Archive: November 30, 2021

F5 appoints Saurabh Bhatia as a CTO

Mr Bhatia, an alumnus of BITS Pilani has 7 years of work experience in building software products

New Delhi, 30^th November 2021: F5 is India’s first workplace commerce platform, which targets consumer’s daily workplace needs and has recently received pre-series A funding led by Auxano Capital and other investors including Huddle, Lets Venture, Venture Catalyst. F5 is building a unique hyper-local ecosystem around the daily workplace needs of the consumer, market which is pegged to be of $100Bn market size.

F5 Refreshment stands with ARR 8.5 Cr+ with 10,000+ daily customers. The company has seen an exponential growth of 8x in business subscribers Post-Covid. It is present in 30 live markets in 2 cities (Delhi NCR & Lucknow) with a 80% retention rate.

Recently Mr. Saurabh Bhatia has joined the F5 as a CTO and Saurabh Bhatia will play a pivotal role in making F5 a technology company right upfront. In addition to scaling the tech team within F5, Mr. Bhatia has plans focused upon driving innovation given the unique business and user base of F5. Needless to say, this not only requires initiatives enabling product led growth at scale but also special consideration towards cloud-native infrastructure and streamlining of tech development processes itself as the organization gears up for its next act.

Mr. Saurabh Bhatia is an alumnus of BITS Pilani and he has been building software products, tinkering with tech, and architecting systems at scale for the last 7 years. Saurabh comes from a rich experience of developing and witnessing high-velocity enterprise-grade tech ecosystems up close. He is passionate about distributed systems, systems design, cloud-native engineering, and scaling tech org. at startups. Prior to F5, Mr. Bhatia has done his past stints at places like Noon.com, Oracle, and SS&C Technologies across multiple tech roles. He has also been mentoring young tech enthusiasts since long all through his journey.

On the joining of F5, Mr. Saurabh Bhatia, CTO, F5, says “ Tech is one of the most beautiful innovations of humans; as we sleep our codebases run 24*7 across the planet without any pause to keep this world in shape. In today’s modern businesses building software systems that push humankind forward is more of an art than science. I hope I will be able to add my bit in this next leap of tech.”

Mr. Raghav Arora, co-founder, F5, says, “At F5, we believe that tech is the kingpin. It is going to play a critical role in unlocking value by understanding and serving our current and enormously large potential customer base. Magic is just about to happen. We are delighted to inform the joining of Saurabh Bhatia as our CTO. It has been a pleasure working with him for last couple of years. His vision, expertise and execution has been critical is achieving what F5 has been able to achieve so far. His joining will surely strengthen us and unlock the enormous potential we are eyeing.”

Corelle India, for the first-time-ever gets into creating world-class retail stores in select modern trade outlets targeting 20 shop-and-shop models

Greater Noida, 30th November 2021: Corelle Brands LLC, an Instant Brands company, is a global leader in the kitchenware segment. Headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, the company manufactures and markets kitchenware products worldwide. Instant Brands, known for creating ingenious kitchenware solutions have world-wide footprints in over 40 countries. It also has an Asian entity Corelle Brands (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, based in Singapore, and other sales and distribution offices in Southeast Asia Greater China, Japan, and South Korea and a decorating plant and distribution centre in Malaysia. Corelle India recently entered into a distribution partnership with Stone Sapphire India Private Limited (SSIPL) to accelerate its growth plans in the Indian market.

Together with Stone Sapphire India Pvt Ltd, a renowned distribution maverick with a wide international brand portfolio from Disney, Mattle, Hasbro and flagship brand Skoodle, they recently participated in the HGH India 2021 exhibition, one of the largest home décor shows. Being held at Greater Noida, Corelle India makes use of this efficient platform to display its latest cookware brands, enabling it to connect with its trade partners and target audience. Displayed at the exhibition are brands from the family of Instant brands like Corelle, Corningware, Pyrex and Visions, all recognized for their innovative kitchenware products.

