EK NAZAKAT BHARI RAAT

EK NAZAKAT BHARI RAAT

The launch of Salima Lalanii's latest collection , aptly titled "Colours n Contrast" was a grand affair with the creme de la creme in attendance at her exclusive store, “Nazakat” in Khar. Tehseen Poonawalla, entrepreneur and political commentator, arrived well in time despite his hectic schedule. Alexey Novikov, honourable consul general of Russia was accompanied by his wife Alina who took a special liking for the myriad hues of maroons and spent quality time at the gathering. Industrialist Aneel Murarka was among the many buyers of the new collection which received an overwhelming response on the opening day.

Nandita Palshetkar looked striking in a black outfit. Pinkey Ahluwalia, the Belgian vice consul was accompanied by Josephina, also vice consul at the Belgian consulate. Umaesh Pherwani looked dapper in a red shirt.Sandhya Shetty was flooded with compliments for her latest unreleased item number in a forthcoming Bollywood flick. Chetan Hansraj arrived late, straight from a shoot in karjat, though his wife lavina more than made up for his absence, arriving well in time and staying on till the wee hours. Viveck Shettyy was at his flamboyant best and kept his friends in good humour with his witty one liners.  Salima Lalanii played the perfect host and attended to each of her guests personally. Also spotted were stand-up comedian Uday Dahiya and musician Somesh Mathur.

The collection will showcase high-end prêt and Indian bridal wear in myriad hues of maroons and burgundies, bringing out the deep, dark, colourful and sensuous side of a woman whilst complimenting her beauty and vulnerability. “Deep colours with clean silhouettes will rule the season,” forecasts Salima about the trends for the coming season. The champagne-chocolate event will see fashion icons, tinsel town celebs, socialites and elite personalities in attendance, always scouting for exclusivity.

Salima’s fashion store Nazakat is a reflection of her own soft-spoken nature and showcases the best of both western and traditional, with a strong leaning towards bridal outfits. “I believe in knowing people and my outfits are tailored for their personality and not just the body. In a sense, my work is very functional and hard to miss, I love to play with colours, and my creations are subtle yet sensual,” says Salima of her designs for the discerning tinsel town celebs and the NRI clientele, she exclusively caters to.

From a humble beginning, she has crafted her own path to fame and success over the past decade through her store Nazakat and takes great pride in her evolution as a fashion designer, as she says, “I have never worked with any designer. It is all me and my learning.”

Connoisseurs of the Colours-n-Contrast collection will also get to experience the `New Beautiful Color Collection’ by Elizabeth Arden. Salima’s icing on the collection is a Midnight Sale happening on the same day with a generous 40% off at the store.

SAB TV in association with Toy-Kraft launches Baalveer board game

SAB TV in association with Toy-Kraft launches Baalveer board game

Mumbai, October 24^th, 2013: On 8^th October, 2012, Indian television unleashed its first child superhero, Baalveer. A fantasy drama set against the mystical worlds of fairies and evil Paris, Baalveer immediately connected with kids. Over the last one year, this bond has grown stronger, with Baalveer emerging as the most popular TV character amongst kids today. And what best way to commemorate the first anniversary of this show than bringing kids one-step closer to the world of Baalveer through launch of ‘Baalveer and the Evils of Bhayankar Pari’ Board game.

Post the success of their first venture SABurbia.com board game; SAB TV and Toy-Kraft are back with ‘Baalveer and the Evils of Bhayankar Pari’.The board game immerses the players in the Pari world reeling under the threat of Bhayankar Pari.The goal is to rise as Baalveer and overcome obstacles in an endeavor to save Rani Mahal.

Baalveer Board game was unveiled at ‘Kids India’s’ toy exhibition by Mr. Anooj Kapoor, EVP & Business Head, SAB TV, Dr. Shyam Makhija, Director, Toy-Kraft & entire starcast of Baalveer comprising of Dev Joshi(Baalveer), Shruti Seth (Rani Pari), Shama Sikander(Bhayankar Pari) & other Pari’s.

Mr. Anooj Kapoor, EVP & Business Head, SAB TV stated, “With Baalveer board game, we provide a unique opportunity for the consumers to engage with the brand and its most popular characters. We are glad to partner with Toy Kraft and I’m sure this experience will create lasting memories for children”.

Dr. Shyam Makhija, Director, Toy-Kraft said, "By releasing the new board game – Baalveer, Toy-Kraft and SAB TV have now forged a stronger link into this licensing foray after the success of the first release – SABurbia.com. This has been a joint action all the way and the complementary synergies of both the companies have been very well exploited. The company is very bullish on the future prospects as more licensed ventures are being explored with SAB besides board games. So far Toy Kraft has released 13 IP based games which is a record of sorts."

