VARINDIA IT MAGAZINE

Metroman E Sreedharan formally joins BJP:  India’s ‘Metroman’ E Sreedharan   joined the   Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)   in   Kerala , just weeks ahead of the state Assembly elections.   “A great day for Kerala which looks forward to politics based on development agenda. Welcome to BJP Metro Man,” the party’s Kerala handle tweeted. Sreedharan, last week had confirmed the news about his entry into BJP. On asking about his decision he said that he had been living in Kerala for the last ten years and tried his best to bring in development in the state but had met with political resistance.   “I have been living in Kerala for 10 years, but I have noticed that the LDF and UDF are only interested in their political growth, not in the state’s growth. In this scenario, it is only the BJP that can do something for the state,” he had said. The 88-year-old technocrat said that his main aim is to bring BJP to power in Kerala and once that happens he will focus mai...

OutSystems Raises $150 Million Investment at $9.5 Billion Valuation:  OutSystems, the leading modern application platform , today announced a $150 million capital raise. The round, co-led by Abdiel Capital and Tiger Global, values OutSystems at $9.5 billion. The funding will be used to expand investments in its R&D and GTM strategy.   Recognizing the challenges of building scalable, adaptable software, OutSystems was founded to give every organization the power to innovate through software. The latest funding is a recognition of the success of that singular focus and the transformative impact on its rapidly expanding global customer base. Using the OutSystems platform, businesses of all sizes can develop, deploy and manage critical apps at speed-enabling them to respond to market opportunities and continuously deliver value through software-driven innovation.   “Developers are a scarce resource in business today, and the complexities of traditional software developmen...

Lockdown made us understand the importance of OTT: Aditi Rao Hydari:  OTT platforms gained mixed reactions between the artists. Audiences though loved OTT as they could enjoy their favourite starts on screen.   Where on one hand not many welcomed this platform as a part of their performing stage, a handful hugged with a smiling face.   Rockstar actress  Aditi Rao Hydari  is one among them. Aditi made her digital debut with Malayalam romantic drama Sufiyum Sujatayum last year, and was later seen in the web space in the Nani-starrer Telugu action flick V. Aditi Rao Hydari’s next OTT flick -The Girl OnThe Train co-starring Parineeti Chopra, is now all set to release.   “My OTT experience has actually been in 2020 when two films of mine released on OTT platforms. It started off with me in tears and then I realised it was incredible and how with that one click in one second everyone is watching your film,” said Aditi.   For Aditi, it is not the platform of ...

IT security employees spend six hours of working week on hobbies: Kaspersky:  As much as  85% of IT Security  staff engage in leisure activities during working hours. Typically, these hobbies account for six hours [1]  a week, which is an hour more than staff across the company overall. A reason for these breaks may be to find a distraction from high workloads, which was also cited as the most common reason to leave a cybersecurity job. These are findings extracted from a new Kaspersky report titled ‘ Managing your IT security team’ .   Cybersecurity can involve routine and repetitive tasks, which affects both productivity and motivation to work. A shift to remote work has further blurred the lines between working and personal time. This combination of factors can lead to situations where employees are often distracted from work. Kaspersky’s report surveyed more than  5,200  IT and cybersecurity practitioners globally. According to the research, among ...

Reliance Jio's $950 million data centre soon in Uttar Pradesh:  Reliance Jio   is planning to build a $950 million   data centre in Uttar Pradesh , two people aware of the development spilled the news. The new centre, as per the report, may be powered by Reliance Jio’s own renewable energy plant.   “For the data centre, a 20-acre plot had been allotted to the company, and the project is to cost approximately Rs 7,000 crore,”  Minister Sidharth Nath Singh  was quoted as saying.   The new plan comes amid the government’s projection that India’s digital economy will grow to $1 trillion by 2025. With the government planning to triple India’s installed power capacity for data centres from the existing 375MW by 2025, there is a $4.9 billion investment opportunity by 2025 to set up data centre infrastructure, the report said.... Read More

