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In line with Saudi’s Vision 2030 and to welcome more than 2 million Indian visitors this year, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has strengthened its commitment to driving awareness about tourism and hospitality in its region. As part of the delegation visit to India earlier this month, this mission program featured a range of meetings, industry round-tables, and networking events including participation at the One World Travel Market in Mumbai (OTM) and the South Asian Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in Delhi. This was followed up with two roadshows in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has also, commenced an official partnership with the world’s preeminent Twenty 20 cricket league, the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) at an event held in Mumbai last week.

India is a key source market for Saudi. As part of Saudi’s ambition to achieve 100 million visits annually by 2030, India represents immense potential as it is expected to be one of Saudi’s largest tourism source markets by then. During the course of these engagements, STA held 3,000-plus meetings with leading trade partners and travel buyers to promote Saudi as a holiday destination. They also shared insights into the growing trends of MICE tourism and budget travel.

On his recent visit to India, Alhasan Aldabbagh, APAC President at Saudi Tourism Authority, said, “We are delighted to showcase the beauty of Saudi and its diverse tourism offerings all across India. We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from our partners here and STA is committed to investing, learning and working closely with them to ensure our product offerings are attractive for the Indian market. These engagements are
important in helping us achieve ambitious goals and drive visitation numbers from India to Saudi. Last year, we saw 1 million visitors, which has encouraged us to become ambitious about doubling the figures from this region this year. India, we believe, will be the number one tourism source market for us in 2030 as we aim to welcome more than 12 million visitors by then.”

“Saudi is a great holiday destination with rich cultural, historical, and spiritual sites. It is home to 6 UNESCO world heritage sites and more than 10,000 archaeological sites that are unexplored and that we are waiting to be explored. This includes historical places like Al Balad in Jeddah and Turaif in Diriyah – the birthplace of Saudi.

We also offer a variety of tourism experiences such as the Boulevard World in Riyadh city, and Bujairi Terrace home to over 20 retail and lifestyle brands including four Michelin-starred restaurants, the Red Sea Project, and much more. Apart from our tourism product offerings, we are also working on many exciting partnership and sponsorship opportunities like the IPL. We believe that the partnership with IPL is one of the first steps in strengthening a culture for the game of cricket in Saudi.” Alhasan Aldabbagh added.

Earlier this month we launched the 96-hour stopover visa with a 1-night complimentary hotel stay when you fly with Saudia, which makes Saudi more accessible than ever. The Stopover Visa is open to all leisure, business, and religious travelers traveling on SAUDIA and flynas. STA is also opening up 9 dedicated visa centers in India by the end of this month, to increase the accessibility and connectivity for Indian travelers to enter Saudi.

Saudi is a diverse destination. It boasts leisure and entertainment hubs, including the fastest F1 street circuit and is known to host the world’s largest dance music festival, among others. Find out more about Saudi’s tourism offerings and visa programs on the Visit Saudi website.

New Delhi, 22 February 2023: Vedanta Limited has been declared as the preferred bidder for Sijimali bauxite block, located in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts of Odisha, under the mineral block auction conducted by the Government of Odisha.

The block is a strategic fit for Vedanta given its size, location, and bauxite quality. The block has estimated reserves of 311 million tonnes of bauxite.

Bengaluru, 22 February 2023: On the 16th and 17th of February 2023, Manipal College of Health Professionals conducted an International Symposium on Early Intervention and Family Centred Services: Bridging the Gap to Participation and Inclusion for Children with Disabilities in collaboration with Amar Seva Sangam, University of Toronto and McGill University; sponsored by Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute. This symposium is the first of its kind to be hosted by Manipal College of Health Professions.

The symposium was inaugurated by the chief guest, Dr. Prachi Kaul, Director, of Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute appreciated the Manipal Academy of Higher Education for getting prestigious conference awards funded by Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute. The guests of honor are Shri Sankara Raman Srinivasan, CA and visionary behind the Enabling Inclusion Program at Amar Seva Sangam, Dr. Karunakar Kotegar A, Director of International Collaborations, Dr. Padmaraj Hedge, Dean of Kasturba Medical College were present during the inauguration.

