All posts by Sujata

Eventoss helps launch first Shopper Stop in Bihar

Patna; Eventoss assisted in the first brick-and-mortar store in the state of Bihar in Patna’s City Centre Mall. The fashion and beauty retailer’s new address measures 35,000 square feet and houses over 500 Indian and international brands.
The Fashion brand’s maiden entry to the state capital was much awaited by the people of the state. The new store features a ‘Personal Shoppers Lounge’ where the store’s personal shoppers will advise customers on fits and sizes of clothing. The outlet also has a lounge area equipped with fitting rooms, free wifi, and food and beverage options.

The Patna store opening is part of Shoppers Stop’s a retail expansion plan to open between 10 and 12 stores a year. Brands that feature in the new store include Jack and Jones, Levis, Celio, And, Vero Moda, Only, MAC, JJ Kids, Adidas, Puma, and Renne among others.

“The new store of Shoppers Stop at City Centre Mall, Patna is the biggest store after Kolkata,” told the higher official. “It’s spearheading the future we have for Shoppers Stop and that also reflects our commitment to our loyal customers.

On the occasion Shubham Sinha, Director of Business Operations,Eventoss Entertainment mentioned, ‘More such International outlets are rushing to Bihar, looking at the purchasability of the people & Eventoss is there to assist more & more such brands who aspire to mark their footprints in the state capital & elsewhere.

AstraZeneca strengthens commitment to India with further expansion of its year-old Clinical Data & Insights Division

Chennai, October 15, 2022: AstraZeneca India Private Limited, the global capability center of leading science-led biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, plans to further expand its Clinical Data and Insights (CDI) division after the new unit tripled its headcount within its first year of launch in Bengaluru. To accommodate this expansion, the Bengaluru center recently leased additional space that is being inaugurated today by key global leaders.

The continued investment will include hiring additional data experts and deepening the role that India plays in supporting and driving AstraZeneca’s growing portfolio of new medicines by further strengthening the management of global clinical data. It works across therapy areas and portfolios, supporting early and late-stage clinical programs from Phase 1 to Phase 3 with an integrated end-to-end approach for clinical data, analytics, insights, and risk management.

The CDI division today has over one hundred employees (Data managers, Programmers, Data Scientists, and Data Standards experts), compared with a headcount of 30 at its official launch in October 2021, forming part of a global network spread across 6 countries.

Siva Padmanabhan, Managing Director, AstraZeneca India Private Limited (AZIPL) said, “I am delighted to see the growth, the CDI division has exhibited within the first year of inception. Today, with over 100 employees, the Bengaluru team is strategically supporting the global trials, and will further strengthen its role in supporting AstraZeneca’s aspiration to be a pioneer in science and transform patient outcomes.”

Natalie Fishburn, Vice President, Global Head of CDI, AstraZeneca, said, “I am very proud of CDI’s journey in India and the work the teams have accomplished from here. AstraZeneca’s global CDI footprint is a strong ecosystem with over 1300 employees and vendor partner resources that closely collaborate in an effort towards transforming our clinical data flows and advance data-derived insights, enabling acceleration of life-changing medicines to patients.”

Ram Mudaliar, CDI India Lead, AstraZeneca India Private Limited, said, “The way in which we leverage data is evolving, and the CDI division in India is playing a key role in managing clinical data at exponential volume, scale, and complexity. We are growing and expanding our capabilities to be ready for the future. Given the availability of niche talent in India, we are confident of establishing Bengaluru as a center of data excellence for AstraZeneca.”

The CDI division in Bengaluru is a critical advancement to support a growing global portfolio and build on internal data expertise. In addition to Data Management and Data Standards, functions like Centralized Monitoring, TRISARC (Trials Safety Review Centre), and SASP comprising safety patient data review experts are also setting up their teams in the Bengaluru center.