Indian edtech firm Vedantu acquires doubt-solving platform Instasolv:  Vedantu, an India-based edtech firm   has announced it has acquired doubt-solving platform   Instasolv   for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is expected to add about 1 million users on Vedantu’s app. Meanwhile, Instasolv will leverage Vedantu’s existing capabilities in live classes, tech, product, and content.   Instasolv is a doubt-clearing platform for students from grades six to 12, covering entrance exams for engineering and medicine. Students can take pictures of a query and get instant answers from a database of about 20 million questions and answers on the application.   “Last year we took a strategic decision to invest in Instasolv to strengthen our play in doubt-solving, which is one of the key aspects of learning online,” said  Vedantu CEO Vamsi Krishna , referring to the firm’s US$2 million investment in Instasolv’s pre-series A round in June 2020.The most recent deal...

Tech Mahindra uses crime and criminal tracking network:  Tech Mahindra , a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering services and solutions, has successfully implemented   Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS)   for Himachal Pradesh Police to facilitate registration of FIR, NCR (Non-Cognizable Report), Missing Report, MLC (Medico-Legal Cases) and Preventive Action etc.   Through CCTNS, Tech Mahindra supported Himachal Pradesh Police in its digitization efforts linking 148 police stations, 76 higher offices and 16 training centres across the State and training of approx. 8500 police personnel.   Sanjay Kundu, IPS, Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh  said, “The implementation of CCTNS has enabled us to serve the public in a convenient and citizen-friendly way. With the help of Tech Mahindra, Himachal Pradesh became the first state under the Hilly state’s category in the country to put toge...

CDS 2021: Be acquainted with todays cyber security threats and its impact:  Technology has become an increasingly integral aspect of the workplace and society. From email correspondence and financial transactions, to professional networking and collaborative work documents, businesses rely on technology to be connected at all times and conduct work effectively. However, when these lines of communication are threatened or even compromised, it can have a disastrous effect on the business. All businesses, no matter its size, need to ensure everyone involved in the company is up to date on the latest cyber security threats and the best methods for protecting data.   The 5th edition of Cyber and Data Security Summit 2021 witnesses an overwhelming response from the industry leaders. Most of the corporate who are into security say that, security is foundational to everything we do as the Cybercrime damages will cost the world $6 trillion by 2021. The pandemic was a difficult test for...

Amazon India signs MoU with DGR to hire 25,000 ex-servicemen by 2025:  Amazon India   signs an MoU with the   Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) , to provide ex-service personnel with work opportunities across its growing operations network in the country.   The association with DGR will further enable Amazon India to mobilise the untapped potential of veterans, giving it access to a greater talent pipeline.The company aims to hire 25,000 military veterans by 2025. This includes veterans from the Army, Air force, Navy, and their families.   Veterans will have access to various work opportunities including a mix of individual contribution and managerial roles across its fulfilment centres, sort centres, and delivery stations, claims Amazon India. This collaborative is an expansion of Amazon India’s existing Military Veterans Employment programme.... Read More

Ericsson to accelerate 5G mid-band rollouts with MIMO and RAN Compute solutions:  Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC)   has launched three new radios in its industry-leading   Massive MIMO portfolio   and expanded its RAN Compute portfolio with six RAN Compute products to accelerate 5G mid-band rollouts. The new solutions are powered by Ericsson Silicon – the company’s system on a chip (SoC) range that provides advanced processing capabilities for a rapid evolution of energy-efficient and high-performing networks.   With new mid-band spectrum available, communications service providers can leverage their 5G spectral assets to roll out services quickly and efficiently to deliver a more responsive experience to mobile broadband subscribers. Mid-band bridges the speed, capacity and coverage gaps between low-band and high-band. 5G networks that harness mid-band spectrum at scale will have the power to provide a full-fledged 5G experience for consumers and enterprises.   Pe...

