Vasantholsavam and the Light Festival will together elevate the city’s charm and ambience during the Christmas and the New Year eve, both for local residents and tourists, Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas said at a meeting here today.

An organizing committee with Minister for General Education and Labour Shri V Sivankutty and Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Shri G R Anil as Chief Patrons and Shri Mohamed Riyas as Chairman has been formed for the conduct of Vasantholsavam.

MPs Dr Shashi Tharoor, Shri Adoor Prakash and Shri A A Rahim and MLAs of the district will be the Patrons of the event.

Mayor Smt Arya Rajendran is the Working Chairman and Kerala Tourism Secretary Shri Biju K is the General Convenor. Director of Kerala Tourism Smt Sikha Surendran and District Collector Smt Anu Kumari are the Conveners of the committee.

Vasantholsavam 2024 and New Year illumination are the most important events being organized by the State Tourism Department this year, after calling off the Onam Week celebrations in the wake of the devastating landslides at Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Wayanad, Shri Riyas said.

Also, Thiruvananthapuram is bracing to usher in the New Year after figuring in the coveted list of ‘World’s Trending Tourism Destinations’, besides receiving several international honours, he said.

The Tourism Department has carried out several beautification schemes in the city jointly with the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, which have elevated the ambience of the city. These include design-based facelift of Manaveeyam Veedhi, EMS Bridge and Bakery Junction Flyover and illumination of historic structures, together costing several crores of rupees.

The New Year Lighting Festival has become a trend-setting event since it began in 2022, the Minister said, urging the public not to miss the occasion. 

Various competitions for nurseries and landscaping will also be held in various categories for individuals and organizations. The DTPC Trivandrum has invited tenders for stalls in trade fair, amusement parks and the food festival for participation in Vasantholsavam. 

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ShareLog revolutionizes this by automating data processing and reporting, saving valuable time while reducing the risk of manual errors.

“Achieving SAP Partnership and launching ShareLog on the SAP Store are significant milestones that showcase our team’s innovation and commitment to addressing critical business challenges,” said Mr Titty Koshy, Managing Director of Orient CDS Private Limited. “Operating from Technopark Kollam, a hub of technology and innovation, these accomplishments position us to offer ShareLog to a global audience via the SAP Store. This enables customers to seamlessly integrate our solution into their SAP landscapes, enhancing enterprise security, ensuring compliance, and proactively detecting threats, all while benefiting from a streamlined and efficient implementation process.”

As part of its commitment to innovation, Orient CDS has established a state-of-the-art R&D facility in Technopark Kollam, where ShareLog has been meticulously designed to be a game-changer for SAP^® security audits. With advanced automation, it empowers Audit and Basis teams to detect anomalies and generate encrypted audit logs—offering an easily adaptable, highly customizable, and affordable turnkey solution.

SAP Store, found at store.sap.com, delivers a simplified and connected digital customer experience for finding, trying, buying and renewing more than 2,300 solutions from SAP and its partners. There, customers can find the SAP solutions and SAP-validated solutions they need to grow their business. And for each purchase made through SAP Store, SAP will plant a tree.

To enable companies to become intelligent enterprises, SAP is expanding its vertical solutions with an ecosystem of industry cloud solutions. These solutions complement the existing SAP portfolio to extend the value of joint customer investments. Technopark-based Orient CDS is working with SAP to create offerings that meet specific real estate, retail, oil and gas, or automotive requirements so customers can achieve positive business outcomes. Learn more at SAP Store.

Orient CDS Private Limited is a partner in the SAP ^®PartnerEdge^® programme. The SAP PartnerEdge programme provides the enablement tools, benefits and support to facilitate building high-quality, disruptive applications focused on specific business needs – quickly and cost-effectively.

About Orient CDS Private Limited

Operating from a vibrant innovation ecosystem at Technopark, Phase V, Kollam, Orient CDSaims to deliver exceptional SAP consultancy and cutting-edge SAP-based products designed to enhance business processes, drive efficiency, and foster innovation. Beyond technology, Orient CDS is also deeply committed to community growth and women empowerment, reflecting its broader corporate responsibility.

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The standout feature of Take Off is its unique location on the rooftop of O by Tamara, providing panoramic views of the Trivandrum skyline and the shimmering sea. Its name, Take Off, pays homage to its proximity to the Trivandrum International Airport, offering diners a mesmerizing backdrop of planes in flight as they enjoy their culinary experience.

