Hyderabad, 15th February 2023: The action-packed season 2 of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 thrilled fans across Bengaluru city over the past week. A total of 10 games were played in a span of nine days as hundreds of volleyball supporters gathered at the stadium each day to witness the exciting sporting action. But now, the tournament is set to spread joy in the city of Hyderabad, with the second leg set to kick off on Wednesday, February 15th, 2023, with the hosts Hyderabad Black Hawks ready to go head-to-head against Kochi Blue Spikers.

RuPay Prime Volleyball League CEO Mr. Joy Bhattacharjya addressed a Press Conference a day before the start of the action at the Lemon Tree Premier hotel in Hyderabad and spoke on what the fans in the city can expect from the league this time around.

“We enjoyed tremendous success in Bengaluru as fans came in numbers to enjoy the thrilling volleyball action. We are now coming to Hyderabad again, we were here last time but it was during Covid. We already have a huge fan base in the city and we are excited to see fans back in the stands here,” he said.

Hyderabad Black Hawks Principal Owner Mr. Abhishek Reddy also spoke at the press conference and gave a brief glimpse of his vision for the franchise in the years to come.

“Our goal has always been to bring excitement into people’s lives. Volleyball is as much entertainment as sport. Each season, we try to push the limits higher and try things beyond the expected norm of a host city. Over the next seven days, you will see what we and the city of Hyderabad have in store for you, as well as a glimpse of what’s to come next season,” he said.

Meanwhile, ahead of their first game at home, Hyderabad Black Hawks skipper SV Guru Prashanth said that his side is aware of what Kochi Blue Spikers are capable of, and will plan their strategies accordingly. Hyderabad have so far played three games in the season, having won one.

“We have seen Kochi Blue Spikers perform on the court, and we see them at training. We know what their strengths are and we know how we have to plan to counter that. We are ready to give the home fans a great show to watch,” Guru said.

Kochi Blue Spikers’ captain Vipul Kumar said that his team has learned from their errors in the first two games and will find a way to bounce back. Kochi have so far lost both their games in the season.

“We want to show that we are not a team to be taken lightly. We have strong players in our ranks. While things did not work out for us in the first couple of games, we have learned from them and we are prepared to cause an upset,” Vipul said.

Hyderabad Black Hawks will be up against Kochi Blue Spikers at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium on the opening day of the Hyderabad leg of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League from 1900 hrs IST on Wednesday, 15th February 2023.

New Delhi, 15 February 2023

Dr. Abhay Jere who was appointed as the Vice Chairman of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) on 10th February 2023 took charge today at AICTE HQ, Delhi.

Dr. Abhay Jere was the Chief Innovation Officer at the Government Ministry of Human Resources Development. In a notification issued by the Ministry of Education, Govt. Of India, dated 10th February 2023, Dr. Abhay Jere is appointed for a period of three years w.e.f. the date of assumption of charge, or till attaining the age of 65 years or until further orders, whichever is the earliest.

Prof . TG Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE while congratulating Dr. Abhay Jere said, “I congratulate Dr. Abhay Jere on his appointment. I believe AICTE will benefit from his vast experience in the education and innovation sector.”

Prof. Rajive Kumar, Member Secretary, AICTE, said, “I congratulate Dr. Abhay Jere for being appointed as the Vice Chairman, AICTE. We are glad that he has spearheaded innovation-related initiatives in higher education institutions. He has also been the spirit and driving force behind his Smart India Hackathon initiative at MoE.”

Dr. Abhay Jere, said, “It is an honor to serve as the Vice Chairman, AICTE. It is a privilege to work with such talented and dedicated professionals at AICTE and the Ministry of Education. The New National Education Policy carries a holistic approach and has all teaching elements. It is a policy with proper directions and guidance on what is needed to make learning practical. The flexibility of exit options and migration to other programs are the elements that need to be part of our education system. I thank all my colleagues for their support and assistance.”

Dr. Abhay Jere is instrumental in creating a network of Innovation Councils. Through the Ministry of Education, Indian Innovation Councils (IICs) are now in place in 6500 educational institutions to facilitate the creation of local innovation ecosystems in these institutions while creating their own startups during research.

Most recently, he has also been instrumental in designing a very unique MBA program in ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship’ presented by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Dr. Jere is committed to raising awareness of the need for innovation and entrepreneurship among Indians, so he is a regular columnist in well-known English and local newspapers. He also produced ‘India First Leadership’ Talk Series which will be broadcast on Lok Sabha TV.

