Category business

Mumbai,2nd June 2023 HDFC Bank, India’s leading private sector bank, today announced the launch of a mega ‘Car loan Mela’ in Central India and Maharashtra. Over 650 bank branches across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Northern Maharashtra, and Vidarbha, will host the car loan drive on June 2 and 3, in partnership with leading automobile brands and car dealerships. Car dealers will be present at the branches to showcase their automobile models and will allow customers to take test drives of the vehicles. The Bank would provide on-the-spot loan sanctions to eligible customers.

HDFC Bank provides a host of loans to all customers at affordable interest rates. The ‘Car-loan Mela’ is envisioned to provide customers easy access to automobile finance, especially in the SURU (semi-urban and rural) locations. The Bank will provide an end-to-end solution for processing loan requests with a variety of repayment configurations and minimal paperwork.

For the year ending 31st March 2023, HDFC Bank’s auto loan book size was Rs 1,17,429 crore. Last year, HDFC Bank introduced the ‘Xpress Car Loan’ facility, a state-of-the-art digital API platform that helps credit loans into accounts of dealers in about 30 minutes.

Hyderabad: Le Meridien Hyderabad is pleased to announce the appointment of Faiyaz Ansarias the Rooms Division Manager. A seasoned hotelier, Faiyaz will be responsible for room division operations and will be helping to scale up the property’s offerings for guests by creating a superior experience.

Faiyaz brings with him 20 years of extensive experience in the hospitality industry and a passion for delivering the highest standards of services. He attributes his success to meaningful collaborations with his team members, and his ability to develop strong guest relationships.

Faiyaz began his hospitality career in 2000 and has worked across various verticals in the hospitality segment. His last assignment was with DoubleTree by Hilton in Varanasi as the Rooms Division Manager.

Vaibhav Sagar, General Manager, Le Meridien Hyderabad, stated, “We are thrilled to have Faiyaz join our team. With his extensive expertise in the sector, he will offer a fresh perspective to the guest experience and implement strategies that deliver service to meet and exceed the needs and expectations of our guests.

Le Meridien Hyderabad is nestled in Gachibowli, the business hub of Hyderabad and is the most preferred option to stay for business as well as leisure guests.

2nd June 2023, Bengaluru,  Indkal Technologies, today announced the launch of the new Google TVÔ lineup from Acer in India through a mega event in New Delhi where it revealed a wide product range across screen sizes, display technologies, and price segments. Among the products announced, the flagship O series with an OLED display and a 60-watt speaker system with large woofers really caught the eye. The OLEDs will be launched in two sizes, a 55-inch, and a 65-inch variant.

Among other eye-catching products, the launch also included a revolutionary affordable QLED range under the V series which will allow customers to enjoy an advanced QLED display at an affordable price which has generally remained at inaccessible price points to the masses in India. The pleasant surprise was the availability of a 32-inch entry QLED variant along with the regular 43-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch variants.

The other products launched were the I and G series value segment products, which with the addition of some top-of-the-line features such as MEMC, Dolby Atmos and Vision, and UHD Upscaling, along with high-end brightness and contrast really compete with the premium products in other brands. However, the big highlight was the 16 GB internal memory on the 32-inch and the 40-inch variant of the I series models which is industry-leading and not yet seen in these sizes in any other brand.

Another refreshing aspect of the launch was the improved sound across all product ranges, with the I series sporting a new audio system with 30-watt speakers in 32-inch and 40-inch models; and 36-watt and 40-watt speakers in UHD models in sizes 43-inch, 50-inch, 55 inch, 65 inch, es and 75 inches.

The most significant improvement in the sound, however, was made to the flagship sound series, Acer’s popular H series range, which now has a 76-watt speaker system with improved bass and treble and a more immersive audio setup.

Google TV is also now available on the existing range of premium QLEDs, the W series, with the unique Anti-Glare Display, Wallpaper Design, Aural Sound, and Motion Sensors.

The entire new Google TV range from Acer features dual-band WiFi and 2-way Bluetooth 5.0, with HDMI 2.1 ports and USB 3.0, and Dolby Atmos as a major value addition to all UHD models across all six series. Indkal announced different timelines for the availability of the products at retail, with the I series becoming live for sale across channels on 6th June.

Today, on its 16th anniversary, CLAN announced Creativeland Studio’s acquisition of London-based Creators Inc – in a total deal value exceeding UK £3 million (three million pounds) to solidify its entry into international long and short content production and the expansion of CLAN’s global footprint aligned to its vision of building a global creative super ecosystem.

