Airtel Bengaluru runs the “first virtual marathon in the city”

 

 

Bengaluru 29^th November 2020 : Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM), since its inception, has held India’s flag high; representing its sporting spirit and generosity. On Sunday, 29^th November 2020, the world’s most prestigious half marathon, showcased the resurgence of the sporting India to the world from the streets of Bengaluru.From across the globe, runners joined via the exclusive Airtel Delhi Half Marathon Mobile App. 

  

This ADHM is special for Team Airtel Karnataka as the team ran together for a cause. The employees raised funds towards the education of girl child through India Cares and Bharti Foundation.   

  

The organizing team followed all the highest levels of safety-standards, to ensure a safe race for all the runners. About 100 team members participated in the 21k run which started from the Airtel office on Bannerghatta road with a roundabout near Bannerghatta park which culminated at the office.    

  

ADHM is one such platform that helps us connect with individuals who wish to bring about a change by combining their passion for running and their will to make a difference. The Foundation has been working in the space of education for underprivileged children through the Satya Bharti Schools, aiming to bring up confident, caring and contributing citizens of the future.       

  

C. Surendran, CEO – Bharti Airtel, Karnataka says, Participating in a run in namma Bengaluru with the warmth and hospitality of the citizens, the run was memorable. I was excited to run with my Team from Airtel. It’s a never done before sporting event.  To witness Bangaloreans on the race track amidst all the challenges in these hard times was thrilling. 

 

 

BR Shetty’s Controversy Ridden Jog Fall Project Scrapped by Karnataka Cabinet

Bengaluru, September 5, 2020: 

In a big announcement, the Karnataka state cabinet scrapped an agreement with BR Shetty Ventures to develop Jog Falls, on the plea that
there was no progress in the project. Owned by Dubai-based businessman BR Shetty,
the agreement had been signed in 2016 at a cost of Rs 450 crore. This comes soon
after debt-stricken BR Shetty, founder of Dubai based NMC healthcare has been
alleged to have misrepresented his shareholdings in the company and is definitely a
reflection of Shetty fast losing his credibility in the eyes of Indian government.
The agreement had been in the eye of the storm ever since the Cabinet gave its nod to
the project. With no financial commitment on the part of the state government, the state
Cabinet decided to allow Shetty’s firm to invest on its own and facilitate tourist flow to
the falls. While Shetty’s firm agreed to all the terms and conditions set by the state
government such as getting the necessary clearances and not setting up a resort
around it, what really whipped a controversy was the fact that despite promising such a
huge investment, the businessman really did not ask for anything else in return.

Punjab National Bank “salutes Teachers on the Teacher’s Day”

 

 

Bengaluru, 5^th September 2020 : Teachers’ Day is about celebrating the vital role of teachers in crafting young minds, guiding, nurturing, and shaping a progressive future. The objective is also to express gratitude, respect, and appreciation through recognition of the efforts of these architects of the nation. Punjab National Bank, India’s second largest bank today awardedteachers nationwide for their exemplary and distinguished services in the field of education.  

 

PNB officials across the country invited teachers, principals and retired teachers from the government schools, universities, and various educational institutions. In an initiative to honor their role and contribution, PNB’s senior officials across 13000 branches felicitated teachers with shawls and teaching materials like whiteboards and stationery items. The gesture aimed to acknowledge them for improving the quality of education and instilling integrity, imparting knowledge, and discipline in young minds.  

 

Teachers are also one of the warrior groups of Covid-19. As a responsible bank, PNB continuous to encourage and support, to those who are instrumental and dedicated to social and societal reforms.  

