Archives 2023

VFS Global, which has been a trusted partner for the UK Government since 2003, has won the global contract for overseas UK visa and Citizenship services. This award is the latest in a long line of wins for the world’s leading visa, passport and citizen services provider.

During 2024, VFS Global will deploy 240 Visa and Citizenship Application Service (VCAS) Centres for the UK in 142 countries across Africa & Middle East, the Americas, Australasia & Europe, China & Taiwan, and Asia & Asia Pacific regions. These centres will accept all categories of visa applications as well as UK passport applications in some locations. Combined, these new centres are estimated to process 3.8 million applicants every year.

Beyond the scale of the deployment, VFS Global will invest to improve the customer journey and increase accessibility – including through new customer websites, and through updated in-person experiences. And VFS Global will deploy its latest technologies to maintain robust identity checks and ensure the integrity of the visa and passport application process. The new contract is expected to deliver savings to the UK Government.

Zubin Karkaria, Founder and CEO, VFS Global, said, “We are delighted to win this contract and expand our partnership with the Home Office to become their service provider for all UK visa customers overseas. We are excited to begin operations in new locations, and to take the next step towards providing customers with a seamless, simple and secure visa and passport application experience. This win is a testament to our dedicated efforts to provide all our client governments with best-in-class services.”

The UK is a popular destination for travellers from across the globe with India, China, Nigeria and Turkey being the top four application locations*.

In addition to the VCAS Centres, VFS Global will expand its network of additional paid application centres bringing the visa application process closer to home for customers through partnerships with popular hotels and resorts. VFS Global currently offers these in India, UAE and the USA through hotel partners in those countries.

This win comes soon after VFS Global being awarded the global biometric collection service mandate with Australia and renewal of the global visa service contract with Sweden.

*Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2023/how-many- people-come-to-the-uk-each-year-including-visitors#visitors-to-the-uk

NOTE TO THE EDITOR

VFS Global has won the mandate to provide UK visa services in the following countries –

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

Algeria, Angola, Bahrain, Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Iran, Kenya, Kuwait, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, Zimbabwe

AMERICAS, AUSTRALASIA & EUROPE

Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,

Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Venezuela

CHINA AND TAIWAN

China, Taiwan

ASIA & ASIA PACIFIC

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam

Mumbai, 16th December 2023: Unicommerce, one of India’s leading e-commerce enablement SaaS platform, expanded its suite of SaaS solutions with the launch of UniShip, an integrated post-order journey solution with shipment tracking and smart courier partner allocation engine for D2C brands and online retailers.

UniShip seamlessly manages three kinds of post-shipment journey: orders en route to buyers, orders returned by buyers and en route to sellers, and management of orders that could not be delivered.

Being Unicommerce’s first buyer-facing solution, UniShip brings user-friendly integrated tracking features that empower customers to track their orders from shipment to delivery effortlessly, providing complete visibility starting from the moment an order is allocated at a warehouse for shipment.

It also allows brands to proactively share order milestones, such as when the order is packed and ready for dispatch, fostering confidence among consumers. This not only ensures a smooth post-purchase journey but also supports in enhancing customer satisfaction and brand loyalty, delivering a robust experience. It allows sellers to showcase reliable estimated delivery timelines to customers on their websites and apps, based on factors such as buyer pin code, serviceability, SLAs, and pricing.

Additionally, with brands being able to share real time updates with buyers and reduce any communication gap by offering instant responses for any concerns through their customized buyer-facing interface, UniShip supports brands in saving on customer support costs.

A special feature of the solution is the management of orders that cannot be delivered. The Non-Delivery Report (NDR) feature categorizes NDR orders based on issues like incorrect addresses or customer unavailability. It triggers an automatic return process for orders with address issues and for other orders it allows sellers to send customized messages to customers for issue-specific responses. UniShip also enables the customers to initiate returns by selecting a reason for return, uploading images, and enabling the seller’s team to check the images and approve the return process.

Commenting on the launch of UniShip, Kapil Makhija, CEO Unicommerce, said, “While our previous products focused on post-order generation to pre-shipment journey, UniShip marks Unicommerce’s entry into the post-shipment journey. We believe in delving deep into the challenges faced by consumers and sellers and offering solutions that address needs comprehensively.”

