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Financial services company <keyword id="7349800" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bharatpe">BharatPe</keyword> on Monday said it has raised ₹50 crore in debt from <keyword id="6254083" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Northern-Arc-Capital">Northern Arc Capital</keyword>, one of the leading digital debt finance platforms. This is the sixth round of debt financing in 2021, the company said. In January, the company had raised ₹200 crore from three top debt companies in the country -- Alteria Capital, <keyword id="2809652" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="InnoVen-Capital">InnoVen Capital</keyword> and <keyword id="2694863" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Trifecta-Capital">Trifecta Capital</keyword>, having later raised additional capital from <keyword id="6653" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICICI-bank">ICICI Bank</keyword> and <keyword id="6355975" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="axis-bank">Axis Bank</keyword>. "We have considerably ramped up our lending business in the last year and have set an ambitious target of facilitating disbursals to the tune of $1 billion to more than 10 lakh merchants by the end of current fiscal (FY22)," said Suhail Sameer, Group President, BharatPe. "We are excited about our latest capital raise from Northern Arc and are confident that, together, we will be able to transform Bharat and serve the needs of the underserved businesses in India," he added. The fintech company has already facilitated disbursals of over ₹1,600 crore to more than 2 lakh merchants since the launch of the lending vertical. "Northern Arc has continually worked towards extending credit to like-minded organisations such as BharatPe that enable financial access to small businesses and merchants across the country," said Bama Balakrishnan, <keyword id="6423421" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="coo">COO</keyword>, Northern Arc. Northern Arc has directly disbursed more than ₹3,500 crore over the last financial year to MSMEs, households, financial institutions and mid-market corporates. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/this-ev-startup-mobycy-went-from-solving-last-mile-commute-to-delivery/articleshow/82513392.cms">It took one pivot and five years for this EV startup founder to hit the sweet spot for business in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/clubhouse-android-download-release-date-beta-version/articleshow/82515109.cms">Clubhouse for Android finally launched as downloads and hype take a plunge</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/bandhan-bank-share-price-falls-after-reporting-an-80-fall-in-its-net-profit/articleshow/82516642.cms">Bandhan Bank falls 4% after reporting an 80% fall in its net profit – positive market trends help it bounce back into the green</a>

SME lending startup BharatPe raises ₹50 crore in debt from Northern Arc Capital

New Delhi, Mar 2 () Fintech start-up Chqbook.com on Monday said it has raised USD 5 million (about Rs 36 crore) from Aavishkaar Capital. The Gurugram-based company will use the proceeds from the series A round to expand its product portfolio, scale up distribution across multiple cities and strengthen its proprietary AI-powered technology platform, a statement said. "Backed by a strong founding team, we are building India's first marketplace bank and will be the financial control centre for small business owners by offering them massive product choice and superior customer experience," Chqbook.com founder and CEO Vipul Sharma said. Chqbook said it is already unit economics-positive and its year-on-year revenue has seen a growth of 8x in FY20 compared to FY19. Some of the early stage investors of Chqbook include Harsha Bhogle, Bharat Shyam, Ken Glass, Anand Chandrasekaran, Amit Manocha, Amit Singhal, Bhupesh Kumar, Nilesh Srivastava, Rohit Chanana and Sakshi Vij.***** DAZN to expand global presence DAZN, a global sports streaming service, on Monday said it is expanding its presence to more than 200 countries and territories this year. DAZN has already debuted services in nine countries -- Austria, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the US. This first phase of DAZN's global expansion will be an English-language service focused on boxing, building on the company's significant investment in the sport over the past two years, a statement said. The DAZN app will be available globally on most internet-connected devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, PCs as well as smart TVs, streaming sticks and game consoles. Pricing by market will be announced in the coming weeks, the statement said.***** ODA Class raises pre-series A funding ODA Class, a Bengaluru-based digital education platform, on Monday said it has raised an undisclosed amount of funding in pre-series A round, led by Chinese education company Yuanfudao. The company plans to utilise the funds for technology upgradation and expanding its product offerings, a statement said. It will also be used for development of infrastructure and enhancing the teacher recruitment system, it added. The company has already garnered one million users, and aims to reach 10 million users by the end of the year. ***** CredAble, Northern Arc launch invoice-backed securitisation transaction Supply chain financing fintech platform CredAble on Monday said it has launched invoice-backed securitisation transaction along with non-bank player Northern Arc Capital. The securitisation structure will allow vendors of the company, including MSMEs, to discount their invoices and bridge working capital gap. Under the transaction, the discounted invoices that are raised to large anchor (buyers) by the vendors (suppliers) on CredAble's platform are then assigned as invoice receivables to the securitisation trust, the company said in a release. The product will help capital market investors including asset management funds get access to invoice financing market, it said. SR HV RVK

