The document provides information about Allied Digital Services, an Indian IT services company that has grown from 3 people in a single room to 2500 staff spread across 190 global locations. It details the founder Nitin Shah's background and engineering education. It describes how Shah got his start in the industry working for Computer Maintenance Corporation and DEC in the 1970s-80s. In 1984, Shah started his own company called Digital Data Services (later renamed Allied Digital Services) to provide computer support and services. The company focused on high-quality service and expanding internationally over the past 30 years to become a leading global IT services provider.

1. G L O B A LG L O B A LT E C H N O L O G I E S
Your Window To The Tech World
Volume 12 No. 3 May - June 2017 Rs. 100/- Or US $ 5
Readers: Our Most Precious Asset
l Allied Digital Services
l l lCES Asia ESC IFA

3. E d i t
Global TechnologiesMay - June 2017 1
Dear Friends
After a successful 50th year celebration by CES at Las Vegas this year, this global
show is gearing up for its Asian version, which is just 2 years old. This year in its third
edition the show is expected to be bigger than the earlier shows. CES Asia 2017 is
expected to draw more than 30,000 attendees and more than 1,100 global media to cover
some 450 exhibiting companies showcasing innovation across 19 product categories,
including major growth areas such as drones, the Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual
reality. Under the CES brand, International CES Asia is the premier event for the
consumer technology.
This year at CES Asia 2017 a major focus will be on connected cars, self-driving and
the future of mobility. The event will see vehicle technology in full force including the
latest from three major auto manufacturers –Hyundai, NEVS and Volvo. New vehicle
technology aims to make drivers and passengers safer, smarter and more connected than
ever.
Startup Park at CES Asia 2017 is slated to be global gathering of startups touting latest
innovations from at least five countries. Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park (ZJ Park), Shanghai’s
largest tech park has teamed up with CES Asia to attract innovative startups to the show.
A company that started from a single room with just three people today has grown into
a force to reckon with in the fields of IT and System Integration with 2500 staff spread
across 190 global locations. We have attempted to take you through the journey of Allied
Digital Services spearheaded by Nitin Shah, CMD, Allied Digital Services.
Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) is today
considered to be India’s best Electronics and IT trade facilitation organization and assists
Indian IT industry particularly the SMEs. Providing multiple opportunities for its
members through various government schemes, it has seen many companies grow their
business across oceans while multiplying their profits. Steering the organization for over
two decades is D K Sareen, Executive Director, ESC. We have carried an e-interview with
him.
The 14th Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and the concurrent 14th
International ICT Expo , organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council
(HKTDC), attracted more than 3,500 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions. It also
brought together 94,000 buyers from 138 countries and regions. While there were
exhibitors from several countries at the ICT expo, India had a substantial presence with
21 companies under the aegis of Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion
Council (ESC).
It was at CES, Las Vegas that Hug Innovations showcased the world's first gesture
control Smart watch, Hug Smartwatch where with gestures one can control the volume of
a speaker or even a drone (which was displayed). Apart from this uniqueness Hug
Smartwatch plays a pivotal role in personal safety, fitness, health and nutrition. I found
that this Indian company that has a great potential and thought it ideal to do an interview
of its CEO Raj Neravati.
The 11th edition of IFA GPC hosted select 300 technology and business journalists
from 50+ countries to attend industry power briefings, trends and witness launch of new
gadgets including Porsche Design's first Laptop, Sennheiser AMBEO Headset, and
Samsung - The Frame TV.
Chandragupta Amritkar
Editor
chandraguptaa@hotmail.com
editor@globalfeatures.info
Editor - Chandragupta Amritkar, Managing Editor - Varsha, Design - Manoj Durgam
Contact - Global Technologies, B-701, Customs Colony, Military Rd, Marol, Andheri(E), Mumbai-400 059, India.
Phone - 91-22-29252569, Mobile - 9223419060 / 9969935878 e-mail: globalfeatures@lycos.com / globalfeatures@rediffmail.com
Annual Subscription Rates - India: Rs. 600; Overseas: US$ 60 (Rates include airmail charges).
Printed and Published by Chandragupta Amritkar on behalf of Global Features B-701, Customs Colony, Military Rd, Marol, Andheri(E), Mumbai-400 059
and Printed at Sumangal Press Pvt. Ltd. "Sumangal" G-8 Cross Road "A", Near Marol Bus Depot, MIDC, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400 093.
Global Technologies makes all efforts to ensure that the information published is correct and reliable. However the publication holds no responsibility for
any inadvertent errors, commissions or opinions expressed.
An Indian publication, Global Destinations
framed in a Ministers office

6. C o n t e n t s
Global Technologies May - June 20174
Event Review
HKTDC
......................22
ESC
............................16
Association
Cover Story
Allied Digital Services
...........................06
HUG Innovations
............................32
Wearables
IFA
......................26
Curtain Raiser
CES Asia
...........................12

8. I
t was after almost two decades that I got time to spend some
quality time with my friend Nitin Shah, CMD, Allied Digital
Services. Though I had been following his success story and
meeting him at events in-between, it was just a couple of weeks
ago that we sat down and I was quite impressed by his Interna-
tional presence. With plans a foot for global expansion in a major
way we thought it ideal opportunity to do a feature on the com-
pany and the driving force behind it.
An engineer (Electrical Engineering) from one of India’s lead-
ing engineering college VJTI it formed the basis of his future
journey. “Thanks to VJTI teachers my fundas (fundamentals)
were clear. I learned a lot and it made us think, analyse and find
a solution. This helped me a lot as I became an expert puzzle
solver. Even today I enjoy solving the crossword/mensa puzzles
in newspapers,” said an emphatic Nitin Shah.
Apart from a short stint in Crompton Greaves Ltd Nitin Shah
got a pivotal break when he got an offer from Computer Mainte-
nance Corporation (CMC) in 1978. At that time IBM had a great
presence across India – being there for almost twenty years.
George Fernandes, who was industry minister in the Janata gov-
ernment was mainly instrumental in IBM exit from India over
foreign exchange rules in1978. The task of keeping the IBM sys-
tems/installations at over
800 locations around India
and subsequently mainte-
nance of computers sup-
plied by other foreign play-
ers was the responsibility
of the newly created 100%
government entity, the
CMC.
“At that time CMC was
India’s leading IT company and since it was dealing in all IBM
installations, I was able to grasp the basics of computers. Infact I
was one of the few to get an opportunity to work on all three main
frames at that time – IBM, ICL and DEC,” said Nitin Shah.
He was in CMC and later in DEC for over six years before des-
tiny took him into business and his first steps into becoming an
entrepreneur. “It was in 1984 when one of my clients had a prob-
lem with his computers which was not resolved by even the man-
ufacturer and the CEO asked me to work on the problem. Having
solved it successfully he offered me a substantial amount and
introduced me to his friends circle. This where I believe destiny
plays a vital role and I decided to venture into support and serv-
C o v e r S t o r y
Global Technologies May - June 20176
The Transformation Driven Company
A company that started from a single room with just three people today has grown into
a force to reckon with in the fields of IT and System Integration with 2500 staff spread
across 190 global locations. Global Technologies attempts to take you through the
journey of Allied Digital Services
Nitin Shah

