editor's note

Issue 1 | April 2023

“We believe that a-connect
is an important addition to our communication channels.”

We are thrilled to introduce the first edition of a-connect, our new monthly inhouse magazine. This magazine is designed to provide you with insights, inspiration, and information that will help you succeed in your professional and personal lives.

In this first edition, we focus on the theme of resilience. We explore the importance of resilience in the face of adversity, and how it can help us to overcome challenges and keep growing.

Our cover story looks at why Adani’s resilience is unmatched. We have a range of other articles that we hope will be of interest to you. We have also covered topics of corporate interest such as digital transformation, leadership, and innovation, as well as profiles of some of our team members and the work they are doing.

We believe that a-connect is an important addition to our communication channels. It will provide us a platform to share our experiences, insights, and expertise with each other, and to stay informed about the latest trends and developments both in our company and in the sectors we work.

We hope that you enjoy this first edition of a-connect, and that it inspires you to think differently, take action, and continue to grow and develop in your roles.

Editorial Board

Aman Kumar Singh

Angshu Mallick

Anil Sardana

Arun Bansal

Jackbastian Nazareth

Nitin Sethi

Sachin Nandgaonkar

Shishir Priyadarshi

Vasant Gadhavi

Vinay Prakash

Contributors

Arpita Vadgama

Arivarasu Selvaraj

Dipika Rathi

Dushyant Joshi

Juhi Chakraborty

Mehul Dave

Rupam Singh Gupta

Satyavratsinh Jadeja

Shreya Iyer

Vedika Hardikar

Platform Design

Hiren Mistry

Editor

Abhinav Sharma

Publisher

Bobby Nair

a-connect Magazine
9F, Adani Corporate House,
Adani Shantigram,
Ahmedabad 382421

Marketing Network

Adani Agri Fresh’s marketing network spans major towns across India, catering to wholesale, traditional retail, and organized retail chain stores. Under the brand name FARM-PIK, Adani Agri Fresh promotes Indian fruits, varieties, and farmers both domestically and abroad.

Already, through the all-round socio-economic programs of Adani Agri Fresh Limited, the Adani Group has made a lasting and beneficial impact on the apple ecosystem in Himachal Pradesh. With its state-of-the-art infrastructure, innovative post-harvest management practices, and commitment to supporting apple growers, Adani Agri Fresh has transformed the industry and improved the livelihoods of thousands of farmers in the region.

Positive Impact on Growers’ Incomes

Small and marginal growers who have supplied produce to Adani Agri Fresh have seen their incomes rise by a minimum of 3x due to the efficient crate and post-harvest system, as well as lower transportation costs to Adani facilities in the region.

Community Support

In addition to its commercial activities, Adani Agri Fresh supports the local community by providing free basic health clinics, a mobile health program, including ambulance services, and sponsoring government initiatives focused on children’s nutrition.

Dipika Rathi

Standing 200m tall, towering over the Mundra coastline, is India’s largest Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) commissioned in Gujarat, India. With the final blade in place, the 5.2 MW WTG is the first addition to Adani New Industries Ltd’s product portfolio. This prototype by Mundra Windtech Limited (MWL) is taller than the world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity (182m), with blades bigger than the wingspan of a Boeing 747.

Size certainly matters, at least when you’re generating wind energy. The larger and more powerful a wind turbine, the more efficient it will be at producing renewable power. This prototype wind turbine by MWL is pushing the boundaries of what is possible. At 78m, its blades are bigger than the wingspan of a jumbo jet making it the longest in the country. It is the biggest wind turbine in terms of power and has a rotor diameter of 160m. The hub height of the wind turbine generator is 120 m, about the height of a 40-storey building. Avers Milind Kulkarni, COO, MWL, “The proto assembly was completed in a record of 19 days. It is installed, commissioned, and we shall soon go for a type certification now. This prototype has laid a foundation stone for us to go for another prototype which shall be even taller than the 140 m hub height. Going forward, we shall manufacture our own blades, while we have already started the assembly of Nacelle, and Hub in our own upcoming facility in Mundra.”

Wind turbines have had a growth spurt over the last couple of years. Turbines of the capacity above 4 MW are typically associated with offshore installation—where the machines have gone as big as 14 MW. But an onshore turbine of 5.2 MW is a rarity and certainly not seen in India. This machine is a first and has been built with technology from W2E (Wind to Energy) of Germany. It will work at wind speeds as low as 3 metres per second (mps) and up to 20 mps, reaching its optimum power production at around 12 mps wind speeds.

In continuation to strengthen quality and validating new configurations and components to develop even larger and more efficient turbines, this wind turbine is both an example of and a reason for the success of wind power. Conforming to IECRE 16400 standards, the turbine model will power approximately 4,000 homes. The capacity to produce more energy from a single turbine means fewer turbines need to be built at each wind farm. This means simplified operation and maintenance processes, increasing the accessibility and affordability of Renewables for both companies and end-users.

It is a great move as MWL is foraying to carry on business as manufacturers of wind turbine generators and its other auxiliaries in Mundra. It shall drive down logistical costs by enabling blade assembly onsite and reduce the costs for permitting equipment and road work required for transporting longer blades. Dennis Schultz, plant head of Blade Production Unit at MWL, shares, “We have partnered with two European leaders in technology advancements—WINDnovation for rotor blade designs and W2E. With research, design, and its manufacturing expertise, MWL has been successful in bringing the prototype wind turbine from concept to a tested and proven reality and has paved way for a clean and even green future.”

Only a couple of years ago, the maximum capacity for a single wind turbine in India was 2-3 MW. Now, just a few years later, this figure has doubled and this new MWL- 160-5.2 MW wind turbine in Mundra brings with it a revolutionary technology to Wind Energy in India. This launch signifies the beginning of an important phase in technological innovations for the renewable energy sector in India and is in continuation to strengthen Quality and validating new configurations and components to develop ever larger and more efficient turbines.

Abhinav Sharma

One of the primary reasons why resilience is so important for companies is that it enables them to weather tough times and emerge stronger. Companies that lack resilience may crumble under pressure and struggle to recover from setbacks, leading to long-term damage to their reputation, finances, and market position. On the other hand, resilient companies can use setbacks as opportunities for growth, innovation, and improvement. For instance, companies that were able to pivot their operations and change their routines to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic emerged stronger and more successful than those that resisted change and stubbornly clung to entrenched ways of working.

Over the course of its 35-year-long journey, the Adani Group has demonstrated time and again that it is India’s most resilient business organization.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when nations and businesses were challenged in ways that few could have predicted, Adani proved why it is one of India’s most resilient names. At a time when global supply chains were disrupted and thousands of companies shut their doors, Adani not only steadily maintained its business processes and social work but also marched at the forefront of the nationwide fight against the rampaging virus.

That reputation has been further strengthened over the past few weeks. Our resilience is built on our values of courage, trust, and commitment. These values have provided us a robust framework to navigate every challenge with integrity and determination. By staying true to our values, we have been able to build trust with all our stakeholders and emerge as an organization that is not just resilient but also a force for good.

Our resilience is also due to the strength of our leadership and our diversified business model. With interests in a vast range of sectors and industries, Adani has been able to adapt to changing circumstances and continue to operate at peak level.

The depth in our professional ranks and the long-term strategic vision of our founding leadership have kept us on course in the most turbulent of conditions. In turn, it is our resilience that has helped the Adani Group to attract and retain top talent because resilient companies offer stability, security, and opportunities for growth, making them more attractive to top-rung talent.

Our investments in technology and innovation too have also played a critical role in our resilience, allowing us to pivot quickly and respond to changing market conditions. Our culture of innovation and creativity makes us more agile and flexible, allowing us to quickly respond to changing market conditions and technological advancements. This agility keeps us ahead of the curve and helps us maintain a competitive edge.

