All posts by Sujata

MG Changemakers Season 4 celebrates eco-warrior Monisha Narke for her relentless efforts towards creating decentralised waste management solutions

Mumbai, 06, October 2022: MG Motor reaffirms its continuing commitment to honoring sustainable and innovative efforts that assist underserved communities through collective empowerment. The MG Changemakers initiative, now in its fourth season, recognizes and honors Monisha Narkefor her commitment towards enhancing eco-consciousness in India. She is making a considerable impact with her ‘for-profit social enterprise’, RUR Greenlife.

Monisha Narke was born in Mumbai and earned her MS degree from Stanford University, USA. When she returned to her home upon the completion of her studies, she found herself quite perturbed by the humungous quantities of waste that was created in the city, and the conventional waste management methods being followed which did the environment more harm than good. She decided to do something about India’s growing waste problem and went on to found RUR, an NGO with the vision to educate citizens on how they can effectively manage waste with small steps. The name of the NGO, RUR is a shortened version of ‘Are you Reducing, Reusing, Recycling?’. In 2010, Monisha Narke converted her initiative to a for-profit social enterprise and founded RUR Greenlife. The company aims at promoting decentralized and sustainable waste management solutions. The venture also collaborated with Tetra Pak India and launched a flagship program named ‘Go Green with Tetra Pak’, under which used Tetra Pak cartons were collected and transformed into products such as garden benches, school desks, coaster trays, pen stands, etc. The initiative was recognized by the Limca Book of Records 2013 for its innovation. Both Monisha and RUR Greenlife have received recognition at various international and national awards including India’s Entrepreneur of the Year and the International Excellence Award for Composting Technology. The extent to which Monisha’s efforts are driving change in Mumbai and beyond make her a prime example of the wonders which can come forth when passion and focus are combined behind the singular mission of facilitating green practices.

MG Changemakers is a community initiative that recognizes and honors the determined and courageous women who defy all odds to make a difference in society through innovation. This year, Season 4 of MG Changemakers directs a special focus on sustainability and highlights MG’s undying commitment to creating a positive society for all.

Products to buy under INR 18000 for a safe and healthy festive season

Acer Ozone Antibacterial Sanitizer Water Purifier

The ozonated water with strong antibacterial power can be used to clean hands, dishes, laundry, and mop the floor. The ‘instant ozone generation technology’ instantly dissolves ozone in water, which removes harmful pesticide residues effectively from the surface of the food. The ozonated water is FDA-approved, especially used in the Food and Beverage industry, used to sterilize bottles and utensils. Ozone Antibacterial Sanitizer is an effective decontaminant of E. coli which can be a replacement for alcohol-based cleaning liquids. This simple and easy-to-use product is fixed on regular tap water which produces ozonated water that is used to clean products like fresh food, utensils, and surfaces. The water from the Ozone Antibacterial Sanitizer is also proven to eliminate diseases that generally appear on pets like bacterial infections, fungal infections, parasites, and allergies. During the reduction process, the water can achieve sterilization, deodorization, bleaching, and preservation

acerpure Air Purifiers

Controlled by an app, the acerpure air purifiers come with and without a fan. The C2 and P2 detect indoor air quality and sends automatic notifications of outdoor air pollution alerts to mobile phones which monitor indoor air quality even when no one is at home. The product takes control of the air quality with the 4-in-1 HEPA filter and eliminates up to 99% of airborne bacteria, 99.97% of ultrafine dust, PM1.0, and allergies. This helps in maintaining a clean and healthy indoor environment. acerpure Pro P2 and acerpure cool C2 are designed to effectively eliminate 99.99% bacteria, 99% coronavirus (229E), and 99% influenza A (H1N1) virus activity. The new line of products comes with technology that reduces noise, and combining that with a turned-off display makes for the perfect environment for a good night’s sleep.

Saudi Arabia hosted KCON 2022

Riyadh, 6th October 2022 – The Ministry of Culture hosted KCON in Riyadh in October 2022. This was the first time this international event celebrating Korean popular culture was held in Saudi Arabia.