10. ice of large mainframes and minicomputers and created the com-
pany Digital Data Services,” said Nitin Shah.
Starting from a small room with just a three person team and
his self-confidence, then Digital Data Services, rechristened later
as Allied Digital Services Ltd started on its growth path. Head-
quartered in Mumbai, Allied Digital is primarily into IT Services,
system integration services and target large corporate customers.
It took them 11 years after the company formation to open their
first office outside Mumbai in Delhi.
“After that there was no looking back as our push to become
and remain best-in-class helped the company consistently con-
quer new frontiers – be it in moving to automation, technology
and tool-based remote infrastructure management and shared
services, as opposed to depending solely on dedicated people;
and setting up the country’s earliest network operations centre
(NOC) and security operations centre (SOC) in Mumbai. Our
company’s growth has mir-
rored exactly the growth of
the global IT industry. By
moving fast to adopt and
deploy new technologies,
we have managed to grab
the early mover advantage
with each new technology,”
said Nitin Shah.
One of the major reasons
for the company’s success
has been Nitin Shahs atti-
tude of grooming and men-
toring a second and third
layer of command within the company and empower-
ing employees to deliver their best for the clients and
the company. For the clients, this has meant person-
alised service delivery in an industry accustomed to an
arm’s length partner-led model.
When queried on how was he able to keep the cus-
tomers across all regions happy, Nitin Shah replied
with a smile, “That is one of the most well-known
secrets but rarely followed by corporate. As we started
to expand and cater to large corporate customers with
branches across the nation we noticed that most of them
needed service on a local basis. We had the option of
outsourcing ie, bringing sub-contractors to carry out the
work on our behalf in the locations outside Mumbai,
which being cost-effective is adopted by many. But it in
certain case should have meant to compromise on qual-
ity of service. This was not acceptable to me and with
an objective to provide quality + timely services, we
expanded across India with our own offices. This has
helped us have a uniformity across the organization and all our
offices. It is also important to understand the mindset of the cus-
tomers and employees in that particular region. Over the years, I
have noticed that the buying capacity and employees' way of
working differ from region to region.”
How true but as with all companies Allied Digital Services
faced the markets ups and downs - first during the .com burst and
then later the recession. Fortunately the foresight of Nitin Shah
made sure Allied Digital Services came out with much less dent
than its competitors. “My strategy has always been to keep the
second eye ahead towards what’s happening globally and try to
anticipate the new technologies and subsequently adapting and
providing solutions,” said Nitin Shah.
With a pan India presence the company and already having cre-
ated a niche for itself in India, the company is all set to make their
presence felt globally. “After covering a substantial portion of
market in India, we decided
to move out of India in 2007.
In the past decade, we man-
aged to open our branch
offices in countries like the
USA, Australia and Sri
Lanka and in Europe. Now
we are systematically pene-
trating into these countries,”
said Nitin Shah.
Type of Business
Allied Digital Services has
built a niche for itself in the
C o v e r S t o r y
Global Technologies May - June 20178

12. IT Services space. From a three-person team, today the company
has grown to 3000-plus people across 90 countries. He managed
to create an identity for himself exclusively on merit and compe-
tence and by delivering on his promises. By the early 1990s, the
company strove to create a layered, value-driven organisation and
recruited several CXOs. When the need for converting acquired
clients into regular clients and a sustainable business model
arose, the company chose a direct service delivery model that
helped with client retention. This helped to differentiate the com-
pany from its peers.
When the dotcom bubble burst, he decided to focus on technol-
ogy verticals like Networking, Information Security, Enterprise
Solutions and Infrastructure Management Services. Again the
move paid off handsomely. The company added more people dur-
ing the down-turn. “A significant part of strategy is also to stay
away from businesses that are legacy. For us moving into the
then-upcoming technologies was such a decision. At present we
focus on IT Infrastructure management services, cyber security,
IP based solutions like Safe and smart cities with integration of
IOT and software development,” said Nitin Shah.
Allied Digital phases of growth can be best described as:
Phase 1 – 1984-1993: Success Driven
Phase 2 – 1994-2001: Value Driven
Phase 3 – 2001-2007: Focused Strategy Driven
Phase 4 – 2007-2013: Inorganic growth driven
Phase 5 – 2013 – till date: Transformation Driven
Innovative Approaches
In 2007, company completed a successful IPO, and a
second round of funding through QIP. In all, it raised
` 3.15 billion from the market and entered the global
arena with the acquisition of a US-based services compa-
ny. It also set up a NOC/SOC and a global services deliv-
ery centre. In 2008, a Bangalore-based company, Digi-
comp Solutions, was acquired and sold in 2012 at seven
times the acquisition value.
It was 2012 that the company underwent total restruc-
turing, moving away from premise computing to cloud
computing to keep pace with the times. The company
transformed its service delivery to the virtual environment
over the past three years. Nitin Shah realised early on that
the future is IP-based and used the IP backbone for creat-
ing Intelligent Building Management Solutions (IBMS),
safe and Smart City and various other IP-based solutions.
“It was small pain, but long gain to transform the entire busi-
ness model to adopt next-gen technology and to be ready for
future challenges. We had to drop a legacy business. It was a
sharp turn in the growth trajectory to align with the paradigm
shift that happened in the IT industry in terms of computing plat-
forms (Social media, Mobility, Analytics and Cloud),” says Nitin.
The company with its innovative approach won the prestigious
Pune Safe City Project worth ` 2.25 billion and delivered the one
of its kind project to the government of Maharashtra in 2015. The
project has helped the city keep tabs on crime in the city and also
manage its traffic intelligently. The project has poised the compa-
ny as a front-runner in the up-coming Digital India Mission
opportunities valued at over $50 billion.
Nitin Shahs vision for the future includes remaining a front-
runner in the digital economy space and enabling the on-going
lifestyle changes onto a unified digital platform.
As a trusted partner with wide range of service capabilities and
state-of-the-art global command centres, Allied Digital help
clients transform and succeed in challenging environments by
making better IT decisions.
Company initiative/culture:
The companies inherent capabilities built on the philosophy of
'3S' (Smart People, Smart Processes, Smart Technology); pro-
vides the strong foundation for a best-in-class Integrated Service
Delivery Framework which consistently augments our overall
value creation proposition to our clients; both effectively and effi-
ciently.
Transparency and an inclusive decision making processes are
the hallmarks of Allied Digital Services. Nitin has ensured that
his credo of empowerment is carried through in the management
processes that he has put in place in the Company. Not only is the
senior management empowered to make decisions on day to day
functioning but is an integral part of the strategic decision mak-
ing process.
The core team is the engine of the ship and the endeavour is to
make the engine strong to take it far. Nitin Shah saw sparks in his
C suite top managers who in turn spot their sparkling performers
and nurture them for quick growth. Hence the model has now
changed from self-driven to team delegation. This is a shining
“Guru Shishya model”.
Empowerment, Responsibility and Accountability – ERA– go
hand in hand at Allied Digital Services.
C o v e r S t o r y
Global Technologies May - June 201710

14. A
fter a successful 50th year celebration by CES at Las
Vegas this year, this global show is gearing up for its
Asian version, which is just 2 years old. Under the CES
brand, International CES Asia is the premier event for the con-
sumer technology.
This year in its third edition the show is expected to be bigger
than the earlier shows. CES Asia 2017 is expected to draw more
than 30,000 attendees and more than 1,100 global media to cover
some 450 exhibiting companies showcasing innovation across 19
product categories, including major growth areas such as drones,
the Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual reality.
More than 300 notable companies are already slated to exhibit,
including 3M, Audio-Technica, Baidu, Changhong Electric, Con-
tinental, Digital China, DJI, Fossil/Misfit, Garmin, Gibson
Brands, Goertek, Haier, Huawei, Hyundai, Konka Group, LeEco,
Monster, NavInfo, NEVS, Onkyo, OtterBox, Pioneer, PPTV,
Scosche, Suning, United States Postal Service, UPS, Valeo,
Volvo, Voxx, Wacom and Yuneec.
Future of Vehicle Tech
This year at CES Asia 2017 a major focus will be on connect-
ed cars, self-driving and the future of mobility. The event will see
vehicle technology in full force including the latest from three
major auto manufacturers –Hyundai, NEVS and Volvo. New
vehicle technology aims to make drivers and passengers safer,
smarter and more connected than ever.
“Self-driving technologies and connected car capabilities are
changing our world – from thousands of lives being saved on the
roads each year, increased mobility and reductions in traffic and
resulting carbon emissions to ride sharing options and a new
world of device to device communication for real-time sharing of
information between vehicles, roadside infrastructure and pedes-
trian devices,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA.
“Cars have never been smarter, roads have never been safer and
the possibilities for this not-so-distant future will be on display at
CES Asia 2017.”
Major vehicle technology companies will be on hand at CES
Asia showcasing the full supply chain of vehicle tech, including
Baidu, Continental, NavInfo, Pioneer and Volvo. Featured auto-
motive technology will be on display both on the show floor and
outdoor exhibit space.
According to CTA research, factory-installed technologies,
from entertainment systems to driver-assist features, make up an
estimated 50 percent of the collective value in new vehicles, up
from about 25 percent just 10 years ago.
Startups at CES Asia 2017
Startup Park at CES Asia 2017 is slated to be global gathering
of startups touting latest innovations from at least five countries.
Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park (ZJ Park), Shanghai’s largest tech park
has teamed up with CES Asia to attract innovative startups to the
show.
“The startup scene in China is extremely active and prolific due
in large part to a growing pool of tech talent. Startup Park is
designed to draw the best and the brightest to showcase the next
generation of breakthrough technologies,” said Karen Chupka,
senior vice president, CES and corporate business strategy, CTA.
“Modeled after the Eureka Park™ Marketplace at CES, this area
will highlight increasing innovation across the growing mobile
market and other emerging industries – it’s where startups can
meet investors and industry leaders to take products to the next
level.”
“This partnership with CES Asia aligns well with our mission,”
said Ye Yang, Director of Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park Management
Committee. “ZJ Park and CES Asia share the common vision of
providing companies a platform to showcase their latest tech
innovation and grow within the Asian marketplace. We look for-
ward to the global exposure and opportunities our companies will
gain by exhibiting at CES Asia 2017.”
Startup Park returns to CES Asia for its second year in 2017.
After a successful 2016 show with 64 startups, Startup Park is
expected to have at least 75 innovative startups and is slated to
gather budding companies from around the globe – mainland
China, France, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the
U.S. Additionally, leading institutions, la French Tech, KNU
Start-up & Entrepreneurship Foundation and Shenzhen Valley
Ventures will lead groups of startups looking to break into the
rapidly growing Asian market.
“We are bringing a group of small companies to CES Asia for
the second year,” said Stéphane Monsallier, co-founder of the
Shanghai chapter of la French Tech. “We found great value in
Startup Park last year and the relationships our companies devel-
C u r t a i n R a i s e r
Global Technologies May - June 201712
Witness Future Technologies@CES Asia
As CES Asia gets ready for its third installment Global Technologies does a preview of this event.