Guests can indulge in a thoughtfully curated Mediterranean menu, featuring a rich array of dishes inspired by the cuisines of Turkey, Morocco, France, and Italy. Complementing the food is a selection of signature cocktails and mocktails, crafted to perfection. The elegant décor, ambient lighting, and open-air setting make Take Off an ideal destination for those seeking an extraordinary dining experience.

At the launch event, Shinoj Joseph, General Manager of O by Tamara Trivandrum, shared his thoughts:
“Take Off embodies our vision to elevate Trivandrum’s dining landscape. With its stunning views, dynamic atmosphere, and curated Mediterranean menu, we aim to create a one-of-a-kind rooftop dining experience for our guests.”

Adding to this, Suresh Kumar, Executive Chef at O by Tamara Trivandrum, said:
“At Take Off, our culinary philosophy revolves around capturing the authentic flavors of the Mediterranean while adding a unique twist. Every dish is designed to provide an unforgettable gastronomic experience, perfectly paired with the ambience and scenic views.”

Located on the 10th floor of O by Tamara, Take Off is poised to redefine rooftop dining in Trivandrum. The resto-bar welcomes guests from 5:30 PM to 12:00 AM, offering both walk-in and reservation options to ensure a seamless dining experience.

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Present on the occasion were the President of FHTR, Mr Kuldeep Singh Chandela; Secretary General, CA Virendra Singh Shekhawat; Senior Vice President, Surendra Singh Shahpura; Mr. Tarun Bansal, President, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Rajasthan and President of the Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators (RATO), Mr Mahendra Singh Rathore.

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The November 28-30 event featured over 200 cross-sector interactions and offered significant networking opportunities, product launch, promising collaborations, particularly between corporates such as Vedanta, L&T, Bosch, and future engagements with corporates getting sorted.

Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the three-day event held at Leela Raviz Kovalam.

The speakers on the final day included Dr Shashi Tharoor, MP and historian and writer William Dalrymple while state Finance Minister Shri K N Balagopal attended the roundtable on various policy interventions and support systems to accelerate the startup ecosystem.

Shri Balagopal interacted with major investors, HNIs and stakeholders on the occasion and visited the Huddle Global 2024 expo, featuring cutting-edge solutions and products, including value-added tribal products and healthy food items showcased by various startups.

Mr Panneerselvam Madanagopal, CEO, MeitY Startup Hub was the chief guest at the valedictory function where Dr Rathan U Kelkar, Secretary, Electronics & IT, Govt. of Kerala, and Mr Anoop Ambika, CEO, KSUM were also present.

Huddle Global 2024 featured 10,000-plus delegates, more than 250 investment connects, 300-plus mentoring sessions, 1000-plus business connects for startups, over 250 corporate and government connects, and 10 MoUs global and national partnerships, unveiling of Emerging Technology Hub Report and launch of Startup Infinity. There were 15 products launch at the event which had 200-plus speakers and expo of 100-plus startups. Around 300 women entrepreneurs attended the event, showcasing the state’s fast-growing startup ecosystem.

KSUM announced the winners of the ‘Branding Challenge 2.0,’ organized for creating branding strategies for impactful food technologies developed by reputed institutions across the country, at the valedictory session.

Selected food technologies from nine R&D institutions were showcased before designers to come up with their branding insights. The winners were given away a prize money of Rs 10,000 each along with the ‘Huddle Global Designers Award 2024’.

The winners of Branding Challenge 2.0: Ms. Agna John (freelance designer), Mr. Muhammed Shafeeq (professional designer), Mr. Adarsh Mohan K S (Government Engineering College, Ramavarmapuram), Ms. Adhila Shaireen (College of Architecture, Thiruvananthapuram), Mr. Roshan MR (professional designer), Ms. Fathimath Nesila P P (freelance designer), Mr. Fahad Salim (Yeldo Mar Baselios College School of Media and Design, Kothamangalam), Mr. Anoop Kumar V, (freelance designer) and Mr. Sreehari K N (freelance designer).