Our reputation for resilience has helped us to build trust and loyalty with all our stakeholders, who understand and appreciate the Adani Group’s ability to navigate through the toughest of times.

Without doubt, one of the key fuels for this resilience is the unwavering trust and support placed in us by our stakeholders. Senior leaders and captains of industry have come forward to assure the country that Adani is robust and well-governed. They have cautioned investors against believing those who question our ability to govern ourselves.

Businesses like ours are the strongest pillars of the economy. They create employment, generate tax revenues, and provide a multiplier effect that helps the country cater not only to our basic needs but also to our hopes, dreams and aspirations for India’s future.

The Adani Group’s strong financial position and prudent financial management have given it the flexibility to weather all storms. Our healthy balance sheet, low debt-to-equity ratios and high levels of liquidity have enabled us to invest in new businesses and ventures even during challenging times. Our history of always emerging stronger holds a powerful message for the future – our resilience will only continue to grow.

Juhi Chakraborty

The economic development of our country largely depends on the progress of rural areas as a majority of the population still resides in villages. Along with other socio-economic development, rural entrepreneurship has also come to the fore as it is important to organize entrepreneurial talent and the subsequent growth of indigenous enterprises. But what is most crucial for these Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) is capital.

Banks and other financial institutions hesitate to lend them to help them grow their business. This means that these people do not have access to a formal credit system. If they have to become sustainable, they need to be supplemented with finance.

And that gap is now being fulfilled by Adani Capital, which is using its experience to build a model where it will underwrite these people and provide them with the most scarce resource, which is capital to expand their business.

“We are into the lending business, but our lending is typically different in terms of our customer segment. We don’t do car loans, personal loans, or consumer durable finance, we only finance micro-entrepreneurs- small enterprises and individuals in rural areas. For us farming is also an enterprise, so a farmer becomes an entrepreneur, a transporter is also an entrepreneur, a kirana store owner, a pharmacy store owner, hardware store owner, are all entrepreneurs. We are catering to these people where the loan ticket size varies from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 40 lakh,” shares Amit Vatsa, Chief Digital Officer – Sales, Adani Capital.

With this vision, Adani Capital got an opportunity to work with CSC e-Governance, a Special Purpose Vehicle, set up by the Ministry of Electronics & IT to oversee the implementation of the CSC scheme. The platform, CSC Grameen eStore, in which Adani Capital is also an investor, is an e-commerce enterprise that reaches world-class products in rural areas of India. Under them, there are around 5 lakh village-level entrepreneurs, who are graduates sitting in gram panchayats with basic knowledge of technology and basic digital infrastructure.

These entrepreneurs are aligned with CSC to deliver almost 300 odd Government to Citizen Services(G2C) to the last mile customers. Slowly CSC e-Governance decided to transfer some of the larger VLEs into becoming distributors and create a rural e-commerce platform where a company can sell its product.

“We have now started financing small village-level entrepreneurs working as rural distributors on an e-marketplace created by CSC Grameen eStore. As of today, there are 10000 active VLEs working. We have given approval to 100 VLEs through a paperless journey and we plan to scale up rapidly on this in the next 3 months,” adds Mr Vatsa, “A micro-entrepreneur sitting in a rural place once get engaged with us, and later he becomes a referral agent for many of our loan businesses like tractor finance, commercial vehicle finance, business loan finance, etc. He can refer these leads to us and once we approve those loans, we give him some commission on that. That becomes an additional revenue source for him. We are trying to holistically ramp up the revenue or income generation stream for that entrepreneur sitting in the rural area through financing, through referral schemes, all those things.”

My dear friends,

As all of you would know, the last few weeks have been some of the most difficult for our company as we faced a short-selling attack. It caught us by surprise. We did not expect this angle of attack where a foreign short-seller could re-hash such a large number of baseless allegations that would make damaging headlines across the world. However, our swift response once again proved our bias for action.

As you know, we issued a detailed point-by-point rebuttal to each of the allegations. I can state without any hesitation that it is the speed and the comprehensive details in our response that helped mitigate serious damage. For this, I must compliment our team members that have been working around the clock.

As I have said many times in the past, every company will go through hard times – and the best are those that have the ability to quickly get back on their feet. The elasticity of a company is its strength, and our elasticity was demonstrated by our ability to recover from this crisis – just like we have done multiple times in the past.

However, what I am most thankful for over this period of six weeks are the thousands of messages of support from our employees. This support has been the source of my greatest strength. I am grateful for your unwavering faith and trust in me and your belief in the Adani Group’s capabilities.

With the above context, I want to make three main points today:

• First, address employee apprehensions
• Second, outline the state of our business
• Third, talk about the confidence our investors have shown in us and the path ahead

In terms of employee apprehensions, let me highlight a few points:

Firstly, I recognise that in today’s digitally connected world, any news spread fast – more so negative news. And many times, it is difficult to differentiate between what is true and not. I request you not to be swayed by rumours and instead trust our financial indicators that are released every quarter. Numbers speak about our performance and represent the single-most authentic representation of the health of our businesses. I can assure you that our operational situation has never been better.

Secondly, let me also assure you that our Performance Management process will continue as usual. Our biggest differentiator has been the attitude of our people in our fast growth focused culture. It is your drive and engagement that have allowed us to deliver nonlinear growth. Our culture of meritocracy will continue to be rewarded, through merit increases, incentives, variable pay and promotions into expanded roles.

As we move closer to finishing another very strong year, we are also putting in place new measures to recognise and celebrate our wins and achievements. And I am confident that there will be plenty of these in the years ahead. Like I have always said – our main growth years are still ahead of us.

The foundation of our growth comes from the investment we make in our employees. In this context, our investment in developing our employees through large-scale training programs, leadership development programs, and education programs will not only continue but will be expanded as will our employee engagement programs. We will soon be launching the next batch of the Fulcrum leadership development program, followed by new editions of the Takshashila program in partnership with ISB and the NorthStar program in partnership with Emeritus of Singapore. In addition, the HR Team is also working on two new pilot programs around Great Managers and First-time Managers – and you should soon get more details. Our investment in our people will continue to expand. I have specifically asked that we now redouble our efforts to continue to make bets on internal talent.

Let me now talk about the state of our business. Today, every single one of our businesses is firing on all cylinders. We recently declared our nine-month results and all of them have been exceptional and well recognized by the capital markets. I expect the strength of our results to continue given the combination of the strong Indian economy and the stability, scale, and world-class operational excellence that we continue to demonstrate.

In terms of numbers, in the nine months from April to December 22, the EBITDA of our listed portfolio grew by a significant 57% on a Year-on-Year basis to over Rs 40,000 Cr. In these three quarters, AEL, ATL, ATGL, APL, AGEL and APSEZ generated a combined Profit After Tax of about Rs 17,500 Cr. Within this, AEL reported a profit increase of 271%, reinforcing its reputation as one of the world’s most successful business incubators. These numbers are the outcome of all your efforts. So, I would like to congratulate the more than 42,000 Adanians across the country for your outstanding performance.

Every crisis provides opportunities to improve, and it is crisis situations that make us push our limits to sharpen our focus. In this context, although our current debt ratios are acceptable in capital markets, we intend to further reduce these to create headroom for future growth. One way we will do this is by increasing our focus on our core businesses for the next 24 months – and secondly – focusing on efficiency gains through process improvements and digitization that will allow us to further expand our bottom line.

Let me now talk about the confidence our investors have shown in us.

