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<ul><li><keyword id="19897349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Electric" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ola Electric" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Ola Electric">Ola Electric</keyword> has announced its plans to expand its sales and service infra to 10,000 outlets.</li><li>The company said it plans on reaching this by the end of 2025 and has initiated a network partner programme.</li><li>The programme is aimed at pushing sales into tier-2 and tier-3 cities.</li></ul>Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola Electric on Thursday said it will establish 10,000 sales and service outlets by the end of 2025 to expand its reach across smaller cities and towns. The electric two-wheeler maker said it has initiated a network partner programme aimed at taking EV sales further into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, including urban pockets where EV penetration remains low. Under the initiative, the company has reportedly on-boarded 625 partners to expand its sales footprint across India, it said in a statement. The company further plans to have 1,000 partners ahead of the festive season this year, it added. <div type="twitter" handle="bhash" handlename="bhash" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1839215479480549447"></div> Ola Electric said it aggressively plans to expand its network by on-boarding 10,000 partners, across sales and service, by the end of 2025. This, the company claims will give it an edge over its competitors. The company currently has around 800 company-owned stores, and with the network partner programme, it will have nearly 1,800 sales and service touch points ahead of the upcoming festive season. "Our D2C model has been extremely successful in driving sustainable business growth. The Network Partner Program will further amplify the benefits of our D2C network as it requires limited capital investment from partners and can be scaled up really fast," Ola Electric Chairman and MD Bhavish Aggarwal stated. While the company-owned stores will be the anchors of sales and service network, this programme will be instrumental in expanding the EV footprint deeper into the urban and rural markets, he added. "We will continue to expand and invest in our front-end network to accelerate EV adoption to #EndICEAge, and by the end of next year, will have 10,000 Network Partners across the country," Aggarwal said. Ola Electric sells electric scooters and bikes priced from ₹74,999 to ₹1,99,999. Ola Electric reported a sale of 27,506 units in August 2024, up from 18,749 vehicles sold in August 2023, reporting a 46.7% year-on-year growth. This is however lower than its July 2024 sales of 41,711 vehicles. The sale of <keyword id="19895203" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicles" source="keywords">electric vehicles</keyword> has slowed down, amid reduced subsidies, an increase in customer issues with the vehicles and more. With inputs from agencies. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/airtel-is-using-ai-powered-technology-to-block-spam-calls-and-messages/articleshow/113691942.cms">Airtel is using AI-powered technology to block spam calls and messages</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/diffusion-engineers-ipo-quick-review-ipo-gmp-risk-factors-and-more/slidelist/113687580.cms">Diffusion Engineers IPO quick review – IPO GMP, risk factors and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/manba-finance-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/113667907.cms">Manba Finance IPO allotment – How to check allotment, IPO GMP, listing date and more</a>

Ola Electric plans to expand sales and service infra to 10,000 outlets by 2025-end