Further, Creativeland Asia Network (CLAN) has launched Creativeland Studios to focus on the growth of its long and short-format cinema and tv content offering – focussing on creating, producing and distributing high-end films, documentaries, television series and audio content.

With this acquisition, Creativeland Studios has consolidated ten active slates, including two titles in production and now will have over 50 titles in its pipeline.

Creators Inc. is a unique long and short format production house with a roster of directors that includes Oscar, Emmy & BAFTA-winning directors such as Guy Ritchie, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Sarah Gavron, Philip Barantini, Colin Tilley, Mark Osborne and many others.

Creators Inc., founded and led by Jani Guest, brings together award-winning industry specialists from advertising, film and television. Creators Inc. use various synergies across these industries to position themselves worldwide at the top of the production market across all formats.

On the back of this acquisition – Creativeland Asia Network has begun its successful foray into CLA’s creative, technology, marketing & media services ecosystem to the global market.

Sajan Raj Kurup’s vision for Creativeland Studios is to provide a platform for filmmakers and creators to express their vision and bring their ideas and unique stories to viewers. The acquisition of Creators Inc is a significant step in achieving that vision. With this new global acquisition – the possibilities are endless, and CLAN is ready to take on the entertainment world.

Sajan Raj Kurup, Founder & Chairman of CLAN, said, “At Creativeland Asia – we are on a passionate journey to create a formidable creative infrastructure for the new world where media, technology, creativity and humanity will come together to curate a more entertained life. The core strategic insight for this acquisition is to build on our ability to bring brands, content and talent together – through a consolidated platform. Today, more than ever before, we recognise that content plays a pivotal role in keeping us connected, informed and entertained.”

Jani Guest, Founder & CEO of Creators Inc, said, “Creators Inc. places its incredible directorial talent at the heart of the company. The partnership with Raj and CLA allows us to accelerate the development and production of stories – created by our talent – to entertain, move, and impact positive change. I could not have wished for a better partner as we move forward to achieve our shared visions and goals.”

Bengaluru, 2nd June 2023 Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, has announced its much-awaited ‘Big End of Season Sale’ event, which will bring close to 200,000 sellers and more than 10,000 + brands together to bring a wide selection of fashion, beauty and lifestyle products to millions of customers across India. Beginning 1st June 2023, the week-long event will give customers a differentiated shopping experience with the introduction of technology interventions such as Image Search, Video Catalog, Virtual Try-Ons, Video Commerce and Top Filters. Moreover, Flipkart has witnessed heightened interest on its digital-first brands. Fashion continues to witness a surge online, with Flipkart clocking millions of orders in the Spring Summer season alone, indicating a growing appetite for fashion. Fashion continues to be a top growth driver for Flipkart today, with over 40% of new customers coming in through this category. To effectively serve a growing customer base across the country who eagerly await the ‘Big End of Season Sale’ to access a wide range of fashion and lifestyle products, Flipkart sellers are supported by a robust Supply Chain that delivers to all serviceable pin codes PAN India. Flipkart continues to witness strong growth from emerging metros and T3+ regions for fashion. The End of Season sale will also extend its ‘buy now, pay later’ offer for its shoppers looking for easy accessibility options.

Speaking about the event, Abhishek Maloo, Senior Director, of Flipkart Fashion said, “At Flipkart, the ‘End of Season Sale’ is truly a festival for us and is an opportunity to bring joy to stakeholders across our ecosystem. Season after season, this event has received immense appreciation from customers across India, unlocking tremendous growth for the sellers and brands on our marketplace. It is our constant endeavor to provide an expansive range of the latest fashion apparel, footwear and accessories, made accessible by a seamless technology-led shopping experience. In addition to best-in-class launches, the vernacular interface facilitates our growth, and we are seeing an uptick in time spent browsing using our vernacular interface from customers across India. We look forward to bringing lakhs of sellers, brands and customers together once again as we drive to make this season a memorable one for everyone involved.”

In line with customer demand, the event is bringing together a wide variety of styles in casual wear, ethnic wear, formal and seasonal wear. This also includes footwear, accessories, men’s and women’s apparel, and kidswear. While the event is open for all Sellers and Brands to participate, some customer favorites this season include home-grown D2C brands such as Being Human, Cultsport, Urbanic, Hershienbox and Mokobara, Fubar, AAdi, Krassa, and The Kapas; ethnic wear brands such as Libas, Biba; and activewear brands including Nike, PUMA, Adidas, HRX, Fastrack. Brands including Peter England, Blackberrys, Arrow, and Woodland will also feature in the formalwear selection and Allen Solly, Jack and Jones and Crocs will feature in the kids’ wear section.