15. oped by exhibiting at CES Asia were truly remarkable. We look
forward to the 2017 show.”
Startup Park will be located in SNIEC Hall N4.
Conferences
Conferences play a vital part in any major trade show and CES
Asia is no exception. This year quite a few interesting topics have
been selected. These include -
2017 Tech Trends to Watch - Learn which disruptive innova-
tions and trends are defining the tech industry in 2017. Under-
stand how the transportation revolution, artificial intelligence,
voice computing and much more will change the consumer land-
scape and what to watch for in the year ahead.
Digital Lifestyles in China - Understanding today’s digital
lifestyles in China is important for brands, as connectivity radi-
cally and rapidly alters consumer behavior. This session explores
technology’s impact on Chinese consumers’ lifestyles, examining
how connectivity is shaping personal networks, content con-
sumption, and shopping behavior.
Exploring the Future of Mobility - Traditional automakers
are facing challenges with vehicles that connect with the world
around them. Are new business models required to compete with
emerging car- and ride-sharing models? Hear experts discuss how
future emerging mobility opportunities impact traditional auto-
motive business models.
Tech Outlook for China and the United States - The United
States and China represent two of the largest markets for con-
sumer technology. While they share many themes, they remain
distinct tech marketplaces. Learn more about key drivers and
enablers in both markets and the developments defining growth
paths.
How Fitness Tech is Getting Smarter - Their looks may not
have changed, but the power underneath the next gen of fitness
wearables is outstanding. In this session, we’ll look at new tech-
nologies like in-ear coaching, sweat monitoring, feet and cadence
performance and more.
Smart Cities and Smart Mobility - What societal promises do
sensing and connected technologies offer? Our experts will dis-
cuss smart cities and how organizations can collaborate to create
efficient mobility that delivers on consumers’ expectations and
helps solve societal challenges across Asia from pollution to grid
lock.
Four Ways New Technology is Saving Lives - Artificial intel-
ligence, exoskeletons for amputees, telemedicine and chronic dis-
ease management are transforming lives. This session will take an
in-depth look at cutting edge digital health companies through
case studies of patients that have been transformed by their expe-
riences.
Privacy, Security, and the IoT Global Supply Chain - This
panel will explore consumer data privacy and device security
issues. The discussion will include ways that government policy
is addressing these issues, and the connections between the glob-
al supply chain, industry action and government action.
The Road Map for Self-Driving Vehicle Technology - As the
self-driving car speeds toward reality, how will the transportation
experience transform? What needs to be done to ensure a smooth
experience for all stakeholders including drivers? Key industry
players outline the milestones that lie ahead and how innovators
will navigate the road to success.
Delivering the Internet of Everything - While Internet of
Things (IoT) is ubiquitous in our lives, the challenge will be how
to manage the user experience across all devices. Will privacy
concerns slow down consumer adoption? How can we deliver on
the vision of a seamless IoT connected world?
CES Asia is owned and produced by the Consumer Technology
Association (CTA), and co-produced by Shanghai Intex, will take
place June 7-9, 2017, in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai New
International Expo Centre (SNIEC).
C u r t a i n R a i s e r
Global TechnologiesMay - June 2017 13
CES Asia 2016: Highlights
Last year the second annual CES Asia saw 439
exhibiting companies from 23 countries, regions and
territories introducing exciting innovative products,
collaborations and services in the Asian marketplace.
Four halls of the Shanghai New International Expo
Centre (SNIEC) attracted 33,879 attendees, including
1,137 members of the media.
Technologies showcased at CES Asia 2016 spanned
the tech ecosystem from the latest in 3D printing,
wearables, robotics, drones, vehicle technology, smart
home and the Internet of Things (IoT). The show floor
featured 15 product categories and the brand-new
Startup Park, a dedicated destination for innovation
including 64 startups with exhibitors from China,
France, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and the
United States.
Influential executives from major brands took to the
CES Asia stage to announce new partnerships and
strategic business ventures. The CES Asia Conference
Program featured 135 speakers and 50 sessions,
including keynotes from Huawei’s Kevin Ho, Wanda
Cinema Line’s John Zeng, Legendary East’s Peter
Loehr, Intel’s Josh Walden, BMW’s Olaf Kastner,
Tmall’s Yin Jing, Alibaba Group’s Xiaoming (Simon)
Hu, JD.com’s Chen Zhang and JD Smart’s Eric Wang.
CES Asia featured all four of China’s top retailers, with
Suning and Yihaodian joining Alibaba and JD.com as
exhibitors.

18. How did the idea of ESC originate?
The origin of ESC, the first among the ICT associations in the
country, is primarily to marshal and consolidate the strength of
the ICT sector in the country and to encourage them to go global.
The founders of ESC imagined that an institutional framework to
act as a rallying point for export of ICT. That did work. From a
few millions, software exports from India have registered quan-
tum jumps in a relatively shorter time frame and now it is in the
vicinity of US$ 120 billion. What more satisfying is how software
exports from the country has transformed India Inc. We were
known for exports of primary goods like raw materials, agricul-
tural goods etc. like any other country of our ilk. Software exports
brought a new verve and dynamism into India. Globally people
started recognizing India’s brain power and untapped intellectual
potentials. That way software exports was a game changer and
ESC is imbued with a pride for being part of that change.
What type of companies can become members of ESC?
We have two criteria for becoming a member. One, they should
be exporters and two they should be exporting ICT goods and
services. We have in our membership software and solution
exporters and electronics and hardware. We have an expanding
membership, which we consider is a direct response to services
we provide. We are also size neutral in the sense that we have
micro companies to enterprises employing large number of peo-
ple. Another important plank is the focus on small and medium
enterprises. I feel that no other organization in India which have
a large membership of SMEs as we have. That is because of the
specialized services we offer to them for promoting exports.
What is the main aim of participating in global events like
HKTDC, GITEX, Japan IT week?
This is primarily to help the member companies to go global.
Some of the SMEs may find it difficult to participate in shows on
their own due to exorbitant cost involved. What ESC does is to
buy the space in such global events and distribute space to indi-
vidual exhibitors depending on their requirements. Since the
space is pooled, there is considerable cost advantage, which will
be passed on to the participating companies. Also, ESC helps par-
ticipating companies to avail certain incentives extended by the
government under market development fund etc. In short, partic-
ipation of companies under ESC umbrella works out much cost
effective for the enterprises than participating on their individual
basis.
What advantages can members look forward to from ESC?
Apart from taking part in exhibitions and fairs held in different
part of the world at a very concessional rate we also disseminate
information of various schemes of the government, policy param-
eters and a host of information relevant to the exporters. Another
important aspect of our functioning is taking up the problems and
challenges of the exporters from time to time. For instance, ESC
has played a major role in changing the customs tax structure
incidental on electronic goods, which was flawed on many items.
A s s o c i a t i o n
Global Technologies May - June 201716
“In ESC network, there are over 50
respected world trade development bodies”
Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC), an autonomous organiza-
tion under the Department of information Technology is fast emerging as the premier nodal
agency to promote trade of Information Technology and Electronics between India and the rest
of the world. With a membership base of over 2200 manufacturers and exporters covering the
entire gamut of Electronics and Software Industry, ESC is today considered to be India’s best
Electronics and IT trade facilitation organization and assists Indian IT industry particularly the
SMEs. Providing multiple opportunities for its members through various government schemes,
it has seen many companies grow their business across oceans while multiplying their profits.
Steering the organization for over two decades is D K Sareen, Executive Director, ESC. In
an e-interview with Global Technologies he highlights on what ESC does and the benefits
that it provides to its members. Excerpts

