Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a prestigious Maharatna and Fortune Global 500 Company, inaugurated Vigilance Awareness Week 2024 (VAW-2024) on 28^th October at its Corporate Office, reinforcing its commitment to ethical practices and integrity in business. The event, themed “Culture of Integrity for Nation’s Prosperity,” is being observed from October 28 to November 3 across BPCL’s operations nationwide, with a series of activities designed to raise awareness and foster vigilance among all employees.

L to R: S. Bhattacharjee, GM, S. Srikanth, CGM Vigilance, VRK Gupta, Dir (Fin), D. K. Jain, Ex-Chief Secy. of Maharashtra & Ex-Member Lokpal, Meenaxi Rawat, CVO, BPCL, R. Kumar, Chf Mgr Vig

The inaugural ceremony was led by Chief Guest Shri Dinesh Kumar Jain, Ex-Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and Ex-Member Lokpal, who joined BPCL leadership including Smt. Meenaxi Rawat, IES, Chief Vigilance Officer; Shri V.R.K. Gupta, Director (Finance); Shri Raj Kumar Dubey, Director (HR); Shri S. Srikanth, Chief General Manager (Vigilance), and other senior officials. In a symbolic moment, Smt. Meenaxi Rawat administered the Integrity Pledge, uniting BPCL officials across India through a live webcast to affirm their dedication to honesty and transparency.

In a message to employees, Shri G. Krishnakumar, Chairman and Managing Director, BPCL highlighted Bharat Petroleums commitment to ethics, integrity, and accountability, which are fundamental to its operations. He stated that this week serves as a vital reminder of our dedication to fostering a corruption-free workplace. He also lauded Smt Meenaxi Rawat and her vigilance team, for their ongoing dedication to promoting the values of ethics and integrity.

In her address, Smt. Meenaxi Rawat highlighted India’s ranking in the Corruption Perception Index, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement in ethical practices. She referred Ethisphere’s annual rankings, which reveal that ethical companies often outperform the market, a testament to BPCL’s core values of Ethics and Trust. BPCL’s commitment to transparency was evident in the recent integration of all policies and guidelines on a centralized intranet webpage, streamlining access across all business units. Citing the success of the Public Grievance Portal, Smt. Rawat emphasized the importance of a robust complaint-handling system, adding that vigilance is not only a function of vigilance officers but a shared responsibility across BPCL’s workforce.

Chief Guest Shri Dinesh Kumar Jain, in his keynote, elaborated on the foundational values of honesty and integrity. Sharing an anecdote from Sweden involving a Member of Parliament meticulously distinguishing between personal and official expenses, Shri Jain illustrated how simple acts of accountability reinforce integrity. He outlined the formula for understanding corruption as “Corruption equals Monopoly plus Discretion minus Accountability,” highlighting how the Government of India has tackled corruption with measures like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and faceless Income Tax assessments. Commending BPCL’s Integrity Clubs in schools, he emphasized the value of instilling ethics in young minds.

To mark the occasion, three significant publications were launched: The Vigilance Officer’s Handbook, Do’s & Don’ts Handbook for Officers, and the Vigilance Newsletter, which are expected to enhance vigilance practices within BPCL.

Vigilance Awareness Week 2024 will continue with a series of events and initiatives, aimed at promoting a strong culture of integrity and vigilance across BPCL’s operations, fostering a resilient, transparent corporate ethos for sustainable growth.

The highly anticipated 10^th edition of India Affiliate Summit (IAS), the premier affiliate marketing event in the country, organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is set to take place on November 7th and 8th, 2024 at The Leela, Ambience, Gurugram. The conference will bring together leading marketers, thought leaders and innovators to explore new trends, strategies, and growth opportunities in the dynamic affiliate marketing ecosystem. vCommission is the Title Partner of IAS 2024.