Bhupinder Garg, CTO of Unicommerce added, “Unicommerce’s technology is built on a robust product architecture which allows multiple systems to interact flawlessly. With UniShip added to Unicommerce’s product portfolio, a brand can manage every aspect of the post-purchase journey spanning from the moment an order is received till its last-mile delivery. UniShip empowers brands to deliver a consistent customer experience throughout the entire post-purchase journey.”

Currently powering brands like Safari, Hamilton, Flo Mattresses and Miarcus among others, UniShip by Unicommerce is a complete post-shipment journey solution tailored for Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) businesses. The innovative solution is designed to support the accelerating pace of India’s online-first D2C industry.

Key Features of UniShip:

• Integrated Tracking for Consumers: Consumers receive real-time updates and customized messages at different shipping milestones along with seamless order tracking from shipment to delivery.
• Personalized Brand Page enables Brands to Save on Customer Support Costs: Sellers get a customizable white-labeled order-tracking page with a user-friendly interface which provides instant answers and updates on any concerns that the buyer may have regarding their order. This helps reduce the communication gap for the buyer, without having to deal with the brand’s customer service. This allows brands to save additional customer support costs.
• Seamless Integration with Logistics Partners: Integrate with over 90 logistics companies for streamlined order tracking. Centralized dashboard for sellers to track orders across all logistics partners.
• Non-Delivery Report (NDR) Management: Identify and categorize NDR orders based on issues like incorrect addresses or customer unavailability. Automatic return process for orders with address issues. For other orders, it allows sellers to send customized messages to customers for issue-specific responses.
• Efficient Return Management: A user-friendly returns page allows customers to select reasons, upload images, and initiate returns. The solution intelligently allocates orders to the return logistics partner and generates AWB numbers.
• Creating Opportunities for brands to Upsell and Cross-sell: Shoppers can discover more products on the seller’s dedicated page while tracking their existing orders. Moreover, the automated return interface offers the possibility of encouraging customers to consider exchanging for a similar product, along with alternatives such as store credit, reward points, etc., ensuring that the transaction is preserved.

New Delhi – 15 Dec, 2023: A comprehensive survey, titled ‘The Voices Survey’ has provided valuable insights into the state of life skills education in India. The survey aims to understand the awareness and perceptions of life skills among youth, parents, school teachers/ ITI Trainers, and trainers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. The survey was jointly conducted by Life Skills Collaborative in partnership with Breakthrough, Quest Alliance, and Pratham Education Foundation.

The Voices Survey 2023 was conducted across 11 districts in states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Mizoram, the survey provides a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by the youth with regards to life skills education.
Rukmini Banerji, Chief Executive Officer, Pratham Education Foundation said:

“The findings from ‘The Voices Survey’ underline the urgent need for initiatives that offer our young people opportunities to understand and acquire life skills. The public education system has a very important role to play in enabling this. Importantly, the survey revealed that most youth who were familiar with life skills had heard about them from their teachers, illustrating the critical role of public education systems in integrating life skills education into the curriculum.”

The survey employed a multi-method approach, combining quantitative indicators with qualitative exploration through focus group discussions. A total of 15,856 youth and 13,806 parents were surveyed through household visits, providing a comprehensive understanding of their views on life skills. Additionally, 2,366 school teachers participated in the survey, providing valuable insights from an educator’s perspective.

Key findings of the survey are as follows:

Experience of vocational/skill training

The survey reveals that 80% of the surveyed youth in rural India are yet to pursue vocational or skill training, emphasizing a significant skills gap. Computer courses stand out as the top choice among those who have undertaken training. Notably, gender disparities exist, with 39% of young women opting for vocational training compared to 33% of males. Regional variations are apparent, with 96% of youth in Lunglei, Mizoram, lacking vocational training, while 44% and 43% in Solapur and Satara (Maharashtra) have pursued such courses. These findings point to the pressing need for targeted efforts to address the skills gap and regional disparities in youth vocational training opportunities.

Access to Digital Devices

The survey reveals a pronounced reliance on smartphones among rural youth, with 92% of those surveyed reporting the use of smartphones, particularly for communication (92%), entertainment (95%), and education (88%). Rural youth, especially older males, leverage smartphones not just for entertainment but also for educational purposes, emphasizing the device’s multifaceted role in their lives. It is interesting to note a marked rise in the category of “learning new things” among young women. Nearly 67% and 77% of 14-18 and 19-22 age group female youth, respectively, reported using their phones to learn new things as compared to 44% and 51% of male youth in the respective age group.