Amit Kararia, Consultant – South Asia representing Corelle India says, “By associating with Stone Sapphire Pvt Ltd at the HGH Exhibition, Corelle India aims to leverage its profound understanding of the national audience by launching futuristic product offerings. Foraying into the Indian kitchenware market at a time when cookware demand has been at an all-time high, has proved to be profitable, indicating a long-term growth for the brand. By introducing new product categories at the HGH Exhibition, the brand is on a constant endeavour to offer users with the widest range of offerings with captivating features, value-add, and performance.”

Shobhit Singh, Director, Stone Sapphire India Pvt. Limited says, “Indian market is hugely challenging owing to its diverse channel and region-centric behaviour with a compounding demand for high-end kitchenware. Tapping into this potential require brands to think local and be present at the right places with right partners. HGH would be a perfect platform to showcase our India specific range and meet the pan India buyers. Corelle India has been focused on sustainable growth but at the same time, is also fixated on optimizing cost and ensuring every penny returns a profitable-first purchase from consumers. HGH India Exhibition with its vast presence and opportunities for retailers and vendors has definitely spelled growth for the company. We are proud to be instrumental to bring new launches in kitchen appliances segment through product categories like SECA, air fryers air purifiers, air fryer oven and a range of instant pots along with 20 new patterns, especially for the Indian markets”.

Corelle tableware is the brands proprietary three-layered Vitrelle glass, fired to strong and lightweight finish and is break and chip resistant. Crafted in USA, the range provides ultimate strength, durability and beauty that can stand up to even the toughest cooking environments. The non-porous surface also resists bacteria, stains and odours and is easy to wash. A staple in the kitchen segment, CorningWare is indispensable for baking and serving. Visions cookware made of a see-through glass-ceramic material, is designed to withstand temperature extremes. Born out of innovation, Pyrex glassware are functional products designed specifically for contemporary end-users.

Winter at Tantora line up announced

Bocelli returns, music at Hegra, Outdoor Cinema, Desert Polo, Fursan Cup, AlUla Citrus Festival

ALULA, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, NOVEMBER 2021:

The very first music and cultural festival in the Kingdom returns to AlUla this December. The new six-week format runs from 21 December to 12 February and features an exciting curated program of international music, equestrian and gastronomy.

Kicking off the festival with style is the Tantora Celebration taking place in AlUla Old Town from 21 – 25 December which heralds the start of the winter season with an immersive light and sound show and roving actors.

A highlight of the festival will be the sophisticated new event Hegra Candlelit Classics. Located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hegra, an atmospheric set up with hundreds of candles lighting up the 2000-year-old intricately carved Nabataean tombs will provide a unique backdrop for a series of musical events on December 24th and 31st. The music will feature and be curated by Stefan Lombard, a renowned South African classical pianist. He has ensembled a team of global musicians to perform an exciting set of classical, contemporary, and Arabic music including violinist David Best, cellist Dorette Roos, and oud player Simon Stengel. The event promises an emotional and elegant east meets west experience.

Other immersive experiences in the heritage sites include theatre with a difference, taking place in nature or in the streets such as the Path of Poets performance in the cultural oasis, and The Traveller Ibn Buttuta in Old Town.

The AlUla Citrus Festival on two successive weekends in January will be a vibrant celebration of the produce for which AlUla is known. Festivities will include artisan market stalls and music and local farmers will showcase and sell their produce.

In an exciting new activation for cinema-goers, the new Cinema ElHoush offers an outdoor cinema setting in the AlJadidah district – a new arts precinct adjacent to AlUla Old Town – from December 23, 2021 to Feb 28, 2022. The cinema will operate Tuesday through Saturday nights offering a choice of two movies per evening. Movies will include those recently shown at Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival and will be premieres for the Kingdom.

AlUla has a long and deep history with Arabian horse culture and this year’s equestrian events will have something for everyone.

Taking place for the very first time is a new haute couture event Hegra Cavalry Fashion Show. Taking place on 27 January, this high-fashion event which combines modern-day style with ancient history takes place among the 2000 year old UNESCO World Heritage Site. The unique and intimate runway event has both four-legged and two-legged models strutting their style to impress fashionistas and horse-lovers alike. Serious fashion buyers will be walking away with exclusive one-off fashion statements.