19. The customs duty on raw material and intermediate goods were
high on certain goods than the finished goods. This was detrimen-
tal to the growth of the electronics sector in the country. Foreign
companies found it economical to import finished electronics
goods into the country, rather than manufacturing indigenously
and exporting to other countries. Changes in the tax structure
compelled these countries to manufacture these goods indige-
nously.
Coming to Indiasoft the show has grown substantially.
What are your plans for the 2018 show?
Undoubtedly, Indiasoft has grown leaps and bounds since its
inception in 2000. As we are entering the 18th edition of Indiasoft
and will be organized in 2018, we expect a lot of interests both
from India and abroad. Also, we are making effort to make the
participation of delegates or buyers from developed markets more
in the forthcoming events than in the earlier ones. We are plan-
ning to hold more road shows in different developed markets.
Also, we are sensitizing more Indian companies to display their
products and solutions at the Indiasoft.
Another important aspect of 2018 show is to have parallel
shows of Indiasoft and Hardware Show, which can considerably
value add mutually. That will also help in displaying to the for-
eign buyers India’s expertise in embedded technologies, internet
products, Internet of Things etc.
How do you plan to attract International buyers and par-
ticipants?
As I mentioned we propose to hold more road shows and sen-
sitization programs to attract more buyers both for Indiasoft and
hardware shows. We are in constant touch with our embassies
abroad to sensitize about the events. We also extend our hosted
buyers programs for delegates from developing world like Latin
America, CIS, SAARC, Middle East, Africa etc, wherein some of
their expenses for participation is borne by us.
Can you throw some light on the export industry statistics?
Export of Computer Software and ITeS registered a growth of
7.89 percent during the year 2016-17. In value terms export of
computer software and ITeS during 2016-17 is estimated to be
US$ 115.50 billion up from US$ 107 billion estimated during
2015-16. Export of Electronics goods and components during
2016-17 is estimated to be US$ 5.68 billion which is almost at
the same level during 2015-16 estimated at US$ 5.70 billion.
With which countries has ESC signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) and in what fields?
ESC has extensive network of counterpart organizations world
over to leverage member companies export interests in these mar-
kets. In the ESC network, there are over 50 respected world trade
development bodies. Some of the countries where ESC has MoUs
are Brazil, Nepal, Poland, Russia, Japan, Germany, Guatemala,
Philippines, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, Hungary, Croa-
tia, Kenya, Dominican Republic, USA, Australia, Mexico,
Argentina, Vietnam, Canada, Israel, Egypt, France etc.,
You had opened an incubation center in USA, how success-
ful has it been?
ESC had opened incubation centers in Virginia and Maryland
which assisted 10 non competing IT SMEs in penetrating the US
market.
With Trump’s new policies how will it affect the Indian out-
sourcing industry?
Indeed, it has created scare among the Indian IT companies
engaged in the outsourcing business. Yet, it has taught us four les-
sons. One, markets should be diffused. Two, one has to move in
value chain. Three, newer products and technologies have to be
innovated to be ahead of others in the ICT. Four, local hiring is as
important as doing work offshore. The biggest challenge that we
face in IT is gradual automation, robotics and use of other tech-
nologies that reduce human interventions in the ICT sector. This
can be a real challenge for India, where a large number of IT pro-
fessionals are employed domestically and internationally. We
have to retrain our professionals to grapple with emerging chal-
lenges.
A s s o c i a t i o n
Global TechnologiesMay - June 2017 17

22. Can US companies do well without outsourcing?
My sense is that with declining demographic profile, developed
world needs manpower. To a great extent, they can meet this chal-
lenge through automation and robotics. There is also a limits to
growth in that direction also. Technology cannot work in vacuum.
They need human interventions at some stage. Such works, which
cannot be done by technology or apps -there are many of them -
will be outsourced. I am a firm a believer that scientific innova-
tions will not replace human capital rather they enhances employ-
ment opportunities. There were times in India, where most of the
offices had several typists, stenographers and a host of other pro-
fessionals at the low-end skill side. But such professionals are not
needed now. We need now more animators, designers, program-
mers etc. to do the high end jobs in IT. In the long run, I believe
that is going to be the case with outsourcing. Where higher
expertise are needed, outsourcing has to be resorted to. Our con-
ventional areas of outsourcing may undergo a change, but off-
shore jobs will be more than what it is now. Also, we have to see
that services trade is receiving more and more attention in multi-
lateral negotiations. My expectations are that in the forthcoming
WTO rounds of negotiations, greater importance will be given to
services exports, which will help India in two ways. One, export-
ing more services including ICT services globally and two,
greater movement of skilled persons across geographies as con-
ceived in the Mode 4 of movement of skilled people under WTO.
With India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi talking of
digital India – what role do you foresee ESC playing in the
PMs vision?
As a partner in progress, ESC is assigning great importance to
realizing a digital India as conceived by Prime Minister of India,
Narendra Modi. We give importance towards creating domestic
capacities in the ICT sector to leverage exports. We are motivat-
ing member companies and others to enter into areas like internet
products, semiconductors, electronic goods, cyber security equip-
ment etc. Development of these segments is important to achieve
digital India.
A s s o c i a t i o n
Global Technologies May - June 201720
Services Sector: Vital for high economic growth
When our Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ‘Make
in India’ initiative, I got motivated and decided to look out
for opportunities where I can play a vital role in taking this initia-
tive ahead. Having been for more than a decade in the import
–export business working for a company in Mumbai, I started
doing R&D to see what opportunities are available in this sector.
Quite a few interesting facts came up like WTO has ranked India
as 8th largest exporter while contributing just 3.3% of world
exports and 7th largest importer (3.1% of the world imports), in
commercial services trade. I foresaw a great potential in services
sector which can not only help in rapid growth of Indian econo-
my but also in substantial employment generation.
With rapid development in technology, trade in services is
becoming increasingly more viable, with many businesses now
dividing their operations across the world. We must understand
that service exports are vital for high economic growth whether
they are modern services or traditional services.
Apart from service industries like BPO, IT, Finance, legal,
logistics, etc. there is lot of scope in these industries too
• Health care industries: We are inherited and blessed with great
ancient knowledge about Yoga, Acupressure and Ayurveda.
Preventive health care is also a potential upcoming industry.
• Holistic industry: If branded smartly, our holistic industry com-
prising of Bhairav Vighyan can take the world by storm.
• Spiritual science: The whole world looks up to us – as a spiri-
tually inclined nation. In biologic science, India is an expert
and with the help of unknown technics like sound & silence,
many can be cured.
• World especially the
western countries
are facing problems
like insomnia. The
bases of this disease
could be a variety of
reasons, one of them
being food. Such
patients can be treat-
ed through the
ancient literatures-
one of them being the sacred ‘Geeta’.
• Medical tourism: Medical treatment is most reasonable as
compared to other developed countries.
• Atithi Devo Bhavah mindset: Indians are good hosts and hence
have always succeeded in hospitality business. This can be
used to promote homestays in India.
Service industries can grow if branded very well and backed by
government support. Further probe brought to the fore front that
there is no major support in Mumbai region, though Mumbai is
the financial hub. Also it’s high time Mumbai has government run
service sector offices. Though our Minister of commerce and
industry Nirmala Sitharaman is putting substantial efforts to pro-
mote service industry I feel if some industries like the above are
branded and promoted with government support, they will not
only grow but other support services will also grow automatically.
Kavita Rawal, CEO, Import Export Services