India Affiliate Summit 2024

The summit will offer a robust agenda filled with keynotes, masterclasses, Panel Discussions, and Networking Events. Industry experts will present new insights, data-driven strategies, and innovative ideas across sectors such as affiliate marketing, e-commerce and D2C. This conference promises to be a key driver in advancing affiliate marketing, performance and programmatic marketing as critical tools for businesses to thrive in today’s digital landscape.

The two-day summit will be addressed by industry leaders such as Neil Patel, Founder, NP Digital; Parul Bhargava, CEO, vCommission; Vivek Malhotra, CMO, India Today Group, and Chairman IAMAI’s Digital Advertising Council; Sanjay Sidhwani, CEO, Indian Express Digital; Deepak Oram, Senior Vice President – Growth Marketing & Martech, HDFC Bank; Nitin Sethi, Joint President, Chief Digital Officer, Adani Group; Marisha Lakhiani, Chief Growth Officer, Mindvalley; and Nidhi Rastogi, Head of Marketing ,Uniqlo. They will deliberate on topics ranging from strategies for affiliate success, influencer marketing to building resilient affiliate ecosystems. Attendees will gain actionable insights to optimize their marketing strategies and tap into the full potential of affiliate, performance and programmatic marketing.

IAMAI will also release a major document outlining the “Best Practices for Affiliate Marketing India” at the Summit on November 7. Some of the major partners supporting IAS 2024 are vCommission, Flickstree, Optiminastic, and Seventynine Digital.

To register for the India Affiliate Summit 2024 or for more information, please visit indiaaffiliatesummit.in/index.html.

About Internet and Mobile Association of India

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is a not-for-profit industry body with 583 members, including Indian and multinational corporations, as well as start-ups. IAMAI has been instrumental in shaping India’s digital economy. IAMAI advocates free and fair competition, and progressive and enabling laws for businesses as well as for consumers. The overarching objective of IAMAI is to ensure the progress of the internet and the digital economy. Its major areas of activities are public policy and advocacy, business to business conferences, research, promotion of start-ups and promotion of consumer trust and safety.

India’s apex industry body for alternative assets, the Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA), announced the IVCA Private Credit Summit 2024, an initiative in collaboration with Avendus, EAAA India Alternatives Limited, InCred Alternative Investments, Lighthouse Canton, and Neo Asset Management. The Summit will bring together seasoned professionals of the private credit ecosystem including insurance companies, pension funds, family offices (FOs), high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), limited partners (LPs), and private credit funds.

IVCA Private Credit Summit 2024 to Address Strategies and Reforms for India’s Growing Credit Market

With the Indian economy projected to reach a GDP of $5 trillion by 2027-2028 and $30 trillion by 2047, the need for capital availability is likely to increase. The IVCA Private Credit Council led by Co-Chairs Kanchan Jain, Head of Ascertis Credit Group (erstwhile BPEA Credit Group), and Vineet Sukumar, Founder & Managing Director of Vivriti Group, alongside other industry experts, strive to ensure that private credit plays a transformative role in Indias financial landscape. To further the council’s cause, the Private Credit Summit 2024 aims to highlight opportunities and strategies driving the sectors growth, with an emphasis on investor insights and key regulatory reforms, as well as market depth across all private credit asset classes. A roundtable discussion is also on the agenda, so that participants can have meaningful conversations with experts on private credit, exploring topics that are crucial to the financial landscape.

Kanchan Jain, Head of Ascertis Credit Group & Co-Chair, IVCA Private Credit Council said, “Private credit helps channel existing savings and solves for a range of bespoke yet important needs of a growing corporate sector. Private credit solutions can thus provide attractive and resilient returns without the volatility associated with equity markets. Sophisticated real-money institutional investors rely on local credit managers to source, underwrite, and manage such investments.”