At the closing ceremony, KSUM also announced the selected nine startups under its ‘WE Start Pre-Incubation Programme’ that supports 100 women-led startups in their startup journeys. These nine outstanding startups were selected from the second cohort of 50 startups that are at the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage. The We Start Cohort-2 startups are 70mm Media Village by Ms Shibina Elayil, Anemone Naturals by Deepa P K, BeeMe Services by Beena Melbin, Coexistence by Meera R, P4K by Poojas Kanther, Petrichor Reforms By Gouthame A and Anjana Joseph, Vivify Store by Athira S, Utpala Biotech Pvt Ltd by Amritha and Urkidsparty by Rose Manacherry.

Besides, certificates were distributed to women researchers, who have successfully completed KSUM’s ‘Women Research and Innovation Programme’ organized in partnership with Sahrdaya College of Engineering & Technology. The researchers completed their one year cohort and concluded the programme through a ‘DEMO Day’ at Huddle Global 2024.

The awarded researchers are Ms. Reshma Jose, Asst. Professor, Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology; Ms. Vidya Mohanan, Ph.D Scholar, ICAR –CIFT; Dr. Megha P M, Founder, Shelt Innovation; Dr. Sruthi K P, Founder, B Masters Naturals; Dr. Bindiya ES, Post Doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Biotechnology, CUSAT; Dr. Jeethu Raveendran, Post Doctoral Fellow, IIT Palakkad; and Dr. Parvathy Narayanan, PG Student, KMCT Dental College.

The ‘Close the Deal’ corporate-startup matching event, held on the second day of Huddle Global 2024, featured leading organizations including L&T Digital Energy Solutions, Yes Bank, HDFC Bank, Bosch, Vedanta Spark, Saint Gobain, IDFC First Bank, NABARD, and DBS Bank. Startups presented their solutions to the attended corporate’s problem statements and the event created a platform for valuable collaborations.

Experts from reputed organizations such as Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, CareStack, Cryon, ANB Legal, NABARD, Wadhwani Foundation, Hero MotoCorp, Kerala Product Hunt, Successbrew, Bank of Baroda and others led these sessions.

KSUM is the nodal agency of the Kerala Government for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state.

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Referring to India’s rise as an IT powerhouse, Dalrymple said it was not the first time that Indian knowledge is contributing to the development of mankind. “India was a part of the world which very early on answered the big questions of mankind like why are we here, how to lead a moral life what is the relation of the earth to the heaven and the size of the earth,” he said.

But the influence of Indian soft power remains hidden. “It is worth asking why everyone in the West had heard about Archimedes and Pythagoras but no one known’s the names of Brahmagupta whose works led to the concept of zero and the earth’s position in the solar system,” the eminent author whose recent book The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World illustrates the historical role of India in trade, science and religion that influenced the world.

Aryabhata proposed that the Earth is not the center of the universe centuries before Galileo, but the latter received recognition for the discovery. He said that the knowledge developed in India later became weapons in the hands of European colonizers who used it to establish dominance and reap commercial benefits.

He said visiting Chinese scholars were amazed by the Takshashila University which was a flourishing education centre at that time and the physical structure of that university has influenced universities across the world since then, with learning centres placed around large courtyards. But India is yet to excavate 90 percent of the Nalanda University remnants in today’s Bihar to present its case.   

Dalrymple also pointed out that India’s ancient maritime trade routes were culturally and commercially busier than China’s Silk Road. The connections between Indian ports, especially Muziris on India’s western coast, and regions like Rome and Egypt, were of immense significance. Ancient India had greater integration with Mediterranean, Persian and Greek influences than widely believed, with reciprocal impacts on art and scholarship.

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Shri Biju K, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, said that the tourism industry offers women several opportunities while they face numerous challenges worldwide.

He made the remarks at the three-day Global Women Conference on GenderInclusive and Responsible Tourism, which opened today in Mangulam in Idukki district.

The Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission Society organised the conference on behalf of Kerala Tourism with support from UN Women, aligning with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) policy for promoting gender inclusivity in tourism.

“There are a lot of issues confronting women entrepreneurs and also great opportunities. A platform where they can freely communicate their problems is essential,” Shri Biju said.

“Kerala Tourism will take the initiative to form such an international alliance, and this global conference is the right step towards achieving it.”

NomadHer founder & CEO Hyojeong Kim; the UK’s Unseen Tours CEO Jayni Gudka, TravelLer Storyteller startup CEO & founder Elisa Spampinato, International Centre for Responsible Tourism representative Manisha Pandey; and Southeast Asia Research Academy (SEARA) co-director Lenny Yusrini also spoke on the topic moderated by Dr Harold Goodwin.