<keyword id="19915124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISRO" source="keywords">ISRO</keyword> has targeted to <keyword id="19997100" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="launch" source="keywords">launch</keyword> the first mission of the ambitious <keyword id="19945102" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gaganyaan" source="keywords">Gaganyaan</keyword> project by December, a top official said here on Friday. Currently, some of the rocket hardware for the human <keyword id="41531" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space" source="Orion">space</keyword> programme has reached the <keyword id="20021373" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Satish-Dhawan-Space-Centre" source="keywords">Satish Dhawan Space Centre</keyword> here and the integration of the crew module was going on at the <keyword id="20054184" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikram-Sarabhai-Space-Centre" source="keywords">Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre</keyword>, Trivandrum, ISRO Chairman <keyword id="19929547" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="s-somanath" source="keywords">S Somanath</keyword> said. "Today, we are working on the first mission of the Gaganyaan called G1. The first unmanned mission. The status today is the rocket, the S200 stage, the L1, C32 stage are all at Satish Dhawan Space Centre," he said. He said the Crew Module integration was going on at VSSC Trivandrum while Crew Escape hardware was also ready. "So, we have to complete with full wiring and testing should be done. Our target is by November the whole system will reach here, possibly by December launch will happen," he said, responding to a query. Somanath was talking to reporters after successfully launching the third and final developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle that placed the Earth Observation Satellite into orbit earlier in the day. The success of the third and final developmental flight would pave the way for launch of commercial missions using the smallest vehicle by ISRO's commercial arm <keyword id="20038721" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NewSpace-India-Ltd" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NewSpace India Ltd" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NewSpace India Ltd">NewSpace India Ltd</keyword> (NSIL). Today's successful mission of <keyword id="21471593" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SSLV" source="keywords">SSLV</keyword> allows industry to forge a partnership with ISRO for placing satellites into Low Earth Orbit. Besides, it would also allow a company to gain knowledge on rockets, launch vehicles, and satellites in the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle missions. To a query about the requirement for industries to partner with the ISRO for taking up commercial launch of SSLV missions, Somanath said a day-long meeting was recently held with the industry. "I am hoping that the first technology transfer will happen in India between ISRO and industry. The Request for Interest (RFI) was released and as a single (entity) or as consortia, a company can show interest on the technology transfer (from ISRO) and what were the expectations from ISRO and how to qualify for such missions," he said. From the interactions held with the industry it emerged there was a huge amount of interest for them to learn about space, he added. "We told them it will be a huge challenge for anyone to learn rocketry from scratch. It is not just transferring technology, we are transferring the knowledge on how things are done (at ISRO). It is not the drawings alone, it is the knowledge behind those drawings we transfer to industry," according to Somanath, also the Secretary, Department of Space. Through the industry partnerships, ISRO would teach them on how to build a rocket, he said and added that the industry should qualify as per the criteria put forth by ISRO. The company should possess manufacturing capabilities, manufacturing facilities and financial strengths of a company would be assessed, he said. "We will add weightage and marks based on the performance of the company and based on that the companies will be shortlisted and a contract would be given to them after the companies which have to pay a technology transfer fee," he said. Some of the unique features of SSLVs are -- it provides low-cost access to Space, offers low turn-around time and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, 'launch on demand' feasibility and SSLV missions demand minimal launch infrastructure.

ISRO targets first Gaganyaan mission launch by December: Chairman

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 19 (ANI): The <keyword id="6375844" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ministry-of-micro" source="Orion">Ministry of Micro</keyword>, <keyword id="6375845" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-and-medium-enterprises" source="Orion">Small and Medium Enterprises</keyword> launched a new initiative called the 'Yashaswini' initiative under the '<keyword id="22467687" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Empower-Her-Udan" source="Orion">Empower Her Udan</keyword>' campaign on Thursday, July 18, to encourage and support women entrepreneurs across the country. Under this campaign, the first phase is set to start on Friday, July 19, in Jaipur. According to the Director of <keyword id="6358354" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MSME" source="Orion">MSME</keyword>, <keyword id="657556" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ankita-Pandey" source="Orion">Ankita Pandey</keyword>, around 600 women entrepreneurs in the state will be participating in the event, which will start at the <keyword id="14599491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajasthan-International-Centre" source="Orion">Rajasthan International Centre</keyword> today. Pandey said that the initiative is being introduced to provide a formal education for women operating commercial enterprises, along with creating awareness among them of all the <keyword id="7776964" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MSME-schemes" source="Orion">MSME schemes</keyword> they can utilise. "The initiative is to introduce formal education for the women who operate commercial enterprises, along with creating awareness among them to utilise all the MSME schemes,' she said. Pandey further mentioned that women can register at different stalls at the centre based on the skills they require to develop to run an enterprise, including training, capacity building, how to make full use of their capital, how to get market access, how to develop their product, and also how to do digital marketing. She also mentioned that this will not be a one-day event and that workshops will be organised at local MSMEs for further development. "This is not a one-day event; it will be a continuous process and training workshops will also be organised at local MSME organisations for further development in this matter," she said. <keyword id="22467688" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Minister-for-MSME" source="Orion">Union Minister for MSME</keyword> Jitan Ram Manjhi, Union Minister of State for MSME Sobha Karandlaje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Bhajan Lal Sharma and State Cabinet Minister Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore will be participating at the event today.