On the 29th of January, the competitive Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Race returns for a third time. A demanding 120km horserace through the desert, this race sets the benchmark on endurance racing worldwide. The last time the race was run was February 2020, where 200 riders from 17 countries raced for 7 hours from sunrise to sunset through AlUla’s stunning desert landscape. The victory was for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his mare Utoufa de Lap (F3 Stables).

The inaugural AlUla Desert Polo event in January 2020 put Saudi Arabia on the map as a new and exciting polo destination. On February 11 and 12, the Royal Commission for AlUla supported by Saudi Polo Federation is delighted to host the event again in AlUla. Four teams will compete in the Desert Polo Arena once again featuring international polo stars as well as invited Polo patrons. Guests will be able to buy tickets to attend both days.

At Maraya, the AlUla Moments concert series will continue with an exciting mix of regional Arabic artists, as well as some familiar and some new international names making up the music program for Winter at Tantora.

AlUla favourite Andrea Bocelli returns to perform once again to his adoring Saudi and international fans. Back by popular demand, it will be the fourth time the maestro performs in AlUla after an emotional performance with his children in April 2020.

Alongside those already announced, regional artists include improvisational composer and singer Abdulrahman Mohammed, the Saudi artist who transmits via his YouTube channel launched in 2008 – his artistic experience in the world of improvisational and experimental alternative music. Abdulrahman is known for singing and composing music for traditional heritage Arabic love poems which are written in standard Arabic language, such as “Ya man Hawah”, and “Lamma tlaqaina”. Also, Abdulrahman’s experimental improvisational musical project “The Hope Will Never End” is documented on his YouTube channel and took more than 10 years to be completed. He performed in the most distinguished international theatres and in universities and participated in many of the alternative music festivals. Now Abdulrahman is on a date with his fans in AlUla to celebrate the new year on the stage of the world’s biggest mirrored building, Maraya.

Maraya will host next the prolific Egyptian composer, conductor and pianist, Maestro Omar Khairat, followed by a special concert for the Lebanese soprano and actor, Magida El Roumi.

The artists will all be performing at the newly enhanced Maraya, complete with new rooftop restaurant, Maraya Social.

DATES OF MUSICAL PERFORMANCES

• Abdulrahman Mohammed – 7th January
• Omar Khairat – 14th January
• Andrea Bocelli – 21st January
• Magida El Roumi – 28th January

Tickets for Maraya concert series for composer and singer Abdulrahman Mohammed, Maestro Omar Khairat and the super star Magida El Roumi go on sale today, November 25th.

Tickets for Bocelli and Hegra Candlelit Classics from December 2nd, while all tickets for equestrian events will be available for sale from December 12th.

To book your ticket, visit experiencealula.com

Anytime Fitness, World’s Largest Gym Chain is all set to take a leap forward with 100th gym

Anytime Fitness, the world’s largest gym chain open’s their 100th club in India, at Goregaon (West), Mumbai. On this occasion they are also rolling out their campaign “100 ka Swag” that resonates well with their 100th gym opening. Anytime Fitness is known for their global membership reciprocity, 24/7 Open, state-of-the-art equipment and member workout app., with certified & professional trainers.

Preceding two years, the gyms across the globe faced closures due to lockdown, Anytime Fitness was quick to comprehend and ricochet with their online solution, the AF Workouts App, for their fitness fanatics. AF is the only Brand in the country to proliferate during the tough stretch of COVID-19 with their rapidly expanding network of clubs.

The Anytime Fitness fraternity is submitted to the development and service of society. As the brand tagline says “Let’s make Healthy Happen” Anytime Fitness understands the importance of staying connected with the members, the Brand is all set to integrate the “Remote Coaching” facility into their pre-existing workouts app. The app is available on both Play Store and App Store for the exclusive use of its gym members and offers them round the clock connectivity with their respective coach.

The first gym of Anytime Fitness was inaugurated on 1 Feb 2013 in Model Town, Delhi. It marked the dawn of their splendid journey. From the opening of its first gym to its 100th gym, the brand has evinced consistency and endurance towards its clients. It has manoeuvred the magic of numbers with its sheer passion and dedication. They have exultantly inaugurated 100 gyms in 96 months over a period of 8 years, which averages to 1 new gym every month. Anytime Fitness is all set to double that number in the next year.