Check Point Software issues advisory for security measures around the latest 4G to 5G SIM upgradation phishing scams in India

Check Point Software Technologies, a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions globally has issued suggested security measures around detected 4G to 5G SIM upgradation phishing scams in India. The company further shared that the scammers have been posing as customer care executives of respected telecom service providers, offering assistance to customers in upgrading their SIM cards from 4G to 5G. Their modus operandi was to send phishing links to coerce victims into disclosing personal and financial information. Check Point Software has proactively issued its recommendations to protect consumers from such a scam.

Such scams were first reported when state-based police departments issued warnings about these ongoing cyber threats. A tweet from the Mumbai Police informed followers of a new scam in which scammers demand money from victims in exchange for assistance in upgrading to 5G. The Twitter account for the Pune City Police, Gurugram police department, and Hyderabad Cyberabad (cybercrime unit) department has also issued similar caution. According to media reports, the authorities have urged citizens to refrain from providing their OTPs to any telemarketers because doing so could result in the complete deletion of their bank accounts.

“We have observed a spike in the spread of SMS Phishing, which uses SMS messages as the attack vector for malware distribution. Using SMS messages as an attack vector may seem rudimentary, but just like email phishing, they are extremely efficient. These attempts often imitate trusted brands or personal contacts to entice the victim to click on a link or share personal details in confidence. This method has proven particularly successful as after one device has been compromised, its entire contact list is up for grabs, creating an endless cycle of possible victims,” says Sundar Balasubramanian, Managing Director at Check Point Software, India & SAARC. “We believe this is just the beginning of such scams. With the commercial availability of 5G and consumers excited to use the advanced services, such scams are bound to increase in number, particularly in the early phases of adoption when people are still finding their way around using the 5G services. We expect to see the number, scale, and sophistication of these cyberattacks increase over time. In such instances, adopting a prevention-first approach is the best approach.”

To avoid becoming a victim of phishing, Check Point Software recommends:

• Enable two-factor authentication: sign into your accounts with both a password and one other method. It could be a question, biometric data or a one-time code sent to your device. This creates an extra layer of security that prevents an attacker from being able to access an account with just a password.
• Use strong passwords: using the same keyword for everything, or simple combinations such as “123456” or “password”, is making it too easy for cybercriminals. There is now a multitude of platforms that can generate strong, difficult-to-guess passwords with upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Although we can also create them ourselves, it’s important to remember to use different combinations for each service.
• Learn how to recognize phishing: when an attacker sends a phishing email, there are usually some common identifiable traits such as misspellings or the fact that it asks for credentials to be entered. A company will never ask for a customer’s credentials by email. If in doubt, always go to the official page or platform of the company you want to access.
  Always keep software updated: it is always advisable to update to the latest version of a company’s software as this is the way that they correct security errors of previous versions.

Check Point’s Threat Intelligence reports that an organization in India is being attacked on average 1742 times per week in the last 6 months, compared to 1167 attacks per organization globally, with 4.9% of malware attacks via mobile (Global 1.8%). With India’s escalating growth in having the second most smartphone users in the world (behind China) with a 492.7million in 2021, and with the use of mobiles increasing in both the cities and rural areas, exacerbated by the WFH policy during the pandemic, mobile users need to be on their guard to expect t more of such smishing scams in the future.

Central Park organizes cultural extravaganza to celebrate Diwali

Central Park, one of the leading developers in NCR, organized a cultural extravaganza in its global township Central Park Flower Valley on Sohna Road in Gurugram. Renowned singer and actor Harrdy Sandhu enthralled the audience with his peppy dance numbers that lasted over 60 minutes and had the audience swirling and dancing.

Central Park Chairman and Managing Director Mr. Amarjit Singh Bakshi was the chief guest of the evening.

Over 700 people attended the grand gala evening which saw some mind-blowing performances. The evening began with paying obeisance to God with a spectacular performance of Ganesh Vandana. This set the evening in motion for a stunning display of fire act, ring act, and silk act that had the audience in awe. Noted actor and host Hussain Kuwajerwala and model, actor, and host Sonali Gupta had the audience in splits with a superb display of camaraderie and banter. International performers and fusion troupe dancers captivated the audience with their acrobatic moves to heart-thumping Bollywood numbers. One of India’s top Illusionist and Mentalist Tushar Raj Kumar enticed the audience with his amusing acts.

