Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Wins Prestigious International Green Gown Award 2024

National, 21 October 2024: Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has won the prestigious International Green Gown Award 2024 under the Benefitting Society category for its transformative Live-in-LabsⓇ initiative. This recognition highlights the university's multidisciplinary approach to experiential learning, addressing the challenges faced by rural communities and promoting sustainability. The award further cements Amrita’s leadership in environmental stewardship and social impact.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham also received accolades in three other categories:

● Highly Commended in Creating Impact for the My Village, Our Water initiative. For more details: https://www.greengownawards.org/amrita-vishwa-vidyapeetham-india1

● Finalist in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Sustainability for its E4Life PhD in Sustainable Development project. For more details: https://www.greengownawards.org/amrita-vishwa-vidyapeetham-india2

● Finalist in Nature Positive for Nurturing Nature (Amma's Sustainability Initiatives). For more details: https://www.greengownawards.org/amrita-vishwa-vidyapeetham-india3

With 95 finalists from 28 countries across 8 categories, the Green Gown Awards have become the most prestigious recognition of best practice in the further and higher education sector. This year’s awards spotlight universities and their efforts towards sustainability and global change. 

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is ranked 81st globally by the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2024, reflecting its commitment to impactful education and research. The university operates across nine campuses in five states. Amrita’s Chancellor, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), launched Live-in-LabsⓇ in 2013. This initiative bridges the gap between academic learning and practical community engagement, enabling students to immerse themselves in rural life and tackle real-world problems. Through collaboration with local governments, communities, and subject matter experts, Live-in-LabsⓇ offers scalable, affordable solutions that drive sustainable development. 

Dr. Maneesha V Ramesh, Provost and Dean, Amrita School for Sustainable Futures, said, “We are immensely proud to receive the International Green Gown Award 2024 in the Benefitting Society Category, along with recognition in three additional categories. The Live-in-LabsⓇ initiative exemplifies our dedication to sustainable development through experiential learning. 

Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival Announces Dates for its 9th Edition

Mumbai, 21st October 2024: Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival (BVFF) has announced the highly anticipated 9th edition which is scheduled to take place from December 5th to December 8th, 2024, at Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio in Kahilipara, Guwahati. This year, the festival is set to captivate audiences with a vibrant selection of films, showcasing powerful stories from the Northeast region and beyond.

 

With more than 220 film entries submitted this year, the festival will present a vibrant selection of films across both competitive and non-competitive sections, featuring categories such as feature films, documentaries, and short films. The non-competitive category will also highlight a diverse range of cinematic works that deserve recognition and appreciation. Both categories aim to inspire, engage, and shine a light on talented filmmakers while encouraging exchanging ideas and meaningful conversation within the industry.

 

Over the years, BVFF has screened over 280+ films, and received more than 1,200+ competition entries, with a strong focus on promoting the work of young filmmakers, over 800 of whom have been trained through the festival’s initiatives. Additionally, the last edition in 2023 drew an impressive footfall of 25,000+ attendees, highlighting the festival's growing impact and popularity in the region.

 

Tanushree Hazarika, Director of the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival said, “We’re delighted to announce that the 9th edition of the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival will be held on December 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th, 2024, at Jyoti Chitraban in Guwahati. What started as a passion project to bring regional cinema to the global stage has now become a platform for emerging storytellers of the future. This festival has always been about embracing the art of storytelling and uplifting the voices and dreams of filmmakers from across India. Each year, our journey becomes more meaningful, with more stories to share and connections to celebrate. This year, we’re proud to bring an exceptional lineup of films that reflects both regional spirit and global perspectives. We warmly invite everyone to join us for these four days, where every story shared and every dream realized brings us closer as a community."