Anytime Fitness is the innovator of a 24-hour fitness facility and the first to break the barrier of time restraints. Anytime Fitness believes in the notion of fitness is meant for all, and not the prerogative of a few. The brand ensures a holistic fitness service, and their expert trainers work up a tailored fitness program for every individual client’s need. Be it a newbie or a seasoned fitness enthusiast, Anytime Fitness caters to every client’s personal fitness goal, making their sail to success facile and motivated. The new addition to the list of gyms flaunts top of the line machines and equipment to spark up the spirit of fitness and galvanize the ‘fitness freak’ to win the battle of fettle. With the help of a single key their 8 lakhs members across the globe, can reach out to their respective personal trainers for assistance, and with the same key, be privileged to workout in 5000 gyms across the globe which also includes 100 gyms of India. It offers a unique facility of portability and profligacy.

Similar to its other clubs and following the legacy, the alluring new centre of Mumbai is open 24 hours for the fitness freak to walk in at their convenience to work out. The brand offers personalized training sessions and group workout sessions according to the pre-requisites of the clients. The in-house fitness experts chalk out a workout regime that suits the client’s lifestyle workout goals by proposing necessary edits in their diet and nutritional intake. Anytime Fitness caters to a large number of phygital (physical and Digital) platform-based members who use both platforms to plan their workouts. With the use of a single key mechanism, AF intends to break the barriers of online and offline, to empower its client.

According to Vishal Kwatra, Director, Anytime Fitness India, “At ANYTIME FITNESS, we constantly endeavour to provide all fitness-related infrastructure and services in one place. AF is at the cutting edge of open wellness. In this critical time, we can emphatically affect lives in a health-focused framework. Society has been given a wake-up call with respect to their wellbeing and we are all geared up to support the health of all conceivably. The new addition in the number of the gym is a stage forward towards the objective. People are now more aware of their health and are more inclined to adapt to a healthy lifestyle, as good health is the best way to resilience.”

About Anytime Fitness

Anytime Fitness is the fastest-growing gym franchise in the world, averaging 300 new gyms per year while serving 8 lakh members at more than 5000 gyms and is the only franchise of any kind to have locations on all seven continents. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Anytime Fitness prides itself on providing its members with convenient fitness options and friendly, personal service in well-maintained facilities that feature top-quality exercise equipment. Anytime Fitness gyms are now open in 48 countries. All franchised gyms are individually owned and operated and feature the “Anywhere Access” policy which allows members access to any Anytime Fitness gym worldwide.

How can one rank their website internationally in one or many countries?

By Kunal Shah| Director | Rank My Business

The pace at which the world is going online leaves us with no option but to create a strong online presence. Not only have we come to need all the myriad platforms that we can have in the name of social media, but also a truly well-designed and communicative website that reels in the right target audience. However, most of us continue to face trouble when it comes to helping our websites rank, either domestically or internationally. When your company seems to be scaling up just right, your SEO strategy should scale up right too! Whether you believe it or not, this can help you exponentially boost the sales while you also gather the needed momentum in the market to go head-to-head with the best competitors.

This brings us to the most vital question of them all – How to rank your website internationally? Going global with your brand is a great choice, and all you need to set up a rewarding website that echoes your uniqueness and brand value is the right tips. With the rest of your business strategy and your target audience in mind, here are the simplest SEO plans to follow to make that dream virtual presence a reality. Nevertheless, it is vital to consider that you might feel a little lost setting up these initials too, and for the same reason here’s the terse advice to follow. 

Decide on the Target Audience and SEO Strategy

Whether you want to promote your services in one country, one continent, all over the world, or five chosen countries – this decision rests in your hands. This is to say that you need to decide your target audience based on how accessible, feasible, and vital they are to your growth. Once you have the dynamics of target locations, age-group, professions etc. figured out, you can carve a specific SEO strategy to do the trick.

This guide helps you plan your route to success when it comes to helping your website rank internationally and make a difference for your brand.

The Four Step Approach to International Visibility 

Let’s say you plan on running pet stores across all of Europe, or see yourself opening a chain of restaurants across Spain, Germany, and England. Or for that matter, you could see yourself as a successful business in one of the Australian suburbs, looking to expand to five. No matter which of these plans resembles your ideas (even if they do not), here’s a simple four step approach to help you do the trick.