MSME launches Yashaswini Initiative to support women entrepreneurs; First phase to start on July 19 in Jaipur

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has attributed the significant <keyword id="20029550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rise" source="keywords">rise</keyword> in <keyword id="20233512" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dengue-cases" source="keywords">dengue cases</keyword> in the city this year to an increase in the number of <keyword id="22375552" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="testing-centres" source="keywords">testing centres</keyword>, which has grown from 36 to 900 compared to last year, according to an official report. As of July 6, Delhi recorded over 256 dengue cases, which is nearly double of the 136 cases recorded in the corresponding period in 2023 and the highest since 2020, according to the report's data. In previous years, the number of dengue cases stood at 153 in 2022, 38 in 2021, and 22 in 2020. The highest number of dengue cases were recorded in the Najafgarh Zone, the report said. No deaths due to the vector-borne disease have been reported so far this year. Last year, 19 deaths occurred due to dengue, the second-highest since 2020. "The rise in the number of cases this year is because more testing centres have started collecting samples and reporting the dengue cases to the civic body. Until last year, there were about 36 testing centres. Now, this number has increased to 900 because of which the numbers appear to be inflated," a senior civic body official said. The peak season for dengue is yet to arrive in Delhi and the situation will call for urgent attention when the monsoon advances, providing a suitable atmosphere for <keyword id="21283114" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mosquito-breeding" source="keywords">mosquito breeding</keyword> to increase significantly, the official said. Usually, it takes about 10-15 days for a larva to become an adult mosquito that spreads dengue. The MCD is taking various measures to curb breeding at the source, another official said. According to the report, in areas under the jurisdiction of other agencies like New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), Delhi Cantt and Railways, around 10 dengue cases were reported as of July 6. The report also shows data on other vector-borne diseases. The number of malaria cases reported until the end of last week stood at 90, while chikungunya cases were logged at 22. The MCD conducted over 1.8 crore house visits to check for domestic mosquito breeding and found breeding in over 43,000 houses, the report said. It has issued nearly 40,000 legal notices and challans for violating the Malaria and other <keyword id="22294655" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vector-borne-diseases" source="keywords">Vector Borne Diseases</keyword> Bye-Laws 1975 Act, it added. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/global-pc-shipments-report-growth-for-the-second-quarter-up-by-3-in-q2-2024/articleshow/111656566.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/global-pc-shipments-report-growth-for-the-second-quarter-up-by-3-in-q2-2024/articleshow/111656566.cms" target="_blank">Global PC shipments report growth for the second quarter, up by 3% in Q2 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-vs-oneplus-open-who-wins-the-foldable-race/slidelist/111651797.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-vs-oneplus-open-who-wins-the-foldable-race/slidelist/111651797.cms" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs OnePlus Open – who wins the foldable race?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-galaxy-z-flip-6-galaxy-ring-and-more-launched/articleshow/111637913.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-galaxy-z-flip-6-galaxy-ring-and-more-launched/articleshow/111637913.cms" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Ring and more launched</a>

Rise in dengue cases due to more testing centres in city: MCD

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ford is getting its workers in Cologne, Germany, to work fewer hours.</li><li>The carmaker said a "lower than expected demand for electric vehicles" brought on the shift.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-ceo-driving-xiaomi-su7-electric-vehicles-ev-2024-10">Ford</a> is slashing the work hours of its manufacturing plant workers in Cologne, Germany, citing a lowered demand for its electric vehicles."The significantly lower than expected demand for electric vehicles, specifically in Germany, requires a temporary adjustment of production volumes at the Cologne Electric Vehicle Centre," a Ford spokesperson said in a statement to German news outlet <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://nordot.app/1229169946924761565">Deutsche Presse-Agentur</a>.The news outlet reported that the American carmaker applied to the government to approve a temporary part-time work scheme for its employees in Cologne.Germany's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/06/11/na061120-kurzarbeit-germanys-short-time-work-benefit">Kurzarbeit</a> work program allows employers to reduce their employees' work hours for a period of time instead of firing them. Under the scheme, the government pays the workers 60% of their original pay for the hours they do not work.The carmaker has more than 4,000 employees at its Cologne plant, according to its website. It also has another plant in Saarlouis, in southwestern Germany, which employs about 6,200 people.Ford did not respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.Ford's move in Germany comes as the EV industry <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/automakers-back-to-the-drawing-board-ev-plans-2024-2">faces a tumultuous stretch.</a> Several carmakers — Ford included — have doubled down on efforts to make hybrid cars. That strategy caters to a market demographic of shoppers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ev-electric-car-sales-plateau-early-adopters-competition-2023-8">who are</a> looking for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ev-electric-car-sales-plateau-early-adopters-competition-2023-8">affordable and practical electric options</a> and may prefer hybrid vehicles over pure EVs.Ford in August announced that it would <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-changes-ev-strategy-cancels-electric-suv-2024-8">cancel plans</a> for its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-pulling-back-electric-vehicle-production-again-2024-4">already delayed</a> electric three-row SUVs and delay production of its next electric pickup truck.In August, its finance chief, John Lawler, told reporters that Ford plans to replace the axed electric SUVs with hybrid models. The company <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2024/08/21/ford-broadens-electrification-strategy-to-reach-more-customers--.html">said</a> the strategy pivot would initially cost nearly $2 billion.On October 28, Ford reported a third-quarter revenue of $46 billion and a net income of $0.9 billion, which was down $0.3 billion from the third quarter of 2023."We are in a strong position with Ford+ as our industry undergoes a sweeping transformation," Ford President and CEO Jim Farley said in the company's earnings report."We have made strategic decisions and taken the tough actions to create advantages for Ford versus the competition in key areas like Ford Pro, international operations, software, and next-generation electric vehicles," he added.