After developing globally for three decades, this asset class is now well-positioned to channel long-term and steady inflows in India. Additionally, it attracts domestic ultra-high-net-worth investors, insurance and pension funds, and global real money investors looking for reliable returns. Private credit has the potential to bridge the Rs.27 lakh crore (US$ 325.3 billion) financing gap in the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) space where significant debt investment will be necessary to fund critical areas such as infrastructure, climate transition, and agriculture while offering non-dilutive finance solutions for mid-market and large corporations, in addition to regular bank lending. Its evolving sub-asset classes, such as growth, distressed, and special situations financing, enable efficient and transparent capital allocation, making it an essential tool for catalysing private capex and unlocking capital inflows that cannot be deployed elsewhere in Asia.

Vineet Sukumar, Founder and Managing Director of Vivriti Group & Co-Chair, IVCA Private Credit Council said, “Indias growth story hinges on the revival of corporate capex, for which a necessary pre-condition is access to debt capital. Private Credit will play a pivotal role in bridging the financing gap for mid-market corporates and MSMEs – providing term finance, flexible structures, speed and size. The Private Credit industry thus has the potential to become a transformative force in meeting Indias vision for 2047. The IVCA Private Credit Summit 2024 will foster meaningful conversations among industry experts, investors, and policymakers, highlighting opportunities, strategies, and regulatory reforms driving the sectors growth.”

Furthermore, recent regulatory improvements in India have strengthened private credit, including stronger due diligence for asset management companies and key managerial personnel, the introduction of large value funds, standardised portfolio valuation, performance benchmarking, and a framework for scheme liquidation. A robust private credit ecosystem will act as a primary factor of economic growth in India, providing entrepreneurs and small businesses with improved access to capital. This will empower them to innovate, scale their operations, and create jobs, ultimately boosting economic activity and significantly contributing to the countrys GDP growth.

About IVCA – Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association

The Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) is a not-for-profit, apex industry body promoting the alternate capital industry and fostering a vibrant investing ecosystem in India. IVCA is committed to supporting the ecosystem by facilitating advocacy discussions with the Government of India, policymakers, and regulators, resulting in the rise of entrepreneurial activity, innovation, and job creation in India and contributing towards the development of India as a leading fund management hub. IVCA represents 46% of overall AIFs in the country, and its members are the most active domestic and global VCs, PEs, funds for infrastructure, real estate, credit funds, limited partners, investment companies, family offices, corporate VCs, and knowledge partners. These funds invest in emerging companies, venture growth, buyouts, special situations, distressed assets, and credit and venture debt, among others.

As the global cancer burden rises to 30 million cases by 2040, healthcare systems face a critical challenge in providing supportive care for patients and survivors. Recent advancements in cancer treatments have increased survival rates to 68%, but standard treatments often cause debilitating side-effects. Lifestyle transformation is crucial for improving health and quality of life, and yoga has emerged as a valuable tool.

11th International Conference on Yoga in Cancer Care, Exploring Yoga’s Role in Holistic Cancer Support

Research has consistently shown yogas positive impact on cancer-related care, particularly in the psychological domain. Yoga interventions improve health-related quality of life, reduce cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and enhance overall wellbeing.

Kaivalyadhama, a pioneer in yoga research and therapy, has collaborated with institutions like Tata ACTREC and MDTC to offer yoga-based interventions to cancer patients and survivors. Its SOHAM programme has transformed lives globally, demonstrating long-term psychological empowerment and improved quality of life.

The 11th International Conference on Yoga in Cancer Care, scheduled for December 4-7, 2024, at Kaivalyadhama, Lonavala, will bring together international experts from Harvard, Anderson Cancer Centre, De Montford University, AIIMS, Tata Memorial Centre, HCG, NIMHANS, Apollo apart from medical practitioners and other stake holders in the cancer care ecosystem to discuss the scope, evidence, and evolution of yoga in cancer care. The conference will feature a pre-conference workshop and provide a platform for knowledge exchange, promoting integrative medicine.

“Yoga has shown tremendous potential in empowering cancer patients and survivors,” said Shri Subodh Tiwari, CEO Kaivalyadhama. “This conference aims to advance the integration of yoga into cancer care, enhancing the lives of millions affected worldwide.”

