• Vanesa R. Del Rey was on the Arena stage for a special chat about her work with Marvel Comics and her current, creator owned series – Redlands with Image Comics!
• For the first time in India, Image Comics showcased some of its leading creators, Ryan O’Sullivan, Dan Watters, Ram V as they talked about their work with Image Comics
• Creator Rahil Mohsin launched ‘Blame it on Rahil’, an anthology of his creations so far, while artist and publisher Vivek Goel, founder of Holy Cow Entertainment, unveiled the latest issues from his popular series ‘Caster & The Age of Immortals
• Popular stand-up comedian Sapan Verma provided a dose of hilarity to the second day of the event with a live performance
• Shabaz Ahmed (DoomBringer) from Bengaluru, won the Cosplay Championship at Day 1 and took back home INR 50,000 as the winning prize money
• Fans were thrilled to get clicked at the exclusive experiential zones from Maruti Suzuki Arena, Sony Pix, Marvel Studios, Amazon Prime zone while the Warner Bros India team hosted a fun, interactive session at the Arena stage to mark the upcoming release of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Besides

Bengaluru, November 18, 2018: As the city’s fandom reconvened after an epic opening day of the 7th Maruti Suzuki Arena Bengaluru Comic Con at KTPO Trade Centre in Whitefield, the second and final day of the two-day pop culture convention on Sunday, November 18 was host to an array of engaging and interactive activities, sessions, and performances. Along with this, the much-anticipated Cosplay Contest saw cosplayers come in their best creations as attendees rooted for their favourite characters to win the big prize.

Day 2 at the Bengaluru Comic Con was flagged off on the Arena Stage as the team from Radio One hosted a live engagement session with audiences. Delivering on the promise of bringing the best of Indian creators, the second day of Bengaluru Comic Con saw exclusive launches of a number of titles, beginning with the print edition of artist Sumit Kumar’s popular web comic – Bakarmax. This was followed by the launch of ‘Blame it on Rahil’ by Rahil Mohsin, an anthology of his creations so far. Artist and publisher Vivek Goel, founder of Holy Cow Entertainment, also treated comic book fanatics by launching the latest issues from his popular series ‘Caster & The Age of Immortals’. In addition to this, writer Shamik Dasgupta also showcased some of his most popular titles such as ‘Rakshak’ & ‘The Village’ published by Yali Dream Creations.

Returning on Day 2 of the convention, AXN Live R.E.D. hosted a special screening of fan-favourite hit series on the Arena stage, as fans gathered around to catch their most-loved moments from their most-loved shows. The next session saw Vanesa R. Del Rey, the artist of Image Comics’ new series Redlands, speak on the comic and her other works.

Among the biggest attractions during the day was the Comic Con Binge Worthy session with Luke Kenny, VJ, musician, comic book creator, and actor from the recent fan-favorite Indian series, Sacred Games. Luke helmed a fun Q&A session with fans, where he talked about his Rock On days to his stint as a comic creator, his love for zombies and on his recent show, Sacred Games. But that’s not all. Sapan Verma – well-known Indian comedian and co-founder of the ‘East India Comedy’ (EIC) group – performed a special set for audiences at the Arena, where his fellow EIC alum Sahil Shah also performed during the previous day.

As the interactive sessions came to a close, all excited cosplay artists and fans gathered at the Arena for the second and the final installment of the event they look forward to the whole year—the Comic Con Cosplay Contest! Dressed as characters from their favourite comics, movies, and television shows, the event saw an overwhelming number of cosplayers battle it out to win the coveted prize amount of INR 50,000, and a chance to represent the city at the Indian Championship of Cosplay 2019. Nearly every fan attending the event flocked for the contest to the Arena stage, which was a remarkable sight to behold with the array of colours and costumes adorned by cosplayers.

Continuing on the second day were the exclusive experiential & gaming zones from Maruti Suzuki Arena, Sony Pix, Marvel Studios, Aquaman, while the Warner Bros India team hosted a fun, interactive session at the Arena stage to mark the upcoming release of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Besides, fans got so much more than they expected on the last day of Bengaluru Comic Con, with cosplay makeovers, engaging activities and photo ops with favorite superheroes and characters, a glimpse of the fiction world, and a whole lot of merchandise and goodies.