Ford is slashing the working hours of some of its German factory employees amid what it calls a 'significantly lower than expected' demand for its EVs

Over the past few months, the pre-wedding and wedding-related ceremonies of Radhika Merchant and Anant <keyword id="19898589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambani" source="keywords">Ambani</keyword> have been catching everyone's attention. The grand pre-wedding event in Jamnagar was attended by major business tycoons, both national and international, including Gautam Adani and Mark Zuckerberg. Additionally, the entire Indian film industry was present at the event, with stars such as Shahrukh Khan and Ram Charan in attendance. Videos and photos from the event were all over the internet. After that, another four-day event took place aboard a luxury cruise in Italy. Finally, Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani will get married on July 12 at the <keyword id="20044932" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jio-World-Convention-Centre" source="keywords">Jio World Convention Centre</keyword> in Mumbai. In line with the pre-event extravaganza, the wedding is also expected to be star-studded, with many famous artists, such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/adele-drake-and-lana-line-up-to-perform-at-anant-ambani-and-radhika-merchants-wedding-in-mumbai/articleshow/111480856.cms">Adele, Drake, and Lana Del Rey, expected to perform at the wedding</a>. Ahead of the big day, the Mosalu/Mameru ceremony took place at Antilia. <h2>What is <keyword id="22298098" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mosalu-and-Mameru" source="Orion">Mosalu and Mameru</keyword>?</h2>Mosalu is a traditional <keyword id="22298099" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gujarati-ceremony" source="Orion">Gujarati ceremony</keyword> celebrated a few days before the wedding. During Mosalu, the groom’s mother’s family brings gifts and blessings for the couple. In this Radhika and Anant Ambani’s wedding, members of Nita Ambani’s family, led by her mother, Purnima Dalal, and her sister, Mamta Dalal, visited the Ambani residence in Mumbai. The groom’s uncles and family presented the bride and groom with a traditional set of gifts called 'Mameru.' This ceremony shows respect for the larger family and includes them in the wedding festivities. <div type="INSTAGRAMURL" thumbUrl="undefined" caption="Caption not available." user="undefined" cmsId="1720170174184"><url><![CDATA[https://www.instagram.com/p/C8-EjqDIEb8/]]></url><permalink><![CDATA[https://www.instagram.com/p/C8-EjqDIEb8/]]></permalink><payload><![CDATA[]]></payload></div>During the ceremony, Radhika Merchant wore a custom Manish Malhotra lehenga with 'Durga-shloka' embroidered on the borders. She paired this beautiful outfit with her mother Shaila Merchant's jewellery. The wedding festivities for Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani began with the 'Mameru' ceremony at Antilia. Ahead of <keyword id="22298097" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Anant-and-Radhikas-wedding" source="Orion">Anant and Radhika’s wedding</keyword>, Nita and Mukesh Ambani were seen at several places performing various activities. Earlier, the distribution of wedding invites began with Nita Ambani visiting the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to offer the first invitation and seek blessings. The Ambani family also hosted a mass wedding in Thane for underprivileged couples.