Customers can avail of various bank offers when making their fashion purchases during the Big End of Season Sale, such as:

Flat Rs.25 on minimum purchase of Rs.250 from Paytm UPI and Flat Rs.100 on minimum order of Rs.1000.

ICICI and SBI consumers can also benefit from the 10% Instant Discount coupons with a minimum order value of Rs. 500.

Head to Flipkart to explore more such offers.

Patna,2nd June 2023 Charminar, the most trusted roofing solutions and a major brand of HIL Limited, a flagship company, CK Birla Group, is organizing a series of roadshows in 11 high potential markets in Bihar to increase brand awareness amongst its core audience in the construction sector. The roadshow has been undertaken through a mathematical house-shaped van, designed with Charminar Roofing Sheets. The van will roam across multiple localities where a well-trained crew interacts with masons, fabricators, contractors, and prospective customers. This van will visit – Araria, Kishanganj, Madhepura, Saharsha, Banka, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Munger, and Purina.

Mr.Rana Nag Bihar State Head at HIL Ltd said, “Owing to extreme weather conditions in the state of Bihar, roofing sheets are prone to damage during strong winds and storms. HIL’s Charminar roofing sheets are durable which makes them weatherproof as well as water leakage-proof. We are organizing these roadshows in Bihar to create awareness around and showcase the unmatched quality and durability of Charminar roofing solutions and help us connect with our customers in the region. We believe this initiative will create greater awareness and consideration for Charminar’s best-in-class, innovative products, and solutions among potential customers and partners.”

He added, “Bihar state is one of the growing markets for AC roofing sheets due to product affordability and rural penetration. HIL’sCharminar holds a strong distribution network across major districts and tehsils in Bihar.”

Charminar is committed to providing shelter in the affordable housing segment and industries. Charminar roofing sheets are specially designed for long durability with no maintenance cost. Their anti-corrosive feature makes them an ideal choice for roofing at high salinity areas and chemical factories. Their thermal insulation and sound insulation properties make them a perfect choice for residential, poultry, and animal husbandry farms.

Mumbai,2nd June 2023 In a decisive step towards making its entire oncology product portfolio available in Saudi Arabia, Venus Remedies Ltd, a well-known provider of affordable cancer drugs worldwide, has secured a marketing authorization from the largest market in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region for Docetaxel, a widely used chemotherapy drug.

The development comes three months after the company received good manufacturing practices (GMP) certification from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) for all its production facilities at its unit in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh.

The demand for Docetaxel has been steadily increasing the world over with the rising incidence of breast, prostate, stomach and non-small cell lung cancers, for which this chemotherapy drug is used as a first line of treatment. Docetaxel-based treatment has particularly improved the survival rate among men in castration-sensitive prostate cancers. The $102-billion global Docetaxel market is projected to grow to $184 billion by year 2030 at a CAGR of 10.22%.

The marketing approval for Docetaxel from Saudi Arabia, a $7.8-billion pharmaceutical market (as in 2021) which is expected to grow to $13.1 billion by 2031 at a CAGR of 5.4 percent, signifies a major step in the global expansion strategy of Venus Remedies in the oncology space. Hailing the achievement, Saransh Chaudhary, President, Global Critical Care, Venus Remedies, said, “This approval will enable us to solidify our existing foothold in the GCC and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions by streamlining the registration process for our oncology drugs there, ultimately benefiting a large population in need of advanced cancer treatments.”

Venus Remedies is already a market leader for its key antibiotic products in Saudi Arabia, where it has nine marketing authorizations, including three in the oncology segment. “SFDA’s recognition of the efficacy, safety and quality of our oncology drugs is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence,” said Saransh.

Since Saudi Arabia also happens to be the leading country in the Gulf in terms of quality benchmarks, this approval is expected to pave the way for marketing authorizations from other countries in the GCC and MENA regions which consider SFDA as a reference authority. Expressing the company’s unwavering commitment to make a positive impact on global health by providing advanced oncology treatments, Venus Remedies Executive Director Akshansh Chaudhary said, “We are proud to offer a diverse portfolio of high-quality medications to extend our presence in key global markets.”