CaratLane Launches 300th store with grand inauguration by Nancy Tyagi

 

Celebrates a major milestone CartLane

Mumbai, 21 October 2024: CaratLane, India’s leading omni-channel jewellery brand, has reached an extraordinary milestone with the launch of its 300th store in Malad, Mumbai, just in time for Dhanteras. The store was inaugurated by Nancy Tyagi (Fashion Designer & Content Creator)—the face of the brand’s #WearYourWins campaign—with a ribbon cutting ceremony in the presence of loyal customers. This was followed by the tradition of a coal-breaking ceremony inside the store done by customers, marking the start of prosperous times ahead.

Currently, the brand boasts a strong presence in 130 cities across India, with over 370000 square feet of retail space. The new milestone store in Malad measures 900 square feet, charming with 1500+ breathtaking designs in store and providing a seamless customer experience—carrying forward the brand’s hallmark of superior service made possible through a well-integrated omnichannel experience. The store also offers instant engraving, ear piercing, ready inventory of higher ring sizes, and personalised gifting services, creating a delightful shopping experience.

True to its mission of making gorgeous jewellery more accessible across India, the brand has launched over 55 stores in tier 3 cities so far, including places like Dimapur, Pathankot & Attapur.

Saumen Bhaumik, MD & CEO, CaratLane, remarked, “The launch of the 300th store on the auspicious day of Karva Chauth is a proud milestone in the journey of Caratlane. We opened 12 new stores across India during this Navratri, continuing our endeavour to make beautiful yet affordable jewellery accessible to more and more Indian women. We are also launching our 1st store in the US, in New Jersey, marking the beginning of our international footprint.”

CaratLane offers a mix of beautiful studded and unstudded jewellery, including its unmistakable Iconic collections like Butterfly, Aaranya, and Ombre. Through interesting IP collaborations, the brand presents a wide range of products that evoke nostalgia with their Disney, Harry Potter & Minions collections. Most recently, CaratLane also launched beautiful and contemporary everyday wear gold jewellery in 22KT during the festive season — something the brand had never done before. 

The brand caters to all ages, offering 7,000+ designs that make it a go-to for every jewellery need. Currently, over 4000 designs are available on the festive offer—100% off on making charges. Visit CaratLane stores or www.caratlane.com to explore gorgeous diamond and gold designs.

Afcons Infrastructure Limited’s Initial Public Offering to open on Friday, October 25, 2024, price band set at ₹440/- to ₹463/- per Equity Share

Mr. Ramesh Kumar Jha, CFO, Mr. Paramasivan Srinivasan, MD, Mr. Subramanian Krishnamurthy, Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Hitesh Kumar Singh, Head – Corporate Strategy Afcons Infrastructure Limited addressing the med.JPG

Mumbai, October 21, 2024: Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the flagship infrastructure, engineering and construction company of the Shapoorji Pallonji group, has fixed the price band of ₹440/- to ₹463/- per Equity Share of face value ₹10/- each for its maiden initial public offer. 

Last week, Afcons Infrastructure raised Rs 2,967 crore from the company’s management, individual and institutional investors in a pre-IPO placement. The pre-IPO book included names like GIC Singapore, Enam Holdings (Akash Bhanshali), Synergy Capital, 360 One, M&G Investments, Think Investments, Discovery Capital Management, Artian Investment from ArcelorMittal, Madhusudan Kela, White Oak and more. 

The Initial Public Offering (“IPO” or “Offer”) of the Company will open on Friday, October 25, 2024, for subscription and close on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Investors can bid for a minimum of 32 Equity Shares and in multiples of 32 Equity Shares thereafter. A discount of ₹44 per equity share is being offered to eligible employees bidding in the employee reservation portion.

The IPO is a mix of fresh issue of up to Rs 1250 crore and an offer of sale up to Rs 4180 crore. 

The proceeds from its fresh issuance will be utilized to the extent of Rs 80 crore for capital expenditure towards purchase of construction equipment; Rs 320 crore for funding long term working capital requirements; Rs 600 crore for prepayment or scheduled repayment of a portion of certain outstanding borrowings and acceptances availed by the company; and general corporate purposes.