 

Below are the details of the activity:  

1. Felicitation of Vice chancellor, Ranchi University on auspicious occasion of Teacher's Day by Circle Head, Ranchi North, Sri Rati Kant Tripathi & Chief Manager, Sri Sanjay Kumar. (photo 1) 
2. Felicitation of a retired Headmaster of Nimpur ME School Jagatpur Cuttack by CH Cuttack Sri Bhanja & LK Mishra Head of GBB & CAC ZO Bhubaneswar at Bo-CDABIDANASI Cuttack (photo 2) 
3. PNB senior officials of Srinagar zone felicitating teachers (photo 3) 
4. PNB senior officials of Odisha, Baleshwar felicitating teachers (photo 4) 
5. PNB senior officials of Bhopal felicitating teachers (photo 5) 
6. PNB senior officials of Delhi felicitating teachers (Photo 6) 
7. PNB officials felicitating college director and senior teachers of SGSITS College Indore (Photo 7) 
8. PNB senior officials of Guwahati felicitating teachers (Photo 8) 

 

Website: https://www.pnbindia.in/ 

 

WINZO CLOSES SERIES B; BRINGS GLOBAL GAMING INVESTORS TO INDIA FOR THE FIRST TIME

Bengaluru, 3rd September 2020 : With the goal of disrupting Bharat’s vernacular entertainment, WinZO has announced its $18MM Series B investment round led by global interactive entertainment fund, Makers Fund based in Singapore, and New York based Courtside Ventures. Both funds are making their first ever investment in India through WinZO. WinZO plans to strengthen its content pipeline, captivate mobile-first consumers and their gaming needs, and become the go-to gaming app in India. The company’s revenue has grown 1500% and acquired 20MM users in the last 12 months, on the back of a strong word of mouth,product market fit with players who spend more than 45 minutes everyday on WinZO’s platform. WinZO has achieved this on the back of their dense network of vernacular micro influencers and 30+ partner Game Developers through which it strives to become the go-to Gaming platform for Bharat. Makers Fund is a global interactive entertainment focused venture capital fund based out of Singapore with over 30 investments across North America, Europe, and Asia; this is Makers' first investment in India. Regarding the investment, Michael Cheung, Partner at Makers Fund shared, “WinZO is at the heart of India’s gaming evolution, a geography we’ve been tracking for some time. Paavan and Saumya’s success through a hyper-focus on their player ecosystem is evident, and a clear asset as they accelerate their growth.” Kalaari Capital, which first invested in WinZO in 2018 and led the company's Series A in 2019, also participated in the round. WinZO is Kalaari’s second largest bet in gaming after Dream11. “Mobile gaming is a large opportunity in India, and in a short span of time, WinZO has built a high quality vernacular gaming platform for the masses. We are really proud of their progress & their superior metrics (retention, time spent, etc.) that are a true reflection of customer experience. We are very excited to partner with Makers and Courtside in the next leg of WinZO's journey and bring superior entertainment to the next 200M gamers,” said Rahul Garg, Principal at Kalaari Capital. Paavan Nanda, one of WinZO’s co-founders said, “With Series B funding, we are thrilled and humbled to welcome like-minded business partners into our WinZO family. Along with their network, support and fresh financing, we are confident we can propel WinZO even further as a business and become an even more lovable product for our customers. It’s time to put all the learnings and experiences of the past toward building something huge!" Revant Bhate, FinAdvantage, Indigo Edge -exclusive advisor to WinZO, and Co-founder Paavan Nanda and Saumya Singh Rathore also joined the round 

About WinZO: WinZO is the largest vernacular gaming platform in India, launched in early 2018. The company partners with third party game studios to host their games on their Android app, creating a Netflix-like experience for users, who can enjoy multiplayer formats with their friends or strangers in a localized fashion. The platform is available in 12 languages with over 25+ million registered users. Clocking over 1 billion micro-transactions per month, WinZO offers 70+ games across various multiplayer formats. This vernacular social gaming platform focuses on building a community of gamers and game influencers in Tier 2 – Tier 5 cities of India. WinZO is designed to deliver strong positive unit economics in the Indian gaming ecosystem, which experiences one of the highest engagements globally, through a unique micro-transaction led model. WinZO was founded by Paavan Nanda, a second time entrepreneur, and Saumya Singh Rathore. It boasts a team of 40 members, making it one of the leanest startups to raise Series B financing of this order. 