Venus Remedies has, of late, been rapidly consolidating its position in the oncology space. Its German subsidiary Venus Pharma GmbH secured a marketing authorization from the UK for the key chemotherapy drug Cisplatin only last month, thus expediting the process of registering its oncology products in many other countries which consider the UK as a reference point for fast-tracking registration. The company followed this up with marketing authorization for two more widely used cancer drugs from the Philippines, the second largest market in the ASEAN region, and Iraq, a sizeable market in the MENA zone.

Panaji,1st June 2023– Even as students in the state have begun shortlisting their vocations this summer, Goa’s only culinary B-school Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA) has made a foray into Food & Beverage Service with a new course ‘Food & Beverage Service Associate Programme’ for their new academic year 2023-24.

The Food & Beverage Service Associate Programme is a comprehensive six-month course designed to equip students with the essential skills and knowledge required to excel in the dynamic food and beverage industry. Accredited by the New Delhi-based Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) under the National Skill Development Council (NSDC), the programme is set to revolutionise hospitality education in Goa.

Under the guidance of experienced faculty and industry experts, students will receive hands-on training in various aspects of food and beverage service. From table set ups, menu planning, service techniques, buffet setup, guest handling, wines, spirits, cocktails, coffees and even entrepreneurship, the programme covers a wide range of topics that are vital for success in the industry.

“The Food & Beverage Service Associate Programme will deliver knowledge of the industry, cuisines, culinary techniques, and service standards to our students. Practical skills in food presentation, beverage service, and delivering guest delight will be taught. Completing the course will open up global career opportunities in restaurants, hotels, bars, cruise liners and event management. Specialised training will promote professional growth, while customer service skills are transferable across sectors. The course will also equip students for entrepreneurial ventures in the food and beverage industry, such as opening their own restaurant or catering service,” said S T Vinodkumar, Principal of KCCA.

To apply for the F&B Service Associate Programme at KCCA, candidates can apply at https://www.kamaxicollege.edu.in/. The admissions for the course will begin from July 2023.

1st June 2023 India: Over 800 million women will need to adopt mobile internet in order to close the digital gender gap by 2030 across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to the latest Mobile Gender Gap Report published by the GSMA today.

The latest figures indicate that the gulf between the numbers of men and women using mobile internet will not be closed without an enhanced effort by a broad range of stakeholders. Progress in reducing the mobile internet gender gap remains stalled, with women in LMICs19% less likely than men to use it, equating to around 310 million fewer women than men.

If the gap remains unchanged, current forecasts suggest that only 360 million more women(less than half of the 800m target)are expected to start using mobile broadband by the end of the decade.

The Mobile Gender Gap Reportanalyses mobile ownership and mobile internet usage in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The report provides figures that uncover the scale of the mobile gender gap in each region, a review of the barriers to mobile ownership and internet adoption, and recommended actions for stakeholders, including policymakers, regulators, mobile operators and NGOs.It is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) via the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation.

Other key findings from the report include:

• • While almost two-thirds (61%) of women across LMICs are now using mobile internet,their rate of adoption has slowed for the second year in a row – with only 60 million women adopting mobile internet in 2022, versus 75 million in 2021.
  • 900 million women across LMICs still aren’t connected to mobile broadband, of which two-thirds live in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Once women own a smartphone, their awareness and use of mobile internet is almost on par with men. Despite this, women are 17% less likely than men to own a smartphone in LMICs, translating into around 250 million fewer women than men.
  • There are still 440 million women across LMICs who do not own a mobile phone and are difficult to reach.
  • For mobile users who are already awareof mobile internet, the top-reportedbarriers to adoption are still affordability(primarily of handsets), literacy and digitalskills, and safety and security concerns.
  • The majority of men and women who use mobile internet believe it has an overall positive impact on their lives and use it every day, with little difference between women and men.
  • Mobile ownership and mobile internet usage deliver significant benefits to women and their families, the economy and business.

“Mobile phones are the primary, and often only, source of internet access in LMICs, particularly in rural communities, so it’s alarming to see women’s digital inclusion slow for the second year in a row,”said Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA. “Greater collaboration across all stakeholders in the digital community, from governments to operators, NGOs to internet companies, is needed to enable more women to access and use mobile internet and ultimately ensure women are not being left behind in an increasingly digital world.”

