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The investment signifies that the company is making to build semiconductor capabilities.

In its first acquisition in India in the silicon design space, IT consulting and services major Accenture announced the acquisition of Bengaluru-based Excelmax Technologies. The financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The acquisition enhances Accenture’s growing silicon design and engineering capabilities. Excelmax provides custom silicon solutions used in consumer devices, data centres, artificial intelligence (AI), and computational platforms that enable edge AI deployments, to clients in the automotive, telecommunications, and high-tech industries.

The acquisition will bring in 450 strong engineering team of Excelmax joining the global IT player’s team. This is the second acquisition in the semiconductor design space by Accenture. In 2022, Accenture announced the acquisition of XtremeEDA, an Ottawa, Canada-based silicon design services company.

Mahesh Zurale, global lead – Advanced Technology Centres Global Network, Accenture, said, “Accenture’s acquisition of Excelmax Technologies brings approximately 450 highly skilled silicon professionals to our Advanced Technology Centres in India. With the global demand for silicon solutions on the rise, India is becoming a hotbed for chip design. Growing our skilled talent in the country across physical and RTL design, verification, emulation, and firmware engineering will help us expand our capabilities in the silicon design space and accelerate innovation for our worldwide clients.”

Founded in 2019, Excelmax brings comprehensive semiconductor solutions from high-level design to detailed physical layout ready for manufacturing, and full turnkey execution. The company adds approximately 450 professionals to Accenture in key areas such as emulation, automotive, physical design, analog, logic design, and verification, expanding Accenture’s ability to help global clients accelerate edge computing innovation.

Growing capabilities inorganically has been Accenture’s strategy. In FY24 (YTD), it acquired 35 companies at a total cost of $5.2 billion. In the past, the company has acquired Indian and India footprint companies.

“With the rapid evolution of new technologies like generative AI and the growth of connected products, more intricate, specialized chips with enhanced performance and efficiency are required,” said Karthik Narain, group chief executive—Technology at Accenture. “Our acquisition of Excelmax enhances our expertise across every aspect of silicon design and development—from concept to production—so we can help our clients fuel innovation and drive growth.”

“Our focus has always been on developing the best talent to deliver tailor-made solutions for our global clients that help them build and maintain competitive advantage,” said Shekhar Patil, founder & CEO, Excelmax Technologies. “Joining Accenture enables us to remain at the forefront of innovation, providing new and exciting opportunities for both our clients and our people.”

The semiconductor market is experiencing a surge in demand for silicon design engineering, driven by the proliferation of data centres and the increasing use of AI and edge computing. This is further propelled by the growing consumer appetite for electronics, which is driving new investments in the chip design space.

The engineering design space, which would be a similar area as Accenture’s acquisition, has seen some of the largest M&A deals by global and Indian IT services players. Recently, Cognizant announced the acquisition of Belcan in a $1.3 billion transaction. Similarly, Infosys acquired Germany-based in-tech for $480 million.

source/content: business-standard.com (headline edited)

Among the key initiatives at the state-run schools, apart from health check-ups, taken up by Dr Thomas and his nine-member team, is to impart education to girl children on menstrual health through women doctors who serve as consultants for the school health programmes.

One of the first times that Dr Tony Thomas, 48, provided community service in his home city of Bengaluru was as a young dentist 20 years ago when he saw the distress of a young, orphaned child in his neighbourhood affected by a cleft lip – a birth defect.

With a group of doctor friends, he managed to get the young girl treated for the defect with free-of-cost surgery at a local multispecialty hospital. The group of doctors later went on to start a free cleft surgery programme in Bengaluru which saw over 300 surgeries being conducted a year until Covid hit in 2020 and the programme had to be stalled due to the virus-linked restrictions.

However, the free cleft surgery programme helped Dr Tony Thomas forge ties with the government of Karnataka to identify needy patients around the state. It also took him to dozens of government schools around the state where he realised that the situation of the health and education of the children lacked quality and were often abysmal.

‘Health and education are still very neglected’

“While working with government schools, I saw the ground reality. What is on paper in terms of health and education is different from what you see on the ground. Health and education are still very neglected in many parts of the state,” Dr Thomas said.

