All posts by Neel Achary

Business World

Bumble encourages single Indians to make the first move in new brand campaign

Nov 25, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #Bumble, #Bumble India PR Director, #Samarpita Samaddar, #the women-first social networking app

Mumbai: Bumble, the women-first social networking app, launched its new integrated campaign aimed at empowering and supporting its community to navigate the new rules of dating.

2020 has upended our lives in unexpected ways – redefining dating rules, navigating virtual and socially distanced dating etiquettes, and different approaches to relationships and mental wellbeing in this new environment. Bumble’s recent research found that one in two claim they are ready to go on a date in real life. However, 64% of the Bumble community claim that their dating life has significantly changed post the pandemic and 70% of single Indians say they are not comfortable navigating dating in 2020.

Bumble’s new integrated campaign encourages millennials and Gen Z in India to make the first move, and aims to support the Bumble community to navigate the new rules of dating in these challenging times. The campaign spans across various touch points including five unique digital films, conceptualised by The Script Room, which capture different stories of virtual and socially-distanced dating. Bumble kicked off the campaign with the first film, ‘For your eyes only’ last week, which will be followed by others slated to release throughout this month. Additionally, Bumble has partnered with a robust set of influencers across India to support its community to make the first move and forge meaningful connections as well as out of home (OOH) branding in shopping malls in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune.

Speaking about the campaign, Samarpita Samaddar, Bumble India PR Director said, “Even though 2020 turned our lives upside down, what didn’t change was the need to seek and build meaningful connections. We’ve learnt from our recent study that one in two people in India are ready to go on an in-person date now. Single Indians are navigating this new world of dating and redefining the rule book as India unlocks. With our new campaign, we want to support our Bumble community in navigating the new rules of dating, and encourage them to make the first move because falling in love is still an exciting possibility in 2020! Even though your dating journey might be a little bumpy, Bumble’s got your back!”

Bumble recently also launched three new dating badges in India to help people communicate how and what kind of dates they would like to go on: virtual, socially-distanced, or socially-distanced with masks.

Business World

Recently launched AI-powered start-up, KIKO TV, focuses on the growing social commerce market and re-positions its offering to an “Assisted Shopping” experience app

Nov 24, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #a recently launched AI-powered start-up, #Co-founder and CEO, #KIKO TV, #Shivam Varshney

Mumbai: KIKO TV, a recently launched AI-powered start-up has today announced its repositioning from a short format video app to an assisted shopping experience app. KIKO TV is now India’s first AI-powered video and live commerce platform for an “Assisted Shopping” experience.

The platform which was launched a few months ago, amidst the pandemic, has been witnessing a 30% month-on-month increase in the social commerce vertical and will now be focusing on the growing market opportunities present within the same. The start-up will be investing heavily in building the same by acquiring a larger user database and building an aggregator community for sellers.

In the current pandemic, with buyers not able to go to retail outlets or malls to shop, the experience of shopping is missing. Buyers are looking to get a live shopping experience digitally from their favourite stores and brands and KIKO TV aims to fill this gap and provide a solution to this exact need by introducing a two-way live video communication stage between merchants and buyers. Users of the app can now enjoy a seamless shopping experience and discuss the product with the seller before purchasing it.

The social commerce market in India is growing at a tremendous CAGR of 50% and will soon be 5B$ market in India and 300B$ world-wide. Keeping the current #VocalForLocal and #MadeInIndia sentiment, KIKO TV will feature products from local Indian vendors only.

The new business model will be entirely spearheaded by Shivam Varshney, Co-Founder and CEO, KIKO TV, who will be responsible for bringing in partnerships, associations and newer ways of growth strategies. Shivam is an IIT Bombay Alumni and has been closely associated with KIKO TV since inception.

Speaking on the new business model and market opportunity, Shivam Varshney, Co-Founder and CEO, KIKO TV said, “With the social commerce market booming in India and all businesses looking at new ways of reaching out to customers, we foresees this as an excessively big opportunity to capitalise and grow in. Live bidding, live shopping, live interaction with the vendors is a space that is not tapped yet and holds the potential to thrive. KIKO TV will be focusing on this in the coming months.”