Kolkata, 15th February 2023: South Kolkata Nrityangan, one of the renowned classical dance institutions in Kolkata is going to organize their maiden edition of the Classical Dance Festival titled ‘Nrityasamaroh’ on 18th February 2023 from 05:30 pm at the Indian Council For Cultural Relations – Kolkata. The glorious evening will commence with an opening Group Dance by the students of South Kolkata Nrityangan. The audience will also witness engrossing performances by legendary artists from various parts of India. Guru Gopika Verma from Kerala who is a Sangeet Natak Academy awardee and an exponent of ‘Mohiniyattam’, Guru Gajendra Panda from Odisha and an exemplary Odissi performer, Guru Sandeep Mallik from Delhi Kathak Kendra, an outstanding ‘Kathak’ artist and from Kolkata Smt. Bimbavati Devi, a noted ‘Manipuri’ exponent and Sri Rajdeep Banerjee, an eminent Bharatanatyam will present on stage their extraordinary moves.

The concept of ‘Nrityasamaroh’ is originally conceived by Smt. Jhinook Mukherjee Sinha, an acclaimed Bharatanatyam performer and also the founder of one of the oldest dance schools in Kolkata, South Kolkata Nrityangan. She is the disciple of Dr. Guru Smt. Thankamani Kutty and have impressed people across the globe through her versatile performances on several occasions. She is an impanelled artist under the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) as well as Doordarshan Kolkata. On January 2023 at the G20 Summit which was held in Kolkata, Smt Jhinook Mukherjee Sinha headed choreography of the cultural programme which was a part of this Summit.

“The initiative of ‘Nrityasamaroh’ is specially curated for providing an esteemed platform to the budding artists inhabiting in the remote areas of Kolkata as well as West Bengal. The show will shed light on the blooming talents whose skills and creativity remained obscure due to certain socio-economic issues and the unfair challenges imposed on them against their will. It aims to eradicate the boundaries. The prime purpose of this cultural evening is to assist the young, underprivileged artists to overcome all the limitations and disparities surrounding them so that they can achieve the deserved prestige, recognition and flourish further”, said Smt. Jhinook Mukherjee Sinha, Director, ‘Nrityasamaroh’.

It will not be an exaggeration to say that the evening will surely captivate the audience, leaving them with some exuberant performance, skillful and enchanting.

15th February 2023: The ninth edition of India Beach Fashion Week (IBFW) got off to a rocking start on the eve of Valentine’s Day at Divar, Goa’s Island of Love. Presented by Ikonic and powered by Timex, IBFW is Asia’s largest and one of its most prominent calendar events. It will be hosted over two days at Mercure, the Goa Deevaya resort.

India’s first Island Week & Fashion Festival started with a meet and greet session at which brand representatives, designers, and content creators were introduced to the assembled guests. Among those who took the bow were Pallav Ojha, CEO & Co-founder, of COMO Collective, Rayed Merchant, Co-founder, of Ikonic Professional, Deepak Chabbra, Managing Director, of Timex Group India, Pradnya Somesh Popade, Head, of Marketing & Communications, Samsonite, and Puneet Motiani, Designated Partner, Gardenia Cosmotrade LLP (GATSBY). The tropical Eden was a picture-perfect setting for the open-air sunset session alongside the Mandovi river.

IBFW’s ‘Experience’ partner Royal Falcon Music Production enhanced the magic of the 18th-century island with its lush forests, emerald green paddy fields and meticulously restored colonial-style Portuguese villas with a live band. Royal Falcon is a Dubai-based music label that brings the world together with a fusion of international musicians and world music.

The curtain-raiser show was by Vikram Phadnis, making his debut in resort wear. His collection, ‘Bloom’, is inspired by the designer’s store, Adhvan, which he started in Goa last year. He experimented with resort wear for the first time at Adhvan, and encouraged by its success, decided to pursue it in a big way.

The free-flowing silhouettes reflect Vikram’s love for bohemian prints, cuts, and styling. The clothes are comfortably chic, but since he was showcasing them at the curtain-raiser, he glammed them up with elaborate hair-dos and funky makeup.

With 44 designs in georgette and linen, ‘Bloom’ features shorts, swimsuits with capes and dhotis for women. The embroidery is minimalistic but set off with embellishments. The collection is eye-catching, with bold prints in black and white, along with pops of neon, and the audience response was overwhelming.

IBFW targets young and bold fashion enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, designers, content creators and artists, fresh graduates and early innovators. Their vision and outlook, design aesthetics and technology can help build India’s biggest creative ecosystem with consumers and brand custodians who stand up for green space energy and a circular usage economy.