What began as an initiative to provide free treatment for children born with a cleft lip has now gradually expanded into efforts to organise free child health camps, computer education, advise on menstrual health for girls and provision of solar power and clean drinking water at government schools in rural settings – mostly in rural Bengaluru and parts of south Karnataka.

Dr Thomas, a masters degree holder in public health management, started the Trinity Care Foundation in 2007 as a part of efforts to improve government schools, the health of students in the schools as well as continue the initiative of providing free cleft and facial deformity surgeries for the marginalised sections of society in Karnataka.

Help from corporates

With several corporates ranging from the PSU HAL, foreign firms like Toyota, Sabic, Tesco and Johnson Controls pitching in through their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, the healthcare and school improvement initiatives of Dr Thomas and the Trinity Care Foundation reaches thousands of rural school students every year in south Karnataka.

“We initially started in a small way on our own to work with government schools. Now, we have reached out to around 172 schools. Last year, in the Ramanagara district, we reached out to around 12,000 students, with support from Toyota (which has a manufacturing plant in the region), with initiatives on child health camps, provision of essential medicines, nutrition, spectacles and hearing aids at the local government schools,” Dr Thomas said.

Among the key initiatives at the state-run schools, apart from health check-ups, taken up by Dr Thomas and his nine-member team, is to impart education to girl children on menstrual health through women doctors who serve as consultants for the school health programmes.

“For the girl students, the lady doctors talk about menstrual health and matters like the good touch and bad touch. They open up before the women doctors on their issues which does not happen with male teachers and doctors. For the boys, the education revolves around harms of tobacco usage and issues around the POCSO law,” Dr Thomas said.

In the Anekal taluk of Bengaluru Rural district, the Trinity Care Foundation has reached out to over 5,000 students with funding from Tesco and over 10,000 students in the K R Puram region on the outskirts of Bengaluru with support from Sabic.

Focus on computer education

“One of the things we are trying to address apart from health in schools is computer education. We find that many schools have computers but they do not have teachers, power supply, or the internet. At six government schools (in rural Bengaluru) we have installed solar power units with the help of funding from firms like Enphase and Johnson Controls. We have also recruited and provided teachers for computers at these schools,” he said.

The foundation has provided safe drinking water at 52 government schools and has set up two community RO-based drinking water plants in the rural areas.

“The key to our programme is the rapport we have been able to build with the government. The government has trust in us that we will not provide spurious medicines at the camps or show political bias. The fact that I am a doctor has an added benefit as officials are willing to listen to proposals,” Dr Thomas said.

In the corporate sector, there are many who want to do serious service through the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in order to make a difference in society where they work and this is true especially among multinational companies who have clear social mandates.

‘Most doctors don’t want to work in rural areas’

“Among the things that multinationals cannot understand often is why there are no computer teachers in the rural schools or good rural healthcare. They cannot understand that most doctors do not want to work in rural areas,” Dr Thomas said.

“Many companies want to restrict CSR work to providing infrastructure – like a school building or a computer lab since these have touch and feel elements. There is no way of measuring the value or social impact of health and education initiatives,” he said. Corporates also want to work with organizations that have clear processes in place, he pointed out.

Among the observations that Dr Thomas has to provide on health and education from his over two-decade-long work in the rural areas of Karnataka is that a medical college is needed in every district of a state if good healthcare is to be taken to every corner.

“A district hospital alone will not do since there are usually very few doctors. A medical college with good outreach work can reach out to the villages in a district through the medical students and its faculty,” the public health specialist said.

“It is sad to say that the quality of education and health in the rural areas is not very good and is not improving either. In the Class 10 results this year in Karnataka, nearly 1.5 lakh students passed the exam on account of grace marks. The teachers are not interested in teaching in many schools. Only in coastal Karnataka, the situation can be considered to be optimal,” he observed.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Young Indians (Yi) is a movement that aims to converge, lead, co-create, and influence India’s future by empowering its youth. As an integral part of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)—a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led, and industry-managed organization playing a proactive role in India’s development process—Yi was formed in 2002 to create a platform for young Indians to work towards realizing the dream of a developed nation.