In 2016, the GSMA launched the GSMA Connected Women Commitment initiative, to support mobile operators reduce the gender gap in the customer base of their mobile internet or mobile money services. Since its inception, over 40 mobile operators across LMICs have made formal commitments to reduce the gender gap, collectively reaching over 65 million additional women, and delivering significant socio-economic benefits to underserved women, their communities, and the economy.

Mobile network operators (MNOs) have been able to narrow the mobile gender gap by taking informed, targeted actions to address women’s needs and the barriers they face to mobile internet adoption and use. But to fully address the issue, and achieve meaningful progress, will require increased focus and targeted action from all stakeholders, including MNOs, internet companies, policymakers and regulators, and the development community.

Mumbai,1st June 2023 While ready-to-move-in homes still top the wish-list of most home seekers in the top 7 cities, newly launched units are gaining increasing acceptance. This traction has been building up ever since branded developers started cornering the fresh supply market with projects that elicit buyer confidence and have all the features they seek. Latest ANAROCK Research data shows that out of approx. 1.14 lakh homes sold in Q1 2023 across the top 7 cities, over 41% were in newly launched projects.

Notably, the sales share of newly launched homes was much lower in the corresponding period of 2019, when just 26% of approx. 78,520 sold homes were in new projects. In Q1 2022, of approx. 99,550 units sold in the top 7 cities, 36% were launched during the same quarter.

Among the top 7 cities, Hyderabad accounted for the highest sales share of new units. Of approx. 14,280 units sold there in Q1 2023, approx. 46% were launched in the same period. NCR saw the lowest absorption of newly launched homes – of 17,160 units sold in Q1 2023, just 30% were launched during the quarter. The remaining units sold were in projects launched before Q1 2023. However, NCR has seen a remarkable change in the given period.

Anuj Puri, , Chairman – ANAROCK Group, says, “For the longest time, ready-to-move-in homes remained in highest favor with homebuyers because of the previously abysmal project completion track record in many areas of the country. This is now changing – under-construction homes in new launches are increasingly finding takers, though ready-to-move homes retain the top demand slot.”

There are two reasons for this, explains Puri. “Firstly, much of the new supply is by well-funded branded developers who will comply with RERA regulations and complete their projects as per schedule. In Q1 2023, of 1.14 lakh new units launched in the top 7 cities, the branded vs non-branded developer share ratio stood at 59:41 while back in 2015, it was the reverse at 41:59. Secondly, investors are back on the housing market. Early-stage under-construction homes offer the kind of cost arbitrage that make residential real estate attractive to investors, who has largely given housing a miss over the last 3-4 years. It is a heartening trend for the residential market in remaining 2023.”

This trend bears watching, as it has strong mid-to-long-term implications for the Indian residential property market. While the return of investors is positive for overall sales, an end-user-driven market helps keep prices in check. Accelerated investor activity has historically led to unreasonable price hikes which eventually throttled back the overall housing market growth story.

City-wise Absorption Trends

At 30%, NCR saw the lowest sales share of newly launched units in Q1 2023. Another city with comparatively low fresh supply absorption share is Kolkata at 32%. Interestingly, MMR, which saw the second lowest absorption of newly-launched units in Q1 2019 with a 24% share, saw its sales share of new units jump to 40% in Q1 2023.

Source: ANAROCK Research

• In MMR, of 34,690 units sold in Q1 2023, approx. 40% were fresh launches. In same period 2019, of 24,010 units sold, 24% were in new units
• In NCR, of 17,160 units sold in Q1 2023, approx. 30% were launched in the same quarter. In Q1 2019, of 13,740 units sold, the sales share of newly launched units was lower at 21%
• In Chennai, of 5,880 units sold in Q1 2023, newly-launched units accounted for a 41% share – up from 29% of 3,430 units sold in Q1 2019.
• In Kolkata, of 6,190 units sold in Q1 2023, over 38% were newly-launched. In Q1 2019, approx. 4,020 units were sold, of which 24% sales were of newly-launched units
• In Bengaluru, of 15,660 units sold in Q1 2023, the sale share of newly-launched units was 43% – up from 28% of 15,580 units in Q1 2019
• In Pune, of 19,920 units sold in Q1 2023, the sale share of newly-launched units was 45% – up from 35% of 12,340 units in Q1 2019. The city saw the second highest sales share of new launched units after Hyderabad.
• Hyderabad had the highest sales share of newly-launched units among the top 7 cities. Of approx. 14,280 units sold in Q1 2023, 46% were launched in the same period – significantly up from 28% of approx. 5,400 units in Q1 2019.