About Makers Fund: Makers Fund is a venture capital fund dedicated to furthering the growth and innovation in the global interactive entertainment industry. It supports founders by combining deep industry experience globally with multi-stage investment across seed to series B. About Courtside Ventures: Courtside Ventures is a New York based venture capital fund backing founders that are transforming the intersection of sports, technology, and media. Built on the backs of highly specialized sports and media entrepreneurs and investors, Courtside Ventures look to utilize their industry networks and deep domain knowledge to bring value to their companies

Sportz Village aims to make screen time more productive for children with its “Active Club program”

 

 

Bengaluru, 1^st September 2020 – We all are well aware of the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has not only had a major impact on the global economy but also has tremendously disrupted our lifestyle. Children are no different; they have been confined within their homes. A survey has revealed that there has been a 100 percent increase in the amount of time children spend in front of screens because of the lockdown.  

 

It has being observed that children who spend a large amount of time in front of the screens may be at a risk of developing myopia or becoming overweight, due to the lack of sufficient physical activity. Parents, at present, are worried about the fact that majority of the screen time consumed by children is unproductive and they have been seeking various avenues to ensure that their child’s screen time is utilized more productively.  

 

Keeping in mind the above concerns, Sportz Village, India’s largest youth sports platform has developed a special program called Active Club, for children between the ages of 4 to 19 years. Through this engaging fitness and skill-based program, Sportz Village aims to keep children physically active in the comfort of their own homes and nuture their sports journey. The Active Club program has garnered the trust of more than 1,200 parents in a short span of time.  

 

With schools being closed for an extended period, a shift has been observed from offline to online space as far as academics is concerned. However, the same transition has been slower with regards to sports and physical education for children. COVID or No COVID children still need to play for their health, immunity as well as happiness and make their home, their new playground.  

 

Benefits of Active Club Program:  Better Physical Health  Better Mental Health  Opportunity to Interact with Peers

The Active club program intends to bridge this gap and include sports and fitness as a part of a child’s daily routine. The Active Club program not only ensures that children get to play and have fun but also lay a foundation towards their sports journey. The instructor-led program revolves around getting children and parents to subscribe to different online training modules wherein certified trainers would train the children on various age-appropriate, sports-specific and fitness activities.  

 

Moreover, since the child would be performing the physical activities at a particular distance from the screen, the probability of straining one's eyes is reduced.  

 

John Gloster, who has been associated with international cricket for the last 22 years, most notably as physiotherapist to the Indian Cricket Team from 2004 – 2008, and Saumil Majmudar, Co-Founder, CEO and Managing Director, Sportz Village, have been instrumental in the development of the Active Club program.  

 

Speaking on the fitness aspect and his association with the Active Club program, John Gloster, Chief Quality and Performance Officer, Board Advisor, Sportz Village India said, “I am glad to be a part of the Active Club program. It is an innovative way of engaging with children.  

 

 

 

As a professional trainer, I feel that children at a young age should inculcate the habit of engaging in different sports and physical activities. Sports not only ensures a disciplined lifestyle but also helps to inculcate several social-emotional skills in children such as teamwork, leadership and confidence.” 

 

Speaking about the Active Club program, Saumil Majmudar, Co-founder, CEO and Managing Director, Sportz Village said, “We aim to revolutionize the way fitness and sports can be implemented in a child’s routine. With children spending most of their time in front of the screens, it is important to make sure that they utilize their screen time productively. Children’s h 

ealth and fitness have always been a prime focus for us, and we have ensured that the best set of fitness experts and trainers are involved so that a child can engage with as well as enjoy the sessions. Our objective is to motivate the children to stay fit and active COVID or No COVID.”  

For more Details:- https://www.sportzvillage.com/   or  https://www.activeclub.in/ 

Jaypore partners with Creative Dignity to help artisans sell online

 

                                                                                  

 

Bengaluru, 31^st August 2020: Jaypore, from the house of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, has collaborated with Creative Dignity to ensure the artisan community reaches customers digitally. The brand will offer its wide-reach and a pan-India customer base through its ecommerce platform to the artisans giving them access to new markets and sustained livelihood opportunities. 

 

Jaypore has partnered with Creative Dignity, a zero-margin voluntary platform, to provide relief to artisan’s community severely hit due to COVID-19 pandemic. Under the 'Artisan Direct' campaign of Creative Dignity, the collaboration will feature work of over 250 artisans on their website over a period of time giving these artisans a platform to sell their products to customers from across the country.
 