The conference will also be available online globally. For more information and registration please visit kdham.com/11th-international-conference-2024.

Founded by Swami Kuvalayananda in 1924, Kaivalyadhama is one of the oldest pioneering yoga institutes in the world. Following the principles and philosophy of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga and taking pride in teaching traditional yoga in its purest form, Kaivalyadhama is the first Yoga institute to proactively conduct scientific research for demonstrating the benefits and uses of Yoga.

India’s apex industry body for alternative assets, the Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA), has announced its inaugural flagship forum, Indian Venture IPO & Exit Strategies Forum 2024. Scheduled to take place on 14th November 2024 at Jio World Centre, Mumbai, the forum will delve into the most critical exit strategies that are shaping India’s alternate capital and startup ecosystems. The forum is organised in collaboration with Peak XV Partners, PwC, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. (SAM & CO.), SKI Capital Services Limited and Uniqus Consultech Inc.

IVCA Announces Inaugural Indian Venture IPO & Exit Strategies Forum

“There’s never been a better time for exits in India. Indian capital markets are incredibly fertile for startup IPOs and this is just the beginning, we will see a large number of startups go public over the next several years,” said Rajan Anandan, MD, Peak XV and Co-chair, IVCA VC Council. He further added, “IVCA has always been a champion and supporter of the investment ecosystem in India. With the upcoming IPO & Exit Strategies Forum, we are excited to have a cross-section of participants, from investors to founders to public market bankers under one roof to discuss what it takes to go public in India.”

India has dominated the global IPO market with over 216 listings by August 2024, spanning both mainboard and SME exchanges. The markets have demonstrated a sustainable and consistent post COVID-19 recovery raising the number of listings to a record high. The total proceeds have more than tripled to US$7.01 billion during the first eight months of 2024 compared to US$2.48 billion around the same time last year. This surge in IPOs is likely to continue through the coming year, bolstered by a strong domestic economy, the government’s push for digitisation, and a dynamic startup ecosystem.

“India has been witnessing multiple successful IPOs, and it is critical to navigate through its complex tax and regulatory landscape to ensure compliance and optimise shareholder value. The forum organised by IVCA would be a good platform for eminent speakers to disseminate their experience on the nuances that companies planning for IPO need to consider,” said Bhavin Shah, Partner, Deals Tax Leader, PwC India.

Foreseeing this immense potential for India’s financial ecosystem, the Indian Venture IPO & Exit Strategies Forum 2024 will unite seasoned professionals from venture capital, family offices, institutional investors, and representatives from soonicorns, unicorns, and startups. The forum will provide attendees with unparalleled insights into exit strategies, including IPOs, mergers and acquisitions (M&As), and secondary sales, as well as include detailed discussions on the most effective exit options, featuring case studies from founders who have navigated the IPO and acquisition landscape.

Prashant Gupta, Partner, National Practice Head – Capital Markets, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. said, “Having been involved on all recent significant new economy IPOs, we look forward to working with IVCA to sharing our learnings with the wider audience at the Indian Venture IPO & Exit Strategies Forum 2024 and working with other participants to set industry standards.”

Designed to enhance the participants’ knowledge about the specifics of these strategies, the forum will cover a range of topics-learning the IPO playbook, negotiating tax and regulatory requirements, determining IPO appropriateness for businesses, and more. The speakers will also dive into the basics of structuring the pre-IPO investment rounds.

Manick Wadhwa, Partner & Executive Board Member, SKI Capital said, “Vibrant capital markets are crucial for startups, providing the growth capital needed to scale, and offer VCs the liquidity essential for fueling economic expansion. SKI Capital is pleased to partner with IVCA on this forum, which unites industry leaders to discuss IPO and exit strategies, fostering collaboration and valuable insight-sharing.”