A closer look at Mosalu and Mameru ceremonies before Anant and Radhika’s wedding

<ul><li><keyword id="19897349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola-electric" source="keywords">Ola Electric</keyword> has come under the scanner after a surge in customer complaints.</li><li>The company’s sales and market share have also been declining.</li><li>The government has reportedly issued a show cause notice to <keyword id="19945904" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola" source="keywords">Ola</keyword> Electric.</li></ul>Ola Electric was once considered the most promising electric automaker in the country, from dominating the electric two-wheeler with its electric scooters to introducing multiple electric bikes simultaneously. The company had many things going for it, hosting a vast distribution network via its cab-hailing platform and a conducive policy environment that incentivised the growth of EVs. But within a few years of its launch, somewhere something seems to have gone awfully wrong! The Bhavish Aggarwal-led company has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons, from the company’s founder engaging in an online spat with comedian Kunal Kamra to customers taking to social media to complain about their scooters. But that’s not where the company’s problems end. One of the seemingly direct effects of the rise in customer complaints has been subdued sales in recent months. Besides this, the company has also come under the government’s scanner. <h2>Surge in complaints</h2>According to a recent report, Ola Electric recently formed a new service team to deal with the surge in customer complaints. As per the report, the electric two-wheeler maker is receiving as many as 80,000 customer complaints per month, overwhelming its service infrastructure. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113699039" title="Ola Electric plans to expand sales and service infra to 10,000 outlets by 2025-end" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> The high number of complaints reportedly resulted in high wait times for customers, resulting in growing customer dissatisfaction, which is regularly played out on social media. <h2>Declining market share</h2>It’s not just social media, the company’s market share has also been on the decline along with its sales. From nearly a 50% market share in April 2024, the company’s market share declined to 27% in September 2024. While the company still leads the Indian electric two-wheeler market, legacy automakers like Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor are closing in. While Bajaj Auto reported a 21.5% market share in September 2024, TVS Motor reported a 20.3% market share. From occupying nearly half of the market, Ola Electric has now been restricted to a quarter and by the looks of it, the company may not even be able to hold the top position by the end of the year if the current trend continues. <h2>Ola Electric comes under the government’s scrutiny</h2>Amid rising complaints, Ola Electric has also come under the government’s scanner. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), India’s consumer watchdog issues a show-cause notice to Ola Electric over potential violations of the Consumer Protection Act (2019). According to a report, The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) run by the Department of Consumer Affairs has received 10,644 complaints against Ola Electric since September 2023. When the NCH approached Ola Electric, the body was reportedly met with apathy by the company. Out of the 10,644 complaints, 3,389 relate to delays in providing service to the vehicles, 1,899 are around delivery delays for new vehicles and 1,459 customers have complained about services that were promised but not provided. According to a report by CNBCTV-18, CCPA chairman Nidhi Khare has said the complaints against Ola Electric have been classified in 10 categories, including “delayed and unsatisfactory service”, “refusal or delay in warranty services”, “recurrent defects despite services”, “unprofessional conduct and complaint closure” and more. <h2>A customer’s harrowing experience</h2>Business Insider India spoke to Mr Rakesh (name changed), an Ola Electric customer who has been facing issues with his Ola S1 Pro. The customer paid for the vehicle in August 2023 and the scooter was delivered in January 2024, after a five-month wait. The first issue that the customer faced was that despite the scooter only being delivered in January 2024, the scooter’s warranty began in August 2023, depriving the customer of five months of warranty. Not just this, the vehicle’s insurance began in November 2023, two months prior to the delivery. While this is a concerning issue, this was the least of the customer’s problems. <div type="image" title="1" msid="114120836" hostid="261" sizebytes="68242" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Ola S1 Pro being towed&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> As per the customer, his scooter repeatedly faced issues, not even turning on at times. Rakesh said that he was forced to restart his vehicle four to five times a day just to be able to use it and if this didn’t work, he was forced to remove and re-insert a plug placed under the seat. However, even this failed several times and in less than eight months of usage, Rakesh was forced to get his vehicle towed to the service centre multiple times with the help of roadside assistance (RSA). He claimed that he faced the issue nearly 30 times so far. He further said that the scooter has spent the majority of its time at the service centre, which is extremely disappointing after spending over ₹1.6 lakh on a vehicle. <div type="image" title="2" msid="114120876" hostid="261" sizebytes="65944" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Ola S1 Pro being towed again&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> At the service centre, the service executives were unable to find the exact cause of the issue. To try and solve the issue, the scooter’s control unit was reportedly changed twice and there were multiple software updates. Rakesh has had a disappointing experience so far, especially with the service executives being unable to diagnose the issue and him having to repeatedly visit the service centre. <h2>A wake-up call?</h2>Many users on the internet have labelled Ola vehicles as subpar and not fit for this competitive market that’s growing rapidly. The initial marketing was good, helping the company conquer almost half of the market share. But a bad quality product can dent the reputation of a company severely in the long run. This must serve as a wake-up call for <keyword id="1543567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhavish-Aggarwal" source="Orion">Bhavish Aggarwal</keyword> and everyone at Ola Electric and the consumers hope that the company not only works on improving its quality control but also overhauls its service infrastructure to more efficiently diagnose and solve issues with their vehicles. During an interaction early in the company’s journey, Aggarwal once said that he hopes to sell around 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh scooters a month, which is close to what one of the popular petrol scooters manages to do each month. While this dream looked achievable at one time, the journey now seems quite tedious. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/september-auto-sales-automakers-report-a-decline-mahindra-and-mahindra-overtakes-tata-motors/articleshow/113925972.cms">September Auto sales – Automakers report a decline, Mahindra and Mahindra overtakes Tata Motors</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ola-electric-continues-to-lose-market-share-as-bajaj-auto-and-tvs-motor-gain/articleshow/113900252.cms">Ola Electric continues to lose market share as Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor gain</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/pm-e-drive-scheme-with-10900-crore-outlay-announced-for-electric-vehicles/articleshow/113816837.cms">PM E-DRIVE scheme with ₹10,900 crore outlay announced for electric vehicles</a>

