Although she was granted an extension until July 30 to respond, she did not provide any explanation. The investigation uncovered that Khedkar had changed her name, her parents’ names, and other personal information to bypass the examination rules. She also obtained a fraudulent disability certificate from a Pune hospital, despite no evidence of actual disability.
A review of over 15,000 IAS candidates from 2009 to 2023 confirmed that Khedkar was the only individual who had exceeded the permissible number of attempts. The UPSC acknowledged that her extensive alterations to her identity had evaded their standard procedures. Consequently, the UPSC is taking steps to improve its scrutiny processes to prevent similar issues in the future.
The UPSC clarified that it performs an initial verification of certificates but relies on the issuing authorities for authenticity checks, lacking the resources to thoroughly verify every submitted document.