Chqbook.com raises USD 5 mn from Aavishkaar Capital

The Indian version of "<keyword id="20621486" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Night-Manager" source="keywords">The Night Manager</keyword>", starring <keyword id="19908194" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anil-Kapoor" source="keywords">Anil Kapoor</keyword>, <keyword id="19963248" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aditya-Roy-Kapoor" source="keywords">Aditya Roy Kapoor</keyword> and <keyword id="19902028" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sobhita-Dhulipala" source="keywords">Sobhita Dhulipala</keyword>, has received a nomination in the drama series category at the 2024 International Emmy Awards. "The Night Manager" is the only entry from India across 14 categories at the nominations that were announced on Thursday in New York by the International Academy of Television Arts &amp; Sciences (IATAS). The series, directed by <keyword id="23240351" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sandeep-Modi" source="keywords">Sandeep Modi</keyword> and <keyword id="23246289" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Priyanka-Ghose" source="keywords">Priyanka Ghose</keyword>, is adapted from both -- the John le Carre's novel and the British show, starring Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Olivia Colman. "The Night Manager" will compete with French show "Les Gouttes de Dieu" (Drops of God), "The Newsreader - Season 2" from Australia and "Iosi, El Espia Arrepentido" season two from Argentina in the category. Kapur, who essayed the titular Night Manager, said he is happy that his series debut received an International Emmy nod and it is a "big moment" for the entire team. "An Emmy Nomination for my first series.. wow! From day one, we knew that we were creating something special with The Night Manager but for it to receive so much love and recognition across the country, and the world was not something any of us had imagined. This is such a big moment for us all!" he said. In the Indian take, Kapur played Shaan Sengupta, a hotel night manager, who goes undercover to bring down the empire of arms dealer Shaildendra 'Shelly' Rungta (played by Anil Kapoor). Kapoor said he is "ecstatic" over the nomination, which is a "worthy reminder" that hard work always pays off. "It's just been brought to my attention that our Indian adaptation of 'The Night Manager' has been nominated for an International Emmy. I remember when the offer came in, I was conflicted. It offered me the opportunity to play a character so complex, but also, on the other hand, the huge responsibility of trying to add newness and authenticity to a part that had been played so masterfully by Hugh Laurie. "This validation from the Emmys, in addition to the tremendous love that we have received from fans worldwide, is a worthy reminder that hard work always pays.. I am ecstatic and hungrier than ever before for what's to come," the actor said. Also starring Tillotama Shome, Saswata Chatterjee and Ravi Behl, "The Night Manager" is produced by The Ink Factory and Banijay Asia for Disney+ Hotstar. Dhulipala, who played Kaveri, said the news of the show's nomination is "motivating and moving". "This is such fantastic news! I'm so happy for the directors Sandeep Modi and Priyanka Ghose as well as our phenomenal technical crew. Big shout out to Anil Sir, Aditya, Tillotama and the rest of the cast for this exciting moment and shared joy!" she added. Modi said he is beyond happy that "The Night Manager" is the only Indian nomination at the 2024 <keyword id="23246288" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-Emmys" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="International Emmys" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="International Emmys">International Emmys</keyword>. "With The Night Manager, the most challenging thing was to tell the story again in a way that it would appeal to the audiences. Each character has been crafted meticulously, in a way that they connect with the Indian audiences and the ethos," he added. The International Emmys, to be held in New York on November 25, will be hosted by Indian comedian Vir Das, who won an award last year for his stand-up special "Landing". Nominees for International Emmys come from different countries such as Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, India, Chile, Colombia, France, Japan, Germany and many others. "Every year the international television community competes to be recognized on the International Emmys' much coveted global stage," said International Academy President &amp; CEO Bruce L Paisner. "We congratulate the Nominees for their outstanding programs and performances, they are once again a testament to the universal appeal of great storytelling across all genres, countries and cultures," Paisner added. The other nominee categories are for best performance by an actor, actress, comedy, documentary, non-scripted entertainment, short-form series, sports documentary, telenovela, TV movie / mini-series, kids: animation, kids: factual, kids: live-action. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/arkade-developers-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/113493854.cms">Arkade Developers IPO allotment – How to check allotment, IPO GMP, listing date and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/northern-arc-capital-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/113493763.cms">Northern Arc Capital IPO allotment – How to check allotment, IPO GMP, listing date and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-emerges-as-the-worlds-second-biggest-smartphone-brand-in-august/articleshow/113478178.cms">Xiaomi emerges as the world’s second-biggest smartphone brand in August</a>

