All posts by Mansi

Hungama Kids announces tie-up with Bloomtelly & Aplum Chaplum Youtube Channels

Mumbai: BloomTelly Animation, a product of K12 Techno Services Pvt. Ltd., has announced its content collaboration with Hungama Kids today through a joint statement by the two entities. Bloomtelly ( English) & Aplum Chaplum( Hindi) are two of the most popular YouTube channels in the kid segment.  Through this collaboration, all the content of these channels will be made available on the Hungama Kids platform web and app.

Commenting on the collaboration Mr. Mahesh Mishra, Vice President- Digital Business and Strategy at K12 Techno Services Pvt. Ltd. said, “Hungama Kids have a wider viewer base across the globe and this collaboration will ensure that our content will reach Indian as well as the non-Indian audiences through them. Our main USP is that we produce content that is not only entertaining but also provides knowledge of our rich Indian culture. Just like our grandparents used to take the help of interesting stories to teach us cultural values and ethics of life. We are a perfect concoction of entertainment and education. Hungama has a wider reach and is a well-established brand in the entertainment space. Hope our edutainment-rich content will also continue to entertain Hungama Kids viewers.”

Hungama Kids will have access to content from across the portfolio, including Bloom Telly and Aplum Chaplum. Both Youtube channels have a steady and vast fan following among the kids’ segment, but Aplum Chaplum & Bloom Telly will be available for consumers on the Hungama Kids app.

Ms. Soumini Sridhara Paul, Senior Vice President at Hungama Kids, said, “We are constantly looking at innovative ways to complement the evolving consumption habits of our audiences and are delighted to embark on this new partnership with Bloom Telly and Aplum Chaplum. The focus for 2022 is to bring premium quality content across genres and languages. This partnership is in line with Hungama Kids’ strategy to build a portfolio of unique and compelling content for enhanced value from the services. We are sure our audiences will enjoy and love it as much as they have loved our content so far. We are excited to see this exclusive partnership scale up further.”

Mahesh Mishra added that BloomTelly Animations is backed by professional content creators; their content is unique and quality rich. Therefore, it is gaining traction and now they are in a rapid growth mode and open for more collaborations with the right OTT platforms to share their content with.

SBI extends Rs. 2 Crore towards Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund

Bangalore, October 17, 2022: State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender has announced that the bank has contributed Rs. 2 Crore to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF). The fund is extended to armed forces for the welfare of casualties during the battle and to support the dependents of the personnel.

SBI has contributed the amount through a newly launched website named ‘Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot’ by Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon’ble Defence Minister of India. The website was launched at a function organized at the National War Memorial Complex in New Delhi

The AFBCWF is a Tri-Service fund, which is utilized the grant immediate financial assistance to the families of soldiers/sailors/airmen who lay down their lives or get grievously injured in active military operations.

BIPA, a trade body of BioAgri Input Producers in India is organizing the BioAgri 2022 International Conference in the city with the theme “India: Global Gateway for BioAg solutions”.

Hyderabad, October 17, 2022, BIPA, 19 years old, Hyderabad based trade body of BioAgri Input Producers in India is organizing the 2nd Edition of BioAgri 2022 International Conference in the city from October 19 to 20, for two days at Hotel Park Hyatt, Banjara Hills. It is the biggest Bio Agri Solutions Conference and Exhibition.

Disclosing this in a press note issued in Hyderabad, Dr.Venkatesh Devnur, General Secretary, BIPA(BioAgri Inputs Producers Association) said the theme of the two-day meet will be  “India: Global Gateway for BioAg solutions”.

BioAgri is an international series of conferences and exhibitions initiated by BIPA last year at Hyderabad. And it has been a grand success with the participation of 150 companies from India and abroad involved in the production and supply of biological agri inputs for sustainable agriculture, informed Dr. Venkatesh Devnbur.

World agriculture moves towards biological agriculture due to climate resilience and the ill effects of chemical-based farming practices. Among all the input verticals, phenomenal growth is witnessed in BioAgri inputs. The economic benefits to the farmers, health benefits to the consumers, and safety to the environment ensure BioAgri inputs as the most sought-after products. Their sustained use further rebuilds the soil health, fertility and make them carbon rich; thus, becoming an inevitable tool in modern agriculture, added Dr. Venkatesh.

India became a pioneer in world agriculture to innovate, standardize and promote world class Agri-Inputs through its well-defined regulatory framework, infrastructure, and technology know-how, he shared.

