KOLKATA, INDIA, 18TH FEBRUARY, 2023 – Samsung launched its latest flagship series, the Galaxy S23, in India, at Bhajanlal Commercial Pvt. Ltd. one of the leading mobile retail stores in the country on February 16, 2023, at midnight. The event was attended by the popular Bengali actress Paoli Dam, who is also a regular patron along with Mohan Bajoria and Jayant Bajoria of Bhajanlal Group.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 series is one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2023, boasting impressive features and cutting-edge technology. The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display features an impressive 120Hz refresh rate and stunning FHD+ resolution, protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

The Galaxy S23 series also features advanced camera technology, with a triple rear camera system that includes a 108-megapixel primary sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 5-megapixel macro lens. It also features a large 5000mAh battery with 45W fast charging technology, ensuring that the device can keep up with the most demanding users.

Available in three variants, including the Galaxy S23, the Galaxy S23 Plus, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the new flagship series comes in four eye-catching colors, including Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green, and Phantom Pink.

“I’ve known Mr. Mohan Bajoria, the driving force behind the success of the Bhajanlal Group, for a long time. He is a dynamic entrepreneur of affable nature with great observation and technical knowledge. I am thrilled to be a part of the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 series with him at Rowdon street outlet of Bhajanlal Stores ”, said the Tollywood sensation.

“We are delighted to be an exclusive partner of Samsung for the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 series,” said Mr. Jayant Bajoria, Times Men of the Year 2018 and the mind behind the successful implementation of new methods and technologies into his family business. “As a leading mobile retail store in India, we are committed to providing our customers with the latest and most innovative devices. The Samsung Galaxy S23 series is a device that represents the pinnacle of smartphone technology, and we are confident that it will be a big hit with our customers.”

Mr. Mohan Bajoria, beaming with pride at the success of the Bhajanlal Group, concluded that “Similar to Samsung, which produces a vast array of consumer electronics, appliances, and mobile devices and has a strong presence in many international markets, including India, Bhajanlal also offers a wide selection of mobile phones, music and sound systems, TVs, gaming consoles, smart gadgets, and other electronics, as well as related services such as mobile phone repairs. We also provide consumer-friendly services like buyback programs, exchange offers, and extended warranty plans. We have been serving our clientele, ranging from corporate giants to individual consumers, since 1995 and have been awarded the title of Best Business House consecutively since 2018. It is clear that the Samsung Galaxy S23 series is a winner, and so is Bhajanlal.”

Delhi, 18 February 2023: Airbus and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand access to aerospace education and research in the country. The partnership will help foster relevant skills and develop a leading pipeline of the talented workforce that will power the future of the aerospace sector in India.

The MoU was signed in the presence of institute representatives and senior Airbus management at Aero India 2023, a biennial air show and aviation exhibition held in Bengaluru.

Under this agreement, both Airbus and IISc will collaborate to develop curriculum, training, modules and promote research and innovation on topics such as sustainability, engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and big data, that are relevant to the aerospace sector. It will also give students an opportunity to engage with Airbus experts who will mentor them on their research projects and help them apply their learnings to address future challenges of the aerospace sector.

“The Indian aerospace sector is on a growth trajectory. This is further broadening the scope for talented professionals in the country who have the right skills to meet future needs. The partnership with IISc will foster potential synergies in the aeronautical sector that will help develop the next generation of aerospace professionals in the country,” said Suraj Chettri, Director, of Human Resources, Airbus India & South Asia.

Both entities will develop online training programs for students that are in line with Airbus’ current and future needs. This will entail matching IISc capabilities with Airbus’ traditional competencies to meet new emerging priorities.

