Brands
Canon India’s CSR in Bhiwandi village
MUMBAI: Canon India Pvt. Ltd, India’s leading Digital Imaging Company, celebrated yet another milestone, with the completion of two successful years of Karanjoti Village’s adoption under its flagship CSR initiative- Adopt a Village. With a vision to contribute to the societal ecosystem, Canon India had adopted Karanjoti Village in Bhiwandi (Thane) near Mumbai in April 2015.
In sync with the corporate philosophy of Kyosei, signifying living and working together for the common good, Canon India had adopted Karanjoti village to redefine the lives of people in and around the village by providing them with facilities for a well-developed and sustainable living. Situated near Mumbai, Karanjoti Village has seen numerous noteworthy developments, since its adoption. To mention a few, improved basic facilities & infrastructure have been installed at village school for making it child-friendly and generating interest in children to reduce dropouts. Post the intervention, school children are provided with basic health amenities like clean and hygienic toilets and safe drinking water facility. E-learning has been introduced to get children interested in education. Teaching aids such as charts (for science), maps (social studies), formulas (mathematics), and books related to various other subjects have been provided.
Canon India CEO Kazutada Kobayashi said, “Adopt a Village initiative has supported our vision of providing healthy, informed and sustainable lives to the communities we operate in. With Karanjoti completing two years as part of the Canon family, it is a matter of pride for us to witness the outcomes of our various endeavours.”
“Every village we adopt is part of the extended Canon family. Our employees, being responsible citizens understand the impact their contribution can make to the lives of young children in the villages. Under ‘Canon Involve’, they continuously visit the villages to interact with the children and villagers to create awareness and educate them about the basics of living a holistic life. We aspire to continue dedicated efforts in various villages as to achieve an all-round development for the community,” added Kobayashi.
Canon marked the second anniversary of its association with Karanjoti, with its Mumbai office employees visiting the villagers to celebrate the special occasion. ‘Canon Involve’ endeavor witnessed comprehensive engagement between the children and the employees. Activities were conceptualized on the subject of ‘Summer Fun’, where the children made interesting and creative drawings, with their upcoming summer vacations as the backdrop. Learning material was provided to the participating children to encourage their interest in drawing. Employees joined the children while coloring their creatives and shared fond memories of their summer vacations. Employees also educated the children on the subject of ‘Team-Spirit’, encouraging the children to stay together with harmony, where they learn and grow together. This engaging session was wrapped with a cake cutting ceremony, rejoicing the milestone and envisioning a prosperous tomorrow for the young children and their families.
In the span of two years, Karanjoti has witnessed discernible impacts under four core pillars of Canon India’s CSR policy, including Education, Eye Care, Environment and Empowerment. Capacity building in the school has led to students returning to the village school, resource centre with a non-formal education teacher to impart computer literacy, art and craft skills and encouraging sports among the students of all grades. Various environmental campaigns like tree plantation and ground levelling have been organized in which employees; teachers and students were encouraged to pledge and share their commitment towards making earth a healthier planet to live in. To have sustainable eye care facility establishment in the village, a Vision Centre has been set-up in a space provided by the local community. This center has equipment and technician for screening of patients and providing spectacles. Under its fourth CSR pillar Canon is looking forward to start a vocational training centre in the school to support sustainable living for the students and the village youth.
Along with Karanjoti in Maharashtra, Canon India has three more adopted villages, including Ferozepur Namak in Haryana, Maharaja Katte in Bangalore and Sol Gohalia in Kolkata. In the coming year, Canon envisions to amplify its efforts aimed at a holistic development of its adopted villages.
Brands
Raj Cooling Systems launches Agreyas appliances brand
Emraan Hashmi named brand ambassador for consumer appliance push.
MUMBAI: A company known for cooling solutions is now heating up its ambitions in the home appliances market. Raj Cooling Systems Pvt. Ltd. has launched a new consumer appliances brand, Agreyas, marking its entry into India’s rapidly expanding home appliances sector valued at more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The move represents a strategic diversification for the company, which has traditionally focused on cooling solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Through Agreyas, the firm plans to tap into growing consumer demand for energy efficient and technology driven household appliances.
To build brand visibility, Agreyas has appointed Emraan Hashmi as its brand ambassador. The campaign has been developed under the banner of Zoommantra Productions, with actor and filmmaker Rohit Roy contributing to the creative direction.
The brand’s initial portfolio will include mid premium air conditioners, washing machines, geysers and other white goods designed to cater to modern Indian households seeking efficient and reliable appliances.
Raj Cooling Systems, founder and chairman Kalpesh Ramoliya said the launch aligns with the company’s broader expansion plans.
“The launch of Agreyas is in line with our vision to build a strong presence in India’s consumer electronics and home appliances market. The brand has been developed as a standalone identity to meet the evolving needs of Indian consumers,” he said.
Hashmi said the collaboration comes at a time when Indian buyers are increasingly looking for innovative and functional home solutions.
“I’m looking forward to working with Agreyas at a time when consumers are seeking more innovative and efficient home products. The brand reflects changing consumer behaviour around functionality, innovation and ease of use,” he said.
Raj Cooling Systems plans to invest around 10 million dollars in developing the brand, with an additional 5 million dollars earmarked over the next three to five years for product development and distribution expansion.
Agreyas will follow a multi channel distribution approach, selling through online platforms, retail outlets and dealer networks aimed at both urban and semi urban markets across India.
With the launch, the company is positioning Agreyas as a standalone consumer facing brand while continuing to leverage its existing manufacturing, engineering and research capabilities built through its core cooling solutions business.