Afcons Infrastructure Limited is an Indian conglomerate with a rich history spanning over six decades. The company has a proven track record of successfully delivering a wide range of complex and challenging engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) projects both domestically and internationally. According to the Fitch Report, Afcons is recognized as one of India’s leading international infrastructure firms, as per the 2023 rankings by Engineering News-Record (ENR) based on international revenue for the financial year 2023.

Afcons operates across five major infrastructure business verticals:

· Marine and Industrial, encompassing projects such as ports, harbors, dry docks, LNG tanks, and material handling systems.

· Surface transport, including highways, interchanges, mining infrastructure, and railways.

· Urban infrastructure, covering metro works, bridges, flyovers, and elevated corridors.

· Hydro and Underground, comprising dams, tunnels, and water-related projects.

· Oil and Gas, involving offshore and onshore projects in the oil and gas sector.

The company has a strong international presence across various infrastructure sectors, as highlighted in the 2023 ENR rankings. Afcons ranks among the top international contractors globally in marine and port facilities, bridges, transportation, and transmission line segments based on international revenue for the financial year 2023, according to the Fitch Report.

Afcons has a history of completing projects ahead of schedule, including notable ones like the Jammu Udhampur Highway Project, Nagpur Metro Reach 3, and Agra Lucknow Expressway. As of June 30, 2024, Afcons is actively involved in 79 active projects across 17 countries. 

As of June 30, 2024, Afcons Infra's order book stood at ₹31,747.43 crore.

AIL's revenue from operations increased from ₹12,637.38 crore in the financial year 2023 to ₹13,267.50 crore in the financial year 2024. Profit after tax grew ₹449.74 crore in fiscal 2024 from ₹410.86 crore in fiscal 2023. Among large infrastructure construction companies in India analysed in the Fitch Report, Afcons has the highest ROCE and EBITDA margins and the second highest ROE and PAT margins for the Financial Year 2024, and the PAT has grown at the fastest rate between the Financial Years 2022 and 2024.

For the three months ended June 30, 2024, revenue from operations stood at Rs 3,154.36 crore, and profit after tax stood at Rs 91.59 crore.

ICICI Securities Limited, DAM Capital Advisors Limited, Jefferies India Private Limited, Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) Private Limited, Nuvama Wealth Management Limited, and SBI Capital Markets Limited are book running lead managers, and Link Intime India Private Limited is the registrar of the issue.

The offer is being made through the book-building process, wherein not more than 50% of the net offer shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to qualified institutional buyers, not less than 15% of the offer shall be available for allocation to non-institutional bidders, and not less than 35% of the offer shall be available for allocation to retail individual bidders.

Notes for Reference: 

Issue Size of the IPO based on the upper and lower end of the price band

Fresh    OFS Total 

Lower Band (@Rs 440) Rs 1,250 crore Rs 4,180 crore Rs 5,430 crore

Upper Band (@Rs 463) Rs 1,250 crore Rs 4,180 crore Rs 5,430 crore

CDSL celebrates IOSCO’s World Investor Week with 'Slam the Scams’ campaign, organizes cycle rally in Mumbai

Mumbai, October 20, 2024: CDSL Investor Protection Fund (CDSL IPF) is pleased to announce the celebrations for World Investor Week 2024 (WIW), organized under the aegis of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). 

As part of the World Investor Week, CDSL IPF hosted a cycle rally to spread awareness of safe investing as well as fraud and scam prevention. The cycle rally was organized in collaboration with HR College of Commerce & Economics and Krisha Foundation as well as various cycling groups and over 200 participants were part of this initiative.

‘Slam the Scams’ campaign will also feature a series of investor awareness programs, and various activities designed to equip investors with practical knowledge and tools to increase awareness of fraud and scam prevention.

Shri Nehal Vora, MD & CEO, CDSL, said, “Our 'Slam the Scams' campaign perfectly aligns with World Investor Week’s focus on fraud and scam prevention. With investor education and financial literacy being more critical than ever, we are dedicated to raising awareness about frauds and scams to ensure investors are informed and protected. At CDSL, we are committed to strengthening trust in our financial ecosystem, empowering individuals to become Atmanirbhar investors, and enabling confident participation in India's economic growth."