KIKO TV has been adding new features and updates on a regular basis to provide users a new experience every time they come on the app. The start-up is consciously putting in efforts to provide the best when it comes to Social Commerce. KIKO TV is available on both Android and iOS and the app has crossed 120k downloads since its launch, with a weekly increase in the active users by 20%.

Business World

Axis Communications recognizes the contribution of partners at the Axis Virtual Innovation Summit 2020

Nov 12, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #Axis Communications, #Axis Virtual Innovation Summit 2020, #Carl Malmqvist, #Director, #India & SAARC, #Ohtee Lee, #Regional Director SAP, #Sudhindra Holla

Axis Communications, the market leader in network video successfully concluded its annual Virtual Innovation Summit 2020, recognizing and rewarding its channel partner’s contributions in 2019 of India SAARC region. Going virtual for the first time, the summit was an interactive and engaging session that was represented by Senior Leadership from the company and key Axis channel partners who uphold and strengthen the Axis ecosystem.

The summit also marked the presence of Boudewijn Pesch, VP APAC, Carl Malmqvist, Regional Director SAP, Sudhindra Holla, Director, India & SAARC, Ohtee Lee, Director, Corporate Sales APAC who shared their vision and go-to-market strategy in making Axis Communications the front runner in technology to enable a smarter and safer world.

The summit recognized the contribution and dedication of partners through eight award categories. Inflow Technology Pvt Ltd and Johnson Controls (I) Private limited were recognized as the Best Distributor of India SAARC 2019 and Best Solution Partner India SAARC 2019 respectively. Region awardees included – Best solutions Partner Award (2019) to Chubb Alba Control Systems Limited (South Region), Nexgen Integrated Systems Limited (West Region), and Toshniwal Industries Private Limited (North Region). Optonet Technologies Private Limited won the Best Solutions Sales Partner 2019 while Synest Electronics Ltd was awarded the Best Solutions Partner SAARC 2019.
“Axis Communications is a channel-focused company, and our partners are the strongest backbone in ensuring our growth not just in size but also in value. We understand the pulse of the Indian market and work for hand in hand with them to take the company to newer zeniths. We owe a significant amount of our success to our partners and the annual Axis Innovation Summit is one such event to appreciate their continuous efforts,” added Sudhindra Holla, Director, India, and SAARC, Axis Communications.

Axis Communications highlighted the support given by the partners to strengthen the robust inroads that the company has made even in Tier 1 and 2 cities. Moreover, the partners’ during the pandemic had not faltered despite many logistical and travel challenges. This was an ideal platform to recognize some of their key contributions during the past year.

Customer references:
The company’s customers in India include Kolkata Police, Vivekananda Stadium, Scope Minar, Persistent, Davalbagh Educational Institute, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Novotel Shrem Goa, Café Coffee Day chain, Fortis Healthcare, Punjab, Indian Public School, Coimbatore and some key smart city surveillance installations like Junagadh, Kolhapur and Nanded.

About Axis Communications
Axis offers intelligent security solutions that enable a smarter, safer world. As the market leader in network video, Axis is driving the industry by continually launching innovative network products based on an open platform – delivering high value to customers through a global partner network. Axis has long-term relationships with partners and provides them with knowledge and ground-breaking network products in existing and new markets. Axis has more than 3,734 dedicated employees in more than 50 countries around the world, supported by a global network of over 90,000 partners. Founded in 1984, Axis is a Sweden-based company listed on NASDAQ Stockholm under the ticker AXIS. For more information about Axis, please visit our website www.axis.com.

Business World

D2C e-commerce sector witnesses 27.86% increase in new sellers from tier-III cities during the pandemic: Report by Shiprocket on D2C Festive season

Nov 11, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #and Co-Founder of Shiprocket, #CBO, #CEO, #D2C e-commerce segment, #Mr. Akshay Ghulati, #Mr. Saahil Goel, #Shiprocket

New Delhi: Just ahead of India’s grand festive season, Shiprocket, India’s leading tech-enabled D2C aggregator, has released a report on the state of the D2C e-commerce segment that details various aspects including new sellers, most popular online channel, top product categories, etc. Since the onset of the pandemic, Shiprocket has added several new sellers with 69% new sellers who joined after the global pandemic, availing the brand’s service in September.