The 7^th Maruti Suzuki Arena Bengaluru Comic Con saw participants like both nationally as well as internationally acclaimed publishers namely DC Comics, Penguin Random House India, Darkhorse Comics, Viz Media, among others. Exciting merchandise from exhibitors such as Souled Store, Every Flavour Geeks, Planet Superheroes, Crossword Bookstores, among others, also brought a smile to the faces of fans.

Speaking on the massive turnout and tremendous response, Jatin Varma, Founder, Comic Con India commented, “The Bengaluru community of fans exceeds our expectations each year as we saw one of the biggest audience turnouts ever. We hope fans and attendees had a great time. On behalf of the entire Comic Con India fraternity, I would like to extend my heartiest thanks to the fans for their continued support for seven years and for helping us make this annual convention truly #TheBestWeekendOfTheYear. Although the event has come to a close promise, we promise to be back next year with a bigger and more exciting event!”

Among the main participants at Maruti Suzuki Arena Bengaluru Comic Con this year were both nationally as well as internationally acclaimed publishers such as DC Comics, Penguin Random House India, Darkhorse Comics, Viz Media, Holy Cow Entertainment and many more. Exhibitors such as The Souled Store, Every Flavour Geeks, Planet Superheroes, Crossword Bookstores, and XP Pen etc. also offered a plethora of exciting merchandise for fans to take home.

As the second day came to an end, fans bid goodbye to their favourite pop culture event with a heavy heart, but knowing that they would have a chance to return for an even bigger and better event in 2019. And with a team as Comic Con India dedicated to creating a platform for fans and exhibitors to celebrate their never-ending love and passion for all things pop culture, one can be sure of that!

About Comic Con

Comic Con India is a unique event celebrating the illustrated medium, which brings together the whole comics industry and related fields such as Merchandise, Toys, Games, Films and Animation, along with fans of this culture from all age groups. It has now grown to multiple events across the country. The mission has now evolved to create unique pop culture events and engage with fans all across the country.

The properties include Delhi Comic Con, Mumbai Comic Con, Bangalore Comic Con & Hyderabad Comic Con. Along with a traveling property – Comic Con Express, which was last held in Pune in 2016.

Comic Con India (CCI) took a big leap as they recently (In September 2014) announced a joint venture with Reed Exhibitions; part of the FTSE listed Reed Elsevier Group, to grow the pop culture space in India and bring world class events to Indian fans. The Comic Con India team will now work closely with the ‘ReedPOP’ division of Reed Exhibitions, the largest producer of pop culture events in the world.

With this JV in place, CCI enters the burgeoning ReedPOP portfolio of pop culture events which includes New York Comic Con, PAX, the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, Oz Comic-Con, Singapore Toy, Gaming & Comics Convention and Star Wars Celebration among many others.

For more info about the event:

http://www.comicconbangalore.com

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One-stop Trading Platform Creates New Business Opportunities

12 July 2018 – The 25^th Hong Kong Fashion Week for Spring/Summer, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), came to a close today. Around 11,000 buyers from 65 countries and regions attended the four-day fair (9-12 July), with buyers attendance from Canada, Taiwan and those from Belt and Road countries such as Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia，Thailand and Vietnam recorded considerable growth. Around fifteen fashion events, including fashion shows, trend forecasting and fashion tech seminars, buyer forum and a networking reception were held during the fair to generate business opportunities for industry professionals.

“The global economy is now facing significant challenges under the impact of the Sino-US trade friction. Hong Kong companies should stay competitive by launching diversified products and designs, and by exploring emerging markets,” said Benjamin Chau, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director. “Besides participating in trade fairs, they should also engage in promotions on online sourcing platforms and social media to reach more global buyers. Fashion and technology have merged and formed a new trend in recent years, where more and more innovative technologies are incorporated in fashion design, manufacturing, sourcing and sales. During the fashion week, the HKTDC has organised the seminars ‘The Next Wave in Fashion Technology’ and ‘Online Shopping Reshapes the Fashion Industry’ to discuss the latest fashion tech applications and explore marketing strategies for online fashion sales, offering useful insights for both exhibitors and buyers.”