The organizing chairperson, Dr. G. Arun Maiya, Dean of Manipal College of Health Professions welcomed the gathering, Dr. Dinesh Krishna, Director of the strategy, enabling inclusion App, Amar Seva Sangam gave the overview and objectives of the symposium and convener, Dr. John Solomon, Head Department of Physiotherapy at Manipal College of Health Professions proposed the vote of thanks.

The symposium was focused on a partnership approach to health care, with families as the major stakeholders in the decision-making process. The symposium was held in the hybrid mode with offline as well as online participants and delegates from MAHE, University of Toronto, McGill University Canada, Amar Seva Sangam, and Chennai participated. Over 175 participants were a part of this symposium making it an incredible experience. The symposium hosted a total of 18 speakers (10 National and eight International) with nine of the speakers presenting their speeches in person while rest nine joined us online.

Gurugram, 22 February 2023: Six women entrepreneurs met on the opening day of the three-day GSV -Emeritus India Summit, in Gurugram, to discuss the urgent need to close the gender gap that women in the workforce are facing. The panel was comprised of Ashley Chiampo, Chief Learning Officer, Emeritus; Smita Deorah, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, LEAD; Vani Kola, Managing Director, Kalaari Capital; Prerna Jhunjhunwala, Founder and CEO, of Creative Galileo; Supriya Paul, CEO, Josh Talks, and Lisa Tenorio, SVP, Learning Design, Harvard Business Publishing.

They were part of a panel discussion titled “Power of Women Leading Innovation” that explored the impact women leaders are making in their respective communities, and how they are leveraging education and entrepreneurship to create positive change.

“Only 6% of venture-funded businesses in India are co-founded by a woman. Yet, if you look at the CEO level, it is only 2%. As per a study we did recently, 70% of the women who wished to start their businesses claimed they mostly pitch to male investors. 68% of them believe that raising money is more difficult because of their gender. We must initiate discussions about this and look for solutions,” said Vani Kola, Managing Director, Kalaari Capital.

The panel also explored the challenges women have had to face as they strive to lead. Prerna Jhunjhunwala, Founder and CEO, of Creative Galileo, said that “Women make up 75% of all teachers. When we consider Principals, this figure drops to 50%. When we consider tech founders, the figure drops to 6%. And less than 1% when it comes to policymakers. As a founder, I firmly feel that this needs to change. We also need to change the mindset of people to foster the right environment for women entrepreneurs.”

The world’s most brilliant and influential leaders in education innovation, as well as, Indian government decision-makers gathered on the first day of the three-day summit to exchange ideas and develop a narrative about the future of the Indian ed-tech sector and its function in leveraging learning to transform lives around the world.

Over three days, the summit will feature speakers including Hon’ble Minister Smriti Irani, Nandan Nilekani (Infosys), Sandhya Devanathan (Meta), Anant Agarwal (edX), Sandeep Singhal (Westbridge Capital), Vani Kola (Kalaari), Deborah Quazzo (GSV Ventures), Alakh Pandey (Physics Wallah), Vivian Wu (Chan Zuckerberg Initiative) Madan Pilutla (Indian School of Business), Rajendar Pawar (NIIT), and other eminent leaders from Blackstone, Accel, MIT, Harvard, upgrade, Simplilearn, Duolingo, Classplus and more.

INDIA, February 21, 2023: For the first time in the history of Indian weddings, Jeevansathi.com, the country’s leading matrimony brand, organized a one-of-its-kind surprise for a Jeevansathi couple on their wedding. As part of its campaign, #StringsOfLoveByJS, Jeevansathi collaborated with ‘Din Shagna Da’ and ‘Ranjha’ fame singer-songwriter Jasleen Royal who treated the lucky bride and the family – hailing from Indore – to a beautiful performance on the wedding eve. In order to successfully pull off this enormous surprise, Jeevansathi.com took the groom – from surat – on their side while keeping it a secret from the bride, wedding guests and everyone else involved.