'The Night Manager' nominated in drama series category at International Emmys, Anil Kapoor 'ecstatic'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ukraine narrowly won the battle of Irpin in the war's earliest days.</li><li>Russia's assault on Kyiv was a surprise and Ukraine's defenses near the capital were thin.</li></ul>Russia came dangerously close to capturing Kyiv in the early days of the Ukraine war. But a depleted Ukrainian army brigade, hastily mobilized volunteers, and a businessman who blew up a dam saved the city — and Ukraine from losing the war.That's the conclusion of American and British experts who examined the fighting along the Irpin River northwest of Kyiv. Based on extensive interviews with Ukrainians who fought at the Irpin, they describe an epic battle won by the narrowest of margins."The Battle of Irpin River was a close-run thing," wrote Richard Sladden, Liam Collins and Alfred Connable in an article in <a target="_blank" href="https://chacr.org.uk/2024/02/19/the-battle-of-irpin-river/">British Army Review</a>, a British military magazine.The story begins on February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Paratroopers in helicopters launched an air assault to seize Hostomel Airport, aiming to create an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-small-countries-need-defend-airport-from-russia-2024-2">airhead</a> that would allow large transport planes to ferry in the reinforcements and heavy weapons needed to seize nearby Kyiv.At the same time, Russian armored columns stationed in Belarus, on Ukraine's northern border, advanced south, aiming to seize Kyiv. One Russian assault group advanced down the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, and the other down the western bank.This caught Ukrainian troops dangerously out of position. "Russia's attack on Kyiv from the northwest was a shock but not a surprise," according to the British Army Review article. "Ukrainian commanders had to make difficult resource allocation choices. An attack on Kyiv from Belarus was the most dangerous course of enemy action, but because it was audacious it was also deemed least likely. An attack in the east and south of Ukraine was the most likely course of action, therefore Ukrainian forces were primarily arrayed against this."Thus the understrength Ukrainian 72nd Mechanized Brigade was one of the few units left to defend Kyiv. Even then, the brigade was mainly positioned to stop an attack on Kyiv from the east. The exact strength of the 72nd isn't clear, but a full-strength Ukrainian brigade might have around 3,000 personnel — and the 72nd was far from full strength. Many soldiers were armed with just rifles, backed by a few armored vehicles, anti-tank missiles and guns, and multiple rocket launchers.They faced a Russian force roughly estimated at 10,000 soldiers, well-equipped with tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and artillery. This should have made it easy for the Russian column on the west bank of the Dnipro to quickly reach Hostomel Airport — also known as Antonov Airport, just 80 miles away — to link up with the paratroopers, and then advance southeast to Kyiv. But to reach Kyiv, they would have to cross the Irpin River, a tributary that arcs through the city's outskirts and meets a dam by the Kyiv Reservoir."The defensive line around Kyiv was thin," the article said. "The 5th Company of the 72nd Brigade deployed with only 22 soldiers. Numbers swelled over the initial days of the invasion as newly mobilized troops arrived, but the company and many of its sister units were persistently understrength compared to the Russian units across the [Irpin] river. That the bridges along the river were not destroyed on the morning of the invasion nearly cost Ukraine its capital."In many ways, the Russian plan resembled <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/market-garden">Operation Market Garden</a> in 1944, a bold plan to use American and British paratroopers to seize bridges across several rivers in Holland, creating a corridor for British armored divisions to cross the Rhine River and into Germany.Market Garden proved "a bridge too far," doomed by sloppy planning, rough terrain, lack of aggressiveness by Allied tanks, and unexpectedly tough German resistance. Then, as now, paratroopers were a shock force that lacked the armor, heavy artillery and supplies needed to dislodge fortified positions. The same issues afflicted the Russian drive on Kyiv.For starters, the Russian paratroopers failed to capture <a target="_blank" href="https://warontherocks.com/2023/08/the-battle-of-hostomel-airport-a-key-moment-in-russias-defeat-in-kyiv/">Hostomel Airport</a> against determined Ukrainian resistance, with several helicopters shot down; 1,000 Russian reinforcements in a fleet of 18 transport planes were <a target="_blank" href="https://warontherocks.com/2023/08/the-battle-of-hostomel-airport-a-key-moment-in-russias-defeat-in-kyiv/">turned away</a>, possibly over concerns they would be downed. It wasn't until February 25th that the westernmost ground column secured the airport, by which time the Ukrainians had rendered the runways unusable.Meanwhile, a Kyiv businessman named Andriy (a pseudonym) realized that blowing the dam 14 miles north of Kyiv would cause the Irpin to flood its banks and slow the Russian advance. A hastily arranged meeting with Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, then the commander of Ukraine's ground forces, garnered a ton of explosives and an engineering officer. The result was dumping 31 billion gallons of water into the Irpin, which restricted Russian maneuver.Nonetheless, Russian troops could have "bounced" the Irpin while Ukrainian defenses were weak by using undamaged bridges or building their own pontoons. "The Russians easily could have crossed the Irpin had they been more aggressive," Liam Collins, a former US Army Special Forces officer who co-authored the article, told Business Insider. "They should have crossed on the 25th, as soon as the leading edge of the column reached the city's outskirts. But since they had no plan for meeting Ukrainian resistance, it completely stalled them, and they had to stop and build the plan which they should have already had. This gave the Ukrainians time to blow the bridges, establish their defense, and mobilize.""The Russians believed they would advance on the capital in what was basically a parade formation and not a combat movement," said Collins, who has advised the Ukrainian military. "So they had to completely regroup."<div type="image" title="Russian forces weren't prepared to rapidly deploy pontoon bridges to replace those across the Irpin River that Ukrainian troops had blown up." height="1334" width="2000" msid="113760608" hostid="261" sizebytes="431970"></div>Russian columns eventually tried to cross the Irpin at the end of February and into March. But it was too late. "Russian commanders had no option but to push forward in linear columns with ill-prepared forces into still thin, but now far more robust and prepared defenses," the British Army Review article said.The attempted crossings were halted by the 72nd Mechanized Brigade, some Ukrainian tanks and artillery, and hastily mobilized volunteers who learned how to operate their deadly Western-made Javelin and NLAW anti-tank missiles on the spot. "In my company, if a position had a Javelin, one soldier dug a hole while the other watched a YouTube video on how to fire it," recalled one Ukrainian officer.These guided missiles and artillery shredded Russian tanks and perceptions of their inpregnability.By the end of March, Russian forces withdrew back to the north. If Russian tanks had managed to cross the Irpin and entered Kyiv, the war could have essentially ended in Russian victory within the first week.No plan survives contact with the enemy, and unexpected snafus — what the German military philosopher Carl von Clausewitz called the "friction of war" — inevitably disrupt the cleverest of strategies, which the Kyiv assault was not. Ukraine also displayed a remarkable ability to quickly mobilize volunteers who proved effective.Nonetheless, Collins blames the Russian failure on shoddy preparation. "It was 100 percent sloppy planning, a lack of preparation, and unexpected Ukrainian resistance that should have been anticipated," Collins said. "The mechanized forces should have rolled through this minimal defense like a hot knife through butter."Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