On-site orders from UAE buyer

The four-day fair brought the latest market intelligence and fashion tech to buyers and created many sourcing opportunities for the industry. Mohamed Sadhique, a buyer from UAE’s Lamia Garments Manufacturing, said that it was his second visit to the fair to source laces and other fabrics. He had already placed on-site orders. “I’ve already placed orders with two suppliers from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland that I met last year. The laces order with the Hong Kong supplier is worth about US$250,000, while the order with the Chinese mainland supplier is around US$45,000.” He said Hong Kong is an excellent place to source fabrics and expects to develop business with more new suppliers for a mix of laces and fabrics.

Product variety attracts buyers

Despite challenges in the global economy, Hong Kong companies can still attract buyers by launching a wide selection of products to avoid price competition. The Hong Kong exhibitor MsEnvy has joined the fair for many years and leveraged the platform to launch an array of silk womenswear each year to capture buyers’ attention. This year, the company offered womenswear with 300 styles to buyers.  Jun M.K. Wong, Managing Director of the company, said that a number of new customers including buyers from Canada, Japan, Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries showed interest in their designs. A new buyer from Italy was very keen on purchasing some styles in silk and polyester, and the order was expected to be finalised within three to six months. She also pointed out that existing customers from Italy and Australia returned to make new orders, while the company has established cooperation with another new Australian company to develop new collections.

To cater for the demand for sourcing in small amounts, the show once again set up the hktdc.com Small Orders zone, featuring nearly 100 showcases and garment racks with close to 300 products, which are available for orders in minimum quantities of between five and 1,000 pieces. During the four-day event, 2,700 buyers visited the zone and 6,000 connections were established.

Hong Kong Fashion Week for Spring/Summer featured some 1,100 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions. The third edition of CENTRESTAGE, a platform for international, especially Asian fashion brands and designers to promote their brands and launch their collections, will be held 5-8 September. Details will be announced soon. Please visit the website www.centrestage.com.hk/ for more information.

About the HKTDC

Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong’s businesses. With more than 50 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With more than 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus

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VIENNA, 22 May (UN Information Service) – The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) concluded its 122nd session in Vienna on Friday. Upon the closing of the session, the INCB President, Dr. Viroj Sumyai, emphasized the importance of compliance of countries with the three international drug control treaties and the grave consequences of non-compliance for public health and well-being.

In the course of the session, the Board analysed the drug control situation on a country-by-country basis and reviewed compliance by State Parties with the three international drug control treaties. The Board examined the findings of a recent country mission and agreed on recommendations to be made to the respective Government to strengthen their national drug control system. It also reviewed the implementation by Governments of mission recommendations made over recent years.

As part of its mandate towards ensuring the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals for licit uses while preventing their diversion to illicit channels and abuse, the Board reviewed the licit movement of these substances, as well as the supply of and demand for opiates for medical and scientific purposes.  In accordance with its mandate under the 1988 Convention, the Board also reviewed the licit movement and preventing diversion of precursors.

The Board held in-depth discussions on the non-medical and non-scientific use of cannabis, which did not comply with the drug control conventions, and the dramatic serious consequences that non-compliance can have on public health, particularly among young people.

The Board also considered the opioid overdose crisis faced in a number of countries and efforts to address the situation, including the Board’s own new initiative, the Operational Partnerships to Interdict Opioids’ Illicit Distribution and Sales (OPIOIDS) Project.

As part of its commitment to concerted international action towards effectively addressing and countering the world’s drug problem, the Board held consultations with the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Chair of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO).

During the session, INCB also commenced work on its Annual Report for 2018. The report will be finalized during the Board’s 123rd session and will include a thematic chapter on the use of cannabis. The report will also be supplemented by a special report on availability of controlled drugs for medical and scientific purposes.

The Board’s next session will be held in November 2018, during which the Board will mark its 50th anniversary.

The Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is an independent body, established by the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, mandated to monitor and support governments’ compliance with the three international drug control treaties. Its 13 members are elected by the Economic and Social Council to serve in their individual capacities for a term of five years.

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New Delhi, May 21, 2018: The first ever edition of Taiwan Expo 2018 concluded successfully recently in New Delhi.

The expo that took place at Pragati Maidan kick-started on 17th May saw attendance of who’s who of the Indian and Taiwanese business world including Mr. Chung- Kwang Tien, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in India, Mr. Som Mittal, Chairman, Electronics and White Goods Manufacturing Committee of Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Mr. L C Goyal, Chairman and Managing Director, India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and host of other respected delegates & dignitaries.