BioAgri 2022 brings the National and International Agro-Chemical manufacturers/ traders under one roof on recent technologies, delivery systems, and business opportunities in India and across the globe. The Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India, Several ICAR Institutions, PJTSAU, and other research organizations are participating in this two-day event in Hyderabad.

The two days conference and expo deliberate on policy issues and technological advantages and challenges by the stakeholders besides showcasing innovations and tech-based products by the companies promoting biological agriculture for safe food, health, and environment

PM Shri Narendra Modi launches Jana Small Finance Bank’s first Digital Banking Units in Bihta, Bihar and Bero, Jharkhand

Bangalore, 17^th October 2022: The Honourable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Jana Small Finance Bank’s first digital banking unit in the districts of Bihta in Bihar and Bero in Jharkhand. Jana SFB is the only small finance bank selected for the launch of DBUs in India.

This launch was a part of the Central government’s announcement to launch 75 digital banking units (DBUs) to strengthen the digital economy, as the nation celebrated its 75th year of independence this year, and the districts were allotted to selected banks. During the inauguration of seventy-five selected branches, the PM virtually interacted with the staff and other stakeholders.

Other than Bihta and Bero, Jana Small Finance Bank has also set up one more digital banking unit in Motipur (District Muzaffarpur, Bihar). These DBUs are opened to ensure the digital awareness, acceptance, and adoption of customers, thereby achieving the government’s Financial Inclusion strategy via self-help, the dissemination of digital skills, community connectivity, and financial advisory initiatives.

The Bihta DBU branch deserves special recognition because it is the only one of its kind to be exclusively staffed by women, who will help customers learn how to use digital products and services. The Bihta DBU and Bero DBU was virtually inaugurated by the Prime Minister, where he interacted with the branch members, in the presence of Mr Ajay Kanwal, MD and CEO of Jana Small Finance Bank. Honourable Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai, Member of Parliament Mr Ram Kripal Yadav and Mr Ranjit Kumar (SHO-Bihta) were the other dignitaries present at the event of DBU launch in Bihta, Bihar. Minister of State for Education Smt. Annapurna Devi, Member of Parliament Mr Sudarshan Bhagat and Mr Manish Kumar Gupta (SHO-Bero) were the other dignitaries present at the event of DBU launch in Bero, Jharkhand.

The concept of digital-only banks was unveiled by Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in the Financial Budget 2022. DBUs are aimed at improving the ease of doing business. They also enhance customer experience by enabling them to have a touch and feel of doing transactions digitally. Apart from the Digital services available, Jana SFB also provides Aadhaar services (Aadhaar creation and updation) to its customers.

Ajay Kanwal, MD and CEO, Jana Small Finance Bank, said, “Jana Small Finance Bank serves financial inclusion with a strong digital backbone and execution -98% Bank transactions are already done through digital modes. We are honoured with our DBUs launch by the Honourable Prime Minister. We will continue to innovate with new products and services which meet the needs of the underserved.” 

These branches are equipped with the ‘DigiGen’ digital banking platform, kiosks, cash recycler machines, etc. The model of the digital banking unit is new and evolving. Basis the experience in these three DBUs, Jana Bank will also expand its services to more towns across India. With the launch of these three DBUs, Jana Bank will have a presence of 48 branches including 19 in Bihar and Jharkhand and 723 nationally with 267 (~37%) in unbanked rural branches.

Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates 75 Digital Banking Units (DBU) in 75 Districts

Mumbai, October 17, 2022: To commemorate and celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence, the Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated 75 Digital Banking Units (DBU) in 75 Districts to the nation today. Bank of Baroda (Bank), one of India’s leading public sector banks, opened 8 DBUs as a part of these 75 DBUs launched by the Honourable PM. The 8 Bank of Baroda DBUs have been opened in Indore, Kanpur Dehat, Karauli, Kota, Leh, Silvassa, Vadodara and Varanasi.

All the services at the DBUs will be offered in a digital, paperless and completely secure manner. To cater to the needs and preferences of a vast cross-section of people, the DBU will provide services in two modes – 1) a Self Service Zone and 2) a Digital Assistance Zone that will provide assisted service.

The DBUs services being offered under self-service mode are available 24×7, 365 days a year. These services include cash withdrawals & deposits, account opening, the opening of Fixed Deposit/ Recurring Deposit, availing Digital Loans, Passbook printing, balance enquiry, fund transfer and a host of other services.