Jasleen sprung a surprise on the bride by gatecrashing the wedding immediately after the Varmala, stunning everyone present and leaving them bowled over. The reactions that the gig elicited from the bride and her family were beautifully captured by the Jeevansathi team, who disguised themselves as the employees of an event management company while secretly ensuring that all preparations were on track and that the plan came through exactly as it was conceptualized.

Himani Bahuguna, EVP & Head of Marketing, Jeevansathi.com, said, “It’s a beautiful love story that took wings on our platform, and we, in turn, made their special day extra memorable by flying Jasleen Royal for a live performance at their wedding. Given it was a real wedding, planning a surprise of this magnitude wasn’t easy at all, but the reactions made it totally worth it! We would like to thank Jasleen for her amazing performance and the groom for going that extra mile in helping us pull this off. With the success of this plan, we are sure that we will continue to come up with more such unique initiatives for Jeevansathi couples to bring that extra love and smiles into their lives.”

Hardly able to contain her excitement, Jasleen Royal added, “When Jeevansathi came up with this idea of gatecrashing a Jeevansathi couple’s wedding, it got me very excited because I had never done something like that before. A big thank you to Jeevansathi.com for making me a part of someone’s special day and making it extra special for the lovely couple. It is heart-warming to see a partner go above and beyond to make everything perfect for their spouse, and I would like to commend Jeevansathi.com for taking that extra care to make this happen flawlessly!”

The success of this exceptional campaign reiterates why Jeevansathi.com is the best matrimony platform for people to find love and take their relationship ahead. As the leading matrimony brand in India for over 25 years, Jeevansathi.com has played a vital role in shaping the evolution of marriages. The brand ensures that everyone gets the right tools and experience on our platform needed to find their perfect life partner.

Gurugram, 21 February 2023: Signature Global, India’s leading real estate brand, announced the launch of three independent floor projects in Gurugram under its mission in 2023. An assortment of projects has been announced in Gurugram, including Signature Global City 93 in Sector 93, Signature Global City 79 B in Sector 79 B, and Signature Global City 92-2 in Sector 92.

On this occasion, Mr. Pradeep Aggarwal, Founder & Chairman, of Signature Global (India) Ltd. said, “As part of our expansion strategy, we are delighted to launch these projects in Gurugram. We have observed a paradigm shift as consumers nowadays increasingly favor open green spaces and amenities near their homes post the pandemic. As a result, our independent floors are equipped with state-of-the-art and modern amenities.”

“Aside from being known for impeccable construction quality, our projects offer desirable amenities at competitive prices . Furthermore, our company is deeply committed to providing Green Homes with open green spaces to promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. In light of the pandemic and global warming, we believe eco-friendly and sustainable living practices are more critical than ever. Therefore, our top priority is ensuring minimal use of natural resources and implementing green building practices. We are pleased to announce that these independent floors will provide EDGE (excellence in design for greater efficiencies) certified Green Homes to residents, reflecting our dedication to creating an eco-conscious living environment,” he added.

Spread over 17.31875 acres, the premium and luxurious Signature Global City 93 project offers a world-class lifestyle, unparalleled connectivity, conveniences, and comforts. The project offers 996 units of 2 and 3 BHK independent floors. The price of 2BHK independent floors commences at INR 7750000 and the 3BHK independent floors are priced between INR 97,57,000 to INR 1,18,19000 crore.

The second independent floors project, Signature Global City 79 B, is situated on a sprawling 12.4875 acres of lush greenery, providing a serene and unpolluted lifestyle away from the city’s commotion.

The project offers 776 units of 2 and 3 BHK independent floors. The price bracket for 2BHK independent floors starts at INR 82.81 Lakhs onwards, while the price for 3BHK independent floors ranges from 1.04 Crores to 1.19 crores.

Another independent floors project which is Signature Global City 92-2, occupies 8.3125 acres of land and provides 688 units of 2 BHK and 3 BHK apartments. The price for 2BHK independent floors begins at INR 75.75 lakhs onwards, while the price for 3BHK independent floors starts at INR 89.25 lakhs onward.