The battle of Irpin narrowly saved Ukraine. Here's how it went down.

<keyword id="3182948" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="cityfurnish" source="Orion">Cityfurnish</keyword> today announced the close of a $2.5M financing round, including debt and equity bringing the total amount raised to date to $10M in equity and debt, to further its mission of bringing unprecedented ease and flexibility to the home furnishing experience. The debt round was led by Northern Arc Capital along with participation from Western Capital and UC Capital Inclusive along with participation from existing backers. Founded in 2015, by <keyword id="7388999" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="neerav-jain" source="Orion">Neerav Jain</keyword> and <keyword id="107316" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="saurabh-gupta" source="Orion">Saurabh Gupta</keyword>, Cityfurnish is an online furniture rental platform where users can rent furniture as an alternative to buying for flexible requirements. With the new way of living more consumers are opting to rent to live asset light for a more flexible lifestyle, without compromising on the quality of service. Cityfurnish is solving a major problem for urban India where more than 70% apartments in metro cities are unfurnished or semi-furnished. With the fast-changing lifestyle, more Indians are getting mobile - flexibility and convenience is a must for them. Many of them don't really know how long they will be in the same job, city or apartment a year from now. According to surveys conducted by the Cityfurnish team, the users had no alternative to buying expensive furniture for their flexible requirements. Keeping these pain points in mind, the team of founders at Cityfurnish are on a mission to make the furniture renting experience better than buying furniture. "When Neerav moved to Delhi for college, there was no alternative to buying furniture. Buying furniture was a difficult and unnecessary process and spending on furniture wasn't an ideal option for students. The idea to have an alternative to buying for flexible requirements led to the start of Cityfurnish." Cityfurnish has a full stack model which includes in-house designing of the furniture using solid Sheesham wood to control the last mile delivery &amp; assembly of the furniture. All of this is managed by the Cityfurnish team to provide the customers WOW experience which they won't get even if they would have bought the furniture. And what makes Cityfurnish stand out is all of this is done with 72 hr free delivery and service like free maintenance &amp; free relocation/upgrade. Following the Series A round of funding which included investors like YCombinator, Venture Highway, Global Founders Capital and marquee angels like Gmail creator <keyword id="4590715" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="paul-buchheit" source="Orion">Paul Buchheit</keyword> and YouTube co-founder <keyword id="262826" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="steve-chen" source="Orion">Steve Chen</keyword>, the company had turned profitable and recorded more than 100% growth in revenue through 2022, currently present in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai. With this funding, Cityfurnish aims to expand its operations, strengthen the company's brand position, technology and presence in different cities by 2025. "Cityfurnish plans to enable users to switch furniture regularly and not getting stuck with the same furniture forever and live a commitment-free life when it comes to furniture." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/india-pc-market-nosedives-11-7-as-consumer-demand-slows-down-report/articleshow/95578037.cms">India PC market nosedives 11.7% as consumer demand slows down: Report</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indians-want-faster-yet-sustainable-delivery-of-their-goods-fedex-report/articleshow/95581055.cms">Indians want faster yet sustainable delivery of their goods: FedEx report</a>