Through thousands of impactful projects and activities divided primarily into three areas: “Youth Leadership,” “Nation Building,” and “Thought Leadership,” Yi strives to emerge as the premier Indian youth organization, giving young Indians a voice on relevant platforms to solve India’s proble Yi grooms its members for offices of significance and enables Indian youth to create using an expanding digitally enabled network. Under Youth Leadership, Yi promotes leadership skills for its members through programs in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Yi is one of the proud founders of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance (G20 YEA) and the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs – Asia Pacific (CAYE- Asia Pacific). It engages the youth through international missions to many countries around the world to understand and learn from the best practices and cultures.

Yi’s student wing ‘Yuva’ engages over 25,000 young dynamic students from various educational streams through 107 Yuva Institutions. Under Nation Building, Yi engages its members in projects such as MASOOM, Gift an Organ, and Road Safety. Yi also works in broad categories including education, environment, healthcare, employability, arts (sports & culture), rural initiatives, accessibility, and disaster management, contributing positively to the surrounding ecosystem and the nation.

Under Thought Leadership, Yi engages its members through a Contributory Movement of Constructive Action, Collaborative Reasoning, and Collective Voice. Yi conducts learning sessions with industry experts to impart experiential learning through interactions and discussions. Yi Leadership Academy (LA) upholds the founding principles and values, instilling the same in Yi membership through the Yi Leaders Fellowship Program. Yi organizes its Annual Flagship Summit TakePride to celebrate Yi’s achievements, brainstorm over the future roadmap, and showcase the efforts of its membership from across its 67 chapters.

Empowering India’s future: Yi Mangaluru’s vision for young changemakers

In a nation as diverse and dynamic as India, the role of its youth in shaping the future cannot be underestimated. Young Indians hold the potential to be the driving force behind progress, innovation, and positive change. One organization that recognizes this immense potential and is dedicated to fostering it is Yi, the Young Indians. With a mission centered on empowering young minds and instilling the values of leadership, entrepreneurship, and nation-building, Yi provides a platform and voice to the next generation of changemakers, empowering them to lead, innovate, and create a better nation.

By nurturing leadership qualities and fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship, Yi aims to create a generation of informed, capable, and proactive individuals who are committed to building a stronger and self-sufficient India. Through its visionary framework and unwavering dedication, Yi is shaping the leaders, builders, and innovators who will drive India’s progress for years to come.

Three pillars of Yi’s framework:

Youth leadership:

Yi’s first pillar is rooted in the belief that leaders are not simply born; they are molded through experiences and learning. Recognizing the leadership potential within every young Indian, Yi has established a range of leadership skill development programs, personal growth initiatives, and nation-building activities.

Nation building:

The youth of India hold the responsibility of building a nation that is not only self-sufficient but also well-informed and progressive. Yi’s second pillar focuses on harnessing the transformative power of the country’s youth by addressing contemporary issues through various verticals.

Entrepreneurial ecosystem:

Recognizing the potential of entrepreneurship in driving economic growth and innovation, Yi’s third pillar is dedicated to fostering a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem among young Indians. This pillar reflects the organization’s commitment to nurturing not only leaders but also creators and innovators who can shape India’s economic landscape.

Yi Mangaluru: A dynamic and forward-thinking chapter

In the vibrant city of Mangaluru, nestled on the southwestern coast of India, the spirit of youth is a driving force for change and progress. It is within this energetic milieu that Young Indians Mangalore Chapter (Yi Mangalore) was born, thanks to the vision and determination of Gaurav Hegde. Yi Mangalore owes its existence to him. He embarked on a mission to channel the energy and talent of young individuals towards meaningful contributions to society. After thoughtful deliberation, he selected a group of young individuals who shared his passion for change and innovation. This dedicated team became the driving force behind the establishment of Yi Mangalore, and together, they set out to make a difference in their community.

Young Indians Mangaluru (Yi Mangaluru) is a dynamic and forward-thinking chapter that thrives under the capable leadership of M Athmika Amin as the Chair and CA Salome Lobo Pereira as the Co-Chair. This passionate team of young professionals is dedicated to harnessing the potential of Mangaluru’s youth and driving positive change in the region. With an impressive lineup of stakeholders and a diverse range of initiatives, Yi Mangaluru is making significant strides in various sectors.