24. E v e n t R e v i e w
Global Technologies May - June 201722
T
he 14th Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and
the concurrent 14th International ICT Expo , organised by
the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC),
attracted more than 3,500 exhibitors from 23 countries and
regions. It also brought together 94,000 buyers from 138 coun-
tries and regions, an increase of 1.4 per cent over the previous
year. The number of buyers from mature markets such as Japan
and Korea recorded growth, while buyers from emerging markets
including the Chinese mainland, Brazil, India and Russia record-
ed a double-digit percentage increase.
The HKTDC commissioned an independent research agency to
conduct surveys on-site, interviewing over 850 buyers and
exhibitors to gauge their views on industry prospects. According
to the results, more than 80 per cent of respondents expect over-
all sales to increase or remain steady in 2017. The respondents
view North America, Western Europe and Hong Kong to be the
most promising traditional markets, while the mainland, ASEAN
markets, India and Middle East are seen as having the best
prospects among emerging markets.
“In this digital age led by smart technology, electronics is wide-
ly used in all aspects of life, ranging from business to home liv-
ing. The industry is constantly seeking innovative and futuristic
products and technology. These trends were reflected in this
year’s Spring Electronics Fair and ICT Expo. Together they
formed an important marketplace for exhibitors to showcase their
innovative products
and ICT solutions to
global buyers, creat-
ing tremendous busi-
ness opportunities,”
said HKTDC Deputy
Executive Director
Benjamin Chau. “We
saw brisk sourcing at
the fairground. Buy-
ers were keenly look-
ing for the latest
products and technologies, especially high-tech products with
virtual reality (VR) elements or smart-home applications.”
“The fairs featured an inaugural Startup zone to provide start-
ups with an ideal trading and networking platform to meet poten-
tial investors and partners from around the world and showcase
their unique concepts. We saw vibrant business at the zone,” Mr
Chau added.
Inaugural Startup zone
Supporting the development of start-ups, the HKTDC intro-
duced the Startup zone at the Expo this year to showcase the inno-
vative technologies, products and services of more than 100 start-
ups from Hong Kong, the mainland, India, Japan, the US and Tai-
wan.
The concept of startup zones at global shows is relatively new
and for the first time I saw it 3 years back at an event in USA. But
the uniqueness of this start up zone was while most of them pro-
vide an opportunity for tech startups to showcase their innova-
tions/ products/solutions to just potential investors, HKTDC
introduced a session –‘HelloReporter Media Pitch Day – Tech
Startups on the Rise’. This was unique as generally in most shows
its investor pitch but for the first time I was able to witness a
Media Pitch and saw quite a few startups pitching their products
in front of local as well as over 10 overseas media.
There were also a series of start-up themed events, including
sharing sessions featuring representatives from Alibaba Entrepre-
neurs Fund, the crowdfunding platform FringeBacker and angel
investors. Pitching, mentoring and “Startup, Smart Launch” ses-
sions were also organised to help start-ups connect with and pitch
their ideas to potential partners or investors, showcasing their
outstanding creativity to overseas buyers.
At the Startup zone, Hong Kong start-up QIUB Group Ltd pre-
sented a multifunction power bank with integrated data/charging
cable and USB memory card reader, for which crowdfunding was
received from Indiegogo last October. “The Startup zone provides
a perfect opportunity for start-ups to showcase their latest inno-
vations, and start-ups only need to pay a small participation fee,”
100+ start-ups take benefit at the Spring
Electronics Fair & ICT Expo
As always the Spring Electronics Fair & ICT Expo in Hong Kong was impressive and this time I was glad that a Startup
zone was finally introduced feels Chandragupta Amritkar after a visit to this global event.

26. E v e n t R e v i e w
Global Technologies May - June 201724
said company founder and Director Kresimir Secak. “The pitch-
ing session is very useful as our product has attracted a lot of
attention from buyers.” He added that at least 20 potential
investors from Europe and Hong Kong had bought samples and
subsequent orders were expected.
Indian start-up HAL Robotics Private Ltd, a first-time exhibitor
at the fair, featured its latest product RoboTrack, an Internet of
Things (IoT) item developed for the supply chain industry to
manage freight logistics. Czech buyer Jan Jirout, Managing
Director of Enrecotrade, was looking for various electronics
items such as wireless chargers for smart phones, electronic com-
ponents for producing security systems and 3D printers. He found
his visit to the Startup zone useful. “I am planning to buy
US$50,000 worth of 3D printers offered by a start-up. I like the
Startup zone because it provides a good opportunity for start-ups
to showcase new technology and products. It’s good to be here
because I can find what I want, see and touch new products, and
have face-to-face meetings with suppliers,” he said.
The fair also featured a Tech Hall with four themed zones: the
new Virtual Reality zone and the returning Connected Home,
Robotics & Unmanned Tech and Wearable Electronics zones,
showcasing an assortment of high-tech electronics products. With
the growing prevalence of IoT technology and smart homes,
smart products that incorporate IoT technology continued to be
highly sought after.
In terms of product trends, respondents expect electrical and
electronic accessories (20%), audiovisual products (12%), home
appliances (9%), electronic gaming products (9%) and digital
imaging products (9%) to have the best sales growth this year.
Among wearable electronics, smart watches (40%) and smart
wristbands (29%) are considered to have the biggest growth
potential in the next two years, while good prospects are also seen
for 3D goggles for playing 3D video games or watching wide-
screen 3D films. Among electronics products with smart home
applications, system items for wireless and Wi-Fi Internet/mobile
connection (70%), wireless charging devices for smart appliances
(70%) and audio-visual items with smart functions (68%) are
seen to have the best prospects. On average, respondents expect
consumers are willing to pay around 18 per cent premium for
electronics products and household appliances that are compati-
ble with smart home application.
ICT Expo
In this digital age, apt applications of ICT can enhance corpo-
rate efficiency, productivity and profitability. The ICT Expo was
an excellent platform that showcased a wide spectrum of ICT
solutions and relevant services under one roof, including cyberse-
curity systems, e-commerce platforms, electronic payment, logis-
tics management and online-to-offline (O2O) business solutions.
While there were exhibitors from several countries, India had a
substantial presence with 21 companies. Under the aegis of Elec-
tronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC)
an Indian pavilion was formed. The technologies varied with
Neosoft Technologies which has been participating for several
years successfully showcased their offshoring services for Soft-
ware Development, Website Designing, Web Development.
Clavax Technologies participating for the first time showcased
their latest software solutions for real estate, healthcare, travel
etc. Hypersoft Technologies showcased their expertise in the
fields of Finance, Accounting, Stock Broking as well as a restau-
rant solution. Variance which is proficient in offshore software
development offering services to numerous sectors has been a
regular exhibitor.
Small Orders zone
This year at the Small Orders zone about 300 showcases fea-
tured nearly 3,000 products available in minimum order quanti-
ties ranging from five to 1,000 pieces. Over the four-day fair peri-
od, around 30,000 buyers visited the zone, generating more than
20,000 business connections.
Now a backpack with in built speakers
Normal backpacks are a passé. The new trend as per Theo Solutions
Pvt Ltd is a backpack that ensures continuous music playback. Ideal
for students, music lovers who will love to carry their music with
them. While with smart phones one can surely enjoy the best of audio
on their smart phones with an earplug. But when you are on a road
trip – alone or with company in addition to audio stuff you need a
backpack. How about one with in built speakers + micro USB for
charging + water proof?
The Doppler Audio Pack capable of holding a 13” laptop turned out to
be an ideal option with a 6000 mAh power bank providing approx. 9
hours of music using Bluetooth. One can play continuous music thanks to its 10W speakers. Once you have
enjoyed 9 hours of nonstop music it can be recharged in just half the time ie, around 5 hours. Priced at
` 4,995/-, it can be an item of utility.