Around 90% of the sampled older youth (19-22 years) had access to mobile phones while only 71% of the younger youth (14-18 years) had access. There is a marked gender gap in access to mobile phones. Among the older youth, for example, just 5.5% of sampled males had no access to mobile phones, but the corresponding proportion among females was three times higher at 16.3%.

Youth who own a mobile phone are around twice as aware of the term ‘life skills’ as compared to those without access to a mobile. Similarly, youth who know how to use a computer are around twice as much familiar with the term than those who don’t.

Sohini Bhattacharya, Chief Executive Officer, Breakthrough said:

“Listening to ‘Voices from The Ground,’ is an essential part of making sure that the work that we are doing is actually meaningful for the communities we are partnering with. Here participants explore vital competencies like communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and resilience; influencers and gatekeepers add to the inspiration, encouraging attendees to integrate life skills into their daily lives and communities learn to value the data we gather from them, see for themselves the results on the ground and react to it”

Exposure to News/Mass Media

While almost 80% of rural youth engage rarely (49%) or never (31%) with news, older youth (19-22 years) show higher daily exposure (13%) compared to their younger counterparts (6%). However, gender differences in news engagement are marginal. There is an evident gap in news awareness among rural youth, suggesting an opportunity for targeted interventions to improve their access to current affairs and diverse information sources, to increase the adoption of life skills courses.

Life Skills Awareness and Perceptions among Youth

The study explores youth’s awareness of life skills, revealing that approximately 4 in 10 youth have heard of the term ‘life skills’ or ’21st-century skills.’ Age, education level, and access to digital devices influence awareness. Overall, 41% of youth are aware of life skills or 21st Century Skills, with older individuals (50%) more informed than younger ones (38%). Awareness varies across districts, with Karnal (61%) and Jhajjar (55%) in Haryana showing the highest levels, while Gorakhpur (13%) in Uttar Pradesh has the lowest. There are no gender differences overall, but in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), males (42%) are more aware than females (28%), while in Satara (Maharashtra) and Dehradun (Uttarakhand), the reverse is true.

Sources of Life Skills Awareness

Teacher guidance (65%) and school textbooks (36%) emerge as the primary sources of life skills awareness among rural youth. Variations across age groups highlight the importance of targeted educational strategies. Collaborations with educators and educational materials could enhance youth exposure to life skills concepts. Challenges in learning life skills include a lack of knowledge, materials, and limited discussions at home and school. A systematic approach to life skills education is needed, addressing challenges and tailoring content to the specific needs and perceptions of diverse youth groups.

Aakash Sethi, Chief Executive Officer, Quest Alliance

“The Life Skills Collaborative provides a platform where several organizations can come together to ensure that life skills become an integral part of formal education. This unified platform amplifies collective voices, and helps set benchmarks and standards for life skills. It also guides government bodies in building curriculum and assessments in line with these standards. Additionally, it persuasively advocates the necessity of these skills to thrive in the 21st century.”

Life Skills Awareness among Parents

The surveyed parents, particularly mothers, demonstrate limited awareness of the term life skills. More than one-third of mothers had never been to school, and only 21% had heard of the term life skills. Fathers, with a higher education rate, showed a more significant awareness (over 35%). Parental awareness gaps underline the need for targeted awareness campaigns and inclusive family education programs.

Parent Access to Mobile Phones and Usage

Gender disparities in mobile phone access persist among parents, mirroring trends observed in the youth demographic. Only half of surveyed mothers own mobile phones, contrasting with over 80% of fathers. Additionally, women have less access to smartphones, with notable differences in usage patterns. Gendered patterns in mobile phone access underline the importance of addressing technology gaps to ensure equal opportunities for all parents.

December heralds the season of cheer, festivities, goodwill, and care with Christmas its crowning glory.

With 2023 being commemorated as the International Year of Millets, ITC Grand Chola has chosen to showcase this mighty grain in its Christmas Tree. Millets are known for their magical properties that nurture well-being and promote good health.