World Investor Week is being celebrated this year in India from Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20, 2024. Securities market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the national coordinator for the same.

ACME Solar Holdings Limited signs a power purchase agreement through its subsidiary ACME Platinum Urja Private Limited with Solar Energy Corporation of India for 150 MW of solar power with Energy Storage Solutions

New Delhi, October 18, 2024: ACME Solar Holdings Limited (ASHL or Company), through its Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), ACME Platinum Urja Private Limited has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for a hybrid project with a capacity of 150 MW of solar power integrated with Energy Storage Solutions (ESS).

 

This capacity is part of the total 350 MW capacity awarded to ASHL by SECI. The project will be executed through ACME Platinum Urja Private Limited, an SPV set up for this purpose.

 

The project would be connected to an inter-state transmission system at Tumkur-II substation in Karnataka for which the Company has applied connectivity with Central Transmission Utility.

 

This agreement reinforces ASHL’s commitment to supporting sustainable energy development and demonstrates the ASHL’s ability to execute large-scale, integrated renewable energy projects that is incorporated with advanced ESS technology.

 

 

ASHL is proposing an initial public offer (IPO), subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, to offer its equity shares pursuant to an IPO and has filed a draft red herring prospectus dated July 2, 2024 (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

 

The DRHP is available on the websites of our Company, at www.acmesolar.in, SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in as well as on the websites of the book running lead managers, Nuvama Wealth Management Limited, ICICI Securities Limited, JM Financial Limited, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited and Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors Limited at www.nuvama.com, www.icicisecurities.com, www.jmfl.com, www.kotak.com and www.motilaloswal.com,  respectively,  and the websites of the stock exchange(s) i.e., National Stock Exchange of India Limited and Bombay Stock Exchange at www.nseindia.com and www.bseindia.com, respectively. Any potential investor should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and for details relating to such risk, see “Risk Factors” of the RHP and Prospectus, once filed with the stock exchanges and SEBI. Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP for any investment decision”

 

About ASHL:

 

Established in 2015 to consolidate ACME Group's renewable energy business. Over the years, the Company has diversified and expanded its portfolio from solar power projects to become an integrated renewable energy Company in India. The Company develops, build, own, operate and maintain utility scale renewable energy projects (through our in-house engineering, procurement and construction division and operation and maintenance team), and generate revenue through the sale of electricity to various off-takers including central and state government-backed entities.

Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Expands in Maharashtra, Launches a New Banking Outlet in Kalyan

With this, the Bank has 78 banking outlets in Maharashtra and 969 banking outlets across the country.

Kalyan, 18^th October, 2024 – Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Limited (Utkarsh SFBL), today announced the inauguration of its new banking outlet in Kalyan, Thane Maharashtra. With this launch, the Bank continues to strengthen its presence in the state, ensuring greater access to banking services for the local communities.

Commenting on the expansion, Mr. Govind Singh, MD & CEO, Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Limited said, “We are delighted to expand our banking network in Maharashtra. Kalyan, with its rich cultural heritage and growing urbanisation, offers immense potential for economic development. Our new banking outlet will enable the local community to access essential banking services, contributing to financial inclusion and growth in the region.”

The Bank is in a position to provide an array of financial products and services to its customers, which includes savings and current accounts, fixed deposits and recurring deposits. To cater to the aspirations of its customers, the Bank offers various loan products such as housing loans, business loans and loan against property.

With its banking outlet infrastructure, digital banking capabilities and ATM network, the Bank offers integrated customer service. Apart from this, the Bank offers multiple channels such as Internet banking, Mobile banking, Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and Call Centre.

Utkarsh SFBL aims to provide financial services to underserved and unserved customer segments while serving other segments of society including micro-banking loans (JLG loans), MSME loans, housing loans and loan against property amongst others. Also, the Bank provides facility to customers for opening a bank account without having to visit the branch through the tablet-based application assisted model, “Digi On-Boarding”.