Sachin P Mampatta &Amp;Amp; Neha Alawadhi

Stories by Sachin P Mampatta &Amp;Amp; Neha Alawadhi

Hindujas sell health care unit to Baring Private Equity for $1.2 billion

Hindujas sell health care unit to Baring Private Equity for $1.2 billion

Rediff.com   11 Aug 2021

Hinduja Group's business process management entity, Hinduja Global Solutions Limited (HGS) said on Wednesday that it has entered into definitive agreements to divest its Healthcare Services business to funds affiliated with Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA), at an enterprise value of $1.2 bilion. The deal is subject to closing adjustments, and is expected to complete within 90 days, subject to shareholder and other regulatory approvals. "The cash that will come in as a result of this transaction will be deployed to growing the business as well as looking at buying some capabilities...where capabilities are important for being able to do a good job of customer experience transformation.

Meet C Vijayakumar, Shiv Nadar's successor at HCL Tech

Meet C Vijayakumar, Shiv Nadar's successor at HCL Tech

Rediff.com   9 Aug 2021

C Vijayakumar, the reticent chief executive of HCL Technologies, India's third-largest IT services firm, was recently appointed managing director, succeeding the founder, Shiv Nadar. Back in October 2016, when CVK, as he is popularly called within and outside of HCL, was named CEO, it had been somewhat of a surprise - his elevation being the result of his predecessor, Anant Gupta, suddenly stepping down to "pursue personal interests". CVK, 53, has since taken the firm from under $7 billion to over $10 billion in revenue.

IMD may deploy cutting-edge tech to forecast weather accurately

IMD may deploy cutting-edge tech to forecast weather accurately

Rediff.com   3 Aug 2021

IMD has decided to increasingly use cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in forecasting, both to avoid such glitches and to counter the disruption of normal seasonal patterns as a result of climate change. It has formed various internal sub-groups of senior officials and meteorologists to decide on how best to use AI and ML in predicting cyclone intensity, and in making short-range weather forecasts (those valid for up to three hours) as well as long-range forecasts.

Sachin Tendulkar invests $2 mn in JetSynthesys

Sachin Tendulkar invests $2 mn in JetSynthesys

Rediff.com   30 Jul 2021

Sachin Tendulkar has recently made an equity investment of $2 million in digital entertainment and technology company JetSynthesys. The investment further strengthens Tendulkar's relationship with JetSynthesys, as the two already have an existing joint venture for a digital destination for all things cricket, called 100MB, and immersive cricket games Sachin Saga Cricket Champions and Sachin Saga VR. With this investment, Tendulkar joins the bandwagon of existing shareholders of JetSynthesys, who include Adar Poonawalla, Kris Gopalakrishnan, and the multi-billion-dollar family offices of the promoters of Thermax, Triveni Group, Yohan Poonawalla Group and DSP Group.

Indians more vulnerable to tech support scams, says Microsoft report

Indians more vulnerable to tech support scams, says Microsoft report

Rediff.com   23 Jul 2021

Indians are more vulnerable to technology support-related scams compared to the global average, and lost over Rs 15,000 on average in such scam, a Microsoft research has found. According to the 2021 Global Tech Support Scam Research report, which looks at tech support scams and their impact, consumers in India experienced a relatively high scam encounter rate of 69 per cent during the past 12 months, close to the 70 per cent rate experienced in 2018. In contrast, there was an overall five-point drop in scam encounters globally with a rate of 59 per cent over the same period. The survey was conducted in Spring 2021 and asked consumers to share their experiences with tech support scams for the year prior (January 2020 to present).

How face-off with Indian govt has boosted Twitter

How face-off with Indian govt has boosted Twitter

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2021

Political controversies aside, Twitter's business in India is expanding, and creating opportunities for Indians, reports Neha Alawadhi.

'IPO won't change how Zomato operates'

'IPO won't change how Zomato operates'

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2021

'We work with a very large restaurant base, we make sure that we're doing the right thing by them, and we're helping them grow because we'll grow only when they do.'

The Man in the Middle of the Twitter Storm

The Man in the Middle of the Twitter Storm

Rediff.com   10 Jul 2021

When the Delhi police served him a notice in May for a case involving tagging some political leaders' tweets as carrying manipulated media, a spirited Maheshwari said he was employed by Twitter Communications Private Limited, and not Twitter Inc, and, therefore, could not help them. The authorities were understandably not pleased.

