CREDAI - CBRE released a joint report “Indian Real Estate in 2017 and Beyond” at the CREDAI 17th NATCON 2017, London

-         Current disruptions in four cornerstones of the real estate sector - Regulation, Finance, Customers and Technology, will help facilitate a new transformed ecosystem, at par with major economies

London, August 11, 2017: CREDAI in association with its knowledge partner CBRE, today released a report “Indian Real Estate in 2017 and Beyond” at its 17^th Annual International Convention, NATCON 2017 in London. The report encapsulates the major policy related disruptions by Government of India which are challenging the traditional operating environment by setting a new foundation for change. According to the report, a conjecture of measures - RERA, GST, REITs are aimed at improving transparency in the sector, increasing the share of organized segment and enhancing the overall investor sentiment. This will help in catalysing ease of doing business in the country while supporting corporate entities entering or expanding their footprint in India.

It anticipates that breakthrough disruptions in four cornerstones – Regulation, Finance, Customers and Technology are likely to have positive insinuations on the sector and will facilitate a new ecosystem which will be more conducive. With RERA, GST and I-REITs becoming a reality in 2017, Government has definitely taken a lead in challenging the operating fabric with regulatory disruptors and making Affordable housing the growth catalyst in the residential segment. The report further talks about how a favourable regulatory environment, coupled with attractive asset valuations are enhancing the investor confidence significantly by changing the perception of Indian realty in the global arena. This is evident from an unprecedented interest from offshore equity investors, large Indian corporates and high net worth individuals (HNIs) which is roughly estimated to reach at 7 billion USD in 2017. Furthermore, it states that while office and residential are expected to remain traditional drivers for the industry; alternate sectors, such as retail and warehousing will also come to the forefront.

The report also insights into the changing disruption in customer preferences in office, retail, residential and warehousing space. For instance, the dynamics in office spaces are being disrupted with the entry of millennials – Over two-thirds of the Indian Millennials feel quality of ‘Office design’ impacts their productivity to large extent. While in warehousing segment - entry of international players is ensuring that better and larger warehouses emerge in key markets; in residential segment - customers will have a say in operations with effective grievance redressal. Customer experience has also become at the heart of retail’s strategy which is fuelling future trends like customization and hyper customization. As per the survey, more than 40% of retailers in cities such as Noida, Gurgaon, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata etc. preferred locating in the malls, as they serve as experience destinations.

The report concludes by observing new disruptions in Technology, infusing all other cornerstones like online registration of developers under RERA, GST rate finder app, automation and robotics in the office segment and company.

On the occasion of unveiling the report, Mr. Jaxay Shah, President, CREDAI National commented, “Government’s aggressive push to formalize, regulate and encourage investment to the sector with a slew of measures like RERA, REITs is consolidating India’s position on global map. We believe that these disruptions and encouraging trends will definitely manifest a more exciting future which will be full of possibilities and opportunities for Indian real-estate.”

While releasing the report, Anshuman Magazine, Chairman, India & South East Asia, CBRE said, “In this burgeoning Indian economy, the one sector that has emerged from the restraints of the past is Real Estate. The real estate sector in India is one of the key contributors and mainstays for India’s development as a nation. Real estate in India continues to be in a dynamic phase and the pace at which the four cornerstones – Regulation, Finance, Customers and Technology are evolving, a more than incremental transformation in the sector is expected in the coming years. In this report we have dwelled on how a strong foundation for this change has already been laid with a conducive operating environment, the future growth of the sector will be determined by many other factors”.

Feast after fasting this Janmashtami at Taj Wellington Mews, Mumbai

~Savour sumptuous culinary treats this festive season~

Mumbai, 14^th August 2017: This Janmashtami welcome the birth of Lord Krishna with a burst of flavour and fervour! Get together with family and friends and feel the festive cheer with a range of delicious treats perfect for breaking your fast. The light and crispy Sabudana Vada, the soft Rajgiri Puri, traditional Vari Rice, refreshing Thandai, Vrat Waale Aloo will satisfy after a day’s fast, before a sweet and creamy Badam Kheer and fresh fruit. Come and taste the ‘food of the Gods’/ ‘divine offerings’ at Weli Deli, Taj Wellington Mews, Mumbai!