The report is an analysis of shipment trends just ahead of the grand festive season in the D2C sector for a period between 1st September and 30th September, with a sample size of over 40, 816 sellers across the country.

The up-and-coming company also observed that the most popular sales channel for new sellers (17.92%) were social media platforms while for existing sellers, it was the online websites (35.19%). The second most popular channel for new sellers was offline channels (12.04%) and for existing sellers, it was noticed that social media (32.75%) was the next most popular sales channel. Shiprocket also noted that the top product categories during the festive season were personal care (18.45%), food and groceries (16.51%), apparel (15.09%), electronics (11.37%), healthcare (7.60%), household and cleaning supplies (4.59%), and jewelry (3.83%).

Speaking on the festive season report, Mr. Akshay Ghulati, CBO, and Co-Founder of Shiprocket said, “It is interesting that we are seeing an increased adoption of social media channels for online selling amongst new sellers during the pandemic. We expect that many of these sellers will now also set up their own website to help build their brands and increase online sales. This has been especially true in the personal care segment where we have seen a host of new brands emerge during the pandemic with unique product propositions. Shiprocket is an essential service to provide a superior customer experience and we expect to see strong growth even post the festive season as many of our sellers will continue to build their brands further.”

With a strong presence in tier-I and tier-II cities, sellers from tier-I cities accounted for 44.20% and sellers from tier-II cities accounted for 32.19% of the sellers on the Shiprocket platform. Sellers from tier-III cities constituted 23.16% of the seller base. Shiprocket also took into account the top cities for pick-up and delivery. The report found that cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Surat, and Gurgaon were the top cities for pick-up of goods. New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore topped the charts again for the most delivery of shipments with Hyderabad and Kolkata securing the 4th and 5th positions.

Shiprocket’s detailed festive season report also determined that the transactions, which involved cash on delivery had significantly declined in the post-COVID era as compared to the pre-pandemic times. The e-commerce aggregator witnessed 63.64% of male sellers on its platform and 36.36% of female sellers. When determining the most popular products, Shiprocket found that N95 facemasks, health and sexual wellness supplements, personal care products such as hair oil and hair shampoo, and kurtis were some of the in-demand products.

Speaking on the festive season report, Mr. Saahil Goel, CEO, and Co-Founder of Shiprocket said, “This is a time when the e-commerce segment is growing at a breakneck pace with the demand for home delivery skyrocketing. Our festive season report is aimed at analyzing the current position of the D2C sector and forecast its progress. We have noticed that as compared to September 2019, there has been a 160% increase in the order volume. We are also expecting that the festive season will bring in added value in terms of revenue, sales, and the number of sellers using Shiprocket. Our team of experts has predicted over 100% of growth in the volume of sales by 2021 and we will continue to expand our services to cater to small and medium sellers across the country.”

Incepted in 2017, Shiprocket works with MSMEs in the e-commerce sector, providing seamless shipping experiences across 27,000+ pin codes PAN India and 220 countries globally, leveraging cutting-edge technology. In addition to logistics, Shiprocket also offers other services such as packaging and warehousing to its sellers and is present across multiple cities in India.

About Shiprocket:-

Shiprocket is India’s largest eCommerce shipping and enablement platform for SMBs. The technology powers shipping and fulfilment for SMEs, D2C retailers and social commerce sellers in India. With 20 courier partners on board, the brand enables pan-India as well as international shipping deliveries. Its shipping solutions are available across 27,000+ pin codes within India and 220 countries across the world.

Launched in 2017, Shiprocket is on a mission to create a seamless logistics data platform that connects retailers, carriers, and consumers across national and international locations. In addition to offering Shipping Services, Shiprocket also provides a technology stack to help retailers integrate their shopping websites on Shopify, Magento, Woocommerce, Zoho, and others for work flow, inventory, and order management.