The Millet Magic Christmas Tree is rooted in the ethos of Responsible Luxury & Sustainability. Standing tall at 15 feet, the entire family of millets – Ragi, Kambu, Foxtail Millet, Samai, Barnyard Millet, Pearl Millet, and Varagu, unveil their magic in layers, ornaments, bells, and stars. This unique structure is well illuminated and is flanked by bags of different millets and various other elements that adorn the base.

The tree also represents ITC Grand Chola’s LEED ZERO CARBON status, which is a game-changer in a world riven by climate alterations.

Over the past decade, we have presented unique trees to the city- be it the tastefully done Kanchipuram Saree tree, Woody- the tree made with re-engineered wood waste, or the one with LED bulbs, or last year’s, Palmyra tree. Standing tall in the middle of the grand Sangam Lobby, this year, “Millet Magic” blends beautifully with the warm and welcoming atmosphere, spreading the cheer of the festive season!

In yet another reassuring development following Vietnam’s recent visa waiver for Indian travellers and improved air connectivity, Vietnamese Ambassador to India, Nguyen Thanh Hai, on Thursday, championed a call for heightened investments in the burgeoning sectors of tourism and hospitality in Nghe An Province.

Taking centre stage at a forum organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Nghe An Province, home to breath-taking beach and forest landscapes, showcased its investment-friendly environment, delineating key focus areas such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, automobiles, and innovation. The province aims to deepen economic ties with Indian investors, marking a significant milestone in the relationship between the two nations.

Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Hai commended Nghe An Province for strategically choosing India as its investment destination immediately after high-level visits between the two countries. “We affirm the commitment of the Vietnamese Embassy to collaborate closely and offer continued support to the province in attracting more Indian investors.” Hai said.

C Raj Shekhar, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), States, Ministry of External Affairs, expressed India’s eagerness to strengthen ties with Vietnamese partners, particularly in sectors of strategic importance. “The synergy between India and Vietnam, with your efficient project implementation and India’s expertise in fundamental sciences, space science, information technology, and agriculture, opens the door to significant collaborative opportunities.” Raj Shekhar said.

Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee, Thai Thanh Quy, highlighted Nghe An’s preparedness, citing optimal conditions in planning, infrastructure, land availability, human resources, and administrative support to facilitate a seamless entry for investors.

Subhash Goyal, chairman of the National Tourism Committee on Tourism, Aviation and Hospitality, Indian Chamber of Commerce (AACC), emphasized the forum’s significance as a platform to strengthen cooperation between Indian partners and Vietnam, with a specific focus on Nghe An Province.

“Indians are among the leading investors in the UK today due to two key factors. Firstly, when investing in Vietnam, there is a four-year tax exemption, followed by a 50% rebate for the next nine years if no profit is generated. Additionally, the overall taxation in Vietnam remains at 10% for a decade. The country boasts highly skilled manpower, supportive universities for research, and industrial corridors with available land banks for investment,” said Goyal.

Nghe An Province is actively seeking investments in its Dong Nam (Southeast) Economic Zone, encompassing five industrial parks spanning 2,000 hectares. This initiative aligns with the province’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.

Two thirds of its area is forested. Nature has endowed Nghe An with beautiful landscapes for tourism development. Among them include its long seaside with pristine beaches, especially Cua Lo which is considered one of the best in Vietnam, and Pu Mat National Park, which is home to diverse flora and fauna, apart from breath-taking landscapes.

Going by the tourism statistics and growth for Vietnam in the first 10 months of 2023, it reveals a noteworthy surge, with approximately 10 million international visitors – a substantial 4.6-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022. Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam had hosted around 170,000 Indian visitors, indicating the potential for further growth in this market.

Mumbai, INDIA, 15th December 2023 Honeywell hosted 237 students at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center® (USSRC) in Huntsville, Alabama, for the annual Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy (HLCA). A selected cohort of 26 students from prominent Indian cities, including Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, and Madurai, were part of the group that had students from 45 countries and 29 U.S. states and territories, including children of Honeywell employees and students from Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schoolswho part of the college readiness program at non-profit Carolina Youth Coalition.

The two weeklong programs – October 15-20 and October 22-27, 2023 – encourage high school students ages 16 through 18 to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers through hands-on activities in coding, computer science, leadership and communication skills, and astronautics.