Whitefield Art Collective, the public art festival supported by the Yuj Arts Foundation announced the inauguration of its month-long, sixth edition today. Whitefield Art Collective 2023 encourages creative explorations around the theme of “A Fine Balance”, through partnerships with leading institutions and notable individuals from the city’s artistic community. The theme was chosen with the aim of examining the delicate relationship between human beings and their environment, with a special focus on climate change and sustainability. Over 100 art installations, sculptures, paintings and photographs are displayed at the festival. Collaborators this year include Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Srishti Institute of Art and Design Technology, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, JD School of Design, Chamarajendra Government College of Visual Arts, ArtFlute, Synesthesia Collective, Geechugalu Collective, and Broke Artists Collective. Renowned artists displaying their work this year comprise the late Yusuf Arakkal, Gita Hudson, Maria Antony Raj, Saravana D, Ezhilarasan Ezhumale, and Nithin Sadhu. VR Bengaluru is the venue partner, and the festival is also supported by Blue Tokai, Salt, Detailing Bull, PVR, and Demi Networks.

The festival commenced with the unveiling of the ‘Art Car’, painted by The Geechulagalu Collective, followed by “Wearable Art” – a Fashion Showcase by JD Institute of Fashion Technology, and culminated with a viewing of ‘A Fine Balance’ – 2023 Art Exhibit. The venue partner, VR Bengaluru, will be a hub of artistic activity, with installations, exhibitions, an art bazaar, art workshops, a young artists program, and several other exciting events.

Sumi Gupta, Curator of Whitefield Art Collective, said, “I am thrilled to steer this fantastic project which has incredible collaborations with institutions and student artists in Bengaluru, creating a vibrant platform for large-scale installations, sculptures, mixed media works and photography. Whitefield Art Collective 2023 brings together a community of connoisseurs, art students, patrons as well as the people of Bengaluru in a celebration of the city’s art and culture.”

Whitefield Art Collective is supported by the Yuj Arts Foundation and is also part of VR Bengaluru’s Connecting Communities© initiative that aims to encourage civic pride, strengthen the local economy and enhance the city’s national and international image.

INDIA, 18th February 2023: The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts launched the second pillar of their signature wellness program – Aujasya by The Leela – “Renew – Mindfulness.” The program has been curated in partnership with ThinkRight.me by JetSynthesys, India’s leading meditation and mindfulness platform guiding people to live a happy and balanced life.

Inspired by the ancient Sanskrit word that describes “vigor of life”, Aujasya by The Leela is a wellness program designed as an authentic and holistic journey. Built on the 2 Rs of well-being Restore- Food and Nutrition and Renew – Mindfulness, Aujasya aims at strengthening vitality or energy allowing guests to embrace an enriching and healthy lifestyle. The brand launched the first pillar Restore in partnership with food and nutrition consultant Dr Ankita Jalori last year.

The second pillar, Renew-Mindfulness, is built as an online platform that presents four segments of a balanced mind and body. Exclusively created by ThinkRight.me, these include Maitri (Loving Kindness), Samskara (Inner Refinement), Ekaa (Being One) and Sukh (Mind and Body Balance). Each segment consists of guided Meditation, Sound Healing and Yoga. Guests can seamlessly access these exclusively curated sessions during their stay at The Leela properties. The program also has a special section for children called Aujasya Junior that encourages children to take mindful steps towards a happier and calmer future.

The program was introduced at an intimate event held at The Leela Palace in New Delhi, with a talk by spiritual mentor and guide, Sister BK Shivani focusing on the power of the mind and importance of thinking right.

Speaking on the launch, Anjali Mehra, Chief Brand Officer and Senior Vice President Marketing, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts said, “The challenges of today’s world often lead to disruption in our lives. Through Aujasya by The Leela we have made a commitment to give control back to our guests and empower them to take informed choices towards prioritizing their wellbeing. Encouraged by the response to our first pillar Restore- Food and Nutrition, we are delighted to expand our offering with the launch of the second pillar Renew – Mindfulness. We are excited to partner with ThinkRight.me for developing this online platform and hope that with this we are able to bring a sense of calm, joy, and balance in the lives of our guests when they stay with us.”