Cityfurnish Raises USD 2.5 Million in Debt Funding Round

Chennai, June 10 () WayCool Foods, an agriculture and technology firm engaged in food development and distribution on Wednesday said it has received USD 5.5 million debt financing from IndusInd Bank. U S International Development Finance Corporation has extended a one hundred percent guarantee to the company's latest round of fundraising, a company statement said. Early this year, the company raised a Series C round of USD 32 million led by Lightbox. It also raised from LGT Lightstone Aspada, Caspian Impact Investment and Northern Arc Capital Ltd, it said. Setuka Partners LLP was the advisor to the current transaction, WayCool Foods said. The loan would be deployed through IndusInd Bank's Impact Investing division which would support the expansion plans of WayCool Foods. The company plans to use the funds to implement strict hygiene measures and increase transportation efficiency to reduce food spoilage and improve the yields to farmers among others. "WayCool has been steadily building necessary technology and operational capabilities to operate robust agri-food supply chains.. we welcome DFC and IndusInd Bank as partners in this journey..," WayCool Foods Co-Founder Karthik Jayaraman said. On their association with WayCool Foods, DFC Director- Social Enterprise Finance, Ajay Rao said, "we look forward to this collaboration during this critical times.." WayCool procures, processes and distributes a range of food products including fresh produce, staples and dairy products. The company engages with 40,000 farmers in more than 50 regions across the country, the statement said. VIJ ROH ROH

WayCool Foods receive USD 5.5 million debt financing from IndusInd Bank

New Delhi, Feb 7 () Chennai-based WayCool Foods has raised USD 32 million (about Rs 228 crore) in a combination of equity and debt, led by Lightbox. The series C round also saw participation of Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO and current investor, LGT Lightstone Aspada, a statement said. The company has also partnered with InnoVen Capital to raise venture debt as part of this round, it added. Veda Corporate Advisors was the exclusive advisor to the transaction. WayCool Foods procures, processes and distributes food products including fresh produce, staples and dairy products to 8,000 enterprise clients across southern India. It has a base of nearly 40,000 farmers. The company said it will use the funds raised to automate its supply chain and build the next layer of data analytics required to strengthen supply chain efficiency. It will also develop and expand its range of value-added products to enterprise and retail customers, it added. "We are committed to building a lean, efficient and profitable enterprise that makes social impact an integral part of its operations. Lightbox's deep experience in technology and brand building will greatly help us as we strengthen our digital backbone, and our move into value-added products," WayCool co-founder and CEO Karthik Jayaraman said. He added that FMO's guidance will be of essence in building a culture of impact orientation across the organization and staying true to the course. WayCool is developing a range of branded products and currently has brands such as Freshey's, Kitchenji, Madhuram and Shuddha. It will also deploy the funds to deepen and widen 'Outgrow', its agricultural extension program. The company recently announced the set-up of its first Agricultural Research Station, where it will collaborate with multiple start-ups to bring the most relevant production technologies to its expanding farmer base. WayCool said it intends to accelerate its path to profitability and will focus on maintaining as well as further improving its lean, capital efficient model. The company previously raised two rounds of funding from Aspada, LGT Impact Ventures, Caspian Impact Investment, and Northern Arc Capital Ltd. SR RVK