Offer valid:

Date: 14^th August 2017

Day: Monday

Timing: 12 PM to 10: 45 PM

Venue: Weli Deli, Taj Wellington Mews, Mumbai 

Contact Number: 022 66574331

Smokers display not only poorer physical health, but also mental health!

Smokers show hypersensitive behaviour that is 200% higher than non–smokers.

·        New Delhi - 90 % of smokers have Carbon Monoxide levels in the 11+ ppm zone

·        Mumbai - 78 % smoker have attempted to quit smoking (the maximum across cities) but were not able to quit

·        Bangalore- 19% smokers tested as Stage 2 Hypertensive (highest across cities)

·        Lucknow - 60% of all smokers fall in the pre-hypertensive category

·        Kolkata - 80% smokers believed it is difficult to quit smoking

Mumbai, 9^th August, 2017: Quitting smoking is a huge challenge for most smokers in India.  People make several attempts to quit smoking but have failed to give up smoking. 9 in 10 smokers have made efforts to stop smoking, but have struggled to quit even after knowing the serious health risks associated with it.

According to the Choose Life study, smokers show hypersensitive behaviour that is 200% higher than non – smokers. Moreover, smokers get affected with mental stress that is 178% higher as compared to non-smokers, with further increase in issues such as broken and insufficient sleep, lack of motivation, overeating or undereating and anger outbursts over family or at work.

Despite knowing the serious health effects of smoking, 74% of the surveyed smokers feel that it is hard to quit smoking. Shockingly, 3 in 4 respondents smoked even if they were unwell and 8 in 10 smokers felt the urge to smoke as soon as they woke up.

The alarming concern is that more than 65% men who smoke cigarettes had high blood pressure and 4 out of 5 smokers had higher levels of carbon monoxide (CO) as compared to non-smokers. High blood pressure and elevated CO levels can have a serious impact on physical and mental health.

Another significant finding of the study shows that 91% smokers have been advised by their doctors to give up smoking, unfortunately, more than 75% smokers who had attempted to quit, took to smoking again within 3 months. 

The survey indicates that quitting smoking is a monumental task and most people struggle to succeed in their efforts. It is important to note that the patterns don’t change significantly across cities. Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Lucknow or Kolkata, the challenges associated with quitting smoking are still the same.

Tobacco use kills more than 900,000 people a year in India, and the World Health Organisation estimates that tobacco-related diseases cost the country about $16 billion annually*. It will be crucial to support more smokers in quitting to smoke.

“Awareness on the ill-effects of smoking is very high among smokers. While most efforts today focus on driving this awareness, it will be imperative to make a shift towards ‘helping people in their quit journey’. As we have seen, the challenges associated with quitting are manifold and there can be more that can be done to help them. I believe scientific ways to quit smoking along with adequate counselling will be critical in our efforts to reduce smoking in India” said Dr. Prashant Chhajed, a leading Pulmonologist from Fortis & Nanavati Hospital.

According to Dr. Pralhad Prabhudesai, a leading Pulmonologist from Lilavati hospital, “The biggest challenge is that most of the smokers are aware about the ill effects of smoking but they still choose to smoke. They feel that smoking helps them to de-stress and makes them more productive. The study however clearly indicates that is not the case and smokers do suffer from greater mental stress as compared to non-smokers.”

The survey revealed that almost 88% smokers took to the habit under the age of 24 years, and 55% of them started smoking to look cool or just for fun.

“As the study shows, smoking is a habit that starts just for fun but it becomes life threatening eventually. Smokers make several attempts to quit after that, but most find it hard to abstain. By continuing to smoke, they waste a lot of time, which also impacts work productivity. Hence this is not just an individual challenge, but also an organizational challenge and every HR department must take note of this. I also feel, that by using scientifically proven interventions, the process to quit can become easier and work productivity can improve significantly, said Dr. Partha Pritam Bose, a leading Chest Physician, National Heart Institute & Founder SAANS - SAKSHAM

Smoking is something that starts as a choice, but eventually becomes a compulsion. The dependency on the habit is so high that even after several attempts to quit, smokers struggle to succeed. Stress and increasing workload are often considered as triggers to smoke. Ironically, while it gives you temporary relief, the long term impact on mental and physical health could be seriously negative and every smoker must consider this while they go for their smoke breaks, said Dr. Vasunethra Kasargod a leading Consultant Pulmonologist in Vikram Hospital.