28. Continuing its unique tradition of hosting journalists from
across the global for a media briefing four months before the
event at exotic locations IFA (International Funkausstellung) this
year held the annual get-together in Lisbon, Portugal. IFA is an
annual event held in Berlin, every September attracting players
from consumer electronics and home appliances.
The 11th edition of IFA Global Press Conference (GPC) had
plenty of industry power briefings, panel discussions, key
exhibits and the GPC. Nearly 350 Journalists selected from lead-
ing publications updated their knowledge with insights from
industry leaders in the consumer electronics and home appliances
business. There were many new gadgets showcased at IFA GPC
2017 including Porsche Design's first Laptop, Sennheiser
AMBEO Headset, and Samsung - The Frame TV.
AMBEO smart surround headsets
Sennheiser CEO Andreas Sennheiser did not disappoint the
gathered media when in his presentation gave a demo of
Sennheiser’s new AMBEO smart surround headsets that also
includes a virtual reality (VR) 3D microphone. Sennheiser
mobile binaural recording headset (Binaural recording is a
method of recording sound that uses two microphones, arranged
with the intent to create a 3-D
stereo sound sensation for the lis-
tener – Wiki) is designed to
deliver a stunning 3D experience
onto an Apple iOS devices fea-
turing a Lightning connector.
The headset has omnidirec-
tional microphones integrated
into the ear pieces on the outside
to let users record binaural audio
besides listening to it, the first time that anyone has compacted
binaural audio recording and integrated into a mobile product.
The AMBEO smart headset also has a feature called Transparent
Hearing. This means that one will no longer have to remove their
earphones in order to listen to what is going on around them.
A pair of headsets was given to all media. Surprise of surprise
the pair of headsets DONOT work with Android devices and only
on iOS devices - Apple’s iPhone. The claims that iPhone is a per-
fect fit due to high fidelity 3D audio on their mobile devices
Though support for Android devices would be coming soon
and the Sennheiser CEO mentioned it’s looking at Samsung to
spearhead its foray into Android. Unfortunately the pricing and
availability of the AMBEO smart headset was not announced.
The Frame by Samsung
“The Frame” – a Samsung project that turns ordinary televi-
sions into a framed photo – was first showcased at CES 2017.
Michael Zoller, the Vice President and Head of Displays for
Europe Samsung announced at IFA GPC 2017 that The Frame
will hit the market by the end of May. When the TV's special "Art
Mode" is activated The Frame looks like a picture frame hanging
on a wall. Instead of fading to black like a conventional TV, The
Frame’s display transforms into a work of art, letting the users
select custom-designed digital art pieces. With more than 100 art
pieces in 10 different categories – including landscape, architec-
ture, wildlife, action, drawing. Samsung demonstrated how the
E v e n t R e v i e w
Global Technologies May - June 201726
IFA 2017 launches "IFA Next," a zone
dedicated to startups
The 11th edition of IFA GPC hosted select 300 technology and business journalists from 50+ countries to attend indus-
try power briefings, trends and witness launch of new gadgets. Chandragupta Amritkar reports from Lisbon, Portugal.

29. How to contact us
Karlsruher Messe- und Kongress-GmbH | Festplatz 9 | 76137 Karlsruhe
fon +49 721 3720-0 | fax +49 721 3720-2116
info@kmkg.de | www.messe-karlsruhe.de | contact: Regina Feiner
How to find us
- easy to travel to - by rail, roads and air
- direct access to nearby motorways: A 5, A 8, A 65
- only 1 hour from Frankfurt airport - direct rail link
- approx. 3 hours from Paris on the TGV (high speed train)
- excellent local transportation infrastructure, Messe-Express
(shuttle service) from the main station to the Karlsruhe Trade Fair Center
Capacities
Trade Fair Center
- award-winning architecture, premium quality materials
- 3 halls, each measuring 12.500 sq. m plus the 12.500 sq. m dm-arena
- an atrium with events hall measuring 1.800 sq. m
- an atrium with garden atmosphere for events
- an open-air exhibition area totalling 10.000 sq. m
- a conference centre accommodating approx. 2.000 guests
Convention Center
- 4 event venues/halls, 28 rooms, space for approx. 13.000 seated guests
- 20.000 sq. m exhibition area in the halls and foyers
- 10.000 sq. m open-air area for exhibitions and events
- 1.000 underground parking spaces
- attractive location in the city centre
Europahalle
- Room for 9.000 guests, seated or standing,
or 5.097 guests seated in rows in the inner area and seating galleries
- 4.400 sq. m usable area
- best conditions for any kind of sporting events and entertainment
Support from A to Z
- exhibitor services
- visitor/participant services
- event organiser services
- travel services
- KMK-TV - Germany´s first trade fair TV channel
Hotel recommendations
Best Western Queens, Novotel, Radisson SAS,
Renaissance, Ringhotel Residenz, Schlosshotel
Everything.
Out of the ordinary.
Open new doors. Savour success. Experience inspiration. Stage trade
fairs, conventions and events in Karlsruhe and everything fits together.
More than you would expect. In three world-class locations for events,
with plenty of room for creativity . For your latest innovation. And your
ideas. Welcome to Karlsruhe Messe- und Kongress-GmbH.

30. E v e n t R e v i e w
Global Technologies May - June 201728
The Frame
could be
installed on
walls with
“zero-gap”. The
Frame was
curated with an
artful approach
meant to elevate
any room or
viewing envi-
ronment. Two versions of the television - a 55-inch display (2,199
Euros or Rs. 1.6 lakh) and 65-inch model.
Porsche Design BOOK ONE
Porsche launched its new Porsche Design BOOK ONE 2-in-1
detachable laptop. Dr. Jan Becker, the CEO of Porsche Design
Group said that BOOK ONE features a unique hinge design
called VarioHinge - inspired by the gearbox of a sports car and
gives the device its flexibility. It features Intel i7-7500U proces-
sor with 16GB RAM,
512GB SSD hard drive,
resolution of 3200 x 1800
pixels, biometric authenti-
cation and two lithium-
polymer batteries provid-
ing 14 hours of operation.
Priced on the higher side
(2795 Euros - Rs. 1.9 lakh) it’s a piece of art.
Statistics
At the GPC gfu and Messe Berlin announced that IFA 2017
will drive growth and innovation in the consumer electronics and
home appliances markets – by offering brands more space than
ever before; by giving IFA Global Markets much more space
where manufacturers can show their design and source compo-
nents for future products; and with IFA NEXT to give startups,
research labs and companies at the edge of innovation their own
platform.
"The markets for home appliances and consumer electronics
products are converging. IFA is celebrating the 10th edition of
Home Appliances @ IFA. IFA continues to be the leading plat-
form for both market segments. No other trade show is able to
meet all the demands of industry, retailers, consumers, and media
participants like IFA. The show’s continued success is reflected in
a steadily increasing order volume - more than $4.7 billion dur-
ing IFA 2016," said Hans-Joachim Kamp, Chairman of the Super-
visory Board of gfu Consumer & Home Electronics.
Paul Gray, Principal Analyst/Researcher at IHS Technology
said while 5G phones will have amazing speeds almost 100 times
faster than 4G it will be all about the low power and low latency
(the time taken for a webpage to load on a phone). He also
stressed on long-lasting batteries in phones and wearable devices
– lasting for days or weeks instead of hours.
During the event, Jürgen Boyny, Global Director, Consumer
Electronics at market researcher GfK Retail and Technology, said
that mobile and smart home will be one of the most important
topics for the global electronics industry. The boom of mobile
payment in China and North America will expand to other
regions. "Mobile payment is an innovation in retail. China is lead-
ing the trend being the world's largest provider of mobile pay-
ment service. In China, one can pay almost everything through
mobile."
He further added, "Turnover in the digital market remains high.
Nearly $950 billion in total annual sales are expected in both
2017 and 2018. Whether at home or on the road, the smartphone
is shaping market advances. The smartphone is connecting all
areas of daily life, from the TV in the living room to the washing
machine, coffee machine, or bathroom scales. The Internet of
Things has already reached the consumer.”
Dr. Christian Göke, CEO of Messe Berlin said: “We believe it’s
time to define consumer electronics in a new way. The boundaries
between consumer electronics and home appliances, the digital
and the physical worlds, are blurring. Whether it is in the kitchen,