Lightbox leads USD 32 mn investment in WayCool Foods

New Delhi, Nov 20 () Fintech startup Aye Finance on Wednesday said it has raised Rs 125 crore from Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO through issuance of non-convertible debentures.
 With this fundraising, Aye plans to expand its outreach in providing credit, specifically to women-owned microenterprises in India, the company said in a statement.
"While we have women as co-applicants for over 95 per cent of our loans, we believe we can do more in enabling the women micro enterprises of India bring about a more transformative impact on the economy," Aye Finance MD and founder Sanjay Sharma said.
Under the deal, FMO will work with Aye Finance to expand their services to women entrepreneurs in the country through a gender finance programme.
"We expanded our branch network this year to Bihar, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Maharashtra which have a prevalence of women entrepreneurship and with these funds from FMO we will be supporting the growth of women-led enterprises in these states as well as in other 14 states where we have our presence," Sharma said.
 The transaction was syndicated and executed by Chennai-based Northern Arc Capital which invested in Aye Finance in January this year.
 "The debentures issued by Aye are particularly interesting as the on-lending will be to micro entrepreneurs, of which half will be dedicated to women entrepreneurs in the financial inclusion area of underbanked end clients," Linda Broekhuizen, Chief Investment Officer, FMO said.
 CapitalG, growth equity investment fund of Google's parent company Alphabet Inc, has also invested Rs 115 crore in Aye Finance in 2018-19.
With the recent fundraising, Aye Finance's total funding has crossed Rs 2,200 crore comprising debt fund of over Rs 1,700 crore and equity investment of Rs 500 crore.
Aye Finance said it has "disbursed over Rs 2,500 crore to over 1,80,000 customers and has a loan book of Rs 1,430 crore" till date. PRS ANU

