MAM
HUL donates over 74,000 testing kits to tackle spread of Covid2019 in India
MUMBAI: Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) has donated 74,328 RT-PCR Covid2019 testing kits worth Rs 13 crore to help ramp up testing of patients in the country. The Maharashtra government has received about 28,800 RT-PCR testing kits to help in the early detection of Covid2019. Others who received the RT-PCR kits include Indian Council of Medical Research (20,160 kits), Metropolis Labs (8088 kits) and Apollo Hospitals (17,280 kits).
The RT-PCR testing kits consist of nucleic acid diagnostic kit, sample release reagent, throat swab, PCR tube and sample storage reagent. The testing kits are approved by international certification bodies such as CE IVD, US-FDA and EU CE, and are also listed in FIND, a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaboration Centre.
Hindustan Unilever chairman and MD Sanjiv Mehta said, “Sufficient supply of testing kits and other medical equipment will help frontline warriors competently tackle the Covid-19 virus. This will not only allow for free testing in critical regions, but also accelerate the process of testing asymptomatic patients, supplementing Government efforts to flatten the curve and arrest the spread of the pandemic in the country.”
This contribution comes on the back of 29 ventilators worth Rs 3 crore that HUL is donating to government hospitals in Maharashtra. Last month, HUL had also donated 5000 sets of PPEs, 20,000 N95 masks, 2,00,000 gloves, 112 pulse oximeter and 28 oxygen concentrators worth Rs 2 crore to the Maharashtra Public Health Department.
Beside states like Maharashtra and New Delhi which have a high Covid2019 patient count, HUL is also extending product donation and other support across India around its manufacturing locations and offices in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
HUL recently committed Rs 100 crore towards helping India fight the Covid-19 pandemic, undertaking various initiatives to ensure the safety of people and communities, product sourcing, and business continuity. The initiatives include large scale awareness campaigns, providing free sanitation and hygiene products to Covid2019 frontline workers and underserved sections of the society, upgrading health care facilities in hospitals & testing centres, and setting up isolation centres to help local authorities curb Covid2019 spread. The company is supporting around six lakh migrant labour families with food kits and essential hygiene and nutrition products post-lockdown to help fight Covid2019.
HUL also partnered with UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) and BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) to create a public awareness campaign on social distancing and personal hygiene to prevent Covid2019.
Brands
Axis Bank named Official Banking Partner of DP World PGTI
Partnership supports all tournaments this season to grow professional golf in India.
MUMBAI: Axis Bank just teed up a hole-in-one partnership because when a bank sponsors golf’s biggest swing in India, even the fairways feel more financially secure. Axis Bank has been appointed Official Banking Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI), strengthening its commitment to sporting excellence and community engagement while backing the growth of professional golf across the country.
Under the partnership, Axis Bank will support all DP World PGTI tournaments this season, contributing to talent development, enhanced tournament experiences and wider fan engagement. The collaboration aligns the bank’s values of precision, discipline and trust with the Tour’s focus on performance and opportunity.
Axis Bank executive director Munish Sharda said, “We are pleased to partner with DP World PGTI as its Official Banking Partner. Golf embodies precision, discipline, and a pursuit of excellence qualities that strongly reflect who we are at Axis Bank. This association also strengthens our engagement with India’s growing premium customer segments, where the sport has a deep and enduring connect.”
Professional Golf Tour of India president Kapil Dev said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Axis Bank as a Tour Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India. Partnerships of this stature play a vital role in strengthening the foundation of the Tour, enhancing opportunities for our players, and expanding the sport’s reach across the country.”
Professional Golf Tour of India CEO Amandeep Johl added, “Axis Bank’s strong legacy of excellence, innovation, and nationwide reach aligns perfectly with DP World PGTI’s goal to elevate professional golf in India and provide greater opportunities for our players.”
In a sport where every stroke counts and every partnership drives distance, Axis Bank isn’t just backing golfers, it’s investing in the fairway to future, turning India’s greens into a stage where precision meets passion and every drive has the power to inspire.