“We are happy to associate with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts to further the dialogue around mindfulness and the power of thought. As part of this association, ThinkRight.me will provide curated content around mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and well-being for the guests of The Leela. To commemorate this partnership, we also held a successful edition of our ongoing ThinkRight. I Talks series and are grateful to Sister BK Shivani for the insights and learnings she shared. Since its inception, ThinkRight.me has worked hard to promote mindful living and the power of thinking right, especially keeping in mind the times we live in. The reaction to our guided meditation sessions on the app has been encouraging, prompting us to take the discussion to a wider audience base, and also to more on-ground stages. Through our association with The Leela Group which has committed to promoting wellness, we aim to jointly create awareness and continue conversations around mindfulness and its impact on wellbeing.”, commented Rajan Navani, Founder and CEO of JetSynthesys.

Aujasya by The Leela is a unique program that stays true to the brand’s ethos of Atithi Devo Bhava – placing the guest at the center of everything while curating experiences that resonate with the evolving needs of today’s discerning luxury travelers.

Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Hult Prize is a year-long competition founded in 2009, which takes place in over 3000 campuses across 120 countries, where students get a chance to show how they can make a difference by solving a social issue and making this world a better place.

The Hult Prize Organizing Committee at XIM Bhubaneshwar conducted the OnCampus Grand Finale round on 5th February 2023. Eight teams made it to the Campus-Finale round and displayed competence of the highest order. The event was graced by an esteemed panel comprising Susmita Misra – Founder and CEO of The Magic of Sarees, Bidyut Bhanjdeo, Chief Business Officer at Raymond, Nirdosh Chouhan, CTO at Melorra and Kanti Prakash Brahma, Global Production Controller at H&M, Aditya Agarwal, Co-founder and CMO at Campus Sutra.

The judges kicked off the event by elucidating the importance of entrepreneurial spirit. They also urged students to take part in competitions such as The Hult Prize, which is an international event cutting across nations and thus providing invaluable experience and exposure.

Later the teams commenced their presentations with the theme being “Redesigning  Fashion”. The presentations showcased many innovative ideas, covering all the business aspects ranging from market segmentation and generating business plans to financials.

The idea of understanding the scope of changes in the fashion industry and innovative suggestions by Team Muffins caught the eye of the judges.

After intense competition among the eight teams, the judges chose Team Muffins, Team Marcos, and Team The Hulks as Winners, First Runner-Up, and Second Runner-Up, respectively. The winning team, Team Muffins, is now looking forward to the next round, which will be an exhilarating ride. They will be representing XIM Bhubaneshwar
in the upcoming rounds and continue hunting for its one-of-a-kind award in seed capital of $1,000,000.

Hyderabad, 18 February 2023: National Miner NMDC signed an Agreement for Collaborative Research with CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar on “Feasibility Studies for Preparation of Fused Magnesia from Kimberlite Tailings” today at its Head Office in Hyderabad. The Agreement was signed between Shri S.K. Chaurasiya, GM, R&D from NMDC, and Dr. Ashok Kumar Sahu, Chief Scientist, and Head, Strategy Planning & Business Development, from CSIR-IMMT in the presence of NMDC’s Director (Production) Shri Dilip Kumar Mohanty, senior officials of NMDC and Dr. Kali Sanjay, Chief Scientist, and Head, Hydro & Electrometallurgy Department, CSIR-IMMT.

NMDC operates the only mechanized diamond mine in Southeast Asia at Panna in Madhya Pradesh. This mine produces around 10 carats of diamond (2g) per 100 tonnes of Kimberlite processed, which is dumped as waste after the recovery of diamonds. Kimberlite tailings are used for the development of value-added products and are also known to be a good source of caustic magnesia. Addressing this research gap for the best utilization of Kimberlite that is available and accumulated over the years at Panna Diamond Mines,

NMDC has initiated the Research Agreement to study the processing and preparation of fused MgO and TiO2.

Speaking on this project, Shri Sumit Deb, CMD, NMDC said, “NMDC is tapping on the opportunity to utilize Kimberlite tailings from our Panna Mines as a resource to produce high-cost fused magnesia. We are confident that our endeavor will lead to converting waste to wealth and import substitution proving to be a significant step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

Kurnool, February 18th, 2023: Infertility is becoming a major concern in India due to erratic lifestyles, consumption of junk food, obesity, delayed parenthood, PCOS, and many other factors. Though 15% of Indian couples have infertility issues, hardly 3% seek fertility assistance. The misconceptions about infertility and the lack of awareness of advanced fertility treatments prevent couples from attaining parenthood. Hence, spreading the good news about advanced technologies and treatment options is the need of the hour.