 ●   Evaluate potential and competitors

No matter which sector or industry you wish to shake up, this is a requisite you simply cannot give up on. Evaluating the potential of success that your brand has in that particular region, and what your fellow competitors are offering will help you in a lot of ways. Initially, it can help you set up a conducive and welcoming website that somehow communicates the best of your brand to the user.

While your website revels in its sense of vibrant appeal, perfect content, and easy interface, and you keep it different from your competitors, it is also important to not leave behind the basics. In a nutshell, it is important to study your competitors for what not to do but most of us ignore the key takeaways on the front of what to do. Learn from your competitors and evaluate the two variables that have the power to determine your success before you get to the next step. 

● Conduct keyword research 

In the world of SEO, there’s a saying going around whether you see it or not: Keyword is the king! When it comes to establishing a strong website that attracts traffic, you can rely on secondary attributes such as the attractiveness of your brand and its loyal customer base only when you have the primary aspect of visibility sorted. Long story short: How will brand growth find its way to you if you’re simply not visible online? This is where the importance of regular and exhaustive keyword research comes in. You need to find out the keywords your competitors are indexed for, while you also decide which best workout for your SEO strategy. Several domain tools can help you execute this job with efficiency. It is also vital that you track the performance of your keywords from time to time and shuffle up your preferences as and when needed.

●       Think local while thinking global

Even if you have to communicate the same offerings in multiple countries, you need to localise the presence of your brand to invite maximum results. Your website will rank best internationally only when it takes specific care of local community interest. This means that you need to let all the parts organically make a whole while you do not paste the same strategy for growth anywhere and everywhere. Say you wish to expand your London based business to Russia, in that case, a simple translation of keywords is not what will do the trick for you. In fact, it could prove to be utterly insignificant and redundant. So, it is important to think local when necessary while you also develop an understanding about the kind of content that can work universally. Reading up on web localisation strategies can help you set up the right workflow when it comes to your website content.

●       Get the technical aspects in place

Deciding and executing the vital technical aspects is the last step. It should be borne in mind that this is an ever-demanding job as one constantly needs to revisit bugs or lack of responsiveness, and supply them with better strategies and designs. When it comes to the basics, here are essentials to not leave behind:

• Ideal website structure
• Decided server location
• Suitable Hreflang implementation

 Taking care of these parameters will help you put the best about your brand out there. Lastly, it is important to have a dedicated and refreshing team at work at all times to keep your brand significant and shimmering on the virtual front.

This basic strategy can help your website rank better in all target locations of your choice. It is also recommended that you put in comprehensive and exhaustive research into all technical variables and apply them based on optimum suitability. It is time to rule the online world with an evaluated and stunning SEO strategy, let your website do the talking!

Comeback of historic colours for all Porsche models

November 30, 2021: With its new Paint to Sample and Paint to Sample Plus options, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur is expanding its range of special exterior colours for all model series. The focus is on the availability of classic Porsche colours. For especially individual requests, there is also the option of creating bespoke shades to customer specifications.

“Unusual paint finishes have always been part of our brand since the very beginning. They are an important differentiating feature for some of our customers,” says Alexander Fabig, Head of Individualisation and Classic. “With this offer, we are reviving cult-classic colours and expand the extensive range by more than 160 shades across all model series.”

In recent years, the demand for custom-painted Porsche cars has risen sharply. With the newly available options, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur has significantly increased its offering in this area. To support the growing demand, a new colour-mixing bench has been put into operation at the main plant in Zuffenhausen, where paint specialists blend several dozen ingredients down to the last milligram to achieve the desired shade.

Paint to Sample: cult colours celebrate a comeback

As part of Porsche’s enhanced individualisation strategy, Porsche is renaming its programme: “Custom Colour” is now called “Paint to Sample”. This category includes predefined colours that have already been technically approved by Porsche’s paint specialists. Examples include Maritime Blue, Rubystar Red and Mint Green. These colourful choices from the 1990s enjoy cult status among Porsche fans. In the past, they were exclusively offered on the 911 (Type 964).