Taiwan Expo 2018 was attended by various suppliers and buyers.

There were total more than 20,000 visitors at the three-day event. There were many technologically advanced products on display at the expo that enthralled the visitors and buyers alike.

Mr. James C.F. Huang, the Chairman of TAITRA said, “We are overwhelmed by the response that we have received for the expo. This only strengthens our belief that there is an immense opportunity for India and Taiwan to improve trade relations and people to people contact. We will visit India again with more exhibitors next year as well. We are also keen to organize such expo in other Indian cities.”

Apart from this, TAITRA Forum also concretizes Taiwan-India EV partnership during the India-Taiwan Electric Vehicle Industry Forum”, organized by the TAITRA and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), in collaboration with the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV).

There were cultural performances organized in all the days of the expo. One of the highlights of the event was the visit of Mumbai Indians cricket team trio – Mr. Hardik Pandya, Mr. Ishan Kishan and Mr. Suryakumar Yadav who had the first hand-on-experience of the latest gizmos on display by the top Taiwanese brands at the expo.

The exhibition had eight themed pavilions – Meet Taiwan, Taiwan EV Alliance, Taiwan Food Processing Machinery, Taiwan Green Products, Taiwan Healthcare, Taiwan Tourism, Taiwan Excellence and Taiwan Smart City.

The exhibit areas include agriculture & food, EV, Auto parts & Fasteners, Home Products, ICT & Green Products, Mandarin education & business services, Medical Devices, Health & personal care, Sports & Outdoor and Textiles.

Participating companies from Taiwan showcased Taiwan’s latest technologies, eco-friendly products, and industrial prowess.

The gala opening ceremony of the expo was also attended by Honorable Members of Parliament Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi and Mr. Harish Meena.

A seminar on ‘Taiwan Smart Industry Trend’, which was attended by Indian buyers and delegates from FICCI was also organized on the sidelines of the expo.

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• Today the sale process of the cement business of Jaiprakash Associates Ltd. (JAL) and Jaypee Cement Corporation Limited (JCCL) to UltraTech Cement Ltd. has been concluded. This transaction is valued at Rs. 16,189 crore

• With this sale, part of the debt of JAL and JCCL has been transferred from a stressed account to a AAA rated company

Ms. Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank said, “I welcome the completion of the sale of the cement business of Jaiprakash Associates Ltd. (JAL) and Jaypee Cement Corporation Limited (JCCL) to UltraTech Cement Ltd. ICICI Bank, as the lead bank, has played a significant role in this sale process. This is the largest asset resolution in the country so far and I hope that this landmark transaction will pave the way for more such resolutions. It is also heartening to note that this is the largest transaction in India’s cement industry, thus far.

The decision to sell the cement business to reduce JAL and JCCL’s debt was taken more than a year ago. ICICI Securities was then appointed to manage the sale process. ICICI Bank has played a significant role through this entire process, enabling successful completion of this transaction.”

For latest information on the Bank, visit www.icicibank.com and follow www.twitter.com/icicibank

About ICICI Bank Ltd: ICICI Bank Ltd (NYSE:IBN) is India’s largest private sector bank by consolidated assets. The Bank’s consolidated total assets stood at US$ 152.0 billion at March 31, 2017. ICICI Bank’s subsidiaries include India’s leading private sector insurance, asset management, securities brokerage and primary dealership companies, and among the country’s largest private equity firms. It is present across 17 countries, including India.

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Mumbai, 23^rd June, 2017 – Vamaship, world’s first integrated online logistics platform as a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility have successfully fulfilled a heartwarming gesture through ‘The BVC DOO Initiative’. Through this initiative, Vamaship reached out to the underprivileged children homes and old age homes across 71 cities of the country to deliver them clothing and essential stationery, Vamaship has lent their full provision as the logistics partner.

With the help of ‘The BVC DOO Initiative’, Vamaship shipped smiles and love to over twenty thousand kids in 144 children homes including Aditya Birla Centre for the Welfare of Children and Aamcha Ghar amongst many. Furthermore, in addition to last year, this year they even shipped clothes to 599 senior citizens in 12 old age homes like Rajeev Rajan Adharghar, Vatsalya Vruddhashram across the country.