Aye Finance raises Rs 125 crore from Dutch bank FMO

<div type="image" title="aang sozin's comet avatar the last airbender" height="642" width="856" msid="75753563" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>"Avatar: The Last Airbender," one of the most beloved <keyword id="19966" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="cartoons">cartoons</keyword> of all time, hit <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> in its entirety on May 15.</li><li>The series, which aired originally from 2005 to 2008, is still one of the best animated series ever, set apart by its complex worldbuilding and empathy for its characters.</li><li>"Avatar" set a precedent for cartoons in the 2010s, demonstrating the complex stories that can be told in 23-minute chunks. </li><li>This article contains spoilers for "Avatar."</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>To this day, no animated series — and arguably, few television series in general — have managed to achieve the lasting impact of <keyword id="16123" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nickelodeon">Nickelodeon</keyword>'s "Avatar: The Last Airbender." The series, which initially ran from 2005 to 2008, is a masterclass in animation, character development, and complex storytelling. Moreover, it still resonates with audiences today, coming to Netflix in full on May 15, much to the joy of the series' fans.It's easy to recognize the ways that "Avatar" set a precedent in Western animation in the 2010s, precipitating a wave of ambitious, character-driven storytelling that's easily seen in series like Wonderstorm's "The Dragon Prince" (it's showrunner, Aaron Ehasz, is an "Avatar" alum) or Cartoon Network's deeply empathetic "Steven Universe."What sets "Avatar" apart in 2020, 15 years after its debut, is its incredible worldbuilding, fleshed-out characters, and ability to make topics like war, trauma, and death comprehensible for younger audiences without pulling its punches. [Ed. Note: This article contains spoilers for "Avatar: The Last Airbender."]<h2>"Avatar" deftly crafts an immersive universe that its characters inhabit. </h2>For the uninitiated, the series takes place in a fantasy world split into four elemental nations: The Earth Kingdom, the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. As <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/5943jz/avatar-the-last-airbender-is-still-one-of-the-greatest-shows-of-all-time">Nicole Clark reported in Vice</a>, the series draws from a variety of Asian cultures, particularly that of China. The series brought on the vice president of the group Media Action Network for Asian Americans as a consultant in order to check that everything from character design to the show's art style was done sensitively. In the show, certain people have the ability to "bend" one of the four elements, with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iisrUSi7Kgw&amp;feature=emb_titleitle">bending styles drawing upon martial arts styles</a> ranging from Tai Chi to Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. One individual known as the Avatar is gifted with the power to bend all four. In return, they're tasked with maintaining balance in the world and serving as a bridge between mortals and spirits.<div type="image" title="aang avatar cosmic power crossroads of destiny" height="663" width="884" msid="75753567" hostid="261"></div>In "Avatar: The Last Airbender," that's Aang, a whimsical 12-year-old Airbender who learns in the series' first episode that his people were wiped out as a result of a genocidal war waged by the Fire Nation while he was frozen in an iceberg for 100 years. In turn, the world has been without an Avatar for a century, leaving the balance skewed. The initial device of Aang being an Avatar displaced in time helps to flesh out the history of the universe. He consistently harkens back to things he remembers from his childhood, whether it's bygone Fire Nation slang or old schemes he used to get up to with a friend in one of the Earth Kingdom's biggest cities. From the get-go, it's clear that "Avatar's" vibrant history is key to understanding the political machinations of its present. While the Fire Nation is the indubitably the biggest enemy, the Earth Kingdom capital city, Ba Sing Se, is fraught with corruption; the Northern Water Tribe closed itself off in the face of the war, leaving the Southern Water Tribe to fend for itself.The "Avatar" universe is so compelling that its creators have regularly revisited it. There's "<a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/12/korra-series-finale-recap-gay-asami">The Legend of Korra</a>," a sequel series that follows the next Avatar, Korra, through her own struggles 70 years after the events of Avatar. Going into the past, there's "<a href="https://www.polygon.com/2019/7/24/20703880/the-rise-of-kyoshi-avatar-the-last-airbender-fc-yee-interview">The Rise of Kyoshi</a>" and its forthcoming sequel "The Shadow of Kyoshi," YA novels penned by F.C. Yee that dive hundreds of years into the past to focus on Avatar Kyoshi's origin and life. <h2>"Avatar" is character-driven, exploring complex themes through personal stories</h2>While Aang is the Avatar, he's not alone in his quest: early on in the series, he groups up with Katara and Sokka, the pair of Southern Water Tribe siblings who awaken him from his 100-year slumber. Along the way, the trio picks up accomplices like Toph, a blind Earth Kingdom heiress who teaches herself how to use her Earthbending to "see," or Suki, a warrior from the Earth Kingdom who follows traditions set by Avatar Kyoshi. Each of "Avatar's" primary characters go through extensive character development across the course of the series' three seasons, suddenly seeming much older than their 12 to 16 years by the end of it all. <div type="image" title="aang katara hugging sozin's comet" height="649" width="866" msid="75753570" hostid="261"></div>Just as crucial, however, is the show's ensemble cast, who ground the show's narrative by showing the impact that the war has had on people outside of the Avatar's inner circle.<h2>"Avatar" features one of the best redemption arcs ever.</h2>Zuko, the disgraced Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, is arguably the series' most compelling character. He's first introduced as a villain, attempting to capture Aang in order to bring him back to his father, the Fire Lord, and restore his honor. Like others, he's also been wounded by the Fire Nation, and he bears it in a visible scar that occupies half of his face.Guided by his uncle Iroh, a military hero who typically prefers to wax poetic over a cup of tea, Zuko's change across the series is the most dramatic. Initially guided by a single focus — capture the Avatar to restore his honor — repeated interactions with Team Avatar and others outside the Fire Nation continually challenge Zuko's worldview. In one pivotal moment, he and Katara learn that even as rivals, they share something in common: both of their mothers were taken by the Fire Nation. Down the line, Zuko and Aang learn the secrets of Firebending side by side.<div type="image" title="aang and zuko firebending masters" height="651" width="868" msid="75753574" hostid="261"></div>Zuko's journey is far from simple, and involves quite a bit of prodding from his uncle Iroh, who serves as one of the series' moral centers. Across three seasons, Zuko's worldview fundamentally shifts as he comes to terms with the fact that his honor isn't tied solely to appeasing his father. From the get-go, it's clear that his path will be the least straightforward out of any of the main cast, particularly as he falters, realizes his mistakes, and tries again and again.<h2>"Avatar: The Last Airbender" set a precedent for cartoons in the 2010s</h2>At this point, "Avatar" feels like canon in the world of cartoons — returning to the series in 2020 makes it clear how its empathetic storytelling and ambitious worldbuilding set a precedent for series like its sequel spin-off, "The Legend of Korra," or shows like "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power," a Dreamworks series helmed by "Nimona's" Noelle Stevenson that released its final season on May 15 as well. Elements of "Avatar's" ruminations of inherited trauma and war are apparent in series like Cartoon Network's "Steven Universe," which focuses on a half-human, half-alien boy who is <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2019/9/2/20842447/steven-universe-the-movie-review-spoilers">continuously forced to deal with the implications of his deceased mother's decisions</a> while ensuring alongside his mentors that Earth doesn't become part of an intergalactic conflict. There are echoes of Zuko's redemption in <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2018/12/4/18124396/she-ra-netflix-noelle-stevenson-interview-catradora">Catra, one of "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power's" villains,</a> as she grapples with pursuing her ambitions in an organization that's tearing her apart and her lack of willingness to admit defeat in any way to Adora, her former best friend turned sworn enemy. The <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2018/9/23/17883268/the-dragon-prince-writers-season-2-video-game-world-building">ambitious worldbuilding in "The Dragon Prince"</a> tackles a new universe with the potential to be just as vast as that of "Avatar."<div type="image" title="the dragon prince netflix" height="800" width="1067" msid="75753576" hostid="261"></div>That's not to say that the animated canon of the 2010s drew directly from "Avatar's" pedigree. Rather, "Avatar" set a standard in storytelling, proving that it was possible to tackle difficult stories in 23-minute chunks ostensibly targeted towards children and young adults. Continued interest in the franchise today and across the past decade is also testament to its impact: aside from the fact that there's still new canon yet to be added into the universe, the series also established the <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Alternate%20Universe%20-%20Avatar%20*a*%20Benders%20Setting/works">popular "Avatar &amp; Benders" fanfiction subset</a> in which writers imagine characters from other franchises taking on the Avatar role. That's not to mention <a href="https://www.insider.com/avatar-the-last-airbender-netflix-nickelodeon-reaction-gifs-zuko-meme-2020-5">the "Avatar" memes</a> that are still pervasive online.<h2>It's not a reach to call "Avatar: The Last Airbender" one of the best TV series of all time</h2>While it's easy to be dissuaded by overarching, superlative claims that certain series are "must-watches," "Avatar" truly fits the bill. Aside from the aforementioned points, it has a laundry list of redeeming qualities ranging from its anime-influenced animation style to its lush, percussive score to its unflagging goofy sense of humor. Ultimately, though, the series' compelling characters and overwhelming sense of empathy is what makes it truly great. With the series coming to Netflix, it's once again set to be easily accessible for those with a subscription, opening the door for everyone to re-experience one of the best animated series together — no matter if it's for the very first time or the 50th.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/avatar-the-last-airbender-netflix-nickelodeon-reaction-gifs-zuko-meme-2020-5">'Avatar: The Last Airbender'c omes to Netflix on May 15. Revisit some of the series' iconic moments through GIFs and memes.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/best-tv-shows-of-all-time-2017-6">50 TV shows everyone should watch in their lifetime</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/netflix-best-animated-series-streaming-now-2019-12">The 16 best animated series you can stream on Netflix right now</a></li></ul>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/avatar-netflix-watch-best-cartoon-tv-show-impact-last-airbender-2020-5">Insider</a>