Just last week, you saw the most recent example of the faith the market has in the Adani growth story. We raised over Rs 15,000 Cr from GQG Partners, a global independent asset management firm that manages over $90 Bn in client assets across the world. Strategic equity investors like GQG Partners are extremely meticulous about how and where they place their investments, and their investment was another validation of the strength of the Adani Group portfolio. This is precisely why, after the immediate impact following the attack, our stocks are back and rising – as banks and financial institutions continue to place their faith in the Adani Group of companies and the strength of our financials and our governance. Therefore, while there can be a lot of negative news, the well-informed investors that matter know who we are, understand what we are doing, and confidently continue to support what we intend to do.

It would also be relevant to mention that I have welcomed the direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court that has asked SEBI to continue to investigate the recent volatility in the market and submit its report in two months. The court has also formed an Expert Committee made up of eminent personalities to assess the existing regulatory framework and make recommendations to strengthen it. We welcome this intervention by India’s highest court of law and see this as an opportunity to present our position. All of this speaks to the essence of strength of the Indian democracy. I am confident not only that our stand will be validated when the final reports are submitted but also that the short-selling methods from foreign shores that can disrupt companies and stock markets will be addressed through governance and legal means.

Let me conclude by saying that it is never easy to break new paths and create journeys that few dare to take. We are one such company. We are what we are today because our culture, our values, and our beliefs have been in sync. This is not the first crisis we have faced and will not be the last. The larger we get, the more we will need to develop capabilities to manage various types of crises. Not all of them can be anticipated but what can be built in anticipation is our resilience, our elasticity, our spirit. This matters the most in a crisis.

The journey that the Adani Group and its people have taken has never been for the faint hearted. We deliver nonlinear results because of who we are. The only way we continue to scale in the future is to ensure we learn from this crisis and put in place the right levels of risk mitigation, the right levels of governance and the right levels of fiscal discipline.

Back in 2012, I had said that “Constant course adaptation must be a way of life – especially for entrepreneurial companies like us that seek to break new paths.” I had also said that “Winning can never be about luck – it is about Attitude. It is about Heart. It is about Tenacity.” What you have demonstrated over the past few weeks is precisely what I have always believed in. Your ability to Adapt. Your Attitude. Your Heart. Your Tenacity.

I am grateful that you have stood by me. Your trust in me is my biggest source of energy. I promise you we will learn from this experience and emerge even stronger in the days ahead.

Thank you for your support.

Jai Hind.

Bobby Nair

The Adani Group’s recent takeover of New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) sent ripples through the media industry. While acquisitions and mergers are common in the business world, including acquisitions of media companies, an army of alarmist commentators immediately flooded both social media and the news space with dire warnings and doomsday scenarios as if India’s most diversified business group had invaded some sacred space by taking over NDTV. One after another, well-known publications and media pundits – both domestic and international – dedicated column after column and show after show to condemning and deriding the acquisition, even going so far as to predict that it heralded the death of editorial independence at NDTV.

Lost in that baseless din was the opportunity for a healthy, logical discussion on the positive impact of the acquisition on one of India’s most respected and independent media organizations. It was as if no one wished to or was willing to acknowledge publicly that the Adani Group’s move would, indisputably, benefit NDTV and the overall Indian media landscape. The Group understands that a diverse and independent media landscape is essential for a thriving democracy, as it ensures that different perspectives and viewpoints are heard. By strengthening NDTV’s reporting, the Adani Group can contribute to a robust and vibrant media environment that fully serves the public interest.

Financial Stability and Investment

One of the primary benefits of the Adani Group’s takeover of NDTV is the financial stability it brings to the media organization. NDTV needs a large dose of investment if it is to climb the peaks it once conquered and move even higher into a global media orbit. As India’s most reliable infrastructure business group, the Adani Group has phenomenal execution capabilities and an enviably strong track record of successful investments across various sectors. With this acquisition, NDTV is likely to benefit from increased financial resources, enabling it to invest in new technology, talent, and content development. This will not only help NDTV maintain its competitive edge in the rapidly changing media landscape but also strengthen its position as a leading news broadcaster.

Synergy in Operations

The Adani Group’s diverse business interests, ranging from renewable energy and infrastructure to agribusiness and logistics, can provide NDTV with a wealth of exclusive stories and insights, especially in the business news segment. An additional advantage stems from the Group’s geographical diversity. Its very visible presence in every corner of India gives NDTV, which earlier was forced to thin its bureaus across the country, an unmatched newsgathering perch from which to cover the length and breadth of India. This broad cross-platform synergy will allow NDTV to offer unique, valuable and extra-deep content to its upmarket-heavy audience, making the news organization more attractive to advertisers and resulting in increased revenues.

Expansion into New Markets

With the backing of the Adani Group, NDTV will have the resources to expand its presence in new markets, both domestically and internationally. In addition to the business broadcast market, other forays could be into state territories or language segments. The Group’s global footprint and connections can help NDTV extend its reach to new audiences, increasing its brand recognition and influence. Moreover, the expertise and resources of the Adani Group can support NDTV in the development of new platforms and distribution channels—both inside and outside India, ensuring its content is accessible to a larger audience.

Diversification of Revenue Streams

NDTV’s acquisition by the Adani Group is also likely to lead to the diversification of the media organization’s revenue streams. With access to the Adani Group’s vast resources, NDTV can expect investment in new content formats and platforms, such as digital streaming, podcasts, and virtual reality experiences. This diversification will allow NDTV to cater to the evolving preferences of its audience, ensuring its continued relevance in an increasingly competitive market.

Maintaining Editorial Independence

While it is fair to raise queries relating to editorial policy and editorial independence, the shrill, hysterical and one-sided nature of the commentary, drawing conclusions even before the topic has been put to the test, has been both alarming and bizarre. Nothing suggests that NDTV’s editorial independence will be compromised. On the contrary, the Adani Group has publicly stated its respect for NDTV’s reputation for fair news and current affairs coverage and, further, has expressed its commitment to upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity. By allowing NDTV to continue operating with autonomy, the Adani Group can leverage the media organization’s reputation for unbiased reporting and critical analysis, further enhancing its own brand value.

While a discussion about NDTV’s editorial independence following the Adani Group’s takeover is understandable, there are compelling reasons to believe that any fear of editorial dilution and deviation is unfounded. In an interview to the Financial Times, Chairman Gautam Adani described NDTV as “the most suitable broadcast and digital platform to deliver on our vision”. Mr Adani added that his vision is to support NDTV “to become independent and have a global footprint” and transform it into a world-class news and current affairs media powerhouse on par with the likes of global media outlets like the Financial Times and Al Jazeera.

The Adani Group’s commitment to upholding journalistic integrity, NDTV’s established reputation, the importance of a diverse media landscape, lessons from past acquisitions in the media space, legal safeguards, and public scrutiny all contribute to the likelihood that NDTV’s editorial independence will remain uncompromised. By preserving its core principles and continuing to deliver unbiased news and analysis, NDTV will continue to be a valuable asset in India’s media landscape.

Dipika Rathi

A

dani Solar, the photovoltaic manufacturing arm of the Adani Group, has introduced India’s first monocrystalline silicon ingot. Inaugurated by Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group at its Mundra facility recently, the new ingot is one of the best alternatives to produce electrical and thermal energy with efficiency ranging from 17% to 20%.

Adani Solar is indeed the first company in India to complete the backward integration of ingot line infrastructure in a record-breaking 6-7 months, making significant progress toward the Prime Minister of India’s ambition of self-reliant India. The new ingot manufacturing line will produce silicon ingots exclusively for their solar wafer, cells and module production. With this Adani Solar becomes the sole producer of monocrystalline silicon ingots in India which shall be a critical link in the photovoltaic crystalline silicon industry chain to make India self-reliant in the near future.