With a multi carrier API that allows sellers to manage orders, print shipping labels, and avail tracking information from multiple providers, Shiprocket also offers state-of-the-art fulfilment solutions. The brand also provides a robust post-purchase experience to consumers, resulting in higher engagement and lower RTO (failed deliveries). Aside from being a shipping solutions provider, Shiprocket also serves as a Cash on Delivery payment gateway. The company recently ventured into the fin-tech space with their lending product ‘Early COD’. Today,  Shiprocket is the force behind the country’s 1.5 lakh sellers who generate a GMV of more than $500M annually on the platform. The brand delivers packets to nearly 25M consumers annually and is growing 3X year on year.

Business World

City’s biggest Metro Hub at Kanjurmarg to boost residential realty in the area

Nov 5, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #Director of Runwal Group., #Kanjurmarg, #Mr. Subodh Runwal

With Maharashtra Government’s recent announcement to relocate the Metro car shed from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg, the Kanjurmarg site for the Metro depot is set to become perhaps the city’s biggest Metro hub if materialized.  The Kanjurmarg car shed will cater to four metro rail lines, including the proposed 45-km long Badlapur-Vikhroli (Metro 14) route, Colaba-Bandra-Seepz-Kanjurmarg (Metro 3), Swami Samarth Nagar-Lokhandwala-JVLR-Kanjurmarg (Metro 6) and Wadala-Kasarvadavali (Metro 4) corridors.

Recently, MMRDA held a meeting to discuss the transit-oriented development model for Kanjurmarg. “We have 102 acres and it is absolutely feasible to have multiple car depots on this land. The proposal is to have a double-decker car shed so that we can have more stable lines for the various Metro routes. In 5-6 years, Kanjurmarg will become the interchange zone for Metro lines. Through one site, we shall be able to provide easy connectivity to different parts of the city,” said a senior MMRDA official.

Sources said that apart from connectivity, the site will also be commercially developed, providing for offices and shopping malls.

The changing landscape of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region has ensured the rise of prime residential hotspots and one such area that has undergone metamorphosis in terms of infrastructure development over the years and emerged as a great investment avenue is Kanjurmarg. Reputed real estate developers have already established their footprint in Kanjurmarg owing to its future growth potential.

“With excellent connectivity due to Express Highway and the upcoming Metros, access to upmarket lifestyle spots, quality housing and extremely attractive real estate prices, Kanjurmarg is poised for an exponential rise similar to Powai. It is an extremely attractive option for luxury home buyers”, says Mr. Subodh Runwal, Director of Runwal Group.

Kanjurmarg has excellent connectivity with the business districts of Thane, Powai, Vikhroli, Andheri, Airoli and BKC as well as South Mumbai via LBS road, JVLR, Eastern Express highway, SCLR and the Eastern freeway. It’s strategic positioning on the central line provides easy accessibility to both the Harbour and Western lines of the city’s local rail network.

Post the development of metro hub, it can rightly lay claim the most coveted property investment hotspot tag. Today, it is a vibrant, pulsating suburb that boasts of well-developed infrastructure, remarkable connectivity and residential projects that adds a new dimension to luxury living. As compared to the other premium and adjacent destinations such as Ghatkopar, Mulund or Powai, the residential market of Kanjurmarg remains quite attractive.

Education

Leaders should act fast in times of crisis, says Dr. Brian Mcgarrie, University of Birmingham

Oct 31, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #Amity University Gurugram, #Birmingham University, #Dr. Brian Mcgarrie, #PB Sharma, #UK, #University of Birmingham, #Vice-Chancellor

Office of International Affairs, Amity University Gurugram organized a virtual webinar on “Leading & Managing Through Crisis: The Case of COVID-19” under the banner of “The International Expert Talk series”. The Session was delivered by Dr. Brian McGarrie, Director- Executive MBA Programs, Birmingham University, UK. Following the vision of our Hon’ble chancellor Dr. Aseem Chauhan on augmenting internationalization, AUG has an active interface with accomplished academicians across the world regularly.