 

Creative Dignity and Jaypore will help the artisans boost their business by also providing them with training in the field of ecommerce including templates for catalogue making, photography, pricing, and logistics management. The sales campaigns are being promoted by FICCI FLO at the national level. The brand will not only provide an online marketplace to these artisans for marketing their products but will also engage with them to train on making the products more attractive, appealing, and sellable across the ecommerce platforms. These training programs are backed by the volunteers from premier Design Institutes in India as well as designers and NGOs. Continuous training is being given to the artisans by expert volunteers in their villages that usually has limited facilities. 

 

Rashmi Shukla, Brand Head, Jaypore says, “Jaypore as a brand has always been vocal about local since inception. India’s rich Craft and Craftsmen are at the heart and soul of the brand. We have always taken pride in providing a platform to the Craft and Artisan community to showcase India’s exquisite craft heritage. The ongoing pandemic has posed a severe challenge of sustenance to craftsmen across nation, endangering our craft and talent. We have partnered with Creative Dignity to support the craft community, by doing a non-profit engagement so that these artisans get the maximum benefits. This collaboration will help us stimulate the handicraft environment in the country and ultimately strengthen our collective national motto of 'Make in India'." 

 

“The first edition which was recently concluded was of immense interest to Jaypore’s audience, the product being artisanal and completely in line with what our customers look for. We showcased products like sarees in ajrakh block prints, bandhani sarees, mud mirror work accessories, leather bags and more”, added Rashmi Shukla. 

 

The Artisan Direct Campaign is being undertaken across India in collaboration with multiple online platforms, of which Jaypore is an important partner. This crisis is also a time for collaboration for survival of the most vulnerable. The campaign enables artisans to become digitally aligned while online partners voluntarily reduce margins to create attractive offers to consumers during the campaign periods. It becomes a win-win for all, as consumers shop feeling good about helping artisans and still getting good prices on the products.  

 

“The first batch of artisans on boarded on the Artisan Direct Campaign – Gujarat Edition, are already seeing results. They have been able to move stocks quickly and we are feeling so overwhelmed with everyone’s support in putting this together. Times of crisis help to bring out the best in us – we touch our humanity once more,” said Meera Goradia from Creative Dignity. 

 

Jaypore will be bringing a positive impact on about 250 artisans with this initiative over a period of time. The brand has tried to reach out to smaller enterprises who lack their own supply chain backend, women led enterprises and artisans which had built-up inventory and those who were most vulnerable owing to their financial need. Jaypore is planning to engage with these artisans on continuing basis even post the campaign and also plans to extend support to the artisans across the country in the near future.  

 

All products of the artisans are available for purchase through the ‘Direct to Artisan’ page on Jaypore.com  

 

About Jaypore: 

Jaypore is one of India’s leading destination brand for all things Craft and Artisanal across Apparel, Exquisite Jewellery and beautiful Home products. India has a rich heritage of handmade crafts and traditional products. Jaypore as a brand is committed to design, source and retail authentic Indian products suited for a modern lifestyle. The brand sources from more than 70 craft clusters and curates it on its beautiful website Jaypore.com and two stores one each in Delhi and Bangalore. In a very short time, the business has earned high respect amongst the craft vendor community for showcasing products in all its glory and amongst connoisseur customers for making craft accessible. The brand runs an eponymous label called Jaypore and also aggregates other artisanal based brands on its portal. Jaypore ships worldwide and has a global audience. At the heart of everything we do is the commitment to offering sustainable products that elevates your everyday life.  

 

About ABFRL: 

ABFRL is a part of USD 48.3 billion Aditya Birla Group. With revenue of Rs. 8,788 cr. spanning retail space of 8.1 million sq. ft. (as on March 31, 2020), it is India’s first billion-dollar pure-play fashion powerhouse with an elegant bouquet of leading fashion brands and retail formats. 

The Company has a network of 3,031 stores, presence across approximately 25,000 multi-brand outlets with 6,500+ point of sales in department stores across India.  