As the name implies, mono, which means one, is also known as single crystalline silicon solar panels, and it has the highest efficiency and power capacity of all types of solar panels because it takes up less space to achieve a given power capacity. In other words, a smaller number of monocrystalline solar panels would be required in a solar power system to generate the same amount of power as a larger number of polycrystalline solar panels. This makes monocrystalline solar panels ideal for people with limited roof space and marks a significant step forward for Adani Solar in manufacturing them domestically. It will assist India in expanding its domestic manufacturing sector and reducing imports.

“We take great delight in being India’s first ingot manufacturer. We have made remarkable technological progress in every aspect of solar manufacturing in the past, from cells to modules, and we intend to replicate our past successes in our future endeavours as we backward integrate all the way to producing metallurgical grade silicon from quartz,” shared Dr Puneet Gupta, CTO, Adani Solar, “Our chairman’s vision is ambitious, and we are fully committed to achieving accelerated growth in this business by establishing a fully integrated and comprehensive ecosystem of 10 GW Solar PV manufacturing-an ecosystem that not only is vertically integrated but also hosts all ancillary units in the same geography.”

While the company’s initial production has already begun, it intends to add 2 GW of ingot and wafer capacity by the end of 2023. By 2025, it wants to scale it up to 10 GW.

The company is already a pioneer in silicon-based cell and module production with the first GW scale factory in India that started in 2016.

With the ramp up in its annual production capacity of solar PV cells and modules from 1.2 GW in 2017 to 4GW in 2022, Adani Solar remains India’s first, largest, and vertically integrated manufacturer.

Shreya Iyer

I

t’s raining awards for AdaniConneX! The India-based startup recently won multiple awards at two prominent award ceremonies, at the Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) 2023 and CIO Choice Awards 2023.

The Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) 2023 awards ceremony was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the category in which the data center won an award for the first time was the ‘Outstanding Startup Award.’ While at the CIO Choice Awards 2023, it won the awards under the category of ‘Integrated Data Center Solution’ and ‘Data Center Managed Services Provider’. The CIO Choice Award 2023 was held in Mumbai.

“We are extremely happy to have received these awards. These awards are a testament to our capabilities and our commitment to building India’s largest sustainable data center platform, helping customers scale and accelerate with confidence,” says Sanjay Bhutani, senior vice president and head of data center business.

From some of the well-known hyperscalers to enterprise organizations, over 1000 global industry leaders were present at the PTC 2023 awards ceremony and around 300 global industry leaders were present at the CIO Choice Awards ceremony. Both PTC and CIO Choice awards are globally recognized.

While PTC 2023 celebrates the outstanding achievements in the information and communication technologies (ICT) industry, the CIO Choice awards 2023 is a unique platform that recognizes and honours products, services, and solutions on the back of the stated preferences of CIOs and ICT decision-makers.

AdaniConneX which came into inception last year is a joint venture formed between Adani Enterprises and EdgeConneX with an aim to empower the digital India movement along with building robust infrastructure across the nation for data centers, networks, IT infrastructure, and applications that will enhance and boost India’s current digital abilities more sustainably. At the PTC 2023 awards ceremony, the EdgeConnex team won the Outstanding Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award.

Dipika Rathi

A

dani Transmission Limited (ATL), the largest private transmission and distribution company in India and part of the globally diversified Adani portfolio, has been recognized as ‘Single-use Plastic Free’. The Confederation of Indian Industry-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CII-ITC CESD), which supports the business community towards achieving sustainability, has certified ATL for its successful voluntary implementation of Single-use Plastic-Free measures within its 37 operational locations spread across 10 states of the country. The company’s compliance with certification requirements has been confirmed by on-site evaluations and an examination of the supporting documentation.

With the goal of ranking among the “Top 10 companies in the world in ESG benchmarking of electric utility companies”, ATL had initiated a slew of projects. Ensuring ATL becomes Single-use Plastic Free, was one of the projects in that direction. A total of 37 ATL operational sites, i.e., 30 substations and 7 transmission line clusters, including stores, have been certified as “Single-use Plastic Free”. This certificate is valid from 22 February 2023 to 21 February 2024. This accomplishment has strengthened ATL’s commitment to the group’s alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal:12 and is in line with its ESG strategy and concerted efforts for material issues as disclosed by the company to all its stakeholders and investors via the company’s Sustainability Report.

By reducing the plastic footprint, this is an important step by ATL to make a transition towards a circular economy for plastics by 2030. With this certification in its kitty, ATL has become the first Indian electrical utility to earn “Zero Waste to Landfill certification”, “Water Positive certification,” and “Single-use Plastic Free Company” added to its laurels.

Rupam Singh Gupta

T

he Port of Haifa is an important hub for international trade and has served as a crucial gateway for Israel to the rest of the world. It handles about 30 million tons of cargo per year and has several terminals to cater to the huge traffic it receives. The Adani Group intends to introduce an array of logistics adjacencies on the land available around the port, apart from expanding the bouquet of shipping services. This would range from transport and cruise-related services to high-tech digital applications in ports and logistics.

The Port of Haifa is a crucial maritime commerce link for Mundra Port, India’s best-managed port, to make inroads into the highly lucrative Asia-Europe ocean-borne trade corridor. Mundra’s reach is seen as India’s ability to deliver cargo to destinations spanning the Mediterranean through its network of ports using the Port of Haifa as the final shipping link in the chain.

India’s foothold in Israel will help increase maritime traffic between Asia and Europe, and aid the major Asian players’ need for a hub in the Mediterranean. No other country in Asia has this capacity to provide a single shipping thoroughfare that links Asia and Europe.    

This acquisition will bolster trade and bilateral ties between the two nations.  With this move, Israel expects more Indian investment, especially in the fields of renewable energy and defence. The Adani Group is already collaborating with leading Israeli defence companies to put up a drone-manufacturing facility in India.

Juhi Chakraborty

S

ixteen-year-old Arti Birhor always believed in staying focused and going after her dreams and that kept her motivated in life. Being able to participate in the 23^rd Janjati National Sports Meet at Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh was that dream come true moment for her along with 11 other youngsters who competed at this national level competition.

For Arti and other children of Kachkoba village of Tamnar block in Raigarh, their lives took a hopeful turn when the Adani Foundation spotted their talent and liking for archery. Thus began a new journey for them as the Foundation curated an intervention focused on harnessing their natural talent through coaching and other facilities.

In August 2022, the CSR arm of the Adani Group started training children under 17-years of age at the Government Atmanand School, Tamnar, with the aim of motivating tribal children to take archery more seriously. This marked the beginning of archery training for 12 tribal children from the region. Under this program, archers are trained in physical qualities as well as meditative aspects.

The program proved effective when five children were selected for the division-level archery competition, followed by three children getting picked at the state level and securing 11th, 16th and 17th positions. Further, nine boys and girls in the under-14 and under-17 categories were selected for the National Janjati Sports Meet 2022-23, organized by Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, which is affiliated to the Archery Association of India. Truly, a remarkable achievement.   

Arivarasu Selvaraj

G

lobal markets have undergone significant change in recent years due to events that have affected consumer behaviour, consumption patterns, business profitability, and customer share. Industries from all sectors are noticing these developments and making course corrections to account for them so they can ride the tide and take leadership roles. Due to this, businesses from all sectors have started the journey of digital transformation and transformed into product-centric businesses.

To bring about a fundamental transformation in the way Adani Total Gas Limited operates and provide value to the end customer, ATGL embarked on a journey where digital technology gets integrated into business activities. CEO Suresh Manglani envisioned this transformation path, with the main goal being to unify all technology, business processes, operational assets, and people under a single digital platform. So was born the idea for the product and solution known as SOUL.

SOUL’s goals were defined to digitise energy portfolio, innovation in business model and package the entire solution as a product for the utilities industry. By developing a completely new business operating system based on data-driven decisions, automated with simplified business processes, and creating a world-class, differentiated experience across stakeholders, including customers, partners, employees, and investors, the vision is to transform ATGL into a digital organisation. The ultimate objective is to provide an epicentre of possibilities in the utilities space with a global outreach across geographies.