The participants pointed out that not only women but all marginalised groups should be involved in the tourism initiatives and receive its benefits. 

They said supporting women’s empowerment is the society’s responsibility and that institutions like the Kerala RT Mission Society should create an environment where they can confidently exhibit their talents.

Speaking at a discussion on Safe and Inclusive tourism, Kerala Tourism Director Smt Sikha Surendran said safe travel was not just about freedom from the fear of being attacked.

“From landing at airports or railway and bus stations to the trips to their tourism destinations or hotels, tourism should be woman-child-mother friendly,” she said.

“Women tour guides, good toilets, mother-friendly tourism facilitation centres and hotels, and child-friendly transport systems – all fall within the scope of this definition.”

She also suggested increasing the use of innovative technology in a women-centric manner, creating women-friendly travel networks, and making feedback facilities efficient and responsive.

UN Women representative Paulomi Pal moderated the session, which was attended by Uttarakhand Tourism Additional Director Poonam Chand and Cebu Normal University, Philippines, Asst. Professor ClarezielDe Ladringan.

Presentations on the topic of Women Entrepreneurship in Tourism were made by Mridula Tangirala, HeadTourism, Tata Trusts; Priyadharshini Paramasivam, Project Leader, Skilling and Training, SWT Academy; Geetu Mohandas, Founder, Let’s Go for a Camp, KRTM Society; Julie Joy, DDH Hospitality, KRTM Society and Renjini Thampi, Founder, Vapasee.

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Dr Tharoor, the four-time member in the Lok Sabha from Thiruvananthapuram, was delivering the key-note address at the Huddle Global 2024, India’s flagship startup conclave, on its third and concluding day on Saturday at Kovalam here.

Dr Tharoor, an eminent writer, former diplomat and thought leader, titled his address as “The elephant that is becoming a tiger: India’s Startup Ecosystem and tech entrepreneurship”, an obvious reference to his book “The Elephant, the Tiger & the Cellphone.”

While hailing the achievements of Kerala’s startup ecosystem, Dr Tharoor said the state needs to further streamline regulatory compliances and procedures to enable the aspirational entrepreneurs to start enterprises, attract capital and grow faster.

“We need to simplify and streamline regulatory compliances and procedures by dismantling the oppressive red-tape, Dr Tharoor said.

Tracing the evolution of Indian startup ecosystem, Dr Tharoor told the packed audience this was the time to think about making a single imaginative leap to add greater momentum to what has been achieved.

In its onward journey, it is important for Indian startup ecosystem to see that the surge in economic aspirations of young innovators and entrepreneurs is nurtured in a sustainable and inclusive fashion, he said.

The elephant is becoming a tiger as startups symbolize industriousness, innovation and inventiveness, playing a vital role in the remarkable transformation of the country, Dr Tharoor said.

When it comes to Kerala’s startup ecosystem, there are lot of reasons to be bullish about, considering its vibrancy and resonance with venture capital providers, across the verticals, he said.

The startups in Kerala have also been successful in translating ideas into solutions that address everyday problems, Dr Tharoor said.

While coming out with novel and ingenious solutions, the startups have also shown that everything is reusable and re-imaginable, he said.

Noting that surge of entrepreneurial culture also help turning India from a country of job-seekers to a job creating economy, though it is a paradox that increasing unemployment has sharpened the youth’s entrepreneurial spirit, he said.

Patting Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) for positioning its flagship startup festival into a major event that brings together the entire spectrum of stakeholders, Dr Tharoor said “it is amazing” that lot of products from robots, home automation and medical technology from the startups are on display at the event.

The three-day event, which began on Thursday, is packed with absorbing presentations and conversations, besides launch of a wide range of tech-driven products from startups.

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The five finalists made a huge impact on  the audience comprising investors, mentors, entrepreneurs and startup founders by pitching their products and services on the second day of the three-day sixth edition of the country’s flagship startup festival, organized by KSUM.

As a precursor to Huddle Global 2024, KSUM had organized ‘ElevateHER: Investment Pathway for Women Founders,” a three-week hybrid investment readiness programme for nine exceptional women-led startups from across India. Five of them entered the finals of the pilot event and got the opportunity to pitch their products and solutions/services at the ‘Open Pitch’ session held at the Women Zone segment of the Huddle Global 2024.