About Choose Life Study: The Choose Life study was conducted by leading Pulmonologists / Chest Physicians from Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore. The focus of the study was to raise awareness on the ill-effects of smoking, encouraging smokers in their quit journey and making them choose life, not cigarettes.  The study was conducted amongst 1000 males, both smokers (50%) and non-smokers (50%), between the ages of 25 - 50 years, across sec A & B socio-economic classes. The smokers considered were those smoking more than 10 cigarettes / day. The objective of the study was twofold.

1.    To highlight the differences in health, mind sets and emotional levels of smokers and non-smokers.

2.    To document the efforts undertaken by smokers to quit smoking and their outcome.

The study was conducted in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Lucknow.

It is clearly visible through the research findings that a lot more needs to be done to help people quit smoking. Creating awareness on the ill-effects of smoking is just addressing a part of the problem. The larger challenge lies in helping smokers in their quit journey and making them choose life, not cigarettes.

Additional findings:

·         Smokers from Mumbai (78 %) have made maximum attempts to quit smoking but were not able to quit. Most of the smokers from sample size wanted to give up smoking for their kids and wife or both.

·         90 % smokers from Delhi have CO levels in the 11+ ppm zone, leading to increased health risks.  47 % smokers from Mumbai were found to be pre-hypertensive (BP -120-139 systolic or diastolic 80-89). 19% smokers from Bangalore tested as stage 2 hypertensive (BP – 160 or higher systolic or 100 or higher diastolic)

·         Data indicates that 47% smokers from Delhi don’t exercise at all.

·         34% smokers from Lucknow smoked to look cool, the highest across the 5 cities.

·         Unlike 100% non-smokers, 45% of smokers fail to hold their breath for even 10 seconds.

Ziox Mobiles announces ‘Sushant Singh Rajput’ as its Brand Ambassador along with Rs. 300cr investment for FY17 -18

·        

 Launches its newest Mobile phone ‘Ziox Duopix’

·         Forays into LED TV and Consumer Durables Segment

·         Plans to open 2 new manufacturing units and R&D facilities with investment of Rs. 200cr.

·         Plans a 360-degree marketing campaign with a budget of Rs. 100 Cr.

​Mumbai, 9th August, 2017 :- ​

In the light of its vigorous expansion, Ziox Mobiles under the aegis of Sun Air voice Pvt Ltd, one of the fastest growing Mobile handsets brand, ropes in the very versatile, Sushant Singh Rajput, as its Brand endorser who truly lives up to the brand name.

While Ziox mobiles is a preferred brand across the country through its outstanding innovation and quality, the other has won the hearts of a million Indians as he slips into any role with nonchalance. Both the brand and its ambassador ride on the precepts of resilience, hard work and steady growth. A rare blend of energy, perseverance, and popularity coupled with his ability to connect to people, Sushant Singh Rajput is a fine addition to the Ziox Mobiles family. This association will further boost the legacy of Ziox Mobiles as the actor resonates to the brand promise: Quality that Speaks.

Answering strong demand and an overwhelming response from the Indian market, Ziox Mobiles also chalked out a detailed expansion plan and the roadmap for FY 2017-2018.The Brand aims to establish a stronger foothold in the Indian Market, with the total investment of over Rs. 200crore which shall span for a year, the Brand announced its plan to set up 2 new manufacturing units (in Sikkim and Noida) and R&D facilities apart from the existing New Delhi unit, with a holding capacity of around 1 Million units per Month. With the induction of Sushant Singh Rajput as its brand endorser along with the total investment of Rs. 100 Cr. this FY 2017-2018, Ziox aims to achieve an estimated revenue of Rs. 1,000 Cr and a sale of 10 million product units.