The SOUL journey began in September 2022, with the goal of bringing the solution and subsequently the product through several phases. With the ambition that has been envisioned, the first phase of the digital foundation has already been finished, which is a milestone. The journey to reach other milestones continues. From an organisational perspective, SOUL’s ultimate goal for ATGL would be to unify all company functions under a single window. As a result, organisational agility, corporate productivity, operational efficiency, threat and vulnerability reduction, increased profitability, and customer satisfaction would all significantly increase.

A global SaaS product for the utilities sector, SOUL will eventually allow customers to choose from an ecosystem of services based on their specific business needs.

SOUL’s digital platform provides capabilities to address:

• Near real-time visibility to operations across our entire business value chain and operations
• Rapid scaling through automation and reduction of errors   
• Visualization of business KPIs and exception-based intelligent management
• Persona based user experience.
• Reduced cybersecurity vulnerability with protected data and infrastructure
• Facilitating the company’s transition to a net-zero future

Shreya Iyer

I

n India, rice is not just a staple food for many regions but an emotion that connects us with some of the best gastronomical experiences we have had in our life. Not only does our country boast of some of the finest quality and varieties of rice, but there are also rice brands that have placed us on the global map. One such brand that’s reckoned with quality across many nations is the Kohinoor basmati rice.

To strengthen its leadership in the Food FMCG business, Adani Wilmar Limited (AWL) announced that it has acquired the renowned Basmati rice brand, ‘Kohinoor from McCormick Switzerland GMBH.’ AWL made the announcement through its regulatory exchange. The acquisition will give Adani Wilmar Limited exclusive rights over the brand ‘Kohinoor’ Basmati rice along with ‘Ready to Cook’, ‘Ready to Eat’ curries and meals portfolio under the Kohinoor Brand umbrella in India.

Divulging details about this acquisition, Angshu Mallick, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Adani Wilmar Limited said, “Adani Wilmar is pleased to welcome Kohinoor brand to the Fortune family. Kohinoor is a trusted brand that represents the authentic flavours of India and is loved by consumers.”

Talking about the company’s business strategy to expand its presence in the food industry, Mallick further says, “This acquisition is in sync with our business strategy to expand our portfolio in the higher margin branded staples and food products segment. We believe the packaged food category is under-penetrated with significant headroom for growth. The Kohinoor Brand has a strong brand recall and will help accelerate our leadership position in the Food FMCG category.”

AWL’s acquisition of Kohinoor’s domestic brand portfolio would strengthen the former’s leadership position in the FMCG category by augmenting a strong product basket with the premium brand along with the potential to scale value-added products.

The acquisition will further leverage the reach of the Kohinoor brand to drive synergies for AWL across geographies and complement the reach of its flagship brand ‘Fortune’ in the Food FMCG domain, fuelling the next level of growth and widen its portfolio to cater to the premium customer segments across rice and other value-added food businesses.

Adding the Kohinoor brand to their evolving and expanding brand, AWL is poised to become a formidable player as the brand portfolio comprises, ‘Kohinoor - premium Basmati rice, “Charminar - the affordable rice brand, and ‘Trophy’ for HoReCa segment.

Through this acquisition, AWL will strengthen its position with a 12% market share in basmati rice. AWL’s Fortune had a 6.5% market share and Kohinoor’s 5.2% . However, even after the buy, the combined entities will trail the market leaders India Gate, which has a 33% market share, and Daawat, which has about 23 % market share.

“The addition of Kohinoor’s domestic brand portfolio strengthens Adani Wilmar’s leadership position in the Food FMCG category by augmenting a strong product basket with premium brands along with the potential to scale value-added products,” Adani Wilmar said during the stock exchange filing.

Bottom line, in some important ways, we are not so different. We all want the same things when one comes down to it: happiness, fulfillment, appreciation, security. These are all universal goals that most of us share. But when it comes to certain values, attitudes and expectations, there may be some significant differences in how members of different generations approach their lives, especially in the space of work. But one who is willing to learn, question and disrupt things like the young and conduct business like the elders at any stage of life will be the archetype of a future employee, whatever be their age or generation.

Dipika Rathi

Today’s workforce is highly multigenerational. Look around and you will find people of various age groups in your team and organization. Each generation grew up in a different context and, as a result, has different work expectations. The political and social climate (the two world wars, India’s independence, the green and white revolutions, the pandemic, etc.) have also influenced the values of each generation at that time.

Rightly so, the people of each generation have something to teach and something to learn, unlearn and relearn. The behaviour of different generational cohorts may differ, with some choosing to work remotely over commuting, while others may prefer to work traditional office hours over flexible ones, etc.

However, labelling or stereotyping any demographic or generation is passé as organizations now seek to be inclusive. They see that, to achieve generational inclusion in the workplace, one must take time to understand the values of the generational group. What further helps to appreciate their different attitudes, viewpoints and motivations is comprehending the backstories and perceptions that surround a particular group of people or generation. Moreover, we need people of all generations to make an organization constructive. When the traditionalist’s ‘getting the job done’ attitude, the baby boomer’s teamwork skills, the xennial’s self-reliance, the millennial’s multitasking abilities and the iGen’s entrepreneurship are combined, these qualities create a powerful workforce that is able to handle any challenge that comes its way.

A common source of confusion when labelling generations is their age. Generational cohorts are defined by birth year, not current age. The reason is simple — generations get older in groups.

Shreya Iyer

If there’s one thing that many of us missed during the pandemic, it was the joy of travelling. However, it now seems that most people are making up for lost time by travelling to well-known, exotic, and even lesser-discovered places, both domestic and international. With the steady and rapid rise in air travel post the pandemic, airports have introduced newer flights connecting newer destinations along with more connecting flight options, leading to a steep rise in air passenger traffic at airports since last year.

The year 2023 certainly started on a positive note, as Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) handled over 4 million passengers in February 2023, once again surpassing the pre-covid passenger mark. In January this year, the passenger traffic crossed 4.5 million. While the rise in the number implies a robust demand for air travel through Mumbai, the increase in the volume can be attributed to the growing demand for domestic and leisure travel to various segments across the nation and even internationally.

CSMIA catered to this humungous volume of passengers across 24,292 flights, almost 57% higher compared to the flight movements recorded in February 2022. When compared with the pre-covid traffic levels recorded in February 2020 (3.9 million) and February 2019 (3.7 million), this year the airport achieved 2% growth, post-covid. The overall domestic air passenger traffic touched 4,37,800 on 2,935 departures in a single day across India on February 12.

 Talking about achieving this new high in the post-covid times, the civil aviation ministry said, Indian Aviation has reached new heights as domestic aviation operations soar higher with the highest ever post-Covid passenger movement. We are looking forward to soaring higher in the coming months and serving several passengers across the nation.”

While Dubai, London, and Abu Dhabi have firmly held on to their places as the top three international destinations with the highest passenger traffic through Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Goa continue to retain their position as the top three preferred domestic destinations. Currently, CSMIA is a gateway to 65 domestic and 47 international destinations for passengers from Mumbai and its surrounding areas. With the summer and vacay season just around the corner, CSMIA is well-prepared to meet the growing demand of passengers and is relentlessly working towards giving every passenger the best-in-class travel experience, with the therapeutic shopping experience, wholesome dining, access to lounges, and Pranaam services.

And while the number of air passenger traffic crossed over 4 million in February 2023 at the Mumbai International Airport, the remaining six Adani-managed airports also saw an increase in both domestic and international travellers over the last year. All the Adani-managed airports saw an increase of 92% in domestic and 133% in international travellers pushing the air traffic to touch the 100% mark as compared to the previous year. Over the last year, around 14.25 million passengers used these airports taking the number to pre-pandemic levels, as per a report published in the Business Standard.