Oasis Fertility, Kurnool, is one of the reputed fertility centers in Andhra Pradesh that offers highly personalized fertility treatments that are backed by technology. Several couples have attained parenthood with the assistance of Oasis Fertility, Kurnool. The center conducted a mass baby shower to felicitate all mothers-to-be who conceived through IVF treatment.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Vijaya Lakshmi D, Clinical Head and Fertility Specialist, Oasis Fertility, Kurnool stated, “I am very delighted to be part of this wonderful occasion, and my heartfelt wishes to all the mothers-to-be. At Oasis Fertility, we provide all kinds of advanced fertility treatments to both men and women enabling them to have their own biological children. Several million babies have been born out of IVF all over the world and hence couples need to come out of their fears and inhibitions and visit a fertility center if they are unable to conceive even after a year. Couples should also be aware that fertility declines with age and therefore the earlier the intervention, the better the outcomes. The infertility problem is on the rise world over, and due to a lack of awareness only 1% of those seeking treatment. Oasis through advanced technologies is in a position to make couples conceive their own genetic babies. We have a fertility preservation facility in Kurnool, to help patients suffering from cancer, as radiation and chemotherapies such patients undergo, harm their healthy cells. These patients can now do testicular tissue freezing in the case of men and oocyte freezing for women, very few centers have this facility. We are also offering Drug-Free IVF called CAPA IVM for the first time in the country. Oasis has to date fulfilled the dreams of 67000 couples.”

Chief Guest Smt. S.V. Vijayamma Garu, YSRCP Leader, said, earlier women had to bear the blame for not getting pregnant or conceiving a baby and the man went about marrying more women to bear his child. But infertility treatment brought about a change in the mindset and made men realize that the cause for not bearing a child could be due to deficiency in them and that’s a happy development. But the belief of women being responsible for not conceiving continues in rural areas, therefore there is an utmost need to build awareness about infertility treatment in rural areas. To seek infertility treatment people had to go too far to places like Hyderabad and Bangalore, but such advanced treatment is available in Kurnool itself. I look forward to Oasis setting up centers in smaller towns in the neighborhood of Kurnool and reaching out to the semi-urban and rural populace.

Guests of Honour Smt. B.T. Jaya Lakshmi Garu, B.A.N.I.S Yoga Master & National Gold Medalist; said, earlier not bearing a child was considered to be a curse, but today infertility treatment can help couples conceive. Practicing Yoga can help bear healthy children and my advice to all childbearing-age couples is to adopt yoga for a better lifestyle.

Dr. Vinusha Reddy Garu, Gold Medalist, State BJP Spokesperson; said, in our country, there are more than 2.73 crores of childless couples. Our culture giving children is given a lot of importance, though not much prominence is given to this by Westerners. The childless couple endures enormous trauma, especially the women get blamed for it. Oasis is known to provide the latest treatment and is now offering India’s first CAPA IVM (Drug-Free IVF) baby, thus the best possible infertility care in the country. Oasis is also known for its ethical care as trust is very critical in infertility care. Oasis center here is a boon for the people of Kurnool.

Dr. Vijayalakshmi Dasari, Clinical Head & Fertility Specialist, Oasis Fertility; joined the couples who conceived through IVF, along with the kids at the Mass Baby Shower Celebrations, hosted by Oasis Fertility, at Oasis Fertility, Kurnool, today.

India, 18th February 2023: Zee News, one of the leading and most trusted news channels in India, revealed the Dark Secrets of the selection process of India’s cricket team. Chetan Sharma, Chief Selector for The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), made some shocking revelations about the Indian cricket team and the BCCI via a GAME OVER exclusive story, which aired in 9 different languages on 14th February 2023 across Zee Media network.