Speed painter, artist, and illustrator Rohit Kumar fascinated the audience with his amazing skill set that had the audience on their feet.

Central Park, with its customer-centric approach and business-friendly orientation, has over the last two decades carved a niche for itself in the real estate sector. Such extravaganzas are a part of the company’s effort to build long-lasting partnerships with its stakeholders that are an integral part of the system to serve our customers.

TASVA’s brand ambassadors Ranbir Kapoor and Ananya Panday present Ek Naya Nazariya

15th October 2022: TASVA announced the launch of ‘Ek Naya Nazariya’, its first-ever multi-media platform campaign film with brand ambassadors Ranbir Kapoor and Ananya Panday.

Conceptualized by Ogilvy & Mather and shot by ace director Shashanka Chaturvedi and photographer Tarun Khiwal, the campaign film ‘Ek Naya Nazariya’ is a fresh & contemporary take on celebrations, style & self-expression. The film will run across high visibility and impact platforms including GECs such as Star Plus, Colors, SONY SAB, Sony MAX(v), Zee Cinema, &Pictures, Star Gold SD, STAR GOLD 2, SONY MAX 2, Star Pravah, Zee Kannada, COLORS KANNADA, Udaya TV, Udaya Movies, Sun TV, Star Vijay, KTV, Star Maa, Zee Telegu, ETV Telugu, Zee Cinema, Asianet, Flower TV, Asianet Movies and popular entertainment shows such as Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Indian Idol, Tarak Mehta, Kapil Sharma, Big Boss AP & TN.

Set in a wedding home, Ek Naya Nazariya is a conversation between Ranbir Kapoor and Ananya Panday as she is experiencing the usual wedding jitters, imagining life ahead as a married couple while he playfully yet earnestly urges her to see themselves as two best friends starting a wonderful journey wherein there will be no attempt to change each other.

TASVA aims to rethink the Indian celebratory experience for the male consumer. The brand’s fresh approach toward style, self-expression and the freedom to be oneself comes alive with Ek Naya Nazariya, a befitting way to highlight TASVA’s soul, as well as that of modern India.

“I am excited to join the TASVA tribe! It’s amazing how the brand is making Indian celebrations and occasions so much more stylish, modern and fresh, which is what my personal style is as well. The campaign Ek Naya Nazariya captures present-day India and its celebrations perfectly”, said Ranbir Kapoor

“It gives me immense pleasure to be a part of the TASVA tribe. My personal style ideology identifies with TASVA’s fresh approach when it comes to ethnic wear for men & Indian celebrations. Starting my association with the brand’s #EkNayaNazariya campaign is very special. It captures modern India’s thinking in such a beautiful way”, said Ananya Panday

On the release of the campaign film, Mr. Tarun Tahiliani, Chief Design Officer, TASVA said, “Ranbir Kapoor and Ananya Panday perfectly capture the vision of TASVA in Ek Naya Nazariya. It’s a beautiful film and they light up the screen with their presence! Ek Naya Nazariya encapsulates the essence of TASVA, a blend of contemporary and traditional. I couldn’t be more pleased to have this thought come to life with our brand ambassadors.”

Commenting on the brand’s first TVC, Mr. Sandeep Pal, CEO, TASVA added, “Our first campaign film has been perfectly timed to capture the festive fervor across the country. The campaign was conceived to showcase TASVA’s fresh take on the Indian celebratory experience as well as present a novel way of thinking and we’re certain that our brand ambassadors Ranbir Kapoor and Ananya Panday will create enthusiasm and affinity for TASVA, amongst our discerning consumers.”

Celebrate the festivities with Khushiyan by Hilton, Conrad Bengaluru

Commencing yet another year of joy, love, and togetherness, Conrad Bengaluru brings to you ‘Khushiyan by Hilton’, the most delicious set of Diwali gift hampers. With an array to choose from, the decadent assortments prepared are an amalgamation of all things sweet, relishing, and flavourful. Traditional yet modern handcrafted to perfection.