Sebi rule clips wings of promoters of over 500 listed firms

Sebi rule clips wings of promoters of over 500 listed firms

Rediff.com   9 Jul 2021

Independent directors

Insolvency proceedings against Oyo Hotels closed

Insolvency proceedings against Oyo Hotels closed

Rediff.com   8 Jul 2021

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Wednesday closed insolvency proceedings against Oyo and one of its subsidiaries, and also disallowed the intervention of external parties including Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI). Industry body FHRAI said in May it has been allowed by the NCLAT to intervene on behalf of hotels in the Oyo unit insolvency case before the tribunal. The association had filed the application on behalf of its member hotels in India, who it said at the time are operational creditors suffering hugely on account of non-payments of debt by Oyo.

Restaurant body up in arms against Zomato, Swiggy

Restaurant body up in arms against Zomato, Swiggy

Rediff.com   6 Jul 2021

Alleging "anti-competitive practices" by Zomato and Swiggy, restaurant industry body National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) on Monday said it has approached fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) for a detailed probe against the food aggregators. Keeping the interests of restaurants in mind, NRAI on July 1 had filed information with the CCI, it said in a statement. The main issues highlighted by the association in the submission are bundling of services, data masking, and exorbitant commission charged, price parity agreements, deep discounting, including forcing restaurant partners to give discounts to maintain appropriate listing, exclusivity of listed restaurants, and violation of platform neutrality, vertical integration, and lack of transparency on the food ordering platforms.

81% consumers back e-commerce rules, want clarity on services-based biz

81% consumers back e-commerce rules, want clarity on services-based biz

Rediff.com   5 Jul 2021

As many as 81 per cent people support having rules for consumer e-commerce, but want more services-based platforms to have more clearly defined roles, a survey by community social media platform LocalCircles has found. The survey asked respondents to answer questions based on the recent draft Rules proposed by the ministry of consumer affairs. The responses found 81 per cent consumers wanting sales of products and services over electronic or digital networks to be governed by a set of electronic commerce rules.

Facebook removes over 30mn posts, most for violent content

Facebook removes over 30mn posts, most for violent content

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2021

Facebook removed 25 million pieces of content identified as 'spam,' 1.8 million pieces of content containing 'adult nudity and sexual activity', reports Neha Alawadhi.

Clubhouse sets the trend for social audio apps in pandemic

Clubhouse sets the trend for social audio apps in pandemic

Rediff.com   2 Jul 2021

From Twitter to Facebook to Spotify, everyone it seems is clambering aboard the social audio bandwagon. Neha Alawadhi reports.

India's digital economy to grow 10x to $800 bn by 2030

India's digital economy to grow 10x to $800 bn by 2030

Rediff.com   1 Jul 2021

India's consumer digital economy which was pegged at $85-90 billion in calendar year 2020, is expected to become a $800 billion market by 2030, according to reports released by consulting firm RedSeer at its flagship event Ground Zero 5.0. The digital economy includes 60 per cent of travel, 40 per cent non-grocery retail, 30 per cent of education, 25 per cent of food and beverages services and 6 per cent of pharma/grocery going through digital channels by calendar year 2030. Online retail is set to become the third-largest market by scale by CY30 with an annual gross merchandise value (GMV) of $350 billion in CY30, said RedSeer.

Facebook, Google agree to publish transparency reports

Facebook, Google agree to publish transparency reports

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2021

While Facebook said on Tuesday it will publish an interim report on July 2 as mandated by the IT rules, Google will publish its transparency report as required under the new IT Rules in India.

At current rate, all Indians will be vaccinated by Sept 2022

At current rate, all Indians will be vaccinated by Sept 2022

Rediff.com   28 Jun 2021

865 million Indian adults require vaccination.

UN's special rapporteurs ask govt to review new IT rules

UN's special rapporteurs ask govt to review new IT rules

Rediff.com   19 Jun 2021

The submission was made by the UN Special Rapporteurs on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan; on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Clement Nyaletsossi Voule; and the right to privacy, Joseph Cannataci.

These 50 listed companies raised money from investors and 'vanished'!

These 50 listed companies raised money from investors and 'vanished'!

Rediff.com   14 Jun 2021

A number of listed companies are not to be found on their registered address. The stock exchange has also been unable to contact them through other means. These 50 companies had been suspended for violations for more than six months. The BSE had reached out to them with show cause notices in December 2020.

How to Defeat Pirates who STEAL Films

How to Defeat Pirates who STEAL Films

Rediff.com   9 Jun 2021

Intelligent tools are being deployed to detect content pirated from OTT platforms.