Chetan Sharma allegedly spoke about the rift between the star players – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Additionally, he disclosed the truth about how certain types of injections (which are not detectable in a doping test) are used by cricketers to attain full fitness. #Gameover has been one of the top trending keywords for Zee Media’s Story on Twitter. The biggest cricket story revelation also resulted in Chetan Sharma resigning from the post of Chairman Indian Cricket Team.

Commenting on the big story revelation, Rajnish Ahuja, Editor, of Zee News, said, “Viewers and cricket enthusiasts need to know the true picture, to help them differentiate behind the right and the wrongdoings of the society. The media fraternity needs to highlight public stories on regular basis.”

“Zee News has played a huge role in shaping the minds and hearts of our viewers and our country. As a pioneer in the news network, we strongly believe in revealing stories that are not only of public interest but can result in far-fetched social impact. The Big Story on the cricket fraternity has encouraged netizens to understand the truth of the cricket fraternity, ensuring impactful content consumption, and is a great case study capturing the data on the attention span of viewers spread across the country,” added Abhay Ojha, CBO, Zee Media Corporation Limited.

The shocking details revealed in a sting operation and clips of it going viral on social media will highly encourage the world cricket fraternity to pay extra attention and take strict action against any such drug consumption.

Prashant Thakur, Sr. Director & Head – Research, ANAROCK Group

Investment in residential real estate is a very different kettle of fish than end-user homebuying. When the intention is to return on investment, knowing how the housing asset class is performing is of prime importance. From an ROI perspective, there are two buckets to check – capital appreciation and rental yields. Let’s examine this.

Property Prices

As per ANAROCK Research, the current avg. prices in the top 7 cities are collectively approx. INR 6,150 per sq. ft. If we look back, the last five years have seen an increase of over 11% across the top 7 cities (from INR 5,551 per sq. ft. in 2018 to approx. INR 6,150 per sq. ft. in 2022).

If we delve deeper and consider the yearly trends in the last five years, it emerges that 2022 saw the maximum yearly rise (6%) in average property prices (INR 5,826 per sq. ft. in 2021 to INR 6,150 per sq. ft. in 2022). The previous four years, on the other hand, saw either no change or a maximum of 3-4% y-o-y increase in 2021 against 2020. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, property prices across cities remained range-bound due to a prolonged demand slowdown.

Post the pandemic, demand soared across cities – as did developers’ input costs – causing prices to rise, particularly in 2021 and 2022. Another factor driving prices up is the fact that most sales happening now are by branded developers who have not shied away from price hikes on the back of strong demand and rising construction costs.

Among the cities, southern cities of Bengaluru and Hyderabad have seen maximum 5-yearly increase of 10% in average property prices in last five years. Average property prices in Bengaluru stood at INR 4,894 per sq. ft. in 2018 and went up to INR 5,570 per sq. ft. in 2022. As for Hyderabad, average prices in 2018 in the city stood at INR 4,128 per sq. ft. and had risen to INR 4,620 per sq. ft. in 2022.

Source: ANAROCK Research

Rental Yields

Rental yield saw a decline across most cities in 2020 when compared to 2019 – a natural fallout of the pandemic and its work-from-home and e-schooling ethos. 2021 saw some improvement, with rental yields rising across cities and nearing 2019 levels. However, 2022 saw a decent rise in rental yields, which breached pre-Covid levels of 2019 across all the top 7 cities. This was largely due to a sudden spurt in rental demand with offices and schools reopening.

The current rental demand will remain strong in all cities as urban work opportunities rise and more people migrate to cities.

ANAROCK Research indicates that Bengaluru has the highest rental yield of 3.9% among all major cities, followed by Mumbai with 3.8%.

Outlook for 2023

There is little reason to be pessimistic in the current year, though under-researched investments and a short-term profit perspective must be avoided in 2023.

All the factors that drove up capital appreciation and rental yields are firmly in place, and the profitability potential for both investment rationales remains promising. That said, 2023 will face some headwinds in terms of economic slowdown and inflationary pressure, and this needs to be factored into any investment decision – including for real estate.