It has a repertoire of leading brands such as Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly and Peter England established for over 25 years. Pantaloons is one of India’s largest fast fashion store brand. The Company also holds exclusive online and offline rights to the India network of California-based fast fashion brand Forever 21. The International Brands portfolio boasts of - The Collective, India's largest multi-brand retailer of international brands and select mono-brands such as Simon Carter, Hackett London, Ted Baker, Ralph Lauren, American Eagle and Fred Perry. 

ABFRL’s portfolio of regional brands includes ‘Van Heusen Innerwear’. Additionally, the company closed two strategic investments in branded ethnic wear business with Jaypore and Shantanu & Nikhil. 

OPPO launches A53 with 90Hz Punch Hole Display, 18W fast charge for faster and smoother experience

 

National, 25^th August 2020 – Committed to strengthen its leadership in the pocket friendly segment, OPPO a leading global smart device brand today launched A53 in the Indian market. Engineered to deliver fast and seamless user experience, A53 is OPPO’s first smartphone with 90Hz refresh rate and 120Hz Touch Sampling rate in the pocket friendly segment that comes paired with a 6.5-inch Punch Hole -Display, a 5000mAh battery and 18W Fast Charging. The device will be available in 6GB+128GB and 4GB+64GB variants at a price of INR 12,990 and INR 15,490 respectively. Crafted to offer an experience at par with flagship smartphones, the device will be available starting 25Th August 2020. OPPO A53 is the sleekest phone in the market with a 5000mAh battery and the brand's first smartphone with 90Hz refresh rate under the 15k price segment.

 

Aimed to meet the evolving needs of the customers in the pocket-friendly segment, OPPO A53 will further take forward the legacy of its popular A series. OPPO A53 delivers a faster and smoother experience with the a 90Hz Screen refresh rate. Crafted with a 3D-curved Iridescent Wave Design, OPPO A53 houses a massive 5000mAh battery paired with 18W Fast Charge along with a 6.5-inch Punch-hole Display for an enhanced viewing experience. The device comes packed with a 16MP AI front camera and a 13 MP AI triple camera set up on the rear side to capture clear details with a

professional bokeh effect.

 

Smooth and Immersive Entertainment Experience

OPPO A53 boasts a Punch-hole Display that has 90Hz Screen refresh rate and up to 120Hz Touch Sampling rate for a smoother experience. The 90Hz refresh rate enables a smoother animation with less friction when scrolling through photo albums, Internet browsers and other apps.

The device sports a 6.5-inch HD+ screen accented by a single punch hole design that not only maximizes the screen’s real estate but also offers eye protection that makes viewing experience on A53 more comfortable under the sun. With AI Brightness, the screen of the smartphone is equipped to automatically adjusts the backlight based on how it learns its user’s brightness preferences.

To further elevate mobile entertainment experience, A53 is equipped with a pair of Dual Speakers combined with Dirac 2.0 - the state-of-the-art digital sound correction technology that delivers a superior acoustic effect while gaming, listening to music or watching a film.

 

Supreme Power and Fast Performance

Powered by a large 5000mAh battery, A53 comes with a high battery capacity that can get you through the day until the evening on just a single charge. Paired with 18W Fast Charge, you can enjoy the day without worrying about running out of power.  OPPO A53’s Super-power Saving Mode further helps to extend the battery life of the smartphone through a series of power-saving strategies, while Sleep Standby Optimization performs ultra-power saving optimization at night.

 

To ensure fast performance, A53 comes packed with Qualcomm's Snapdragon octa-core 460 processor, which is among the first batch of octa-core SoCs announced in 2020 that offers an impressive mobile performance that's exceptional among its class for its speed and efficiency. A53 also sports 6GB+128GB and 4GB+64GB variants which can be expanded to 256GB through a 3-Card Slot that offers flexibility to store heavy data on the smartphone.

 

In addition to its powerful hardware, OPPO has introduced its first RAM+ Anti-lag Memory Optimization with the A53, which is an industry-leading anti-lagging algorithm. Available only in the 6GB Variant - It works by optimizing the algorithm to expand the cache storage on A53's RAM. Consequently, this can facilitate smoother operation of the system and eventually speed up the time it takes to open up an app. It also significantly increases the performance speed of A53 at a software level, even after prolonged use and running of apps continuously.