Dr. Brian mentioned different types of crisis and also about various stages of a crisis which the organizations could face in their functioning. He gave some very lucid examples to explain some of the crisis that has affected the world before COVID 19. In the Indian context, he highlighted some of the disasters such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 and also the Bhopal tragedy that occurred in 1984. He emphasized that in such a scenario, the government must address challenges on three fronts – How do we address the health crises? , How do we address the economic crisis? And, how do we keep the business of the government operating? He suggested that the government should respond fast to recover and thrive from such crisis.

Amity University Gurugram Webinar

He raised a very important issue as to what does good leadership looks like during a crisis. The salient features that emerged from his discussion are- acting with urgency, communicating with transparency, responding productively to missteps, and engaging in constant updating. He further brought out a very relevant point where he emphasized that it is wrong to think that the work of the leader is to set a course and stick to it. He opined that leaders must constantly update their understanding of prior probabilities deliberately using strategies to elicit new information and learn rapidly as events unfold and new information comes to light.

Dr. Brian is the Executive Director at Birmingham University, UK. He teaches Crisis Management and Organizational Reliability and Resilience. Brian has recently taught in Singapore, Malaysia, India, Jordan, and Zambia and worked with Airbus on their World Class Leaders Programme and taught a Risk and Crisis Management Executive Programme for Singapore Social Services.

Prof. (Dr.) PB Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, Amity University Gurugram in his special address highlighted resilience that India is demonstrating in the handing of Covid 19. Leaders must act with urgency and they must acknowledge the crisis. Often delay in crisis creates unmanageable situations. Leaders must also act a tremendous amount of robustness on the policies and their execution.

The discussion was hosted and moderated by Vice-President- RBEF and Director- International Affairs, Prof. (Dr.) Gunjan M Sanjeev. While delivering her speech, she talked about the necessity of new leadership models to be adopted to lead through the crisis and managing organizations.

Several senior officials actively participated in the discussion -Dean-Students Welfare, Maj, Gen. GS Bal (Retd), Director-HR, Rear Admiral KK Pandey (Retd), Director-Admission and HoD-ABS, Prof. (Dr) Vikas Madhukar, Director-AIBAS, Prof. (Dr.) Rajesh Nair and Deputy Director- ASH, Prof. Arunagshu Bhattacharya. The session emerged as a great platform where all participants came forward enthusiastically to express their thoughts with the esteemed speaker.

This virtual event was coordinated by Ms. Shaivy Sharma, Office of International Affairs. The session was attended by over a hundred participants and was appreciated by the audience from both India and as well as overseas.

Business World

Over 50% of internet users in Asia will be using digital financial services by 2025

Oct 31, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #Cambodia, #Digital Financial Services, #India, #Indonesia, #Internet Users, #Philippines, #Southeast Asia, #Sri Lanka, #Thailand, #Unafinancial, #Vietnam
Analysts of the international fintech holding UnaFinancial revealed that more than half of internet users in the developing countries in South and Southeast Asia will be using digital financial services by 2025. Besides, by 2027 even digitally underdeveloped countries in the region will provide access to the Internet and digital technologies to 85% of the population.
The research considered the penetration of digital financial services in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri-Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
As the development of online financial services largely depends on access to the Internet, the analysts made a forecast of the maximum Internet penetration for each country first. This level can be as high as 81-85% depending on the age structure of the population.
UnaFinancial
Taking into account the Internet penetration rate of the previous years, as well as the government measures towards digitalization and the impact of Covid-19, the analysts have predicted that Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, India, and Sri Lanka will reach the maximum possible Internet penetration of 81-85% by 2025. The two remaining countries, Laos and Myanmar, will reach this level in 2027.
Given the year of the maximum Internet level for each country, the experts estimated the penetration of digital financial services. The forecast considered the share of the population having online financial accounts and the increase of financial inclusion during the previous years.
It revealed that in most countries, more than 50% of internet users will be using digital financial services by 2025-2027. In India, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia the level of financial services penetration will be especially high – from 62% to 69%. Meanwhile, in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar it will be relatively low. In these countries, the development of online financial services can be faster if the government takes a combined approach to develop financial technologies in terms of the legal framework and increase of digital and financial literacy.
Business World

Crystals: The Perfect Gifting Option

Oct 28, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #Dr. Priya Kaul, #Spiritual Life Coach

By: Dr. Priya Kaul, Spiritual Life Coach (Hope Creator).