Commenting on this association and a promising future, Mr. Deepak Kabu, CEO Ziox Mobiles said “The future looks bright, Ziox Mobiles has a range of phones in the pipeline with exciting new launches. We are enthralled to present Sushant Singh Rajput as the new face of Ziox Mobiles. With Sushant Singh Rajput on board, it will help augment sales and further its reach in the market. The partnership with him is timed with Ziox Mobiles’ next phase of expansion on a pan-India level”

Mr. Kabu further adds, “Sushant embodies talent, youthfulness and style. More importantly, he blends well with the core values of hard work, reliability, and is the epitome of our brand philosophy. Today our target audience is the young, driven, forward-moving generation, who have ever changing needs. Sushant understands the pulse of this audience well and has a great rapport with them. That is why, with immense preparation, he goes on to entertain his fans with one performance after another just as Ziox Mobiles constantly strives to understand the changing needs of its customers.”

Speaking on the association, Sushant Singh Rajput said, "I have always known Ziox Mobiles to be an inspirational brand in terms of their persuasion to becomes India’s biggest mobile brand. I am happy to be associated with a brand which is very young, and has a journey that is very similar to mine. I love how this brand designs its products to suit every need of its customers and are constantly innovating themselves as I see myself doing that while working on a role. I look forward to being part of the Ziox Mobiles family and to contribute to its fascinating growth journey in India."

The ever-evolving brand has slated a major strategic transformation that entails the signing of a new brand endorser, an aggressive expansion and launches of it new products.

The Brand at the event also announced the launch of its newest smartphone Series ‘Duopix”, Phone Series with Dual Cameras. Designed to fulfil the brand promise of providing users with superior camera performance and quality, ‘Duopix’ comes equipped with wide angle Dual front camera (8.0MP + 2.0) front +8.0MP Rear. The latest Dual 4G model runs on Android 7.0, with 5inch HD IPS Display along with 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM all packed in 2500mAh battery. Some of the key features includes strong battery life & also the fast charging capability. The budget friendly Smartphone comes equipped with various other features like 21 language support with multilingual phonebook, MP3 player, FM Radio, Bluetooth connectivity to help you stay connected. The phone will be available across all retail stores in few week’s time.

Along with the smartphones, the brand also announces its foray into LED TVS and Consumer Durables category.

PAYBACK offers exciting gifting range

~Redeem earned PAYBACK Points to celebrate an amazing sibling bond this Rakshabandhan~

PAYBACK - India's largest multi-brand loyalty program announces the exciting gifting range to celebrate this Rakshabandhan and strengthen the affectionate bond of love and care between the siblings.

This year’s major attraction to PAYBACK’s exclusive Rakhi gifting range are the Gift Vouchers from leading retail brands ranging in several denominations specially designed for the shoppers who wish to gift their brothers and sisters to celebrate this festival of love, cheer and joy. These vouchers can simply be purchased by using PAYBACK loyalty points on the Rewards Catalogue. All PAYBACK collectors get access to wide range of Gift Vouchers and can shop for free through the redemption of points at the Rewards Catalogue on the website & mobile app.  

The Rewards Catalogue is offering multiple options of Gift Vouchers from leading retail brands like Shoppers Stop, Home Stop, Lifestyle, Big Bazaar etc. In addition to this, customers can redeem their points to shop other wide range of products available from categories like apparels, gadgets to appliances and more which can be considered as a perfect gifting option for Rakshabandhan and will

surely put up a smile on your sister’s face.

Mr. Rijish Raghavan, Vice President & Head -Partner Management, PAYBACK India states “We invite all PAYBACK loyalty customers to shop for their gifts by using their PAYBACK points on the Rewards Catalogue. At PAYBACK we always encourage collectors to accumulate more points and use them during special occasions. Festivals are perfect occasions to utilise your points and shop for free

using the loyalty points collected over time.”

PAYBACK is a unique coalition loyalty program that lets you earn points for the daily activities, like shopping, movies etc. which can later be redeemed against rewards from PAYBACK Rewards Catalogue or at PAYBACK’s various in-store/retail store partners and online partners. So, in order to get one of the best gift and rewarding shopping experience, visit over 50+ PAYBACK  partners across in-store as well as online and shop.