PM addresses NASSCOM Technology and Leadership Forum:  The   Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi   addressed the   NASSCOM Technology and Leadership Forum (NTLF)   today via video conferencing.   Speaking on the occasion, the  Prime Minister  lauded the IT industry for their resilience during the Corona period. “When the chips were down, your code kept things running” said the Prime Minister. He noted 2 percent growth in the sector and addition of 4 billion dollars in revenue amidst the apprehensions of de-growth.   The Prime Minister noted that today’s India is eager for progress and the Government understand this feeling. He said aspirations of 130 crore Indians inspire us to move forward with rapid speed. He emphasized that expectations related to the new India are there from the private sector also as they are from the government. He said that the Government is aware that restrictions are not conducive for the development of the future’s l...

Veeam elevates Shiva Pillay to Senior VP for Asia Pacific and Japan:  Veeam Software   announced the appointment of   Shiva Pillay to lead the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region as Senior Vice President .   Reporting to  Bill Largent, Chairman and CEO at Veeam , Pillay will spearhead the company’s growth strategy in the region. Veeam recently announced its Q4’2020 global results, posting another quarter of double-digit growth with an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of 22% year-over-year (YoY) and 24% percent YoY increase in APJ.   “Shiva’s exceptional skill set and aptitude for fostering and maintaining meaningful relationships will no doubt contribute to Veeam cementing its position as a key market player in 2021 and beyond,” commented Bill Largent, Chairman and CEO at Veeam. “His determination to drive impactful change within the industry and his experience in demonstrating this so far within the company makes Shiva the perfect candidate for this role. Sh...

Furniture retailer Ikea buys 49% stake in Ikano Bank:  Owner of the furniture retail store - Ikea,   Ingka Group   has bought 49% stake in   Ikano Bank . The investment has been termed as a "decisive step into financial services" that will "help make Ikea more affordable, accessible and sustainable".   Both Ikea and Ikano Bank have originated from the same founding family and a longstanding commercial partnership, where Ikano Bank has served as Ikea’s financial service provider across eight countries.   Krister Mattsson, managing director, Ingka Investments  comments, “The significant investment in Ikano Bank is an exciting step for Ingka Investments into the banking sector. As customers and retailers increasingly seek banking solutions with a strong digital foundation, our commitment to work even closer with Ikano Bank during its digital transformation is a great opportunity to serve new and existing customers alike.”... Read More

Dia Mirza ties knot with Vaibhav Rekhi:  Dia Mirza   and   Vaibhav Rekhi   exchanged wedding vows in an intimate ceremony in Mumbai on Monday. The couple, who began dating last year, got married in the garden area of Dia’s Bandra residence, in a ceremony attended by family and close friends including actor Aditi Rao Hydari and Jackky Bhagnani.   Dia Mirza looked ravishing in a red saree, accessorized with a red dupatta covering her head, while the dapper groom wore a white kurta-pyjama teamed with a beige turban. Post the wedding, Dia and Vaibhav stepped out to pose for photographers. The actor distributed sweets to the paparazzi that had been waiting to capture a glimpse of the newly-weds for hours.   Earlier in the day, Dia Mirza had shared on Instagram a picture of her mehendi and captioned it, writing, “Pyaar.” Aditi Rao Hydari, who is related to Vaibhav, was seen arriving at his home for the wedding a few hours ago.... Read More

96.3% of businesses in India see cloud as critical to meeting immediate business needs:  NTT Ltd. , the global technology services company, today releases its  2021 Hybrid Cloud Report , which highlights the critical need for business agility, and the role hybrid cloud has had on helping businesses achieve this.   Before Covid-19, many companies had embarked on digital transformation journeys, but the pandemic highlighted that many were not as agile as they had previously thought. The pandemic laid bare deficiencies in businesses’ cloud infrastructure, security and network architecture capabilities, hindering their ability to adapt and remain agile.   The pandemic has forced a cultural mindset shift with global organizations adapting their agility plans from recovering infrastructure and applications to getting office-based workers set up and working from home. Despite this uncertainty, the pandemic has provided a significant opportunity to accelerate digital transfo...