Renowned Padam Bhusan architect Hafeez contractor designed Signature Global City 92-2 and Signature Global 79B and Signature Global City 93 is designed by AEDAS. The interior designing part is catered by the internationally renowned interior designer Sonali Bhagwati. The project, therefore, is going to be a work of perfection amidst an urban location.

The strategic locations of these projects will keep the dwellers connected to NH-8, Dwarka Expressway, Golf Course Road, and Badshapur via Southern Peripheral Road.

These independent floors have been developed under state housing DDJAY policy provide a seamless range of over 25 amenities, including amenities like Forest Spine Virtual Concierge App, Free Wi-Fi, Cyber Lounge, Laundromat, Modular Kitchen, Digital Door Lock, Wellness Zone, Clubhouse, electric car charging stations, reflexology path, e-library, meeting room, yoga court, skating rink, open gym, badminton court, wellness zone along with other basic amenities. Also, all these projects are also offering a High Street Retail Hub i.e. Signum Plaza which will cater to residents’ daily needs.

Hyderabad 21st February: The fourth day of ELECRAMA 2023, the biennial electricals and electronics showcase of the Indian Electrical & Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA), witnessed an engrossing interaction session with Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida on 21st February 2023. The session was also graced with the presence of 12 start-up firm leaders whose organizations were shortlisted for this year’s much-anticipated ‘Electraverse Spark competition. The ceremony saw key dignitaries like Mr. Rohit Pathak, President, IEEMA; Mr. Hamza Arsiwala, President-Elect, IEEMA; Mr. Sunil Singhvi, Vice-President, IEEMA indulging in an open interaction with global industry leaders and experts in attendance.

Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, Govt. Of India, said, “I urge IEEMA to facilitate new programs and initiatives in small cities of north-eastern India including the likes of Jabalpur among others. When it comes to the Indian electrical industry, we’ve already done exports amounting to 10 million dollars and now aim to reach the 25-million-dollar mark in the future. With an acceleration in global efforts towards creating a sustainable future, I recommend the US and UK to exhibit events akin to ELECRAMA 2023 to contribute more efficiently towards the world’s sustainability needs. With this year’s edition of ELECRAMA focusing on reimagining energy for a sustainable future, I would like to stress on the need for quality over quantity, not only as our way of life but also as a defining factor for the future of this ever-growing industry.”

Mr. Rohit Pathak, President of IEEMA, said, “In the next 25 years, 50% of global energy consumption will happen through renewable sources. And, given the country’s preparedness and continuing efforts towards creating a future roadmap for energy transformation, I feel, the time has come for India to establish itself as a major hub for global power requirements. We appreciate that Shri Piyush Goyal, Honourable Minister-Commerce & Industry, Govt of India is here with us today and that he understands the significance of what we are trying to build through ELECRAMA 2023. This is the largest energy exhibition in the world with 1000 exhibitors, and buyers from over 75 countries. We, at IEEMA, are putting more emphasis on sustainability and green activities in order to create a greener nation and have a good influence on the world. The power industry has undergone a major paradigm shift, and it’s important for institutions to promote sustainable practices.”

Since its inception in 1990, ELECRAMA has grown from 250 exhibitors to 1,350 exhibitors over the past 14 editions and is proud to have a lineup of approximately 1,500+ exhibitors (from over 70 countries) in 2023. The ongoing edition will also host a series of events and exhibitors under the marquee events like World Utility Summit, eTechnxt, Change X Change – Reverse Buyers and Sellers Meet, DBSM – Domestic Buyer Seller Meet, and Buildelec.

21st February 2023: Hipi, India’s leading short video app that encourages creativity and passion, successfully concluded the voting phase for the viewers’ choice categories of the Zee Cine Awards 2023. Celebrating the excellence in Indian cinema, this collaboration offered Hipi users an exclusive opportunity to cast their ballot for their favourite celebs, movies, and songs. In addition, the short video app will also bring exciting celeb content from the red carpet of the award ceremony, exclusively for its users.