It was only appropriate then that Day One should wrap up with Eliferous, a collaborative show presented by Timex and former Miss Teen Universe Srishti Kaur. Encapsulating the essence of art and fashion, Eliferous translates Srishti’s experiences and aspirations into a signature collection that represents eloquence and freedom in designs which defy convention.

Srishti’s showstopper was Sakshi Malik, an Indian actress, lifestyle, beauty and fashion social media influencer and model. Sakshi had played herself in Kartik Aryan’s 2018 hit film, Sonu Ki Titu Ki Sweety, and her song, Bom Diggy Diggy, had become viral, getting her millions of hits.

Open-air ramps, including India’s longest ramp and the first one facing the sea, makes IBFW a one-of-its-kind fashion festival. There is lots more to look forward to today at the Island of Love on the Day of Love.

Noida / Delhi-NCR: PETGALA is an awesome gathering of pet lovers by pet lovers. We aspire to host a memorable event that celebrates the joy of petting. The event is on 19th February at International Trade Expo Centre Noida, Sector 62, starting from 10 am.

Feline Club of India (FCI) would be hosting its Championship Cat show with two international judges, Mr. Allan Raymond (Australia), and Mr. Michael Woods (Australia) with the participation of more than 300 cats in the show, informed Mr.Saquib Pathan, President FCI. Various breeds like Persians, Maine Coon, Bengal, and our very own IndiMau would be present.

The event includes an adoption drive, which aims to provide as many cats and dogs as possible with a home where they are cared for, welcomed, and wanted. The event will have a host of activities for pet lovers like a Dog Agility zone, pet fashion show, interactive games, obedience training demonstrations, security dog demonstrations, aquarium setup, vet consultations, etc. People can come with their pets and enjoy the day.

India-wide release, 15th February 2023: One of India’s leading pharma brands, Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd, recently unveiled its first-ever 12-week-long campaign across TV and digital. With this new campaign #BeShelcalStrong, the pharma giant announces the entry of its brand Shelcal 500 – a market leader and the no. 1 doctor-recommended calcium supplement$ – as an over-the-counter (OTC) calcium supplement brand.

The ever-rising consumer empowerment, demand for relatable storytelling and expectation of engagement has necessitated creating of multi-channel marketing campaigns. Nowadays, consumer healthcare marketers understand that engaging consumers in out-of-the-box marketing practices is increasingly helpful in getting their point across. These subsequently encourage conversations around health issues and offer solutions to help individuals fix them.

In India, close to 40% of people are calcium deficient and 79% are Vitamin D deficient*. With this campaign, Torrent Pharma aims to raise awareness about the importance of fulfilling one’s calcium and Vitamin D3 needs in a way that is relatable to the daily lives of people.

As a part of the #BeShelcalStrong campaign, Torrent Pharmaceuticals has added a highly interactive calcium calculator on the website, www.shelcal.com, which will calculate the approximate daily dietary calcium intake of the user, meeting 100% RDA of calcium. Based on the analysis, consumers can make an informed decision about their calcium intake. In addition to this, consumers can connect via the toll-free number 18002020240 to seek assistance and resolve calcium-related queries.

Additionally, the TVC created under the campaign aims to address the aforementioned lack of dietary calcium amongst people by educating them to pay heed to their exhaustion and listen to their aching bones, especially after they turn 40. By depicting everyday instances, the film further highlights the need to supplement one’s diet with Shelcal 500 daily.

With its composition of 500mg of Calcium and 250 IU of Vitamin D3, Shelcal 500 helps optimize calcium absorption, increases bone density, improves muscle strength, and helps boost immunity. The calcium is sourced from natural ingredients like oyster shells, having good absorption/bioavailability in the body.

Furthermore, Shelcal500 is a consistent market leader in the Rx category, with a market share currently at ~43% that continues to rise$. And going OTC will see Shelcal further increase its market share substantially in the consumer healthcare segment.

Aman Mehta, Director at Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said, “With Shelcal’s entry into OTC, the brand is poised to become the largest calcium supplement brand in India. Via this campaign launch, we wish to encourage consumers to take calcium supplements regularly to make up for their dietary deficiencies. #BeShelcalStrong is a strong value proposition that intends to not only build on Shelcal’s brand awareness but also educate people about calcium’s importance to their diet, which in turn can positively affect their quality of life.”

Amal Kelshikar, Executive Director at Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd : “According to data, 40.6% of Indians are calcium-deficient, while 79% of Indians are Vitamin D-deficient*. Moreover, while RDA recommends 1000 mg/day of calcium, 1 out of every 2 Indians consume less than 50% of the recommended range*. However, the awareness amongst the consumers in this regard is low, or despite awareness, it is not acted upon. This is why it is important to not just spread awareness about the prevalence of calcium deficiency but also to get people to act upon filling their deficiencies. Thus, by taking Shelcal 500 to OTC while presenting a relevant, relatable and engaging campaign that is driving awareness about how critical it is to complete one’s calcium requirements, Torrent Pharmaceuticals is actively endeavoring to bridge the gap between consumers and a healthy, active lifestyle.”