The new colour range is diverse and depends on the model series and production location. For the 911 and 718 model series, there are more than 100 additional paint colours to choose from. For the Panamera, Macan and Cayenne, customers can choose from more than 50 options, while a further 65 exterior colours complete the offering for Taycan drivers.

Paint to Sample can be ordered during the configuration process of a new vehicle at all Porsche Centres worldwide. Prices vary depending on the preferred model.

The further enhanced individualization programme is available from today and set to be integrated into the Porsche Car Configurator in early 2022. Online filter options, for example by colour family, and background information on the individual colours will follow in due course.

Paint to Sample Plus: extensive feasibility check

For especially individual colour requests, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur goes a step further: with Paint to Sample Plus the paint finish can be chosen almost freely. This option is limited to the model lines 911, 718 and Taycan.

The procedure is as follows: the customer hands over a colour sample to the nearest Porsche Centre – anything is feasible, from a handbag to the favourite nail varnish. This sample is then sent to the experts at Porsche Excusive Manufaktur based in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen (Germany).

Following this, Porsche’s colourists create the formulation. These experts develop the hue based on the available paint components. Then, in several rounds, the shade is further developed so that it corresponds to the sample under different light sources, such as daylight or artificial light. Next, the feasibility of the colour is tested under production conditions on the car body and its parts. It is also essential to define the layer thickness, which enables process-stable, reproducible and error-free painting. Before the actual customer vehicle is painted, the colour is applied to a test body. If it transpires that the desired shade cannot be realised in accordance with its usual quality standards, Porsche will bear the costs of the feasibility test. Consultation and pricing for Paint to Sample Plus is available at all Porsche Centres worldwide.

About Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur

A sports car as individual as your own fingerprint, as unmistakable as your own lifestyle: in an interplay of craftsmanship and attention to detail, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur creates extremely personal customer vehicles. Highly qualified employees with decades of expertise devote their full attention to every detail and enhance it through hand craftsmanship. Alongside the individual customer vehicles, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur also produces limited small series and editions. Here, high-quality materials are combined with modern production technologies to create a harmonious overall concept. Porsche Centres provide advice on the range and possibilities offered by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur as the first point of contact alongside the online Car Configurator.

Further information, film and photo material can be found in the Porsche Newsroom: newsroom.porsche.com

Crowdera Foundation to hold Giving Economy Changemakers (GEC) 2021, a celebration of humanitarian efforts through fundraising

New Delhi, 30th November 2021: Celebrating the 60th anniversary of its liberation, 60 Goan non-profits, 60 Goan films and 60 Goan start-ups have come together through a world-class multi-tier fundraising initiative. The grand event will witness the inauguration to be held on 30th November this year. It will be followed by a panel discussion where the role of corporations and startups in leading social impact with the power of modern tech and modern financial tools will be discussed.

The Giving Economy Changemakers (GEC) movement and Awards and Summits by Crowdera are the only global initiative held every year to bring together social impact insights of different world leaders and changemakers from tech, charity, philanthropy, corporate, media and entertainment at one place. The event is dedicated to stimulate action through 2030 supporting the 17 transformational sustainable development goals, the GEC is an essential destination for the global changemakers to participate, attend & experience workshops, masterclasses, GEC talks, exhibitions, pitch events, networking spaces, panels, awards, showcases, screenings, and a variety of networking opportunities.

The inauguration will focus on the purpose of Giving Economy Changemakers and the past and recent achievements and their contribution towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The speakers for the event include Shantilal Muttha the founder of Shantilal Muttha Foundation (SMF) and Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana (BJS), Harish Abhi Chandhani the Group Chief Financial Officer at Ola, Vishnou Toolcanon General at Envoy Sub-Saharan Countries, secretary-general, Kenya, Nixon Joseph former Vice president of SBI and Catherine Carlton the Former Mayor/City Council Member – City of Menlo Park who is also the jury chair for the awards. The other jury members are Prabhat Pani, Praveena Rajvardhan, Kunal Sood.

Mr. Vishnou Toolcanon (WFDP), delighted to be a part of GEC 2021 shares, “Celebrating the act of giving is a very good initiative, such events motivate more people and organizations to come out for help. We feel very obliged to be a part of this and get along with changemakers for various aspects.”