As a part of this association, Hipi enabled its users to cast their votes for the viewers’ choice categories in the Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Film, and Song of the Year of the Zee Cine Awards 2023.

The Award night will also witness the culmination of Hipi Stunner – India’s first digital fashion pageant. The six winners of this unique fashion pageant will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rub shoulders with their favourite celebrities, basking in the limelight of acknowledgment and stardom. They will also be accompanied by the gorgeous Nikita Anand, Miss India Universe 2003, the host of the six-month-long, Hipi Stunner pageant.

At the Zee Cine Awards red carpet, Hipi will engage and interact with Bollywood celebrities to create fresh and exciting new content as they make their way through the event. Users and fans will be able to access this exclusive content, featuring behind-the-scenes moments and fun videos from the red carpet.

Hipi has continuously brought forth such wonderful opportunities through ground-breaking challenges and contests, in which users can participate from the comfort of their homes. GBS Bindra, Chief Business Officer of Hipi mentioned, “Hipi has always aimed to provide a stepping stone for talented creators to reach for the stars. With contests like Hipi Stunner, Hipi G.O.A.T and the ongoing challenge, Hipi Lipsync Battle, the platform is teeming with opportunities waiting to be seized by any creator with a desire of making it big.”

New Delhi, 21 February 2023: At Andhra Pradesh‘s successful Investors Meet in Mumbai today, held ahead of its Global Investors Summit 2023, the government assures the fastest single-window clearance, usable coastline, ports, quality power, abundant land bank, state-of-the-art infrastructure to Maharashtra investors for collaborating businesses for growth.

By calling the state of Maharashtra, the largest economy in India, accounting for over 14% of India’s GDP and contributing to 20% of industrial output in the country, Shri. Gudivada Amarnath, Minister for Industries, Infrastructure, Investment & Commerce, Information Technology, Handlooms & Textiles, Andhra Pradesh, said that the industry meet would help improve cooperation between the growth-oriented, economic power-house states in the country.

“With its diversified portfolio across the industry (including sectors such as automobiles, chemicals, aerospace & defence, pharmaceuticals, textiles, etc), Infrastructure (ports, road network), IT/ITeS, Startup ecosystem, Gems & Jewellery, Finance, Tourism, the state boasts of the highest per capita income of $3,800 in 2021-22,” said Shri Amarnath.

“At the moment, 89 large projects are under active implementation with a total investment of INR 2.2 Lakh Crore (USD 27.54 billion) with the potential to create employment for 20,000 people,” he added.

Being the Champion State in Ease of Doing Business, and with the availability of large industrial land banks, 530 industrial estates, 293 industrial parks, 31 MSME parks, 6 special economic zones (SEZs), 3 information technology SEZs, and 3 major industrial corridors, Andhra Pradesh is a competitive investment destination on India’s east coast.

Talking at the Meet, about the state’s rich history of economic and industrial development across multiple sectors, that continue to contribute to the growth of India’s economy, Shri. Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Hon’ble Minister, Finance & Planning, Commercial Taxes, Legislative Affairs, Skill Development & Training, Government of Andhra Pradesh said that the state is taking big strides as evidenced by its economic growth, the state recorded a GSDP growth rate of 11.43%, which was the highest among all states in FY22 and in the last three years, the state’s exports have increased at a CAGR of 9.3%.

“Over the past few years, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has undertaken several path-breaking reforms and initiatives to strengthen governance, improve the business environment, promote policy stability, drive competitiveness, and enhance transparency, to boost the investment climate,” added Shri Rajendranath.

The government is also inviting businesses to set up shops to its vibrant city of Visakhapatnam which ranks among India’s top 5 cleanest cities as per the recent Swachh Bharat Rankings.

As per Shri Audimulapu Suresh, Hon’ble Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, present at the event, the city of Visakhapatnam is their biggest urban agglomeration. With a coastline that stretches for 85 km, Visakhapatnam is a growing port city with 20 million residents, 5.8 million households, and 681.92 square km of land. “The vibrant coastal city is cosmopolitan in nature and a hub for industrial, educational, and tourist activities attracting investments from Public and Private Companies that include Oil Refinery, Zinc, Fertilizers, Steel, Dredging, Heavy Engineering, Ship Building, and Power Generation. Large-scale industries said, Shri Suresh.