“For 13 years,Honeywell has sponsored students from around the world to travel to Space Camp® and participate in real-world STEM experiences, helping to build their technical, collaborative, and communication skills,” said Jayme Meyer, Honeywell’s vice president of communications. “Today,the 30 fastest-growing occupations globally are in STEM, soHoneywell is proud to partner with the USSRC to empower the next generation of innovators and leaders.”
Since the program was founded in 2010, Honeywell has sponsoredmore than 3,000 students to attend Space Camp. Participants develop STEM leadership skills through numerous team-building challenges such as building, coding, and testing rockets; simulated astronaut training; shuttle missions; and a low-gravity moonwalk. Students also use computational thinking and computer science to deepentheir digital skills.

“We welcome the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center each year, with hundreds of diverse students joining us atSpace Camp to share in our love of space, science, technology, and more,” said Dr. Kimberly Robinson, CEO, USSRC. “Through the immersive program, students learn skills and form relationships that will serve them in their lives ahead as they tackle new and unique challenges.”

“It’s great to see young minds from all corners of India come together for this exciting journey. We’re committed to fostering STEM education in India and hope to inspire students as they are the future innovators who will shape the technology landscape of our nation”, said Ashish Modi, President, Honeywell India.

Students are selected through a rigorous application and review process based on academic achievement and community involvement. Honeywell and its employees help fund the scholarships, which cover the cost of tuition, meals, accommodations, and program materials.

“Participating in the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy was a transformative experience. It opened doors to the vast realm of science and technology, expanding my horizons.It was a remarkable journey that has set the stage for my future endeavors in the field”, said SaneghaSakhare, one of the Indian studen

MRF Tyres, one of the leading global tyre manufacturer, proudly achieved its back-to-back titles in the European Rally Championship (ERC)

The prestigious trophy was received by Mr Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of MRF Tyres, during a ceremony held in Baku, Azerbaijan and organized by the Féderation Internationale de Automobile (FIA) on the 9 of December 2023.

This remarkable achievement stands as a testament to the performance and development of MRF Tyres, solidifying the brand’s continued growth in Europe and across the globe.

“We are very proud and humbled with the success so far, and a big credit goes to the technical and development team at MRF Tyres. We also extend our thanks to our drivers, co-drivers and teams who played a vital role in the development and performance of MRF Tyres.” said Mr. Arun Mammen Vice-Chairman and managing director of MRF Tyres.

MRF Tyres is looking forward to competing in the European Rally Championship 2024 and various other national championships around the world

Mumbai, 15th December 2023: upGrad, one of Asia’s largest integrated learning, skilling, and workforce Development majors announced the appointment of Vishwanath Nair as the Vice President – Revenue for its upGrad Abroad arm, effective December 2023.

The newest addition is part of the skilling giant’s scale-up plans in India and internationally. In his new role, Vishwanath will be tasked with exploring new avenues for acquiring a dominant market share while also overseeing the increase in enrolment for upGrad Abroad. His consumer-first approach will be pivotal in diversifying product offerings strategically to further enhance the overall study abroad portfolio.

An industry veteran with over 21 years of experience, Vishwanath has led sales growth for clients & partners within Edtech, Banking, Insurance, and Real Estate sectors. Before upGrad, he held leadership roles across Whitehat Jr managing India, UK, ANZ, and Middle East markets, Meritnation and Talentedge (now a part of upGrad). His proven track record in business development and delivering high-level revenue-building strategies make him a great fit for the team.

Welcoming Vishwanath in his new role, Ankur Dhawan, President, upGrad Abroad, said, “upGrad Abroad is transforming the study abroad space with its unique programs and is pacing towards becoming the largest player in overseas education in South Asia. This is the right time we expand our leadership and Vishwanath’s extensive industry experience within consumer segments will be invaluable in the next phase of our journey. His expertise in managing sales for large organisations and building strong motivated teams will drive stronger business outcomes. We’re excited to have him on board.”

“Education as a segment has always excited me for the impact it draws. Hence, I take this as an opportunity to channel my expertise to lead upGrad Abroad’s business and consumer growth. Looking forward to working with the dynamic team and marching towards the goal of making upGrad Abroad the segment leader,” said Vishwanath Nair, Vice President, Revenue, upGrad Abroad.