The ‘BVC DOO Initiative’ was held at BVC offices across 29 cities including Mumbai. Corporates and officials from within the premises were invited to participate. Brands like Decor, Disney, Indusind Bank, Ola, Satellite Group, Club Mahindra along with BVC Logistics contributed clothes, books and stationery.

These products were shipped from 29 cities to orphanages and old age homes in 71 cities across India with the shipping expertise of Vamaship. They distributed thousands of books, clothes and stationery weighing over 5 tons. To empower the mission and vision of BVC Foundation, Vamaship initiated this nationwide drive which would make a difference to thousands of elderly folks and children.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Bhavik Chinai – Founder & CEO, Vamaship stated, “We are delighted to provide our services to successfully fulfill this noble initiative. In addition to last year, this year we extended our support to over 20,000 kids along with 599 senior citizens in 71 cities across the country. It feels good to use our expertise in making a difference in people’s lives. We hope to continue the same in coming years”.

On receiving the shipment, Christ Faith Home, Chennai stated “With gratitude budding from the very inch of our hearts, we would like to thank Vamaship for their generous contributions of long and small size ruled notebooks which are indeed a great support to our school going children. Kindhearted people like you make it possible for us to continue to serve these needy ones. On seeing your good doings to our children God of Love will bless you and your team members in all walks of life with immense grace and multiplied blessings. Once again on behalf of the management we thank Vamaship wholeheartedly for their generosity”

On receiving the shipment, Vatsalya Vruddhashram, Nashik commented, “We would like to wholeheartedly thank BVC Foundation & Vamaship for showering us with such love and affection. The support extended by the organization will give a new lease of life to the old age citizens. Such little gestures gives a ray of hope and optimism to the elderly. It also encourages us to continue our efforts in serving them“

About Vamaship:

Launched in October 2015, Vamaship is a revolution in logistics that connects shippers with industry’s best logistics companies. Vamaship as a marketplace facilitates shipments to over 20,000 pin codes in India and to 200 countries from India. With a nationwide network of partners, Vamaship brings the best of technology and logistics to create a seamless shipping experience.

Vamaship is focused on the vision & mission to become the world’s shipping partner and to set global benchmarks in service quality, growth rate and stakeholder satisfaction, respectively.

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The Japan Gastech Consortium welcomed record numbers of Ministers, business leaders and influential players within the industry, to explore the key topics currently affecting the sector and to successfully facilitate business transactions

Japan, 07-04-17 – Gastech, the industry’s largest global gas & LNG conference and exhibition, today drew to a close, having welcomed over 20,000 attendees over four days.

The high-level conference was attended by 2,500 delegates from across the globe, and played stage to 200 international speakers, across both commercial and technical disciplines. The in-depth sessions and panel discussions focused on topics that are currently of significant importance to the industry, and explored how gas suppliers are adapting to the changing global market, and key trends influencing the sector.

The proceedings commenced with a welcome address by Mr. Yosuke Takagi, Japan’s State Minister of Economy, Trade & Industry. The conference was then officially opened following a ribbon cutting ceremony by all members of the Japan Gastech Consortium, a collaboration of the 10 most important energy companies across various disciplines. Mr. Nobuo Tanaka, Consortium Chairman, opened the discussion of the golden age of gas.

Christopher Hudson, President of Energy, DMG Events Global Energy comments: “It was the first time for Gastech in Japan, and it didn’t disappoint! A major milestone in history was made in the world’s largest LNG market of Japan, where the country’s biggest energy companies came together as one consortium to collaborate for Gastech.

“The conference has played host to a unique alliance between Japan’s most influential companies and has brought together 100s of businesses from the up, mid and downstream sectors of the supply chain. This year we welcomed more than 200 media, and a record number of international delegates from 70 countries.”

Business leaders from the industry majors, including Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Total and ConocoPhillips, were among those who took to the stage to address the delegation. Specialist conference streams focused on driving diversity in the workforce, and attracting young talent to the industry.

Hilary Mercer, Vice President Integrated Gas Projects & Technology, Shell comments: “It’s great to participate in this event for the LNG sector, and have the opportunity to discuss and debate some of the hottest challenges facing our industry. I have especially enjoyed the opportunity to discuss the constant challenge we face in areas such as ‘zero scoping’ and remain ahead and safe, in a constantly changing landscape.”