31. the living room or the office, the “consumerization” of devices is
exponential from entertainment in the living room to healthcare
and wellness, automotive, mobile devices, gaming, computing,
services like the Internet of Things and the smart home, to new
fields like drones, virtual, augmented and mixed reality. Today,
consumer electronics connects and shapes everything. If you
come to IFA, you see the future of how we live and work.”
New Zones: IFA Next and IFA Global Market
Dr. Christian Göke, CEO of Messe Berlin announced that IFA
2017 will have a new hall for startups and research labs, to be
called IFA Next in addition to an entirely separate sister event,
called IFA Global Markets. Since the introduction of home appli-
ances a decade ago this was the major addition to the show.
Innovation is the DNA of IFA, and IFA 2017 will give innova-
tion its own stage, whether it comes from start-ups, research labs,
universities and companies large or small – at IFA NEXT, build-
ing beyond IFA TecWatch.
The organisers gfu and Messe Berlin feel that IFA Next will
provide a new unified platform for companies at the edge of inno-
vation their own platform and will be based in Hall 26. Highlight-
ing the need Dr. Christian Göke said, "To accelerate growth and
innovation at IFA 2017, we will offer more space for brands and
create a new center stage for innovative businesses."
Jens Heithecker, IFA Executive Director: “IFA NEXT puts
innovation right at the heart of the show, for journalists and visi-
tors it is a unique opportunity to see latest innovation all in one
place.”
IFA NEXT will be located in Hall 26, with two arenas of inno-
vation that will host presentations and demonstrations; and one
area hosting the IFA keynotes, IFA+Summit and the IFA Hosted
Conferences.
IFA Global Markets which will run parallel to the main event
will be exclusively for original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs), original design manufacturers (ODMs) and component
manufacturing. Dr. Christian Göke said, “IFA Global Market
would be launched as Europe's largest sourcing show where man-
ufacturers can show their design and source components for
future products thus completing the end-to-end supply chain,
from component manufacturers to OEMs and ODMs.” IFA Glob-
al Markets will run from September 3-6, at Station Berlin near
Potsdamer Platz. A shuttle service will transport visitors between
the new site and the IFA Messe.
IFA 2017 will take place in Berlin from 1-6 September, 2017
Global TechnologiesMay - June 2017 29
THE
GLOBAL
INNO-
VATIONS
SHOWOFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE FUTURE
SINCE 1924
IFA-BERLIN.COM
IFA-Contact:
Indo-German Chamber of Commerce
Tel. +91 22 6665 2169
berlinfairs@indo-german.com

34. With so many smartwatches in the market how do you dis-
tinguish HUG watches?
HUG Smartwatch is the world’s first gesture control smart-
watch. Our gesture control technology enables an amazing touch-
less human–machine interactive experience to the user. Flying a
drone, controlling a GoPro action camera, commanding Alexa,
flipping through a PowerPoint presentation, gaming in VR, and
more can be done with simple, intuitive hand gestures. What’s
more? These gesture control use cases can be extended to just
about any connected device by using the HUG developer plat-
form.
The HUG smartwatch is also a comprehensive personal safety
ecosystem, a fitness tracker, and a perfect lifestyle companion
device.
How did the idea of having such a smartwatch germinate?
We set out on a mission to solve critical mass market problems
like personal safety using wearable technology. The HUG smart-
watch offers a comprehensive personal safety solution with the
Industry’s first live community support, a dedicated SOS gesture,
and a highly customizable IOT Safety platform which can be inte-
grated with service partners. We always knew that smartwatches
needed to offer an experience different to that of a smartphone, so
we did just that with our proprietary gesture control technology.
Yes saw you demonstration at CES of gesture control for
drones. What all devices can it be paired with?
Quite a few. These include GoPro action cameras, Philips Hue
smart lighting, Oculus Rift, Smartphone based VR headsets,
PowerPoint, Keynote, VLC media player, Amazon Alexa, Ama-
zon Fire TV, Apple TV, Parrot drones, OnagoFly drones, Ollie,
BB-8 by Sphero, Smartphone native music player app etc.
More user cases can be built via the open source HUG devel-
oper platform which will shortly be available on iOS, Android,
.Net.
Security of the fairer sex is a
major factor - how do you plan
to tie up with the police
stations in India/Globally?
We have built a highly customizable IoT
platform which can be integrated with police
stations in India, security services around the
world.
What about your technology expertise?
Our technology expertise lies in the fields of Gesture recogni-
tion, personal safety, machine learning, AI, VR, battery optimiza-
tion for wearables, and IoT platform development.
Which are your major markets?
Our target markets are North America, Latin America, UAE,
and India.
There is a stiff competition in the smartwatch sector how do
you plan to overcome competition?
We plan to overcome competition with our differentiated prod-
uct experience across vertical sectors, key technology partner-
ships, and pricing.
With such an unique watch you must have won a lot of
awards and accolades. Can you highlight the prominent
ones?
• Top 10 Start-ups at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona- IE
Global Mobile Challenge 2017
• Overall Winner, India- 1st China (Shenzhen) Innovation &
Entrepreneurship International Competition organized by Min-
istry of Science & Technology, Govt of China.
• Wearable Technology Start-up of the year 2017- World Start-up
Expo 2017
What is the main aim of participating in events like CES?
The aim is to showcase our products & technology to the glob-
al audience, and invite conversations on strong technology col-
laborations.
Where do you see the company in next 3 years?
We see ourselves leading from the front on delivering solutions
for better human-machine interaction in an ever connected digital
world.
w e a r a b l e s
Global Technologies May - June 201732
HUG Smartwatch: The Multi Utility
Smartwatch
It was at CES, Las Vegas during a random press meet that I was attending (glad I did not
give it a miss) that I got an opportunity to interact with a soft spoken Raj Neravati, CEO
and Founder, Hug Innovations. The company showcased the world's first gesture con-
trol Smart watch, Hug Smartwatch where with gestures one can control the volume of a
speaker or even a drone (which was displayed). Apart from this uniqueness Hug Smartwatch
plays a pivotal role in personal safety, fitness, health and nutrition. I found that this Indian
company that has a great potential. In an Interview with Global Technologies Raj Neravati
takes us through the journey of HUG. Excerpts

36. F
or over four decades, World Environment Day (WED) has
been raising awareness, supporting action, and driving
change. First held in 1974 it is today the main campaigner
for awareness on emerging environmental issues - right from
marine pollution to global warming, to sustainable consumption
and wildlife crime. The first WED was held with the theme "Only
One Earth". Even though WED celebrations have been held
annually since 1974, in 1987 the idea for rotating the center of
these activities through selecting different host countries began.
The theme for 2017 is 'Connecting People to Nature – in the city
and on the land, from the poles to the equator' and the host coun-
try for 2017 is Canada.
This year’s theme ‘Connecting People to Nature’, implores cit-
izens to get outdoors and into nature, to appreciate its beauty and
its importance, and to take forward the call to protect the Earth
that we share.
World Environment Day is a day for everyone, everywhere.
Since it began in 1972, global citizens have organized many thou-
sands of events, from neighbourhood clean-ups, to action against
wildlife crime, to replanting forests.
This year’s theme invites global citizens to think about how
they are part of nature and how intimately we all depend on it. It
challenges us to come out of our houses and see what a wonder
nature around us is and also get us a guilty feeling on how the cur-
rent generation is successfully eroding it.
On the other hand scientific advances as well as growing envi-
ronmental problems such as global warming are helping us to
understand the countless ways in which natural systems support
our own prosperity and well-being.
For example, the world’s oceans, forests and soils act as vast
stores for greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane;
farmers and fisher-folk harness nature on land and under water to
provide us with food; scientists develop medicines using genetic
material drawn from the millions of species that make up Earth’s
astounding biological diversity.
Nature’s gifts are often hard to value in monetary terms. But
while they exists
let’s all enjoy it.
The WED is an
ideal occasion to
go out and enjoy
Maharashtra’s national parks and other wilderness areas and rel-
ish the idea of seeing a rare plant, a ferocious animal, identify dif-
ferent birds, appreciate beautiful butterflies. Record what you see
and post it on social media so that you encourage friends and rel-
atives to go exploring too.
Maharashtra: A Natures Paradise
With 720 km of coastline 550 forts (including 20+ Sea Forts),
the UNESCO World Heritage Site - Western Ghats, alluring bio-
diversity, superb wildlife and lush greenery spread across the
state Maharashtra has always been a natures paradise. From water
to land to sky options
are plenty for a nature
lover. The state has
plenty of bio-diversity,
diverse climate and
varying topography
with eco-tourism
always on priority so
that endangered species can find safe heavens in the state.
Maharashtra is home to many wildlife sanctuaries and national
parks and the land of rich floral and faunal diversity. These
national parks and sanctuaries are home to many rare species of
flora and fauna. From ever green forests of Western Ghats to
deciduous forest of Vidarbha, each region is bestowed with
unique natural beauty. Jewels in the crown are the tiger reserves
like Tadoba, Melghat, Pench and Sahyandri. Mowgli Land is
inviting you, on the backwaters of Totladoh lake, in Pench
National Park.
Modern amenities such as jeep rides, night safaris, library and
audio-visual facilities, comfortable accommodation and efficient
transport are also available at these parks at a nominal charge.
Most of the sanctuaries and the park have lakes with serene beauty.
Bharmragarh Sanctuary has many types of wild animals like
leopard, jungle fowl, wild boar and sloth bear, barking deer, blue
bull, peacock and flying squirrel. The entire area is covered with
the moist deciduous mix forests.
Bor Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Hingni in Wardha, Maha-
rashtra. It covers an area of 61.10 sq km. It includes 3,237
hectares of Reserve Forest, 2,213 hectares of Protected Forest.
Chikhaldhara is located in Amaravati district of Vidarbha
region of Maharashtra. It is believed that its name is derived from
Keechaka. This hill station is the only hill station, which offers
E n v i r o n m e n t
Global Technologies May - June 201734
Visit Nature Parks and Celebrate
World Environment Day
With participation from over 143 countries including India United Nation's World
Environment Day on June 5th has become a vehicle for encouraging worldwide
awareness on environment. Chandragupta Amritkar looks at some interest-
ing facts and welcomes the techies to get outdoors and into nature