About PAYBACK:

PAYBACK is India’s largest multi-brand loyalty program offering its members multitude of benefits.It has over 50 partners including affiliate brands participating in the PAYBACK Network across categories in-store as well as online namely American Express, ICICI Bank, HPCL, TripAdvisor, Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, fashion@BigBazaar (fbb), Food Hall, Central, Ezone, Home Town, Brand Factory, bookmyshow.com, eBay, Amazon, Flipkart and many more. With such a varied portfolio of partners, PAYBACK Members can earn points on everyday shopping and redeem them for attractive rewards, at their preference.

PAYBACK also offers the Corporate Rewards Program - a unique loyalty solution designed to address the constantly evolving reward and recognition needs of Employees and Channel Partners. It delivers superior program experience to members through a dedicated call-centre and online service access. Few of the key partners are DuPont, Cognizant, ICICI Prudential, Magma HDI etc.

PAYBACK’s effort and work has been acknowledged across multiple industry platforms. PAYBACK recently won awards for “Best Loyalty Program” in the loyalty segment at the prestigious CMO Asia and “Best Big Data / Analytics Team of the Year” Award at the Data, Analytics & Insights Summit and Awards.

It also won awards for ‘Best Use of Partnership in a Loyalty Program’ & ‘Best Use of Customer and Data Analytics in a Loyalty Program’ during the 10th edition of the Customer Loyalty Summit held this year. PAYBACK was also awarded the ‘Best Customer Loyalty Program’ at the Retail Excellence Awards part of the Asia Africa GCC Retail & Shopping Centre Congress & Awards held in February 2017. At the 9th Loyalty Summit 2016, PAYBACK was recognized as Champion of Champions - Loyalty Program of the Year, 2016. It has also won 'The Best Loyalty Team and Best Rewards Program' at the Summit. It has been awarded as the “Best Loyalty Solution Provider” 2015 in e-Retail Congress., “Product of the Year” 2013 in the Reward Points/Loyalty Programs category, based on 18,000 consumer interviews, across 23 cities in India and the Retailer Customer Service Award for 2013 in the Customer Service-Business Services category.

PAYBACK Program is operated by Loyalty Solutions and Research Private Limited (LSRPL).  LSRPL is majorly controlled by Loyalty Partner GmbH, a subsidiary of American Express.

For more information, please visit PAYBACK.in

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Celebrate the platinum year of Indian Independence with HISTORY TV18

~This August watch inspiring stories of incredible Indians with ‘India: 70 wonders’ and a History TV18 original documentary on the great Subhash Chandra Bose with ‘Netaji Bose and the Lost Treasure’ ~

Mumbai, August 2017: This Independence month HISTORY TV18 is presenting a marathon of inspiring stories that is sure to keep the viewers glued to their screen. The channel brings two most amazing shows India 70 Wonders starting 8^th August, 2017 every Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 PM and a documentary on Subhash Chandra Bose - ‘Netaji Bose and the Lost Treasure’ on 18^thAugust at 9 PM. The viewers are in for a surprise as the August marathon will feature Bollywood “womaniya” Huma Qureshi.

India 70 wonders will feature inspiring and out-of-the-box OMG stories of India and Indians. Some amazing stories from across the country include the cemetery-hotel in Ahmedabad, a barber who drives a Rolls Royce, a 75 year old woman who has mastered Kalaripayattu , a man who transforms iron nails into art and the likes. A series of 7 extraordinary episodes, each episode will showcase 10 inspiring stories that will depict 70 years of a young nation that is at the crossroads of change. Each story has been handpicked based on the level of amazement and intrigue generated.

The next offering is a television first, based on Subhash Chandra Bose, one of the most dynamic leaders of India's struggle of independence. The undying questions surrounding the mystery of the fabled INA Treasure and it’s disappearance along with Bose will come alive with ‘Netaji Bose and the Lost Treasure’ a History TV18 original documentary.  The secrets, locked away in the vaults of South Block and protected by the Official Secrets Act, will be showcased for the first time on television.

The thrilling one-hour special, is filmed in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar & Japan and uses rare archives as it pieces together the mysteries. With an interesting combination of present day shots, archival footage, graphics and interviews, the film takes one through an unexplored treasure hunt of World War II and its key players.