The Gastech exhibition spanned 6 halls and featured 600 companies from 50 countries, multiple networking lounges and product showcase theatres, with product innovation clearly evident.

Mr. Hudson continues:  We’ve seen an unprecedented level of innovation throughout the exhibition show floor, taking the calibre of the event to a level never previously witnessed. 70% of floor space for the 2018 exhibition has already been sold or reserved, and we’ve witnessed a significant number of strategic business deals. Exhibition stands and sponsorship opportunities are still available, and we look forward to being joined by more players within the energy field next year!”

Returning to Europe, following three editions in Asia, Gastech 2018 is scheduled to take place in Barcelona, Spain (17-20 September 2018). Asia and Europe remain the largest consuming regions for gas & LNG with demand outlook bullish – creating new opportunities for global suppliers. Gastech’s move to Spain reflects the resurgence of gas & LNG in Europe. The event will be hosted by Enagás, Repsol, Gas Natural Fenosa, Tecnicas Reunidas and Sedigas.

Marcelino Oreja, Chief Executive Officer, Enagás states: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome the world’s largest meeting place for the global gas and LNG industry to Barcelona in 2018. In the Europe-led transition towards a low-carbon energy model, natural gas plays an essential role as a low emissions source. This fact is a perfect opportunity for our sector.”

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Productive Discussions Held On Growing India-US IT Sector Collaboration

06^th March 2017, New Delhi: A delegation of Indian IT sector executives led by NASSCOM Chairman Mr. C.P. Gurnani and President Mr. R Chandrashekhar has concluded a visit to Washington, DC, in which they engaged in a number of meetings with key policymakers in Congress and the Trump Administration, as well as several important allies from US industry and elsewhere. The group was in Washington from February 27 through March 2 to continue the dialogue with U.S. policymakers on the contributions of the Indian IT sector to the U.S. economy, in the overall context of the increasingly important U.S.-India relationship.

Specific topics of discussion included the H-1B visa program, which faces calls for new restrictions by some members of Congress and some allies of President Trump. Among those officials met with were Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), influential members of Congress who have sponsored legislation on the issue; as well as key congressional staff and officials in the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

The group attended a reception for the National Governors Association at the residence of Indian Ambassador Navtej Sarna that was also attended by more than 25 U.S. state governors, along with CEOs of U.S and Indian companies, and key governmental officials. Last month, NASSCOM met with a delegation of members of Congress visiting India, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA).

“From our recent meetings, it is clear that our sector has more work to do in educating U.S. policymakers on the mutual benefits of strong India-U.S. trade in IT services,” said Mr. R. Chandrashekhar, President, NASSCOM. “In some cases, those benefits and the actual workings of the visa programs are not well understood.

“That said, we remain hopeful that further dialogue between government and business leaders in both nations will lead to a better understanding of the high-skill visa issues, which will in turn inform constructive reforms,” he added. “We appreciated the openness of the policymakers and their advisors to engage in substantive, candid discussions.”

India-U.S. Trade in IT Services Helps Make the U.S. More Competitive 

By helping thousands of U.S. businesses improve their operations, create new products and services, and gain market share, India-based IT companies doing business in the United States are protecting and creating jobs for Americans. Every reputable data source – from the U.S. Department of Labor and National Science Foundation to the Brookings Institution – has documented a growing shortfall between the supply and demand for computer science majors in the U.S. workforce, especially in cutting-edge fields such as cloud, big data, and mobile computing.

Without access to high-skilled IT workers on visas, many U.S. companies would be forced to choose between shifting more IT work offshore or delaying innovation. Either approach would reduce overall employment for Americans. NASSCOM believes additional restrictions on the H-1B or L-1 visa systems would hurt thousands of U.S. businesses by hindering access to much-needed talent.

Further, any new requirements aimed at protecting U.S. workers should be applied to all visa sponsors to ensure a level playing field and equal protection of all workers. Most of the existing legislative and administrative proposals would not actually protect American workers, since the proposed restrictions would be applicable only to a small group of companies that account for a minority of new visas issued.