The festive season is around the corner and we are all looking for the perfect gift for our loved ones. If you are one of those who wish to gift something truly precious and unique, think ‘Crystal’. If experts are to be believed, crystals have been a part of good fortune for centuries, and have a special place in many cultures. They not only heal the soul but also bring in positivity, good energies, and enhance the beauty and looks of the wearer.

When it comes to gifting crystals, there are different ways that people choose. Some prefer larger display pieces, while others choose tumbled pieces meant to be carried in a purse or pocket.  You may also gift from your own personal collection, passing on a stone with special meaning to you, or you can also shop a brand new one. You may also choose to gift it in the form of stylish jewellery, which the wearer will surely love and flaunt. Whatever your selection method, the intention should be to cleanse and bring in prosperity and peace in the life of the wearer. Have a look at the popular crystals, which you may choose for gifting purposes this festive season.

Smokey Quartz

If you are phobic to certain issues it is suggested to wear smokey quartz, as it helps dispel fear and anxiety. It is often called a wonderful practical stone, which aids in meditation and calming rituals. The beautiful deep brown gradient color gives a mesmerizing view for the perfect style statement as well.

Jade
Also called as “Dream Stone”, it helps you get insight into ritualistic knowledge, encourage creativity, and has dream-solving and healing effects. This stone signifies wisdom gathered in tranquility and is very effective in dispelling negativity and also boosts confidence.

Pukhraj

It protects you from evil and also provides marital happiness and satisfaction. For single women, it is highly recommended, as it helps provide a loving and prosperous groom, and nourishes the marital life as well.

Black Tourmaline

Potent, inky black, and with strong grounding forces, this jet colored stone is known for being a swallower of negative energies. It effectively helps absorb dark feelings and convert anxious vibrations into a positive spin that helps boost the soul in the long run. This stone is deeply connected to your base chakras and helps you feel safe and secure in the journey of life.

Carnelian

It’s a stabilizing stone, which restores vitality and motivation, and also stimulates creativity. It is believed that it helps in boosting courage, positivity, and apathy in the wearer. It also motivates the wearer to dream and achieve success in all walks of life. Carnelian is useful for overcoming abuse of any kind, build self-trust, and change life perceptions.

Amethyst

According to historians, the ancient Greeks used amethyst to help promote sobriety, both in body and mind. And since then, it has been considered as a calming and meditative stone, which is also an easily giftable crystal.  It radiates love and inner peace, and it is believed that it helps the bearer approach a problem-free of emotional attachment or prejudices.

Rose Quartz

It’s the stone of universal love that helps restore trust and harmony in relationships, and encourages unconditional love. It helps open your heart at all levels of life, make you understand the meaning of friendship and affection.

Azurite

It’s a deep rich blue color stone, which makes for a beautiful gift for those who wish to build inner vision and insight. It is believed that this precious stone helps cleanse and activate the third eye chakra, which can enhance and allow for greater creativity. It is often found with malachite, and they are even more effective together.

Business World

Beauty Industry to Lose $175 Billion USD in Revenue Due to COVID-19

Oct 27, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #Beauty Industry, #Fraicheur, #Ingrida Cerniauskaite

Consumer behaviour has changed significantly as the use of beauty products has drastically declined. Data acquired by Fraicheur.com indicates that for the first time in decades, the beauty industry is set to lose $175 billion USD in 2020.

Changing consumer habits reduce revenue for almost all beauty products

From the data, it is clear that COVID-19 has greatly changed the beauty habits of every customer. Due to work from home becoming the new norm, the use of skincare and makeup products experienced a significant decline of 20%. Personal care products are faring slightly better with only a 3% reduction in overall use.