Marketing of Consumer Health Care products can be interesting and powerful, while still remaining informative. In order to be successful, pharma marketers also need to recognize the importance of building long-term relationships with customers based on trust and care. Today’s hectic and fast-paced lifestyle often gives way to food habits and a diet that may lack adequate nutritional value, giving rise to several health implications. Owing to the pervasive Calcium and vitamin D deficiency in India, and with a vision to offer care via providing better and greater access to dietary calcium, Torrent Pharmaceuticals thus curated this compelling campaign that urges people to #BeShelcalStrong.

India Enhancing its efforts toward early detection of Lung diseases, India-Sweden Healthcare Innovation Centre and its knowledge partner AstraZeneca India collaborated with the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) Jammu to integrate Qure.ai’s smart artificial intelligence technology to detect lung cancer early on.

Under the aegis of Indo Sweden Healthcare Innovation Centre (ISHIC), Qure.ai is scaling up the integration of its AI-powered chest x-ray interpretation tool that can benefit the early and easy detection of lung diseases including lung cancer. The collaboration with DHS Jammu is a significant example of how technology can be leveraged and simply integrated in primary healthcare settings. Cecilia Oskarsson, Swedish Trade Commissioner to India said, “Innovation is critical to address the healthcare challenges in the country and we at the India-Sweden healthcare innovation centre are working towards a mission to support these innovative solutions. We are delighted to initiate this first project in Jammu towards early screening and diagnosis of lung diseases in the state. We look forward to supporting the start-up ecosystem and the states towards building an innovative ecosystem in the country.”

Dr. Sanjeev Panchal, Country President and Managing Director, AstraZeneca India said, “We celebrate the progress that has been made in cancer care, including advances in screening, the development of innovative therapies, greater public-private collaboration and increased prioritisation of health equity. As a global cancer community, we have many reasons to be optimistic about the future. We are moving ever closer to achieving our ambition – eliminating cancer as a cause of death.”

The AI-powered chest X-ray is designed to distinguish lung nodules in under a minute and minimise the chances of lung cancers going undetected. Importantly, this tool is being accessed in a primary care setting where x-rays are utilised most commonly. Commenting on the technological advantage of the solution, Prashant Warier, CEO of Qure.ai said, “Our mission is to use AI to make healthcare more accessible and affordable. Our machine-based learning tools are enhancing the analysis of simpler diagnosis tools such as x-rays, and ultrasounds to catch serious diseases at very early stages that significantly reduce the mortality rates. AstraZeneca has helped us spread our offering across the world which has led to approximately 170,000 scans in 25 countries, with high malignancy risk lung nodules identified in 1.6% of scans. Today we are tapping further into technology to enable faster diagnosis and speedy treatments.”

In 2020, there were an estimated 18.1 million cancer cases worldwide with Lung Cancer being the second most common form of the disease. The constant increase in the incidence of lung cancer highlighted the need for healthcare organisation around the world to come together, collaborate and innovate the way lung cancer was addressed. In India, ISHIC-a tri-part collaboration with AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Jodhpur and Business Sweden with AstraZeneca and NASSCOM as the knowledge partner was formed to fortify the healthcare ecosystem by identifying, mentoring and integrating some of the smart and best-in-class healthcare solutions, in alignment with the health priorities of the country. To date, the centre has mentored over 37 promising start-ups that can enhance the way healthcare is accessed and delivered.

Hyderabad: 15th February, 2023: The Celebrity Cricket League 2023 is back with a mesmerizing season that promises to be more entertaining, full of glitz, and a powerhouse of cricketing fun. CCL 2023 introduces an all-new format, for the first time in cricket history where a T20 match will be played in 2 innings of 10 overs each. The new format will offer More Cricket, More Entertainment, and More Fun with the Cine Stars from 8 teams representing the respective Film Industries (Telugu Warriors, Karnataka Bulldozers, Chennai Rhinos, Kerala Strikers, Bengal Tigers, Bhojpuri Dabanggs, Mumbai Heroes and Punjab De Sher) competing for the CCL 2023 crown.

This 5-weekend tournament, a never-before entertainment, and competition will be played in 5 cities.