Vishwanath will be based out of the Noida Club 125 office leading teams in the region, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. His appointment comes when upGrad Abroad makes select leadership hires to accelerate operations in line with upGrad’s scalability plans. Most recently, Ipshita Kajla has joined the vertical as Head – Human Resources to spearhead talent transformation initiatives further.

Bangalore, 15th December 2023 To spread the message of joy and happiness in the Christmas season, IB students and teachers from Greenwood High, Bannerghatta, visited the Sakalavara Government School recently. The purpose of the visit was to spread cheer by distributing gifts and essentials as well as to share the spirit of Christmas with the students of the local government school. The initiative aimed to bring smiles to the faces of the children and contribute positively to the school community during this special time of the year.

A variety of essential items including hygiene kits, and non-perishable food items were provided to support the school and its students beyond the holiday season. A lively and pleasurable atmosphere was created by the students’ performance of a tableau, their singing of Christmas carols, and their engagement in games such as Football, Kho-Kho, Kabaddi, Fire on the Mountain, Hop Scotch and dancing. The students’ sense of happiness and camaraderie was enhanced by this interaction.

Ms. Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High International School, Bangalore, said: “Every year, we celebrate Christmas and the ‘Joy of Giving’ and this year too we celebrated the occasion. This initiative highlighted the importance of community engagement and also served as a reminder of the positive impact that small acts of kindness have on the lives of others, particularly during festive seasons. Our students as well as students of the government school were enthralled by the celebrations that witnessed many activities.”

It is important to integrate different sections of society and give the under-privileged space in the mainstream so that such students get to enjoy things that the better half of society enjoy. The ‘Joy of Giving’ is meant to fulfil the goal of an equal society.

 15 December 2023: To usher in the spirit of Christmas and year-end celebrations with glamour, Tata CLiQ Palette, India’s beauty matchmaker, is hosting ‘Very Merry Beauty Sale’ from December 15–25, 2023. Spanning diverse categories such as bath and body, fragrances, haircare, makeup, and skincare, this sale invites patrons to explore a meticulously curated array of both Indian and international beauty brands available at irresistible offers.

Gopal Asthana, Chief Executive Officer, Tata CLiQ, said, “With Christmas and New Year’s around the corner, it’s time to embrace the grandest celebration of this holiday season. As India’s beauty matchmaker, our aim is to assist our esteemed customers in finding their beauty match as they get ready to glam up for Christmas and New Year celebrations. In addition, consumers can also shop for gifts for themselves and their loved ones to celebrate the occasion. In line with this commitment, we’ve saved the best for last with the Very Merry Beauty Sale, as we have tempting offers on a curated assortment of global and Indian beauty brands. We wish everyone joyous end-of-year celebrations and look forward to ending 2023 on a high note.”

The ‘Very Merry Beauty Sale’ offers customers an opportunity to shop and avail exclusive beauty offers to ‘sleigh’ their look this season.

Shop for make-up essentials this season, as brands like Renee Cosmetics and Swiss Beauty will be up to 40% off. Given the winter season, it’s time to pamper your skin all the more. Enjoy up to 35% off on Dot and Key’s curated collection, and a flat 10% and 15% off on Neutrogena and Pilgrim, respectively.

Leave a lasting impression with captivating fragrances by availing up to 50% off on brands like Bella Vita

luxury,Skinn by Titan, and more. For hair-care enthusiasts, one can avail attractive offers on Dr. Batra and Mamaearth’s hair care essentials. In addition, exciting offers await Schwarzkopf Professional’s premium products. Dive into a world of relaxation with bath and body treats as Kimirica tempts you with up to 25% off, while mCaffeine is offering up to 30% off.

In the luxury beauty section, avail lucrative offers on brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills make-up, Bobbie Brown, By Terry, Gallinee, Kevin Murphy, M.A.C., O.P.I.,Sigma Beauty, and more. Hurry, seize the moment, and treat yourself to a beauty and wellness extravaganza that won’t break the bank.

Leading banks are also participating in the sale with a 10% instant discount on ICICI credit cards from December 15–25, 2023, and on Federal Bank credit and debit cards from December 16–25, 2023. *T&C apply