The RBI will likely take a pause after a spate of interest rate hikes, so growth momentum will continue. 2023 will continue to be driven by end-user demand, but serious long-term investors will find the market dynamics more than favorable. Property prices are likely to rise by another 5-8% in the larger cities – this bodes well for investors focused on capital appreciation, but also means that rental demand will increase.

Because of the new demand profile, larger-configuration homes will outperform compact affordable housing. Properties by branded large developers will pay better dividends in terms of both rental yields and capital appreciation.

February 18, 2023, Mumbai: Strategic Growth Advisors (SGA), India’s largest investor relations consultancy, partners with PR veterans Rahul Jain and Sudhir Shetty to launch a new-age communication consulting business. With a combined experience of 50+ years, the duo aims to introduce a new brand of storytelling catering to both traditional and internet economy clients.

Rahul and Sudhir aim to build a robust and agile communications brand that will uphold the voice of its clients through its simple, uncluttered and intent-driven storytelling. Having advised over 200 brands thus far, they are well-aligned with the dynamics of evolving communication requirements and aim to provide contemporary and bespoke solutions.

Rahul and Sudhir will bring in intellectual capital and creative thinking capabilities thus making SGA uniquely positioned in the category to offer integrated and end-to-end solutions to businesses across lifecycles. Currently, SGA manages over 250+ clients offering investor relations, corporate reporting, and brand & design services among others.

On Rahul and Sudhir coming as Partners & Jt-CEOs, Samir Shah, Managing Director, SGA said: “We are elated to have Rahul and Sudhir as Partners to launch a new-age communication consulting business. They will strengthen SGA to establish it as a complete stakeholder engagement firm. Rahul’s deep understanding of internet economy businesses and his proven consultancy skills distinctively position him to take SGA Communications’ Practice to its next phase of its growth journey. We are confident that they will be successful in developing a unique approach to brands’ business requirements.

Commenting on his new role as Partner and Jt-CEO – Comms and PR, SGA, Rahul said “Indian public relations and communications industry is at the cusp of a massive transformation driven by the rapid digitisation and expansion of the new economy business. Startups are changing the world order and even disrupting the way businesses are operating across the world. Therefore, communication solutions that are in alignment with the changing times are the need of the hour and that is exactly what we aim to provide. Being India’s premier IR consultancy, SGA will have an edge over others to offer end-to-end communication solutions for both startups and enterprise businesses. Looking forward to exciting times and also extremely thankful to Samir for this association as we embark on this journey to chart out a new phase of growth for our clients and our people.”

On being elevated as Partner and Jt-CEO – Comms and PR, SGA, Sudhir said: “I extend a warm welcome to Rahul for joining us in our new journey. We are confident that our team will benefit immensely from his expertise in building businesses and fast-tracking the growth.

Communication as a business is gaining immense significance to power organizations overall growth and business vision. Today reputation management is at the core of CXOs’ wish list, and this will give us a huge opportunity to carve a niche in the category.

“I take this opportunity to thank Samir for reinforcing his confidence in me and allowing me to expedite our vision for the communications business,” Sudhir added.

Rahul has over 20 years of experience in the communications and PR space. In his last stint of almost a decade with Adfactors PR, he was instrumental in building the Fintech and New Economy space from ground zero. He is well-known in the startup space for curating award winning communication campaigns and building industry first categories such as ‘School EdTech’, ‘Rural Fintech’ ‘Treasury Tech’ etc. He has closely worked with 100+ internet economy brands and thoroughly understands the intricacies of the startup ecosystem. Rahul has been awarded with Reputation Today 40 Young Turks and BW 40U40 PR Professional for building robust business practice and bespoke solutions for clients.

With an overall experience of over 27 years, including a 16-year stint at Adfactors PR, Sudhir is a communications pundit with a deep-rooted understanding of financial markets and financial communications. At Adfactors PR Sudhir, had fostered Public Relations (PR) & Investor Relations (IR) practices that served clients across sectors. He has overseen the communication strategies for complex M&A transactions, crises, corporate activities, Public Offerings for some of the big Indian as well as multinational companies over the years. Sudhir hails from a financial journalist background and has worked across leading wire agencies and a financial daily for over 9 years.