As more Indian companies go public, they will drive improvements in market liquidity, boost investor confidence, and draw in domestic and global investors. Such a cycle of investment and growth is critical for cultivating a robust startup ecosystem, which would ultimately enhance the Indian economy and position it as a major player in the global market. The Indian Venture IPO & Exit Strategies Forum 2024 will provide attendees with the necessary insights and key perspectives of the IPO and exit process in the current market context, guiding startups to launch successful IPOs and investors to make seamless exits.

Jamil Khatri, Co-founder & CEO, Uniqus said, “Indias startup and alternative capital ecosystems are poised for significant transformation with exit planning serving as a crucial lever for unlocking further growth potential. The vibrant equity markets have made IPOs an attractive option for emerging companies in their growth journey. Executing a successful IPO requires robust planning and execution across several workstreams, both financial and non-financial. Further, significant work is required to ensure that the transition to a publicly listed company is as smooth as possible. The IVCA forum provides an excellent platform to explore these critical matters, and we are excited to share Uniqus’ practical insights on how to craft a successful journey into the public markets.”

This forum is an initiative of the Venture Capital Council at IVCA, will include notable speakers from across the investment landscape, namely, Rajan Anandan, Managing Director, Peak XV Partners; Ramakrishnan Subramanian, Executive Director, PwC; Padmaja Ruparel, Co-founder, IAN Group; Sharad Chaudhry, Partner, Uniqus; Rohit Tiwari, Partner, SAM & Co.; Neha Grover, Head of South Asia Practice of PE Funds & Co-Investment, IFC, World Bank Group; Himanshu Mandavia, Partner, Price Waterhouse & Co LLP; Shashikant Shenoy, Partner, Accounting & Reporting Consulting, Uniqus; Alok Gupta, Partner, Head of India, Foundation Private Equity; Nikhil Naredi, Partner, SAM & Co.; and Srinath Srinivasan, Chief Executive Officer, Oman India Joint Investment Fund.

Dr. Harish Ahuja, Head, Sustainability Carbon & Power Markets, Listing, NSE; Nitin Agarwal, Head of Private Equity, Neo Asset Management; Anuj Bhargava, Managing Director and Head of Corporate and Strategic Development for India and South East Asia, Lightspeed; Dipanjan Basu, Co-founder and Partner, Fireside Ventures; Manish Khetarpal, Co-Founder and Partner, WaterBridge Ventures; Sakshi Chopra, Managing Director, Peak XV Partners; Pankaj Naik, Managing Director and Co-Head, Digital & Technology, Avendus Capital; K G Subramanian, Managing Director & CFO, Nexus Venture Partners; Aseem Dhru, MD & CEO, SBFC Finance; Ankit Agarwal, Managing Partner, Alteria Capital; Vaibhav Goel, Partner and CFO, Elevation Capital, will be sharing their expertise on how to raise an IPO successfully.

Additionally, Raghuram K, Partner, Accounting & Reporting Consulting, Uniqus; Navjot Kaur, Director, Epiq Capital; Manick Wadhwa, Executive Director, SKI Capital; Ruchi Khajanchi, CFO, A91 Partners; Karan Bhagat, Founder MD and CEO, 360 One; Amit Pandey, Lead: VC Ecosystem and Capacity Building, IVCA will also be a part of this exclusive forum.

About IVCA – Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association

The Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) is a not-for-profit, apex industry body promoting the alternate capital industry and fostering a vibrant investing ecosystem in India. IVCA is committed to supporting the ecosystem by facilitating advocacy discussions with the Government of India, policymakers, and regulators, resulting in the rise of entrepreneurial activity, innovation, and job creation in India and contributing towards the development of India as a leading fund management hub. IVCA represents 46% of overall AIFs in the country, and its members are the most active domestic and global VCs, PEs, funds for infrastructure, real estate, credit funds, limited partners, investment companies, family offices, corporate VCs, and knowledge partners. These funds invest in emerging companies, venture growth, buyouts, special situations, distressed assets, and credit and venture debt, among others.