 

Experience that is Effortless and Efficient with the ColorOS 7.2

OPPO A53 comes with ColorOS 7.2 right out of the box, increasing the day-to-day usage efficiency of the user by giving them a fast and smooth experience. OPPO’s Music Party introduces a fun way to replicate surround sound and liven up any party by synchronously connecting multiple phones to the same LAN connection. The Multi-User Mode keeps the user's personal data safe and allows them to set up independent spaces to save password lock sensitive files. The exciting Icon Pull-Down Gesture on A53’s large screen helps the user to shrink app icons on the home screen with the help of their thumb while the Simple Mode enlarges app icons and fonts giving the user an experience basis their accessibility needs.

Outstanding and Comfortable Design 

Ergonomically designed to fit in one hand while offering a comfortable grip, OPPO A53 is perfectly crafted to pack a massive 5000mAh battery into a thin 8. 4mm enclosure. For an even more refined look, the 3D-curved Iridescent Wave Design of the device uses an integrated curved body. The device also integrates the Fingerprint Sensor into the back cover, enabling users to unlock phones easily and intuitively. To augment its premium look, A53 introduces new engraving and plating textures come in three different yet vibrant color options namely Electric Black, Fairy White, and Fancy Blue.

Capture Stylish Portraits with a Single Tap

Featuring a 16MP Front Camera and Intelligent Beautification algorithms, OPPO A53 is equipped to capture natural-looking selfies with stunning clarity regardless of the environment, skin tone, or lighting conditions. The device offers a Front Camera AI Beautification feature that automatically adjusts the skin tone to look natural and bright even in a dim environment. Users can also add make up effects matching their lip colour with Front Camera Smart Touch-up, or simply thin and smooth out their face and skin with the Front Camera Customized Beautification.

 

OPPO A53 also packs a 13MP AI Triple Camera set up on the rear of the phone, including a 13MP Main Camera, a 2MP Depth Camera, and a 2MP Macro Lens. Users can even zoom into the details and snap objects as close as 4 cm through its 2MP macro camera. The AI Triple Camera is also complemented by an array of stylish camera features including Portrait Bokeh, Dazzle Color Mode, and a dozen Stylish Filters that reconstruct colors within images for more vivid photographs and also adds a dash of flair to your daily photographs and videos.

 

Price, Availability and offers

OPPO A53 will be available for sale starting 25^th Aug, 2020.The 4GB+64GB variant will be available for ₹ 12,990 whereas the 6GB+128GB variant will be available for 15,490 in three color options - Electric Black, Fairy White, and Fancy Blue

 

The following exciting offers will be available to consumers in offline stores. Customers planning to purchase the device can avail a 5% Cashback Bank of Baroda Credit Cards & Federal Bank Debit Cards with No cost EMI upto 6 months along with exciting zero down payment finance schemes

 

 

About OPPO

OPPO is a leading global smartphone brand, dedicated to providing products infused with art and innovative technology. Based on the brand elements of young, trend-setting, and beauty, OPPO brings consumers superior experience of digital life through internet-optimized products that offer the best in class services. The brand started the era of Selfie beautification and has set itself apart by introducing the motorized rotating camera, the Ultra HD feature, 5x Dual Camera Zoom technology. OPPO's Selfie Expert F series launched in 2016 drove a Selfie trend in the smartphone industry. In 2017, OPPO was ranked as the number 4 smartphone brand globally, according to IDC. With more than 200 million consumers, OPPO's business has covered 40 countries and regions with 400,000 stores and has 4 R&D centers worldwide, providing excellent smartphone photography experience young people around the world. In 2018, with the launch of Find X, OPPO introduced a panoramic arc design with a screen ratio of 93.8%, the largest screen-to-body ratio in the mobile phone market today. In addition to this, OPPO recently introduced SuperVOOC flash charging technology with the launch of R17 PRO and strengthened its commitment to India by setting up an R&D center in Hyderabad with a focus on enhancing the smartphone ecosystem in India.