“As responsible corporate citizens, our members comply with all applicable laws and regulations, employ over 100,000 in America and continue to add additional U.S. citizens in well-paying jobs by the thousands; and support efforts towards local hiring and skill building,” said Mr. R. Chandrashekhar. “Now is the time to identify new measures that will maximize the synergies between our nations, create jobs in the US and India, and expand bilateral trade and investment.”

About NASSCOM

NASSCOM® is the premier trade body and the chamber of commerce of the IT-BPM industry in India. NASSCOM is a global trade body with more than 2100 members, which includes both Indian and multinational companies that have a presence in India. NASSCOM’s member and associate member companies are broadly in the business of software development, software services, software products, consulting services, BPM, e-commerce and web services, engineering services and animation and gaming. NASSCOM’s membership base constitutes over 95% of the industry revenues in India and employs about 3.5 million professionals.

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• International destination of Mumbai gets the thumbs up as the right venue for this niche expo

Giving a major impetus to the Tea, Coffee & Allied sectors, the 4^th World Tea & Coffee Expo concluded successfully on 22^nd Oct 2016 witnessing striking of bulk deals, joint ventures/alliances, franchise enquiries, appointment of marketing agents and generation of large number of business leads. India’s only globally recognized tea and coffee show – www.worldteacoffeeexpo.com – was held at Mumbai from 20th – 22nd October 2016 and showcased innovative products, machineries, equipment, technologies, vending solutions etc from 67 companies to over 3400 decision makers visiting from countries like Russia, Singapore, Iran, USA, China, Sri Lanka, Nepal and UAE in addition to buyers from across India. Apart from India, companies from Italy, USA, China, UK, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka also participated as exhibitors.

The 2016 edition had Pavilions from Tea Board of India and Sri Lanka Tea Board and also had a 2-day hi level conference discussing issues facing the sector and skill imparting workshops on last day. Visitors included senior level decision makers comprising of Retailers, Wholesalers, Distributors, hypermarkets/multi-product retail chains, Tea/Coffee Estate owners, potential franchisees, HoReCa sector professionals many of whom placed large orders with exhibitors.

“Further to positive reviews from Exhibitors and visitors alike, the 5^th Edition of the expo in 2017 is also planned to be held at Mumbai – the commercial capital of India and a centre which attracts serious buyers from all parts of the country and the globe.” said Ms Priti Kapadia, Director, Sentinel Exhibitions Asia Pvt. Ltd, the organizers of this unique trade show.

World Tea & Coffee Expo thus fulfilled the need for an organized event for Tea & Coffee Companies to come together under one roof to showcase their products, network, share learning and experiences and find suitable solutions to the industry’s problems. This niche trade fair was inaugurated by Her Excellency Ms Saroja Sirisena, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai who remarked that, “India and Sri Lanka can share their natural advantage to ensure leadership in global tea and coffee markets. Organized trade platforms like World Tea & Coffee Expo can go a long way in forging larger business partnerships”

Most of the exhibitors were upbeat about the expo and expressed satisfaction at having taken part. Mr Mansour Aldawood, Arab Dalla Trading Est., from Saudi Arabia said, “For unique & exclusive products like ours we could not have asked for a better platform than WTCE. We got statistics of customer needs and can implement a best-in-class demand planning strategy.” According to Mr. Grahame Hackney, Instantina Ltd. UK, “We have been participating since the last 2 editions displaying our unique coffee products and it can be said that there is no better expo that gives such focused & quality visitors. WTCE is heading in the right direction as far as Tea & Coffee industries are concerned.” In the words of Mr. Bhuman Dani, TGL Co., “For a start-up tea company like ours, WTCE turned out to be an excellent platform to launch our innovative products and in turn get national recognition among the stalwarts of the Indian Tea industry.”

Echoing similar sentiments is Mr. Uday Udani, Pacific Plastics Industries P. L., who stated “We never expected such tremendous footfalls & have generated a good number enquiries for our packaging machineries which we hope to convert into actual business.” Anil Chandhok, Chenab Impex P Ltd, expressed “We had a good experience in the Exhibition and displayed imported Teas. We had many visitors from different buyer sectors, which we would not have met otherwise.”