'Avatar: The Last Airbender' is on Netflix now, and it still stands up as one of the best animated TV series ever

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image">BundesarchivHitler stands in front of the Eiffel Tower at Place du Trocadéro, on June 23, 1940.</div></div></div>"That was the greatest and finest moment of my life," one of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-us-intelligence-knew-about-hitler-in-1943-2015-3" target="_blank">world's most brutal tyrants</a> reportedly said after touring the newly Nazi-occupied French capital.The day after Germany signed an armistice with France, Hitler and his cronies toured the Dôme des Invalides which holds Napoleon's tomb, the Paris opera house, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur, and the Eiffel Tower on June 23, 1940.In all, Hitler spent three hours in the "City of Light," but spent four years occupying northern France until Allied Forces liberated Paris, 72 years ago on Wednesday."The Germans were driven from many strategic parts of the city by the combined onslaught of the French military and the fury of citizens fighting for their liberties," the Associated Press <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0825.html#article" target="_blank">reports</a>.During Hitler's brief tour, he instructed friend and architect Albert Speer to take note of the city's design to recreate similar yet superior German buildings."Wasn't Paris beautiful?" Hitler <a href="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-takes-a-tour-of-paris">reportedly</a> asked Speer."But Berlin must be far more beautiful. When we are finished in Berlin, Paris will only be a shadow."While sightseeing, Hitler also ordered the destruction of two French World War I monuments that reminded him of Germany's bitter defeat.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image">BundesarchivHitler walks with Nazi officers at Place du Trocadéro in the French capital of Paris.</div></div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bizarre-startling-facts-about-world-war-2-2015-8">Startling facts about World War II</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="Z1cTIzdzqc5ldliUqPRvm-5XSvM23AHj" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Hitler's Nazi army was kicked out of Paris 72 years ago today

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>"That was the greatest and finest moment of my life," one of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-us-intelligence-knew-about-hitler-in-1943-2015-3" target="_blank">world's most brutal tyrants</a> reportedly said after touring the newly Nazi-occupied French capital.The day after signing an armistice with France, Hitler and his cronies toured Napoleon's tomb, the Paris opera house, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur, and the Eiffel Tower on June 23, 1940.Hitler's friend and architect Albert Speer was instructed to take note of the city's design in order to recreate similar yet superior German buildings."Wasn't Paris beautiful?" Hitler <a href="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-takes-a-tour-of-paris">reportedly</a> asked Speer. "But Berlin must be far more beautiful. When we are finished in Berlin, Paris will only be a shadow."While sightseeing Hitler also ordered the destruction of two French World War I monuments that reminded him of Germany's bitter defeat.The Führer's first official visit to the "City of Light" was also his last.In all, Hitler spent three hours in Paris but spent four years occupying northern France.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/scientifically-ways-women-attractive-2015-5">6 scientifically proven features men find attractive in women</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="tiMGo5cTpwCabxNRPKR9Te43E3zYrTMd" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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'Avatar: The Last Airbender' is on Netflix now, and it still stands up as one of the best animated TV series ever

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Hitler's Nazi army was kicked out of Paris 72 years ago today

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