On the 04th December, an award ceremony will take place where awardees will be felicitated and talks and panel discussions will also happen.

Speaking about the event, Crowdera Foundation Founder and CEO Mr. Chet Jainn said, “GEC is an event where we celebrate the giving economy and the act of giving and helping. The purpose of doing this program is to encourage such institutions and individuals who are working towards improving society. We come across so many organizations and individuals who help for the betterment of society or a community, so we feel that this act also needs to be celebrated; that is when we commenced GEC.”

Since 2018 GEC has been recognized for awarding over 200 changemakers from across the globe. GEC as a community, is determined to become the strongest embodiment of Sustainable Development Goal 17, building global partnerships amplifying causes with technology, training, social capital and much more.

Crowdera, world’s only 100% free fundraising and crowdfunding platform for individuals & organizations, organized the 3rd Edition of Giving Economy Changemakers (2020) virtually. The event was conceptualized by Mr Chet Jainn, the founder & CEO of Crowdera Foundation and co-hosted by Mr Deepak Dwivedi, Chairman of Nagrik Foundation.

Since its inception in 2018, Crowdera Foundation has successfully hosted GEC events every year to focus on innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship, bringing together the leading philanthropists, entrepreneurs, social innovators, activists, artists and NGOs to lead the transformative change towards SDG implementation and exchange ideas and develop solutions. The main aim of GEC is to raise awareness about the United Nations defined Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030 for the welfare and enrichment of the people, fellow earthlings, and the planet.

For More Information visit- https://givingeconomy.today/

Acceleration in residential real estate: covid effect

By Mr. Vikas Garg, Deputy Managing Director, MRG World

COVID-19 has engendered a mindset in which consumers are debating whether they should buy now or later. The best thing is that most of them are aware that the real estate market is at a stage where buyers/investors may get the best discounts. Housing affordability is at an all-time high when considering real estate prices, historically low home loan interest rates, and incomes.

According to JLL India, “Between 2011 and 2020, affordability has increased across all cities. Despite a bigger fall in annual household income as compared to the residential prices, affordability increased in 2020. A sharp decrease in the cost of funding – average home loan rates reduced from around 8.9% in 2019 to 7.5% in 2020, more than offset the adverse impact of lower incomes on affordability.”

Several new projects were launched, which also is an indication that the demand is growing in these challenging times. “In Q3 2021, housing sales surged 113% y-o-y across the top 7 cities – from approx. 29,520 units in Q3 2020 to nearly 62,800 units in Q3 2021. MMR accounted for 33% of the total sales, followed by NCR with a 16% share,” according to a report by ANAROCK.

This year, though, has been an outlier. In some regions, a small number of developers are offering moderate price reductions to help with short-term cash flow. Furthermore, to entice potential homebuyers, developers are offering various incentives such as no EMIs for a year, no stamp tax, and so on. In some markets, this has resulted in a minor drop in home prices.

While prices stayed unchanged, there was an effective price reduction. The rationale for the trend is apparent, given the cost of raw materials has been steadily rising. In fact, certain items have seen a 75 per cent price increase since the middle of last year. The developers are attempting to absorb the costs, but the considerable increase may cause prices to rise in the near future.

As the number of COVID cases drops, the industry is seeing an uptick in queries. Just as there was after the first wave, there is a large demand for spacious homes in developments that can provide for the occupants’ total well-being. Following two catastrophic attacks, individuals are looking for solutions that will allow them to spend their time in a home that reflects their socioeconomic status; as a result, demand for well-crafted homes is on the rise.

The COVID situation also saw a significant increase in NRIs showing interest in Indian real estate. The CII and Anarock research “Indian Real Estate Vision 2025,” stated that “the COVID-19 pandemic, along with decreased real estate prices and a declining rupee, has drawn a lot of attention from NRIs”. According to a survey by CII and ANAROCK titled ‘Real Estate Purchase Perspectives: From the Lens of the Consumers,’ the average NRI investment ticket size in 2016 was approximately Rs 70 lakh; it was around Rs 51 lakh in 2018, and it is presently around Rs 80 lakh.