Conrad Bengaluru has put together these hampers of exquisite products that make the festive season much more special. These gift hampers come in various options such as Classic Khushiyan, Festive Khushiyan, Indian Signature, Sweet Indulgence, and Mini Treasure to name a few, featuring a selection of sweets and gourmet delights to choose from. Filled with superfoods like Pistachio, Almonds, walnuts, Ragi, millet, and organic jaggery these gift hampers have some great options to satiate your festive sugar cravings.

Traditional sweets with a modern twist give them a unique and familiar mouth-watering taste. The hamper options also feature a selection of savories and herbal teas making it truly special and letting us not forget exceptionally scrumptious for everyone.

With all this and more, Conrad Bengaluru is ready to kick-start the season on a sweet note with Khushiyan by Hilton. No matter where you are based, give your loved ones a special festive treat as the selection of products is now available across all Hilton Hotels in the country. So, go ahead, and experience Khushiyan in true Hilton Style.

Diwali, Christmas, or New Year, ‘Khushiyan by Hilton’ hampers are available till the end of the year to make all your celebrations more sweet and delightful.

Winners of India’s first and only poker reality show The Player Hunt Season 2 announced

Mumbai: The Player Hunt, India’s first poker reality show announced the winners of its Season 2. Samay Singh Modi from Mumbai was announced as the Winner followed by Zarvan Tumboli from Mumbai followed by Himanshu Chhikara from Haryana. The Underdog Award went to Avanie Joshi from Delhi.

Season 2 of The Player Hunt conducted auditions across the country. Out of thousands of entries, there were 16 finalists who were chosen to be part of India’s biggest and only poker reality show hosted by brothers Rannvijay Singha and Harman Singha.

The winner Samay Singh Modi (age 27), a resident of Mumbai and an actor by profession was eliminated on day one but won a lifeline given by host Rannvijay after hearing the story of the impact of poker on his life and went on to win the show with his poker and extra-curricular skills.

Speaking on winning season 2, Samay shared, “ I have been playing poker from a young age and it has helped me to fulfill needs at important stages of my life. This win is very special to me and I am grateful to Player Hunt for giving us this platform.”

The 2nd position was secured by Zarvan Tumboli (age 30), a Mumbai resident & a passionate Professional Poker Player for the last six years. On the last day, with a high-intensity challenge, he took well-calculated decisions and secured his second position

The third position went to Himanshu Chhikara from Haryana is a management consultant and a recreational poker player. In Season 2, with a persistent and calm approach, he stayed in the top few positions through many rounds to secure his 3rd position.

The Underdog Award went to Avanie Joshi, (one of the 3 female participants) from Delhi. An Artist, Singer, Composer, Lyricist, DJ, Actor, and Poker player. Her performance in the game post the eliminations went up. By the 4th round of challenges, Avanie was leading the pack and only fell a little behind in the final few rounds.

The Player Hunt Season 2 is a 7 episodic series and is live on Rannvijay Singha’s YouTube channel for those who have missed it.

Hosted by celebrity VJ and actor Rannvijay Singha, said, ” It was the experience of a lifetime. We had a great combination of players. It was a great combination of fun, poker skills & the camaraderie they shared with each other. The sportsmanship they showcased has made Season 2 a challenging competition and an interesting watch .”

Speaking on the release of the show, Gaurav Gaggar, promoter of poker high said, “The Player Hunt season 2 has become the most watched reality show for desi-poker-lovers the world over. It was humbling to have players across gender and geography participate and make their dreams come too.

It is our endeavor to go to the ‘gully nukkar’ of India to search for the complete poker player, a player who embodies what it takes to be a player both on and off the felts

We promise to come back with a bigger and more entertaining Season 3 of Player Hunt.”

Pranav Premnarayen of Prem Associates Advertising & Marketing who forays into their directorial debut with The Player Hunt season 2 shared, “ The season unfolding was truly creatively liberating. Seeing and working with all these players so closely, understanding their skill sets and their personalities, their individual stories have been an enriching experience and I am sure Season 3 will be more action-packed.”

The Player Hunt Season 3 applications have already started pouring in from across India.