Key stakeholders

Yi Mangaluru’s success is the result of a collective effort led by a dedicated group of stakeholders:

Membership: Ensuring that the chapter’s membership base remains strong and engaged is the responsibility of Ar Ashrika Amin and Aditya Pai as the Chair and Co-Chair. Their commitment helps sustain the organization’s growth and impact.

YUVA & Thalir: Shohan Shetty as Mentor, Durgadas Shetty as Yuva Chair, Gaana Bhat, and Anushree Shetty as Yuva Co-Chair lead initiatives aimed at nurturing young talent and addressing educational and youth-oriented issues. Not resting on their laurels of signing MoUs with 12 colleges in and around Mangaluru, Yi Mangaluru continued its quest for fruitful partnerships. Yi Mangaluru organized the Y20 dialogue event at Alva’s College of Engineering and Technology on April 29, 2023. This event, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, aimed to encourage youth involvement in policy change discussions. Students associated with Yi Mangaluru participated in panel discussions, keynotes, and interactive sessions, connecting with industry experts and entrepreneurs to brainstorm on important issues. Ullas Kamath, Founder of UK & Co, emphasized the need for youth to focus on becoming job creators rather than job seekers, investing their time and talent in pursuing goals. Industry leaders participated in panel discussions, sharing insights on reimagining business for the future. Two panels moderated by Sameeksha Shetty and Ashith Hegde, featured sustainability advocates like Divya Hegde, Dr T V Ramachandra, and Anand Malligavad, discussing strategies for consistent sustainability practices and industry names such as Raghuraj Sunder Raju, Deekshith Rai, and Anup Pai who stressed the importance of directing funds towards environmental preservation and the significance of Low Code No Code platforms for accelerated digitalization.

Rural initiative: Harsha Kamath is at the forefront of Yi Mangaluru’s efforts to extend its positive impact into rural communities, contributing to their development.

Key initiatives

Yi Mangaluru’s diverse range of projects and initiatives spans various critical domains:

Masoom: Under the leadership of Aditi Bansal as Chair and Abhinav Bansal as Co-Chair, Masoom is dedicated to raising awareness and preventing child sexual abuse. The awareness session conducted is a significant step forward in creating a society where children can grow up safe from harm and report timely if they are in trouble. A session on the safe use of mobiles was organized so that teenagers can navigate the digital world with confidence.

Road safety: Aajeeth Kumar spearheads efforts to improve road safety and promote tourism in the region, enhancing both local safety and economic development. Recognizing this, Chota Cop, a dedicated initiative, conducted impactful road safety sessions at several prominent schools in early 2023. These sessions aim to equip young minds with the knowledge and awareness necessary to navigate the streets safely.

Health and accessibility: Eshwar Shetty as Chair and Hari Sudan & Dr. Megha Goukul as Co-Chair are actively involved in initiatives related to healthcare and improving accessibility for all members of the community.

Climate change: Sharon D’Souza and Rishab Raj Shetty lead the charge in tackling the urgent issue of climate change, advocating for sustainable practices and environmental responsibility.

Entrepreneurship and learning: Arjun D’Souza, Chair, and CA Kedarnath Shenoy, Co-Chair, focus on fostering entrepreneurship and innovation among Mangaluru’s youth, thereby driving economic growth and job creation.

Innovation: Under Madhukar Kudva and Adeeth Kalbavi’s guidance, the YI Innovation Vertical has evolved into a dynamic hub of knowledge and innovation. One of the hallmarks of the YI Innovation Vertical is its commitment to delivering high-quality interactive sessions.

Branding for Yi Mangaluru: Chair Sharan Shetty and Co-Chairs Aditya Prabhu, Ashmitha Satish, and Shreshtha Bhandary take charge of branding efforts, ensuring that Yi Mangaluru’s message and impact reach a wider audience. As Young Indians (Yi) in Mangalore continue to drive impactful initiatives and contribute to the community, a strategic branding effort becomes pivotal to create awareness, establish a strong presence, and highlight the diverse range of initiatives undertaken. With their innovative and creative approach, they have taken the helm of branding through various media campaigns.