KCON is the world’s largest Korean culture convention and music festival, which celebrates K-Pop, K-Movie, K-Drama, K-Webtoon, K-Beauty, and K-Food. In 2022, KCON celebrated its 10-year anniversary, having welcomed more than a million fans across four continents. The flagship convention offered over 250 brands high exposure and features exciting programming and custom activations. KCON originated in the US, with events in Los Angeles and New York that welcomed fans from all over the world, as 69% of fans traveled from other cities to attend. Since then, KCON has expanded across the globe and held events in Mexico, France, the UAE, Thailand, Japan, and Australia. The event in Riyadh hosted 6 K-Pop artists per day, including Pentagon, the Boyz, and StayC. The bands delivered performances, hosted meet-and-greet sessions, taught dance workshops, and attended a red-carpet event. There were K-Movie and K-Webtoon screenings, as well as stalls for top K-Beauty brands.

In June 2022, Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan al Saud, visited Korea to strengthen the bilateral cultural relations between the two countries. His Highness met with key government officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST). Members of the Saudi delegation also met with the Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, as well as business leaders in cultural powerhouses, to discuss ways to boost cultural exchanges between the two countries. During the visit, the Ministry of Culture signed an MoU with CJ ENM which included collaboration around cultural events and has resulted in Saudi Arabia becoming the host of KCON.

His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Culture, stated: “Saudi Arabia and Korea have been cultivating a warm and productive cultural partnership, based on strong ties built over many decades. It has been our pleasure to host KCON as part of our joint efforts to continue our cultural relationship, as well as a contribution to our goals in line with Vision 2030.”

Part of the mission of the Ministry of Culture is to leverage bilateral relations to create opportunities for international cultural exchange. As part of its Saudi Vision 2030 national transformation plan, Saudi Arabia aims to promote culture as a way of life, thereby enabling it to contribute to economic growth.

Be a Friend of the iconic Jaipur Literature Festival!

The ‘greatest literary show on earth is all set to run from 19th- 23rd January 2023 at its cherished home Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur. With a stellar line-up of renowned speakers from India and across the world, Jaipur Literature Festival will yet again host the world’s greatest writers, thinkers, humanitarians, politicians, business leaders, and entertainers on one stage.

Presenting a rich five-day long program and an array of literature, art & culture, the festival will offer its enthusiasts unparalleled access to some of the most celebrated personalities of the literary world. This year’s literary celebration offers a special ‘Friends of the Festival’ package for its attendees that promises an inimitable experience throughout the festival. The experience offers access to an exclusive and well-appointed Festival Lounge where FOFs can relax, network, and meet festival speakers over tea, coffee, or lunch; exclusively curated sessions with priority seating; live music performances at the Jaipur Music Stage, and official festival merchandise. FOFs will also get invited to a cultural evening at an iconic and historic venue in Jaipur and to an evening of cocktails at the Festival Lounge. The FOFs are looked after regally in classic old-world hospitality: from the time they arrive till they leave.

The detailed artiste line-up and program will be announced soon.

Date: 19th – 23rd January 2023
Registration and Delegate Packages: Online registration for the Festival is mandatory and attendees can register via the Festival website. Visitors can also buy Delegate Packages to experience the Festival’s magic, while mingling with authors, interacting with industry players, relaxing in the Delegate Lounge, and enjoying the Jaipur Music Stage and Heritage Evening.
Delegate Entry: For a single day at INR13,500, for three days (20th to 22nd January) at INR 36,000, and for five days (19th to 23rd January) at INR 56,000. Packages can be tailored to suit any duration.

Jitendra New EV Tech Forays into Bihar; Opens Dealerships in Nalanda and Rohtas

Nalanda, 6th October 2022: Furthering its vision to drive forth the EV revolution in India, Jitendra New EV Tech (JEV) has inaugurated new dealerships in Nalanda and Rohtas in Bihar.
The JEV Nalanda dealership is located at Kisan College Road, Salempur, Bihar Sharif, whereas the Rohtas dealership is located at Dehri, Dehri No 1, Dehri on Sone. Both showrooms are spread across 800 sq. ft. The new 3S (Sales, Service, and Spares) dealerships are equipped with modern features and amenities to ensure a seamless customer experience and buying journey. Additionally, the new JEV dealerships in Bihar offer insurance, finance, and exchange facilities.