The state of Andhra Pradesh is showcasing its rich natural resources, large investments in infrastructure, land bank, and intensive reforms in rules and regulations at successful investors’ meetings in Mumbai. These efforts, taken together, position Andhra Pradesh as the state where abundance meets prosperity. The event is the fourth of many such meets that is being organized in the run-up to the Global Investors Summit on March 3rd -4th 2023 in Visakhapatnam.

The ministries, state government institutions, and officers from various departments had an open interaction with the investing community in Mumbai today. Promising to handhold potential investors and facilitate the fastest turnaround time. The presentations showcased the present and upcoming infrastructure and the conducive policy environment of the state. Agriculture, Agro-based industries, maritime sector, manufacturing, food processing, ports, IT and Electronics, handlooms, and textiles sectors attracted significant interest at the event.

Andhra Pradesh is India’s gateway to the southeast with its 974 km long coastline, the second longest in the country, 6 existing ports, and 4 upcoming ports. Coincidently, it has also emerged as the fastest-growing state in India, as per the number released so far, with double-digit growth of 11.43% in 2021-22. The state has embarked on a rapid growth path under the able leadership of Sri Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Honourable Chief Minister. Thanks to the governance reforms and formulation of investor-friendly policies by the government, the state has emerged on top in terms of ease of doing business (EoD) for three consecutive years.

Consistent improvement in the governance framework to create hassle-free investing is augmented by hard infrastructure. The improvements have been duly recognized and the state has received various awards over the last year alone. To name a few the LEADS award for logistics 2022, the Inertia Award for Energy 2022, the ET award for port-led, and the infrastructure project 2022.

The event was also graced by the key functionaries of state government including Shri. Sridhar Lanka, Advisor to the Andhra Pradesh Government, Shri Robin Banerjee, Vice Chairman, CII Maharashtra State Council,- Shri M. Govinda Reddy, Chairman, APIIC, Smt. Bandi Nagendra Punyaseela, Chairperson, APIDC, Smt. Sunitha, Principal Secretary, Handlooms & Textiles, Shri Saurabh Gaur, Secretary, IT & Electronics and Skill Development,- Shri Shanmohan, CEO, AP Maritime Board, Smt. Srijana Gummalla, Director of Industries, Shri Sridhar Reddy, CEO, AP Food Processing Society, Bharat Kumar Coo – AP food processing society, and Industry leaders from Tamil Nadu.

New Delhi, February 20, 2023: In light of the auspicious festival of Mahashivratri, Delhi-based NGO, Wishes and Blessings distributed 2000 milk glasses to the homeless and destitute children. The drive was executed by organizing a unique milk distribution drive across Delhi NCR, Jharkhand, Karnataka, and West Bengal on 18th February 2023.

Wishes and Blessings have been celebrating this holy festival in a distinctive manner for the last six years. The beneficiaries of this year’s milk distribution drive include street and slum children, homeless children living in night shelters, orphans, visually impaired children, and children with physical disabilities. The NGO welcomed kind-hearted and generous individuals to come forward and contribute to this unique initiative.

Commenting on the occasion, the Founder and President of Wishes and Blessings said,

“It’s in small moments like these that I realize the magnitude of the efforts of social workers and in moments like these that I realize that every effort contributes to making a difference. It warmed my heart to see the contentment of the little ones as they gulped the glasses of milk. What we take for granted is a luxury for so many of the lesser fortunate out there. I appreciate everyone who came forward to assist us in spreading joy and positivity to those in need.”

Anjali, a beneficiary from the streets of Delhi said,

“Mama told me that milk is very nutritious for young children like me. I am so grateful that the didis and bhaiyas came to distribute these refreshing glasses of milk to me and my siblings. I feel happy and stronger today!”

Since 2014, Wishes and Blessings have been spreading happy smiles amongst the underprivileged through their various happiness-centric programs.