The Ola Electric Saga: Are surge in complaints and declining market share a wake-up call for Bhavish Aggarwal?

Chipmaker <keyword id="20004922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AMD" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AMD" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AMD">AMD</keyword> is poised to power the surging demand for <keyword id="21517898" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-compute" source="keywords">AI compute</keyword> with its wide range of product portfolio, the company's Chief <keyword id="19901571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technology" source="keywords">Technology</keyword> Officer Mark Papermaster said on Friday. AI compute refers to processing of data using artificial intelligence or machine learning algorithms. Marking 55 years of AMD (Advanced Micro Devices), Papermaster in a blog post looked back on five years of growth and innovations at the company, while also looking ahead to the next five years. He said the future of technology will be born from open ecosystems and deep industry partnerships that drive true innovation. "We're in a unique position to power increased demand for AI compute based on our broad portfolio of compute engines, deep relationships with customers across a diverse set of markets, and open software capabilities. We have a strong foundation of <keyword id="20053383" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="data-centre" source="keywords">data centre</keyword> products and customer collaboration across cloud and enterprise, and leadership products for AI PCs," he wrote. He said AMD has shifted from unique product silos to a modular IP portfolio, connected by a single AI software stack for easy deployment, and called it a 'holistic design approach'. "We need to speed our development by using more AI applications in our internal workflows to boost our productivity...We look forward to discovering new methods to optimise efficiency and experiment with new technologies that have potential," he said, adding that AI is poised to become more ubiquitous and consequential than the advent of the Internet. Papermaster further said that AMD will make some 'exciting' announcements at Computex (Taipei), an annual computer exhibition set to be held in June this year. Looking back, he said, "We made the call over a decade ago to leverage our strength and heritage in high-performance computing and invest for the future. Those bets have paid off as all our markets now demand the utmost in compute efficiency (performance per Watt of energy expended), and AI enablement. "...Our growth hasn't come overnight. AMD technology powers the daily lives of billions of people around the world, and in the last five years we've expanded the number of markets we serve." He said that the IT corporation has steadily increased investments in research and development for the past five years to be in line with the growing demand for compute performance and efficiency. "...Our research and development investment has nearly quadrupled, from USD 1.5 billion in 2019, to USD 5.9 billion in 2023, and we plan to continue to invest in developing groundbreaking technologies that show early promise," he said. He added that since 2019, AMD and the <keyword id="20149900" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="semiconductor-industry" source="keywords">semiconductor industry</keyword> have grown tremendously. "Global sales of semiconductors grew from USD 412.3 billion in 2019 to USD 574.1 billion in 2022, and are estimated to grow to USD 1 trillion by 2030," he said, adding that AMD is positioned to service the insatiable demand for more computing capacity. He said the company's headcount has more than doubled in the past five years. "Xilinx was the largest semiconductor acquisition when completed in 2022 adding incredible talent, leadership IP, and market expansion to adaptive compute markets with deep customer relationships," he said. Earlier this month, AMD posted its revenue at USD 5.47 billion (about Rs 45.6 crore) for the first quarter of 2024, up 2 per cent against the year-ago period. "AMD started the year strong, delivering record quarterly data centre segment revenue," AMD's EVP, CFO and Treasurer Jean Hu had said. "In addition, we drove solid gross margin expansion. Moving forward, we are well positioned to continue driving revenue growth and margin improvement while investing in the large AI opportunities ahead." 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AMD set to fuel growing demand for AI compute, says CTO