According to Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL), this upward trend is expected to continue, and it is anticipated that the number of trips people will take in a year will increase. One of the factors driving this growth is the restart of tourism after the pandemic.

The first two months of 2023 also saw a huge rush at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA), Ahmedabad, with 1.74 million domestic passengers and 283,379 international travellers flying in and out of the airport.

Touted to be the 11th busiest airport in the country, Jaipur International Airport (JIAL) recorded nearly 69,300 international and around 0.88 million domestic passengers. Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) recorded nearly 1.04 million passenger movements in both months, with nearly 136,880 international and around 9.03 lakh domestic passengers.

With 32 domestic and two international flights, the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport (Guwahati) recorded a footfall of 902,694 passengers.

Thiruvananthapuram recorded 299,850 and 299,770 domestic and international footfalls, respectively with the airport connecting 10 domestic and 12 international destinations. The Mangaluru International Airport also saw increased traffic of 209,713 national and 84,356 foreign travellers.

Well, with newer destinations opening, it’s time to take that much-needed break to rejuvenate, refresh and reboot.

Dipika Rathi

The world turned the tide against the pandemic in 2021. The year that followed was dominated by the need to adjust to new realities while 2023 has been a year of navigating turbulence with aplomb. This will be a year for the Indian economy to strengthen its position on the global stage. The talent world has turned upside down and it has been a revolution, for good or bad only time can decide. However, the pandemic has certainly been the catalyst for people to seek what they desire, do what they want and give health, family and life utmost importance. “We are a people-driven world, and it took us a pandemic to realize it. But it’s better late than never when COVID-19 has evolved a new working culture, which is here to stay,” avers Vikram Tandon, Group CHRO, Adani Group.

Here are some excerpts from the conversation:

Beyond The Purpose Of Life

A conscious, local and healthy lifestyle has become as important to employees as finding a sense of purpose in their work. With the workforce heading back to the office after working in silos for months together, the need to foster connections and to feel a part of a community is at an all-time high. And so, we are working tirelessly to ensure that the needs of the employees are at the forefront, an environment of trust is created that strengthens the sense of identity with the community. Overall, being part of a diverse community offered by workspaces like ours leads to higher levels of productivity, opens doors to collaboration opportunities and elevates general well-being.

Diversity, Equality And Inclusion

Moving the bar seems to be a very pertinent HR priority. When it comes to diversity, our team members must be as diverse as the consumers we serve, which is why we are focused on recruiting diverse talent as well as fostering a culture of inclusion.

Bridging Gaps

For the first time in decades, the workplace is filled with five generations working under one roof. Each generation has different values and methods of working. While they learn from each other, they are constantly inspiring, empowering and enabling each another to innovate under a single roof. They work side by side toward shared economic and commercial goals. However, the way they are motivated or what engages them or lifts their spirit is quite different, but it isn’t rocket science. Today’s employers have geared to adapt to each generation’s working style while trying to figure out how to meet their needs. A perfect team is built not just by common facets of diversity like gender, differently abled, and cultural background but also with age diversity.

Post-COVID: Transformation In Work Culture

Remote work has relaxed the traditional rules of professional presentation and has given us a virtual workplace that is not only more flexible, but also more humane. One can work with people on any time-zone and being professional has changed as the culture today enables one to bring one’s authentic self to work. A downside is that work is now 24*7 which can take a toll at times.

To maintain a work-life balance, it is my advice to my co-workers to work hard but to enjoy small moments in between. When you need to switch off, switching off in a quality way is very important.

The Big Shift

COVID-19 has brought unprecedented human and humanitarian challenges. Organisations around the globe have risen to the occasion, acting swiftly to safeguard employees and migrate to a new way of working that even the most extreme business-continuity plans had not envisioned. Remote working, flexible timings, employees choosing what they want to work on to taking time off for their well-being and family—it’s been a fundamental shift.

Surprisingly, across industries, leaders and employees alike adapted swiftly to working from home to a hybrid model in a creative and bold way. It was surprising how everyone smoothly adopted quick and effective technologies for video conferencing and other remote forms of digital collaboration. For many and, of course, for the Adani Group, the results have been better than imagined.

Changing Dynamics

The pandemic has shifted the dynamics of the workplace. We have heard of the Great Resignation in the IT industry. It is because the employees were questioning (and still ask) why they are doing what they are doing. Finding and driving purpose is a key priority for employees in the real world today. They now want to do only the work which brings them satisfaction and if it aligns with their purpose of life. In response, the workplaces are going all out to ensure continuity and fluidity between in-office work and remote work as well. Organisations that went out on a limb to support and step in wherever employees needed during the pandemic have retained their best talent and attracted the best talent too.

Shreya Iyer

Most people cannot do a center split, much less stay in that position for more than a few minutes. The center split is considered one of the most difficult positions to learn, master and maintain. However, it is a necessary sub-routine on the path to expertise in disciplines like yoga, ballet, dance, gymnastics, and the martial arts.

An Indian yoga instructor has now set a world record in maintaining this difficult position. Ranchi-based Smita Kumari was recently acknowledged by Guinness World Records for setting a new world record for holding the center split – (Samakonasana, Yoga) – pose for a record 3 hours 10 minutes and 12 seconds. The record setting effort took place in Ahmedabad.

“Growing up, I never thought of working as a yoga instructor, let alone set a world record,” says an elated Smita Kumari, who is presently an in-house yoga instructor with the healthcare department at the Adani Group.

Smita, had always aimed at joining the IES (Indian Economic Service) and was preparing for Master’s in Economics when fate intervened.

“After completing my graduation in Economics from Ranchi University, I had applied for my Master’s in Economics and was awaiting the results,” says Smita. “With an aim of not wasting a year if I didn’t get through, my elder brother suggested that I enroll for a diploma in Yoga Science, and that U-turn changed the course of my life,” she shares.

With no grounding at all in yoga, the 29-year-old had to overcome several challenges to find her footing in this field. “It would dishearten me to see others holding a yoga pose for hours when I couldn’t be in one asana for more than two minutes during the initial days of my training. Post finishing my classes I would stay back and practice asanas till I perfected them,” says Smita.

Slowly, as she found her footing, her interest in the subject was piqued leading her to pursue Master’s in Applied Yoga and Human Science from Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Uttarakhand where she was conferred with a gold medal.

In 2019, she joined Adani Enterprises Ltd, Ahmedabad, as a professional yoga instructor. “Just like how yoga was never a planned part of my goals, moving to Ahmedabad was also the same as this move proved a life-changing experience for me. I even found a family in my colleagues,” shares Kumari.

Like every major decision of Smita’s life was accidental yet rewarding, aiming to set a world record was also unplanned. “Last year, while talking to a senior colleague, I decided to set a world record. As I started my research, I came across many national and international record books and decided to apply for the Guinness World Records,” she says.

For Smita, holding the center split pose was challenging since her graduation days but she decided to go ahead with it as there was no one who had attempted to hold this pose for the Guinness World Records. “During the first practice session I could hold only for 16 minutes and by the 10th day of my practice session I was able to stay in the position for an hour,” she says exuberantly.

Cramps and muscle soreness would often dampen her spirits. But controlling her mind and heart was her toughest enemy on this journey. “Chanting OM, Gayatri Mantra, and Hanuman Chalisa helped me stay focused even when I was internally whining in pain,” she adds.

As she progressed with her research and practice, she realized that there are many aspects that needed her attention. “From registration, initial paperwork, and fee payment to the final day event prep, a lot of work was involved, which would often distract me during practice sessions, even at work. But when I informed my colleagues about my initiative, they proactively helped me in every way possible.