Yi Mangaluru also annually organizes “Thatasth” – a National-level Retreat Event focusing on adventure water sports, tourism, and the cultural heritage of Mangaluru city. “Thatasth,” Yi Mangaluru’s flagship event, is true to its name and spirit of Mangalore’s coastal terrain and culture. The event welcomes delegates from across the country to participate in various activities.

The chapter benefits from the wisdom and guidance of experienced leaders. Ashith Hegde, Mentor, and Sameeksha Shetty as the Immediate Past Chair, provide valuable insights, while Dikshith Rai, the Charter Chairperson, serves as a mentor, offering direction and support to the team.

The significance of nurturing the potential of young Indians cannot be overstated. Yi’s mission to strengthen India’s future by cultivating leadership, entrepreneurship, and nation-building skills among the youth is both commendable and crucial. Through a range of initiatives and the support of committed stakeholders, the chapter is driving positive change in education, healthcare, entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, and more. The future of Mangaluru looks brighter with the energetic and visionary leadership of Yi Mangaluru, serving as a shining example of youth-led initiatives that are transforming communities across India. As Yi continues to provide a platform for young changemakers to voice their ideas, collaborate, and initiate positive changes, the organization plays an integral role in building a brighter and more prosperous India.

For those looking for an organization to contribute towards building a better nation while becoming a more inclusive leader, Young Indians is the platform.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

The ‘Digitally Empowered Inclusive Stories’ section of the Economic Survey of India states that the Namma Yatri app has increased driver earnings and reduced cancellation rates.

The Bengaluru-based ride booking app Namma Yatri, developed in partnership with the Auto Rickshaw Drivers’ Union, was hailed as a success story of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) in the Economic Survey of India 2023-24. The survey, presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with a statistical appendix, was tabled in both Houses of Parliament on July 22.

The ‘Digitally Empowered Inclusive Stories’ section of the Economic Survey of India states that the Namma Yatri app has increased driver earnings and reduced cancellation rates.

“Namma Yatri, a ride-hailing platform integrated with ONDC, eliminates commissions and operates on a subscription fee. Launched in collaboration with the Auto Rickshaw Drivers’ Union in Bengaluru, it increased driver earnings and reduced cancellation rates,” the document states.

Namma Yatri app is part of Open Network for Digital Commerce

The Namma Yatri app, developed by Bengaluru’s Auto Rickshaw Drivers’ Union (ARDU) and built by Juspay Technologies with support from the Beckn Foundation (founded by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani), was launched in November 2022 in collaboration with local auto drivers. The app is open source, does not charge any commission from drivers, and is available through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

Instead, the app takes a small monthly subscription fee from its drivers.

ONDC is a Union government-backed technology platform designed to eliminate intermediaries to enable direct transactions between sellers and customers.

ARDU General secretary T.M. Rudramurthy told The Hindu, “We are happy that our success story has been highlighted in the Economic Survey of India. The Namma Yatri model, praised by both auto drivers and passengers for its zero commission structure, has greatly benefited 4,25,180 registered drivers. The app charges no commission from either drivers or customers, with payments made directly and promptly to the drivers. This approach has significantly boosted the app’s popularity, and we are thrilled that the government is now recognising this model.”

The app’s website states that Namma Yatri is a direct-to-driver platform with all customer payments going directly to the driver. The app is built on an open mobility platform, and claims to be India’s first open mobility app. The app has a dashboard to share all the data of live ongoing trips, completed trips, driver earnings, registered drivers, customers details, and area-wise statistics on completed trips.

Namma Yatri app is now available in 9 cities

The app has gained significant popularity in Bengaluru, gradually capturing market share from Uber and Ola with its no-commission model. In April 2024, the company expanded its services to include cabs in Bengaluru.

Namma Yatri is now operational in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi, Tumakuru, Mysuru, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Siliguri. The company claims to have completed 4,71,64,363 rides since its launch in 2022.

The Economic Survey serves as an official report card on the government’s financial performance and the state of the economy for the fiscal year ending March 31. It also offers insights into future policy changes. Typically released by the Ministry of Finance a day before the Union Budget is presented, the survey provides a comprehensive overview of economic conditions and policy directions.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)