In a small village in Zambia, a teenager carries the key to her <keyword id="21911075" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bicycle" source="keywords">bicycle</keyword> lock around her neck like an ornament. Her father, the leader of the hamlet frowns upon it. But it has little to no effect on her, because the bicycle was her key to freedom, and symbolic of the agency she now had over her life. <div type="image" title="Students of Government Manorama Vidyapith Girls High School in Patna (2009)" agency="BCCL" msid="113057493" hostid="261"></div> Similarly, a girl in her neighbouring village would deflate her cycle’s tyres every day, and bury the key somewhere far from the reach of her brother, to stop him from using it. Why were these young women so territorial and proud over a seemingly modest mode of commute to their school? How is it related to Bihar, and how has something as small and insignificant as a bicycle paved the way for a broader movement of woman empowerment? Read on to find out! <h2>Bihar’s Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana</h2>Being one of the most impoverished states in India, Bihar is plagued with a large gender gap in school attendance. This gap in attendance in schools only grows with age. The enrollment of girls in primary school is satisfactory, largely due to the availability of primary schools and the introduction of schemes like the midday meal. However, distance remains a huge barrier in the hinterlands, pushing them further away from attending secondary school. In 2006, the Nitish Kumar-led state government, launched the Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana, a pioneering cash-for-kind program to empower girls through education. The program initially provided ₹2000 to 14-year-old girls enrolled in 9th grade, enabling them to purchase bicycles. This initiative was designed to address one of the most significant barriers to education for girls in Bihar—long distances to secondary schools. But, how profound were the implications of this policy intervention? In 2008, <a href="https://www.nishithprakash.com">Professor Nishith Prakash</a> from Northeastern University and <a href="https://econweb.ucsd.edu/~kamurali/index.html">Professor Kartik Muralidharan</a> of the University of California, San Diego embarked on a study to gauge the policy’s impact with support from the International Growth Centre (IGC). Their research found that this bicycle program increased age-appropriate secondary school enrolment for girls aged 14-15 by 32%. It also reduced the gender gap in enrolment by 40%. Moreover, the number of girls appearing for and passing the 10th-grade exam rose by 18% and 12%, respectively. The success of this initiative highlighted the transformative power of providing a bicycle. Inspired by the Bihar program's success, Professor Prakash later collaborated with <a href="https://worldbicyclerelief.org">World Bicycle Relief (WBR)</a> and Zambia's Ministry of General Education to implement a similar initiative in the Southern province of Zambia. <h2>After Bihar, why Zambia?</h2>Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa that has made significant strides in improving access to primary education with near-universal primary school enrolment. However, the story, when it comes to girls in secondary education, is markedly different. The drop-off for girls, as they transition to secondary education is stark. According to the World Bank’s 2015 report ‘Policy Brief: Zambia,’ their enrolment fell to just 61% at the lower secondary level. The same report states that girls drop out of school at double the rate of boys in Grade 7 and triple the rate of boys by Grade 11. <h2>A tough road to secondary school</h2>Transitioning to, and completing secondary education is particularly challenging for girls, primarily due to barriers like school fees, long distances to school, and societal factors such as teenage pregnancy and child marriage. These challenges are even more pronounced in rural areas. Additionally, this transition to secondary school often coincides with the onset of menstruation, which brings its own set of challenges. The lack of menstrual hygiene facilities in schools, coupled with the stigma and lack of awareness surrounding menstruation, further exacerbates the already significant gap in girls' education. Nearly 98% of girls in their sample reported walking to school, spending an average of 110 minutes commuting just one way, as reported in a <a href="https://www.cesifo.org/en/publications/2022/working-paper/wheels-change-transforming-girls-lives-bicycles">new study</a> authored by Professor Nishith Prakash and his collaborators. Alarmingly, 35% of these girls reported experiencing sexual harassment during their commute, highlighting just how perilous a journey many face in their pursuit of education. This <a href="https://www.cesifo.org/en/publications/2022/working-paper/wheels-change-transforming-girls-lives-bicycles">intervention</a> was