That’s when the Adani Sportsline team intervened to assist Smita. From financial to emotional, the Adani Sportsline team along with the in-house physiotherapist and dietician helped me plan out my journey meticulously, till the event day,” shares Smita.

Along with her family, her team members were also cheering for her with gusto every time they saw even the slightest discomfort on her face during her D-day. “My workplace has given me my strongest cheerleaders and I will always be grateful for everything they have done to help me achieve the unthinkable.”

Vedika Hardikar

I

n today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape, digital transformation has become a critical element of a company’s growth and success. Digital transformation refers to the integration of digital technology into all aspects of a business, from operations to customer service. Market data over the last two decades shows conclusively that companies that embraced digital transformation hold a business advantage over their rivals.

Let us examine some of the many benefits that accrue from digital transformation.

Better Customer Experience

In today’s digital age, customers expect companies to provide a seamless, personalized experience across all channels, including online and offline. A critical benefit of digital transformation is an enhanced customer experience. By leveraging technology, companies can better understand their customers’ needs and preferences and tailor their products and services accordingly.

Video-on-demand streaming platforms like Hulu and Netflix are excellent examples of companies that have leveraged digital transformation to greatly enhance the customer experience. Using data analytics to gain insights into customer behaviour and preferences, these anytime entertainment providers personalize their marketing messages and deliver more targeted and relevant content. This digital strategy helps these companies to build stronger relationships with their customers, increase loyalty, and drive revenue growth.

Greater Agility & Flexibility

Digital transformation also enables companies to respond quickly to changing market conditions and customer needs. By adopting agile methodologies, companies can deliver products and services faster, test and iterate quickly, and respond to feedback in real-time. This enables companies to stay ahead of their competitors and quickly pivot to new opportunities as they arise. For instance, cloud-based solutions can be used to scale up or down quickly, depending on demand, allowing companies to be more responsive to changes in the market.

Direct services aggregators like Grab and Uber are examples of companies that have leveraged digital transformation to be more agile and flexible. By leveraging technology, these diversified service platforms have been able to quickly adapt to changes in the market and customer needs. The introduction of UberEATS and GrabFood were digital initiatives that helped these companies respond to changing customer preferences and diversify their revenue streams. This has helped Grab and Uber to stay ahead of their rivals and maintain their position as market leaders.

Innovation and New Revenue Streams

Digital transformation can also provide companies with new opportunities for innovation and revenue growth. By leveraging the extended subsets of technology, companies can develop new products and services that meet changing customer needs, preferences and expectations. For instance, companies can deep dive into the usage data they collect and use analytics and artificial intelligence to bring out new and innovative lines of products and services.

Apple and Samsung are global examples of companies that have harnessed the power of digital transformation to drive innovation, marketing and revenue growth. Apple’s introduction of the iPhone revolutionized the smartphone market and created a new and massive revenue stream for the company. On the other side of the operating system divide, Samsung has led the rest of the pack with a similar focus on applied transformative technology in the digital space. By exploiting technology, both Samsung and Apple have continued to develop new products and services, such as accessories like the Apple Watch and Samsung Gear as well as innovative smartphone models, to drive revenue growth and stay well ahead of the competition.

Better Decision Making

Digital transformation also enables companies to collect, analyse, and act on data in real-time. By adopting data-driven decision-making processes, companies can make better decisions based on accurate, up-to-date information. This leads to improved business outcomes, reduced risk, and increased competitiveness.

In conclusion, digital transformation helps companies to stay competitive and adapt to the evolving market. Companies that fail to invest in and embrace digital transformation risk falling behind their competitors and losing significant market share. However, digital transformation is not just about technology. It requires upskilling together with a cultural shift within the organization. Leaders must be willing to accept change, foster a culture of innovation, and also invest in their employees’ digital skills. This requires a long-term commitment and a willingness to invest in technology and training.

Shreya Iyer

I

n recent years, there has been a growing focus on women’s empowerment in India, and sports, particularly cricket, have emerged as a powerful tool to achieve this goal. While cricket has long been a male-dominated sport in India, the past few years have seen a significant rise in the popularity of women’s cricket, thanks in part to the success of the Indian women’s cricket team.

The Women’s Premier League has now opened for women the biggest doors yet to a professional career, potential stardom and also a higher aspirational earnings bracket, as evidenced by the bid levels at the first-ever player auction ahead of the 2023 WPL where all the five franchises confirmed their squads.

As ex-India captain Mithali Raj, mentor and advisor to Adani Sportsline’s Gujarat Giants, put it: “From international to domestic, U-19 and even uncapped players, I’m thrilled to have on board a blend of players from various walks of life and we all are excited to see how all the players come together and carve a niche for ourselves.”

The benefits of empowering women through sport do not end with earnings or recognition. Sport, and cricket in particular, can function as a vital platform for women to showcase their skills, to challenge gender stereotypes, and to inspire other women to follow their dreams. By breaking down barriers and challenging traditional gender roles, women’s cricket can empower women both on and off the field.

Cricket can also provide opportunities for women to develop leadership skills, teamwork, and resilience. Through the challenges and successes of the game, women can learn to work together, to take on leadership roles, and to develop the confidence and resilience needed to succeed in any aspect of their lives.

Moreover, cricket can provide a means for women to gain greater financial independence. With the rise of professional women’s cricket, women can now earn a living from the sport, providing a much-needed source of income for themselves and their families.

However, there are still many challenges that need to be addressed to fully harness the potential of women’s cricket in India. For instance, there is a need for greater investment in women’s cricket, including infrastructure, coaching, and resources. There is also a need for greater visibility and coverage of women’s cricket, both in the media and in the public consciousness.

Today, high-profile women’s sporting events like the Women’s Premier League have the potential to be powerful drivers for women’s empowerment in India. By providing opportunities for women to develop their skills, leadership abilities, and financial independence, leagues like the WPL can help to break down gender barriers and empower women both on and off the field. As we look towards a more equitable and inclusive society, sport can play a vital role in achieving this vision for women.

Satyavratsinh Jadeja & Arpita Vadgama

E

very year on International Women’s Day, the Adani Foundation shortlists a few women who have made a difference in their lives and the lives of the people around them and showcases their stories in a video format under the campaign ‘a-rising’. This year, the theme on which the Adani Foundation focused was the female farmers of India. The Foundation team shortlisted four names and deployed video teams to capture their unique stories of empowerment.

The four women from remote areas near Mundra (Gujarat), Kawai (Rajasthan), Kattupalli (Tamil Nadu) and Tiroda (Maharashtra) were featured in four short videos, each highlighting their struggle and empowerment.

Geetaben Jethva

Mangra Village, Mundra, Kutch (Gujarat)

Geetaben Jethva’s husband was Kutch district’s first Dragonfruit cultivator. But after his sudden death she became the sole breadwinner and had to take care of her five children, aging in-laws and a sprawling farmland. The Adani Foundation’s training on natural farming, animal husbandry, making vermicompost and drip irrigation helped to make Geetaben self-reliant. She got her three daughters married, while her son is studying agriculture in Anand and her youngest daughter helps her on the farm.

M Kalpana

Ramanathapuram, Thiruvallur (Tamil Nadu)

M Kalpana was a coolie worker who has now become a role model for organic farming in Ramanathapuram village and nearby villages. She has motivated 300 farmers, leading to 300 acres of land converted to natural farming which is promoted jointly by Adani Foundation and Department of Rural Development, Government of Tamil Nadu.

Savita Rewatkar

Garada Tola, Tiroda (Maharashtra)

Savita Rewatkar is an indomitable lady farmer – she is a small farmer but very keen to adopt new agricultural practices. She has 4 family members, since her husband is differently abled, she is responsible for the entire household and farm. Agriculture is the main source of income to sustain her family. In her 6 acre land, she mainly grows paddy, turmeric, and vegetables.