Shri Sanjiv Chadha, Managing Director & CEO, of Bank of Baroda said, “In line with the Government of India’s vision for a Digital India, the Digital Banking Units being launched today will help more people access digital banking products and services conveniently & securely and will play a key role in promoting financial literacy and financial inclusion in a digital manner. At Bank of Baroda, we have been on a digital transformation journey and this far-reaching initiative will ensure that the benefits of digital banking reaches citizens across the length and breadth of our country.”

Indian Culinary Forum organises India’s biggest culinary awards to honour the best chefs

New Delhi: The Indian Culinary Forum, the apex body of professional chefs in India, honoured some of the best chefs in India at the country’s biggest culinary awards as a part of the celebration of International Chefs Day. Renowned master chefs and hospitality industry veterans graced the 19^th edition of the prestigious awards at Hotel Pride Plaza, Aerocity, New Delhi. The award winners were felicitated by the chief guest of the evening Mr Arvind Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism.

Seventeen outstanding culinary artists were awarded in multiple categories, including the lifetime achievement award, golden chef of the year, silver chef of the year, and others, at the glittering ceremony in the presence of over 400 industry professionals, young chefs, and youngsters looking to make a career in the industry.

In his address, Chef Davinder Kumar, President of the Indian Culinary Forum, said, “The idea behind instituting the Chef Awards was to provide both veteran and upcoming chefs a platform to exhibit and hone their culinary skills. We are thankful to the industry participants, jury members, associates, and sponsors for their support in making the awards successful. We are thrilled to see that the experience gained by the chefs here has helped them maximize their potential and growth, and we hope the awards continue to inspire and encourage more chefs.”

Chef Vivek Saggar, General Secretary of the Indian Culinary Forum, said, “It’s an overwhelming experience to have successfully organised the Annual Chef Awards for nineteen years. We want Indian culinary art to gain more international recognition and acclaim. The Chef Awards not only honour the contribution of our fraternity members but also motivate thousands of youngsters to take up this profession.” 

Chef Vinod Bhati, Treasurer of the Indian Culinary Forum added “A Big thanks to our title partner Maggi Professional for making this grand ceremony successful, and special thanks to our associate partners Nutaste, Patanjali, DP Chocolates, Food Service India, Rich’s, Griffith Foods, Cream bell and all our event partners & supporting association for making it a success”.

In the build-up to the Chef Awards, a four-day culinary competition was organized at the Institute of Bakery & Culinary Arts in Delhi and the Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Delhi. Over 150 chefs from all over India competed in 11 categories in the competition.

Eleven of the 17 award winners were chosen through this competition and the rest six were selected by an esteemed jury. World Association of Cooks Societies (WCAS) certified Dayashankar Sharma chaired the award jury, while noted chef Sireesh Saxena was the organizing secretary of the awards function. The title partner for the grand ceremony was Maggi professional and the associate partners were Nutaste, Patanjali, DP Chocolates, food Service India, Rich’s, Griffith Foods, and Cream bell.

The following are the winners of the 19th Annual Chef Awards:

1. Lifetime Achievement Award: Chef Virender S Datta
2. Golden Hat: Chef Vineet Manocha
3. Silver Hat:   Chef Bharat Alagh
4. Pastry Chef of the Year:Chef Deep Mohan Singh Bajaj
5. Master Chef Fruit & Vegetable Carving: Chef Carving Karthick
6. Food writer Award: Mr. Sumit Jha
7. Master Chef of the Year: Chef Anuj Mathur
8. Master Chef Kebabs:Chef Hasan Ali
9. Master Chef International Confectionery Award: Chef Izhar Ahmad
10. Master Chef Indian Sweets Award: Chef Dalbir Singh
11. Master Chef South/East/West Indian Cuisine: Chef Ravinder Singh
12. Master Chef International Cuisine Award: Chef Varun Chauhan
13. Master Chef North Indian Cuisine Award: Chef Praveen Kumar
14. Master Chef Oriental Cuisine Award: Chef Mangal Gautam
15. Master Chef Baker Award: Chef Raju Kumar
16. Student Chef of the Year (Female): Sohail Saifi
17. Student Chef of the Year (Male): Radhika Goel 

The Indian Culinary Forum is India’s premier association of Professional chefs of India and was set up for the advancement of culinary art in India. The Forum’s objective is to act as a link, platform, and instrument for the enhancement and development of the community of chefs. It also aims to bring international culinary prestige to India, encourage Indians to consider a career in hospitality, promote Indian cuisines globally, and help young chefs hone culinary skills through training, workshops, and competition.