37. the tourists lots of wildlife, viewpoints.
Dajipur is situated on the border of Kolhapur and Sindhudurg
districts. Rugged mountains and dense forests surround this hilly
area. This quiet little place is completely cut-off from human
blare.
Navegaon Park is a very popular forest resort in the Vidarbha
region. This eastern most part of Maharashtra was built in the
18th century. There is also a picturesque lake that situates amidst
the green hills of Nave-
gaon.
Pench National Park is
located on the border of
Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra, which is at a
distance of 70 km from
Nagpur. The National Park
covers an area of 257.26 sq km.
Tadoba National Park is a large park covered with lush, green
forestland. It is situated at a distance of 45 km from Chandrapur.
Tigers, leopards, gaurs, nilgais.
Tipeshwer - Black buck, blue bull, chital, sambar, peacock,
hare, snake, monkey, wild boar, bear, wild cat, wolf and jackal are
the wild animals that are abundantly seen at the Tipeswher sanc-
tuary.
Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Mumbai city
encompasses an area of 104 km2 making it one of the largest
national parks within a metropolis limit. The rich flora and fauna
of Sanjay Gandhi National Park attracts more than 2 million vis-
itors every year who also visit the 2400-year-old Kanheri caves
within the park. The park houses over 1000 plant species, 251
species of migratory, land and water birds, 50,000 species of
insects and 40 species of mammals, 38 species of reptiles, 9
species of amphibians, 150 species of butterflies and a large vari-
ety of fish.
(Sources – United Nations, MTDC and Maharashtra Forest
Department)
E n v i r o n m e n t
Global TechnologiesMay - June 2017 35
National Safety Council (NSC)
has been playing a pivotal role in
not just celebrating but also promot-
ing WED. Located in CBD Belapur,
Navi Mumbai this is an Institute of
National importance and was set up
on 4th March, 1966 by the Ministry
of Labour, Government of India. To
get an insight with the WED activi-
ties Chandragupta Amritkar spoke
with M.M. Kulkarni, Dy. Director
General, NSC
How important is WED for India?
WED campaign is very important for our country as it helps
different stakeholders in the society to come together on key
environmental issues for identifying, deciding and initiating
measures for environment protection. The natural resources
are being consumed at an accelerated rate and needs to be con-
served for sustenance of future generations. WED provides an
excellent opportunity to raise a call for adopting sustainable
lifestyles and to promote sustainable consumption and produc-
tion for protection of environment.
What activities does NSC do related to the event?
NSC has been actively organising and promoting WED
campaign among its member organisations and other stake-
holders since 1999. Every year NSC produces a number of
promotional materials based on UNEPs (United Nations Envi-
ronment Programe) theme for WED. These materials include -
Cloth Banner (Hindi and English) depicting UNEP theme on
WED, Multicolour Poster on Environment Protection, A mul-
ticolour Badge with slogan on environment for pinning/wear-
ing on 5th June (WED), Information booklets on environmen-
tal topics/Indian environmental regulations, Utility articles
such as Cap, T-Shirt, Cloth shopping bags, with multicolour
WED logo etc.
These materials are used by NSC member organisations for
creating awareness among their employees and other stake-
holders during various activities undertaken in their premises
on the occasion of WED. The activities include tree planta-
tions, street parades, guest lectures, poster competitions, essay
competitions, TV shows, etc
NSC also conducts special training programmes on different
environmental subjects/Indian environmental regulations for
its member organisations and other industries to create aware-
ness on environmental issues.
What role can NSC members play for the betterment of
environment?
NSCs more than 8500 members can play a very important
role in disseminating environmental information through cele-
bration and participation in the WED campaign. Environmen-
tally aware
employees will
be able to con-
tribute in the
environment
protection
measures at
their workplace
adopted by
industries as
well as in their personal life. These efforts go a long way in
conservation of natural resources, reduction in generation of
waste, proper treatment and disposal of effluents, etc.

38. For Your Information
Global Technologies May - June 201736
May 04-06 CE China 2017, Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center
May 23-25 Broadcast Asia/ CommunicAsia, Singapore, Singapore
May 30 – June 01 Sensor+Test, Nuremberg, Germany
May 30 – June 02 COMPUTEX TAIPEI, Taipei, Taiwan
May 31 – June 02 Intersolar Expo (Solar Technology), Munich,Germany
June 07 – 09 CES Asia, Shanghai, China
June 07 – 09 VIETNAM ICT COMM, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
June 14 – 16 InfoComm 2017, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
July 11 – 13 Intersolar North America
July 26 – 28 Tourism Technology Asia (TTA), Singapore
July 30 – Aug 03 International Conference on Computer Graphics (SIGGRAPH), Los Angeles, USA
August 16–18 Asia Smart Card and RFID Expo, Shenzhen, China
August 21–23 Africa Mobile & ICT Expo (MOBEX), Accra, Ghana
August 22–24 Intersolar South America, São Paulo, Brazil
September 01 – 06 IFA 2017, Berlin, Germany
September 14 – 18 IBC International Broadcasting Convention, Amsterdam (Netherlands)
September 20-22 IIC-China, Shanghai World Expo Center, Pudong, Shanghai (China)
September 25-27 Intersolar Middle East, Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE
September 26-28 InfoComm India, Mumbai
October 02 – 05 Futurecom 2017, Transamérica Expo Center Av, Sao Paulo (Brazil)
October 08 - 12 GITEX 2017, DWTC, Dubai
October 09 – 20 World Telecommunication Development Conference, Buenos Aires, Argentina
October 11 – 14 TAITRONICS (Taipei International Electronics Show), Taiwan
October 13 – 16 Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2014, Hong Kong
October 13 – 16 electronicAsia, Hong Kong
October 16 – 19 Sibos 2017, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Canada
October 18 – 20 Taiwan Int'l Photovoltaic Exhibition, Taiwan
Oct 31 – Nov 2 Integrated Systems Russia, Expocentre, Moscow, Russia
November 20-22 Startup Nations Summit, Tallinn, Estonia
December 5–7 Intersolar India, Mumbai
February 01 – 03 IBEX India, MMRDA Grounds, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, India
Exhibitions and conferences not only give you an opportunity to see and hear about the latest technologies and prod-
ucts but also becomes a venue to meet and interact with International partners. One should plan much in advance to
participate in an expo so that he can get in touch with existing and prospective customers. We have compiled a list
of ICT and related Exhibitions for 2017-18.
If your event is not listed, please e-mail us at globalfeatures@lycos.com. It's free!
Your Dateline