As a large part of the beauty industry’s customers continue working from home, hope for complete recovery is slim. Data has shown that 90% of women use little to no makeup while at home which has greatly cut into spending on beauty products. As long as social activities continue to decline, a return to previous levels of consumption is unlikely.

Fraicheur CEO, Ingrida Cerniauskaite, said:

“COVID-19’s impact on the beauty industry is undeniable. Our acquired data shows that we are looking at a rare loss of revenue. Yet, there is hope in the online market. As our customers move towards shopping online, so should our businesses. With enough innovation and adaptation, we can greatly lessen the blow dealt by COVID-19 to our beloved industry.”

A chance for recovery seems to lie online. Innovative beauty solutions for the internet age might be able to hasten the recovery of the industry.

Read the full story with statistics here: https://faceiceglobes.com/blogs/news/beauty-industry-to-lose-175-billion-usd-in-revenue-due-to-covid-19

Business World

Event industry will bounce back: Rakhi Kankaria, Neeraj Thakur, TCEI President and Secretary

Oct 24, 2020 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #Telangana Chamber of Events Industry

Hyderabad: The Telangana Chamber of Events Industry (TCEI), a nonprofit body of event management professionals presented on Saturday in the city at Hotel Hyatt Palace, Road No . 1 Banjara Hills,  TECI Stri Shakthi Awards 2020 to Women achievers from the most unusual fields, in the events industry vertical.

Rakhi Kankaria, President of TCEI said, it is the most sought after honour to the deserving women of our industry as there is no platform to recognize their talent exclusively in the event industry.

Though women comprise 30 per cent of the event industry, they are the most creative brains behind many successful events  and the creativity, Rakhi said.

The event industry was the worst hit because of the pandemic. Through this kind of small, small events we want to instill confidence in our clients that hosting events is safe under new normal. We follow strict SOPs, so our events are very safe added Neeraj Thakur, Secretary General of TCEI.

This was the 3rd edition of the awards. The awards were given away in two different categories–Stri Murti Awards 2020 and Stri Shakti Awards 2020, Rakhi Kankaria informed.

Stri Shakti Awards 2020, Rakhi Kankaria

Playback Singer Bhargavi Pillai; the city’s top Emcee(Master of Ceremonies) and founder of Star Ventures Meher Aria; Director of Vedic Events Ms Prasuna,  wedding planne for SS Rajamouli son’s wedding recently; young and dynamic BNI Executive Director, Sanjana Shah, who being just in twenties runs seven different businesses successfully and Founder of Pinnacle Group of Hotel Management Colleges, who founded a college twenty years back Ms Sridevi Yerroju were bestowed with top honour with Stri Murti Awards.

Another 25 distinguished women achievers were given away Stri Shakti Awards. Some of these include: City’s top birthday event organiser Jyoti Varma Addala; Michelle J Francis, head of Placements of NITHM(National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management); Rupa Sureka of Celebration Makers and others.

Sanjana Shah who just stepped out of her home in last nine months to receive the award said, women are naturally multi taskers. Sanjana who is just under thirty runs 7 businesses successfully and heads BNI as its regional Executive Director. I am a born networker. I prefer connecting people she said. She is fast spreading BNI network in the city with 31 clubs.

Meher Aria said that she is into event industry for the past 22 years and counting. Nothing is impossible is my manthra for success. She told women to unleash the champion in them.

A woman, they say, not as strong as a man.  A woman they say, can’t do what he can. But, women proved otherwise. They entered into those fields which until now are considered as men only professions. We have handpicked a few outstanding women for the coveted awards. In TCEI we have 350 members, but we need more women she said.

Neeraj Thakur said Navratri is the celebration of Woman Power – Shakti, or the female (Strī) principle of Nature (Prakriti). Navratri festivities are dedicated to Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati – the three feminine icons symbolising power, wealth and knowledge. TCEI Women Entrepreneurs’ Club takes the Navratri/Bathukamma festivities to the next level by instituting the  awards.

According to Neeraj Thakur, Telangana has 1100 event management companies. About 5500 associates or allied companies support event management industry. Nearly 50 lakh people depend on event industry in Telangana. We will showcase more such small events to build customer confidence in events, he shared.