Catch all the Independence Day excitement this August only on HISTORY TV18

SpiceJet unites Army Jawans with their Sisters on ‘Raksha Bandhan’ ~ Airline celebrates the special occasion in Srinagar and Delhi ~

Gurgaon, August 7, 2017: SpiceJet celebrated Raksha Bandhan — the festival that symbolises the eternal love and devotion of a brother and his sister - in a unique way this year! In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the country’s favourite low-cost carrier flew almost 50 sisters and families of Army Jawans to meet their brothers posted on the western border and the national capital, in what was an exciting two-day event.

SpiceJet scheduled these celebrations for India’s real heroes and their sisters both in Delhi and Srinagar on 6th and 7th August respectively.

On August 5, eight sisters were flown in from various cities across India to be re-united on the special occasion with their brothers at the base station in Delhi.  The sisters and families came from small towns in Darjeeling, Goa, Tezpur in Assam, Mohali, Visakhapatnam, Ganjam in Odisha and Panpur in Madhya Pradesh, besides one from Mumbai.

The jawans and their sisters celebrated ‘Raksha Bandhan’ with members of SpiceJet team at Shankar Vihar in Delhi on August 6. It was a heartwarming sight to see the sisters fondly relive the golden memories of their childhood with their brothers. The airline also provided refreshments and goodies to both the soldiers and their families.

On August 7 morning, the other 40 siblings and their families along with a SpiceJet team travelled to Srinagar to celebrate the special occasion. SpiceJet made it possible for the families, traveling from across India, to reach Delhi and then travel to Srinagar to celebrate the enduring relationship; the airline also arranged the stay for the families both in Delhi and Srinagar. The contingent of 60 people drove from the Srinagar airport to the Srinagar Base Hospital, where injured army officers and jawans are treated. The sisters then tied the pious thread on their brother’s wrists for their well-being and longevity.

On this festive occasion, SpiceJet CMD – Mr. Ajay Singh said, “Siblings share a beautiful bond that transcends time and distance. There can be no better gift for a brother and sister than the company of each other on the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan more so in the case of our army jawans who rarely get an opportunity to meet their sisters on this day. As a mark of respect for their commitment, SpiceJet is proud to be a part of this endearing moment between the jawans and their sisters.”

YE RE YE RE SANJAY JADHAV

Sanjay Jadhav, a renowned director from Marathi film fraternity had launched teaser poster of his upcoming movie “YE RE YE RE PAISA” and also announced release date of the movie. The movie is coming up next year on the 5th of January. His last film ‘Guru’ was released last year in January and after almost one and half year he is coming up with a new movie. Unlike his earlier movies, Guru didn’t make money at the box office. After the launch of ‘Ye Re Ye Re Paisa’s’ teaser poster many questions are popping up in everyone’s mind and everybody is curious to know about the star cast of the film. We have always noticed the same faces in Sanjay Jadhav’s films. Will ‘Ye Re Ye Re Paisa’ surprise the audiences? Will Sanjay Jadhav present fresh faces? Will it be a multi-starrer movie?? What will be the genre of movie?? All these questions are yet to be answered. Sanjay Jadhav’s movies are full of entertainment and treat for the audiences and hence everyone eagerly look forward to his movies.

Bollywood Celebrity Arjun Kapoor represents Girl Rising NGO at the charity dinner “Jewellers for Hope”

GJEPC’s CSR initiative ‘Jewellers for Hope’ donates Rs 1 crore for education & empowering girl child and supporting the needy children

Smt. Amruta Fadnavis and singer Rekha Bharadwaj grace the occasion ‘Jewellers for Hope’ charity dinner

Mumbai, 3rd August, 2017:  Bollywood celebrity actor and Ishqzade fame Arjun Kapoor, represented Girl Rising an NGO who works towards empowering and education of girl child from the under privileged families. Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), in association with De Beers, recently organized the third edition of the ‘Jewellers for Hope’, a gala charity dinner with an aim to collaboratively contribute for the upliftment of downtrodden and support the needy.  Along with Arjun Kapoor, Smt. Amruta Devendra Fadnavis also graced the occasion. This year the proceeds were given to Girl Rising, Nanhi Kali NGOs working for the empowerment of Girl Child and Make a Wish Foundation, an NGO playing an integral role by granting the most cherished wish of Children living with life threatening illnesses hailing from socio economically backward society. Cheques amounting to Rs. 1 crore were presented to three NGOs - with Rs. 33 lakhs each to Girl Rising and Make a Wish and Rs. 35 lakhs to Nanhi Kali Foundation. Noted singer Rekha Bhardwaj regaled audiences with a soul-stirring live performance. The event was hosted by the inimitable Mandira Bedi.  