The month-long Sportainment affair will kickstart on the 18th and 19th of February 2023 from Raipur with each team playing its opening games. The league will continue every weekend till the semi-finals on 18th March and the grand finale on 19th March at Hyderabad. Fans from every nook of India will be able to tune in and watch the tournament in their favorite languages as the broadcast partner Zee Network will televise the entire season on 7 channels. Parle has also signed up to be a title sponsor.

According to Mr. Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Founder & Managing Director of Celebrity Cricket League, “We are delighted to bring back the Reimagined, Refreshed, and Reloaded edition of Celebrity Cricket League 2023. This season offers More Cricket, More Celebrities, and More Fun for the visitors with the new format of a T20 with 2 innings of 10 overs per team. This new format will give celebrities more cricket and visitors more fun with their favorite cine stars as they compete fiercely for the CCL 2023 crown.”

Like in the past, CCL teams have a power-packed star cast ie. Salman Khan himself is the team ambassador of Mumbai Heroes owned by Sohail Khan. The audience will also see Kiccha Sudeep in action as the icon player for Kannada Bulldozers, along with Sonu Sood, the captain of Punjab De Sher. Captain of the Bhojpuri Dabanggs is Manoj Tiwari; Arya leads Chennai Rhinos, Akhil Akkineni leads Telugu Warriors, the captain of the Bengal Tigers, Jisshu Sengupta, Captain of Kerala Strikers, Kunchacko Boban; and many other A-list stars represent their teams. Media veteran Raj Nayak along with Vishnu Induri the Founder and Managing Director of the Celebrity Cricket League and Mayank Shah from Parle Biscuits unveiled the CCL 2023 trophy

CCL 2023 is all set to thrill cricket and movie fans alike in its new season – Reimagined, Refreshing, and Reloaded!

Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, 15 February 2023: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated 20 tourist police stations in the major tourist and spiritual places from his camp office in Tadepalli on Tuesday.

“We are starting another good program under the police department. Unlike in the past, many good reforms are being implemented, which has never happened before like women police available at the village level through secretariats. Zero FIR has been made available for the first time in the state,” said Chief Minister Jagan.

“We are also setting up a receptionist at the police stations to stand with the complainants. Further, Disha App has crossed over 1 Crore 20 Lakh downloads. Once the person presses the SOS button, within five or ten minutes, the police officer will respond like an elder brother and a younger brother to help. They call and ask for information… If they do not respond on the phone, they go there themselves and stand by them.,” he added.

“As part of such changes, today we are setting up tourist police stations in 20 tourist and spiritual areas,” said CM Jagan. Speaking on the security of the people visiting tourist areas and spiritual places, he said the department has identified key locations and set up kiosks that are connected to the local police station.

Each kiosk is designed to have around 6 staff working in two shifts. They are supervised by an officer of the rank of SI or ASI. A dedicated telephone number will also be displayed for anyone in distress. All the staff are given a special telephone number, radio set, first aid box, map of the area, emergency telephone numbers, and vehicles, said the Chief Minister.

He added that the government is taking necessary measures to ensure that the tourists and pilgrims in the area are safe. Henceforth, these tourist police stations will start working towards providing the necessary assurance for a fearless stay in tourist areas and spiritual areas.

“All these steps have been taken to ensure women’s safety and not cause any inconvenience to the tourists in the area. It will also stand as another golden chapter in the police department,” said CM Jagan.He said, “Half of the staff working in tourist police stations are women who can help the women in distress.”

Mumbai, February 15, 2023: Footwear major Bata India Limited today announced results for the quarter that ended 31st December 2022. Revenue from operations for the quarter stood at Rs. 9002 million (a growth of 7% over the quarter that ended December 21). The Operating Profit stood at Rs. 1021 million, a growth of 22% over the quarter that ended in December 2021.

The results for the quarter showcased momentum behind the strategic levers driving strong portfolio evolution, strong footprint expansion across touchpoints coupled with improving cost efficiencies, helping drive revenue growth and increased margins despite significant inflationary pressure.

 
Speaking on the Q3FY23 performance, Gunjan Shah, MD and CEO – of Bata India Limited, stated:

“Continuous focus on refreshing product portfolio with our strategy of casualization and offering premium fashionable products reflected in overall ASP growth and expansion in share of our premium category brands like Hush Puppies, Marie Claire, Red Label, etc., that was backed by festivity and wedding season in the quarter. We also saw encouraging demand for our comfort and casual wear ranges of Bata Comfit, Floatz, etc. The quarter also marks the highest ever addition of Franchise stores with a total footprint crossing the 2000+ milestone for the 1st time.

We continue to drive various cost optimization initiatives across the value chain. In the mass categories, the demand remains sluggish due to inflationary pressures. We have continued investments in marketing and technology to fuel accelerated momentum.”