introduced in Zambia, providing bicycles to girls in 100 schools across three districts, and the results were promising. Overall absenteeism dropped by 29%, translating to an additional five school days per year for girls in the Southern Province, where the average primary school student missed 18 days annually. Girls in the schools who received the bicycles were 38% less likely to drop out of school compared to those in the schools who did not receive the bicycles. <h2>Pedalling towards a safer commute</h2>The impact of these bicycles extended beyond just improved attendance. The program also led to enhanced perceptions of safety among the girls. One year after the intervention, girls in the treatment group reported a 22% reduction in instances of being teased or harassed on their way to school. Additionally, the probability of girls missing school or leaving early due to safety concerns dropped by 39%. Post the success of this program, the United States Agency For International Development (USAID) awarded $3.5 million to fund bicycles for growth initiatives to increase access in rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, mainly Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia. Additionally, the Ministry of General Education (Zambia) scaled up the cycle program in several districts in Zambia. Simply put, the bicycles in Bihar and Zambia gave young girls the agency of making choices for themselves. While the immediate benefit of these programs was providing the means for women to travel to school, the long-term impact reveals significant shifts in attitudes among both the women involved and the communities around them! But did you know that the use of bicycles to provide women with this much-needed agency isn’t new and was actively instituted by women during the suffrage movement of the 19th century — a decades-long fight to win the right to vote for women in the United States? <h2>Corsets to cycles: The Suffrage movement &amp; bicycles</h2> <div type="image" title="A woman with a bicycle in early 1900s" msid="113057788" hostid="261"></div> In the late 19th century, during the American industrial revolution, a seemingly simple invention sparked a movement that would forever change women's lives — the bicycle. As the country experienced a ‘bicycle craze,’ the first wave of the women’s rights movement was gaining momentum. The bicycle quickly became more than just a mode of transportation; it became a powerful symbol of change and progress in the fight for women’s emancipation. In fact, the introduction of the bicycle revolutionised women’s fashion, breaking away from restrictive corsets and long skirts that had previously hindered their mobility. Instead, women began to adopt more practical, comfortable clothing that allowed them to cycle freely. The image of the ‘new woman’ emerged — educated, sporty, and career-oriented — with a bicycle as her constant companion. In 1895, at the age of 80, suffragist leader <keyword id="23037502" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="elizabeth-cady-stanton" source="keywords">Elizabeth Cady Stanton</keyword> predicted the power of the bicycle in transforming the lives of women. Having the ability to be self-reliant, often for the first time in their lives, would encourage them to be more courageous in other areas as well. While back then, their fight was for their right to vote in political elections, times have changed. Women have to fight different battles — some new and some old — to realise and utilise their potential. What has remained constant in this journey is the bicycle! Susan B. Anthony, another suffragist leader further opined, “Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammelled womanhood.” Had she known that several decades later, this simpleton mode of transport would continue to improve the lives of young women in remote parts of the Global South, she would’ve been happy to her heart's content! If something as mundane as access to mobility has historically brought such great results, what can be done to bring greater mobility for women in policy-making today? Professor Nishith Prakash suggests that mobility needs to be thought of in a broader context. Mobility in the case of women isn’t just freedom to be able to go from one place to another. There are multiple actors at play, including their actual safety and the perception of feeling safe in an environment. Cultural norms in most societies across the globe, and in India, automatically grant the power of key-decision making to men. For these archaic norms to be challenged, he suggests changes in curriculum from early childhood. Reiterating the importance of agency in making choices for themselves, there need to be jobs for them to want to step out of the confines of their homes. And once they do, nothing can stop them from cycling away to their freedoms!

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