Sajna Bai Meena

Amapura Village, Kawai (Rajasthan)

Sajna bai Meena’s life came crashing down when her husband suddenly passed away leaving her with seven children and huge debts. After much persuasion by the Adani Foundation she took their help and started afresh. They provided her with 70 saplings and seeds and trained her in animal husbandry and artificial insemination. From growing various fruits, vegetables and crops to selling milk to the village diary, she became financially secure and paid off her husband’s debts.

Shreya Iyer

It was a proud moment for Indians at the 95th Academy Awards, recently held in Los Angeles, United States. As we waited with bated breath, Telugu superhit film RRR’s Naatu Naatu and The Elephant Whisperer directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga, brought home the Oscars under the ‘Best Original Song’ and ‘Best Documentary Short,’ respectively. Actor-producer-entrepreneur Deepika Padukone was one of the presenters at the awards ceremony, becoming the third Indian to present an Oscar after Persis Khambatta and Priyanka Chopra.

The stage at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, the home ground for the Oscars, was set on fire with an electrifying dance number on the foot-thumping number Naatu Naatu. The song was performed by singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava and Deepika Padukone introduced the scintillating performance.

Bringing the spotlight back on India once again, Naatu Naatu music composer MM Keeravaani, said that growing up he would often listen to ‘The Carpenters’ and now he’s thrilled to be receiving an Oscar. Lyricist Chandrabose accompanied Keeravaani on the stage to receive the award.

The Elephant Whisperers director Kartiki Gonsalves and producer Guneet Monga took the centre stage to accept the coveted award. Gonsalves gave a heartwarming speech and spoke about the motivations behind the film. The duo dedicated the award to India.

During her acceptance speech, she said, “I stand here today to speak on the sacred bond between us and our natural world. For the respect of indigenous communities. For entity towards other living beings, we share our space with. And finally for co-existence.” She also thanked the academy for recognizing their film, her deserving team, the producer, her family, and her motherland, India!

Moments after the announcement, Twitter was flooded with congratulatory wishes from all corners wishing the winners.

While Indian artists were celebrated for their stupendous victory at the Oscars, their sartorial choices spoke equally louder. Be it Deepika Padukone’s custom-made Louis Vuitton couture and Cartier jewellery, RRR fame Jr. NTR’s tiger motif bandhgala, Kartiki Gonsalves custom-made gown with motifs that bespoke of India’s rich cultural heritage to Mindy Kaling’s sublime yet gorgeous white gown to Upasana Kamineni Konidela’s chic ivory saree and Lilly Singh’s fuchsia tuxedo, Indian celebrities not just left a mark on the stage but on this year’s beige carpet as well and how!

Certainly, the much-awaited awards ceremony was totally worth the wait!

Juhi Chakraborty

T

he dark, cold and gloomy Winter spell is over, and Spring is here. This is an indication that all those winter décor needs to make an exit like right away. This also means that it is the right time for a refresh for your homes. Sunnier days are finally here and so is the time to brighten up your home decor, just in time for Spring!

Flower Power

As the saying goes, “Where Flowers Bloom, So Does Hope,” this is the right time to get your vases out of the cupboards and make the most of the wonderful blooms that are in season. You can also purchase some colourful glass vases in different shapes and sizes just to add another dimension to the colourful flowers. If you do not have a garden, fret not. You can visit your local flower vendor and purchase the seasonal blooms like transvaal daisies, lilies, carnations, and of course the good old roses. Mix and match with the vases and see the magic happen.

Declutter and Spring Clean

First and foremost, begin by taking time out to reorganize your home. Look at every neglected nook and corner of your home, from kitchen cupboards to closets, to every drawer that you can find. Look for all the items that you aren’t using. Either keep them away in your storerooms or donate anything that you no longer need. This is the right time to follow the Japanese tradition of Seiri, which means to separate the needed from the unneeded materials and to remove the unneeded ones.

Get Nature Inside

You know what is the most cheap and effective way to give your house a fresh, new makeover? It is a no-brainer… Plants of course! Just bring in some potted plants from your balconies and verandahs and see the difference yourself. In an instant, it will enhance your home’s appearance. All those small potted plants can make for great centrepieces for your living room center table, console table or dining table. Keep the larger plants in those empty corners of your house which would immediately lift the ambience. Green is always Good.

Aroma Therapy

If you have done all the above things and are still feeling that something is missing, then the answer is getting your home to smell like Spring. Time to purchase some vanilla, citrus, rose, ylang ylang, and cinnamon scented candles that naturally add a stronger aroma to your home. You can opt for pillar candles, tea light candles, glass jar candles or decoupage candles, which will help you create the perfect springtime scent indoors. And yes, don’t neglect your bathroom.

Colour Me Sunshine and Rainbow

Pack away those dark-hued blankets and upholstery in your homes and get yourself some light, fresh-toned soft furnishings. You can brighten up your space with some spring living room décor. Don’t be shy to add bold, bright colours. Bright-coloured solid or printed curtains, floral printed bedspreads, botanical patterned dining tablecloths and placemats, sofa throws, and decorative pillows will surely do cheerful wonders for your home.

Shreya Iyer

T

oday, we see women globally breaking the glass ceiling and making commendable progress in various fields. But there are many young girls in the rural and tribal areas in our country who are suffering from anaemia and malnutrition which is making their dreams of making it big, even more difficult.

With an aim to create awareness regarding these health conditions, the Adani Foundation’s SuPoshan Project has been relentlessly working with children under 5 years, young girls and women of reproductive age, across 20 rural districts in India.

These issues are addressed and handled by SuPoshan Sanginis – village health volunteers – who play an important role in raising awareness about health and nutrition, referring severely malnourished children, promoting backyard nutri-garden, and encouraging behavioural change within the project’s target populations.

However, things on the field are not always easy for these Sanginis. Financial constraints, social stigma, and taboos are some of the challenges that they face regularly. During a routine home visit, Sumitra Botre, 35, a SuPoshan Sangini, came across 19-year-old Karishma Kishanrao Raut who looked pale and was underweight residing in Sarra village in Nagpur. But her parents were not ready to spend money on her treatment as they had already spent a lot on it earlier. “Lack of financial support and awareness are often the toughest challenges that we have to overcome regularly to ensure that the young girls get the right treatment at the right time,” says Ms Botre.

She further adds, “After regularly counselling the family for over 3-4 months by our team of Suposhan Sanginis, Karishma not only started getting the right treatment she showed tremendous improvements as well. The family continues with regular follow-ups and counselling sessions.”

It is not always the lack of awareness but also difficulty in getting through to the parents which becomes the tougher challenge. Another Sangini, Kalavatiben Vasava, 28, shares, “During a group discussion with adolescent girls, I came across 21-year-old Amita Nandod from Bhuchhad village, Gujarat, who would constantly feel lethargic. After conducting a few tests at the local health center, it was revealed that her haemoglobin levels were critically low. Amita’s parents were laborers and her father had severe substance abuse issues due to which making the parents understand the severity of the issue became a big task for us.”

So, she decided to help Amita by educating her on different food groups that can increase her haemoglobin levels whilst also educating her on how to prepare nutritious meals with locally available ingredients. “These small steps helped Amita to get better and healthier. Now, even her parents are happy with the results and the efforts put in by our team and Amita,” she adds.

“As a Sangini we face many challenges and hurdles on a daily basis, but when we are able to help a family, more importantly, a young girl, we feel truly blessed,” echoes both Sumitra and Kalavatiben. Since the initiative’s inception in 2016, over 500 SuPoshan Sanginis have joined the program, and their timely intervention has supported thousands of young adolescent girls across locations.

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