‘Baalveer and the Evils of Bhayankar Pari’ will be available in 42 major cities in leading stores like Landmark, Crossword, Hamleys, Shoppers Stop and Planet M. The cities include Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Gurgaon, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Bhopal, Indore, Baroda and Jaipur. The game will be aggressively promoted on television, print and outdoor digital media. Moreover, on-ground activations will also be carried out in leading malls to generate curiosity and buzz around the product.

Priced at Rs. 549/-, ‘Baalveer and the Evils of Bhayankar Pari’ provides the children an extended platform to connect with their favorite character Baalveer and the fantasy world around him. The board game is sure to bring smiles and cheer to children across India as they commence on the ultimate expedition to become their ultimate superhero, Baalveer!

About SAB TV:

SAB TV is a part of the network of Television channels owned by Multi Screen Media. SAB TV is India’s only family comedy entertainment channel with a core brand promise of ‘Asli Mazaa SAB ke Saath Aata Hai’. SAB with its impressive lineup of innovative programs and light-hearted content ranging from daily family comedy to path breaking concepts like silent comedy shows is dedicated to promoting an enjoyable “family-viewing” experience.

Its programming mix includes Jo Biwi Se Kaare Pyaar,Baalveer,Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasmah, Chidiya Ghar, Jeannie aur Juju, Lapatagnj, FIR,SAB Khelo SAB Jeeto, Wah Wah Kya Baat Hai and features classic films over the weekends. For its differentiated programming and healthy entertainment SAB TV has also won the Brand Leadership award in Media & Entertainment space.

About Toy-Kraft

ToyKraft, India’s edutainment toy brand company that stimulates originality and encourages creativity in children. It was established in year 2007, founded by current directors Dr. Shyam Makhija & Mr Anuj Mehta. ToyKraft offers diverse portfolio of toys across age and interest groups, has witnessed strong consumer interest and has earned 15 toy awards in this short span. Currently the company has more than 200 products under ACORN, CROWN HOBBIES, GAMELOGY, M'TEK, POGO - MAD KITS & the freshly launched I-SERIES. The range is well retailed through specialty toy stores, large format retail chains and e-commerce platforms like Flipkart, Firstcry etc. apart from the brand’s very own online shop - www.toy-kraft.com.

The company maintains international toy safety standards & has exported its toys to Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, UAE & USA.

MTDC pays tribute to Manna Dey

MTDC pays tribute to Manna Dey

MTDC pays tribute to the legendary Indian playback singer, Shri Manna Dey by making a sand sculpture by renowned sand artist Shri Sudarshan Pattnaik from Orissa at Girgaon Chowpatty, Mumbai. The entertainment capital of India, Mumbai and Maharashtra mourns the sad demise of Padma Bhushan Manna Dey.  

Mumbai Embraces Hot Air Balloon Safari

Mumbai Embraces Hot Air Balloon Safari

Mumbai, October, 2013: Romanticizing in air is not a fable, floating in the clouds is not a dream and experiencing solitude & stillness in air is not fairytale. India’s only commercial hot air ballooning organization, Sky Waltz, in association with Government of Maharashtra and Rainbow Riderss today announced the launch of Hot Air Ballooning in Lonavala from 29^th October, 2013. Hot Air Ballooning has taken the tourism industry of Rajasthan by storm and is now ready to set ablaze the tourism industry of Maharashtra.  

Initially there will be one balloon with carrying capacity of 8 passengers. Priced at INR 12,000 per head, the ride lasts for approximately one hour but the whole experience lasts for approximately three hours – from pick up to drop back. As Hot Air Ballooning is seasonal and dependent on wind movement, the first year will have flights from November 2013 to mid April 2014. However, by middle of September, the weather is conducive to start flights.  From the base at Lonavala, the balloon will be airborne twice a day at sunrise and late afternoon / early evening.  

The launch of Hot Air Ballooning Safari in Mumbai was announced by Shri. Chhagan Bhujbal, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, in the presence of Dr. Jagdish Patil, Hon’ble, Managing Director, MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation), Mr. Samit Garg, Founder & CEO – Sky Waltz, Jai Thakore, Founder & COO – Sky Waltz, Mr. Sangram Pawar, Director – Rainbow Riderss.

Announcing the launch of Hot Air Ballooning in Mumbai, Shri Chhagan Bhujbal, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, said, “Increasing tourism footfalls across the country in the past decades has provided an impetus to not only the development but also the introduction of innovative & exciting tourism products.  The Indian Tourism Industry expanding exponentially and both, the State and National Governments are looking to introduce and promote Aero-Sports/Adventure Tourism.”

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the direct contribution of the tourism industry to the country’s GDP is expected to grow by 7.7% per annum to INR 3, 805.2 billion by 2022 with Maharashtra, at present, attracting the highest number of tourists to the country per year, i.e. approx 60.14 million.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Samit Garg, Founder & CEO – Sky Waltz, said, “In the last few years, we have seen an exponential growth in the demand for Hot Air Ballooning. This clearly reflects the embracing nature of adventure tourism and sports. Our partnership with Rainbow Riderss will enable enthusiasts of Maharashtra and neighbouring states to experience the thrill of Hot Air Ballooning in Lonavala.”