Mr. Manoj Dwivedi, Joint Secretary, Dept. of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt of India and many other prominent personalities from the gems & jewellery sector attended the event.

Mr. Praveenshankar Pandya, Chairman, GJEPC, says, “CSR is the fabric of the gems & jewellery industry to help those in need and share happiness and we want to take it one step further to focus on collaborative social responsibility. The gem & jewellery industry has been involved in large-scale

philanthropic and charitable activities particularly in the field of education and health long before CSR became mandatory. This year, our industry has collectively come together through Jewellers for Hope in association with De Beers to fund three leading NGOs – Nanhi Kali and Girl Rising devoted to empowerment of the girl child; and Make a Wish dedicated to granting the most cherished wish of children between 5-15 years. Giving Back to the Society will make a big difference and transform the lives of many. I am overwhelmed by the contribution by the industry donors and convey gratitude to De Beers, whose support made this event successful.”    

Mr. Paul Rowley, Executive Vice President, Global Sightholder Sales, De Beers Group, said, “At De Beers and Forevermark, we have a strong focus on the upliftment of women as we know how important they are to all aspects of our business – as employees, as government partners, as consumers, as community stakeholders, as ambassadors and as inspirations. They are a huge part – in fact by far the largest part – of our future success and we see it as a clear priority to improve the prospects of women and girls around the world.”

Mr. Russell Mehta, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, said, “Purchasing Jewellery is a joyous occasion in itself and the gem & jewellery industry serves joy and happiness with every purchase. CSR is a step further in spreading happiness in the lives of people but more importantly through Jewellers for Hope, we focus on Collaborative Social Responsibility rather than corporate social responsibility. Consolidated efforts will give an impetus to the magnification of the impact of each one who takes up the challenge of making a difference. Jewellery industry has a heart and we are here to spread happiness.”

Kiwi company a pioneer in Agoda’s Innovative Supplier Programme

August 2017, Mumbai: STAAH Ltd, the hotel industry’s trusted cloud platform, is the first to be chosen by Agoda as a partner in its newly-launched global innovation Supplier Programme for online distribution.

Dedicated to connectivity partners, the Agoda Innovative Supplier Programme aims to create synergy effects with regard to product integration, acquisition and support to mutual accommodation partners. It is designed for Agoda to seamlessly integrate with connectivity partners who meet stringent programme requirements like innovation, implementation, performance and quality control.

With its best-in-class technology solutions, STAAH easily met the targets set for every criteria.

“We are thrilled to onboard STAAH as our first Innovative Supplier partner. Through this programme, we are committed to providing solutions that exceed their expectations, whilst ensuring our accommodation partners’ needs are fulfilled in this dynamic marketplace,” Errol Cooke, Vice President, Global Partner Services, at Agoda.

As an Innovative Supplier, STAAH gets recognised by one of the world’s fastest growing online accommodation platforms with a number of benefits. These include access to advanced APIs from Agoda with even more functionality, data and support. It also provides STAAH an opportunity to leverage Agoda’s global supply network to grow faster. Agoda will also be providing more assistance with dedicated resources to its Innovative Suppliers in order to increase accommodation providers’ satisfaction.

“We are very pleased to be chosen for this programme,” says STAAH’s founding director, Gavin Jeddo. “It is testament to the fact that innovation is certainly alive in the thriving technology hub of New Zealand, and can compete against the very best the world innovators have to offer.”

STAAH has been enabling quick and reliable connections to local and global channels for more than 3500 properties around the world, processing more than 700,000 bookings monthly*. Its cloud-based products enable accommodation providers to reach their online potential, increasing revenue and streamlining their business processes.