Those who pitched their products and services were Ms Kuhu Krishna, Founder, WrdHrd Technologies Pvt.Ltd.; Ms Juliana Biju, Founder & CEO, ReWago; Ms Krishna Karappath, Co-founder, Suee; Ms Priya Deepak, Founder & CEO, Kitch Natural Cookware Pvt. Ltd.; and Ms Chandana S, Co-founder &CEO, BreadCrumbs AI.

During the ‘Open Pitch’ session, they unveiled their ambitious and focused plans in the respective sectors by competing with leading brands.

Suee offers high-quality and sustainable handloom products while BreadCrumbs AI is a startup that provides personalized smart meat planning for leading a healthy lifestyle. It also offers effortless cooking with image analysis and audio transcripts.

Noicely.ai, developed by WrdHrd Technologies, enables its users to record a message in any language and get accurate live transcription with the support of 10-plus Indian languages including Hindi, English, Hinglish, Kannada and Bengali.

Kitch Natural Cookware specializes in selling authentic natural cookware, thereby ensuring livelihood to crafts people and artisans across India and ReWago is an ecommerce platform.

Ms Kuhu Krishna said they are currently focusing on Asia Pacific market and hope that they can capture 0.25 crore of the market share in the coming three to five years.

Ms Juliana Biju revealed that ReWago aims to be India’s first re-ecommerce platform, a seller aggregator platform as a one-stop destination for sustainable lifestyle shopping.

Noting that at Suee, they are mainly focusing on the fabric as well as the craft style, Ms Krishna Karappath said they are mainly using Kannur handloom fabric which has Geographical Indication (GI) for the dyeing.

“We have designed uniforms of Kerala Fire & Rescue Special Task Force, colleges and schools. Currently, we are working with the Education Department of Kerala for designing the syllabus of the fashion segment for high school students. In the retail expansion, we are planning to open stores in tier-1 cities and globally ecommerce platform,” she added. 

‘ElevateHER’ focuses on upskilling participants in areas such as investor pitch deck development, refining their storytelling abilities, and mastering the art of the elevator pitch through hands-on mock pitch sessions.

The Women Zone At Huddle Global features sessions like Women in Leadership Talks, the Women Entrepreneurs Expo, and the Women Innovators Hub, showcasing female-led startups and offering mentorship. With exclusive bootcamps and masterclasses, it provides valuable insights and skills for women-led startups, celebrating achievements and fostering growth across industries.

The three-day Huddle Global 2024 features a wide range of speakers, including  industry leaders, domain experts, innovators, mentors, funding agencies and individuals, drawn from across the world.

KSUM is the nodal agency of the Kerala Government for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state.

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KSUM CEO Shri Anoop Ambika exchanged MoUs with Shri Ram Prakash, Additional Director (TDF, DRDO) and Technopark CEO Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd), in the presence of Dr Rathan U Kelkar, Secretary, Electronics & Information Technology, Govt. of Kerala and ISRO Chairman Dr S Somanath.

Cmdr Mathew John of Southern Air command, Brigadier Salil MP, Station Commander Pangode Military Station, Group Captain Rohit Kaura, Program Director DIO-iDEX, (Retd), Vice Admiral (Rtd) Sreekumar Nair, MD Keltron, G Levin, CEO Kerala Space Park attended the ceremony.

“K-DIZ will enable connecting various stakeholders and serve as an eco-system provider, where startups & innovators (potential defence & aerospace entrepreneurs) from Kerala can get information, develop connections, explore market opportunities and collaborate with  Armed Forces,” said Shri Anoop Ambika.

“K-DIZ will be integral to the Centre of Excellence (CoE) focusing on Defence & Aerospace being planned under the Emerging Technology Hub of KSUM at Technopark Phase IV (Technocity), Thiruvananthapuram,” said  Col (Retd) Sanjeev Nair.

“Armed forces are moving towards integration and modernisation to become a future ready force with capabilities that match with India’s stature in global standings.  Armed forces offer vast opportunities to collaborate with us. The MoUs signed today paves an ideal platform to move forward in this direction,” noted Shri Mathew John, Southern Air Command.

“Armed forces are incubators of technology. We use technology for surveillance, navigation, operations training, and operational logistics. K-DIZ will be a platform to leverage the interface between armed forces, industries and academia,” said Brigadier Salil MP.

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