Echoing Samit Garg’s sentiment, Dr. Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) said, “Maharashtra boasts of more than 5.2 million foreign tourists setting foot in the state each year. The state offers numerous popular and adventure spots frequented not only by the locals but also others.” He further added, “Hot Air Ballooning is a well established and highly successful adventure sport globally that has been successfully incorporated into India’s Tourism environment.”

Mr. Sangram Pawar, Director – Rainbow Riderss, the official franchise partners for Sky Waltz, catering to the Maharashtra region said, “The Government of Maharashtra is exploring and adding new dimensions to the area of tourism and highlighting more destinations on the map to boost tourism in the state.”

Franchise partners Rainbow Riderss has embarked on extensive marketing to promote Hot Air Ballooning as an adventure sport. The growing popularity of hot air ballooning can be gauged from the fact that 93.5 FM and Girikand Cars & Coaches have already come on board as radio and travel partners for the season.

About Sky Waltz Balloon Safari:

Sky Waltz is the first and the largest licensed and approved commercial Hot Air Balloon operator in India, authorized by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) - Government of India. Sky Waltz Balloon Safari is a new and exciting Tourism and Corporate based product that is offering both Indian and Foreign Nationals a unique and memorable experience. After commencing its operations in 5 locations in Rajasthan, Sky Waltz has now launched its operations in PUNE / LONAVALA / MUMBAI.

A I C C felicitation

Mumbai Oct. 21 :- Gurudas Kamat, M P & General Secretary - A I C C f elicited to Mr. R N Singh on his elected for the 6th Consecutive Term as a President of Uttar Bhartiya Sangh in Mumbai. 

SQUAREKEY LAUNCHES IN MUMBAI

SQUAREKEY LAUNCHES IN MUMBAI

CREATING A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD BETWEEN BRANDS AND INDIAN CONSUMERS, NEW ONLINE SHOPPING DESTINATION, SQUAREKEY, TAKES INDIA BY STORM.

SQUAREKEY PROVIDES INDIAN CONSUMERS ACCESS TO  CURRENT-SEASON  ITEMS OF PREMIUM INTERNATIONAL BRANDS AT PARITY PRICE.

After its successful launch in Delhi last week online shopping destination SquareKey.com is all set to create a buzz in Mumbai.

Amidst much glitz and glamour, launch party of Squarekey.com was hosted at Le Pain Quotidien (BKC) in Mumbai by Nishka Lulla and SquareKey founder Avantika Daing on Monday. The guest list included the who’s who of the fashion industry and lifestyle magazines with Mugdha Godse, Krishika Lulla, Aditya Thackrey among many others.

SquareKey.com has been creating quite the frenzy amongst Bollywood celebrities, stylists, and the fashion elite since it’s a virtual store for brands unavailable in India till date.

An online retail destination for premium western contemporary fashion and lifestyle brands for men, women, and kids, and touted as "India's Net-A-Porter," SquareKey offers unprecedented access to current in-season styles from leading western designers including BCBG, Nicole Miller, Nanette Lepore, Cynthia Rowley, Members Only, DL1961, Milly, Hanky Panky, and more.

SquareKey’s partnerships allow access to these labels which do not have brick and mortar presence in India at parity price (for the same price as retail in US/Europe) with free shipping.

Now you must be thinking, where do I sign up, right? Key in at: http://www.squarekey.com.

SquareKey’s vision is to create a level playing field between international brands and Indian consumers in their access to each other by providing current season items at parity price along with pre-order exclusivity. Sitting on a unique content platform, it keeps consumers engaged in real time trends.

Recently launched SquareTUBE is their own YouTube-driven digital approach to content around fashion and lifestyle. SquareKey also provides a personal shopper service where consumers can shop New York City whilst sitting in India.

Founder Avantika Daing says, “there is a large gap in a growing market. We want to unlock the world with SquareKey, by bringing the retail experience as it happens in real time in New York and London to the Indian consumers so they are not an afterthought; as is the case with branded retail in India. We partner with our brands strategically so as to not dilute them like e-retail tends to do in India. We are about an experience and so content, information and customer needs are of high priority to us. To enhance the customer experience, we now offer pre-order – providing exclusive access to items weeks before they are available in retail, even in New York!”