Mr. Piyush Monga, Synergy, Infrastructure Solution P Ltd.,, said, “WTCE is a perfect place for our all our products, we not only got good branding but also a lot of genuine business visitors who were interested in our Tea & Coffee premixes. Ms. Rekha Agarwal, Sira Impex P Ltd, “For our slimming tea – which we had also exhibited in the 2015 edition – we can say that the 2016 expo has matured in terms of size, exhibitors and visitors.” Mr. Rajesh Surana, Tetrahedron Beverages P Ltd., “We have been a part of WTCE for 3 Editions and we can give our verdict that this has been one of the best in terms of visitor quality, publicity & branding.”

Sanjay Gupta, Budwhite Teas P Ltd., “Being a 3^rd time exhibitor, WTCE this year has surpassed all our expectations in terms of visitors & leads generated. The quality of the visitors this year was business oriented.” Mr. Aditya Agarwal, Lajwab Tulsi Tea, “It was a right decision to exhibit for the first times at WTCE & we are sure with such great management & perfection, this show is bound to grow larger year after year.”

The organizers are planning to make the 5th Edition of WTCE in 2017 much larger in terms of content and size and are likely to announce the dates very soon.

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13 cities battle out to become India’s topmost Wildlife Wizards

New Delhi, 6 October 2016: WWF-India and Discovery Kids in association with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) today organised the national finals of Wild Wisdom Quiz 2016. The Wild Wisdom Quiz, in its ninth year now, was started in 2008 to build awareness in young minds about India’s rich natural biodiversity. The theme for this year’s quiz, in line with the theme for the World Wildlife Week 2016, is “Evolution and Biodiversity”, andaims toinculcate in the participantsa deeper understanding about the role of evolution and its linkage with biodiversity and the integral role it plays in maintaining and sustaining healthy ecosystems to support our survival. Events like this therefore go a long way in teaching children about the wonders of the natural world, the importance of conserving ecosystems and inculcating in them patterns of sustainable consumption.

The Wild Wisdom Quiz was conducted over two months across cities in India and had approximately 47000 registrations from 1100 schools. The national finals, starting with the Wild Wisdom Anthem, developed by The Sri Ram School, Aravalli choir had all the 28 city level winners from 13 cities battling it out for the title. The winners for the Wild Wisdom Quiz 2016 were Don Bosco School, Guwahatifollowed by The Shri Ram School, Moulsariand St. Anthony Senior Secondary School, Udaipur in the first and second runner-up spots respectively. The three teams will now head for a birding trip to Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan to experience nature first-hand. All the top five teams received prizes from WWF-India, Puffin books and SONY. All 28 participants also received a wildlife safari based board game “Kadoo- The Big Game” from Mr. Diinesh Kumble, Founder and Chief Creator of Kaadoo.

The event also saw the launch of WWF-India’s Butterflies of Delhi, released by Dr. Surya Prakash, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University. . The publication, developed with expert advice from Dr. Prakash is a user-friendly reference for students to learn, identify and enjoy seeing butterflies in the natural world.Dr. Rohan Chakraborthy, renowned cartoonist and illustrator was also present at the event and spoke to the children about his personal experiences with wildlife and his inspiration to give up a career in dentistry and take up drawing for wildlife and conservation.  This was followed by a session by Dr. Dipankar Ghosh, Director, Species and Landscape, WWF-India who enthralled the students with WWF India’s work in its various landscapes.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India congratulated the participants and said “The Wild Wisdom Quiz provides children from across the country a platform to learn about our country’s rich biodiversity and helps build their interest in environmental issues. It is indeed a pleasure to see schools and parents encourage children to participate in such events and help them appreciate what the natural world has to offer. The increased participation of the Wild Wisdom Quiz over the years only reinforces our belief that children are the change leaders of tomorrow. We believe it is through their efforts that we can build a planet in which humans live in harmony with nature.”

Rajiv Bakshi, Vice President, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific said “We are proud to partner with WWF India for the Wild Wisdom Quiz 2016. I congratulate all the participants and winners of this year’s event.It is heartening to see young minds eager to learn about the rich natural heritage of our country. Our objective is to spread the message of a healthy and sustainable environment and encourage children to participate and take pride in our bio-diversity and this partnership achieves that goal.”

The Wild Wisdom Quiz also has an online version for senior school students, registrations for which are open till 15th October, 2016, at http://quiz.wwfindia.org/wwq/.

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