Despite the threat of a third pandemic wave, the industry is capable of overcoming enormous challenges. We are confident that the third wave, if it occurs, will not have a terrible effect since people are being extra cautious about their health. The real estate industry has also taken notes from 2020 and is employing techniques to attract buyers and investors. The most significant development has been the greater use of technology. The effective use of the internet to send relevant messages has provided a fertile atmosphere for the sector to thrive.

The market has begun to show signs of improvement, implying that it will continue to grow in the future. The fact that the percentage share of affordable housing sales in overall sales remains at the top shows that the market is reacting to demand. Demand has exceeded supply in the entire Delhi NCR market, indicating that a good project has a good chance of being snatched up by purchasers. Consumers have resumed their home-buying quest after a nearly year hiatus following the initial wave. Given the enhanced importance of having a home during the pandemic, consumer mood is projected to be high in the coming quarters, giving the sector an overall positive outlook.

As the real estate sector begins to recover, the value of real estate as an asset will continue to rise and increase over time. Furthermore, additional effort and government backing are required to reintroduce the influx of market laggards. Measures such as stamp duty reductions are expected to add to the increased demand in real estate regions such as Delhi NCR. On top of that, the festive season of 2021 proved to be one-of-a-kind in many aspects. There was a lot of demand for housing from people who had previously been satisfied with renting. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of post-COVID-19 housing demand is that even millennials are looking to buy a home.

5 Skin-friendly Products to keep in your bag to get Rid of Dirt & Pollution

Dhul Mitti aur Pollution aap ki twacha ko nuksaan pahuncha sakte hai, Our skin is susceptible to environmental pollution and, like smog, dust and wreckage increase around us, we pay the price with blocked pores, discolouration and other adverse reactions. So what is the solution? Your best bet is to use some skincare hygiene products that will leave your skin feeling fresh, radiant and free from pollution. Here are some products that you can include in your bag to keep yourself safe from Dirt and Pollution.

Activated Charcoal Spa Bodywash: WiZ Care’s Activated Charcoal Spa Body Wash contains special beads which help exfoliate your skin and leave your skin gentle and soft. Infused with aromatic oil extracts and rich fragrances, it leaves you with a relaxed feeling like a day at the spa. A perfect solution for the start and end of the day to clean and clear all your pores from your skin and replenish it completely. WiZ care spa body wash contains a profound amount of aromatic oil extracts and rich fragrances to refresh your day. The spa is to lighten the stress that lingers in your body muscles and remove the dirt that has been all day with you. It has exfoliating factors to nourish your skin and bring back the original soft and smooth texture.

Refreshing Biodegradable Face & Hand Sanitising Wipes: Made from Viscose Fibre, Wiz Refreshing wet wipes are gentle on the skin due to their high moisture content and leave you feeling fresh with their subtle fragrances. Keeping yourself hygienic and clean is now a breeze with the easy-to-carry wet wipe sachets.WIZ Refreshing Biodegradable Face & Hand Sanitising wipes must-have in everyone’s pocket or bag.

Disinfectant wipes & sprays: Wiz care All Surface Disinfectant spray is a premium solution for regular usage. It is vital for sanitizing every surface that you are surrounded with. The spray is mild for every texture. It does not have to be wiped off and can dry itself on any given surface or place.  The multipurpose disinfectant is notably handy and its 70% alcohol content gives complete protection from germs. It is travel-friendly and useful for all surfaces. It is suitable for the surfaces of vehicles, door handles, grab rails, and restroom stalls. It leaves no stains, no marks.

Charcoal Face wash: Mamaearth charcoal face wash is infused with the goodness of charcoal and coffee which makes it a sheer winner when it comes to oil control. The activated charcoal in the facewash unclogs the pores, exfoliates, and pulls off the toxins dwelling on the skin. What’s more? This face wash revitalises the skin and promotes cell production.

Face Masks: Evening Detox Clay Mask is designed to give your skin a deep detox, This Works’ mask uses exfoliating Malachite and fruit acids to cleanse below the surface of your skin, and kaolin clay to absorb excess oil and impurities. Use once a week for a pollution-fighting glow.