Editor-in-Chief Kanika Chadda Gupta explains, “SquareKey’s goal is to make shopping an experience rather than a chore. Our aim is two-fold. Firstly, we are living in a digital world and Indian shoppers have become a lot more tech savvy. We want to encourage online shopping since it’s easy and hassle-free, especially with our incentives of cost on delivery, parity price (same prices those in the US/UK), and free shipping. Secondly, we have positioned ourselves to be “content meets commerce,” which means the site navigates like an interactive magazine. On SquareTUBE, we have exclusive videos including “Street Style Around the World” and “Behind the Seams,” where consumers get a chance to hear from the designers themselves. On other e-commerce portals, the clothes get all the limelight. We want to give you the backstory. And with editorial features like “Shop the story” and “Pick of the week,” one can spend hours on SquareKey reading fiction narratives and getting tips on how to stay on trend while staying true to one’s own originality.”

SquareKey’s advisory board consists of founders, designers and editors of Fine Wines & More, Soho House, Le Pain Quotidien, Harper's Bazaar, FreeCultr, IMG Worldwide and Estee Lauder.

ABOUT SQUAREKEY

Squarekey.com is India’s first editorially driven online multi- brand retailer for premium western contemporary brands providing fashion & lifestyle for men, women, and kids.

GUEST IN ATTENDANCE

First Data Corporation !

Good Afternoon and Greetings from First Data Corporation !

It is about First Data Corporation, a global technology and payments processing leader, serving more than 6 million merchant locations, thousands of card issuers and millions of consumers worldwide. The company has released a White Paper on,` How Electronc Payments can support the Growth of Government Services,’ in India. Nitish Asthana, Executive Director of First Data is the author of the White Paper. Attached is the White Paper for your reference. Do let me know if you would want to speak to him for further inputs on the White Paper.

About Electronic payments and its benefits to government services and utilities

Today, India due to changing regulatory reform and growing market demand, are seeing big potential for electronic payments throughout the country. We are seeing a 40 percent growth in actual debit card, credit card and net-banking spends, not forgetting that electronic payments a part of our general DNA. According to the RBI release of "Security and Risk Mitigation Measures for Electronic Payment Transactions" report, revealed that how banks are making electronic payment solutions more secure. Until these standards were released, Indians often doubted their transactions were safe.

In 2011 the Indian Government had launched an e-payment system to facilitate direct credit of dues from the Government of India into the account of beneficiaries using digitally signed electronic advice (e-advice) through the ‘Government e-Payment Gateway’ (GePG). This system was developed by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Department of Expenditure, and Ministry of Finance. The Government e-Payment Gateway (GePG) was a portal which enabled the successful delivery of payment services from Pay & Accounts Offices (PAOs) for online payment into beneficiaries’ accounts in a seamless manner under a secured environment.

Utility customers today are looking for quick and easy payment options, while utility companies want on-time payments using simple solutions. Electronic payments offer benefits to both. Whether using web-based solutions or taking payments in-person, accepting electronic payments can help utilities more easily manage customer payments, reduce receivables, and improve cash flow. This in tune will result in growth of government services.

Online payment solutions or electronic payments are becoming a rapidly growing trend for the utility industry be it IRCTC and Income Tax. Along with these other government services like passport, India postal Department, Aadhar card, Visa application, pension calculators, Permanent Account Number also accept payments online. Utilities is witnessing a growth in the number of electronic payments received. Reason being electronic payments of government services provides the customers with real-time access to account information over the internet and allows immediate payment ability. Billing and/or payment inquiries can be addressed at the customer’s convenience.

The Context - India

How electronic payments can support the growth of government payments Below is the synopsis of the White Paper. The entire paper is attached for your reference.  

The growth in internet penetration and electronic payments has the potential to improve governance and make it easier for citizens to interact with government agencies and avail of public services. First Data & ICICI Merchant Services’ Nitish Asthana discusses how electronic payments can be leveraged as part of e-government programs to improve services to citizens across the country.

The e.change is here to stay

One of the biggest beneficiaries of online payments is Indian Railways. Today, online railway ticket booking on its website is a success story. On March 1, 2013 the Indian Railway’s website set a new record by booking over 5 lakh tickets. The Railway Ministry, seeing the growth in traffic on this website, has announced a revamping of the site from financial year 2013-14 to increase the booking rate to 7,200 tickets per minute from its present level of approximately 2,000 tickets per minute. This service gives consumers several e-payment options, including debit and credit cards. By the end of this year, the site will be able to handle 1.2 lakh users at any point compared to the current 40,000 users it handles.

The e-Advantage (alignment)

Consumers experience tangible benefits by paying for services online. They no longer have to visit multiple government offices or stand in queue to pay their bills or seek information. Rather, this very convenience has led to rapid adoption of online payment modes. 

The government benefits from making available consumer-centric services online. This ensures that the necessary process controls are not compromised, productivity and efficiency are increased, and customer service levels are improved. The sheer volume of transactions that can be handled electronically will increasingly allow the government to focus on other development issues and on improving the quality of service. It also helps the government increase its revenues for services that are paid for.

Do let me know how we can take it forward.