The Nashik-based EV brand offers a broad range of new-age electric two-wheelers aimed at ensuring the varied requirements and expectations of its new-age customers are fulfilled.
Visitors to the new showrooms in Nalanda and Rohtas will be able to experience the entire JEV portfolio which currently includes four models, namely, JMT 1000, JET 250XL, JMT Classic, and JET 320, and several sub-variants.

Commenting on the launch of the new dealerships, Samkit Shah, Co-Founder, and CEO, of Jitendra New EV Tech, said, “Jitendra New EV Tech remains steadfast in its commitment to encourage the increased adoption of electric vehicles across the country. A key part of this effort, then, is ensuring access to capable and affordable EVs, and to that end, we are continually expanding our network across the country. The new dealerships in Bihar too serve that goal. We look forward to strengthening our presence in the state.”

Jitendra New EV Tech’s network expansion efforts in September 2022 will see the launch of a total of ten new dealerships across multiple states, including Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.

With the festive season 2022 now in full swing across the country, the company is currently offering a discount of ₹3,000 on the purchase of any new JEV scooter. Interested customers can head to a JEV dealership near them for test rides and more details about the electric scooters and current offers

BODDESS Beauty the Indian multi-brand beauty retailer opens its second experiential store in India in JAIPUR

6th October 2022; Boddess Beauty, the Indian omnichannel multi-brand beauty retailer opens its second experiential store in India and plans for aggressive retail expansion to strengthen its omnichannel presence. Following its very successful online launch in 2020 with 200+ beauty brands on its platform and its first Luxe store at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon in 2021, Boddess Beauty now opens its new store in Jaipur setting in motion the brand’s robust plans to expand its retail footprint across the country with 80+ stores in the coming 5 years.

The retail expansion is aimed at increasing accessibility to the best of International and home-grown beauty brands across skincare, make-up, body care, haircare; and world-class beauty services pan India.

Located at the Mall of Jaipur, Boddess Beauty is home to a curated range of international and home-grown beauty brands and elevated service stations equipped with best-in-class skin experts, make-up artists, and beauty advisors.

True to being a ‘Global Beauty Hub’, the store features a handpicked selection of international cult favorites namely US’ Celebrity Beauty and no.1 Brow Brand – Anastasia Beverly Hills, luxury British skincare brand, Neal’s Yard Remedies, award-winning farm to Skin brand, Juice Beauty; the revolutionary innovative cosmetics beauty brand – AVON, the brand created by U.S’s celebrated YouTuber and make-up mogul himself, Jeffree Star, Supermodel Miranda Kerr’s Kora Organics, natural skincare brand – Caudalie, Korean Luxury Skincare brands Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Innisfree and many more. In addition to international favorites, Boddess Beauty also presents an array of popular home-grown brands; Mamaearth, Sugar Cosmetics, caffeine, Colorbar, Plum, Minimalist, and more. Luxury fragrance brands like Salvatore Ferragamo, Marc Jacobs, and Chopard make for premium brands across the fragrance category.

Speaking on the occasion, Ritika Sharma, Founder-Director, of House of Beauty [Boddess Beauty], said, “Boddess Beauty was conceptualized to introduce global beauty experiences to Indian customers with a digital-first launch in 2020. Thereafter, we swiftly launched the first Luxe store in India at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. The first non-metro store in Jaipur is another step towards increasing our retail footprint with over 80+ stores in the coming 5 years. While we continue to expand, the best of global and homegrown beauty assortments, experiences inside the store, and guidance through our beauty advisors are features that will remain consistent across our online and physical stores touchpoints at Boddess Beauty.”

Sharad Sharma, Chief Business Officer, Boddess Beauty, added, “Since its inception in 2020, Boddess has seen exponential growth in customer acquisition and will continue to blend online and in-store experiences. Opening a second store in the country within the first two years of the brand’s journey is a testament to the growing need for a premium beauty experience and our understanding of the consumer preferences across metro and non-metro cities.”