The World Association of Cooks Societies (WCAS) is a 110-nation fellowship comprising the world’s various professional chefs’ organizations representing over 9 million professional chefs.

Spearheading the RMG segment, Witzeal surpasses INR 2 billion revenue with 30 million registered users

India, October 17^th, 2022: Witzeal, one of India’s most rapidly expanding new-age gaming technology companies, has successfully surpassed more than 30 million registered users and reached a new milestone by surpassing INR 2 billion in revenue. Today, Witzeal is amongst the top five RMG platforms that curate innovates, and introduces new-age, tech-driven skill games which are at par with the global industry standards.

The online gaming industry has witnessed a whirlwind rise in recent years powered by a youthful and tech-savvy populace, affordable accessibility of smartphones, better internet availability, and overall technological evolution. Poised to grow further, the online gaming community is expected to grow to 510 million by 2025 and the industry will be worth $ 3 billion in the same time period. Gaming companies today, are entertaining all, through personalised content, engaging social experiences, and innovative gameplays.

Ever since Witzeal began its operations, the platform has witnessed positive growth, especially in the casual skill gaming segment. The booming online gaming market has also contributed to Witzeal’s growth. Additionally, Witzeal has all the games developed in-house which increases the credibility of the games and the trust of users as a result of enhanced security and gaming experience. The company currently has more than 17 games in its portfolio, clocking in more than 1 million active users monthly.

Sharing his views on reaching this milestone, Mr. Ankur Singh, Founder & CEO, Witzeal Technologies, said, “We are excited and elated to be a part of such a flourishing industry. Our days are filled with constant motivation to develop more innovative gaming experiences for our users. The incorporation of technology and the provision of a distinctive user experience has been one of the major factors in our expansion. I’m extremely grateful for the team that works on helping Witzeal reach where it is. We had a strong finish to the year as we surpassed INR 2 billion in annual revenue and achieved 44% year-over-year growth in the last quarter. Going forward, we aim to strive tirelessly to innovate and give our users an experience like never before and also eye global expansions.” 

Witzeal forayed into RMG segment with “BigCash” in 2017.  The platform has more than17 in-house developed games and it uses behavioural science, technology, and Artificial Intelligence to provide exceptional game-playing experiences across its platforms. Most of Witzeal’s userbase is from tier II and tier III cities and the company aims to target users across urban and rural population.

“India boasts of being home to the second-largest gaming market across the globe and has an annual growth rate of 38%. Leveraging this growth, Witzeal is aiming to develop more revolutionary games in-house. Our live video feature is preferred by majority of users, as it not only helps the users to connect with each other but also socialise and build a community. We continue to remain profitable driven by this fundamental growth. Having said that, we are hoping that the industry soon adopts a fair regulatory oversight so that there is enough room for the different operators to flourish.” He added. 

Witzeal also recently launched ‘Fast Ludo’, the traditional game of Ludo but with a twist. ‘Fast Ludo’ eliminates dice rolling concept and gives its players equal opportunities to win further magnifies player engagement. The game finishes in less than 120 seconds. Apart from this, Witzeal has recently, launched a ‘Gaming Subscription Model’ to multi-fold the overall gaming experience for a diverse set of users. This subscription model allows users to subscribe to the platform and avail special benefits and offers. Apart from this, Witzeal also recently introduced a new feature called ‘Jackpot’ for its loyal users with an idea of rewarding the loyal users to win more.  As a user one is given a set of targets to complete and upon completing each target, the user is given a jackpot ticket with a chance to win up to INR 25 million.

Chikari took part in the Jjhalak Exhibition

Chikari, introduced their all-new party collection in the Jjhalak Exhibition along with the special black and white ethnic wear collection which was surely loved by the visitors. 

A renowned Indian brand, Chikari is known for its fine fabric, unique and distinguished embroidery designs, and artisanal perfection. Chikari is based in Schiffli and produces embroidered clothing. They produce exquisite patterns that are very authentic for you to appreciate forever. They utilise only 100% cotton because most customers find it to be cosy and breathable. They collaborate closely with our artisans and use 90% schiffli cloth to make the fabric. 

Their primary goal is to make the customer happy by providing the greatest designs in response to their needs. So, all you pretty girls out there, grab your phone and connect with them to order your very own custom clothing.

“Everyone at Jjhalak reacted well to our new collection and expressed their love for it. Along with the brand-new party collection, which was undoubtedly a success with the crowd, we debuted our black and white ethnic dress collection. I’m happy that we have access to such a fantastic platform where we can show off our designs and receive feedback right away “According to the Chikari team.